Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/11)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

It is therefore said in response:

He [indeed] (1) classified the Muslims after their Prophet into four categories. This is among the gravest of lies, for not one of the well-known Companions belonged to any of these four categories—let alone that every one of them belonged to one of them: either someone seeking leadership (2) without any right to it (3), such as Abū Bakr, as he claims; or someone seeking leadership by right, such as Alī, as he claims. This is a lie against Alī—may Allah be pleased with him—and against Abū Bakr—may Allah be pleased with him (4)—for Alī did not seek leadership for himself before Uthmān was killed, nor did Abū Bakr seek leadership for himself, let alone seek it without right.

He classified the remaining two categories as follows: [either a blind follower for worldly gain] (5), or a blind follower because of his limited capacity for investigation.

A person is obliged to know the truth and follow it. This [is] (6) the straight path: the path of those whom Allah has favored (7)—the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous—not the path of those who have incurred wrath or of those who are astray. This is the path concerning which Allah commanded us to ask Him (8) to guide us to it in every prayer—indeed, in every rakah.

It is authentically reported that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“The Jews are those against whom wrath is

(1) “Indeed” is an addition in A and B. (2) N reads: “leadership.” (3) “Without any right to it” is omitted from A. (4) N reads: “against Alī and Abū Bakr.” (5) The text in square brackets is omitted only from N. (6) “Is” is omitted from N and M. (7) A, M, and B read: “those whom You have favored.” (8) M reads: “Allah commanded that we ask Him”; A and B read: “He commanded us to ask Him.”

فَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ [قَدْ] (١) جَعَلَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهِمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَصْنَافٍ، وَهَذَا مِنْ أَعْظَمِ الْكَذِبِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي الصَّحَابَةِ الْمَعْرُوفِينَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَصْنَافِ الْأَرْبَعَةِ، فَضْلًا عَنْ أَنْ لَا يَكُونَ فِيهِمْ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَصْنَافِ: إِمَّا طَالِبٌ لِلْأَمْرِ (٢) بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ (٣) كَأَبِي بَكْرٍ فِي زَعْمِهِ، وَإِمَّا طَالَبٌ لِلْأَمْرِ بِحَقٍّ كَعَلِيٍّ فِي زَعْمِهِ، وَهَذَا كَذِبٌ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - وَعَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ (٤) -، فَلَا عَلِيٌّ طَلَبَ الْأَمْرَ لِنَفْسِهِ قَبْلَ قَتْلِ عُثْمَانَ، وَلَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ طَلَبَ الْأَمْرَ لِنَفْسِهِ، فَضْلًا عَنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ طَلَبُهُ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ. وَجَعَلَ الْقِسْمَيْنِ الْآخَرَيْنِ: [إِمَّا مُقَلِّدًا لِأَجْلِ الدُّنْيَا] (٥) ، وَإِمَّا مُقَلِّدًا لِقُصُورِهِ فِي النَّظَرِ. وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَعْرِفَ الْحَقَّ وَأَنْ يَتَّبِعَهُ، وَهَذَا [هُوَ] (٦) الصِّرَاطُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ، صِرَاطُ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ (٧) مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ، غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ، وَهَذَا هُوَ الصِّرَاطُ الَّذِي أَمَرَنَا اللَّهُ أَنْ نَسْأَلَهُ (٨) هِدَايَتَنَا إِيَّاهُ فِي كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ، بَلْ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ. وَقَدْ صَحَّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَنَّهُ قَالَ: " «الْيَهُودُ مَغْضُوبٌ

(١) قَدْ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٢) ن: الْأَمْرَ. (٣) بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) . (٤) ن: عَلَى عَلِيٍّ وَأَبِي بَكْرٍ. (٥) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) فَقَطْ. (٦) هُوَ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) (م) . (٧) أ، م، ب: أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ. (٨) م: أَمَرَ اللَّهُ أَنْ نَسْأَلَهُ ; أ، ب: أَمَرَنَا أَنْ نَسْأَلَهُ.