First Discourse: The Self-Evident Propositions

Laqad ʻalimta min al-muqaddimah anna al-ʻilm immā ( taṣawwur ) aw ( ḥukm ) wa-anna kullan minhā immā ( awwalī ) aw ( muktasab ) . Fa-maṭlūbunā hunā huwa al-muktasab . Illā annahu lammā kāna yatawaqqaf kamā aslafnā ʻalá al-awwalīyāt wajaba an nuqaddimahā

Al-Maqālah al-ūlá

Al-Awwalīyāt

Al-taṣawwurāt al-awwalīyah : hiya kamā sabaqa al-mufradāt allatī yaʻrifuhā al-mukhāṭab ḥaqq al-maʻrifah fa-lā yaḥtāj ilá īḍāḥ wa-tafṣīl ʻalayhā naḥwa kitāb , yad , fam , shibaʻ , mawt , ḥayy , mudawwar , aḥmar ,

Wa-al-taṣdīqāt al-awwalīyah : hiya al-aḥkām allatī yuṣaddiq bihā kull ʻāqil ʻaqib taṣawwurihā wa-yaḥkum bi-ṣiḥḥatihā wa-taṭmaʼinn lahā nafsuhu wa-yaqṭaʻ bi-annahu lā yughayyir iʻtiqādah fīhā shayʼ wa-lā yatawaqqaf fī tajhīl munāqiḍihā wa-takdhībihi wa-al-ḥukm bi-nuqṣān ʻaqlihi

Wa-hiya wa-in kānat ka-dhālika fa-inna al-adhhān takhtalif fī musraʻat taṣawwurihā . Wa-minhā mā lā yantabih lahu akthar al-nās fa-yukhālifūnahā bi-ḥaythu law nubbihū ʻādū ilayhā allāhumma in kāna al-ʻaql sāliman . Wa-li-nūrid laka amthilah ʻalayhā :

1 — Al-ḍiddān lā yajtamiʻān . Fa-lā yumkin an takūna daʻwá fī waqt wāḥid wa-min wajh wāḥid ṣādiqah wa-kādhibah maʻan . Wa-lā yumkin an yakūna shayʼ mawjūdan wa-maʻdūman fī ān wāḥid

2 — Yajūz iṭlāq al-waṣf al-ʻāmm ʻalá kull fard min afrādihi ʻalá al-infirād mithl ḥukmika ʻalá Saʻīd bi-annahu mutafakkir li-ʻilmika bi-anna al-insān mutafakkir . Illā annahu yajib ʻalayka qabla al-ḥukm an tataḥaqqaq bi-anna dhālika al-shayʼ huwa min jumlat al-afrād idh qad taltabis al-ashyāʼ li-diqqat al-farq baynahā wa-khafāʼihi . Mithl annaka taʻlam anna al-jubn nāfiʻ fa-law raʼayta qiṭʻat jubn lā taḥkum ʻalayhā ḥālan bi-al-nafʻ mā lam tataḥaqqaq wujūd sharāʼiṭ al-jubn fīhā . Fa-inna min sharāʼiṭihi an yuṣnaʻ fī ināʼ ghayr muzanjar wa-illā fa-yakūn sāmman qattālan wa-ka-dhālika baʻḍ anwāʻ al-ʻasal sāmmah li-wujūd māddah fī al-zuhūr allatī aḥḍara al-naḥl dhālika al-ʻasal minhā wa-ghayr dhālika .

