Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (8/266)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

and provide further support for the truth (1) in independent inquiry and debate. If this does not become clear to him, he may not reject certainty on the basis of doubt. Allah Most High willing, we shall present the many proofs that they deserved the imamate and had a greater right to it than anyone else (2).

[Section: The Rāfidī’s first objection—Abū Bakr’s statement, “I have a devil who assails me”—and the response to it]

Section

The Rāfidī said (3): First:

“Abū Bakr’s statement: ‘I have a devil who assails me. If I remain upright, help me; if I go astray, set me straight.’ The imam’s role is to bring his subjects to perfection; how, then, can he seek perfection from them?”

There are several responses to this.

First: What is reported from him is that he said: “I have a devil who assails me”—meaning [when] (4) he is angry—“so when he assails me, keep away from me, so that I do not leave marks on your skin (5).”

He also said:

“Obey me so long as I obey Allah. If I disobey Allah, you owe me no obedience.”

These words of Abū Bakr—may Allah be pleased with him—are among the strongest grounds for praising him, as we shall explain, Allah Most High willing.

(1) N, S, B: fī al-haqq (concerning the truth). (2) N, M: min ghayrihā (than others). (3) In (K), p. 194 (M). (4) ‘Inda (when) is absent from all copies; the context requires its insertion. (5) N, S: ūthiru fī īthārikum; M, B: ūtiru fī ītārikum. I found this passage in ‘Alī al-Tantāwī’s Abū Bakr al-Siddīq (Abū Bakr the Truthful), published by al-Matba‘a al-Salafiyya, 2nd edition, Cairo, 1372, quoting al-Zamakhsharī’s Mukhtasar al-Muwāfaqa (Abridgment of al-Muwāfaqa). Its wording there is: “Know that I am only human, and I have a devil with me who assails me. If you see me become angry, leave me, so that I do not leave marks on your hair or skin.” Perhaps, then, the reading I have adopted is correct.

وَتَأْيِيدٍ لِلْحَقِّ (١) فِي النَّظَرِ وَالْمُنَاظَرَةِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَتَبَيَّنْ ذَلِكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ أَنْ يَدْفَعَ الْيَقِينَ بِالشَّكِّ. وَسَنُبَيِّنُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى الْأَدِلَّةَ الْكَثِيرَةَ عَلَى اسْتِحْقَاقِهِمْ لِلْإِمَامَةِ، وَأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا أَحَقَّ بِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ (٢) . [فصل قال الرافضي الأول قول أبي بكر إن لي شيطانا يعتريني والرد عليه] فَصْلٌ قَالَ الرَّافِضِيُّ (٣) : الْأَوَّلُ: " قَوْلُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ: إِنَّ لِي شَيْطَانًا يَعْتَرِينِي، فَإِنِ اسْتَقَمْتُ فَأَعِينُونِي، وَإِنْ زُغْتُ فَقَوِّمُونِي. وَمِنْ شَأْنِ الْإِمَامِ تَكْمِيلُ الرَّعِيَّةِ، فَكَيْفَ يَطْلُبُ مِنْهُمُ الْكَمَالَ؟ " وَالْجَوَابُ مِنْ وُجُوهٍ: أَحَدُهَا: أَنَّ الْمَأْثُورَ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: " إِنَّ لِي شَيْطَانًا يَعْتَرِينِي " يَعْنِي [عِنْدَ] (٤) الْغَضَبِ " فَإِذَا اعْتَرَانِي فَاجْتَنِبُونِي لَا أُؤَثِّرُ فِي أَبْشَارِكُمْ (٥) " . وَقَالَ: " أَطِيعُونِي مَا أَطَعْتُ اللَّهَ، فَإِنْ عَصَيْتُ اللَّهَ فَلَا طَاعَةَ لِي عَلَيْكُمْ " . وَهَذَا الَّذِي قَالَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - مِنْ أَعْظَمِ مَا يُمْدَحُ بِهِ، كَمَا سَنُبَيِّنُهُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى.

(١) ن، س، ب: فِي الْحَقِّ. (٢) ن، م: مِنْ غَيْرِهَا. (٣) فِي (ك) ص ١٩٤ (م) . (٤) عِنْدَ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ جَمِيعِ النُّسَخِ. وَإِثْبَاتُهَا يَقْتَضِيهِ سِيَاقُ الْكَلَامِ. (٥) ن، س: أُوثِرُ فِي إِيثَارِكُمْ، م، ب: أُوتِرُ فِي إِيتَارِكُمْ وَوَجَدْتُ هَذَا النَّصَّ فِي كِتَابِ " أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ " لِلْأُسْتَاذِ عَلِيٍّ الطَّنْطَاوِيِّ (ط. الْمَطْبَعَةِ السَّلَفِيَّةِ، الطَّبْعَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ، الْقَاهِرَةِ ١٣٧٢) نَقْلًا عَنْ مُخْتَصَرِ الْمُوَافَقَةِ لِلزَّمَخْشَرِيِّ، وَنَصُّهُ فِيهِ: " وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ وَمَعِي شَيْطَانٌ يَعْتَرِينِي فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي غَضِبْتُ فَقُومُوا عَنِّي، لَا أُؤَثِّرُ فِي أَشْعَارِكُمْ وَأَبْشَارِكُمْ " فَلَعَلَّ الصَّوَابَ مَا أَثْبَتُّهُ.