1 . أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الطَّالَقَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ الْهَاشِمِيَّ الْخُرَاسَانِيَّ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾[1]، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَا تَخْلُو مِنْ خَلِيفَةٍ اللَّهُ جَاعِلُهُ، وَلَوْ خَلَتْ لَسَاخَتْ بِأَهْلِهَا، وَمَنْ مَاتَ وَلَمْ يَعْرِفْ هَذَا الْخَلِيفَةَ فَقَدْ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً، ثُمَّ سَكَتَ سَاعَةً حَتَّى أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ، فَقَالَ: لَا يَزَالُ اللَّهُ يَجْعَلُ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً مُنْذُ قَالَهُ، وَلَوْ قَالَ: «إِنِّي أَجْعَلُ» لَكَانَ مِنْهُ جَعْلٌ وَاحِدٌ، وَلَكِنَّهُ قَالَ: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ﴾، وَالْجَاعِلُ مَنْ يَسْتَمِرُّ مِنْهُ الْجَعْلُ، وَكُلُّ خَلِيفَةٍ لِلَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَهْدِيٌّ إِلَى مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ فِيهَا لِيَضَعَهُ حَيْثُ يَشَاءُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَهْتَدِ إِلَى مَهْدِيِّ زَمَانِهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا.
Translation of the saying:
Ahmad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Talaqani informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “Indeed, I am the Appointer of a caliph on the Earth.” So he said: “Indeed, Earth is not empty of a caliph whom Allah is the Appointer of, and if it becomes empty of such a caliph, it swallows its inhabitants. And whoever dies without knowing this caliph has died a death of (the time of) ignorance!” Then he fell silent for a moment until I intended to leave him. Then he continued: “Allah, since the time He said that, has always appointed a caliph on Earth, and if He had said: ‘I appoint,’ it could have been one appointment, but He has said: ‘I am the Appointer,’ and the appointer is one by whom the appointment continues. And every caliph of Allah on Earth has been guided to what Allah has created on it to put it in a place where Allah wills. And whoever does not find a way to the Mahdi (the guided one) of his time has indeed gone far astray.”
2 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَلْخِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلَ الْمَنْصُورَ رَجُلٌ وَأَنَا حَاضِرٌ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾، فَقَالَ: لَا يَزَالُ اللَّهُ جَاعِلًا فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً مُنْذُ وَعَدَهُ، إِمَّا ظَاهِرًا مَشْهُورًا وَإِمَّا خَائِفًا مَغْمُورًا، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ، قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: إِنَّهُمْ قَدْ جَعَلُوا فِي الْعِرَاقِ خَلِيفَةً وَلَا يَرَوْنَ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ الْخَلِيفَةُ! قَالَ: كَذَبُوا أَعْدَاءُ اللَّهِ، مَا قَالَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ: «إِنَّكُمْ جَاعِلُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً»، وَلَكِنْ قَالَ: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ﴾، فَلَوْ جَعَلُوا فِيهَا خَلِيفَةً دُونَ الْخَلِيفَةِ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ فِيهَا لَكَانُوا بِذَلِكَ مُشْرِكِينَ، قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: وَمَنْ هَذَا الْخَلِيفَةُ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ فِيهَا؟ قَالَ: رَجُلٌ مِنْ وُلْدِ فَاطِمَةَ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْمَهْدِيُّ.
Translation of the saying:
Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Balkhi informed us, he said: While I was there, a man asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “Indeed, I am the Appointer of a caliph on the Earth.” So he said: “Allah, since the time He made the promise, has always appointed a caliph on Earth, whether he has been visibly present and famous or frightened and hidden. And indeed, Allah does not break His promise.” The man said: “People in Iraq have appointed a caliph and believe nothing but that he is the caliph[2]!” He said: “The enemies of Allah are lying! Allah did not say to them, ‘You are appointers of a caliph on Earth,’ but rather He said: ‘I am the Appointer.’ So if they appoint a caliph on it other than the caliph whom Allah has appointed on it, they will indeed become polytheists by doing so.” The man said: “Who is this caliph whom Allah has appointed on it?” He said: “A man from the descendants of Fatimah, who is called the Mahdi.”[3]
3 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ دَاوُودَ الْفَيْضآبَادِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: ﴿سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنْ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولًا﴾[4]، وَعَدَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً، قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يُنْكِرُونَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِلَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةٌ، قَالَ: إِنَّهُ فِيهَا وَإِنْ أَنْكَرَهُ مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنِّي نُبِّئْتُ أَنَّهُمْ جَعَلُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ، قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، وَسَفَكُوا لَهُ الدِّمَاءَ، قَالَ: هُوَ خَلِيفَةُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا، وَخَلِيفَةُ اللَّهِ هُوَ الْمَهْدِيُّ.