Wa-lā shakk anna al-afrād ghayr al-ajzāʼ fa-idhā ḥukima ʻalá al-fard bi-mā ḥukima bi-hi ʻalá al-kullī fa-lā yuḥkam dāʼiman ʻalá juzūʼ al-shayʼ bi-mā ḥukima bi-hi ʻalayhi kulluhu mithl annā naqūl anna al-insān nāṭiq wa-lākin lā-naqūl bi-anna yadahu nāṭiqah aw rijlahu . Wa-naʻlam anna ( qalūrūr al-ṣūdiyūm milḥ al-ṭaʻām ) ṣāliḥ lil-akl , wa-lākin lā nastantij min dhālika anna ( al-qalūr aw al-ṣūdiyūm ) ṣāliḥ lil-akl . Wa-īḍāḥ dhālika : huwa annā qad ḥakamnā fī al-mithāl al-awwal bi-al-nuṭq ʻalá al-insān . Fa-kull mā sāgha lanā an nuṭliq ʻalayhi lafẓ insān naḥkum ʻalayhi bi-al-nuṭq tabaʻan li-ḥukminā al-awwal wa-lammā kānat yad al-insān aw rijluhu waḥdahā lā-yuṭlaq ʻalayhā lafẓ insān lam yajuz lanā an naḥkum ʻalayhā bi-mā ḥakamnā bi-hi ʻalayhi . Wa-ka-dhālika al-amr fī ( al-qalūr ) . Fa-innahu matá infaṣala waḥdahu fa-lā yuqāl lahu milḥ al-ṭaʻām wa-li-hādhā lā-yajūz an yuḥkam ʻalayhi bi-mā ḥukima bi-hi ʻalá al-milḥ bi-al-qiyās wa-al-ḥaml bal yanbaghī faḥṣuhu wa-tajribatuhu wa-ammā law raʼaynā qiṭʻah ṣaghīrah min thamarah ṣāliḥah lil-akl fa-innā naḥkum bi-annahā ṣāliḥah lil-akl . Li-annahā bi-ṣighrihā lam takhruj ʻan kawnihā min dhālika al-thamar wa-yajūz iṭlāq ism al-thamar ʻalayhā bi-dūn qayd . Kamā law raʼaynā ḥazzah min burtuqālah fa-innā naqūl al-burtuqāl ṣāliḥ lil-akl wa-hādhihi burtuqāl .

3 — Idhā inḥaṣara waṣf fī jins aw nawʻ aw ṣinf wajaba nafyuhu ʻan ghayrihi wa-dhālika mithl annā naʻlam anna jins al-faras ṣāhil bi-ṭabʻihi wa-baʻda al-taftīsh wa-al-tadqīq wajadnā anna hādhihi al-ṣifah inḥaṣarat fī hādhā al-nawʻ wa-lam tūjad fī ghayrihi fa-naḥkum ḥīnaʼidhin bi-anna al-ḥimār laysa bi-ṣāhil bi-ṭabʻihi wa-lā al-jamal wa-lā al-ṭayr . Wa-ka-dhālika kull man yaʻtaqid annahu lā yaʻlam al-ghayb illā Allāh yaḥkum bi-dūn taraddud anna al-insān lā-yaʻlam al-ghayb lā al-ʻālim wa-lā al-ṣaḥābī wa-lā al-nabī

4 — Mā ḥukima bi-hi ʻalá al-baʻḍ lā yuḥkam bi-hi ʻalá al-kull wa-lā ʻalá fard muʻayyan mā lam yataḥaqqaq annahu min dhālika al-baʻḍ . Mithāl dhālika law qīla lanā anna al-tārīkh yaqūl anna akthar ḥukkām Miṣr kānū ẓālimīn fa-lā yukhawwilunā hādhā al-ḥukm an naqūl kāna kull ḥākim Miṣrī ẓāliman aw an nuʻayyin shakhṣan wa-naqūl mathalan Raʻmasīs al-ḥākim kāna ẓāliman . Mā-lam nataḥaqqaq awwalan : annahu kāna min ḥukkām Miṣr wa-thāniyan annahu kāna min ʻidād al-ẓālimīn

5 — Lā-yuḥkam bi-ḥukm kullī ʻāmm mā-lam tustaqraʼ jamīʻ al-afrād fa-innaka idhā raʼayta khamsīn Hindīyan kulluhum ʻulamāʼ lā-yukhawwiluka hādhā an taqūl jamīʻ ahl al-Hind ʻulamāʼ mā-lam tafḥaṣhum kulluhum wa-illā kāna istiqrāʼuka nāqiṣan wa-ḥukmuka bāṭilan mardūdan wa-law raʼayta Shāmīyan saraqa lā-taḥkum bi-anna jamīʻ al-Shāmīyīn saraqah aw Turkīyan kadhaba fa-lā taḥkum bi-anna al-Atrāk kadhabah wa-mithl hādhā law raʼayta fī kitāb baʻḍ khurāfāt fa-lā taqul anna jamīʻ dhālika al-kitāb khurāfāt aw law taḥaqqaqta anna baʻḍ muʼallifī al-ʻArab qad khalaṭū fī kutubihim fa-lā-taḥkum bi-anna jamīʻ kutub al-ʻArab khalṭ wa-hadhar wa-hādhā lā-yafʻaluhu illā ḍuʻafāʼ al-ʻuqūl .

