Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (8/471)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

to address them in their own language (1). Allah therefore sends a messenger who speaks their language so that they may understand (2) what he conveys. Thus, the mention here of his companionship with them conveys kindness and beneficence toward them.

This differs from describing someone as his companion, as in the words of Allah Most High:

“Do not grieve; indeed, Allah is with us.”

And the words of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Do not revile my Companions. By Him in whose hand is my soul, if any of you were to spend gold equal to Mount Uhud, it would not equal a mudd given by any one of them, nor even half of it.” (3)

And his words:

“Will you leave my companion alone for my sake?” (4)

And other statements of this kind.

For describing someone as his companion, whether in his own speech (5) or in the speech of Muslims, implies companionship marked by loyalty to him. This is possible only through faith in him. Thus, the expression “his companion” is not applied to someone who accompanies him on a journey while disbelieving in him.

The Quran says concerning him:

“When he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve; indeed, Allah is with us.’” [Surah al-Tawbah: 40]

The Messenger thus stated that Allah was with him and with his companion. This being with them entails help and support. Allah helps him against his enemy, and every disbeliever is his enemy; it is therefore impossible for Allah to support both him and his enemy together. Were Allah with his enemy, that would cause grief and dispel tranquillity. It is therefore clear that the expression “his companion” denotes companionship marked by allegiance and love, which necessarily entails believing him and believing in him.

(1) N, M, S: “bi-lisānihi” (in his language). (2) N, M: “li-yafqahū” (so that they may understand). (3) N, M: “nisfahu” (half of it). This hadith was cited earlier, 2/21. (4) This hadith was cited a few pages earlier in this volume. (5) N, M, S: “fa-inna idāfata al-suhbati ilayhi mā balagha fī khitābihi” (For attributing companionship to him did not reach in his speech). In all three manuscripts, the words “mā balagha” (did not reach) appear directly beneath the same words in the preceding hadith of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “mā balagha mudda ahadihim” (it would not equal a mudd given by any one of them). This appears to be a visual copying error by the scribes, or by one of them. The editor of (B) was therefore right to delete these words.

أَنْ يُخَاطِبَهُمْ بِلِسَانِهِمْ (١) ، فَيُرْسِلُ رَسُولًا بِلِسَانِهِمْ لِيَتَفَقَّهُوا (٢) عَنْهُ، فَكَانَ ذِكْرُ صُحْبَتِهِ لَهُمْ هُنَا عَلَى اللُّطْفِ بِهِمْ، وَالْإِحْسَانِ إِلَيْهِمْ. وَهَذَا بِخِلَافِ إِضَافَةِ الصُّحْبَةِ إِلَيْهِ كَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: {لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا} وَقَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " «لَا تَسُبُّوا أَصْحَابِي، فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ أَنْفَقَ أَحْدُكُمُ مِثْلَ أُحِدٍ ذَهَبًا مَا بَلَغَ مُدَّ أَحَدِهِمْ وَلَا نَصِيفَهُ» " (٣) ، وَقَوْلُهُ: " «هَلْ أَنْتُمْ تَارِكِي لِي صَاحِبِي» ؟ " (٤) وَأَمْثَالُ ذَلِكَ. فَإِنَّ إِضَافَةَ الصُّحْبَةِ إِلَيْهِ فِي خِطَابِهِ (٥) وَخِطَابُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ تَتَضَمَّنُ صُحْبَةَ مُوَالَاةٍ لَهُ، وَذَلِكَ لَا يَكُونُ إِلَّا بِالْإِيمَانِ بِهِ فَلَا يُطْلَقُ لَفْظُ صَاحِبِهِ عَلَى مَنْ صَحِبَهُ فِي سَفَرِهِ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ بِهِ. وَالْقُرْآنُ يَقُولُ فِيهِ: {إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا} [سُورَةُ التَّوْبَةِ: ٤٠] فَأَخْبَرَ الرَّسُولُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَهُ وَمَعَ صَاحِبِهِ، وَهَذِهِ الْمَعِيَّةُ تَتَضَمَّنُ النَّصْرَ وَالتَّأْيِيدَ، وَهُوَ إِنَّمَا يَنْصُرُهُ عَلَى عَدُوِّهِ وَكُلُّ كَافِرٍ عَدُوُّهُ فَيَمْتَنِعُ أَنْ يَكُونَ اللَّهُ مُؤَيِّدًا لَهُ وَلِعَدُوِّهِ مَعًا، وَلَوْ كَانَ مَعَ عَدُوِّهِ لَكَانَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا يُوجِبُ الْحُزْنَ، وَيُزِيلُ السَّكِينَةَ فَعُلِمَ أَنَّ لَفْظَ صَاحِبِهِ تَضَمَّنَ صُحْبَةَ وِلَايَةٍ وَمَحَبَّةٍ وَتَسْتَلْزِمُ الْإِيمَانَ لَهُ وَبِهِ.

(١) ن، م، س: بِلِسَانِهِ. (٢) ن، م: لِيَفْقَهُوا. . (٣) ن، م: نِصْفَهُ. وَسَبَقَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ فِيمَا مَضَى ٢/٢١. (٤) سَبَقَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ قَبْلَ صَفَحَاتٍ فِي هَذَا الْجُزْءِ (٥) ن، م، س: فَإِنَّ إِضَافَةَ الصُّحْبَةِ إِلَيْهِ مَا بَلَغَ فِي خِطَابِهِ، وَجَاءَتْ عِبَارَةُ " مَا بَلَغَ " فِي النُّسَخِ الثَّلَاثِ تَحْتَ عِبَارَةِ " مَا بَلَغَ " فِي حَدِيثِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ السَّابِقِ. . مَا بَلَغَ مُدَّ أَحَدِهِمْ. . . وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّهُ سَبْقُ نَظَرٍ مِنَ النُّسَّاخِ أَوْ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمْ، وَلِذَلِكَ أَصَابَ مُحَقِّقُ (ب) بِحَذْفِ هَذِهِ الْعِبَارَةِ.