Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (7/21)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

what actually occurred. The Prophet—peace and blessings of Allah be upon him—speaks nothing but the truth. This is especially so according to the Shia’s own position, for they claim that (1) the entire ummah forsook him until Uthmān was killed.

It is well known that the ummah was granted victory during the eras of the three caliphs—a victory unlike any it achieved thereafter. Then, when Uthmān was killed, the people divided into three factions: one supported Alī and fought alongside him; another fought against him; and the third forsook him, fighting alongside neither side. Those who fought alongside him did not prevail over either of the other two factions or over the unbelievers. Rather, those others (2) were granted victory over them, and authority passed into their hands. When Muāwiya assumed authority, they prevailed (3) over the unbelievers and conquered lands. Alī was only (4) granted victory, as his peers were, in fighting the Kharijites and the unbelievers (5).

The Companions who fought the unbelievers and the apostates were granted a tremendous victory. Thus, victory (6) came just as Allah had promised when He said:

“Surely We shall grant victory to Our messengers and those who believe, both in the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses arise.”

[Surah Ghāfir: 51]

Thus, whenever the believers feared Allah and remained steadfast, they were granted [a tremendous victory] (7) in the fighting they undertook—at the command of Allah and His Messenger—against the unbelievers, apostates, and Kharijites. For fear of Allah and steadfastness are part of the realization (8) of the faith to which victory was tied.

(1) The word “that” is omitted from M. (2) M reads: “those people are obliged.” (3) “So they prevailed” is omitted from M. (4) N, S, and B read: “and only.” (5) N and M read: “the unbelievers and the Kharijites.” (6) N, S, and B read: “and victory.” (7) “A tremendous victory” is omitted from N, S, and B. (8) M reads: “it is the realization.”

الْوَاقِعِ. وَالنَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - لَا يَقُولُ إِلَّا حَقًّا، لَا سِيَّمَا عَلَى قَوْلِ الشِّيعَةِ ; فَإِنَّهُمْ يَدَّعُونَ أَنَّ (١) الْأُمَّةَ كُلَّهَا خَذَلَتْهُ إِلَى قَتْلِ عُثْمَانَ. وَمِنَ الْمَعْلُومِ أَنَّ الْأُمَّةَ كَانَتْ مَنْصُورَةً فِي أَعْصَارِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الثَّلَاثَةِ، نَصْرًا لَمْ يَحْصُلْ لَهَا بَعْدَهُ مِثْلُهُ. ثُمَّ لَمَّا قُتِلَ عُثْمَانُ، وَصَارَ النَّاسُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَحْزَابٍ: حِزْبٌ نَصَرَهُ وَقَاتَلَ مَعَهُ، وَحِزْبٌ قَاتَلُوهُ، وَحِزْبٌ خَذَلُوهُ لَمْ يُقَاتَلُوا لَا مَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ وَلَا مَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ - لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوا مَعَهُ مَنْصُورِينَ عَلَى الْحِزْبَيْنِ الْآخَرَيْنِ وَلَا عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ، بَلْ أُولَئِكَ (٢) الَّذِينَ نُصِرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، وَصَارَ الْأَمْرُ لَهُمْ ; لَمَّا تَوَلَّى مُعَاوِيَةُ، فَانْتَصَرُوا (٣) عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ، وَفَتَحُوا الْبِلَادَ، إِنَّمَا (٤) كَانَ عَلِيٌّ مَنْصُورًا كَنَصْرِ أَمْثَالِهِ فِي قِتَالِ الْخَوَارِجِ وَالْكُفَّارِ (٥) . وَالصَّحَابَةُ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوا الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُرْتَدِّينَ كَانُوا مَنْصُورِينَ نَصْرًا عَظِيمًا، فَالنَّصْرُ (٦) وَقَعَ كَمَا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ بِهِ حَيْثُ قَالَ: {إِنَّا لَنَنْصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْأَشْهَادُ} [سُورَةُ غَافِرٍ: ٥١] . فَالْقِتَالُ الَّذِي كَانَ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ وَأَمْرِ رَسُولِهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لِلْكُفَّارِ وَالْمُرْتَدِّينَ وَالْخَوَارِجِ، كَانُوا فِيهِ مَنْصُورِينَ [نَصْرًا عَظِيمًا] (٧) إِذَا اتَّقَوْا وَصَبَرُوا، فَإِنَّ التَّقْوَى وَالصَّبْرَ مِنْ تَحْقِيقِ (٨) الْإِيمَانِ الَّذِي عُلِّقَ بِهِ النَّصْرُ.

(١) أَنَّ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (م) . (٢) م: يَلْزَمُ أُولَئِكَ. (٣) فَانْتَصَرُوا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (م) . (٤) ن، س، ب: وَإِنَّمَا. (٥) ن، م: الْكُفَّارِ وَالْخَوَارِجِ. (٦) ن، س، ب: وَالنَّصْرُ. (٧) نَصْرًا عَظِيمًا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (س) ، (ب) . (٨) م: هُوَ تَحْقِيقُ.