Wa-li-hādhā lā yuqbal burhān man yastadill ʻalá wujūd al-Bārī bi-dalālat al-athar ʻalá al-muʼaththir idh law suʼila ʻan kayfīyat dhālika la-ajāba bi-annahu raʼá al-safīnah tadull ʻalá al-najjār wa-al-bināʼ ʻalá al-miʻmār wa-lākin law qīla lahu hal istaqraʼta jamīʻ al-mawjūdāt wa-min dhālika hādhihi al-kurah al-arḍīyah wa-al-kawākib qabla ḥukmika hādhā bi-qawlika ( lā-budda li-kull athar min muʼaththir ) ? La-qāla lā ! Wa-mithl dhālika qawluhum lā-budda li-kull ḥādith min muḥdith wa-mā ashbaha dhālika . Wa-lā khafāʼ anna al-tamassuk bi-adillah ka-hādhihi li-ithbāt wujūd al-Bārī mimmā yatruk majālan li-iʻtirāḍ al-muʻtariḍīn wa-yūrith al-shakk fī qulūb al-ḍuʻafāʼ min al-muʻtaqidīn wa-li-hādhā salaka al-muḥaqqiqūn ṭuruqan ukhrá yaʻrifuhā man lahu iṭṭilāʻ ʻalá kutubihim . Wa-bi-munāsabat hādhā al-bāb adhkur mā yurwá min anna imraʼatan raʼat ḥujjat al-Islām al-Imām al-Ghazālī raḍiya Allāh ʻanhu mārran wa-khalfahu jamʻ ʻaẓīm min al-ʻulamāʼ al-aʻlām wa-murīdīhi al-kirām fa-saʼalat ʻanhu fa-qīla lahā annahu al-Imām al-Ghazālī alladhī aqāma alf dalīl ʻalá wujūd al-Bārī taʻālá jalla shaʼnuhu . Fa-qālat: wa-Allāh law-lam yakun ʻindahu alf shakk la-mā aqāma alf dalīl ( ka-annahā turīd bi-anna al-iʻtiqād bi-wujūd al-Bārī aṣlī idh huwa fiṭrī fī al-insān wa-al-inkār yaṭraʼ ʻalá al-dhihn akhīran fa-huwa daʻwá wa-ʻalá al-muddaʻī al-bayyinah )

6 — Idhā ittafaqa wujūd waṣfayn aw akthar fī shayʼ aw ittafaqa wujūd khāṣṣatayn min al-khawāṣṣ aw akthar lahu fa-lā yanbaghī ijtimāʻuhā dāʼiman . Ay lā yuḥkam bi-wujūd al-bawāqī bi-mujarrad wujūd iḥdāhunna mithāl dhālika idhā kunnā naʻlam anna al-ḥadīd aswad wa-ṣulb fa-lā yanbaghī an naqīs ʻalayhi kull mā wajadnāhu aswad wa-naḥkum ʻalayhi bi-al-ṣalābah

7 — Mā kull mustaḥsan wa-maʼlūf bi-ḥaqq wa-lā kull mustaqbaḥ wa-manfūr bi-bāṭil fa-rubba afʻāl tastadʻīhā ṭīb al-muʻāsharah aw al-ḥayāʼ aw riqqat al-ṭabʻ wa-yastaḥsin al-insān ityānahā ʻalá annahu yaʻrif ḥaqq al-maʻrifah annahā ghayr ḥaqq wa-lā ṣawāb wa-ʻalá hādhā mā alifahu al-insān min al-ʻādāt wa-al-akhlāq wa-al-iṣṭilāḥāt wa-al-madhāhib wa-al-niḥal fa-innaka tará kull ḥizb bi-mā ladayhim fariḥūn yuqirrūn mā yaʻtaqidūn wa-yastaḥsinūn mā yafʻalūn wa-yaruddūn mā nāqaḍahu wa-ʻanhu yanfirūn maʻa anna al-ḥaqq fī wāḥid wa-khilāfahu bāṭil wa-in istaḥsanahu ahluhu wa-alifūhu

Wa-ka-dhālika yuqāl ( mā kull ʻamal ṣadara ʻan nīyah ḥasanah ḥasanan ) ḥattá qīla fī al-amthāl ʻadūw ʻāqil khayr min ṣadīq jāhil wa-qāla al-shāʻir :