Translation of the saying:
Ali ibn Dawud al-Fayzabadi informed us, he said: I heard Mansoor say: “‘Glory be to our Lord. Undoubtedly, our Lord’s promise was fulfilled.’ He promised to appoint a caliph on Earth.” I said: “They deny that there is a caliph for Allah on Earth.” He said: “He is on it, even if all those on Earth deny him.” Then he said: “I have been informed that they have appointed a caliph on Earth from among the people of Iraq[5].” I said: “Yes, and they shed blood for him.” He said: “He is the caliph of those who committed oppression, and the caliph of Allah is indeed the Mahdi.”
4 . أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الْجُوزَجَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ﴾، فَقَالَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ: ﴿إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾، قَالَ: لَا يَكُونُ مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ خَلِيفَةً، وَلَكِنَّ الْخَلِيفَةَ مَنْ يَعْدِلُ، فَمَكَثَ هُنَيَّةً ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ الْبَغْدَادِيَّ يُفْسِدُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ.
Translation of the saying:
Isa ibn Abd al-Hamid al-Jowzajani informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of the angels when Allah said to them: “‘Indeed, I am the Appointer of a caliph on the Earth.’ They said: ‘Do You appoint on it one who causes corruption and sheds blood on it?’” Then Allah said to them: “I know what you do not know.” Mansoor said: “One who causes corruption and sheds blood on Earth is not a caliph. Rather, the caliph is one who practices justice.” Then he fell silent for a moment and then said: “Indeed, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi causes corruption and sheds blood on Earth.”
5 . أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْهَرَوِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾، فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا أَرَادَ بِالْخَلِيفَةِ آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ، قَالَ: كَذَبُوا، فَمَنِ الْقَائِلُ لِدَاوُودَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: ﴿إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَى﴾[6]؟! قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: كَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْأُمَمِ السَّابِقَةِ، وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ فِي هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ خَلِيفَةً كَآدَمَ وَدَاوُودَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ، قَالَ: كَذَبُوا، فَمَنِ الْقَائِلُ لِهَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ: ﴿وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾[7]؟! قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا أَرَادَ الَّذِينَ مَلَكُوا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، كَبَنِي أُمَيَّةَ وَبَنِي عَبَّاسٍ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ، قَالَ: كَذَبُوا، فَهَلْ مَلَكَ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا كُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ؟! إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَ أَنْ يَسْتَخْلِفَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْهُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ، فَمَنْ أَشْرَكَ فِي إِيمَانِهِ أَوْ عَمِلَ غَيْرَ صَالِحٍ فَلَيْسَ مِمَّنِ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ اللَّهُ وَإِنْ مَلَكَ وَتَسَمَّى بِخَلِيفَةٍ! قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يَسْتَخْلِفُهُمْ بِتَغَلُّبٍ أَوِ اخْتِيَارٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَلِّ وَالْعَقْدِ، قَالَ: كَذَبُوا، بَلْ يَسْتَخْلِفُهُمْ ﴿كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾ أَمْثَالَ آدَمَ وَدَاوُودَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ، وَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَهُمْ بِتَغَلُّبٍ وَلَا اخْتِيَارٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَلِّ وَالْعَقْدِ، وَلَكِنِ اسْتَخْلَفَهُمْ بِوَحْيٍ مِنْهُ، كَمَا أَوْحَى: ﴿يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ﴾، ﴿وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا﴾[8]، فَأَخَذَنِي الْبُكَاءُ، فَقَالَ: مَا يُبْكِيكَ؟! قُلْتُ: عِلْمُكَ بِالْكِتَابِ وَجَهْلُهُمْ بِكَ، قَالَ: لَا يُبْكِيَنَّكَ ذَلِكَ، فَمَنْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُعَلِّمَهُ الْكِتَابَ لَأَعْلَمَهُ بِي، وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي مَغَارَةٍ!
