Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (1/302)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

sophistical (1), which have been constructed in a particular manner and with particular wording; for they (2), whenever their arrangement and wording are altered and they are recast from one form into another, are exposed as erroneous. The former arguments resemble genuine gold: when it is recast (3) from one form into another, its substance does not change; rather, it becomes clear that it is gold. Adulterated gold, however, is exposed as adulterated when changed from one form into another.

These aforementioned proofs demonstrate the temporal origination of everything other than Allah, and that everything besides Allah is temporally originated (4), coming into being after it had not existed. This remains so whether or not one affirms the perpetual continuity of action as a kind, as do the leading authorities among the adherents of hadith and the leading philosophers.

Yet anyone who does not affirm this will find arising between himself and the various groups (5) among the adherents of different religions, as well as others, disputes, quarrels, and obstinate wrangling from which Allah has spared those whom He has not embroiled in them. Alternatively, the proofs may appear equally balanced to him, leaving him amid various forms of bewilderment, doubt, [and vacillation] (6)—states from which Allah has granted deliverance to those whom He has guided and to whom He has made the truth clear.

Allah Most High says:

“Mankind was one community; then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners, and sent down with them the Scripture in truth to judge between people concerning that over which they differed. None differed over it except those who had received it, after clear proofs had come to them, out of mutual transgression. Then, by His permission, Allah guided those who believed to the truth concerning that over which they had differed. And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.”

[Surah al-Baqarah: 213].

(1) N reads: “the emphatic rational proofs”; M and A read: “the sophistical proofs.” The reading adopted here is from B. (2) A and B read: “for it.” (3) A and B read: “their error—just as genuine gold, when recast.” (4) “Temporally originated” is omitted from A and B. (5) A and B read: “and the leading authorities of the various groups.” (6) “And vacillation” is added in A and B.

الْمُغَالِطِيَّةِ (١) الَّتِي قَدْ رُكِّبَتْ عَلَى وَجْهٍ مُعَيَّنٍ بِأَلْفَاظٍ مُعَيَّنَةٍ، فَإِنَّهَا (٢) مَتَى غُيِّرَ تَرْتِيبُهَا وَأَلْفَاظُهَا، وَنُقِلَتْ مِنْ صُورَةٍ إِلَى صُورَةٍ ظَهَرَ خَطَؤُهَا، فَالْأُولَى كَالذَّهَبِ الصَّحِيحِ فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا نُقِلَ (٣) مِنْ صُورَةٍ إِلَى صُورَةٍ لَمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ جَوْهَرُهُ، بَلْ يَتَبَيَّنُ أَنَّهُ ذَهَبٌ، وَأَمَّا الْمَغْشُوشُ فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا غُيِّرَ مِنْ صُورَةٍ إِلَى صُورَةٍ ظَهَرَ أَنَّهُ مَغْشُوشٌ. وَهَذِهِ الْأَدِلَّةُ الْمَذْكُورَةُ دَالَّةٌ عَلَى حُدُوثِ كُلِّ مَا سِوَى اللَّهِ، وَأَنَّ كُلَّ مَا سِوَى اللَّهِ حَادِثٌ (٤) كَائِنٌ بَعْدَ أَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ، سَوَاءٌ قِيلَ بِدَوَامِ نَوْعِ الْفِعْلِ كَمَا يَقُولُهُ أَئِمَّةُ أَهْلِ الْحَدِيثِ وَأَئِمَّةُ الْفَلَاسِفَةِ أَوْ لَمْ يَقُلْ. وَلَكِنْ مَنْ لَمْ يَقُلْ بِذَلِكَ يَظْهَرُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ طَوَائِفِ (٥) أَهْلِ الْمِلَلِ وَغَيْرِهَا مِنَ النِّزَاعِ وَالْخُصُومَاتِ وَالْمُكَابَرَاتِ مَا أَغْنَى اللَّهُ عَنْهُ مَنْ لَمْ يُشْرِكْهُ فِي ذَلِكَ، أَوْ تَتَكَافَأْ عِنْدَهُ الْأَدِلَّةُ وَيَبْقَى فِي أَنْوَاعٍ مِنَ الْحَيْرَةِ وَالشَّكِّ [وَالِاضْطِرَابِ] (٦) قَدْ عَافَى اللَّهُ مِنْهَا مَنْ هَدَاهُ وَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْحَقَّ. قَالَ تَعَالَى: {كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْذِرِينَ وَأَنْزَلَ مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ فَهَدَى اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِهِ وَاللَّهُ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ} [سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ: ٢١٣] .

(١) ن: الْأَدِلَّةِ الْعَقْلِيَّةِ الْمُغَلَّظَةِ؛ م، ا: الْأَدِلَّةِ الْمُغْلِطِيَّةِ. وَالْمُثْبَتُ مِنْ (ب) . (٢) ا، ب: فَإِنَّهُ. (٣) ا، ب: خَطَؤُهَا كَمَا أَنَّ الذَّهَبَ الصَّحِيحَ إِذَا نُقِلَ. (٤) حَادِثٌ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ا) ، (ب) . (٥) ا، ب: وَبَيْنَ أَئِمَّةِ طَوَائِفِ. (٦) وَالِاضْطِرَابِ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (ا) ، (ب) .