He Aquí Nuestra Creencia

Behold, Our Creed

Introduction

This text constitutes a doctrinal response, or fatwa, composed by the eminent Islamic scholar Taqī al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn Taymiyyah at the explicit request of a judge from the city of Wasit. The magistrate asked him to compile an exposition of orthodox Islamic belief that could serve as a foundational reference for him and his family. The resulting work is a dense and methodical compendium of the doctrine of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah, the Sunni Community.

The exposition begins by establishing the fundamentals of faith, the six pillars of Īmān, with a primary emphasis on the correct understanding of Divine Oneness (Tawḥīd). Here, Ibn Taymiyyah devotes meticulous attention to the issue of God's Names and Attributes (Al-Asmāʾ wa al-Ṣifāt). He establishes the guiding principle of the Salafi school: to affirm what God and His Messenger have affirmed, while denying any likeness to creation, without falling into denial (taʿṭīl), linguistic distortion (taḥrīf), inquiry into the "how" (takyīf), or physical representation (tamthīl). To support this position, he employs a profuse cascade of Quranic citations describing God with attributes such as the Hand, the Face, Sight, Hearing, descent, anger, love, and His establishment over the Throne, always insisting that these realities must be accepted "without asking how" (bilā kayf).

Subsequently, the text integrates the Prophetic Tradition (Sunnah) as the authoritative interpreter of the Quran, citing hadiths that confirm divine attributes such as the nocturnal descent or laughter. Ibn Taymiyyah presents Ahl al-Sunnah as the "just middle" in all theological controversies: between those who strip God of His attributes (the Jahmiyyah) and those who anthropomorphize them (the Mushabbihah); between those who deny God's universal will (the Qadariyyah) and those who nullify human will (the Jabriyyah); and between those who excommunicate the sinner (the Khawārij) and those who disconnect faith from works (the Murjiʾah).

The treatise then proceeds to elaborate on other articles of faith. It defines the nature of the Quran as the eternal and uncreated Speech of God. It affirms the beatific vision of God by the believers in the Hereafter. It describes eschatological events in detail: the trial of the grave, the Resurrection, the Scale, the Bridge (Ṣirāṭ), the Prophet's Intercession, and the eternity of Paradise and Hell. When addressing the question of Divine Decree (al-Qadar), it establishes the doctrine of balance: God is the Creator of all acts, but the human being is a real agent who possesses an acquired will and capacity, and is therefore responsible for his choices. A careful distinction is made between God's Universal Will, under which everything occurs, and His Legislative Will, which approves only of good.

Finally, the text defines orthodoxy's stance regarding the community of the first Muslims. It declares the obligation to love and respect all the Companions of the Prophet, establishing the preeminence and legitimacy of the successive order of the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs. It also commands love for the Prophet's Family (Ahl al-Bayt) and his wives, making special mention of Khadījah, the first Muslim and mother of his progeny. It concludes by describing the ethical and communal profile of the Sunni believer, who must adhere to the Sunnah, promote good, forbid evil, seek impartial justice, and maintain the unity of the community.

The work emerges in a historical context of theological diversity and certain doctrinal confusion within the medieval Islamic world. Ibn Taymiyyah is approached by a judicial authority in need of a clear and reliable reference text for his personal and family life. The judge's request reflects a need for anchorage in a doctrine considered pure and salvific in the face of the proliferation of philosophical (falāsifah), theological (kalāmiyyah) schools, and sects considered deviant.

Ibn Taymiyyah responds not with an innovation, but with a powerful and militant synthesis of what he considers the creed of the first Muslims (al-salaf al-ṣāliḥ). His method is strictly textualist, appealing overwhelmingly to the Quran and authenticated Sunnah, with the express aim of purifying belief from Hellenistic rationalist influences (like those of the Muʿtazilites or later Ashʿarites) and anthropomorphic literalisms. The fatwa is, therefore, an identitarian and boundary-setting document: it intends to clearly delineate the limits of orthodoxy, provide a doctrinal weapon against deviations, and offer a spiritual survival manual for the "Victorious Group" (al-firqah al-nājiyah) amid sectarian discord. It is not a philosophical treatise, but a practical guide to belief aimed at consolidating the faith of common Muslims and their leaders in the foundations of traditional Islam.

The Text of Ibn Taymiyyah

Shaykh al-Islām —may Allāh have mercy on him— was asked by one of the judges of Wāsiṭ to write for him a creed (ʿaqīdah) that would be a pillar for him and the people of his household.

He responded to him:

In the name of Allāh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise is due to Allāh, Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religions, and sufficient is Allāh as a Witness. And I bear witness that there is no deity [worthy of worship] except Allāh, alone, without partner, as an acknowledgment of Him and monotheism. And I bear witness that Muḥammad is His servant and His messenger, may Allāh grant him prayer, upon his family and his companions, and abundant salutations.

Now then: This is the creed of the saved, victorious faction until the Final Hour—the People of the Sunnah and the Community (Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah)—and it is: Faith (al-īmān) in Allāh, in His angels, in His books, in His messengers, in the Resurrection after death, and faith in the Decree (al-qadar), both in its good and its evil.

And part of faith in Allāh is: Faith in what He has described of Himself in His Book, and in what His Messenger Muḥammad (ﷺ) has described Him with, without distortion (taḥrīf) nor denial (taʿṭīl), and without asking "how?" (takyīf) nor making resemblance (tamthīl). Rather, they believe that Allāh—glorified be He—: "There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing" [42:11].

Thus, they do not deny what He has described of Himself, nor twist the words from their meanings, nor deviate regarding the names of Allāh and His signs, nor ask "how?", nor resemble His attributes with the attributes of His creatures. For He—glorified be He—has no equal (samiyy), no peer (kufuww), no rival (nidd), nor is He compared with His creatures—glorified and exalted be He. Indeed, He—glorified be He—knows Himself and others best, the Most Truthful in speech and the Best in discourse, more than His creatures.

Then, His messengers are truthful, trustworthy, unlike those who say about Him what they do not know. And that is why He said—glorified and exalted be He—: "Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they describe. And peace upon the messengers. And praise to Allāh, Lord of the worlds" [37:180-182]. Thus, He glorified Himself from what those who oppose the messengers attributed to Him, and He sent peace upon the messengers for the soundness of what they said, free from deficiency and defect.

And He—glorified be He—has combined, in what He has described and named of Himself, between negation and affirmation. Therefore, there is no deviation for the People of the Sunnah and the Community from what the messengers brought, for that is the straight path, the path of those whom Allāh has blessed: the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous.

And included in this statement is what He described of Himself in Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ (The Sincerity), which equals one-third of the Quran, where He says: "Say, 'He is Allāh, [Who is] One. Allāh, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born. Nor is there to Him any equivalent.'"

And what He described of Himself in the greatest verse of His Book, where He says: "Allāh—there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not" meaning, it does not burden or weigh heavily upon Him, "and He is the Most High, the Most Great" [2:255]. For this reason, whoever recites this verse at night will not cease to have a guardian from Allāh, and no devil will come near him until he reaches the morning.

And His saying—glorified be He—: "And rely upon the Ever-Living who does not die" [25:58].
And His saying—glorified be He—: "He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things, Knowing" [57:3], and His saying: "…and He is the Wise, the Acquainted" [34:1], "He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein" [57:4], "And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record" [6:59], and His saying: "And no female conceives or gives birth except with His knowledge" [35:11], and His saying: "So that you may know that Allāh is over all things competent and that Allāh has encompassed all things in knowledge" [65:12].

And His saying: "Indeed, it is Allāh who is the [continual] Provider, the firm possessor of strength" [51:58], and His saying: "There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing" [42:11], and His saying: "Excellent is that which Allāh instructs you. Indeed, Allāh is ever Hearing and Seeing" [4:58].

And His saying: "And why did you, when you entered your garden, not say, 'What Allāh willed [has occurred]; there is no power except in Allāh'?" [18:39], and His saying: "If Allāh had willed, they would not have fought each other after clear proofs had come to them. But they differed, and some of them believed and some of them disbelieved. And if Allāh had willed, they would not have fought. But Allāh does what He intends" [2:253], and His saying: "Lawful to you are the grazing livestock except what is recited to you [of prohibition]—and [you are forbidden from] hunting while you are in the state of iḥrām. Indeed, Allāh ordains what He intends" [5:1], and His saying: "So whoever Allāh wants to guide—He expands his breast to [contain] Islām. And whoever He wants to misguide—He makes his breast tight and constricted as though he were climbing into the sky" [6:125].

And His saying: "…and do good; indeed, Allāh loves the doers of good" [2:195], "…and act justly. Indeed, Allāh loves those who act justly" [49:9], "If they [the hypocrites] remain true to you, be true to them. Indeed, Allāh loves those who fear Him" [9:7], "Indeed, Allāh loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves" [2:222], and His saying: "Say, [O Muḥammad], 'If you should love Allāh, then follow me, [so] Allāh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful'" [3:31], and His saying: "O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion—Allāh will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him" [5:54], and His saying: "Indeed, Allāh loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly" [61:4], and His saying: "…and He is the Forgiving, the Affectionate" [85:14].

And His saying: "In the name of Allāh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful" [1:1], "Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge" [40:7], "…and He is to the believers Merciful" [33:43], "…but My mercy encompasses all things" [7:156], "Your Lord has decreed upon Himself mercy" [6:54], "…and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful" [10:107], "…but Allāh is the best guardian, and He is the most merciful of the merciful" [12:64].

And His saying: "Allāh being pleased with them, and they with Him" [98:8], and His saying: "But whoever kills a believer intentionally—his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allāh has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment" [4:93], and His saying: "That is because they followed what angered Allāh and disliked [what earns] His pleasure" [47:28], and His saying: "But when they angered Us, We took retribution from them…" [43:55], and His saying: "But Allāh disliked their going forth, so He kept them back…" [9:46], and His saying: "Great is hatred in the sight of Allāh that you say what you do not do" [61:3].

And His saying: "Do they await but that Allāh should come to them in covers of clouds and the angels [as well] and the matter is [then] decided?" [2:210], and His saying: "Do they await except that the angels should come to them or your Lord should come or that there should come some of the signs of your Lord? The Day that some of the signs of your Lord will come…" [6:158], "No! When the earth has been leveled—pounded and crushed—. And your Lord has come and the angels, rank upon rank" [89:21-22], "And the heaven will split [open], for that Day it is infirm. And the angels are at its edges. And there will bear the Throne of your Lord above them, that Day, eight [of them]" [69:16-17].

And His saying: "But there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor" [55:27], "Everything will be destroyed except His Face" [28:88], and His saying: "[Allāh] said, 'O Iblīs, what prevented you from prostrating to that which I created with My hands?'" [38:75], "The Jews say, 'The hand of Allāh is chained.' Chained are their hands, and cursed are they for what they say. Rather, both His hands are extended; He spends however He wills" [5:64].

And His saying: "And be patient, [O Muḥammad], for the decision of your Lord, for indeed, you are in Our eyes" [52:48], "And We carried him on a [construction of] planks and nails. It sailed under Our observation as reward for he who had been denied" [54:13-14], "And I bestowed upon you love from Me that you would be brought up under My eye" [20:39].

And His saying: "Certainly has Allāh heard the speech of the one who argues with you, [O Muḥammad], concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allāh. And Allāh hears your dialogue; indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Seeing" [58:1], "Allāh has certainly heard the statement of those [Jews] who said, 'Indeed, Allāh is poor, while we are rich'" [3:181], "Do they think that We do not hear their secrets and their private conversations? Yes, and Our messengers [angels] are with them recording" [43:80].

And His saying: "Indeed, I am with you both, hearing and seeing" [20:46], and His saying: "Does he not know that Allāh sees?" [96:14], "He sees you when you arise. And your movement among those who prostrate. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing" [26:218-220], "And say, 'Do [as you will], for Allāh will see your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger and the believers…'" [9:105].

And His saying: "…and He is severe in penalty" [13:13], and His saying: "And they [the disbelievers] schemed, and Allāh schemed. And Allāh is the best of schemers" [3:54], and His saying: "And they [the people of the city] planned a plan, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not" [27:50], and His saying: "Indeed, they are planning a plan. But I am planning a plan" [86:15-16].

And His saying: "If [instead] you show [some] good or conceal it or pardon an offense—indeed, Allāh is ever Pardoning and Competent" [4:149], "…and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allāh should forgive you? And Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful" [24:22].

