Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (6/27)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

Abū al-Sanābil. [Rather, you are now free to marry] (1), so marry whomever you wish.’” (2) Thus, the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—declared the one who issued this ruling mistaken. Abū al-Sanābil was not qualified to exercise independent legal judgment, and he had no right to issue such a ruling in the presence of the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him.

As for Ali and Ibn Abbas—may Allah be pleased with them both—although they issued that ruling, [nevertheless] (3) they did so on the basis of independent legal judgment. This occurred after the death of the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—and the account of Subay'a had not reached them.

The same applies to all the Companions qualified to exercise independent legal judgment—may Allah be pleased with them. Whenever they exercised such judgment and issued a fatwa, passed judgment, or ruled on a matter contrary to the sunnah because the sunnah had not reached them, they were rewarded for their independent judgment and were obedient to Allah and His Messenger in exercising it to the best of their ability. They receive a reward for that (4), while any of them who exercised independent judgment and reached the correct conclusion receives two rewards.

People disagree over whether every jurist who exercises independent legal judgment should be deemed correct, or whether only one of them is correct. The decisive answer is that [if] (5) by “correct” one means someone who obeys Allah and His Messenger, then every jurist who exercises independent judgment and fears Allah to the best of his ability is obedient to Allah and His Messenger. Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity. Such a person is unable to know the truth as it actually is, so the obligation is waived [for him] (6).

(1) “Rather, you are now free to marry” is absent from (N) and (M); “rather” is absent from (H) and (B). (2) This hadith was cited previously at 4/243. (3) “Nevertheless” is absent from (N) and (M). (4) (N) and (M): “and for that they receive a reward.” (5) “If” is absent from (N). (6) (N): “so He waives it”; (M): “so it is waived for him.”

أَبُو السَّنَابِلِ، [بَلْ حَلَلْتِ] » (١) فَانْكِحِي مَنْ شِئْتِ " (٢) . فَقَدْ كَذَّبَ النَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - هَذَا الَّذِي أَفْتَى بِهَذَا، وَأَبُو السَّنَابِلِ لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الِاجْتِهَادِ، وَمَا كَانَ لَهُ أَنْ يُفْتِيَ بِهَذَا مَعَ حُضُورِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -. وَأَمَّا عَلِيٌّ وَابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا - وَإِنْ كَانَا أَفْتَيَا بِذَلِكَ، [لَكِنْ] (٣) كَانَ ذَلِكَ عَنِ اجْتِهَادٍ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَلَمْ يَكُنْ بَلَغَهُمَا قِصَّةُ سُبَيْعَةَ. وَهَكَذَا سَائِرُ أَهْلِ الِاجْتِهَادِ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ، إِذَا اجْتَهَدُوا فَأَفْتَوْا وَقَضَوْا وَحَكَمُوا بِأَمْرٍ، وَالسُّنَّةُ بِخِلَافِهِ، وَلَمْ تَبْلُغْهُمُ السُّنَّةُ، كَانُوا مُثَابِينَ عَلَى اجْتِهَادِهِمْ، مُطِيعِينَ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فِيمَا فَعَلُوهُ مِنَ الِاجْتِهَادِ بِحَسَبِ اسْتِطَاعَتِهِمْ، وَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ عَلَى ذَلِكَ (٤) ، وَمَنِ اجْتَهَدَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَصَابَ فَلَهُ أَجْرَانِ. وَالنَّاسُ مُتَنَازِعُونَ: هَلْ يُقَالُ: كُلٌّ مُجْتَهِدٌ مُصِيبٌ؟ أَمِ الْمُصِيبُ وَاحِدٌ؟ وَفَصْلُ الْخِطَابِ أَنَّهُ [إِنْ] (٥) أُرِيدَ بِالْمُصِيبِ الْمُطِيعُ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ؛ فَكُلُّ مُجْتَهِدٍ اتَّقَى اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَاعَ فَهُوَ مُطِيعٌ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا، وَهَذَا عَاجِزٌ عَنْ مَعْرِفَةِ الْحَقِّ فِي نَفْسِ الْأَمْرِ، فَسَقَطَ [عَنْهُ] (٦) .

(١) بَلْ حَلَلْتِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) وَسَقَطَتْ بَلْ مِنْ (ح) ، (ب) . (٢) سَبَقَ الْحَدِيثُ فِيمَا مَضَى ٤/٢٤٣. (٣) لَكِنْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٤) ن، م: وَلَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَجْرٌ. (٥) إِنْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) . (٦) ن: فَيُسْقِطُهُ، م: فَيَسْقُطُ عَنْهُ.