Faʻala al-jamīla wa-lam yakun min qaṣdihi ٭ fa-qabiltuhu wa-qarantuhu bi-dhunūbihi Wa-la-rubba fiʻlin jāʼanī min fāʻilin ٭ fa-ḥamidtuhu wa-dhamamtu man yaʼtī bi-hi

Wa-qāla ākhar :

Wa-mina al-ʻadāwati mā yanāluka nafʻuhu ٭ wa-mina al-ṣadāqati mā lā yaḍurru wa-yuʼlimu

Wa-qāla al-Maʻarrī :

Lā tashkuranna alladhī yūlīka ʻārifatan ٭ ḥattá yakūna li-mā awlāka muʻtamidā

Wa-qāla al-Rasūl al-Ṣādiq ṣallá Allāh ʻalayhi wa-ālihi fī ḥadīth sharīf dhakarahu sayyidunā al-Imām ʻAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib karrama Allāh wajhahu fī khuṭbah lahu ( inna Allāh yuḥibb al-ʻabd wa-yubghiḍ ʻamalahu wa-yuḥibb al-ʻamal wa-yubghiḍ badanahu )

Wa-ka-dhālika yuqāl mā kull nāfiʻ ḥaqqan wa-lā kull muḍirr bāṭilan : fa-qad yanfaʻ al-kadhib ʻalá al-aṭfāl fī radʻihim ʻammā yaḍurruhum ʻalá annahu bāṭil wa-qad yatawallad ḍarar ʻan al-ṣidq ʻalá annahu ḥaqq wa-qad tanfaʻ baʻḍ al-adyān al-bāṭilah muntaḥilīhā fī tahdhīb akhlāqihim maʻa qiyām al-dalīl ʻalá buṭlānihā

Wa-kadhā yuqāl mā kull nāfiʻ min wajh nāfiʻan min jamīʻ al-wujūh wa-lā kull muḍirr min wajh muḍirran min jamīʻ al-wujūh . Mithl annā naʻlam anna al-sulaymānī samm qātil fa-lā naqūl annahu muḍirr min kull al-wujūh idh annahu nāfiʻ fī mudāwāt al-jurūḥ wa-ghayrihā wa-kamā law waqaʻa kitābīyun fī yad majūs asīran wa-iddaʻá annahu majūsī wa-takhallaṣa bi-kadhibihi . Fa-lā naqūl anna al-kadhib nāfiʻ wa-khulāṣat al-qawl anna al-istiḥsān laysa bi-burhān

8 — Intifāʼ amr ʻan shayʼ lā yūjib intifāʼ amr ākhar lā irtibāṭ lahu bi-al-awwal wa-lā ithbātahu mithl mā idhā qīla lanā Khālid laysa fī Bayrūt . Fa-hādhā al-ḥukm lā-yukhawwilunā an naḥkum bi-annahu laysa ayḍan fī Ḥalab wa-lā an naḥkum bi-annahu fī Baghdād bal yabqá maḥall wujūdihi majhūlan ladaynā wa-alladhī nataʻallamuhu min hādhā al-ḥukm huwa annahu fī baldah ghayr Bayrūt wa-ka-dhālika law qīla lanā lā māl ʻinda Ibrāhīm fa-lā yantij ʻanhu annahu lā-ʻaql lahu wa-lā annahu ʻāqil wa-lā naḥkum bi-annahu lā-ʻilm lahu kamā lā-naḥkum bi-annahu ʻālim . Wa-kathīran mā taḥduth aghlāṭ fī mithl hādhā . Mithl an naqūl li-baʻḍihim fulān lā-yaʻrif al-shiʻr fa-yaqūl idhan lā-yaʻrif shayʼan

9 — Al-alfāẓ wa-al-aḥkām allatī lā irtibāṭ baynahā lā tufīd illā maʻārif munqaṭiʻah wa-lā yantij ʻanhā shayʼ mithl : ʻinab , fistān , jamal . Fa-inna hādhihi al-kalimāt lā irtibāṭ baynahā wa-lā tufīduka illā taṣawwurāt mufradah wa-law jamaʻtahā lan yantij ʻanhā shayʼ wa-ka-qawlika tuwuffiya Arisṭū fī sanat kadhā wa-siʻr al-khubz ʻindanā qirshān fa-inna hātayn al-jumlatayn lā tufīdānika siwá ʻilmayn laysa lil-wāḥid ʻalāqah bi-al-ākhar wa-lā yantij ʻan majmūʻihā anna al-baṭṭīkh aḥmar aw aṣfar wa-lā anna al-Rūs ghalabū fī ḥarbihim maʻa al-Yābān

