Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (1/526)

the virtue of [Abū Bakr] al-Siddīq (1) and his entitlement (2) to this office obviated the need for a formal designation. He therefore left it unwritten because it was unnecessary and because al-Siddīq’s virtue and entitlement were evident. This was more emphatic than a formal designation.

[Chapter: The Invalidity of Ibn al-Mutahhar’s Claims Regarding the Pledge of Allegiance to Abū Bakr]

Chapter

As for the statement of [the Rāfidī] (3):

“They say that (4) the imam after the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was Abū Bakr, on the basis of Umar’s pledge of allegiance and the approval of four men.” (5)

It must be said to him: (6) This is not the position of the leading authorities of Ahl (7) al-Sunnah. Although some speculative theologians say that the imamate is established by the pledge of allegiance of four people, others likewise say that it is established by the pledge of allegiance of

(1) N and M read: “the virtue of al-Siddīq.” (2) A and B read: “and his appointment as successor.” (3) N and M read: “And as for his statement.” (4) The word “that” is omitted from A and B. (5) See the preceding discussion, p. 126. In the margin of M, beside this passage, is written: “Discussion of when an imam becomes an imam.” (6) N and M read: “So it is not.” (7) The word *ahl* (“adherents”) is added only in N.

فَضِيلَةِ [أَبِي بَكْرٍ] الصِّدِّيقِ (١) وَاسْتِحْقَاقِهِ (٢) لِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ يُغْنِي عَنِ الْعَهْدِ فَلَا يُحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ، فَتَرَكَهُ لِعَدَمِ الْحَاجَةِ وَظُهُورِ فَضِيلَةِ الصِّدِّيقِ وَاسْتِحْقَاقِهِ، وَهَذَا أَبْلَغُ مِنَ الْعَهْدِ. [فَصْلٌ بطلان مزاعم ابن المطهر عن بيعة أبي بكر] فَصْلٌ وَأَمَّا قَوْلُ [الرَّافِضِيِّ] (٣) . إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ (٤) الْإِمَامَ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَبُو بَكْرٍ، بِمُبَايَعَةِ عُمَرَ، بِرِضَا أَرْبَعَةٍ (٥) . فَيُقَالُ لَهُ: لَيْسَ (٦) هَذَا قَوْلَ أَئِمَّةِ أَهْلِ (٧) السُّنَّةِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْكَلَامِ يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ الْإِمَامَةَ تَنْعَقِدُ بِبَيْعَةِ أَرْبَعَةٍ، كَمَا قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: تَنْعَقِدُ بِبَيْعَةِ

(١) ن، م: فَضِيلَةِ الصِّدِّيقِ. (٢) أ، ب: وَاسْتِخْلَافِهِ. (٣) ن، م: وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ. (٤) إِنَّ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٥) انْظُرْ مَا سَبَقَ ص ١٢٦. وَفِي هَامِشِ (م) أَمَامَ هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ كُتِبَ: " بَحْثُ مَتَى يَصِيرُ الْإِمَامُ إِمَامًا ". (٦) ن، م: فَلَيْسَ. (٧) أَهْلِ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (ن) فَقَطْ.