Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (8/209)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

that comes upon him, and the heart’s inability to remain steady in its love for Him.

If someone does not experience this, it may be because of the completeness of his strength and faith, or it may be because of the weakness of his faith, as with many idle people, evildoers, and adherents of innovation. This is not an indispensable part of the spiritual paths; indeed, many travellers on the spiritual path may have no need of it. Nor is it the ultimate goal. Rather, full spiritual perception—whereby one distinguishes between the creation and the Creator, perceives the meanings of Allah’s names and attributes, and is not distracted by the one from (1) the other—is more complete in perception and stronger in faith. But whoever experiences that state [which occurs] (2) needs what is appropriate to it. These matters are discussed at length elsewhere.

The point, however, is to understand the standing of extraordinary phenomena: for the close servants of Allah who seek His Face and love what Allah and His Messenger love, these phenomena rank among the means through which assistance is sought, just as assistance is sought through ordinary means. If they have no need of them because ordinary means suffice, they pay them no attention. Yet many who follow their desires and love authority among the ignorant, and other such things, regard them as the highest of goals.

Likewise, many students of knowledge seek nothing through it but authority or wealth, and each person will have what he intended. As for those truly deserving to be called people of knowledge and religion, it (3) is pursued for its benefit (4) to them and because they need it in this world and the Hereafter.

As Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal said in describing knowledge:

“Indeed, (5) seeking it for Allah’s sake is worship, and discussing it

(1) b reads: ‘anhu (“from it”), a textual corruption. (2) Allatī ta‘ridu (“which occurs”) is an addition in (m). (3) n, m, and s read: wa-huwa (“and it”), a textual corruption. (4) n, m, and s read: li-manfa‘atin (“for a benefit”), a textual corruption. (5) n and s read: bi-anna (“that”); m reads: bi-annahu (“that it”).

عَلَيْهِ، وَضَعْفِ الْقَلْبِ عَنِ التَّمْكِينِ بِحُبِّهِ. فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ ذَلِكَ: قَدْ يَكُونُ لِكَمَالِ قُوَّتِهِ وَكَمَالِ إِيمَانِهِ، وَقَدْ يَكُونُ لِضَعْفِ إِيمَانِهِ، مِثْلَ كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْبَطَّالِينَ وَالْفُسَّاقِ وَأَهْلِ الْبِدَعِ. وَلَيْسَ هَذَا مِنْ لَوَازِمِ الطُّرُقِ، بَلْ قَدْ يَسْتَغْنِي عَنْهُ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ السَّالِكِينَ، وَلَيْسَ هُوَ الْغَايَةَ، بَلْ كَمَالُ الشُّهُودِ ; بِحَيْثُ يُمَيِّزُ بَيْنَ الْمَخْلُوقِ وَالْخَالِقِ، وَيَشْهَدُ مَعَانِيَ أَسْمَاءِ اللَّهِ وَصِفَاتِهِ، وَلَا يَشْغَلُهُ هَذَا عَنْ (١) هَذَا - هُوَ أَكْمَلُ فِي الشُّهُودِ، وَأَقْوَى فِي الْإِيمَانِ. وَلَكِنْ مَنْ عَرَضَ لَهُ تِلْكَ الْحَالُ [الَّتِي تَعْرِضُ] (٢) احْتَاجَ إِلَى مَا يُنَاسِبُهَا. وَهَذِهِ الْأُمُورُ مَبْسُوطَةٌ فِي غَيْرِ هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ. لَكِنَّ الْمَقْصُودَ أَنَّ تَعَرُّفَ مَرْتَبَةِ الْخَوَارِقِ وَأَنَّهَا عِنْدَ أَوْلِيَاءِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ، وَيُحِبُّونَ مَا أَحَبَّهُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، فِي مَرْتَبَةِ الْوَسَائِلِ الَّتِي يُسْتَعَانُ بِهَا، كَمَا يُسْتَعَانُ بِغَيْرِ الْخَوَارِقِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَحْتَاجُوا إِلَيْهَا - اسْتِغْنَاءً بِالْمُعْتَادَاتِ - لَمْ يَتَلَفَّتُوا إِلَيْهَا. وَأَمَّا عِنْدَ كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنْ يَتَّبِعُ هَوَاهُ وَيُحِبُّ الرِّيَاسَةَ عِنْدَ الْجُهَّالِ وَنَحْوِ ذَلِكَ، فَهِيَ عِنْدَهُمْ أَعْلَى الْمَقَاصِدِ. كَمَا أَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْ طَلَبَةِ الْعِلْمِ لَيْسَ مَقْصُودُهُمْ بِهِ إِلَّا تَحْصِيلَ رِيَاسَةٍ أَوْ مَالٍ، وَلِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى. وَأَمَّا أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ وَالدِّينِ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَهْلُهُ، فَهُوَ (٣) مَقْصُودٌ عِنْدَهُمْ لِمَنْفَعَتِهِ (٤) لَهُمْ، وَحَاجَتِهِمْ إِلَيْهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ. كَمَا قَالَ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ فِي صِفَةِ الْعِلْمِ: إِنَّ (٥) طَلَبَهُ لِلَّهِ عِبَادَةٌ، وَمُذَاكَرَتَهُ

(١) ب: عَنْهُ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٢) الَّتِي تَعْرِضُ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (م) (٣) ن، م، س: وَهُوَ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٤) ن، م، س: لِمَنْفَعَةٍ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٥) ن، س: بِأَنَّ، م: بِأَنَّهُ.