Wa-ka-dhālika fī kull al-umūr wa-al-aʻmāl fa-innaka law raʼayta sāʻah wa-ʻalá jānibihā hirrah fa-lā shakk bi-annaka lā taḥkum ʻalá anna al-hirrah ṣanaʻatʹhā . Aw law raʼayta jamalan fī khān fa-lā rayb annaka lā taḥkum bi-annahu huwa alladhī handasahu wa-banāhu . Wa-qad yaghrub idrāk hādhā al-irtibāṭ ʻan al-dhihn fa-taḥṣul aghlāṭ kathīrah ʻajībah khuṣūṣan idhā kāna bayna al-amrayn munāsabah juzʼīyah ghayr kāfiyah ka-man yará minṭādan ( bālūn ) wa-ṭayran wa-yaḥkum bi-annahu yajurruhu li-mujarrad kawnihimā ṭāʼirayn . Aw man yará qatīlan madhbūḥan wa-ḥammāran bi-yadihi qaḍīb fa-yaḥkum ʻalayhi bi-dhabḥihi li-mujarrad kawn al-qaḍīb qad yakūn ālah lil-qatl . Wa-aghrab min hādhā man yajʻal mā laysa bi-sabab sababan mithl man yasmaʻ naʻīq ghurāb wa-yará anna jamāʻah min alladhīna marra ʻalayhim iftaraqū fa-yaḥkum bi-anna al-ghurāb mufarriq al-aḥbāb . Fa-inna hādhā law aʻmala fikratahu wa-tarawwá qalīlan la-adraka anna al-ghurāb lā yudīr diffat al-aʻmār wa-lā yatlū kitāb al-ājāl la-ʻalima khaṭaʼahu fī ḥukmihi wa-rajama ʻanhu idh lā rābiṭ bayna naʻīq al-ghurāb wa-iftirāq al-aḥbāb wa-lā yumkin an yakūna huwa al-sabab fī dhālika wa-mā aḥlá aqāla al-shāʻir al-ʻArabī Abū al-Shīṣ :

Mā farraqa al-aḥbāba baʻ ٭ da Allāhi illā al-ibil Wa-al-nāsu yalḥūna ghurā ٭ ba al-bayni lammā jahilū Wa-mā ʻalá ẓahri ghurā ٭ bi al-bayni tuṭwá al-riḥal Wa-lā idhā ṣāḥa ghurā ٭ bun fī al-diyāri irtaḥalū Wa-mā ghurābu al-bayni i ٭ llā nāqatun aw jumal

Wa-kull taṭāyur wa-tafāʼul . Wa-qawluhum al-yawm al-fulānī naḥs wa-al-sāʻah al-fulānīyah saʻd kulluhu min hādhā al-qabīl wa-li-Allāh darr al-qāʼil :

Lā yaʻlamu al-marʼu laylan mā yuṣbiḥuhu ٭ illā kawādhiba mimmā yukhbiru al-fālu Wa-al-fālu wa-al-zajru wa-al-kuhhānu kulluhum ٭ muḍallilūna wa-dūna al-ghaybi aqfālu

Wa-qāla al-Maʻarrī fī mithl hādhā al-maʻná :

Laqad bakkarat fī khuffihā wa-izārihā ٭ li-tasʼala bi-al-amsi al-ḍarīra al-munajjimā Wa-mā ʻindahu ʻilmun fa-yukhbirahā bi-hi ٭ wa-lā huwa min ahli al-ḥijā fa-yurjamā Yaqūlu ghadan aw baʻdahu waqʻa dīmatin ٭ yakūnu ghiyāthan in tajawrada wa-tasjamā Wa-yūhimu juhhāla al-maḥallati annahu ٭ yaẓallu li-asrāri al-ghuyūbi mutarjimā Wa-law saʼalūhu bi-alladhī fawqa ṣadrihi ٭ la-jāʼa bi-mayn aw arama wa-jamjamā Ka-anna saḥāban ʻammahum bi-ḍalālatin ٭ fa-laysa ilá yawmi al-qiyamati munajjimā