And His saying: "…but to Allāh belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers…" [63:8], and His saying concerning Iblīs: "By Your might, I will surely mislead them all" [38:82].

And His saying: "Blessed is the name of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor" [55:78].

And His saying: "So worship Him and be patient in His worship. Do you know of any similarity to Him?" [19:65], "…and there is none comparable to Him." [112:4], "…and do not make [as equal] with Allāh another deity. And [thereby] do not give [to Him] equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him]." [2:22], "But there are some who take besides Allāh equals [to Him]. They love them as they should love Allāh. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allāh…" [2:165], "And say, ‘Praise to Allāh, who has not taken a son and has had no partner in [His] sovereignty and has no [need of a] protector out of weakness; and proclaim His greatness.’" [17:111], "Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is exalting Allāh. To Him belongs dominion, and to Him belongs [all] praise, and He is over all things competent." [64:1], "Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His Servant that he may be to the worlds a warner – He to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. And He has not taken a son, nor has He any partner in the dominion. He has created each thing and determined it with [precise] determination." [25:1-2], "Allāh has not taken any son, nor has there ever been with Him any deity. [If there had been], then each deity would have taken what it created, and some of them would have sought to overcome others. Exalted is Allāh above what they describe [concerning Him]. Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, so high is He above what they associate [with Him]." [23:91-92], "So do not assert similarities to Allāh. Indeed, Allāh knows and you do not know." [16:74], "Say, ‘My Lord has only forbidden immoralities – what is apparent of them and what is concealed – and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allāh that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allāh what you do not know.’" [7:33].

And His saying: "The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established Himself." [20:5], "Then He established Himself above the Throne." This is mentioned in six places: In Sūrat al-A'rāf, His saying: "Indeed, your Lord is Allāh, who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne." [7:54]; And He said in Sūrat Yūnus —peace be upon him—: "Indeed, your Lord is Allāh, who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne." [10:3]; And He said in Sūrat al-Ra'd: "Allāh is He who raised the heavens without any pillars that you see; then He established Himself above the Throne." [13:2]; And He said in Sūrat Ṭā Hā: "The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established Himself." [20:5]; And He said in Sūrat al-Furqān: "Then the Most Merciful established Himself above the Throne." [25:59]; And He said in Sūrat al-Sajdah (Alif Lām Mīm): "Allāh is He who created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne." [32:4]; And He said in Sūrat al-Ḥadīd: "He it is who created the heavens and earth in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne." [57:4].

And His saying: "O ‘Īsā, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself…" [3:55], "Rather, Allāh raised him to Himself." [4:158], "To Him ascends good speech, and righteous work raises it." [35:10], "[Pharaoh] said, ‘O Hāmān, construct for me a tower that I might reach the ways – The ways into the heavens – so that I may look at the deity of Moses, but indeed, I think he is a liar.’" [40:36-37], "Do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven would not cause the earth to swallow you and suddenly it would sway? Or do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven would not send against you a storm of stones? Then you would know how [severe] was My warning." [67:16-17].

And His saying: "He it is who created the heavens and earth in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne. He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein. And He is with you wherever you are. And Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing." [57:4], "There is no secret conversation of three but that He is the fourth of them, nor are there five but that He is the sixth of them – and no less than that and no more except that He is with them wherever they are. Then He will inform them of what they did on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed Allāh is, of all things, Knowing." [58:7].

And His saying: "Do not grieve; indeed Allāh is with us." [9:40], "Indeed, I am with you both, hearing and seeing." [20:46], "Indeed, Allāh is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good." [16:128], "And be patient; indeed, Allāh is with the patient." [8:46], "How many a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allāh. And Allāh is with the patient." [2:249].

And His saying: "And who is more truthful in statement than Allāh?" [4:87], "And who is more truthful than Allāh in statement?" [4:122], "And [beware the Day] when Allāh will say, ‘O ‘Īsā, Son of Maryam…’" [5:116], "And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice." [6:115], "And to Moses Allāh spoke directly." [4:164], "…among them are those to whom Allāh spoke…" [2:253], "And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him…" [7:143], "And We called him from the right side of the mount and brought him near, confiding [to him]." [19:52], "And [mention] when your Lord called to Moses, ‘Go to the wrongdoing people…’" [26:10], "And their Lord called to them, ‘Did I not forbid you from that tree…?’" [7:22], "And [warn of] the Day He will call them and say, ‘Where are My ‘partners’ which you used to claim?’" [28:74], "And [warn of] the Day He will call them and say, ‘What did you answer the messengers?’" [28:65], "And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allāh." [9:6], "And among them is a party who alter the Scripture with their tongues so you may think it is from the Scripture, but it is not from the Scripture. And they say, ‘This is from Allāh,’ but it is not from Allāh. And they speak untruth about Allāh while they know." [3:78] (Note: The text cites 2:75, but the translation of the surrounding Quranic citations provided here seems to follow a common thematic continuation. The accurate translation of the specific sentence given is: "And there was a party of them who heard the word of Allāh and then distorted it after they had understood it, while they knew."), "They want to change the word of Allāh. Say, ‘Never will you follow us. Thus did Allāh say before.’" [48:15], "And recite, [O Muḥammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. There is no changer of His words." [18:27], "Indeed, this Qur’an relates to the Children of Israel most of that over which they disagree." [27:76].

"And this [Qur’an] is a Book We have revealed [which is] blessed…" [6:155], "If We had sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of Allāh." [59:21], "And when We substitute a verse in place of a verse – and Allāh is most knowing of what He sends down – they say, ‘You, [O Muḥammad], are but an inventor [of lies].’ But most of them do not know. Say, [O Muḥammad], ‘The Pure Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] has brought it down from your Lord in truth to make firm those who believe and as guidance and good tidings to the Muslims.’ And We certainly know that they say, ‘It is only a human being who teaches him.’ The tongue of the one they refer to is foreign, and this Qur’an is [in] a clear Arabic language." [16:101-103].

And His saying: "[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, Looking at their Lord." [75:22-23], "…reclining on beds, looking on." [83:35], "For those who do good is the best [reward] and extra." [10:26], "They will have whatever they wish therein, and with Us is more." [50:35].

And this topic [regarding the attributes of Allāh] is abundant in the Book of Allāh – exalted be He. Whoever ponders the Qur’an seeking guidance from it, the path of truth will become clear to him.

Chapter:

Regarding the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ).

For the Sunnah interprets the Qur’an, clarifies it, points to it, and expresses it. And what the Messenger (ﷺ) described of his Lord – Mighty and Majestic – from the authentic ḥadīths that the people of knowledge have accepted, it is obligatory to believe in them as well.

Like his saying (ﷺ): «Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, and says: “Who is calling upon Me that I may answer him? Who is asking of Me that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness that I may forgive him?”» Reported by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

And his saying (ﷺ): «Allāh is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than one of you is [when finding] his lost camel.» The ḥadīth is reported by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim. And his saying (ﷺ): «Allāh laughs at two men, one of whom kills the other, yet both will enter Paradise.» Reported by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

And his saying: «Our Lord is amazed at the despair of His servants and the closeness of His relief. He looks at you in despair and does not cease to laugh, knowing that your relief is near.» A ḥasan (good) ḥadīth.

And his saying (ﷺ): «Hell will not cease having people thrown into it, and it will say: ‘Are there any more?’ until the Lord of Might places His foot in it – and in one version: upon it His foot – then parts of it will draw back from other parts and it will say: ‘Enough, enough!’» Reported by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

And his saying (ﷺ): «Allāh – exalted be He – says: ‘O Ādam!’ He responds: ‘Here I am at Your service and pleased.’ Then a voice proclaims: ‘Indeed, Allāh commands you to send forth from your progeny a delegation to the Fire.’» Reported by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim. And his saying: «There is none of you except that his Lord will speak to him without an interpreter between them.» And his saying (ﷺ) in the ruqyah (healing supplication) for the sick: «Our Lord is Allāh, Who is in the heaven, sanctified be Your name, Your command in the heaven and the earth is just as Your mercy is in the heaven. Make Your mercy be on the earth. Forgive us our faults and our sins. You are the Lord of the good. Send down a mercy from Your mercy and a healing from Your healing upon this ailment, so that he may be cured.» A ḥasan ḥadīth, narrated by Abū Dāwūd and others.

And his saying: «Do you not trust me, while I am the trustee of the One in the heaven?» A ṣaḥīḥ (authentic) ḥadīth. And his saying: «And the Throne is over the water, and Allāh is over the Throne, and He knows what you are doing.» A ḥasan ḥadīth, narrated by Abū Dāwūd and others.

And his saying (ﷺ) to the young slave girl: «Where is Allāh?» She said: «In the heaven.» He said: «Who am I?» She said: «You are the Messenger of Allāh.» He said: «Free her, for she is a believer.» Narrated by Muslim.

And his saying: «The best of faith is that you know that Allāh is with you wherever you are.» A ḥasan ḥadīth.

And his saying: «When one of you stands for prayer, let him not spit in front of him, nor to his right, for Allāh is in front of his face, but let him spit to his left or under his foot.» Reported by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

And his saying (ﷺ): «O Allāh! Lord of the seven heavens, Lord of the Mighty Throne, our Lord and Lord of everything, Who causes the seed and the date-stone to sprout, Who sent down the Torah, the Gospel, and the Qur’an. I seek refuge in You from the evil of my own self and from the evil of every creature whose forelock You seize. You are the First, there is nothing before You, and You are the Last, there is nothing after You. You are the Manifest, there is nothing above You, and You are the Hidden, there is nothing beneath You. Settle the debt for me and enrich me from poverty.» Narrated by Muslim.

And his saying – when his companions raised their voices in remembrance: «O people! Be gentle with yourselves. You are not calling upon one who is deaf or absent. Indeed, you are calling upon One who is Hearing, Near. Indeed, the One you are calling is closer to each one of you than the neck of his mount.» Reported by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

And his saying (ﷺ): «Indeed, you will see your Lord as you see the full moon, without crowding to see it. If you are able not to be prevented from performing a prayer before sunrise and a prayer before sunset, then do so.» Reported by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

… And other similar ḥadīths in which the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) informs about his Lord with what he informs.

For the saved faction – the People of the Sunnah and the Community (Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah) – believe in that, just as they believe in what Allāh informed in His Glorious Book, without distortion or denial, and without asking "how?" or making resemblance. Rather, they are the just middle among the factions of the community (ummah), just as the community is the just middle among the nations (Al-Umam).

They are the just middle in the chapter of the attributes of Allāh – glorified and exalted be He – between the deniers (Ahl al-Ta‘ṭīl) of the Jahmiyyah and those who make resemblance (Ahl al-Tamthīl) of the Mushabbihah.

And they are the just middle in the chapter of the acts of Allāh – exalted be He – between the Qadariyyah and the Jabriyyah.

And in the chapter of Allāh's threat (al-wa‘īd), between the Murji'ah and the people of the threat (al-wa‘īdiyyah) from the Qadariyyah and others.

And in the chapter of the names of faith and religion, between the Ḥarūriyyah and the Mu‘tazilah, and between the Murji'ah and the Jahmiyyah.

And regarding the Companions of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ), between the Rāfiḍah (rejecters) and the Khawārij.

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And included in what we have mentioned of faith in Allāh is: Faith in what Allāh informed in His Book, what is consecutively transmitted (mutawātir) from His Messenger (ﷺ), and what the predecessors of the community (ummah) have agreed upon: that He – glorified be He – is above His heavens, upon His Throne, above His creation, and that He – glorified be He – is with them wherever they are, knowing what they do, just as He combined that in His saying: "He it is who created the heavens and earth in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne. He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein. And He is with you wherever you are. And Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing." [57:4].

And the meaning of His saying "And He is with you" is not that He is mixed with the creation. This is not required by the [Arabic] language, and it contradicts what the predecessors of the community (ummah) agreed upon, and contradicts what Allāh has instilled in the natural disposition (fiṭrah) of creation. Rather, the moon is a sign from the signs of Allāh, among His smallest creatures. It is placed in the sky, and it is with the traveler and the non-traveler, wherever they are. And He – glorified be He – is above the Throne, watchful over His creation, overseeing them, aware of them, in addition to other meanings of His lordship.

