Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (6/447)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

it may be answered:

It has already been explained that an explicit text governing every individual instance of the rulings is not obligatory; indeed, it is not even possible. The imamate is itself one such ruling. Explicitly designating every person who will hold any position of authority over the Muslims until the Hour comes (1) is impossible and has never occurred. Explicitly designating one particular person rather than another does not amount to designating every individual; it is merely an explicit designation (2) of some particular individuals.

At that point, if it is said:

“It is possible to designate an imam explicitly and to delegate to him (3) the authority to designate his successor explicitly.”

[It may be answered: It is likewise possible to designate explicitly whomever is appointed as successor] (4) by the imam, as well as whomever he takes as his minister; an explicit designation to that effect would more fully accomplish the intended objective.

Moreover, regarding the imam who is personally designated: is he (5) infallible with respect to those whom he appoints to office, or is he not infallible? If he is infallible, then all his deputies must necessarily be infallible. Yet all of this (6) is self-evidently false. If he is not, he may appoint (7) someone who is not infallible as his successor. Thus, the existence of an infallible imam would not secure the intended objective in every age.

If it is said:

“He is infallible with respect to the person whom he appoints to succeed him, but not with respect to anyone he deputizes during his lifetime.”

(1) M reads: “over the Muslims and the imams what until,” which is a corruption. (2) N and M read: “was explicitly designated.” (3) M reads: “upon him.” (4) The passage between square brackets is absent from N and B. (5) M reads: “he.” (6) “All of this” is absent from M. (7) M reads: “that he appoint him as his successor,” which is an error.

قِيلَ: قَدْ تَقَدَّمَ أَنَّ النَّصَّ عَلَى جُزْئِيَّاتِ الْأَحْكَامِ لَا يَجِبُ، بَلْ وَلَا يُمْكِنُ. وَالْإِمَامَةُ حُكْمٌ مِنَ الْأَحْكَامِ، فَإِنَّ النَّصَّ عَلَى كُلِّ مَنْ يَتَوَلَّى عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ وِلَايَةً مَا إِلَى (١) قِيَامِ السَّاعَةِ غَيْرُ مُمْكِنٍ وَلَا وَاقِعٍ. وَالنَّصُّ عَلَى مُعَيَّنٍ دُونَ مُعَيَّنٍ لَا يَحْصُلُ بِهِ النَّصُّ عَلَى كُلِّ مُعَيَّنٍ، بَلْ يَكُونُ نَصًّا (٢) عَلَى بَعْضِ الْمُعَيَّنِينَ. وَحِينَئِذٍ فَإِذَا قِيلَ: يُمْكِنُ النَّصُّ عَلَى إِمَامٍ، وَيُفَوَّضُ إِلَيْهِ (٣) النَّصُّ عَلَى مَنْ يَسْتَخْلِفُهُ. [قِيلَ: وَيُمْكِنُ أَنْ يَنُصَّ عَلَى مَنْ يَسْتَخْلِفُهُ] (٤) الْإِمَامُ، وَعَلَى مَنْ يَتَّخِذُهُ وَزِيرًا، وَالنَّصُّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَبْلَغُ فِي الْمَقْصُودِ. وَأَيْضًا فَالْإِمَامُ الْمَنْصُوصُ عَلَى عَيْنِهِ: أَهُوَ (٥) مَعْصُومٌ فِيمَنْ يُوَلِّيهِ أَوْ لَيْسَ بِمَعْصُومٍ؟ فَإِنْ كَانَ مَعْصُومًا لَزِمَ أَنْ يَكُونَ نُوَّابُهُ كُلُّهُمْ مَعْصُومِينَ. وَهَذَا كُلُّهُ (٦) بَاطِلٌ بِالضَّرُورَةِ. وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ كَذَلِكَ أَمْكَنَ أَنْ يَسْتَخْلِفَ (٧) غَيْرَ مَعْصُومٍ، فَلَا يَحْصُلُ الْمَقْصُودُ فِي سَائِرِ الْأَزْمِنَةِ بِوُجُودِ الْمَعْصُومِ. فَإِنْ قِيلَ: هُوَ مَعْصُومٌ فِيمَنْ يَسْتَخْلِفُهُ بَعْدَهُ، دُونَ مَنْ يَسْتَخْلِفُهُ فِي حَيَاتِهِ.

(١) م: عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْأَئِمَّةِ مَا إِلَى، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٢) ن، م: نُصَّ. (٣) م: عَلَيْهِ. (٤) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (ب) . (٥) م: هُوَ. (٦) كُلُّهُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (م) . (٧) م: أَنْ يَسْتَخْلِفَهُ، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ.