Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/313)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

wisdom, according to the majority, or solely because of volition and will, according to those affirmers of predestination who deny both the grounding of His acts in reasons and will. Thus, if some acts are fitting for Him that would not be fitting for human beings, the analogy between Him and His creation is invalid. It follows all the more necessarily that punishing a wrongdoer—something fitting for us—cannot be deemed unfitting for Him. For He has a greater claim to be exalted above every imperfection from which others are declared free, and praise belongs to Him to a degree deserved by no one else] (1).

[Commentary on the statement, “and that His acts are perfectly ordered and occur for a purpose and benefit”]

As for his statement (2): “And that (3) His acts are perfectly ordered and occur (4) for a purpose and benefit (5); otherwise, He would be acting frivolously.”

It has already been explained that those among Ahl al-Sunnah (6) who are not Imāmīs hold two views concerning whether the acts and rulings of Allah [Most High] (7) are grounded in reasons, and that the majority affirm such grounding (8). Is the wisdom separate from the Lord [and does not subsist in Him] (9), or does it subsist in Him while wise purposes external to Him are also affirmed? [They hold two views on this] (10). And do (11) these wise purposes form an infinite series, or do they not? Or does their succession extend into the future but not into the past? There are several views on this [among them] (12).

(1) Here ends the omission whose beginning was indicated on the preceding page. (2) This statement appears in *Minhāj al-Karāmah*, 1/82 (M), and was previously cited in this volume, p. 98. The complete statement there reads: “Otherwise, He would be acting frivolously. Allah Most High has said: ‘We did not create heaven and earth and all that lies between them in play.’” (3) ʿA reads *anna* (“that”); N and M read *fa-inna* (“for indeed”). (4) *Minhāj al-Karāmah* reads: *muhkamah mutqanah wāqiʿah* (“perfectly ordered, precisely fashioned, and occurring”). The same reading appeared earlier in this volume, p. 98. (5) ʿA reads *li-maslahatin wa-gharadin* (“for a benefit and purpose”); B reads *li-gharadin aw maslahatin* (“for a purpose or benefit”). (6) N and M read *ahlun* (“people,” in the nominative), which is an error. (7) “Most High” is omitted in N, A, and B. (8) See above, pp. 143–148. (9) The phrase “does not subsist in Him” is omitted in N and M. (10) The phrase “They hold two views on this” is omitted in N, M, B, and A. (11) N and M read *wa-hiya* (“and it is”), which is a corruption. (12) “Among them” is omitted in B, A, N, and M.

الْحِكْمَةِ عَلَى قَوْلِ الْأَكْثَرِينَ، وَإِمَّا لِمَحْضِ الْمَشِيئَةِ وَالْإِرَادَةِ عَلَى قَوْلِ نُفَاةِ التَّعْلِيلِ وَالْإِرَادَةِ مِنَ الْمُثْبِتِينَ لِلْقَدَرِ ; فَإِذَا كَانَ يَحْسُنُ مِنْهُ مِنَ الْأَفْعَالِ مَا لَا يَحْسُنُ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ بَطَلَ قِيَاسُهُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ، وَكَانَ مَا يَحْسُنُ مِنَّا مِنْ عُقُوبَةِ الظَّالِمِ لَا يُقَبَّحُ مِنْهُ بِطَرِيقِ الْأَوْلَى وَالْأَحْرَى، فَإِنَّ مَا يُنَزَّهُ عَنْهُ مِنَ النَّقَائِصِ فَهُوَ أَوْلَى بِتَنْزِيهِهِ، وَلَهُ مِنَ الْحَمْدِ مَا لَا يَسْتَحِقُّهُ غَيْرُهُ] (١) . [التعليق على قوله وأن أفعاله محكمة واقعة لغرض ومصلحة] وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ (٢) : " وَأَنَّ (٣) أَفْعَالَهُ مَحْكَمَةٌ وَاقِعَةٌ (٤) لِغَرَضٍ وَمَصْلَحَةٍ (٥) وَإِلَّا لَكَانَ عَابِثًا " . فَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ أَنَّ لِأَهْلِ (٦) السُّنَّةِ الَّذِينَ لَيْسُوا بِإِمَامِيَّةٍ قَوْلَيْنِ فِي تَعْلِيلِ أَفْعَالِ اللَّهِ [تَعَالَى] (٧) وَأَحْكَامِهِ، وَأَنَّ الْأَكْثَرِينَ عَلَى التَّعْلِيلِ (٨) ، وَالْحِكْمَةُ هَلْ هِيَ مُنْفَصِلَةٌ عَنِ الرَّبِّ [لَا تَقُومُ بِهِ] (٩) ، أَوْ قَائِمَةٌ بِهِ مَعَ ثُبُوتِ الْحِكَمِ الْمُنْفَصِلَةِ أَيْضًا؟ [فِيهِ قَوْلَانِ لَهُمْ] (١٠) . وَهَلْ (١١) تَتَسَلْسَلُ الْحِكَمُ أَوْ لَا تَتَسَلْسَلُ؟ أَوْ تَتَسَلْسَلُ فِي الْمُسْتَقْبَلِ دُونَ الْمَاضِي؟ هَذَا فِيهِ أَقْوَالٌ [لَهُمْ] (١٢) .

(١) هُنَا يَنْتَهِي السَّقْطُ الْمُشَارُ إِلَى أَوَّلِهِ فِي الصَّفْحَةِ السَّابِقَةِ. (٢) وَرَدَتْ هَذِهِ الْعِبَارَةُ فِي " مِنْهَاجِ الْكَرَامَةِ " ١/٨٢ (م) ، وَسَبَقَ وُرُودُهَا فِي هَذَا الْجُزْءِ ص ٩٨ وَتَمَامُ الْعِبَارَةِ هُنَاكَ: " وَإِلَّا لَكَانَ عَابِثًا، وَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: (وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَاعِبِينَ) . (٣) ع: أَنَّ ; ن، م: فَإِنَّ. (٤) مِنْهَاجُ الْكَرَامَةِ: مُحْكَمَةٌ مُتْقَنَةٌ وَاقِعَةٌ، وَكَذَا وَرَدَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ فِي هَذَا الْجُزْءِ ص ٩٨. (٥) ع: لِمَصْلَحَةٍ وَغَرَضٍ ; ب: لِغَرَضٍ أَوْ مَصْلَحَةٍ. (٦) ن، م: أَهْلٌ، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ. (٧) تَعَالِي: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (أ) ، (ب) . (٨) انْظُرْ مَا سَبَقَ ١٤٣ - ١٤٨. (٩) عِبَارَةُ " لَا تَقُومُ بِهِ " سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (١٠) عِبَارَةُ: " فِيهِ قَوْلَانِ لَهُمْ " سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) ، (ب) ، (أ) . (١١) ن، م: وَهِيَ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. (١٢) لَهُمْ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ب) ، (أ) ، (ن) ، (م) .