Wa-mā akthar dhālika ʻinda juhhāl al-ʻawāmm wa-al-nisāʼ wa-mā akthar mā samiʻnāhu min anna fulānan qaṭaʻa al-shajarah al-fulānīyah fa-iḥtaraqat dāruhu . Wa-tuṣbiḥ tilka al-shajarah walīyah min al-awliyāʼ maʻa iʻtiqādihim bi-anna Allāh lam yattakhidh walīyan min al-ḥaṭab . Wa-mā waqaʻū fī mithl hādhihi al-khuzaʻbalāt illā li-ḍaʻf fī ʻuqūlihim yamnaʻuhum ʻan idrāk al-awwalīyāt al-basīṭah wa-li-mā rasakha fī adhhānihim mimmā taʻallamūhu fī al-ṣighar min al-ʻajāʼiz aw al-khadam aw mimmā qaraʼūhu min al-qiṣaṣ wa-al-ḥikāyāt . Wa-la-qad tasmaʻ baʻḍahum yaqūl anna fulānan kāna mārran bi-qurb al-ḥāʼiṭ al-fulānī wa-huwa sakrān fa-tamaththala lahu shakhṣ arāda an yakhnuqahu fa-tāba fa-lā budda min an yakūna ḍarīḥ walī aw nabī fī dhālika al-ḥāʼiṭ . Wa-law qulta lahu samiʻta bi-annahu wa-huwa ʻalá tilka al-ḥālah dhahaba ilá al-qāḍī wa-shahida ʻalá fulān bi-kadhā wa-kadhā la-ajābaka bi-annahā lā tuqbal shahādatuhu wa-huwa lā yaʻqil ʻalá annahu qad qabila huwa minhu shahādatahu ʻalá wujūd al-nabī fī al-ḥāʼiṭ

Wa-qāla lī marratan shakhṣ innī saʼaltu wālidī wa-huwa fī al-nazʻ mā taqūl fī mā qāla fulān fī kitābihi fa-qāla kull mā fīhi ṣidq wa-li-dhālika anā aʻtaqid bi-ṣidqihi fa-qultu lahu a-raʼayta law awṣá abūka wa-huwa ʻalá tilka al-ḥālah bi-mālihi li-aḥad hal kunta taʻtarif bi-dhālika qāla lā li-annahu lā yaʻqil fa-qultu idhan kayfa qabilta shahādatahu ʻalá ṣidq fulān wa-kitābihi fa-buhita . Wa-mithl dhālika fī al-gharābah qawl man yaqūl al-insān yasīr wa-al-ṭayr yaṭīr fa-Allāh ʻalá kull shayʼ qadīr wa-la-ʻamrī annahu la-ṣadīq lil-dīn jāhil .

Wa-qāla al-Imām al-Ghazālī fī mithl hādhā al-maʻná : law qāla qāʼil arbaʻah akthar min ʻasharah wa-anā ubarhin ʻalá dhālika bi-iḥālat hādhihi al-ʻaṣāh ḥayyatan thumma faʻala la-kuntu dahishtu min ḥīlat al-ʻāmil wa-lākin kuntu abqá ʻalá yaqīnī bi-anna arbaʻah aqall min ʻasharah . Idh lā taʻalluq bayna qalb al-ʻaṣāh ḥayyah wa bayna kawn al-arbaʻah aqall min al-ʻasharah fa-lā yantij hādhā min dhāka

10 — Suqūṭ al-dalīl wa-fasāduhu lā yūjib fasād al-madlūl ʻalayhi wa-lā yuthbit ḍiddahu mithl annahu . Law qāla aḥad ( al-Qusṭanṭīnīyah hiya ʻāṣimat Turkiyā ) wa-al-dalīl ʻalá dhālika kawnuhā ʻalá shāṭiʼ al-baḥr . Fa-fasād dalīlihi wa-huwa ( kull baldah wāqiʻah ʻalá shāṭiʼ al-baḥr hiya ʻāṣimah ) lā yūjib fasād daʻwāhu wa-hiya kawn al-Qusṭanṭīnīyah ʻāṣimat Turkiyā . Wa-lā yuthbit anna Māridīn aw Kīlān hiya al-ʻāṣimah

Fa-li-yantabih ilá dhālika li-anna ḍaʻf al-dalīl yūqiẓ al-shakk wa yūqiʻ al-shubhah fī qalb al-sāmiʻ ʻalá ṣiḥḥat al-daʻwá al-mubarhan ʻalayhā

