Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/381)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

what is correct in the position of each of the two groups, while rejecting whatever revelation and reason refute in the position of either.

If they say to us, “This entails (1) that temporally originated things subsist in Him,” we reply:

“Who among the Salaf and the imams before you ever denied this? The texts of the Quran and Sunnah affirm it, as does plain reason. It is a conclusion binding upon every group, and whoever denies it has understood neither what it entails nor what entails it.

“The expression ‘temporally originated things’ is ambiguous: it may refer to maladies (2) and imperfections, and Allah [Most High] (3) is exalted above such things [just as He has declared Himself free of drowsiness, sleep, and weariness, and of being wearied by preserving the heavens and earth, as well as all else from which He is declared free by revelation and consensus. Yet many who deny the attributes—including the Mu'tazila and others—use this as an argument for denying that the attributes subsist in Him, or that temporally originated things subsist in Him without qualification. This is an error on their part, for negating a particular category does not entail negating the general category. Nor does denying imperfections and defects of Him require denying Him those attributes of perfection and qualities of majesty] (4). Rather, whatever He wills (5) and has power to do—whether His speech, His acts (6), or the like—subsists in Him, as indicated by the Book and the Sunnah.”

(1) (ب) alone reads: “From this it follows.” (2) (ب) and (م) read: “accidents.” (3) “Most High” is an addition in (ع). (4) The text in square brackets appears only in (ع). (5) (ب), (ا), and (م) read: *mā shā’ahu* (“whatever He willed,” with a resumptive object pronoun); (ن) reads: *mā shā’a* (“whatever He willed”). (6) (ع), (ن), and (م) read: *wa-fi‘ālihi* (“and His actions”).

بِمَا فِي قَوْلِ كُلٍّ مِنَ الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ مِنَ الصَّوَابِ، وَعَدَلْنَا عَمَّا يَرُدُّهُ الشَّرْعُ وَالْعَقْلُ مِنْ قَوْلِ كُلٍّ مِنْهُمَا. فَإِذَا قَالُوا لَنَا: فَهَذَا يَلْزَمُ (١) أَنْ تَكُونَ الْحَوَادِثُ قَامَتْ بِهِ. قُلْنَا: وَمَنْ أَنْكَرَ هَذَا قَبْلَكُمْ مِنَ السَّلَفِ وَالْأَئِمَّةِ؟ وَنُصُوصُ الْقُرْآنِ وَالسُّنَّةِ تَتَضَمَّنُ ذَلِكَ مَعَ صَرِيحِ الْعَقْلِ، وَهُوَ قَوْلٌ لَازِمٌ لِجَمِيعِ الطَّوَائِفِ، وَمَنْ أَنْكَرَهُ فَلَمْ يَعْرِفْ لَوَازِمَهُ وَمَلْزُومَاتِهِ. وَلَفْظُ " الْحَوَادِثِ " مُجْمَلٌ، فَقَدْ يُرَادُ بِهِ الْأَمْرَاضُ (٢) وَالنَّقَائِصُ، وَاللَّهُ [تَعَالَى] (٣) مُنَزَّهٌ عَنْ ذَلِكَ [كَمَا نَزَّهَ نَفْسَهُ عَنِ السِّنَةِ وَالنَّوْمِ وَاللُّغُوبِ، وَعَنْ أَنْ يَئُودَهُ حِفْظُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَغَيْرُ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا هُوَ مُنَزَّهٌ عَنْهُ بِالنَّصِّ وَالْإِجْمَاعِ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْ نُفَاةِ الصِّفَاتِ - الْمُعْتَزِلَةِ وَغَيْرِهِمْ - يَجْعَلُونَ مِثْلَ هَذَا حُجَّةً فِي نَفْيِ قِيَامِ الصِّفَاتِ، أَوْ قِيَامِ الْحَوَادِثِ بِهِ مُطْلَقًا، وَهُوَ غَلَطٌ مِنْهُمْ، فَإِنَّ نَفْيَ الْخَاصِّ لَا يَسْتَلْزِمُ نَفْيَ الْعَامِّ، وَلَا يَجِبُ إِذَا نَفَيْتَ عَنْهُ النَّقَائِصَ وَالْعُيُوبَ أَنْ يَنْتَفِيَ عَنْهُ مَا هُوَ مِنْ صِفَاتِ الْكَمَالِ وَنُعُوتِ الْجَلَالِ] (٤) . وَلَكِنْ يَقُومُ بِهِ مَا يَشَاؤُهُ (٥) وَيَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ كَلَامِهِ وَأَفْعَالِهِ (٦) وَنَحْوِ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا دَلَّ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابُ وَالسُّنَّةُ.

(١) ب (فَقَطْ) : فَهَذَا يَلْزَمُ مِنْهُ. (٢) ب، م: الْأَعْرَاضُ. (٣) تَعَالَى: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (ع) . (٤) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ فِي (ع) فَقَطْ. (٥) ب، ا، م: مَا شَاءَهُ ; ن: مَا شَاءَ. (٦) ع، ن، م: وَفِعَالِهِ.