And all this discourse that Allāh – glorified be He – has mentioned, that He is above the Throne and that He is with us, is true according to its reality and does not need distortion. But it must be protected from false assumptions, such as assuming that the apparent meaning of His saying "in the heaven" is that the heaven contains Him or covers Him. This is false by the consensus of the people of knowledge and faith, for Allāh has extended His Throne over the heavens and the earth, and He is the One who holds the heavens and the earth so they do not deviate, and holds the sky so it does not fall upon the earth except by His permission, "And among His signs is that the heaven and earth stand [suspended] by His command…" [30:25].

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And included in that is: Faith that He is near to His creatures, responding [to their supplications], just as He combined that in His saying: "And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me." [2:186].

And his saying (ﷺ) to the companions – when they raised their voices in remembrance: «O people! Be gentle with yourselves. You are not calling upon one who is deaf or absent. Indeed, the One you are calling is closer to each one of you than the neck of his mount.» And what is mentioned in the Book and the Sunnah about His closeness and accompaniment (ma‘iyyah) does not contradict what is mentioned about His elevation (‘ulūw) and His being above (fawqiyyah). For He – glorified be He – "there is nothing like unto Him" in all His attributes (nu‘ūt), and He is Elevated in His closeness, and Close in His elevation.

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And from faith in Allāh and His Books is: Faith that the Quran is the Word (kalām) of Allāh, revealed, not created, from Him it began and to Him it returns, and that Allāh—exalted be He—spoke with it in reality. And that this Quran which He revealed to Muḥammad (ﷺ) is truly the Word of Allāh, not the word of another. And it is not permissible to state that it is a narration about the Word of Allāh or an expression of it. Rather, when people recite it or write it as such in the muṣḥafs [copies of the Quran], it does not thereby cease to be truly the Word of Allāh—exalted be He. For speech (kalām) is only truly attributed to the one who says it as the originator, not to the one who says it as a transmitter or communicator.

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And also included in what we have mentioned of faith in Him, His Books, and His Messengers is: Faith that the believers will see Him on the Day of Resurrection with their own eyes, as they see the sun on a clear day with no clouds covering it, and as they see the moon on the night of the full moon without crowding to see it. They will see Him—glorified be He—while they are on the plains of the Resurrection, then they will see Him after entering Paradise, as Allāh—glorified and exalted be He—wills.

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And from faith in the Last Day is: Faith in everything the Prophet (ﷺ) informed will occur after death. Thus, they believe in the trial (fitnah) of the grave, the punishment of the grave, and its bliss.

As for the trial (al-fitnah): Verily, people will be tested in their graves. It will be said to the man: "Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your prophet?" Allāh fortifies those who believed with the firm word in the worldly life and the Hereafter. So the believer says: "Allāh is my Lord, Islam is my religion, and Muḥammad (ﷺ) is my prophet." As for the doubter, he says: "Uh, uh, I don't know; I heard people say something and I said it." Then he is struck with an iron mace and lets out a scream that everything hears except the human being. If a human heard it, he would faint.

Then, after this trial (fitnah), there will be bliss or punishment, until the Major Hour (al-qiyāmah al-kubrā) arrives. Then, the spirits (al-arwāḥ) will be returned to the bodies, and the Resurrection (al-qiyāmah) about which Allāh informed in His Book and on the tongue of His Messenger, and upon which the Muslims agreed, will be established. People will rise from their graves for the Lord of the worlds, barefoot, naked, uncircumcised. The sun will draw near to them, and sweat will engulf them.

And the Scales will be set up, and in them the deeds of the servants will be weighed. "Then those whose scales are heavy [with good deeds] – it is they who are the successful. But those whose scales are light – those are the ones who have lost themselves, [being] in Hell, abiding eternally." [23:102-103].

And the Records (al-dawāwīn)—which are the scrolls of deeds—will be spread out. Whoever takes his record with his right hand, and whoever takes his record with his left hand or from behind his back, as He said—glorified and exalted be He—: "And for every person We have imposed his fate upon his neck, and We will produce for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will encounter spread open. [And it will be said], 'Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as accountant.'" [17:13-14].

And Allāh will call the creation to account, and He will privately single out His believing servant and make him acknowledge his sins, as that has been described in the Book and the Sunnah.

As for the disbelievers, they will not be called to account like one whose good and bad deeds are weighed, for they have no good deeds. But their deeds are enumerated and counted, and they are presented with them and made to acknowledge them, and they are recompensed for them.

And on the plain of the Resurrection is the Basin (al-ḥawḍ) to which the people of Muḥammad (ﷺ) will come. Its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. Its drinking vessels are as numerous as the stars of the sky. Its length is a month's journey and its width is a month's journey. Whoever drinks a sip from it will never thirst thereafter.

And the Ṣirāṭ is erected upon the back of Hell—it is the bridge between Paradise and the Fire. People will cross it according to their deeds. Among them will be one who passes like the blink of an eye, one who passes like the flashing lightning, one who passes like the wind, one who passes like a swift horse, one who passes like one riding camels, one who runs, one who walks, one who crawls, and one who is snatched and thrown into Hell. For upon the bridge are hooks that snatch people because of their deeds. Whoever crosses the Ṣirāṭ will enter Paradise.

When they have crossed it, they will stop at a bridge between Paradise and the Fire, and justice will be exacted among them. When they have been refined and purified, they will be granted permission to enter Paradise.

The first to open the gate of Paradise will be Muḥammad (ﷺ), and the first of the nations to enter Paradise will be his community (ummah).

And for him (ﷺ) on the Resurrection are three intercessions (shafā'āt):

The first intercession: He will intercede for the people of the Gathering Place (al-mawqif), until judgment is passed among them, after the prophets—Ādam, Nūḥ, Ibrāhīm, Mūsā, ‘Īsā son of Maryam—have declined intercession, until it reaches him.

The second intercession: He will intercede for the people of Paradise to enter Paradise. And these two intercessions are exclusive to him.

The third intercession: He will intercede for those who deserved the Fire. This intercession is for him and for the rest of the prophets, the truthful ones (al-ṣiddīqīn), and others. He will intercede so that one who deserved the Fire does not enter it, and he will intercede for one who entered it to be taken out of it. And Allāh—exalted be He—will bring out from the Fire people without intercession, but by His grace and His mercy. And there will remain in Paradise surplus space from those who entered it from the people of the world, so Allāh will create for it [that space] people and make them enter Paradise.

The categories of what the Final Abode (al-dār al-ākhirah) contains of accountability, reward and punishment, Paradise and Hell, and their details, are mentioned in the Books revealed from the heaven, in the traditions (al-āthār) of knowledge transmitted from the prophets, and in the knowledge inherited from Muḥammad (ﷺ) of that there is what suffices and is enough. Whoever seeks it will find it.

Chapter: The Decree (al-Qaḍar)

And the saved faction—the People of the Sunnah and the Community (Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah)—believe in the decree (al-qadar), both in its good and its evil. And faith in the decree has two levels, each of which comprises two things:

The first level: Faith that Allāh—exalted be He—knows what the creation will do with His pre-eternal knowledge (al-qadīm), with which He is described from eternity (azalan), and He knows all their states, of obedience, disobedience, provisions, and lifespans.

Then, Allāh wrote in the Preserved Tablet (al-lawḥ al-maḥfūẓ) the decrees of creation: «The first thing Allāh created was the Pen, and He said to it: "Write." It said: "What shall I write?" He said: "Write what is to occur until the Day of Resurrection."» Thus, what befalls a human could not miss him, and what misses him could not befall him. The pens have dried and the pages have been rolled up, as He said—glorified and exalted be He—: "Do you not know that Allāh knows what is in the heaven and earth? Indeed, that is in a Record. Indeed that, for Allāh, is easy." [22:70], and He said: "No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being – indeed that, for Allāh, is easy." [57:22].

And this decree—which follows His knowledge, glorified be He—occurs in general and in detail. Verily, He wrote in the Preserved Tablet what He willed. And when the body of the fetus is created before the spirit (al-rūḥ) is breathed into it, an angel is sent to it and is commanded with four words: It is said: "Write his provision, his lifespan, his deeds, and whether he will be wretched or happy," and the like. This aspect of the decree was denied by the extremists among the Qadariyyah in the past, and those who deny it today are few.

As for the second level: It is the overriding Will (mashī’ah) of Allāh, and His all-encompassing Power (qudrah). And it is faith that what Allāh wills, occurs, and what He does not will, does not occur. And that there is in the heavens and the earth no movement nor stillness except by the will of Allāh—glorified be He. Nothing occurs in His dominion except what He wills. And that He—glorified and exalted be He—is over all things Competent, over both existent and non-existent things.
Thus, there is no creature in the earth or in the sky except that Allāh is its Creator—glorified be He. There is no creator besides Him and no lord except Him.
And with all that, He commanded the servants to obey Him and obey His messengers, and forbade them from disobeying Him.

And He—glorified be He—loves the righteous (al-muttaqīn), the doers of good (al-muḥsinīn), and the just (al-muqsiṭīn), and is pleased with those who believe and do righteous deeds. And He does not love the disbelievers, nor is He pleased with the transgressing people (al-fāsiqīn), nor does He command indecency (al-faḥshā’), nor is He pleased with disbelief for His servants, nor does He love corruption.

And the servants are truly agents (fā‘ilūn), and Allāh is the Creator of their acts. And the servant is the believer, the disbeliever, the righteous, the sinner, the one who prays, the one who fasts. The servants have capacity (qudrah) for their acts and have will (irādah), and Allāh is their Creator and the Creator of their capacity and their will, as He said—exalted be He—: "For whoever wills among you to take a right course. And you do not will except that Allāh wills – Lord of the worlds." [81:28-29].

And this level of the decree is denied by the majority of the Qadariyyah, whom the Prophet (ﷺ) called the Magians of this community (ummah). And some people among those who affirm [the divine attributes] go to extremes in it, to the point that they strip the servant of his capacity and choice, and strip Allāh's acts and rulings of their wisdom and benefits.

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And among the principles of the People of the Sunnah are: that religion and faith are word and deed; word of the heart and the tongue, and deed of the heart, the tongue, and the limbs. And that faith increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience.

Despite all this, they do not excommunicate the people of the qiblah [Muslims] for sins and major transgressions in themselves, as the Khawārij do. Rather, the brotherhood of faith (al-ukhuwwah al-īmāniyyah) remains despite transgressions, as He said—glorified and exalted be He—in the verse of legal retribution: "But whoever overlooks from his brother anything, then there should be a suitable follow-up and payment to him with good conduct." [2:178], and He said: "And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two. But if one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allāh. And if it returns, then make settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allāh loves those who act justly. The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers." [49:9-10].

And they do not strip the sinful monotheist (al-fāsiq al-millī) of the name of faith completely, nor condemn him to Hell eternally, as the Mu‘tazilah say. Rather, the sinner enters into the name of faith in instances such as Allāh's saying—exalted be He—: "…the freeing of a believing slave…" [4:92].

And he may not enter into the absolute name of faith (al-īmān al-muṭlaq), as in His saying—exalted be He—: "The believers are only those who, when Allāh is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith…" [8:2], and his saying (ﷺ): «The fornicator, when he fornicates, is not a believer. The thief, when he steals, is not a believer. The one who drinks wine, when he drinks it, is not a believer. And the one who plunders a noteworthy booty for which people look up to him, when he plunders it, is not a believer.»

And they say: "He is a believer with incomplete faith," or "a believer by his faith, sinful by his major sin." Thus, he is not given the absolute name, nor is he stripped of the name entirely.

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And among the principles of the People of the Sunnah and the Community (Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah) is: the soundness of their hearts and tongues towards the Companions of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ), just as Allāh described them in His saying—exalted be He—: "And [also for] those who came after them, saying, 'Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.'" [59:10].

And obedience to the Prophet (ﷺ) in his saying: «Do not revile my Companions. For by the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if one of you were to spend the equivalent of Mount Uḥud in gold, it would not reach a mudd [approx. 750g] of one of them, nor even half of it.» And they accept what the Book, the Sunnah, and consensus have conveyed regarding their virtues and their ranks. Thus, they give preference to those who spent [in the cause of Allāh] before the Conquest [of Makkah]—which is the Treaty of al-Ḥudaybiyah—and fought, over those who spent after it and fought. And they give precedence to the Emigrants over the Helpers (al-anṣār). And they believe that Allāh said to the people of Badr—who were three hundred and some odd—: «Do as you please, for I have forgiven you,» and that no one who pledged allegiance under the tree will enter the Fire, as the Prophet (ﷺ) informed. Rather, Allāh is pleased with them and they with Him, and they were more than one thousand four hundred.

