Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (1/434)

Accordingly, the assertion (1) that this necessarily entails (2) a disparity within what is infinite is mistaken. For the disparity arises only at the future end—the end nearest to us—and that end is finite. Both series extend without end toward the end that is not nearest to us, namely the beginningless past (3), while they differ in magnitude (4) at the end nearest to us, namely the end facing the everlasting future.

It is therefore incorrect to say, “A disparity has arisen within what is infinite,” since this (5) suggests that the disparity arose on the side that has no end. But that is not the case (6). Rather, the disparity (7) arose only on the [finite] (8) side, which has an end, for it has not yet elapsed (9).

People offer two answers to this (10). The first is the view of those who say: Past temporal events have ceased to exist, while those that have not yet occurred do not exist. Thus, superposition in a case such as this is merely something posited in the mind and has no external reality. It is like repeatedly multiplying numbers: the repeated multiplication of one is less than that of ten, and the repeated multiplication of ten is less than that of one hundred. All of these processes continue without end, yet they are not something that exists in external reality.

(1) N, M: “Then he says:” (2) A, B: “it would necessarily follow.” (3) N, M: “the first.” (4) N, M: “both are finite.” (5) N, M: “with respect to that which has no end, and this…” (6) The word “matter” is omitted from A and B. (7) N, M: “inequality.” (8) The word “endpoint” is omitted from N; M reads: “the other.” (9) N, M: “…for it continues…” (10) A: “this. Then people have two answers here”; B: “this. Then here people have two answers.”

وَحِينَئِذٍ فَقَوْلُ (١) الْقَائِلِ: يَلْزَمُ (٢) التَّفَاضُلُ فِيمَا لَا يَتَنَاهَى غَلَطٌ، فَإِنَّهُ إِنَّمَا حَصَلَ فِي الْمُسْتَقْبَلِ وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَلِينَا وَهُوَ مُتَنَاهٍ، ثُمَّ هُمَا لَا يَتَنَاهَيَانِ مِنَ الطَّرَفِ الَّذِي لَا يَلِينَا وَهُوَ الْأَزَلُ (٣) وَهُمَا مُتَفَاضِلَانِ (٤) مِنَ الطَّرَفِ الَّذِي يَلِينَا وَهُوَ طَرَفُ الْأَبَدِ. فَلَا يَصِحُّ أَنْ يُقَالَ: وَقَعَ التَّفَاوُتُ فِيمَا لَا يَتَنَاهَى، إِذْ هَذَا (٥) يُشْعِرُ بِأَنَّ التَّفَاوُتَ حَصَلَ فِي الْجَانِبِ الَّذِي لَا آخِرَ لَهُ، وَلَيْسَ الْأَمْرُ (٦) كَذَلِكَ، بَلْ إِنَّمَا حَصَلَ التَّفَاضُلُ (٧) مِنَ الْجَانِبِ [الْمُنْتَهَى] (٨) الَّذِي لَهُ آخِرٌ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَنْقَضِ (٩) . ثُمَّ لِلنَّاسِ فِي هَذَا جَوَابَانِ (١٠) ، أَحَدُهُمَا: قَوْلُ مَنْ يَقُولُ: مَا مَضَى مِنَ الْحَوَادِثِ فَقَدْ عُدِمَ، وَمَا لَمْ يَحْدُثْ لَمْ يَكُنْ، فَالتَّطْبِيقُ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا أَمْرٌ يُقَدَّرُ فِي الذِّهْنِ لَا حَقِيقَةَ لَهُ فِي الْخَارِجِ، كَتَضْعِيفِ الْأَعْدَادِ: فَإِنَّ تَضْعِيفَ الْوَاحِدِ أَقَلُّ مِنْ تَضْعِيفِ الْعَشَرَةِ، وَتَضْعِيفُ الْعَشَرَةِ أَقَلُّ مِنْ تَضْعِيفِ الْمِائَةِ، وَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ لَا نِهَايَةَ لَهُ، لَكِنْ لَيْسَ هُوَ أَمْرًا مَوْجُودًا فِي الْخَارِجِ.

(١) ن، م: فَيَقُولُ: (٢) ا، ب: لَلَزِمَ. (٣) ن، م: الْأَوَّلُ. (٤) ن، م: مُتَنَاهِيَانِ. (٥) ن، م: فِيمَا لَا يَتَنَاهَى وَهَذَا. . (٦) الْأَمْرُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ا) ، (ب) . (٧) ن، م: التَّفَاوُتُ. (٨) الْمُنْتَهَى: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) . وَفِي (م) : الْآخَرِ. (٩) ن، م:. . فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَزَالُ. (١٠) ا: هَذَا ثُمَّ لِلنَّاسِ هُنَا جَوَابَانِ؛ ب: هَذَا ثُمَّ هُنَا لِلنَّاسِ جَوَابَانِ.