Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (7/169)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

As for detailed belief in what [Muhammad] (1) was sent with, no such covenant was taken from them. How, then, could they have been bound by a covenant to show allegiance to one of the Companions rather than to any of the other believers?

Fourth: The wording of the verse is:

“And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: Did We appoint any gods besides the Most Merciful to be worshipped?”

[Surah al-Zukhruf: 45]

They are not asked here, “What were you sent with?” (2).

Fifth: As for the statement, “They were sent with these three things,” if the speaker means that they were sent with nothing else, this is a lie against the messengers. If he means that these were the foundations of what they were sent with, this too is a lie. For the foundations of religion with which they were sent—including belief in Allah and the Last Day and the foundations (3) of the revealed laws—were [more important] (4) to them than mentioning belief in one of the Companions of another prophet, and indeed than affirming the prophethood of Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. They were required to acknowledge Muhammad’s prophethood only in general terms, just as we are required to acknowledge their prophethood in general terms. However, whoever among them lived to see him was required to believe in his revealed law in detail, just as we are. As for detailed belief in the revealed laws of the prophets, it is

(1) “Muhammad” is omitted from N and M. (2) Ibn Kathīr said in his commentary on the verse: Regarding the words of Allah—Glorified and Exalted is He—“And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: Did We appoint any gods besides the Most Merciful to be worshipped?”: All the messengers called people to what you have called them to—worshipping Allah alone, without partner—and forbade the worship of idols and rivals. This is like His words—great is His majesty—“We certainly sent a messenger to every community, saying, ‘Worship Allah and shun the tāghūt (false objects of worship).’” Abd al-Rahmān ibn Zayd ibn Aslam said: “Ask them on the Night Journey, for the prophets—peace and blessings be upon them—were assembled for him.” See *Zād al-Masīr*, 7:318–20. (3) M: *bi-usūl* (“in the foundations of”). (4) “More important” is omitted from N, S, and B.

فَأَمَّا الْإِيمَانُ بِتَفْصِيلِ مَا بُعِثَ بِهِ [مُحَمَّدٌ] (١) فَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَكَيْفَ يُؤْخَذُ عَلَيْهِمْ مُوَالَاةُ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ دُونَ غَيْرِهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ؟ الرَّابِعُ: أَنَّ لَفْظَ الْآيَةِ: {وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ} [سُورَةُ الزُّخْرُفِ: ٤٥] . لَيْسَ فِي هَذَا سُؤَالٌ لَهُمْ بِمَاذَا بُعِثُوا؟ (٢) . الْخَامِسُ: أَنَّ قَوْلَ الْقَائِلِ: إِنَّهُمْ بُعِثُوا بِهَذِهِ الثَّلَاثَةِ. إِنْ أَرَادَ أَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُبْعَثُوا إِلَّا بِهَا، فَهَذَا كَذِبٌ عَلَى الرُّسُلِ. وَإِنْ أَرَادَ أَنَّهَا أُصُولُ مَا بُعِثُوا بِهِ، فَهَذَا أَيْضًا كَذِبٌ فَإِنَّ أُصُولَ الدِّينِ الَّتِي بُعِثُوا بِهَا: مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ، وَأُصُولَ (٣) الشَّرَائِعِ، [أَهَمُّ] (٤) عِنْدَهُمْ مِنْ ذِكْرِ الْإِيمَانِ بِوَاحِدٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ نَبِيٍّ غَيْرِهِمْ، بَلْ وَمِنَ الْإِقْرَارِ بِنُبُوَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، فَإِنَّ الْإِقْرَارَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِمْ مُجْمَلًا، كَمَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْنَا نَحْنُ الْإِقْرَارُ بِنُبُوَّاتِهِمْ مُجْمَلًا، لَكِنْ مَنْ أَدْرَكَهُ مِنْهُمْ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ الْإِيمَانُ بِشَرْعِهِ عَلَى التَّفْصِيلِ كَمَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْنَا. وَأَمَّا الْإِيمَانُ بِشَرَائِعِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ عَلَى التَّفْصِيلِ، فَهُوَ

(١) مُحَمَّدٌ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٢) قَالَ ابْنُ كَثِيرٍ فِي تَفْسِيرِهِ لِلْآيَةِ: وَقَوْلُهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى: " وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ " أَيْ: جَمِيعُ الرُّسُلِ دَعَوْا إِلَى مَا دَعَوْتَ النَّاسَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ عِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَنَهَوْا عَنْ عِبَادَةِ الْأَصْنَامِ وَالْأَنْدَادِ، كَقَوْلِهِ جَلَّتْ عَظَمَتُهُ: " وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ ". وَقَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ: وَاسْأَلْهُمْ لَيْلَةَ الْإِسْرَاءِ، فَإِنَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ عَلَيْهِمُ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ جُمِعُوا لَهُ، وَانْظُرْ زَادَ الْمَسِيرِ ٧/٣١٨ - ٣٢٠ (٣) م: بِأُصُولِ. (٤) أَهَمُّ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (س) ، (ب) .