Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/267)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

This, then, is the debate between these Imāmīs and Karrāmīs, on the one hand, and those Imāmīs and those among the Mu'tazila [and Kullābiyya] (1) who agree with them, together with their followers (2), on the other, concerning these matters in which they rely upon reason (3). A group of the Mu'tazila and the Shī'a (4), along with those who agree with them, responded that the proof [indicating] (5) the temporal origination of the world is this very proof indicating the temporal origination of bodies. If this proof is not sound, the way to knowing (6) the temporal origination of the world and affirming the Maker (7) is blocked.

Their opponent said (8): “We do not concede that this is the way to know (9) the temporal origination of the world or to affirm the Maker. Rather, this is a method newly introduced into Islam. None of the Companions, the Prophet’s kin (10), or the Successors followed this method (11). It was followed only by Jahm ibn Safwān, Abū al-Hudhayl al-'Allāf, and those who agreed with them. If knowledge affirming the Maker and the temporal origination of the world (12) could be attained only through this method, explaining it would have been part of the religion, and faith could have been attained only through it.

“We know with certainty that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—did not mention this method to his nation, nor did he call them by means of it or to it (13); nor did any of the Companions. Thus, the claim that (14) faith depends upon it is necessarily known to be false from the religion of Islam,”

(1) The word al-Kullābiyya is omitted from N and M. (2) The phrase “and their followers” is omitted from B and A. (3) B and A read: al-fiʿl (“action”), which is a corruption. (4) N reads: “from among the Muʿtazila, their followers, and the Shīʿa,” and so forth. (5) The word “indicating” is omitted from N and M. (6) B and A read: “knowledge of the way to … was blocked.” (7) N reads: “to affirm the Maker.” (8) B and A read: “and he said”; N and M read: “he said.” (9) The word “knowledge” is omitted from B and A. (10) A, M, and B read: “and the kin.” (11) B and A read: “None of the Companions or the Prophet’s kin, nor any of the Successors, follows this method.” (12) B and A read: “the temporal origination of the world and affirming the Maker.” (13) ʿ reads: “nor did he call them to it.” (14) N and M read: anna (“that”).

فَهَذَا بَحْثُ هَؤُلَاءِ الْإِمَامِيَّةِ وَالْكَرَّامِيَّةِ مَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْإِمَامِيَّةِ وَمَنْ وَافَقَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُعْتَزِلَةِ [وَالْكُلَّابِيَّةِ] (١) وَأَتْبَاعِهِمْ (٢) فِي هَذِهِ الْأُمُورِ الَّتِي يَعْتَمِدُونَ فِيهَا عَلَى الْعَقْلِ (٣) ، وَقَدْ أَجَابَهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ الْمُعْتَزِلَةِ وَالشِّيعَةِ (٤) وَمَنْ وَافَقَهُمْ بِأَنَّ الدَّلِيلَ [الدَّالَّ] (٥) عَلَى حُدُوثِ الْعَالَمِ هُوَ هَذَا الدَّلِيلُ الدَّالُّ عَلَى حُدُوثِ الْأَجْسَامِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ هَذَا صَحِيحًا انْسَدَّ طَرِيقُ مَعْرِفَةِ (٦) حُدُوثِ الْعَالَمِ وَإِثْبَاتِ الصَّانِعِ (٧) . فَقَالَ (٨) الْمُخَالِفُ لِهَؤُلَاءِ: لَا نُسَلِّمُ أَنَّ هَذَا هُوَ الطَّرِيقُ إِلَى مَعْرِفَةِ (٩) حُدُوثِ الْعَالَمِ وَلَا إِلَى إِثْبَاتِ الصَّانِعِ، بَلْ هَذَا طَرِيقٌ مُحْدَثٌ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ، لَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ وَلَا الْقَرَابَةِ (١٠) وَلَا التَّابِعِينَ يَسْلُكُ هَذِهِ الطَّرِيقَ (١١) ، وَإِنَّمَا سَلَكَهَا الْجَهْمُ بْنُ صَفْوَانَ وَأَبُو الْهُذَيْلِ الْعَلَّافُ وَمَنْ وَافَقَهُمَا، وَلَوْ كَانَ الْعِلْمُ بِإِثْبَاتِ الصَّانِعِ وَحُدُوثِ الْعَالَمِ (١٢) لَا يَتِمُّ إِلَّا بِهَذِهِ الطَّرِيقِ لَكَانَ بَيَانُهَا مِنَ الدِّينِ، وَلَمْ يَحْصُلِ الْإِيمَانُ إِلَّا بِهَا. وَنَحْنُ نَعْلَمُ بِالِاضْطِرَارِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - لَمْ يَذْكُرْ هَذِهِ الطَّرِيقَ لِأُمَّتِهِ، وَلَا دَعَاهُمْ بِهَا وَلَا إِلَيْهَا (١٣) وَلَا أَحَدٌ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ. فَالْقَوْلُ بِأَنَّ (١٤) الْإِيمَانَ مَوْقُوفٌ عَلَيْهَا مِمَّا يُعْلَمُ بُطْلَانُهُ بِالضَّرُورَةِ مِنْ دِينِ الْإِسْلَامِ،

(١) وَالْكُلَّابِيَّةِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٢) وَأَتْبَاعِهِمْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ب) ، (أ) . (٣) ب، ا: الْفِعْلِ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (٤) ن: مِنَ الْمُعْتَزِلَةِ وَأَتْبَاعِهِمْ وَالشِّيعَةِ. . إِلَخْ. (٥) الدَّالَّ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٦) ب، ا: أَنْسَدَّ مَعْرِفَةُ طَرِيقِ. (٧) ن: إِلَى إِثْبَاتِ الصَّانِعِ. (٨) ب، ا: وَقَالَ ; ن، م: قَالَ. (٩) مَعْرِفَةِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ب) ، (أ) . (١٠) أ، م، ب: وَالْقَرَابَةِ. (١١) ب، أ: مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ وَالْقُرَابَةِ وَلَا التَّابِعِيَنَ يَسْلُكُ هَذَا الطَّرِيقَ. (١٢) ب، ا: بِحُدُوثِ الْعَالَمِ وَإِثْبَاتِ الصَّانِعِ. (١٣) ع: وَلَا دَعَاهُمْ إِلَيْهَا. (١٤) ن، م: أَنَّ.