Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (1/552)

the best-qualified person despite being able to appoint him—merely to follow his own desire—is unjust, whereas anyone unable to appoint the best-qualified person, though he wishes to do so, is excused.

They also say:

Whoever holds authority should be called upon, insofar as possible, to assist in obedience to Allah; [but he should be assisted only in obedience to Allah] (1). His assistance should not be sought in disobeying Allah, nor should he be assisted in disobeying Allah.

(2 Is not Ahl al-Sunnah’s position regarding the imamate better than that of those who command obedience to someone nonexistent or powerless 2) (2), who cannot provide the assistance expected of imams?

Thus, when the Rāfidah departed from Ahl al-Sunnah’s position of assisting the Muslim rulers and seeking their assistance, they fell into assisting the unbelievers and seeking their assistance. They call to the infallible Imam, yet they are not known to have any present imam whom they follow other than a hardened unbeliever or a gross wrongdoer (3). They are like someone who directs some (4) of the common people to Allah’s saints, the men of the unseen, while the only men at his disposal (5) are liars and schemers (6) who wrongfully consume people’s wealth and turn others away from Allah’s path—or else jinn or devils through whom some people experience satanic states.

(1) The passage in square brackets is omitted from N and M. (2) The passage marked (2–2) is omitted from M alone. (3) N and M read: “a hardened unbeliever and a gross wrongdoer.” (4) N alone reads: “to some.” (5) A and B read: “and he has no men of the unseen at his disposal.” (6) N and M read: “and wrongdoing.”

الْأَصْلَحِ مَعَ قُدْرَتِهِ - لِهَوَاهُ - فَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ، وَمَنْ كَانَ عَاجِزًا عَنْ تَوْلِيَةِ الْأَصْلَحِ مَعَ مَحَبَّتِهِ لِذَلِكَ فَهُوَ مَعْذُورٌ. وَيَقُولُونَ: مَنْ تَوَلَّى فَإِنَّهُ يُسْتَعَانُ بِهِ عَلَى طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ بِحَسْبِ الْإِمْكَانِ، [وَلَا يُعَانُ إِلَّا عَلَى طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ] (١) ، وَلَا يُسْتَعَانُ بِهِ عَلَى مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ، وَلَا يُعَانُ عَلَى مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ. (٢ أَفَلَيْسَ قَوْلُ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ فِي الْإِمَامَةِ خَيْرًا مِنْ قَوْلِ مَنْ يَأْمُرُ بِطَاعَةِ مَعْدُومٍ أَوْ عَاجِزٍ ٢) (٢) لَا يُمْكِنُهُ الْإِعَانَةُ الْمَطْلُوبَةُ مِنَ الْأَئِمَّةِ؟ . وَلِهَذَا كَانَتِ الرَّافِضَةُ لَمَّا عَدَلَتْ عَنْ مَذْهَبِ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ فِي مُعَاوَنَةِ أَئِمَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالِاسْتِعَانَةِ بِهِمْ، دَخَلُوا فِي مُعَاوَنَةِ الْكُفَّارِ وَالِاسْتِعَانَةِ بِهِمْ، فَهُمْ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْإِمَامِ الْمَعْصُومِ، وَلَا يُعْرَفُ لَهُمْ إِمَامٌ مَوْجُودٌ يَأْتَمُّونَ بِهِ إِلَّا كَفُورٌ أَوْ ظَلُومٌ (٣) ، فَهُمْ كَالَّذِي يُحِيلُ بَعْضَ (٤) الْعَامَّةِ عَلَى أَوْلِيَاءِ اللَّهِ رِجَالِ الْغَيْبِ، وَلَا رِجَالَ عِنْدَهُ (٥) إِلَّا أَهْلُ الْكَذِبِ وَالْمَكْرِ (٦) الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، أَوِ الْجِنُّ أَوِ الشَّيَاطِينُ الَّذِينَ يَحْصُلُ بِهِمْ لِبَعْضِ النَّاسِ أَحْوَالٌ شَيْطَانِيَّةٌ.

(١) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٢) (٢ - ٢) : سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (م) فَقَطْ. (٣) ن، م: كَفُورٌ وَظَلُومٌ. (٤) ن (فَقَطْ) : لِبَعْضِ. (٥) أ، ب: وَلَا رِجَالَ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَهُ. (٦) ن، م: وَالْمُنْكَرِ.