And they testify Paradise for whom the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) testified Paradise, like the ten [who were promised Paradise], and like Thābit ibn Qays ibn Shammās, and others among the Companions.

And they acknowledge what has been consecutively transmitted (mutawātir) from the Commander of the Faithful ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib—may Allāh be pleased with him—and others, that the best of this community (ummah) after its Prophet is Abū Bakr, then ‘Umar, then they place ‘Uthmān third and ‘Alī fourth—may Allāh be pleased with them all—as indicated by the traditions (al-āthār) and as the Companions—may Allāh be pleased with them—agreed upon by giving precedence to ‘Uthmān in the pledge of allegiance (al-bay‘ah). Although some of the People of the Sunnah differed regarding ‘Uthmān and ‘Alī—may Allāh be pleased with both—after agreeing on giving precedence to Abū Bakr and ‘Umar, over which of the two was better: some gave precedence to ‘Uthmān and remained silent, or placed ‘Alī fourth; others gave precedence to ‘Alī; and others abstained. But the matter settled among the People of the Sunnah by giving precedence to ‘Uthmān. Although this issue—that of ‘Uthmān and ‘Alī—is not from the principles in which one who disagrees is declared astray according to the majority of the People of the Sunnah. However, the issue in which one who disagrees is declared astray is the issue of the Caliphate (al-khilāfah).

For they believe that the caliph after the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) is Abū Bakr, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthmān, then ‘Alī. And whoever criticizes the caliphate of any of these Imāms is more astray than the donkey of his people.

And they love the people of the household (Ahl al-Bayt) of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ), give them loyalty (tawallā), and preserve concerning them the recommendation of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) when he said on the day of Ghadīr Khumm: «I remind you of Allāh concerning the people of my household, I remind you of Allāh concerning the people of my household.» And he also said to his uncle al-‘Abbās—when he complained to him that some of Quraysh were snubbing Banī Hāshim—: «By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! They will not believe until they love you for the sake of Allāh and for my kinship.» And he (ﷺ) said: «Verily, Allāh chose the sons of Ismā‘īl, and from the sons of Ismā‘īl He chose Kinānah, and from Kinānah He chose Quraysh, and from Quraysh He chose Banī Hāshim, and He chose me from among Banī Hāshim.»

And they give loyalty to the wives of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ), the Mothers of the Believers, and believe that they are his wives in the Hereafter, especially Khadījah—may Allāh be pleased with her—the mother of the majority of his children, the first to believe in him and support him in his matter, and the one who held the highest rank with him.

And the Truthful One [‘Ā’ishah], daughter of the Truthful One [Abū Bakr]—may Allāh be pleased with them both—about whom the Prophet (ﷺ) said: «The superiority of ‘Ā’ishah over women is like the superiority of tharīd [a dish of meat and bread] over the rest of food.»

And they dissociate themselves from the method of the Rāfiḍah (rejecters), who hate the Companions and insult them, and from the method of the Nawāṣib (opposers), who harm the people of the household (Ahl al-Bayt) with words or deeds. And they refrain concerning what occurred of disagreements among the Companions.

And they say: Among these transmitted traditions (al-āthār) about their faults, some are false, others have been added to, diminished, or distorted. As for what is correct of them, they are excused: they were either mujtahidūn [striving to reach a verdict] and were correct, or they were mujtahidūn and made a mistake.

And with all that, they do not believe that every one of the Companions was protected from major and minor sins. Rather, generally speaking, it is possible that they incurred faults. But they have preceding merits and virtues that necessitate the forgiveness of what emanated from them, if it did emanate. To the extent that they are forgiven for sins what is not forgiven for those who came after them.

Because they have good deeds that erase sins, which those who came after them do not have. And it is confirmed by the saying of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ): «They are the best of generations,» and that the mudd [approx. 750g] that one of them gave in charity was better than Mount Uḥud in gold given by those who came after them.

Then, if a sin emanated from any of them, it is that he repented from it, or performed good deeds that erased it, or he was forgiven due to the merit of his precedence, or by the intercession of Muḥammad (ﷺ), whose intercession they are the most deserving people of, or he was tested with a calamity in the world which expiated for him. If this is the case with confirmed sins, then what about matters in which they were mujtahidūn? If they were correct, they had two rewards; if they made a mistake, they had one reward, and the mistake is forgiven for them.

Then, the amount that is criticized from the actions of some of them is little, negligible, dwarfed by the virtues and merits of those people: faith in Allāh and His Messenger, struggle (jihād) for His cause, the Emigration (al-hijrah), support (al-nuṣrah), beneficial knowledge, and righteous deeds.

And whoever looks at the biography (sīrah) of those people with knowledge and insight, and at what Allāh bestowed upon them of virtues, will know with certainty that they are the best of creation after the prophets. There never was nor will there ever be others like them. And that they are the elite of the generations of this community (ummah), which is the best of communities and the most noble before Allāh—exalted be He.

Chapter: The Miracles of the Saints (Karāmāt al-Awliyā’)

And among the principles of the People of the Sunnah and the Community is: Believing in the miracles (karāmāt) of the close friends (awliyā’) of Allāh, and in what Allāh causes to occur through them of breaches of customary norms (kawāriq al-‘ādāt), in types of sciences, unveilings (mukāshafāt), types of power and influences, as transmitted from past nations in Sūrat al-Kahf and others, and from the beginning of this community (ummah), from the Companions, the Successors (al-tābi‘īn), and the other generations of the community. And these exist within it until the Day of Resurrection.

Chapter: The Method and the Way

Then, from the method of the People of the Sunnah and the Community is: following the traces (āthār) of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) inwardly and outwardly, following the way of the first forerunners (al-sābiqūn al-awwalūn) from among the Emigrants and the Helpers, and following the recommendation of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ), when he said: «Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs who will come after me. Hold fast to it and bite onto it with your molar teeth. And beware of newly invented matters, for every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.»

And they know that the most truthful speech is the speech of Allāh, and that the best guidance is the guidance of Muḥammad (ﷺ). And they give precedence to the speech of Allāh over the speech of others, over the speech of any type of people. And they give precedence to the guidance of Muḥammad (ﷺ) over the guidance of anyone else. And because of this they are called: the People of the Book and the Sunnah (Ahl al-Kitāb wa al-Sunnah).

And they are called the People of the Community (Ahl al-Jamā‘ah) because al-jamā‘ah is the congregation, and its opposite is division (al-furqah). Although the term al-jamā‘ah has become a name for the very people who are congregated. And consensus (al-ijmā‘) is the third foundation upon which knowledge and religion are based.

And they weigh with these three foundations all that exists among people of sayings and deeds, internal or external, that have a relation to religion. And the consensus that is precise is that which the righteous predecessors (al-salaf al-ṣāliḥ) were upon, for after them disagreement multiplied and the community (ummah) scattered.

Chapter: Conviction and Practice

Then, they, with these foundations, enjoin recognized good (al-ma‘rūf) and forbid recognized evil (al-munkar) as Islamic Law (al-sharī‘ah) requires. And they consider it [obligatory] to establish the pilgrimage (al-ḥajj), struggle (al-jihād), the Friday prayers (al-jumu‘ah), and the festivals (al-a‘yād) with the rulers, be they righteous or transgressors. And they preserve the congregational prayers (al-jamā‘āt).

And they consider it a religious duty to advise the community (ummah), and they believe in the meaning of his saying (ﷺ): «The believer with the believer is like a building, one part strengthens the other»—and he interlaced his fingers. And his saying (ﷺ): «The example of the believers in their mutual love, mercy, and compassion is that of a single body: if one limb complains, the rest of the body responds with fever and sleeplessness.»

And they enjoin patience in the face of calamity, gratitude in times of prosperity, and contentment with the decree. And they call to noble moral qualities (makārim al-akhlāq) and good deeds. And they believe in the meaning of his saying (ﷺ): «The most complete of the believers in faith are those with the best character.»

And they recommend that you maintain ties with one who severed them with you, give to one who deprived you, and forgive one who oppressed you. And they enjoin kindness towards parents, maintaining family ties, good neighborliness, benevolence towards orphans, the needy, and the traveler, and kind treatment of the servant. And they forbid boastfulness, arrogance, oppression, and wronging people, whether with right or without it. And they enjoin lofty moral qualities and forbid the insignificant ones.

And everything they say or do, of this or other, they are in it but followers of the Book and the Sunnah.

And their method is the religion of Islam, with which Allāh sent Muḥammad (ﷺ). But as the Prophet (ﷺ) informed that his community (ummah) would split into seventy-three sects, all of them in the Fire except one, which is the Community (al-Jamā‘ah); and in a ḥadīth from him (ﷺ) he said: «They are those who are upon something like that which I and my companions are upon today»; then, those who cling to pure Islam, free from admixture, are the People of the Sunnah and the Community. Among them are the truthful ones (al-ṣiddīqūn), the martyrs (al-shuhadā’), and the righteous (al-ṣāliḥūn). And from them are the luminaries of guidance and the lamps in the darkness, possessors of transmitted merits and mentioned virtues. And among them are the abdāl, the Imāms, about whose guidance and knowledge the Muslims agreed. And they are the Victorious Group (al-ṭā’ifah al-manṣūrah) about whom the Prophet (ﷺ) said: «There will not cease to be a group from my community manifest upon the truth. Those who forsake them or oppose them will not harm them, until the Hour arrives.»

We ask, therefore, Allāh the Most Great to make us from among them, and not to let our hearts deviate after He has guided us, and to grant us from Himself mercy. Indeed, He is the Bestower (al-Wahhāb). And Allāh knows best.

And may Allāh grant prayer to Muḥammad, upon his family and his companions, and abundant salutations.

هذه عقيدتنا

مقدمة

هذا النص يشكل رداً عقيدياً أو فتوى دونها العالم الإسلامي الجليل تقي الدين أحمد بن تيمية، على إطلاق صريح من قاض في مدينة واسط. طلب منه القاضي أن يؤلف عرضاً للاعتقاد الإسلامي السني الذي يمكن أن يكون عمدة ومرجعاً له ولأهله. فالنتيجة كانت مؤلفاً مكثفاً ومنهجياً يلخص عقيدة أهل السنة والجماعة.

يبدأ العرض بتأسيس أركان الإيمان الستة، مع تأكيد أساسي على الفهم الصحيح للتوحيد. هنا، يخصص ابن تيمية اهتماماً دقيقاً لمسألة أسماء الله وصفاته. ويحدد المبدأ الأساسي للمدرسة السلفية: إثبات ما أثبته الله ورسوله، مع نفي أي تشبيه بالمخلوقات، دون الوقوع في التعطيل، أو التحريف اللفظي، أو السؤال عن "الكيفية"، أو التمثيل الحسي. ولإثبات هذا الموقف، يستشهد بتدفق غزير من الآيات القرآنية التي تصف الله بصفات مثل اليد، والوجه، والسمع، والبصر، والنزول، والغضب، والمحبة، وعلوه على العرش، مؤكداً دائماً على قبول هذه الحقائق "بلا كيف".

ثم يدمج النص السنة النبوية كمفسر معتمد للقرآن، ويستشهد بأحاديث تؤكد صفات الله مثل نزوله ليلاً أو ضحكه. ويقدم ابن تيمية أهل السنة بأنهم "الوسط" في جميع الخلافات الكلامية: بين من ينفون صفات الله (الجهمية) وبين من يجسمونها (المشبهة)؛ وبين من ينكرون الإرادة الكونية لله (القدرية) وبين من يلغون الإرادة الإنسانية (الجبرية)؛ وبين من يكفرون مرتكب الكبيرة (الخوارج) وبين من يفصلون الإيمان عن العمل (المرجئة).

ثم يتقدم النص لتفصيل مسائل إيمانية أخرى. فيحدد طبيعة القرآن بأنه كلام الله القديم غير المخلوق. ويؤكد رؤية المؤمنين لربهم في الآخرة. ويصف الأحداث الأخروية بتفصيل: فتنة القبر، والبعث، والميزان، والصراط، وشفاعة النبي، وخلود الجنة والنار. وعند معالجة مسألة القدر، يقرر مبدأ التوازن: الله خالق كل الأفعال، لكن الإنسان فاعل حقيقي له إرادة وكسب، وهو مسؤول عن اختياراته. ويميز بدقة بين الإرادة الكونية لله التي يقع في إطارها كل شيء، والإرادة الشرعية التي لا تريد إلا الخير.

