Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (7/248)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

this that is especially remarkable as a display of Allah’s power and signs, beyond what is likewise found in comparable cases of human procreation.* (1) There is therefore no basis (2) for singling them out. Even if such a distinction were due to the excellence of the two spouses and their two children, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are superior to Alī.

It is related in the Sahih that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was asked, “Who is the noblest of people?” He replied, “The most God-fearing among them.” They said, “That is not what we are asking you about.” He then said, “Joseph, the prophet of Allah, son of Jacob, the prophet of Allah, son of Isaac, the prophet of Allah, son of Abraham, the intimate friend of Allah.” (3)

We have been commanded to ask that Muhammad and his household be granted blessings like those Allah bestowed upon the family of Abraham; and we—and every Muslim—know that the family of Abraham is superior to the family of Alī, although Muhammad is superior to Abraham. * This raises a well-known question: If Muhammad is superior, why was it said, “Just as You bestowed blessings upon Abraham” * (4) (5) (6), when that which is likened is inferior to that to which it is likened?

Several answers have been given, including the following: The family of Abraham includes prophets, and Muhammad (7) is among them. Ibn Abbās said, “Muhammad belongs to the family of Abraham.” Thus, the family of Abraham as a whole, including Muhammad, is superior to the family of Muhammad; and Muhammad is included in the invocation of blessings upon

(1) The text between the two asterisks is absent from (S) and (B). (2) (N), (M), and (S): “Thus, it does not entail.” (3) This hadith was cited previously, 4/601. (4) (N): “Then why?” (5) (N): “Upon the family of Ibrāhīm.” (6) The text between the two asterisks is absent from (M). (7) (M): “And Muhammad.”

هَذَا مَا يُسْتَعْظَمُ مِنْ قُدْرَةِ اللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ، إِلَّا مَا فِي نَظَائِرِهِ مِنْ خَلْقِ الْآدَمِيِّينَ * (١) فَلَا مُوجِبَ (٢) لِلتَّخْصِيصِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ لِفَضِيلَةِ الزَّوْجَيْنِ وَالْوَلَدَيْنِ، فَإِبْرَاهِيمُ وَإِسْحَاقُ وَيَعْقُوبُ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ عَلِيٍّ. وَفِي الصَّحِيحِ «أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - سُئِلَ: أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَكْرَمُ؟ فَقَالَ: " أَتْقَاهُمْ " . فَقَالُوا: لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ. فَقَالَ: " يُوسُفُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ، ابْنُ يَعْقُوبَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ إِسْحَاقَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلِ اللَّهِ» " (٣) . وَآلُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِينَ أُمِرْنَا أَنْ نَسْأَلَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ وَأَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ مِثْلَ مَا صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَنَحْنُ - وَكُلُّ مُسْلِمٍ - نَعْلَمُ أَنَّ آلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ آلِ عَلِيٍّ، لَكِنْ مُحَمَّدٌ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ. * وَلِهَذَا وَرَدَ هُنَا سُؤَالٌ مَشْهُورٌ، وَهُوَ أَنَّهُ إِذَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَفْضَلَ، فَلِمَ (٤) قِيلَ: كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ * (٥) (٦) ، وَالْمُشَبَّهُ دُونَ الْمُشَبَّهِ بِهِ. وَقَدْ أُجِيبَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ بِأَجْوِبَةٍ: مِنْهَا: أَنْ يُقَالَ: إِنَّ آلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِيهِمُ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ (٧) فِيهِمْ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: مُحَمَّدٌ مِنْ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ. فَمَجْمُوعُ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ قَدْ دَخَلَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ عَلَى

(١) مَا بَيْنَ النَّجْمَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (س) ، (ب) . (٢) ن، م، س: فَلَا يُوجِبُ. (٣) سَبَقَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ فِيمَا مَضَى ٤/٦٠١ (٤) ن: فَلِمَاذَا. (٥) ن: عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ. (٦) : مَا بَيْنَ النَّجْمَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (م) (٧) م: وَمُحَمَّدًا.