Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (7/258)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

is known with absolute certainty, as is the fact that no single individual was intended by it. How, then, can it be said that he alone is meant? If someone were to say of every passage they claim refers to Alī that it instead refers to Abū Bakr, Umar, or Uthmān (1), what difference would there be between the two claims other than sheer assertion and fabrication (2)? Indeed, even stronger arguments can be adduced for claiming that this applies exclusively to Abū Bakr and Umar than those adduced by the Rāfidah for claiming that it applies exclusively to Alī. Thus, Alī is included within the scope of this verse just as the other three are; indeed, they have a greater claim to inclusion in it. The verse therefore establishes neither his superiority nor his imamate (3).

[Section: The Thirty-Third Proof—“Indeed, Those Who Believe and Do Righteous Deeds—It Is They Who Are the Best of Creation”—and the Response to It]

Section

The Rāfidī (4) said: “The thirty-third proof is the words of Allah Most High:

‘Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds—it is they who are the best of creation.’

[Sūrat al-Bayyinah: 7]

The hadith master Abū Nuaym narrated through his chain of transmission from Ibn Abbās that, when (5) this verse was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Alī (6): ‘[You will come,] you and your followers, on the Day of Resurrection, well pleased and well pleasing (7), while your adversaries will come

(1) M reads: “Abū Bakr, Umar, and Uthmān.” (2) M reads: *wa-l-iftarā* (“and fabrication”). (3) M reads: “Thus, neither superiority nor imamate was ascribed on its basis.” (4) In K: 163 (M), 164 (M). (5) K (p. 164 M) reads: “from Ibn Abbās, who said: When…” (6) K reads: “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said to Alī, peace be upon him.” (7) N, M, and S read: “You and your followers will come on the Day of Resurrection, well pleased and well pleasing”; K reads: “They are you and your followers; you and your followers will come on the Day of Resurrection, well pleased and well pleasing.” The reading established in the text is from B.

يُعْلَمُ قَطْعًا وَيَقِينًا، وَأَنَّهُ لَمْ يُرَدْ بِهِ شَخْصٌ وَاحِدٌ، فَكَيْفَ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُقَالَ: إِنَّهُ عَلَى وَحْدِهِ، وَلَوْ أَنَّ قَائِلًا قَالَ فِي كُلِّ مَا جَعَلُوهُ عَلِيًّا أَنَّهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَوْ عُمَرُ أَوْ عُثْمَانُ (١) أَيُّ فَرْقٍ كَانَ بَيْنَ هَؤُلَاءِ وَهَؤُلَاءِ إِلَّا مَحْضَ الدَّعْوَى وَالِافْتِرَاءِ (٢) ؟ بَلْ يُمْكِنُ ذِكْرُ شُبَهٍ لِمَنْ يَدَّعِي اخْتِصَاصَ ذَلِكَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ شُبَهِ الرَّافِضَةِ الَّتِي تَدَّعِي اخْتِصَاصَ ذَلِكَ بِعَلِيٍّ. وَحِينَئِذٍ فَدُخُولُ عَلِيٍّ فِي هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ كَدُخُولِ الثَّلَاثَةِ، بَلْ هُمْ أَحَقُّ بِالدُّخُولِ فِيهَا، فَلَمْ يَثْبُتْ بِهَا أَفْضَلِيَّتُهُ وَلَا إِمَامَتُهُ (٣) . [فصل البرهان الثالث والثلاثون " إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ " والجواب عليه] فَصْلٌ قَالَ الرَّافِضِيُّ (٤) : " الْبُرْهَانُ الثَّالِثُ وَالثَّلَاثُونَ: قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ} [سُورَةُ الْبَيِّنَةِ: ٧] . رَوَى الْحَافِظُ أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ بِإِسْنَادِهِ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ لَمَّا (٥) نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - لِعَلِيٍّ (٦) : « [تَأْتِي] أَنْتَ وَشِيعَتُكُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ رَاضِينَ مَرْضِيِّينَ (٧) ، وَيَأْتِي خُصَمَاؤُكَ

(١) م: أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعُثْمَانُ. (٢) م: وَالِافْتَرَى. (٣) م: فَلَمْ يُنْسَبْ بِهَا أَفْضَلِيَّةٌ وَلَا إِمَامَةٌ. (٤) فِي (ك) ١٦٣ (م) ١٦٤ (م) . (٥) ك (ص ١٦٤ م) : إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: لَمَّا (٦) ك: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ لِعَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ. (٧) ن، م، س: أَنْتَ وَشِيعَتُكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ رَاضِينَ مَرْضِيِّينَ، ك: هُمْ أَنْتَ وَشِيعَتُكَ، تَأْتِي أَنْتَ وَشِيعَتُكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ رَاضِينَ مَرْضِيِّينَ، وَالْمُثْبَتُ مِنْ (ب) .