Maʻa hādhā lā tansá ayḍan anna jahl al-sabab aw al-fāʻil aw al-maṣdar aw al-marjiʻ aw al-jahl bi-al-shayʼ nafsihi lā yuʼayyid ṣiḥḥat al-daʻwá : idh lā yurá askhaf mimman yaqūl anā ʻālim bi-al-ṭibb wa-dalīlī ʻalá dhālika jahluka bi-hi . Aw man yará ḥāʼiṭan hudima wa yaqūl laka anā daʻawtu ʻalayhi fa-hudima wa-dalīlī ʻalá dhālika annaka lā taʻrif li-inhidāmihi sababan ākhar . Aw man yushīr ʻalá shayʼ baʻīd wa yaqūl hādhā maṣnūʻ min ḥadīd wa-in lam tuṣaddiq fa-qul lī mimmā dhā huwa maṣnūʻ . Aw man yaʼtī bi-ʻamal gharīb wa yaqūl hādhihi min karāmātī wa-in lam tuṣaddiq fa-ʼti bi-mithlihā . Fa-jahluka bi-ṣanʻatihi wa-mahāratihi lā yuʼayyid daʻwāhu

Wa-ʻalá hādhā al-namaṭ kull man yaddaʻī ʻilm al-ghayb ka-al-mushaʻwidhīn wa-al-ʻarrāfīn wa-al-munajjimīn wa-qāriʼī al-afkār wa-ghayrihim . Fa-innahum unās maharū fī khidāʻ al-ḥawāss wa-ittakhadhūhā ḥirfah lahum wa-lahum fīhā ʻalāʼim wa-umūr wa-ḥiyal wa-khiffah wa-mahārah yatasallaṭūn bihā ʻalá afkār al-nās wa-laysū siwá aṣḥāb ṣanʻah ka-al-ḥaddādīn wa-al-najjārīn wa-ghayrihim wa-jahlunā bi-ṣanʻatihim lā yuʼayyid daʻwāhum kamā yazʻumūn min annahum muttafiqūn maʻa ʻallām al-ghuyūb wa-annahu huwa alladhī yulhimuhum hādhā al-ʻilm bi-wāsiṭat al-malāʼikah aw al-shayāṭīn ḥasaba al-muqāwalah allatī baynahum wa-baynahu . Fa-inna ṣiḥḥat hādhihi al-daʻwá tatawaqqaf ʻalá qiyām al-dalīl ʻalá ʻiddat umūr wa-lā yatakhaddaʻ bi-karāmātihim hādhihi illā al-busaṭāʼ wa-al-majādhīb wa-min al-nās man yuḥāwil taʻlīl tilka al-khuzaʻbalāt bi-ṭuruq fannīyah ṭawīlah ʻarīḍah kathīran mā yakūn julluhā talfīqan wa-istinbāṭan lā aṣl lahu maʻa anna al-sabab yuḥtamal an yakūna basīṭan jiddan illā annahu lā yaʻlamuhu illā ahl tilka al-ṣanʻah aw man iṭṭalaʻa ʻalá sirrihim wa-ʻalá kull jahlunā bi-hi lā yuʼayyid daʻwāhum . Wa-laysa min al-maʻqūl ayḍan isnād khāṣṣah mā ilá mawjūd ; tathbut lahu tilka al-khāṣṣah bi-al-barāhīn al-qaṭʻīyah al-muqniʻah li-taʻlīl amr ṣadara ʻanhu wa-lam yudrak sababuhu .

11 — Laysa kull mumkin bi-wāqiʻ ; fa-innā nataṣawwar ghurāban dhā arbaʻ arjul , wa-lā yastaḥīl ʻalaynā dhālika , wa-lā nará lahu māniʻan , wa-lākinnā lā naḥkum bi-wujūdihi , li-annā lam nataḥaqqaq dhālika . Wa-nará shakhṣan yushbih fulānan al-ʻālim , fa-naqūl ʻanhu , yumkin an yakūna hādhā ʻāliman , wa-lākinnā lā naḥkum bi-ʻilmihi mā lam nataḥaqqaqhu . Wa-ʻalá mithl hādhā baná arbāb al-firāsah ʻilmahum , wa-li-dhālika lā yanbaghī al-akhdh bi-hi illā min qabīl al-mumkin ; ay ẓannan wa-takhmīnan , lā jazman wa-yaqīnan . Wa-min hādhā al-qabīl , idhā qīla anna Allāh qādir ʻalá an yakhluq jamalan yatakallam bi-al-ʻarabīyah wa-yunshid al-ashʻār , fa-lā yukhawwilunā hādhā an naḥkum bi-wuqūʻ dhālika mā lam nataʼakkadahu