Translation of the saying:
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Harawi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty, where He has said: “Indeed, I am the Appointer of a caliph on the Earth.” Then I said: “They say that by ‘caliph,’ He meant only Adam 
, and that He has not appointed any caliph on Earth after him.” He said: “They are lying. Then who has said to Dawud : ‘We appointed you as a caliph on the Earth, so Judge rightly among people and do not follow your desires’?!” I said: “They say that it was in past nations, and that He has not appointed a caliph like Adam and Dawud 
in this nation.” He said: “They are lying. Then who has said to this nation: ‘Allah has promised those among you who believed and did righteous deeds that He will surely appoint them as caliphs on the Earth, just as He appointed those before them as caliphs’?!” I said: “They say that He meant those Muslims who attained power, such as the Umayyads, the Abbasids, and those who came after them.” He said: “They are lying. Did any other than rebellious tyrants from among them attain power?! Indeed, Allah has promised to appoint those among them as caliphs who believed and did righteous deeds. So whoever has become a polytheist in his faith or has done an unrighteous deed is not among those whom Allah has appointed as caliphs, even if he attains power and is called a caliph.” I said: “They say that He appoints them as caliphs through seizing power or the selection of the Ahl al-Hall wal-Aqd[9].” He said: “They are lying. Rather, He appoints them as caliphs ‘just as He appointed those before them as caliphs,’ people such as Adam and Dawud . And He did not appoint them as caliphs through seizing power or the selection of the Ahl al-Hall wal-Aqd; rather, He appointed them as caliphs through a revelation from Himself; as He revealed: ‘O Dawud! We appointed you as a caliph on the Earth,’ ‘and their Prophet said to them: Allah has appointed Talut as a ruler for you.’” At that moment, I began to cry. So he said: “What has made you cry?!” I said: “Your knowledge of the Book and their ignorance of you.” He said: “That should not make you cry; because whoever Allah wills to teach the Book, He makes him knowledgeable of me, even if he is in a cave!”
6 . أَخْبَرَنَا ذَاكِرُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ، قَالَ: سَمِعَ الْمَنْصُورُ قَارِئًا يَقْرَأُ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَى﴾، فَرَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ فَقَالَ: اسْمَعُوا! اسْمَعُوا! إِنَّمَا خَلِيفَةُ اللَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَنْ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَتَّبِعُ الْهَوَى، فَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُمُ الَّذِينَ يَتَكَلَّفُونَ الْخِلَافَةَ وَهُمْ ظَالِمُونَ! ثُمَّ هَمَسَ فَقَالَ: إِنَّ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةَ لَا تَعْدِمُ خَلِيفَةً مِثْلَ دَاوُودَ، فَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾، وَقَدِ اسْتَخْلَفَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ دَاوُودَ!
Translation of the saying:
Zakir ibn Ma‘roof al-Khorasani informed us, he said: Mansoor heard a reciter reciting this statement of Allah Almighty: “O Dawud! We appointed you as a caliph on the Earth, so Judge justly among people and do not follow your desires.” He then raised his voice and said: “Listen! Listen! The caliph of Allah on Earth is only one who judges justly among people and does not follow his own desires. So do not let those who claim caliphate while they are unjust deceive you!” Then he lowered his voice and said: “Indeed, this nation is never without a caliph like Dawud; because Allah has said: ‘Just as He appointed those before them as caliphs,’ and He appointed Dawud as a caliph before them.”
7 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ السَّلَامِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْقَيُّومِ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِلْمَنْصُورِ: إِنَّ لِي جَارًا عَلَّامَةً قَدْ حَفِظَ أَلْفَ حَدِيثٍ بِإِسْنَادِهِ، وَلَا تَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى إِلَّا وَيُخْبِرُكَ بِهِ، وَيَعْلَمُ الْفِقْهَ وَاللُّغَةَ وَالتَّفْسِيرَ! فَقَالَ: أَيَعْلَمُ أَنَّ لِلَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: فَإِنَّهُ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ!
Translation of the saying:
Abd al-Salam ibn Abd al-Qayyum informed us, he said: I said to Mansoor: “I have a very learned neighbor who has memorized a thousand hadiths with their chains of narrators. And you do not ask him about anything from the Book of Allah Almighty unless he answers. And he is also familiar with jurisprudence, language, and exegesis!” He then said: “Does he know that there is a caliph on Earth for Allah?” I said: “No.” He said: “Then he is one of the ignorant!”