أخيراً، يحدد النص موقف العقيدة السنية تجاه جماعة المسلمين الأوائل. ويقرر وجوب محبة جميع الصحابة واحترامهم، مع إثبات أولوية وسيادة الخلفاء الراشدين الأربعة بالترتيب. كما يأمر بمحبة آل بيت النبي وأزواجه، مع ذكر خاص لخديجة، أول مسلمة وأم ذريته. ويختتم برسم الملامح الأخلاقية والاجتماعية للمسلم السني، الذي يجب أن يلتزم بالسنة، ويأمر بالمعروف، وينهى عن المنكر، ويسعى للعدل، ويحافظ على وحدة الجماعة.

ظهر هذا العمل في سياق تاريخي من التنوع الكلامي والاضطراب العقدي في العالم الإسلامي الوسيط. فقد طلب قاضٍ شرعي نصاً مرجعياً واضحاً وموثوقاً لحياته الشخصية والعائلية. يعكس طلب القاضي حاجة للتأسيس على عقيدة تعتبر نقية ونجاةً في مواجهة انتشار المدارس الفلسفية ، والكلامية (علم الكلام)، والفرق التي تعد منحرفة.

رد ابن تيمية ليس بابتكار جديد، بل هو تركيب قوي ومتماسك لما يراه عقيدة السلف الصالح. ومنهجه نصي بحت، يستند بشكل ساحق إلى القرآن والسنة الصحيحة، بهدف واضح هو تنقية الاعتقاد من التأثيرات العقلانية الهيلينية (كالمعتزلة والأشاعرة المتأخرين) ومن التشبيه الحرفي. فالفتوى هي وثيقة هوية وحدود: تهدف لرسم حدود العقيدة السنية بوضوح، وتوفير سلاح عقدي ضد الانحرافات، وتقديم دليل بقاء روحي "للطائفة الناجية" وسط فرق الأمة. إنها ليست رسالة فلسفية، بل دليل عملي للاعتقاد يهدف لتثبيت إيمان عامة المسلمين وقادتهم على أسس الإسلام التقليدي.

نص ابن تيمية

سُئِلَ شَيْخُ الإِسْلامِ - رحمه الله - أَحَدُ قضاة واسط أن يكتب له عقيدة تكون عمدة له ولأهل بيته.

فأجـابـه :

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الحمد لله الذي أرسل رسوله بالهدى ودين الحق ليظهره على الدين كله وكفى بالله شهيدًا، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، إقرارًا به وتوحيدًا، وأشهد أن محمدًا عبده ورسوله، صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وأصحابه وسلم تسليمًا مزيدًا.

أما بعد : فهذا اعتقاد الفرقة الناجية المنصورة إلى قيام الساعة - أهل السنة والجماعة - وهو : الإيمان بالله، وملائكته، وكتبه، ورسله، والبعث بعد الموت، والإيمان بالقدر؛ خيره وشره.

ومن الإيمان بالله : الإيمان بما وصف به نفسه في كتابه، وبما وصفه به رسوله محمد ﷺ ، من غير تحريف ولا تعطيل، ومن غير تكييف ولا تمثيل، بل يؤمنون بأن الله سبحانه: ﴿لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ﴾ [الشورى: ١١].

فلا ينفون عنه ما وصف به نفسه، ولا يحرفون الكلم عن مواضعه، ولا يلحدون في أسماء الله وآياته، ولا يكيفون، ولا يمثلون صفاته بصفات خلقه؛ لأنه - سبحانه - لا سَمِيَّ له، ولا كُفْوَ له، ولا نِدَّ له، ولا يقاس بخلقه - سبحانه وتعالى - فإنه - سبحانه - أعلم بنفسه وبغيره، وأصدق قيلاً، وأحسن حديثًا من خلقه.

ثم رسله صادقون مصدقون، بخلاف الذين يقولون عليه ما لا يعلمون؛ ولهذا قال - سبحانه وتعالى -: ﴿سُبْحَانَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ . وَسَلَامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ . وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ﴾ [الصافات: ١٨٠-١٨٢] ، فسبح نفسه عما وصفه به المخالفون للرسل، وسلم على المرسلين، لسلامة ما قالوه من النقص والعيب.

وهو - سبحانه - قد جمع فيما وصف وسمى به نفسه بين النفي والإثبات، فلا عدول لأهل السنة والجماعة عما جاء به المرسلون، فإنه الصراط المستقيم، صراط الذين أنعم الله عليهم من النبيين، والصديقين، والشهداء، والصالحين.

وقد دخل في هذه الجملة ما وصف به نفسه في سورة الإخلاص التي تعدل ثلث القرآن، حيث يقول : ﴿قُلْ هُوَ اللهُ أَحَدٌ . اللهُ الصَّمَدُ . لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ . وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ﴾ [سورة الإخلاص].

وما وصف به نفسه في أعظم آية في كتابه، حيث يقول : ﴿اللهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلا نَوْمٌ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَواتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَاء وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَواتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَلا يَؤُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا﴾ أي : لا يكرثه ولا يثقله ﴿وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٥٥]، ولهذا كان من قرأ هذه الآية في ليلة لم يزل عليه من الله حافظ، ولا يقربه شيطان حتى يصبح.

وقوله - سبحانه -: ﴿وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لا يَمُوتُ﴾ [الفرقان: ٥٨].

وقوله - سبحانه -: ﴿هُوَ الأَوَّلُ وَالآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ﴾ [الحديد: ٣]، وقوله: ﴿وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ (١) الْخَبِيرُ﴾ [سبأ: ١]، ﴿يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاء وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا﴾ [الحديد: ٤]، ﴿وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلاَّ هُوَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُهَا وَلا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الأَرْضِ وَلا رَطْبٍ وَلا يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ﴾ [الأنعام: ٥٩]، وقوله: ﴿وَمَا تَحْمِلُ مِنْ أُنثَى وَلا تَضَعُ إِلاَّ بِعِلْمِهِ﴾ [فاطر: ١١]، وقوله: ﴿لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا﴾ [الطلاق: ١٢].

وقوله: ﴿إِنَّ اللهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ﴾ [الذاريات: ٥٨]، وقوله: ﴿لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ﴾ [الشورى: ١١]، وقوله: ﴿إِنَّ اللهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُم بِهِ إِنَّ اللهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا﴾ [النساء: ٥٨].

وقوله: ﴿وَلَوْلَا إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلْتَ مَا شَاء اللهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللهِ﴾ [الكهف: ٣٩]، وقوله: ﴿وَلَوْ شَاء اللهُ مَا اقْتَتَلَ الَّذِينَ مِن بَعْدِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ وَلَـكِنِ اخْتَلَفُوا فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ آمَنَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن كَفَرَ وَلَوْ شَاء اللهُ مَا اقْتَتَلُوا وَلَـكِنَّ اللهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٥٣]، وقوله: ﴿أُحِلَّتْ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ الأَنْعَامِ إِلاَّ مَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ غَيْرَ مُحِلِّي الصَّيْدِ وَأَنْتُمْ حُرُمٌ إِنَّ اللهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ﴾ [المائدة: ١]، وقوله: ﴿فَمَن يُرِدِ اللهُ أَن يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلإِسْلاَمِ وَمَن يُرِدْ أَن يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجًا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِي السَّمَاء﴾ [الأنعام: ١٢٥].

وقوله: ﴿وَأَحْسِنُوَاْ إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾ [البقرة: ١٩٥]، ﴿وَأَقْسِطُوا إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ﴾ [الحجرات: ٩]، ﴿فَمَا اسْتَقَامُوا لَكُمْ فَاسْتَقِيمُوا لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ﴾ [التوبة: ٧]، ﴿إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٢٢]، وقوله: ﴿قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللهُ﴾ [آل عمران: ٣١]، وقوله: ﴿فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ﴾ [المائدة: ٥٤]، وقوله: ﴿إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنيَانٌ مَّرْصُوصٌ﴾ [الصف: ٤]، وقوله: ﴿وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُودُ﴾ [البروج: ١٤].

وقوله: ﴿بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ﴾ [الفاتحة: ١]، ﴿رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا﴾ [غافر: ٧]، ﴿وَكَانَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَحِيمًا﴾ [الأحزاب: ٤٣]، ﴿وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ﴾ [الأعراف: ١٥٦]، ﴿كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ﴾ [الأنعام: ٥٤]، ﴿وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ﴾ [يونس: ١٠٧]، ﴿فَاللهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ﴾ [يوسف: ٦٤].

وقوله: ﴿رَّضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ﴾ [البينة: ٨]، وقوله: ﴿وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَآؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ﴾ [النساء: ٩٣]، وقوله: ﴿ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ اتَّبَعُوا مَا أَسْخَطَ اللهَ وَكَرِهُوا رِضْوَانَهُ﴾ [محمد: ٢٨]، وقوله: ﴿فَلَمَّا آسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ﴾ [الزخرف: ٥٥]، وقوله: ﴿وَلَكِن كَرِهَ اللهُ انبِعَاثَهُمْ فَثَبَّطَهُمْ﴾ [التوبة: ٤٦]، وقوله: ﴿كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ﴾ [الصف: ٣]

وقوله: ﴿هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَأْتِيَهُمُ اللهُ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِّنَ الْغَمَامِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ﴾ [البقرة: ٢١٠]، وقوله: ﴿هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَن تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ رَبُّكَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِي بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ﴾ [الأنعام: ١٥٨]، ﴿كَلَّا إِذَا دُكَّتِ الْأَرْضُ دَكًّا دَكًّا . وَجَاء رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا﴾ [الفجر: ٢١، ٢٢]، ﴿وَيَوْمَ تَشَقَّقُ السَّمَاء بِالْغَمَامِ وَنُزِّلَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ تَنزِيلًا﴾ [الفرقان: ٢٥].

وقوله: ﴿وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ﴾ [الرحمن: ٢٧]، ﴿كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ﴾ [القصص: ٨٨]، وقوله: ﴿مَا مَنَعَكَ أَن تَسْجُدَ لِمَا خَلَقْتُ بِيَدَيَّ﴾ [ص: ٧٥]، ﴿وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ يَدُ اللهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ غُلَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُعِنُوا بِمَا قَالُوا بَلْ يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَاء﴾ [المائدة: ٦٤].

وقوله: ﴿وَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ فَإِنَّكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا﴾ [الطور: ٤٨]، ﴿وَحَمَلْنَاهُ عَلَى ذَاتِ أَلْوَاحٍ وَدُسُرٍ . تَجْرِي بِأَعْيُنِنَا جَزَاء لِّمَن كَانَ كُفِرَ﴾ [القمر: ١٣، ١٤]، ﴿وَأَلْقَيْتُ عَلَيْكَ مَحَبَّةً مِّنِّي وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَى عَيْنِي﴾ [طه: ٣٩].

وقوله: ﴿قَدْ سَمِعَ اللهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِي إِلَى اللهِ وَاللهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَا إِنَّ اللهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ﴾ [المجادلة: ١]، ﴿لَقَدْ سَمِعَ اللهُ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللهَ فَقِيرٌ وَنَحْنُ أَغْنِيَاءُ﴾ [آل عمران: ١٨١]، ﴿أَمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّا لَا نَسْمَعُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَاهُم بَلَى وَرُسُلُنَا لَدَيْهِمْ يَكْتُبُونَ﴾ [الزخرف: ٨٠].

وقوله: ﴿إِنَّنِي مَعَكُمَا أَسْمَعُ وَأَرَى﴾ [طه: ٤٦] وقوله: ﴿أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ اللهَ يَرَى﴾ [العلق: ١٤]، ﴿الَّذِي يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ . وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ . إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ﴾ [الشعراء: ٢١٨-٢٢٠] ﴿وَقُلِ اعْمَلُوا فَسَيَرَى اللهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ [التوبة: ١٠٥].

وقوله: ﴿وَهُوَ شَدِيدُ الْمِحَالِ﴾ [الرعد: ١٣]، وقوله: ﴿وَمَكَرُوا وَمَكَرَ اللهُ وَاللهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ﴾ [آل عمران: ٥٤]، وقوله: ﴿وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْرًا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ﴾ [النمل: ٥٠] وقوله: ﴿إِنَّهُمْ يَكِيدُونَ كَيْدًا . وَأَكِيدُ كَيْدًا﴾ [الطارق: ١٥، ١٦].

