Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (6/382)

[Chapter Three: The Proofs Establishing the Imamate of Alī—may Allah be pleased with him—after the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him]
[The First Approach: Rational Proofs]
[The First Proof: The Imam Must Be Infallible]

(Section)

The Rāfidī said (1): “Chapter Three: On the proofs establishing the imamate of the Commander of the Faithful, Alī ibn Abī Tālib, after the Messenger—peace and blessings be upon him—(2). The proofs (3) for this are too numerous to count, but we shall mention the most important of them and set out (4) four approaches.

The first approach (5) concerns the rational proofs, of which there are five:

The first: The imam must (6) be infallible; whenever that is so (7), the imam must be Alī—peace be upon him.

As for the first premise: a human being is social by nature and cannot live alone, for his survival depends upon food, drink, clothing, and shelter (8). He cannot (9) secure all these by himself; rather, he needs the assistance of

(1) In K, p. 145, and M, p. 146 (M). (2) K reads: “the Commander of the Faithful—peace be upon him—after the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and his family.” (3) K reads: “for.” (4) K reads: “and arrange it.” (5) “The approach” is omitted from B. (6) N and M read: “that the imam is Alī, who must…” (7) K reads: “likewise.” (8) K (p. 146) and M read: “food, clothing, and shelter.” (9) N and M read: “He cannot.”

[الفصل الثالث في الأدلة الدالة على إمامة علي رضي الله عنه بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم] [المنهج الأول في الأدلة العقلية] [الأول يجب أن يكون الإمام معصوما] (فَصْلٌ) قَالَ الرَّافِضِيُّ (١) : " الْفَصْلُ الثَّالِثُ: فِي الْأَدِلَّةِ الدَّالَّةِ عَلَى إِمَامَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - (٢) . الْأَدِلَّةُ فِي (٣) ذَلِكَ كَثِيرَةٌ لَا تُحْصَى، لَكِنْ نَذْكُرُ الْمُهِمَّ مِنْهَا، وَنُنَظِّمُ (٤) أَرْبَعَةَ مَنَاهِجَ: الْمَنْهَجُ (٥) الْأَوَّلُ: فِي الْأَدِلَّةِ الْعَقْلِيَّةِ، وَهِيَ خَمْسَةٌ: الْأَوَّلُ: أَنَّ الْإِمَامَ يَجِبُ (٦) أَنْ يَكُونَ مَعْصُومًا، وَمَتَى كَانَ ذَلِكَ (٧) كَانَ الْإِمَامُ هُوَ عَلِيًّا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ. أَمَّا الْمُقَدِّمَةُ الْأُولَى: فَلِأَنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ مَدَنِيٌّ بِالطَّبْعِ، لَا يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يَعِيشَ مُنْفَرِدًا؛ لِافْتِقَارِهِ فِي بَقَائِهِ إِلَى مَا يَأْكُلُ وَيَشْرَبُ وَيَلْبَسُ وَيَسْكُنُ (٨) ، وَلَا يُمْكِنُ (٩) أَنْ يَفْعَلَهَا بِنَفْسِهِ، بَلْ يَفْتَقِرُ إِلَى مُسَاعَدَةِ

(١) فِي (ك) ص ١٤٥، (م) ١٤٦ (م) . (٢) ك: أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ -. (٣) ك: عَلَى. (٤) ك: وَنُنَظِّمُهُ. (٥) الْمَنْهَجُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ب) . (٦) ن، م: أَنَّ الْإِمَامَ هُوَ عَلِيٌّ يَجِبُ. (٧) ك: كَذَلِكَ. (٨) ك ص ١٤٦ م: إِلَى مَأْكَلٍ وَمَلْبَسٍ وَمَسْكَنٍ. (٩) ن، م: لَا يُمْكِنُ.