8 . أَخْبَرَنَا هَاشِمُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْخُجَنْدِيُّ، قَالَ: كُنْتُ جَالِسًا عِنْدَ الْمَنْصُورِ، فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيَّ وَقَالَ: يَا هَاشِمُ! أَلَا تَرَى إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ الضَّالِّينَ الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يُبَيِّنِ الْخِلَافَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ؟! أَتَرَاهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ أَمْ يَتَجَاهَلُونَ؟! قُلْتُ: لَا أَدْرِي جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، لَعَلَّهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ، قَالَ: وَيْلَهُمْ، كَيْفَ يَجْهَلُونَ؟! وَقَدْ يَقْرَؤُونَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ قَوْلَهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾، أَيُرِيدُونَ قَوْلًا أَبْيَنَ مِنْ هَذَا؟! أَمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ أَخْلَفَ وَعْدَهُ فَلَمْ يَسْتَخْلِفْ فِيهِمْ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ فِي الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ؟! قُلْتُ: وَمَنِ اسْتَخْلَفَ فِي الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ؟ قَالَ: دَاوُودَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، أَلَا يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي الْقُرْآنِ إِذْ يَقُولُ: ﴿يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ﴾؟! فَاسْتَخْلَفَهُ وَأَمْثَالَهُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ، قُلْتُ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، إِنَّهُمْ أَضَلُّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، إِنَّهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدِ اسْتَخْلَفَ فِيهِمْ كُلَّ مَنْ بَايَعُوهُ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالْخِلَافَةِ! قَالَ: وَيْلَهُمْ، وَهَلْ بَايَعُوا بَعْدَ الْحَسَنِ إِلَّا كُلَّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ؟! إِنَّمَا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَسْتَخْلِفَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْهُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ، وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَعِدَهُمْ خَيْرًا ثُمَّ يُعْطِيَهُمْ شَرًّا، بَلْ يُنْجِزُ وَعْدَهُ وَيَسْتَخْلِفُ فِي كُلِّ قَرْنٍ رَجُلًا مِثْلَ دَاوُودَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَهُوَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَعَمَلًا لِلصَّالِحَاتِ، فَهَلْ يَعْرِفُونَهُ لِيَخْتَارُوهُ؟! كَلَّا، بَلِ اللَّهُ يَعْرِفُهُ وَيَخْتَارُهُ، ﴿وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ﴾[10].
Translation of the saying:
Hashim ibn Ubaid al-Khujandi informed us, he said: I was sitting in Mansoor’s presence. Then he turned toward me and said: “O Hashim! Do you not see these misguided people who think that Allah has not explained caliphate in the Quran?! In your opinion, do they not know, or are they pretending to be ignorant?!” I said: “I do not know, may I be sacrificed for you. Perhaps they do not know.” He said: “Woe to them. How do they not know?! While they read the statement of Allah in the Quran, where He has said: ‘Allah has promised those among you who believed and did righteous deeds that He will surely appoint them as caliphs on the Earth, just as He appointed those before them as caliphs.’ Do they want a statement clearer than this?! Or do they think that He has broken His promise, so He has not appointed anyone among them as a caliph just as He appointed among those before them?!” I said: “Whom did He appoint as a caliph among those before them?” He said: “Dawud . Do they not find him written in the Quran, where He says: ‘O Dawud! We appointed you as a caliph on the Earth’?! So He appointed him and others like him, from among the Prophets and the righteous, as caliphs.” I said: “May I be sacrificed for you, they are even more misguided than this! They think that Allah has appointed anyone among them as a caliph to whom they pledged allegiance as a caliph after the Messenger of Allah 
!” He said: “Woe to them. Did they pledge allegiance to anyone other than rebellious tyrants after Hasan[11]?! Indeed, Allah promised to appoint those among them as caliphs who believed and did righteous deeds. And Allah is not one to promise them good and then gives them evil; rather, He fulfills His promise. and He appoints a man like Dawud as a caliph in every generation, and he is one whose faith and righteous deeds are greater than all of them. So do they know him to choose him?! Never! Rather, Allah knows and chooses him, ‘but most of them do not know.’”
