Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (6/140)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

specify every individual instance among the particulars of the world down to the Day of Resurrection. Ijtihad concerning particular cases is therefore indispensable: do they fall within his comprehensive formulations (1) or not?

This form of ijtihad is called “ascertaining applicability.” It is among the matters (2) upon which everyone agrees—both those who reject analogical reasoning and those who affirm it. When Allah commands that two just men be called as witnesses, whether a particular person is one of the just cannot be known from the revealed text, but only through case-specific ijtihad. Likewise, when He commands that trusts be delivered to those entitled to them and that responsibilities be entrusted to those fit for them, the revealed texts cannot establish whether a particular person is qualified for that responsibility or preferable to someone else. This can be known only through case-specific ijtihad.

If the Rāfidī claims that the imam is explicitly designated and infallible, the imam is still no greater than the Messenger, while his deputies and officials are not infallible. The Lawgiver cannot explicitly address every particular case, nor can the Prophet or the imam know the hidden reality of every particular case. Indeed, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—appointed al-Walīd ibn Uqba, after which Allah revealed concerning him:

“If an evildoer brings you news, verify it, lest you harm a people out of ignorance.”

[Surat al-Hujurāt: 6] (3).

He also thought that, in the case before him (4), the right lay with Banū Ubayriq (5). Then Allah revealed:

(1) “His formulations”: thus in (H) and (B); all other manuscripts read: “his formulation.” (2) (N) and (M) read: “what.” (3) See *Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr*, 7:350–351; *al-Musnad*, al-Halabī edition, 4:279, the hadith of al-Hārith ibn Dirār al-Khuzāī—may Allah be pleased with him. See also Ibn al-Arabī’s view and Muhibb al-Dīn al-Khatīb’s rejection of it in *al-Awāsim min al-Qawāsim*, pp. 90–94. (4) (N) and (M) read: “in an account”; (Y) reads: “in a case.” (5) (B) reads: “with Ibn Ubayriq.”

يَنُصَّ عَلَى كُلِّ فَرْدٍ مِنْ جُزْئِيَّاتِ الْعَالَمِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَلَا بُدَّ مِنَ الِاجْتِهَادِ فِي الْمُعَيَّنَاتِ: هَلْ تَدْخُلُ فِي كَلِمَاتِهِ (١) الْجَامِعَةِ أَمْ لَا؟ وَهَذَا الِاجْتِهَادُ يُسَمَّى " تَحْقِيقَ الْمَنَاطِ " ، وَهُوَ مِمَّا (٢) اتَّفَقَ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ كُلُّهُمْ: نُفَاةُ الْقِيَاسِ وَمُثْبِتَتُهُ؛ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَمَرَ أَنْ يُسْتَشْهَدَ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ، فَكَوْنُ الشَّخْصِ الْمُعَيَّنِ مِنْ ذَوِي الْعَدْلِ لَا يُعْلَمُ بِالنَّصِّ بَلْ بِاجْتِهَادٍ خَاصٍّ. وَكَذَلِكَ إِذَا أَمَرَ أَنْ تُؤَدَّى الْأَمَانَاتُ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا وَأَنْ يُوَلَّى الْأُمُورَ مَنْ يَصْلُحُ لَهَا، فَكَوْنُ هَذَا الشَّخْصِ الْمُعَيَّنِ صَالِحًا لِذَلِكَ أَوْ رَاجِحًا عَلَى غَيْرِهِ لَا يُمْكِنُ أَنْ تَدُلَّ عَلَيْهِ النُّصُوصُ، بَلْ لَا يُعْلَمُ إِلَّا بِاجْتِهَادٍ خَاصٍّ. وَالرَّافِضِيُّ إِنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ الْإِمَامَ يَكُونُ مَنْصُوصًا عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ مَعْصُومٌ، فَلَيْسَ هُوَ أَعْظَمَ مِنَ الرَّسُولِ، وَنُوَّابُهُ وَعُمَّالُهُ لَيْسُوا مَعْصُومِينَ، وَلَا يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يَنُصَّ الشَّارِعُ عَلَى كُلِّ مُعَيَّنَةٍ، وَلَا يُمْكِنَ النَّبِيَّ وَلَا الْإِمَامَ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ الْبَاطِنَ فِي كُلِّ مُعَيَّنَةٍ، بَلْ قَدْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - يُوَلِّي الْوَلِيدَ بْنَ عُقْبَةَ ثُمَّ يُنْزِلُ اللَّهُ فِيهِ: {إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَنْ تُصِيبُوا قَوْمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ} [سُورَةُ الْحُجُرَاتِ: ٦] (٣) . وَقَدْ كَانَ يَظُنُّ أَنَّ الْحَقَّ فِي قَضِيَّتِهِ (٤) مَعَ بَنِي أُبَيْرِقٍ (٥) ثُمَّ يُنْزِلُ اللَّهُ:

(١) كَلِمَاتِهِ: كَذَا فِي (ح) ، (ب) وَفِي سَائِرِ النُّسَخِ: كَلِمَتِهِ. (٢) ن، م: مَا. (٣) انْظُرْ تَفْسِيرَ ابْنِ كَثِيرٍ ٧/٣٥٠ - ٣٥١، الْمَسْنَدَ ط. الْحَلَبِيِّ، ٤/٢٧٩ حَدِيثَ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ ضِرَارٍ الْخُزَاعِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، وَانْظُرْ رَأْيَ ابْنِ الْعَرَبِيِّ وَإِنْكَارَ الْأُسْتَاذِ مُحِبِّ الدِّينِ الْخَطِيبِ لِذَلِكَ فِي الْعَوَاصِمِ مِنَ الْقَوَاصِمِ ص ٩٠ - ٩٤. (٤) ن، م: فِي قِصَّةٍ، ي: فِي قَضِيَّةٍ. (٥) ب: مَعَ ابْنِ أُبَيْرِقٍ.