Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (6/466)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

the responses to it, denying the first premise and demonstrating the invalidity of this argument. For it is based on an appeal to consensus. If consensus is protected from error, it dispenses with the need for [Alī] (1) to be infallible; and if it is not protected from error, it cannot establish Alī’s infallibility. Thus, [the argument is invalid] (2) under either assumption.

It is astonishing that the Rāfidis establish (3) their foundational doctrines upon their claims of authoritative textual designation and consensus, even though they are the furthest of the Ummah from knowing the authoritative texts and points of consensus (4), and from reasoning on their basis (5). This is in contrast to the Sunnah (6) and the Community: the Sunnah (7) encompasses authoritative textual evidence, while the Community embodies consensus. Thus, the People of the Sunnah and the Community are those who follow authoritative texts and consensus.

We shall address this formulation (8) by demonstrating its invalidity from several perspectives:

First: It may be said that we do not concede that the need of the world requires the appointment of an infallible imam. This is because the Ummah’s collective protection from error makes his infallibility unnecessary. This is among the points (9) that scholars have mentioned concerning the wisdom underlying the Ummah’s protection from error.

They said:

“This is because, whenever those belonging to the nations before us altered their religion, Allah sent a prophet

(1) “Alī” is absent from N. (2) The phrase “Thus, the argument is invalid” is absent from N and B. (3) B reads: “built.” (4) M reads: “and the communities.” (5) “On their basis” is absent from B. (6) N and B read: “in contrast to the People of the Sunnah.” (7) B reads: “For the People of the Sunnah.” (8) N and M read: “assumption.” (9) M reads: *mā* (“what”).

الْأَجْوِبَةُ عَنْهُ بِمَنْعِ الْمُقَدِّمَةِ الْأُولَى وَبَيَانِ فَسَادِ هَذَا الِاسْتِدْلَالِ، فَإِنَّ مَبْنَاهُ عَلَى الِاحْتِجَاجِ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ، فَإِنْ كَانَ الْإِجْمَاعُ مَعْصُومًا أَغْنَى عَنْ عِصْمَةِ [عَلِيٍّ] (١) ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَعْصُومًا بَطَلَتْ دَلَالَتُهُ عَلَى عِصْمَةِ عَلِيٍّ، [فَبَطَلَ الدَّلِيلُ] (٢) عَلَى التَّقْدِيرَيْنِ. وَمِنَ الْعَجَبِ أَنَّ الرَّافِضَةَ تُثْبِتُ (٣) أُصُولُهَا عَلَى مَا تَدَّعِيهِ مِنَ النَّصِّ وَالْإِجْمَاعِ، وَهُمْ أَبْعَدُ الْأُمَّةِ عَنْ مَعْرِفَةِ النُّصُوصِ وَالْإِجْمَاعَاتِ (٤) ، وَالِاسْتِدْلَالِ بِهَا (٥) ، بِخِلَافِ السُّنَّةِ (٦) وَالْجَمَاعَةِ ; فَإِنَّ السُّنَّةَ (٧) تَتَضَمَّنُ النَّصَّ، وَالْجَمَاعَةَ تَتَضَمَّنُ الْإِجْمَاعَ. فَأَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ هُمُ الْمُتَّبِعُونَ لِلنَّصِّ وَالْإِجْمَاعِ. وَنَحْنُ نَتَكَلَّمُ عَلَى هَذَا التَّقْرِيرِ (٨) بِبَيَانِ فَسَادِهِ، وَذَلِكَ مِنْ وُجُوهٍ: أَحَدُهَا: أَنْ يُقَالَ: لَا نُسَلِّمُ أَنَّ الْحَاجَةَ دَاعِيَةٌ إِلَى نَصْبِ إِمَامٍ مَعْصُومٍ، وَذَلِكَ لِأَنَّ عِصْمَةَ الْأُمَّةِ مُغْنِيَةٌ عَنْ عِصْمَتِهِ، وَهَذَا مِمَّا (٩) ذَكَرَهُ الْعُلَمَاءُ فِي حِكْمَةِ عِصْمَةِ الْأُمَّةِ. قَالُوا: لِأَنَّ مَنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ قَبْلَنَا كَانُوا إِذَا بَدَّلُوا دِينَهُمْ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ نَبِيًّا

(١) عَلِيٌّ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) . (٢) عِبَارَةُ " فَبَطَلَ الدَّلِيلُ " سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (ب) . (٣) ب: بَنَتْ. (٤) م: وَالْجَمَاعَاتِ. (٥) بِهَا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ب) . (٦) ن، ب: بِخِلَافِ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ. (٧) ب: فَإِنَّ أَهْلَ السُّنَّةِ. (٨) ن، م: التَّقْدِيرِ. (٩) م: مَا.