Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (7/283)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

These hadiths and others like them are recorded in the Sahih collections. This being so, it is known that the mere bond of brotherhood does not entail (1) equality in every respect, nor does it entail complete affinity and resemblance in every respect, but only in some (2) respects.

Why, then, is it claimed that the Prophet’s bond of brotherhood with Alī, had it been authentically established, would have entailed the imamate and preeminence, when this bond of brotherhood was shared by others? It is established through multiple routes in the Sahih collections that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said:

“If I were to take anyone on earth as an intimate friend, I would take Abū Bakr as an intimate friend. But your Companion is Allah’s intimate friend. No small doorway into the mosque shall be left unsealed except Abū Bakr’s doorway. Of all people, Abū Bakr has conferred the greatest favor upon us through his companionship and resources.” (3).

This establishes special distinctions for Abū Bakr in which no one shares (4) with him [besides him] (5). It also states explicitly that, among all the people on earth, no one is dearer to him, holds a higher standing with him, occupies a loftier rank, or is more closely associated with him than Abū Bakr.

As related in the two Sahih collections, he was asked: [“Which person is dearest to you?”

He replied, “Āisha.”

He was asked, “And among men?”

He replied, “Her father.” (6). It is also related in the two Sahih collections “on the authority of Umar

(1) S and B read the feminine form lā taqtadī (“does not entail”). (2) N reads kulli (“every”), which is an error. (3) This hadith was cited above at 1/512. (4) M reads: lā yushārikuhu (“no one shares with him”); N reads: lā tushrikū (“do not make anyone share”), which is an obvious corruption. (5) Ghayruhu (“other than him”) is an addition in M. (6) This hadith was cited above at 4/303.

وَهَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثُ وَأَمْثَالُهَا فِي الصِّحَاحِ. وَإِذَا كَانَ كَذَلِكَ عُلِمَ أَنَّ مُطْلَقَ الْمُؤَاخَاةِ لَا يَقْتَضِي (١) التَّمَاثُلَ مِنْ كُلِّ وَجْهٍ، وَلَا يَقْتَضِي الْمُنَاسَبَةَ وَالْمُشَاكَلَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ وَجْهٍ، بَلْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ (٢) الْوُجُوهِ. وَإِذَا كَانَ كَذَلِكَ فَلِمَ قِيلَ: إِنَّ مُؤَاخَاةَ عَلِيٍّ لَوْ كَانَتْ صَحِيحَةً اقْتَضَتِ الْإِمَامَةَ وَالْأَفْضَلِيَّةَ، مَعَ أَنَّ الْمُؤَاخَاةَ مُشْتَرَكَةٌ؟ وَثَبَتَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي الصِّحَاحِ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: " «لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا، وَلَكِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ. لَا يَبْقَيَنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ خَوْخَةٌ إِلَّا سُدَّتْ، إِلَّا خَوْخَةَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ. إِنَّ أَمَنَّ النَّاسِ عَلَيْنَا فِي صُحْبَتِهِ وَذَاتِ يَدِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ» " (٣) . وَفِي هَذَا إِثْبَاتُ خَصَائِصَ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ لَا يُشْرِكُهُ (٤) فِيهَا أَحَدٌ [غَيْرُهُ] (٥) ، وَهُوَ صَرِيحٌ فِي أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ مَنْ هُوَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ، وَلَا أَعْلَى مَنْزِلَةً عِنْدَهُ، وَلَا أَرْفَعَ دَرَجَةً، وَلَا أَكْثَرَ اخْتِصَاصًا بِهِ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ. * كَمَا فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ: قِيلَ لَهُ: [ «أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: " عَائِشَةُ " . قِيلَ: وَمِنَ الرِّجَالِ؟ قَالَ: " أَبُوهَا» " (٦) . وَفِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ «عَنْ عُمَرَ

(١) س، ب: لَا تَقْتَضِي. (٢) ن: كُلِّ، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ. (٣) سَبَقَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ فِيمَا مَضَى ١/٥١٢ (٤) م: لَا يُشَارِكُهُ، ن: لَا تُشْرِكُوا، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ ظَاهِرٌ. (٥) غَيْرُهُ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (م) . (٦) سَبَقَ الْحَدِيثُ فِيمَا مَضَى ٤/٣٠٣