Wa-min al-awwalīyāt al-ṭabīʻīyah , al-maḥsūsāt al-ẓāhirah , idh lā yumkin an nashukk fī wujūd al-ashyāʼ al-mukhtalifah al-wāqiʻah taḥta ḥawāssinā maʻa ṣiḥḥat al-ḥawāss ; illā annahu qad yataṭarraq ʻalayhā al-ghalaṭ bi-ʻawāriḍ wa-asbāb kathīrah . Wa-minhā ayḍan al-mushāhadāt al-bāṭinah . Ka-ʻilm al-insān bi-jūʻ nafsihi , wa-khawfihi , wa-faraḥihi , wa-surūrihi , wa-jamīʻ aḥwālihi al-bāṭinah .

Wa-mimmā yatbaʻ hādhā al-nawʻ ayḍan ( al-mujarrabāt ) wa yuʻabbar ʻanhā bi-iṭṭirād al-ʻādāt ay talāzum al-asbāb wa-al-musabbabāt illā anna al-ʻaql yaḥtāj fī taṣdīq dhālika ilá takrār al-mushāhadah wa-al-khabar al-mutawātir wa-huwa khabar ʻan amr maḥsūs nuqila ʻan qawm bālaghū fī al-kathrah ilá ḥadd lā yujawwiz al-ʻaql tawāfuqahum ʻalá al-kadhib . Wa-al-mukhbirūn in akhbarū ʻan ʻiyān bi-an kānū ṭabaqah wāḥidah faqaṭ fa-al-amr ẓāhir wa-in taʻaddadat al-ṭabaqāt ushturiṭa mithl hādhā al-jamʻ fī kull ṭabaqah . Wa-in ikhtalla sharṭ min shurūṭ al-tawātur ka-an yakūna al-khabar min ghayr maḥsūs aw yakūna ʻan maḥsūs lākin al-mukhbirūn lam yablughū ʻadad al-tawātur fī al-ṭabaqah al-ūlá aw balaghūhā lākin inqaṭaʻa fī aḥad al-ṭabaqāt allatī baʻdahā lam yusamma al-khabar mutawātiran

Wa-lā sabīl ilá ḥaṣr ḥuṣūl al-yaqīn fī ʻadad muʻayyan fa-inna qawl al-wāḥid yuḥarrik al-ẓann wa-al-thānī wa-al-thālith yuʼakkiduhu wa-lā yazāl taʼkīduhu yatazāyad bi-tazāyud al-mukhbirīn ilá an yaṣīr ḍarūrīyan lā yumkin an tushakkik anfusanā fīhi wa-qūwat al-iʻtiqād tatazāyad tazāyudan khafīyan an tanqalib ilá al-yaqīn min ḥaythu lā tashʻur al-nafs

Wa-akhbār al-tawārīkh wa-ʻilm al-jughrāfiyā kulluhā min hādhā al-qabīl

Wa-al-awwalīyāt kathīrah lā ḥaṣr lahā , akhadha kull ʻilm minhā naṣībahu , fa-yudras qabla al-khawḍ fī dhālika al-ʻilm ; wa-tusammá mutaʻārafāt , awwalīyāt , aw badīhīyāt dhālika al-ʻilm . Wa-ʻalayhā yastanid wa-ilayhā yarjiʻ fī jamīʻ barāhīnihi wa-dalāʼilihi ; kamā raʼayta fī awwal kutub al-handasah wa-ghayrihā . Wa-qad dhakartu laka hunā al-ahamm mimmā yaqaʻ fī akthar al-muḥāwarāt . Wa-al-mujādalāt al-yawmīyah li-yantabih ilayhā fa-inna al-aghālīṭ kullahā innamā thārat min ihmāl al-jalīyāt wa-al-tasāmuḥ fīhā aw al-dhuhūl ʻanhā .

Wa-lil-wahm fī taghlīṭinā aʻmāl qawīyah ; wa-ka-dhālika al-muṣṭalaḥāt wa-mā talaqqaynāhu bi-al-irshād wa-al-tahdhīb min al-ṣibá . Wa-mā iʻtadnāhu bi-al-muʻāsharah wa-al-mukhālaṭah ; fa-yanbaghī li-man arāda an yumayyiz al-ḥaqq ʻan al-bāṭil an yujarrid nafsahu ʻan kull dhālika qabla al-naẓar fī al-amr