Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (7/14)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

to demonstrate this author’s fabrication or the extent (1) of his ignorance, for he said:

“* They unanimously agreed that it was revealed concerning Ali.”

If only I knew: who among the scholars—those knowledgeable about consensus in matters such as these—transmitted this consensus? * (2) For a claim of consensus in such a matter is accepted only from those versed in transmitted reports and in the points of consensus and disagreement found within them.

If a theologian, commentator, historian, or the like were to make a bare claim that something had been transmitted, without an established chain of transmission, his claim would not be relied upon. How, then, when he claims a consensus?!

The third response is as follows: These commentators from whose books he quoted (3)—as well as those more knowledgeable than they—have transmitted reports that contradict this alleged consensus. Al-Thalabī [did transmit] in his commentary (4) that Ibn Abbās said, “It was revealed concerning Abū Bakr.”

He also transmitted from Abd al-Malik, who said:

“I asked Abū Jafar, and he replied, ‘They are the believers.’

“I said, ‘Some people say that it refers to Ali.’

“He replied, ‘Ali is one of those who believe.’”

The same was reported from al-Dahhāk.

Ibn Abī Hātim narrated in his commentary from his father, who said:

“Abū Sālih, the scribe of al-Layth, related to us: Muāwiyah [ibn Sālih] (5) related to us: Ali ibn Abī Talhah related to us, from Ibn Abbās, concerning this verse, that he said:

“‘Everyone who believes (6) has thereby taken Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe as allies.’”

He said:

“Abū Saīd al-Ashajj related to us, from al-Muhāribī, from Abd al-Malik ibn

(1) S and B read: “and the extent.” (2) The passage between the two asterisks is omitted in M. (3) S and B read: “quotes.” (4) N and S read: “and al-Thalabī in his commentary”; B reads: “and al-Thalabī transmitted in his commentary.” (5) “Ibn Sālih” is an addition in M. (6) M reads: *aslama* (“embraced Islam”).

بَيَانُ افْتِرَاءِ هَذَا الْمُصَنِّفِ أَوْ كَثْرَةِ (١) جَهْلِهِ، حَيْثُ قَالَ: " * قَدْ أَجْمَعُوا أَنَّهَا نَزَلَتْ فِي عَلِيٍّ " فَيَا لَيْتَ شِعْرِي مَنْ نَقَلَ هَذَا الْإِجْمَاعَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ وَالْعَالِمِينَ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ فِي مِثْلِ هَذِهِ الْأُمُورِ؟ * (٢) . فَإِنَّ نَقْلَ الْإِجْمَاعِ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا لَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ بِالْمَنْقُولَاتِ، وَمَا فِيهَا مِنْ إِجْمَاعٍ وَاخْتِلَافٍ. فَالْمُتَكَلِّمُ وَالْمُفَسِّرُ وَالْمُؤَرِّخُ وَنَحْوُهُمْ، لَوِ ادَّعَى أَحَدُهُمْ نَقْلًا مُجَرَّدًا بِلَا إِسْنَادٍ ثَابِتٍ لَمْ يُعْتَمَدْ عَلَيْهِ، فَكَيْفَ إِذَا ادَّعَى إِجْمَاعًا؟ ! . الْوَجْهُ الثَّالِثُ: أَنْ يُقَالَ: هَؤُلَاءِ الْمُفَسِّرُونَ الَّذِينَ نَقَلَ (٣) مِنْ كُتُبِهِمْ، هُمْ - وَمَنْ هُمْ أَعْلَمُ مِنْهُمْ - قَدْ نَقَلُوا مَا يُنَاقِضُ هَذَا الْإِجْمَاعَ الْمُدَّعَى، وَالثَّعْلَبِيُّ [قَدْ نَقَلَ] فِي تَفْسِيرِهِ (٤) أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ يَقُولُ: نَزَلَتْ فِي أَبِي بَكْرٍ. وَنَقَلَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ: قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ، قَالَ: هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ. قُلْتُ: فَإِنَّ نَاسًا يَقُولُونَ: هُوَ عَلِيٌّ. قَالَ: فَعَلِيٌّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا. وَعَنِ الضَّحَّاكِ مِثْلَهُ. وَرَوَى ابْنُ أَبِي حَاتِمٍ فِي تَفْسِيرِهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو صَالِحٍ كَاتِبُ اللَّيْثِ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ [بْنُ صَالِحٍ] (٥) ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فِي هَذِهِ، قَالَ: " كُلُّ مَنْ آمَنَ (٦) فَقَدْ تَوَلَّى اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا " . قَالَ: وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الْأَشَجُّ، عَنِ الْمُحَارِبِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ

(١) س، ب: وَكَثْرَةِ. (٢) مَا بَيْنَ النَّجْمَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (م) (٣) س، ب: يَنْقُلُ. (٤) ن، س: وَالثَّعْلَبِيُّ فِي تَفْسِيرِهِ، ب: وَنَقَلَ الثَّعْلَبِيُّ فِي تَفْسِيرِهِ. (٥) بْنُ صَالِحٍ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (م) . (٦) م: أَسْلَمَ.