Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (1/495)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

an unqualified sense during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (1)—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—even though at that time he was his appointed successor [for leading the prayer] (2). It is thus [certainly] (3) established that the succession denoted by that title (4) was distinct from his succession in leading the prayer.

The second is that every person whom the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—appointed to act in his stead during his lifetime—such as Alī during the Tabūk campaign, Ibn Umm Maktūm during the Trench campaign, Uthmān ibn Affān during the Dhāt al-Riqā campaign, and all the others whom he appointed over the territories of Yemen, Bahrain, al-Tāʾif, and elsewhere—was never entitled, without disagreement from any member of the Muslim community (5), to be called the Successor of the Messenger of Allah [may Allah bless him and grant him peace] (6). It is therefore established with inescapable certainty that this was the succession (7) over his community after him.

It is impossible (8) that they should have reached consensus on this if he (9) had not explicitly appointed him as his successor. If there were nothing here (10) except his appointment to lead the prayer (11), Abū Bakr would not (12) have had any greater claim to this designation (13) than the others we have mentioned (14).”

(1) (N), (A), and (B) read: “the Prophet.” (2) (N), (M), (A), and (B) read: “and he was then a successor.” The correct reading is the one printed here, which is also found in (F). (3) “Certainly” is omitted from (N), but appears in (F). (4) (F) reads: “by which he himself is designated.” (5) (F), 4/177, reads: “by any member of the Muslim community”; (N) and (M) read: “among the people of knowledge.” (6) (F) reads: “…may Allah bless him and grant him peace, without qualification.” The words “may Allah bless him and grant him peace” are omitted from (N). (7) (F) reads: “for the caliphate.” (8) (F) reads: “and it is impossible.” (9) (F) reads: “and he—peace be upon him—.” (10) (N) and (M) read: “here.” (11) (F) reads: “his appointment of him to lead the prayer.” (12) (F) reads: “would not have been.” (13) (B) reads: “by this name”; (A) reads: “by this his name,” which is a textual corruption. (14) (F) reads: “than someone else among those we have mentioned.”

الْإِطْلَاقِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ (١) - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، وَهُوَ حِينَئِذٍ خَلِيفَتُهُ [عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ] (٢) ، فَصَحَّ [يَقِينًا] (٣) أَنَّ خِلَافَتَهُ الْمُسَمَّى بِهَا (٤) هِيَ غَيْرُ خِلَافَتِهِ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ. وَالثَّانِي أَنَّ كُلَّ مَنِ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي حَيَاتِهِ كَعَلِيٍّ فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ، وَابْنِ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ فِي غَزْوَةِ الْخَنْدَقِ، وَعُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ فِي غَزْوَةِ ذَاتِ الرِّقَاعِ، وَسَائِرِ مَنِ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ عَلَى الْبِلَادِ بِالْيَمَنِ وَالْبَحْرَيْنِ وَالطَّائِفِ وَغَيْرِهَا، لَمْ يَسْتَحِقَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ قَطُّ بِلَا خِلَافٍ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأُمَّةِ (٥) أَنْ يُسَمَّى خَلِيفَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ [صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ] (٦) ، فَصَحَّ يَقِينًا بِالضَّرُورَةِ الَّتِي لَا مَحِيدَ عَنْهَا أَنَّهَا الْخِلَافَةُ (٧) بَعْدَهُ عَلَى أُمَّتِهِ. وَمِنَ الْمُحَالِ (٨) أَنْ يُجْمِعُوا عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَهُوَ (٩) لَمْ يَسْتَخْلِفْهُ نَصًّا، وَلَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ هَاهُنَا (١٠) إِلَّا اسْتِخْلَافُهُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ (١١) لَمْ يَكُنْ (١٢) أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَوْلَى بِهَذِهِ التَّسْمِيَةِ (١٣) مِنْ سَائِرِ مَنْ ذَكَرْنَا (١٤) ".

(١) ن، أ، ب: النَّبِيِّ. (٢) ن، م، أ، ب: وَهُوَ حِينَئِذٍ خَلِيفَةٌ، وَالصَّوَابُ مَا أَثْبَتَهُ وَهُوَ الَّذِي فِي (ف) . (٣) يَقِينًا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، وَهِيَ فِي (ف) . (٤) ف: هُوَ بِهَا. (٥) ف ٤/١٧٧: مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأُمَّةِ؛ ن، م: بَيْنَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ. (٦) ف:. . . . صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى الْإِطْلَاقِ. وَسَقَطَتْ " صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ " مِنْ (ن) . (٧) ف: لِلْخِلَافَةِ. (٨) ف: وَمِنَ الْمُمْتَنِعِ. (٩) ف: وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ. (١٠) ن، م: هُنَا. (١١) ف: اسْتِخْلَافُهُ إِيَّاهُ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ. (١٢) ف: مَا كَانَ. (١٣) ب: بِهَذَا الِاسْمِ؛ أ: بِهَذَا اسْمِهِ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (١٤) ف: مِنْ غَيْرِهِ مِمَّنْ ذَكَرْنَا.