وقوله: ﴿إِن تُبْدُوا خَيْرًا أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ أَوْ تَعْفُوا عَن سُوءٍ فَإِنَّ اللهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا قَدِيرًا﴾ [النساء: ١٤٩]، ﴿وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لَكُمْ وَاللهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾ [النور: ٢٢].

وقوله: ﴿وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ﴾ [المنافقون: ٨] وقوله عن إبليس: ﴿فَبِعِزَّتِكَ لَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ﴾ [ص: ٨٢].

وقوله: ﴿تَبَارَكَ اسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِي الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ﴾ [الرحمن: ٧٨].

وقوله: ﴿فَاعْبُدْهُ وَاصْطَبِرْ لِعِبَادَتِهِ هَلْ تَعْلَمُ لَهُ سَمِيًّا﴾ [مريم: ٦٥]، ﴿وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ﴾ [الإخلاص: ٤]، ﴿فَلَا تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ أَندَادًا وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٢]، ﴿وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ اللهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللهِ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ﴾ [البقرة: ١٦٥]، ﴿وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ وَلِيٌّ مِّنَ الذُّلِّ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًا﴾ [الإسراء: ١١١]، ﴿يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَواتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾ [التغابن: ١]، ﴿تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَالَمِينَ نَذِيرًا . الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَواتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَقَدَّرَهُ تَقْدِيرًا﴾ [الفرقان: ١، ٢]، ﴿مَا اتَّخَذَ اللهُ مِن وَلَدٍ وَمَا كَانَ مَعَهُ مِنْ إِلَهٍ إِذًا لَّذَهَبَ كُلُّ إِلَهٍ بِمَا خَلَقَ وَلَعَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ . عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ فَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ﴾ [المؤمنون: ٩١، ٩٢]، ﴿فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾ [النحل: ٧٤]، ﴿قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُوا بِاللهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾ [الأعراف: ٣٣].

وقوله: ﴿الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾، ﴿ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ﴾ في ستة مواضع : في سورة الأعراف قوله: ﴿إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ﴾ [الأعراف: ٥٤]، وقال في سورة يونس - عليه السلام -: ﴿إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ﴾ [يونس: ٣]، وقال في سورة الرعد: ﴿اللهُ الَّذِي رَفَعَ السَّمَوَاتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ﴾ [الرعد: ٢]، وقال في سورة طه: ﴿الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾ [طه: ٥] وقال في سورة الفرقان: ﴿ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ الرَّحْمَنُ﴾ [الفرقان: ٥٩]، وقال في سورة الم السجدة: ﴿اللهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا / فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ﴾ [السجدة: ٤] وقال في سورة الحديد: ﴿هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ﴾ [الحديد: ٤].

وقوله: ﴿يَا عِيسَى إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ﴾ [آل عمران: ٥٥]، ﴿بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللهُ إِلَيْهِ﴾ [النساء: ١٥٨]، ﴿إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ﴾ [فاطر: ١٠]، ﴿يَا هَامَانُ ابْنِ لِي صَرْحًا لَّعَلِّي أَبْلُغُ الْأَسْبَابَ . أَسْبَابَ السَّمَوَاتِ فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَى إِلَهِ مُوسَى وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُ كَاذِبًا﴾ [غافر: ٣٦، ٣٧] ﴿أَأَمِنتُم مَّن فِي السَّمَاء أَن يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ الأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَمُورُ . أَمْ أَمِنتُم مَّن فِي السَّمَاء أَن يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًا فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ كَيْفَ نَذِيرِ﴾ [الملك: ١٦، ١٧].

وقوله: ﴿هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاء وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ وَاللهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ﴾ [الحديد: ٤]، ﴿مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجْوَى ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ وَلَا خَمْسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمْ وَلَا أَدْنَى مِن ذَلِكَ وَلَا أَكْثَرَ إِلَّا هُوَ مَعَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كَانُوا ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّ اللهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ﴾ [المجادلة: ٧].

وقوله: ﴿لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللهَ مَعَنَا﴾ [التوبة: ٤٠]، ﴿إِنَّنِي مَعَكُمَا أَسْمَعُ وَأَرَى﴾ [طه: ٤٦]، ﴿إِنَّ اللهَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوا وَّالَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ﴾ [النحل: ١٢٨]، ﴿وَاصْبِرُوا إِنَّ اللهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ﴾ [الأنفال: ٤٦]، ﴿كَم مِّن فِئَةٍ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِيرَةً بِإِذْنِ اللهِ وَاللهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٤٩].

وقوله: ﴿وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ اللهِ حَدِيثًا﴾ [النساء: ٨٧]، ﴿وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ اللهِ قِيلًا﴾ [النساء: ١٢٢]، ﴿وَإِذْ قَالَ اللهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ﴾ [المائدة: ١١٦]، ﴿وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا﴾ [الأنعام: ١١٥]، ﴿وَكَلَّمَ اللهُ مُوسَى تَكْلِيمًا﴾ [النساء: ١٦٤]، ﴿مِّنْهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ اللهُ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٥٣]، ﴿وَلَمَّا جَاء مُوسَى لِمِيقَاتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُ رَبُّهُ﴾ [الأعراف: ١٤٣]، ﴿وَنَادَيْنَاهُ مِن جَانِبِ الطُّورِ الْأَيْمَنِ وَقَرَّبْنَاهُ نَجِيًّا﴾ [مريم: ٥٢]، ﴿وَإِذْ نَادَى رَبُّكَ مُوسَى أَنِ ائْتِ الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ﴾ [الشعراء: ١٠]، ﴿وَنَادَاهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمَا عَن تِلْكُمَا الشَّجَرَةِ﴾ [الأعراف: ٢٢]، ﴿وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ أَيْنَ شُرَكَائِيَ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ﴾ [القصص: ٧٤]، ﴿وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أَجَبْتُمُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ﴾ [القصص: ٦٥].

﴿وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللهِ﴾ [التوبة: ٦]، ﴿وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَ اللهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾ [البقرة: ٧٥]، ﴿يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُبَدِّلُوا كَلَامَ اللهِ قُل لَّن تَتَّبِعُونَا كَذَلِكُمْ قَالَ اللهُ مِن قَبْلُ﴾ [الفتح: ١٥]، ﴿وَاتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِن كِتَابِ رَبِّكَ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِهِ﴾ [الكهف: ٢٧]، ﴿إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَقُصُّ عَلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَكْثَرَ الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ﴾ [النمل: ٧٦].

﴿وَهَذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ﴾ [الأنعام: ١٥٥]، ﴿لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى جَبَلٍ لَّرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ اللهِ﴾ [الحشر: ٢١]، ﴿وَإِذَا بَدَّلْنَا آيَةً مَّكَانَ آيَةٍ وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُنَزِّلُ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُفْتَرٍ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ . قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ مِن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيُثَبِّتَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ . وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُ بَشَرٌ لِّسَانُ الَّذِي يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِيٌّ وَهَذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِيٌّ مُّبِينٌ﴾ [النحل: ١٠١-١٠٣].

وقوله: ﴿وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ . إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ﴾ [القيامة: ٢٢، ٢٣]، ﴿عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ يَنظُرُونَ﴾ [المطففين: ٣٥]، ﴿لِّلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا الْحُسْنَى وَزِيَادَةٌ﴾ [يونس: ٢٦]، ﴿لَهُم مَّا يَشَاءُونَ فِيهَا وَلَدَيْنَا مَزِيدٌ﴾ [ق: ٣٥].

وهذا الباب في كتاب الله - تعالى - كثير، من تدبر القرآن طالبًا للهدى منه تبين له طريق الحق.

فَصْلٌ

في سنة رسول الله ﷺ

فالسنة تفسر القرآن وتبينه، وتدل عليه، وتعبر عنه، وما وصف الرسول ﷺ به ربه - عز وجل - من الأحاديث الصحاح التي تلقاها أهل المعرفة بالقبول وجب الإيمان بها كذلك.

مثل قوله ﷺ: «ينزل ربنا إلى سماء الدنيا كل ليلة، حين يبقى ثلث الليل الآخر، فيقول: من يدعوني فأستجيب له؟ من يسألني فأعطيه؟ من يستغفرني فأغفر له؟» متفق عليه.

وقوله ﷺ: «لله أشد فرحًا بتوبة عبده من أحدكم براحلته» الحديث متفق عليه. وقوله ﷺ: «يضحك الله إلى رجلين، يقتل أحدهما الآخر، كلاهما يدخل الجنة» متفق عليه.

وقوله: «عجب ربنا من قنوط عباده وقرب غيره، ينظر إليكم أزلين قنطين، فيظل يضحك، يعلم أن فرجكم قريب» حديث حسن.

وقوله ﷺ: «لا تزال جهنم يلقى فيها وهي تقول: هل من مزيد؟ حتى يضع رب العزة فيها رجله - وفي رواية: عليها قدمه - فينزوي بعضها إلى بعض، وتقول: قط قط» متفق عليه.

وقوله ﷺ: «يقول الله تعالى: يا آدم، فيقول: لبيك وسعديك. فينادي بصوت: إن الله يأمرك أن تخرج من ذريتك بعثًا إلى النار» متفق عليه، وقوله: «ما منكم من أحد إلا سيكلمه ربه ليس بينه وبينه ترجمان». وقوله ﷺ في رقية المريض: «ربنا الله الذي في السماء، تقدس اسمك، أمرك في السماء والأرض كما رحمتك في السماء، اجعل رحمتك في الأرض، اغفر لنا حوبنا وخطايانا، أنت رب الطيبين، أنزل رحمة من رحمتك وشفاء من شفائك على هذا الوجع، فيبرأ» حديث حسن. رواه أبو داود وغيره.

وقوله: «ألا تأمنوني وأنا أمين من في السماء» حديث صحيح . وقوله: «والعرش فوق الماء والله فوق العرش، وهو يعلم ما أنتم عليه» حديث حسن رواه أبو داود وغيره .

وقوله ﷺ للجارية: «أين الله؟» قالت: في السماء. قال: «من أنا؟» قالت: أنت رسول الله. قال: «أعتقها فإنها مؤمنة» رواه مسلم.

وقوله: « أفضل الإيمان: أن تعلم أن الله معك حيثما كنت» حديث حسن .

وقوله: «إذا قام أحدكم إلى الصلاة فلا يبصق قبل وجهه، ولا عن يمينه، فإن الله قبل وجهه، ولكن عن يساره أو تحت قدمه» متفق عليه .

وقوله ﷺ: «اللهم رب السموات السبع، ورب العرش العظيم، ربنا ورب كل شيء فالق الحب والنوى، منزل التوراة والإنجيل والقرآن، أعوذ بك من شر نفسي ومن شر كل دابة أنت آخذ بناصيتها، أنت الأول فليس قبلك شيء، وأنت الآخر فليس بعدك شيء، وأنت الظاهر فليس فوقك شيء، وأنت الباطن فليس دونك شيء، اقض عني الدين واغنني من الفقر» رواه مسلم .

وقوله ـ لما رفع أصحابه أصواتهم بالذكر ـ: «أيها الناس، اربعوا على أنفسكم، فإنكم لا تدعون أصم ولا غائبًا، إنما تدعون سميعًا قريبًا، إن الذي تدعونه أقرب إلى أحدكم من عنق راحلته» متفق عليه.

وقوله ﷺ: «إنكم سترون ربكم كما ترون القمر ليلة البدر لا تضامون في رؤيته، فإن استطعتم ألا تغلبوا على صلاة قبل طلوع الشمس وصلاة قبل غروبها، فافعلوا» متفق عليه .

إلى أمثال هذه الأحاديث التي يخبر فيها رسول الله ﷺ عن ربه بما يخبر به.

فإن الفرقة الناجية - أهل السنة والجماعة - يؤمنون بذلك، كما يؤمنون بما أخبر الله به في كتابه العزيز، من غير تحريف ولا تعطيل، ومن غير تكييف ولا تمثيل، بل هم الوسط في فرق الأمة، كما أن الأمة هي الوسط في الأمم.

فهم وسط في باب صفات الله - سبحانه وتعالى - بين أهل التعطيل الجهمية، وأهل التمثيل المشبهة.

وهم وسط في باب أفعال الله - تعالى - بين القدرية والجبرية.

وفي باب وعيد الله بين المرجئة والوعيدية، من القدرية وغيرهم.

