The Methodology of the Salaf and the Khalaf on the Issue of the Succession of Events
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
This is a great chapter. The author (may Allah have mercy on him) spoke in it about the succession of events and mentioned three opinions for the people: the opinion that succession is impossible in the past and the future, which is the view of the Jahmiyyah and those who followed them from the Mu'tazilah; the second opinion is that it is permissible in the past and the future, which is what Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) supported, and he mentioned its evidence; and the third opinion is that succession is permissible in the future but impossible in the past, which is the view of most of the scholars of kalam, and it is the only view that is hardly known among the later scholars.
However, the evidence mentioned by Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) is clear. And our saying that succession is possible is not our saying that succession is obligatory. Note this: meaning, if we say that succession is permissible, it does not mean that we say it is obligatory. For it is certain that everything other than Allah is a created thing after it was not, so the entities are not successive to infinity. Everything is a created thing, and Allah the Exalted is before everything.
And we mentioned to you at the beginning of the discussion of this issue that we have an actor, an action, and an acted-upon, and that their order is as follows: the actor precedes the action, and the action precedes the acted-upon. And although we say that the succession of events in the past is permissible, we cannot say that they are co-eternal with the existence of Allah forever. Rather, they must be preceded by His existence, but they extend to infinity.
And Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) spoke a great deal about this topic, then he said: These people who said that it is possible in the future and impossible in the past built this upon principles they established from the science of kalam, for which there is no evidence from reason, transmission, or fitrah. And this is the truth, for the people of kalam built their belief in Allah upon minds that are not rational, but rather are confused and contradictory minds, where some of them negate others and some of them corrupt others. And it is as was said:
"Arguments that collapse like glass, you think them ***truth, and every breaker is broken"
Until even their leaders and heads admitted to confusion and returning to the truth. Al-Razi, who is one of their great ones, magnates, and imams, said: "I have traversed all the academies and delved into the sea, but I did not see anything except a confused person. I did not see anyone who has cured the sick or seen the ailment. And I saw that the closest path is the path of the Qur'an. I read in affirmation[Taha 20:5] [Fatir 35:10] and I read in negation [Ash-Shuraa 42:11] [Taha 20:110]. And whoever has experienced what I have experienced will know what I know." This is from one of their leaders.
Some of them said: "I have delved into the vast sea and entered into what I was forbidden from, but I did not benefit from anything. And here I am, dying upon the belief of the old women of Nishapur." He returned to the belief of the old women. The old women do not speak with this rhetoric and this affectation. And this is the verification of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): He said it three times. For this reason, you will not find anything better than the knowledge of the Salaf. The knowledge of the Salaf is simple and calm; it has no deepening or affectation at all.
Some people came to Ibn 'Umar and said: O 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, inform us about the blood of the mosquito. Is it permissible for us to kill the mosquito? He said: "Glory be to Allah! You ask about the blood of the mosquito and you kill the son of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." Yes, this is great scrupulousness. To ask about the blood of the mosquito and to kill one whose grandfather is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). So this deepening corrupts the person and obligates upon him doubt and anxiety. Be simple in all matters, even in the issues that we were not tasked with and for which no text has come. If they are difficult for you, leave them. Leave them. Do not tire yourself with them so that you do not harm yourself. So Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that these people built their belief upon what? Upon what they call minds, but in reality they are ignorances, misguidances, and doubts, which do not benefit from the truth at all. Rather, they cause the person to fall into confusion, doubt, and anxiety. Now, here he (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
"And they built their principles upon it, and it led them *** by force to denial of the divine attributes and invalidation."
This is a great chapter. The author (may Allah have mercy on him) spoke in it about the succession of events and mentioned three opinions for the people: the opinion that succession is impossible in the past and the future, which is the view of the Jahmiyyah and those who followed them from the Mu'tazilah; the second opinion is that it is permissible in the past and the future, which is what Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) supported, and he mentioned its evidence; and the third opinion is that succession is permissible in the future but impossible in the past, which is the view of most of the scholars of kalam, and it is the only view that is hardly known among the later scholars.
However, the evidence mentioned by Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) is clear. And our saying that succession is possible is not our saying that succession is obligatory. Note this: meaning, if we say that succession is permissible, it does not mean that we say it is obligatory. For it is certain that everything other than Allah is a created thing after it was not, so the entities are not successive to infinity. Everything is a created thing, and Allah the Exalted is before everything.
And we mentioned to you at the beginning of the discussion of this issue that we have an actor, an action, and an acted-upon, and that their order is as follows: the actor precedes the action, and the action precedes the acted-upon. And although we say that the succession of events in the past is permissible, we cannot say that they are co-eternal with the existence of Allah forever. Rather, they must be preceded by His existence, but they extend to infinity.
And Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) spoke a great deal about this topic, then he said: These people who said that it is possible in the future and impossible in the past built this upon principles they established from the science of kalam, for which there is no evidence from reason, transmission, or fitrah. And this is the truth, for the people of kalam built their belief in Allah upon minds that are not rational, but rather are confused and contradictory minds, where some of them negate others and some of them corrupt others. And it is as was said:
"Arguments that collapse like glass, you think them ***truth, and every breaker is broken"
Until even their leaders and heads admitted to confusion and returning to the truth. Al-Razi, who is one of their great ones, magnates, and imams, said: "I have traversed all the academies and delved into the sea, but I did not see anything except a confused person. I did not see anyone who has cured the sick or seen the ailment. And I saw that the closest path is the path of the Qur'an. I read in affirmation
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمن على العرش استوىTo Him ascends good speech
إليه يصعد الكلم الطيبThere is nothing like unto Him
ليس كمثله شيءbut they do not encompass it in knowledge.
ولا يحيطون به علماSome of them said: "I have delved into the vast sea and entered into what I was forbidden from, but I did not benefit from anything. And here I am, dying upon the belief of the old women of Nishapur." He returned to the belief of the old women. The old women do not speak with this rhetoric and this affectation. And this is the verification of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
The overzealous have perished
هلك المتنطعونSome people came to Ibn 'Umar and said: O 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, inform us about the blood of the mosquito. Is it permissible for us to kill the mosquito? He said: "Glory be to Allah! You ask about the blood of the mosquito and you kill the son of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." Yes, this is great scrupulousness. To ask about the blood of the mosquito and to kill one whose grandfather is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). So this deepening corrupts the person and obligates upon him doubt and anxiety. Be simple in all matters, even in the issues that we were not tasked with and for which no text has come. If they are difficult for you, leave them. Leave them. Do not tire yourself with them so that you do not harm yourself. So Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that these people built their belief upon what? Upon what they call minds, but in reality they are ignorances, misguidances, and doubts, which do not benefit from the truth at all. Rather, they cause the person to fall into confusion, doubt, and anxiety. Now, here he (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
"And they built their principles upon it, and it led them *** by force to denial of the divine attributes and invalidation."