Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/76)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

those who were incapable of examining the matter and therefore blindly followed the vast multitude, by which he means [the reason for] (1) pledging allegiance to Abū Bakr.

It may be said to him:

This, too, is the sort of lie anyone can fabricate. The Rāfida are a people of sheer calumny. If this fabricator were asked to produce evidence for that claim, he would have none.

Allah [Most High] (2) has forbidden speaking without knowledge. How much more so when the established facts (3) contradict what he has said? Even if we had no knowledge of the circumstances of the Companions, it would not be permissible for us to testify against them by ascribing to them what we do not know—corrupt intentions and ignorance concerning the rightful claimant.

The Most High said:

“Do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart—each of these will be called to account.”

[Surah al-Isrā: 36]

And the Most High said:

“Here you are: you have argued about that of which you have knowledge, but why do you argue about that of which you have no knowledge?”

[Surah Āl Imrān: 66]

How much more so when we know that they were the most consummate members of this ummah (4) in intellect, [knowledge] (5), and religion? As [Abd Allāh] ibn Masūd (6) said of them: “Whoever [among you] (7) wishes to follow an example

(1) “The reason for” is omitted from N and M. (2) “Most High” is added in A and B. (3) N and M read: “what is known.” (4) N and M read: “the most consummate of all people.” (5) “And knowledge” is added in A and B. (6) N and M read: “Ibn Masūd.” Ibn Taymiyya states that the following report from Ibn Masūd—may Allah be pleased with him—was transmitted by more than one authority, including Ibn Batta from Qatāda. I could not find it in the printed text of *al-Ibāna*, but it is related in Ibn Abd al-Barr’s *Jāmi Bayān al-Ilm wa-Fadlihi* (al-Munīriyya ed.), p. [0–9]7. Its *isnād* (chain of transmission) is: “Sunayd narrated to us, saying: Mutamir narrated to us from Sallām ibn Miskīn, from Qatāda, who said: Ibn Masūd said…” I shall compare Ibn Abd al-Barr’s version with the version cited here. (7) “Among you” is omitted from N and M.

مَنْ عَجَزَ عَنِ النَّظَرِ فَقَلَّدَ الْجَمَّ الْغَفِيرَ، يُشِيرُ بِذَلِكَ إِلَى [سَبَبِ] (١) مُبَايَعَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ. فَيُقَالُ لَهُ: وَهَذَا مِنَ الْكَذِبِ الَّذِي لَا يَعْجَزُ عَنْهُ أَحَدٌ. وَالرَّافِضَةُ قَوْمُ بُهْتٍ، فَلَوْ طُلِبَ مِنْ هَذَا الْمُفْتَرِي دَلِيلٌ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ دَلِيلٌ. وَاللَّهُ [تَعَالَى] (٢) قَدْ حَرَّمَ الْقَوْلَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ، فَكَيْفَ إِذَا كَانَ الْمَعْرُوفُ (٣) ضِدَّ مَا قَالَهُ؟ فَلَوْ لَمْ نَكُنْ نَحْنُ عَالِمِينَ بِأَحْوَالِ الصَّحَابَةِ، لَمْ يَجُزْ أَنْ نَشْهَدَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِمَا لَا نَعْلَمُ مِنْ فَسَادِ الْقَصْدِ وَالْجَهْلِ بِالْمُسْتَحَقِّ. قَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا} [سُورَةُ الْإِسْرَاءِ: ٣٦] ، وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {هَا أَنْتُمْ هَؤُلَاءِ حَاجَجْتُمْ فِيمَا لَكُمْ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلِمَ تُحَاجُّونَ فِيمَا لَيْسَ لَكُمْ بِهِ عِلْمٌ} [سُورَةُ آلِ عِمْرَانَ: ٦٦] . فَكَيْفَ إِذَا كُنَّا نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا أَكْمَلَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ (٤) عَقْلًا [وَعِلْمًا] (٥) وَدِينًا؟ كَمَا قَالَ فِيهِمْ [عَبْدُ اللَّهِ] بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ (٦) : مَنْ كَانَ [مِنْكُمْ] (٧) مُسْتَنًّا

(١) سَبَبِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٢) تَعَالَى: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٣) ن، م: الْمَعْلُومُ. (٤) ن، م: أَكْمَلَ النَّاسِ. (٥) وَعِلْمًا: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٦) ن، م: ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ وَيَقُولُ ابْنُ تَيْمِيَّةَ عَنِ الْأَثَرِ التَّالِي الْمَرْوِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - أَنَّ غَيْرَ وَاحِدٍ رَوَاهُ، مِنْهُمُ ابْنُ بَطَّةَ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، وَلَمْ أَجِدْهُ فِي نَصِّ " الْإِبَانَةِ " الْمَطْبُوعِ، وَلَكِنَّهُ مَرْوِيٌّ فِي " جَامِعِ بَيَانِ الْعَلَمِ وَفَضْلِهِ " لِابْنِ عَبْدِ الْبَرِّ (ط. الْمُنِيرِيَّةِ) ، ص [٠ - ٩] ٧ وَسَنَدُهُ: حَدَّثَنَا سُنَيْدٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرٌ عَنْ سَلَّامِ بْنِ مِسْكِينٍ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ قَالَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ. . . وَسَأُقَابِلُ رِوَايَةَ ابْنِ عَبْدِ الْبَرِّ عَلَى الرِّوَايَةِ الْمَذْكُورَةِ هُنَا. (٧) مِنْكُمْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) .