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Islām and the Complete Impartiality of the Truth

Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah

A waring against following the ways of the Jews and being involved in taḥazzub (partisanship)

Allāh says:

وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ كِتَابٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ وَكَانُوا مِن قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُوا كَفَرُوا بِهِ ۚ فَلَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ ‎﴿٨٩﴾‏

‘And when there came to them a Book from Allah confirming that which was with them – although before they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved – but [then] when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allāh will be upon the disbelievers.’
[Al-Baqarah, 2: 89]

Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah [d. 728 AH] commented:

The Jews have been described thus: that they used to be well aware of the truth before the inception of the one who began to utter it, and call towards it [i.e the Prophet Muḥammad [may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him]]. So when the one who would deign to utter it finally came to them, he was not from among the party of people they so fervently desired. Consequently, they met him with disobedience. Claiming that they would only accept the truth from the party they have ascribed themselves to [the descendants of Isḥāq] despite the fact that they have left following their own creeds and its various requirements. This is also something that many of those who ascribe themselves to a specific ethos or religion have been tested regarding, whether they be from among the [deceitful] jurists, fraudulent worshippers [ṣūfiyyah] or other than them. Likewise, those who ascribe themselves to a glorified religious leader—other the Prophet [may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him]—from whom they accept no religious opinion or narration except if it be from their own clique.

They then become unaware of the true responsibilities of their own group, forgetting that Islām requires that the truth be followed in every situation both in terms of narration and opinion, demanding complete impartiality towards specific people or groups, save for the Messenger of Allāh [may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him].

Imām Ibn Taymiyyah

 
Source: Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm 1: 74-75
Translated by: Riyāḍ al-Kanadī

Published: July 21, 2022
Edited: September 8, 2022