وفي باب أسماء الإيمان والدين بين الحرورية والمعتزلة، وبين المرجئة والجهمية.

وفي أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ بين الروافض، والخوارج.

فَصْلٌ

وقد دخل فيما ذكرناه من الإيمان بالله: الإيمان بما أخبر الله به في كتابه، وتواتر عن رسوله ﷺ، وأجمع عليه سلف الأمة، من أنه - سبحانه - فوق سمواته على عرشه، على خلقه، وهو سبحانه معهم أينما كانوا، يعلم ما هم عاملون، كما جمع بين ذلك في قوله: ﴿هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاء وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ وَاللهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ﴾ [الحديد: ٤].

وليس معنى قوله: ﴿وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ﴾ أنه مختلط بالخلق؛ فإن هذا لا توجبه اللغة، وهو خلاف ما أجمع عليه سلف الأمة، وخلاف ما فطر الله عليه الخلق، بل القمر آية من آيات الله من أصغر مخلوقاته، هو موضوع في السماء، وهو مع المسافر وغير المسافر أينما كان، وهو سبحانه فوق العرش، رقيب على خلقه مهيمن عليهم، مطلع إليهم، إلى غير ذلك من معاني ربوبيته.

وكل هذا الكلام الذي ذكره الله - سبحانه - من أنه فوق العرش، وأنه معنا - حق على حقيقته لا يحتاج إلى تحريف، ولكن يصان عن الظنون الكاذبة، مثل أن يظن أن ظاهر قوله: ﴿فِي السَّمَاءِ﴾ أن السماء تقله أو تظله، وهذا باطل بإجماع أهل العلم والإيمان، فإن الله قد وسع كرسيه السموات والأرض، وهو الذي يمسك السموات والأرض أن تزولا، ويمسك السماء أن تقع على الأرض إلا بإذنه، ﴿وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَن تَقُومَ السَّمَاء وَالأَرْضُ بِأَمْرِهِ﴾ [الروم: ٢٥].

فَصْلٌ

وقد دخل في ذلك: الإيمان بأنه قريب من خلقه، مجيب، كما جمع بين ذلك في قوله: ﴿وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ﴾ الآية [البقرة: ١٨٦].

وقوله ﷺ للصحابة - لما رفعوا أصواتهم بالذكر -: «أيها الناس، اربعوا على أنفسكم، فإنكم لا تدعون أصم ولا غائبًا، إن الذي تدعونه أقرب إلى أحدكم من عنق راحلته» . وما ذكر في الكتاب والسنة - من قربه ومعيته - لا ينافي ما ذكر من علوه وفوقيته، فإنه - سبحانه - ليس كمثله شيء في جميع نعوته، وهو علي في دنوه قريب في علوه.

فَصْلٌ

ومن الإيمان بالله وكتبه: الإيمان بأن القرآن كلام الله منزل غير مخلوق، منه بدأ، وإليه يعود، وأن الله تعالى تكلم به حقيقة، وأن هذا القرآن الذي أنزله على محمد ﷺ هو كلام الله حقيقة لا كلام غيره، ولا يجوز إطلاق القول بأنه حكاية عن كلام الله أو عبارة عنه، بل إذا قرأه الناس أو كتبوه بذلك في المصاحف، لم يخرج بذلك عن أن يكون كلام الله - تعالى - حقيقة، فإن الكلام إنما يضاف حقيقة إلى من قاله مبتدئًا، لا إلى من قاله مبلغًا مؤديًا.

فَصْلٌ

وقد دخل ـ أيضًا ـ فيما ذكرناه من الإيمان به وبكتبه وبرسله: الإيمان بأن المؤمنين يرونه يوم القيامة عيانًا بأبصارهم، كما يرون الشمس صحوًا ليس دونها سحاب، وكما يرون القمر ليلة البدر لا يضامون في رؤيته، يرونه ـ سبحانه ـ وهم في عرصات القيامة، ثم يرونه بعد دخول الجنة، كما يشاء الله ـ سبحانه وتعالى ـ.

فَصْلٌ

وَمِنَ الإيمانِ باليوم الآخِرِ: الإيمانُ بكُلِّ ما أخبرَ به النبيُّ ﷺ مما يكونُ بعد الموتِ، فيؤمنونَ بفتنةِ القبرِ، وبعذاب القبرِ، وبنعيمِهِ.

فأما الفتنةُ، فإن الناس يفتنون في قبورهم، فيقال للرجل: من ربك؟ وما دينك؟ ومن نبيك؟ فيثبت الله الذين آمنوا بالقول الثابت في الحياة الدنيا وفي الآخرة، فيقول المؤمن: الله ربي، والإسلام ديني، ومحمد ﷺ نبيي، وأما المرتاب فيقول: هاه، هاه، لا أدري، سمعت الناس يقولون شيئًا فقلته، فيضرب بمرزبة من حديد، فيصيح صيحة يسمعها كل شيء إلا الإنسان، ولو سمعها الإنسان لصعق.

ثم بعد هذه الفتنة، إما نعيم، وإما عذاب، إلى أن تقوم القيامة الكبرى. فتعاد الأرواح إلى الأجساد، وتقوم القيامة التي أخبر الله بها في كتابه، وعلى لسان رسوله، وأجمع عليها المسلمون، فيقوم الناس من قبورهم لرب العالمين حفاة عراة غرلًا، وتدنو منهم الشمس، ويلجمهم العرق.

وتنصب الموازين، فتوزن فيها أعمال العباد، ﴿فَمَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ . وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ فِي جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدُونَ﴾ [المؤمنون: ١٠٢، ١٠٣].

وتنشر الدواوين - وهي صحائف الأعمال - فآخذ كتابه بيمينه، وآخذ كتابه بشماله، أو من وراء ظهره، كما قال - سبحانه وتعالى -: ﴿وَكُلَّ إِنسَانٍ أَلْزَمْنَاهُ طَائِرَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كِتَابًا يَلْقَاهُ مَنشُورًا . اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا﴾ [الإسراء: ١٣، ١٤].

ويحاسب الله الخلائق، ويخلو بعبده المؤمن فيقرره بذنوبه، كما وصف ذلك في الكتاب والسنة.

وأما الكفار، فلا يحاسبون محاسبة من توزن حسناته وسيئاته، فإنه لا حسنات لهم، ولكن تعد أعمالهم وتحصى، فيوقفون عليها ويقررون بها ويجزون بها.

وفي عرصة القيامة الحوض المورود لمحمد ﷺ، ماؤه أشد بياضًا من اللبن، وأحلى من العسل، آنيته عدد نجوم السماء، طوله شهر وعرضه شهر، من يشرب منه شربة لم يظمأ بعدها أبدًا.

والصراط منصوب على متن جهنم - وهو الجسر الذي بين الجنة والنار - يمر الناس عليه على قدر أعمالهم، فمنهم من يمر كلمح البصر، ومنهم من يمر كالبرق الخاطف، ومنهم من يمر كالريح، ومنهم من يمر كالفرس الجواد، ومنهم من يمر كركاب الإبل، ومنهم من يعدو عدوًا، ومنهم من يمشي مشيًا، ومنهم من يزحف زحفًا، ومنهم من يخطف فيلقى في جهنم؛ فإن الجسر عليه كلاليب تخطف الناس بأعمالهم، فمن مر على الصراط دخل الجنة.

فإذا عبروا عليه وقفوا على قنطرة بين الجنة والنار، فيقتص لبعضهم من بعض، فإذا هذبوا ونقوا أذن لهم في دخول الجنة.

وأول من يستفتح باب الجنة محمد ﷺ، وأول من يدخل الجنة من الأمم أمته.

وله ﷺ في القيامة - ثلاث شفاعات:

أما الشفاعة الأولى: فيشفع في أهل الموقف، حتى يقضي بينهم بعد أن تتراجع الأنبياء، آدم، ونوح، وإبراهيم، وموسى، وعيسى ابن مريم عن الشفاعة، حتى تنتهي إليه.

وأما الشفاعة الثانية: فيشفع في أهل الجنة أن يدخلوا الجنة، وهاتان الشفاعتان خاصتان له.

وأما الشفاعة الثالثة: فيشفع فيمن استحق النار، وهذه الشفاعة له ولسائر النبيين، والصديقين وغيرهم، فيشفع فيمن استحق النار ألا يدخلها، ويشفع فيمن دخلها أن يخرج منها، ويخرج الله - تعالى - من النار أقوامًا بغير شفاعة، بل بفضله ورحمته، ويبقى في الجنة فضل عمن دخلها من أهل الدنيا، فينشئ الله لها أقوامًا فيدخلهم الجنة.

وأصناف ما تضمنته الدار الآخرة من الحساب، والثواب والعقاب، والجنة والنار، وتفاصيل ذلك مذكورة في الكتب المنزلة من السماء، والآثار من العلم المأثورة عن الأنبياء، وفي العلم الموروث عن محمد ﷺ من ذلك ما يشفي ويكفي، فمن ابتغاه وجده.

وتؤمن الفرقة الناجية - أهل السنة والجماعة - بالقدر؛ خيره وشره، والإيمان بالقدر على درجتين، كل درجة تتضمن شيئين:

فالدرجة الأولى: الإيمان بأن الله - تعالى - عليم بما الخلق عاملون بعلمه القديم، الذي هو موصوف به أزلًا، وعلم جميع أحوالهم من الطاعات والمعاصي والأرزاق والآجال.

ثم كتب الله في اللوح المحفوظ مقادير الخلق: «فأول ما خلق الله القلم قال له: اكتب قال: ما أكتب؟ قال: اكتب ما هو كائن إلى يوم القيامة» . فما أصاب الإنسان لم يكن ليخطئه، وما أخطأه لم يكن ليصيبه، جفت الأقلام وطويت الصحف كما قال سبحانه وتعالى: ﴿أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ فِي كِتَابٍ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ﴾ [الحج: ٧٠]، وقال: ﴿مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَا إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ﴾ [الحديد: ٢٢].

وهذا التقدير - التابع لعلمه سبحانه - يكون في مواضع جملة وتفصيلا، فقد كتب في اللوح المحفوظ ما شاء. وإذا خلق جسد الجنين قبل نفخ الروح فيه بعث إليه ملكا، فيؤمر بأربع كلمات، فيقال له: اكتب رزقه، وأجله، وعمله، وشقي أو سعيد، ونحو ذلك، فهذا القدر قد كان ينكره غلاة القدرية قديما، ومنكره اليوم قليل.

وأما الدرجة الثانية: فهو مشيئة الله النافذة، وقدرته الشاملة، وهو الإيمان بأن ما شاء الله كان، وما لم يشأ لم يكن، وأنه ما في السموات والأرض من حركة ولا سكون إلا بمشيئة الله - سبحانه - لا يكون في ملكه إلا ما يريد، وأنه - سبحانه وتعالى - على كل شيء قدير من الموجودات والمعدومات.

فما من مخلوق في الأرض ولا في السماء إلا الله خالقه - سبحانه - لا خالق غيره ولا رب سواه.

ومع ذلك، فقد أمر العباد بطاعته وطاعة رسله، ونهاهم عن معصيته.

وهو - سبحانه - يحب المتقين، والمحسنين والمقسطين، ويرضى عن الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات، ولا يحب الكافرين، ولا يرضى عن القوم الفاسقين ولا يأمر بالفحشاء، ولا يرضى لعباده الكفر، ولا يحب الفساد.

والعباد فاعلون حقيقة، والله خالق أفعالهم، والعبد هو المؤمن والكافر والبر والفاجر، والمصلي والصائم، وللعباد قدرة على أعمالهم ولهم إرادة ، والله خالقهم وخالق قدرتهم وإرادتهم ، كما قال تعالى : ﴿ لِمَن شَاءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ . وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴾ [التكوير: ٢٨، ٢٩].

وهذه الدرجة من القدر، يكذب بها عامة القدرية، الذين سماهم النبي ﷺ مجوس هذه الأمة، ويغلو فيها قوم من أهل الإثبات، حتى سلبوا العبد قدرته واختياره، ويخرجون عن أفعال الله وأحكامه حكمها ومصالحها.

فَصْلٌ

ومن أصول أهل السنة: أن الدين والإيمان قول وعمل؛ قول القلب واللسان، وعمل القلب واللسان والجوارح، وأن الإيمان يزيد بالطاعة وينقص بالمعصية.

وهم مع ذلك لا يكفرون أهل القبلة بمطلق المعاصي والكبائر، كما يفعله الخوارج ، بل الأخوة الإيمانية ثابتة مع المعاصي، كما قال ـ سبحانه وتعالى ـ في آية القصاص: ﴿فَمَنْ عُفِيَ لَهُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَيْءٌ فَاتِّبَاعٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ﴾ [البقرة: ١٧٨]، وقال: ﴿وَإِن طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا فَإِن بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَى فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّى تَفِيءَ إِلَى أَمْرِ اللهِ فَإِن فَاءتْ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا بِالْعَدْلِ وَأَقْسِطُوا إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ . إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ﴾ [الحجرات: ٩، ١٠].

ولا يسلبون الفاسق الملي اسم الإيمان بالكلية ولا يخلدونه في النار، كما تقوله المعتزلة، بل الفاسق يدخل في اسم الإيمان في مثل قوله تعالى: ﴿فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُّؤْمِنَةٍ﴾ [النساء: ٩٢].

وقد لا يدخل في اسم الإيمان المطلق، كما في قوله تعالى: ﴿ إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا ﴾ [الأنفال: ٢]، وقوله ﷺ: / «لا يزني الزاني حين يزني وهو مؤمن، ولا يسرق السارق حين يسرق وهو مؤمن، ولا يشرب الخمر حين يشربها وهو مؤمن، ولا ينتهب نُهبةً ذات شرف يرفع الناس إليه فيها أبصارهم حين ينتهبها وهو مؤمن» (٢).

ويقولون: هو مؤمن ناقص الإيمان، أو مؤمن بإيمانه فاسق بكبيرته، فلا يعطى الاسم المطلق، ولا يسلب مطلق الاسم.

فَصْلٌ

ومن أصول أهل السنة والجماعة: سلامة قلوبهم وألسنتهم لأصحاب رسول الله ﷺ، كما وصفهم الله به في قوله تعالى: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾ [الحشر: ١٠].

وطاعة النبي ﷺ في قوله: «لا تسبوا أصحابي، فوالذي نفسي بيده، لو أن أحدكم أنفق مثل أحد ذهبًا ما بلغ مُدَّ أحدهم ولا نَصيفه». ويقبلون ما جاء به الكتاب والسنة والإجماع، من فضائلهم ومراتبهم، فيفضلون من أنفق من قبل الفتح - وهو صلح الحديبية - وقاتل على من أنفق من بعده وقاتل، ويقدمون المهاجرين على الأنصار، ويؤمنون بأن الله قال لأهل بدر - وكانوا ثلاثمائة وبضعة عشر -: «اعملوا ما شئتم فقد غفرت لكم»، وبأنه لا يدخل النار أحد بايع تحت الشجرة، كما أخبر به النبي ﷺ، بل قد رضي الله عنهم ورضوا عنه، وكانوا أكثر من ألف وأربعمائة.

ويشهدون بالجنة لمن شهد له رسول الله ﷺ بالجنة، كالعشرة، وكثابت بن قيس بن شماس، وغيرهم من الصحابة.

ويقرون بما تواتر به النقل عن أمير المؤمنين علي بن أبي طالب - رضي الله عنه - وعن غيره، من أن خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها أبو بكر، ثم عمر، ويثلثون بعثمان، ويربعون بعلي - رضي الله عنهم - كما دلت عليه الآثار، وكما أجمع الصحابة - رضي الله عنهم - على تقديم عثمان في البيعة، مع أن بعض أهل السنة كانوا قد اختلفوا في عثمان وعلي - رضي الله عنهما - بعد اتفاقهم على تقديم أبي بكر وعمر - أيهما أفضل، فقدم قوم عثمان وسكتوا، أو ربعوا بعلي، وقدم قوم عليًا، وقوم توقفوا، لكن استقر أمر أهل السنة على تقديم عثمان، وإن كانت هذه المسألة - مسألة عثمان وعلي - ليست من الأصول التي يضلل المخالف فيها عند جمهور أهل السنة، لكن المسألة التي يضلل المخالف فيها هي مسألة الخلافة.

وذلك أنهم يؤمنون بأن الخليفة بعد رسول الله ﷺ أبو بكر، ثم عمر، ثم عثمان، ثم علي، ومن طعن في خلافة أحد من هؤلاء الأئمة فهو أضل من حمار أهله.

ويحبون أهل بيت رسول الله ﷺ، ويتولونهم، ويحفظون فيهم وصية رسول الله ﷺ حيث قال يوم غَدِيرِ خُمٍّ: «أذكركم الله في أهل بيتي، أذكركم الله في أهل بيتي»، وقال ـ أيضًا ـ للعباس عمه ـ وقد اشتكى إليه أن بعض قريش يجفو بني هاشم ـ فقال: «والذي نفسي بيده، لا يؤمنون حتى يحبوكم لله ولقرابتي»، وقال ﷺ: «إن الله اصطفى بني إسماعيل، واصطفى من بني إسماعيل كنانة، واصطفى من كنانة قريشًا، واصطفى من قريش بني هاشم، واصطفاني من بني هاشم».

ويتولون أزواج رسول الله ﷺ أمهات المؤمنين، ويؤمنون بأنهن أزواجه في الآخرة، خصوصًا خديجة ـ رضي الله عنها ـ أم أكثر أولاده، وأول من آمن به وعاضده على أمره، وكان لها منه المنزلة العالية.

والصديقة بنت الصديق ـ رضي الله عنهما ـ التي قال فيها النبي ﷺ: «فضل عائشة على النساء كفضل الثريد على سائر الطعام».

ويتبرؤون من طريقة الروافض، الذين يبغضون الصحابة ويسبونهم، ومن طريقة النواصب، الذين يؤذون أهل البيت بقول أو عمل، ويمسكون عما شجر بين الصحابة.

ويقولون: إن هذه الآثار المروية في مساويهم منها ما هو كذب، ومنها ما قد زيد فيه ونقص وغير عن وجهه والصحيح منه هم فيه معذورون، إما مجتهدون مصيبون، وإما مجتهدون مخطئون.

وهم مع ذلك لا يعتقدون أن كل واحد من الصحابة معصوم عن كبائر الإثم وصغائره، بل تجوز عليهم الذنوب في الجملة، ولهم من السوابق والفضائل ما يوجب مغفرة ما يصدر منهم إن صدر، حتى إنه يغفر لهم من السيئات ما لا يغفر لمن بعدهم؛

لأن لهم من الحسنات التي تمحو السيئات ما ليس لمن بعدهم، وقد ثبت بقول رسول الله ﷺ: «أنهم خير القرون» وأن المد من أحدهم إذا تصدق به، كان أفضل من جبل أحد ذهبًا ممن بعدهم.

ثم إذا كان قد صدر من أحدهم ذنب فيكون قد تاب منه، أو أتى بحسنات تمحوه، أو غفر له بفضل سابقته، أو بشفاعة محمد ﷺ الذي هم أحق الناس بشفاعته، أو ابتلي ببلاء في الدنيا كفر به عنه، فإذا كان هذا في الذنوب المحققة، فكيف بالأمور التي كانوا فيها مجتهدين، إن أصابوا فلهم أجران، وإن أخطؤوا فلهم أجر واحد، والخطأ مغفور لهم؟

ثم القدر الذي ينكر من فعل بعضهم قليل نزر، مغمور في جنب فضائل القوم ومحاسنهم، من الإيمان بالله ورسوله، والجهاد في سبيله، والهجرة والنصرة، والعلم النافع ، والعمل الصالح.

ومن نظر في سيرة القوم بعلم وبصيرة، وما مَنَّ الله به عليهم من الفضائل، علم يقينًا أنهم خير الخلق بعد الأنبياء، لا كان ولا يكون مثلهم، وأنهم هم الصفوة من قرون هذه الأمة، التي هي خير الأمم وأكرمها على الله تعالى.

ومن أصول أهل السنة والجماعة: التصديق بكرامات الأولياء، وما يجري الله على أيديهم من خوارق العادات، في أنواع العلوم والمكاشفات، وأنواع القدرة والتأثيرات، كالمأثور عن سالف الأمم في سورة الكهف وغيرها، وعن صدر هذه الأمة من الصحابة والتابعين وسائر قرون الأمة، وهي موجودة فيها إلى يوم القيامة.

فَصْلٌ

ثم من طريقة أهل السنة والجماعة: اتباع آثار رسول الله ﷺ باطنًا وظاهرًا، واتباع سبيل السابقين الأولين من المهاجرين والأنصار، واتباع وصية رسول الله ﷺ، حيث قال: «عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين من بعدي، تمسكوا بها، وعضوا عليها بالنواجذ، وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور، فإن كل محدثة بدعة، وكل بدعة ضلالة».

ويعلمون أن أصدق الكلام كلام الله، وخير الهدي هدي محمد ﷺ، ويؤثرون كلام الله على كلام غيره من كلام أصناف الناس، ويقدمون هدي محمد ﷺ على هدي كل أحد، وبهذا سموا: أهل الكتاب والسنة.

وسموا أهل الجماعة؛ لأن الجماعة هي الاجتماع وضدها الفرقة، وإن كان لفظ الجماعة قد صار اسمًا لنفس القوم المجتمعين، والإجماع هو الأصل الثالث الذي يعتمد عليه في العلم والدين.

وهم يزنون بهذه الأصول الثلاثة جميع ما عليه الناس من أقوال وأعمال باطنة أو ظاهرة مما له تعلق بالدين، والإجماع الذي ينضبط هو ما كان عليه السلف الصالح؛ إذ بعدهم كثر الاختلاف وانتشرت الأمة.

فَصْلٌ

ثم هم مع هذه الأصول يأمرون بالمعروف، وينهون عن المنكر على ما توجب الشريعة. ويرون إقامة الحج والجهاد والجمع والأعياد مع الأمراء، أبرارًا كانوا أو فجارًا، ويحافظون على الجماعات.

ويدينون بالنصيحة للأمة، ويعتقدون معنى قوله ﷺ: «المؤمن للمؤمن كالبنيان، يشد بعضه بعضًا»، وشبك بين أصابعه ، وقوله ﷺ: «مثل المؤمنين في توادهم وتراحمهم وتعاطفهم كمثل الجسد، إذا اشتكى منه عضو تداعى له سائر الجسد بالحمى والسهر» .

ويأمرون بالصبر عند البلاء، والشكر عند الرخاء، والرضا بمر القضاء، ويدعون إلى مكارم الأخلاق ومحاسن الأعمال، ويعتقدون معنى قوله ﷺ: «أكمل المؤمنين إيمانًا أحسنهم خلقًا» .

ويندبون إلى أن تصل من قطعك، وتعطي من حرمك، وتعفو عمن ظلمك، ويأمرون ببر الوالدين، وصلة الأرحام، وحسن الجوار، والإحسان إلى اليتامى والمساكين وابن السبيل، والرفق بالمملوك، وينهون عن الفخر والخيلاء والبغي، والاستطالة على الخلق بحق أو بغير حق، ويأمرون بمعالي الأخلاق، وينهون عن سفسافها.

وكل ما يقولونه أو يفعلونه من هذا أو غيره، فإنما هم فيه متبعون للكتاب والسنة.

وطريقتهم هي دين الإسلام، الذي بعث الله به محمدًا ﷺ، لكن لما أخبر النبي ﷺ أن أمته ستفترق على ثلاث وسبعين فرقة، كلها في النار إلا واحدة وهي الجماعة ، وفي حديث عنه ﷺ أنه قال: «هم من كان على مثل ما أنا عليه اليوم وأصحابي» ، صار المتمسكون بالإسلام المحض الخالص عن الشوب هم أهل السنة والجماعة، وفيهم الصديقون والشهداء والصالحون، ومنهم أعلام الهدى ومصابيح الدجى، أولو المناقب المأثورة، والفضائل المذكورة، وفيهم الأبدال الأئمة الذين أجمع المسلمون على هدايتهم ودرايتهم. وهم الطائفة المنصورة، الذين قال فيهم النبي ﷺ: «لا تزال طائفة من أمتي على الحق ظاهرين، لا يضرهم من خذلهم ولا من خالفهم حتى تقوم الساعة» .

فنسأل الله العظيم أن يجعلنا منهم، وألا يزيغ قلوبنا بعد إذ هدانا، ويهب لنا من لدنه رحمة، إنه هو الوهاب. والله أعلم.

وصلى الله على محمد وآله وصحبه وسلم تسليمًا كثيرًا.