Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (5/311)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

[Surah Yā Sīn: 8–9].

The verses and scriptural texts affirming divine decree are exceedingly numerous. All of this proves the falsity of the position held by the Mu‘tazila and other members of the Qadariyya who deny divine decree. Thus, this group had scriptural texts that it upheld, while the other group had texts of its own. Each of the two factions subjected the other’s texts to unsound interpretations and added to the texts it cited (1) claims that those texts did not support.

As for the people of the Sunnah and hadith—the Companions, the Successors [who followed them with excellence, as well as the imams of the Muslims], and the scholars among the people of the Sunnah and hadith—may Allah be pleased with them—they believed (2) in the entire Book and did not distort any of the scriptural texts.

They said:

We say, “Whatever Allah wills comes to pass, and whatever He does not will does not come to pass.”

We also say that Allah is the Creator of everything, its Lord and its Sovereign. Everything besides Allah is His creation (3), brought into being by His will and power. Nothing exists within His dominion unless He wills and creates it. No one can prevent Allah from creating and bringing into existence whatever He wills, for the One, the All-Subduing, declares:

“Whatever mercy Allah opens up for people, none can withhold; and whatever He withholds, none can release thereafter. [And He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.]” (4)

[Surah Fātir: 2].

They also said:

Allah commands faith and righteous deeds and forbids disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience. He loves everything He commands and is pleased with it, and He hates what He has forbidden

(1) N, M: “the texts that it cited as evidence.” (2) N, M: “and the Successors and the scholars of the Muslims; thus, they believed.” (3) N, M: “Thus, everything besides Him is His creation.” (4) The text between square brackets is an addition in H and B.

[سُورَةُ يس: ٨ - ٩] . وَالْآيَاتُ وَالنُّصُوصُ الْمُثْبِتَةُ لِلْقَدَرِ كَثِيرَةٌ جِدًّا، وَهَذَا كُلُّهُ حُجَّةٌ عَلَى بُطْلَانِ قَوْلِ الْمُعْتَزِلَةِ، وَغَيْرِهِمْ مِنَ الْقَدَرِيَّةِ النَّافِيَةِ، فَصَارَ مَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ نُصُوصٌ يَقُولُونَ بِهَا، وَمَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ نُصُوصٌ. وَكُلٌّ مِنَ الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ يَتَأَوَّلُ نُصُوصَ الْأُخْرَى بِتَأْوِيلَاتٍ فَاسِدَةٍ، وَيُضَمُّ إِلَى النُّصُوصِ الَّتِي يَحْتَجُّ (١) بِهَا أُمُورٌ لَا تَدُلُّ عَلَيْهَا النُّصُوصُ. وَأَمَّا أَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ وَالْحَدِيثِ، مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ وَالتَّابِعِينَ [لَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ، وَأَئِمَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ] وَعُلَمَاءِ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ وَالْحَدِيثِ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ - فَآمَنُوا (٢) بِالْكِتَابِ كُلِّهِ، وَلَمْ يُحَرِّفُوا شَيْئًا مِنَ النُّصُوصِ، وَقَالُوا: نَحْنُ نَقُولُ: " مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ كَانَ، وَمَا لَمْ يَشَأْ لَمْ يَكُنْ " وَنَقُولُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَالِقُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَرَبُّهُ وَمَلِيكُهُ، فَكُلُّ مَا سِوَى اللَّهِ مَخْلُوقٌ لَهُ (٣) ، حَادِثٌ بِمَشِيئَتِهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ، وَلَا يَكُونُ فِي مُلْكِهِ مَا لَا يَشَاؤُهُ وَيَخْلُقُهُ، فَلَا يَقْدِرُ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَمْنَعَ اللَّهَ عَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَهُ وَيُكَوِّنَهُ، فَإِنَّ الْوَاحِدَ الْقَهَّارَ {مَا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ رَحْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ [وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ] ] (٤) [سُورَةُ فَاطِرٍ: ٢] . وَقَالُوا: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْإِيمَانِ وَالْعَمَلِ الصَّالِحِ، وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْكُفْرِ وَالْفُسُوقِ وَالْعِصْيَانِ، وَيُحِبُّ كُلَّ مَا أَمَرَ بِهِ وَيَرْضَاهُ، وَيَكْرَهُ مَا نَهَى عَنْهُ

(١) ن، م: الَّتِي احْتَجَّ. (٢) ن، م: وَالتَّابِعِينَ وَعُلَمَاءِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَآمَنُوا. (٣) ن، م: فَكُلُّ مَا سِوَاهُ مَخْلُوقٌ لَهُ. (٤) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ زِيَادَةٌ فِي (ح) ، (ب) .