Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/146)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

And it is as though he (1) deemed the well-known argument cited by [his predecessor] and his Mu'tazilite teachers (2) sufficient: if He were a body, He could not be devoid of motion and rest; and whatever cannot be devoid (3) of originated events is itself originated, for beginningless originated events are impossible.

They then say:

“If knowledge, power, life, speech (5), and other such attributes [were to] subsist in Him (4), He would be a body.”

There are two answers to this argument (6). The first is to say [to him that He], in your view (7), is living, knowing, and powerful, yet is not a body—even though you know of no living, knowing, and powerful being (8) except a body. Thus, if your position (9) is correct, it is possible for Him to possess life, knowledge, and power and to be distinct from the world and above it without being a body.

If you say:

“I cannot conceive of anything distinct and above except as a body,”

it is said to you:

“Nor can one conceive of anything living, knowing, and powerful except as a body. Therefore, if something that is not a body can be called (10) by these names, then something that is not a body can possess these attributes; otherwise, it cannot, because the name (11) necessarily entails the attribute.”

(1) N and M: “as though he.” (2) N and M: “which his teachers cite.” (3) N and M: “and whatever is not devoid.” (4) N and M: “even if there subsisted in Him.” (5) “And speech” is omitted from A and B. (6) N and M: “This, then, is the proof for it.” (7) N and M: “that it be said: in your view.” (8) N and M: “knowing and powerful.” (9) N and M: “His statement.” (10) N and M: “that it be named.” (11) N and M: “the body—which is an error.”

وَكَأَنَّهُ (١) اكْتَفَى بِالدَّلِيلِ الْمَشْهُورِ الَّذِي يَذْكُرُهُ [سَلَفُهُ] وَشُيُوخُهُ (٢) الْمُعْتَزِلَةُ: مِنْ أَنَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ جِسْمًا لَمْ يَخْلُ عَنِ الْحَرَكَةِ وَالسُّكُونِ، وَمَا لَمْ يَخْلُ (٣) عَنِ الْحَوَادِثِ فَهُوَ حَادِثٌ لِامْتِنَاعِ حَوَادِثَ لَا أَوَّلَ لَهَا. ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ: وَلَوْ [كَانَ] قَامَ بِهِ (٤) عِلْمٌ وَقُدْرَةٌ وَحَيَاةٌ وَكَلَامٌ (٥) وَنَحْوُ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الصِّفَاتِ لَكَانَ جِسْمًا. وَهَذَا الدَّلِيلُ عَنْهُ (٦) جَوَّابَانِ: أَحَدُهُمَا: أَنْ يُقَالَ [لَهُ: هُوَ] عِنْدَكَ (٧) حَيٌّ عَلِيمٌ قَدِيرٌ، وَمَعَ هَذَا فَلَيْسَ بِجِسْمٍ عِنْدَكَ، مَعَ أَنَّكَ لَا تَعْلَمُ حَيًّا عَلِيمًا قَدِيرًا (٨) إِلَّا جِسْمًا فَإِنْ كَانَ قَوْلُكَ (٩) حَقًّا أَمْكَنَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ حَيَاةٌ وَعِلْمٌ وَقُدْرَةٌ، وَأَنْ يَكُونَ مُبَايِنًا لِلْعَالَمِ عَالِيًا عَلَيْهِ وَلَيْسَ بِجِسْمٍ. فَإِنْ قُلْتَ: لَا أَعْقِلُ مُبَايِنًا عَالِيًا إِلَّا جِسْمًا؛ قِيلَ لَكَ: وَلَا يُعْقَلُ حَيٌّ عَلِيمٌ قَدِيرٌ إِلَّا جِسْمٌ، فَإِنْ أَمْكَنَ أَنْ يَكُونَ مُسَمَّى (١٠) بِهَذِهِ الْأَسْمَاءِ مَا لَيْسَ بِجِسْمٍ، أَمْكَنَ أَنْ يَتَّصِفَ بِهَذِهِ الصِّفَاتِ مَا لَيْسَ بِجِسْمٍ، وَإِلَّا فَلَا ; لِأَنَّ الِاسْمَ (١١) مُسْتَلْزِمٌ لِلصِّفَةِ.

(١) ن، م: فَكَأَنَّهُ. (٢) ن، م: الَّذِي يَذْكُرُهُ شُيُوخُهُ. (٣) ن، م: وَمَا لَا يَخْلُو. (٤) ن، م: وَلَوْ قَامَ بِهِ. (٥) وَكَلَامٌ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٦) ن، م: فَهَذَا الدَّلِيلُ عَلَيْهِ. (٧) ن، م: أَنْ يُقَالَ عِنْدَكَ. (٨) ن، م: عَالِمًا قَادِرًا. (٩) ن، م: قَوْلُهُ. (١٠) ن، م: أَنْ يُسَمَّى. (١١) ن، م: الْجِسْمَ، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ.