Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/162)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

the source of that effect, whether it be this one or the other; rather, the effect would be something (1) separate from them both.

The precise explanation is that a thing’s perfection belongs to the thing itself and is intrinsic to it. Thus, that which is necessary in and of itself cannot be necessary unless whatever is intrinsic (2) to its essence is itself necessary in existence, without depending in that respect upon a cause external to it. Whenever it depends, with respect to something intrinsic to it, upon a cause external to it, its essence is not necessary in and of itself. Anything not intrinsic to its essence cannot be one of its perfections either; rather, it is something distinct from it. This would simply amount to two things: one necessary in and of itself, and another conjoined with it and annexed to it.

Moreover, the Necessary Existent Himself is the most perfect of all beings, since a necessary being is necessarily more perfect than a contingent one. Thus, with respect to every perfection possible for Him:

If it necessarily belongs to Him, then His perfection cannot be derived from another, nor (3) can He depend upon another for it.

If it does not necessarily belong to Him, then, if He were incapable of possessing it while another contingent being could possess it, the contingent being would be more perfect than the Necessary Existent. Anything that [neither] (4) a necessary being nor a contingent being can possess is not a perfection. If, however, He could possess it but His essence did not entail (5) it, then another would be granting it to Him. Yet the one who grants a perfection has a greater claim to that perfection and would therefore be more perfect than He, whereas none can be more perfect than the Necessary Existent.

And if it is said:

“That other is also a necessary being.”

(1) N and M read: “Rather, it derives from something.” The correct reading, adopted from B and A, is the one given in the text. (2) B reads: *in lam yakun huwa dākhilan* (“if it is not itself intrinsic”); A reads: *in lam yakun huwa dākhilun* (with *dākhil* in the nominative). I believe the correct reading is the one I have adopted from N and M. (3) B reads: “and that.” (4) The word “not” is an addition found in A and B. (5) N and M read: *lāzimatan* (“necessary [for it]”).

ذَلِكَ الْأَثَرُ لَا مِنْ هَذَا وَلَا مِنْ هَذَا، بَلْ هُوَ شَيْءٌ (١) مُنْفَصِلٌ عَنْهُمَا. وَتَحْقِيقُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ كَمَالَ الشَّيْءِ هُوَ مِنْ نَفْسِ الشَّيْءِ وَدَاخِلٌ فِيهِ، فَالْوَاجِبُ بِنَفْسِهِ لَا يَكُونُ وَاجِبًا إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَا هُوَ دَاخِلٌ (٢) فِي نَفْسِهِ وَاجِبَ الْوُجُودِ لَا يَفْتَقِرُ فِيهِ إِلَى سَبَبٍ مُنْفَصِلٍ عَنْهُ، فَمَتَى افْتَقَرَ فِيمَا هُوَ دَاخِلٌ فِيهِ إِلَى سَبَبٍ مُنْفَصِلٍ عَنْهُ لَمْ تَكُنْ نَفْسُهُ وَاجِبَةً بِنَفْسِهِ، وَمَا لَا يَكُونُ دَاخِلًا فِي نَفْسِهِ، لَا يَكُونُ مِنْ كَمَالِهِ أَيْضًا، بَلْ يَكُونُ شَيْئًا مُبَايِنًا لَهُ، وَإِنَّمَا يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ شَيْئَيْنِ: أَحَدُهُمَا وَاجِبٌ بِنَفْسِهِ وَالْآخَرُ شَيْءٌ قُرِنَ بِهِ وَضُمَّ إِلَيْهِ. وَأَيْضًا، فَنَفْسُ وَاجِبِ الْوُجُودِ هُوَ أَكْمَلُ الْمَوْجُودَاتِ، إِذِ الْوَاجِبُ أَكْمَلُ مِنَ الْمُمْكِنِ بِالضَّرُورَةِ، فَكُلُّ كَمَالٍ مُمْكِنٌ لَهُ: إِنْ كَانَ لَازِمًا لَهُ امْتَنَعَ أَنْ يَكُونَ كَمَالُهُ مُسْتَفَادًا مِنْ غَيْرِهِ، أَوْ أَنْ (٣) يَحْتَاجَ فِيهِ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ. وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَازِمًا لَهُ: فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ قَابِلًا لَهُ مِنْ قَبُولِ غَيْرِهِ مِنَ الْمُمْكِنَاتِ لَهُ، كَانَ الْمُمْكِنُ أَكْمَلَ مِنَ الْوَاجِبِ، وَمَا لَا يَقْبَلُهُ [لَا] (٤) وَاجِبٌ وَلَا مُمْكِنٌ لَيْسَ كَمَالًا ; وَإِنْ كَانَ قَابِلًا لَهُ وَلَمْ تَكُنْ ذَاتُهُ مُسْتَلْزِمَةً (٥) لَهُ، كَانَ غَيْرُهُ مُعْطِيًا لَهُ إِيَّاهُ، وَالْمُعْطِي لِلْكَمَالِ هُوَ أَحَقُّ بِالْكَمَالِ، فَيَكُونُ ذَلِكَ الْمُعْطِي أَكْمَلَ مِنْهُ، وَوَاجِبُ الْوُجُودِ لَا يَكُونُ غَيْرُهُ أَكْمَلَ مِنْهُ. وَإِذَا قِيلَ: ذَلِكَ الْغَيْرُ وَاجِبٌ أَيْضًا.

(١) ن، م: بَلْ هُوَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ، وَالصَّوَابُ مِنْ (ب) ، (أ) . (٢) ب: إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ هُوَ دَاخِلًا ; أ: إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ هُوَ دَاخِلٌ. وَأَحْسَبُ أَنَّ الصَّوَابَ هُوَ الَّذِي أَثْبَتُّهُ عَنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٣) ب: وَأَنْ. (٤) لَا: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٥) ن، م: لَازِمَةً.