9 . أَخْبَرَنَا وَلِيدُ بْنُ مَحْمُودٍ السِّجِسْتَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعَ الْمَنْصُورُ قَارِئًا يَقْرَأُ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ﴾[12]، فَقَالَ: يَقْرَؤُونَ الْقُرْآنَ وَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَهُ، كَأَنَّهُمْ بَبَّغَاوَاتٌ نَاطِقَةٌ! أَنَّى لَهُمْ أَنْ يُقِيمُوا الدِّينَ كُلَّهُ وَلَا يَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ إِلَّا إِذَا كَانَ لَهُمْ إِمَامٌ وَاحِدٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ يُعَلِّمُهُمْ كُلَّهُ وَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِيمَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ؟! قُلْتُ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ أَنَّ الْقُرْآنَ وَالسُّنَّةَ يَكْفِيَانِهِمْ لِذَلِكَ، وَلَا حَاجَةَ لَهُمْ إِلَى مِثْلِ هَذَا الْإِمَامِ، قَالَ: وَيْلَهُمْ، أَلَيْسَ فِيهِمُ الْقُرْآنُ وَالسُّنَّةُ مُنْذُ أَرْبَعَةِ عَشَرَ قَرْنًا يَخُوضُونَ فِيهِمَا لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا؟! فَمَا لَهُمْ لَا يُقِيمُونَ الدِّينَ كُلَّهُ وَهُمْ فِيهِ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ؟! فَهَلْ يَفْقِدُونَ إِلَّا إِمَامًا وَاحِدًا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ يُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْقُرْآنَ وَالسُّنَّةَ كُلَّهُمَا وَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِيمَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ؟! وَيْلَهُمْ، كَيْفَ يَقُولُونَ أَنَّ الْقُرْآنَ وَالسُّنَّةَ كَافِيَانِ لِإِقَامَةِ الدِّينِ؟! وَمَا الدِّينُ إِلَّا الْقُرْآنُ وَالسُّنَّةُ، وَكَيْفَ يَقُولُونَ أَنَّهُمَا كَافِيَانِ لِرَفْعِ الْخِلَافِ؟! وَمَا الْخِلَافُ إِلَّا فِيهِمَا! ﴿أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾[13]؟! ﴿بَلْ قَالُوا مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ الْأَوَّلُونَ﴾[14]، وَمَا كَانَ حُجَّتَهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ قَالُوا: ﴿إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ مُهْتَدُونَ﴾[15]! كَلَّا، بَلْ لَا يَزَالُونَ يُضَيِّعُونَ الدِّينَ وَيَتَفَرَّقُونَ فِيهِ حَتَّى يَجْتَمِعُوا عَلَى إِمَامٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ يُعَلِّمُهُمْ وَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ، كَمَا اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذْ كَانَ فِيهِمْ.
Translation of the saying:
Walid ibn Mahmoud al-Sajistani informed us, he said: Mansoor heard a reciter reciting this statement of Allah Almighty: “That you establish the religion and do not become divided concerning it.” So he said: “They recite the Quran but do not reflect on it, as if they are talking parrots! How can they establish the entire religion and not become divided concerning it, except when there is a single Imam from Allah for them, who teaches them the entire religion and judges among them concerning what they disagree on?!” I said: “May I be sacrificed for you, they say the Quran and the Sunnah suffice them for this purpose, and they do not need such an Imam.” He said: “Woe to them! Has it not been fourteen hundred years that the Quran and the Sunnah have been among them, and they delve into them day and night?! So why do they not establish the entire religion, and why are they divided concerning it?! Do they not find anything other than an Imam from Allah that teaches them the entire Quran and the Sunnah and judges among them concerning what they disagree on?! Woe to them! How can they say the Quran and the Sunnah suffice them to establish the religion?! While the religion is nothing but the Quran and the Sunnah. And how can they say these two are sufficient to resolve discord?! While discord is about nothing but those two themselves! ‘So do they not use the intellect’?! ‘Rather, they say something like what their predecessors said,’ and their proof is nothing but to say: ‘We have found our forefathers upon a religion, and we have been guided by following them!’ It is not so. Rather, they will always waste the religion and become divided concerning it until they gather around a single Imam from Allah who teaches them and judges among them, just as they gathered around the Prophet when he was among them.”
10 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ حَبِيبٍ الطَّبَرِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ حَبْلِ اللَّهِ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا﴾[16]، فَقَالَ: مَا يَقُولُ هَؤُلَاءُ؟ قُلْتُ: يَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ الْقُرْآنُ، فَقَالَ: الْقُرْآنُ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ، وَكَانَ حَبْلُهُ النَّبِيَّ، أَلَا تَرَى أَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَتَفَرَّقُوا مَا دَامَ النَّبِيُّ فِيهِمْ، فَلَمَّا مَاتَ تَفَرَّقُوا وَالْقُرْآنُ فِيهِمْ؟! فَكَانَ حَبْلُ اللَّهِ النَّبِيَّ مَا دَامَ فِيهِمْ، فَلَمَّا مَاتَ كَانَ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ يُبَيِّنُ لَهُمْ سُنَّتَهُ كَامِلَةً، وَلَا يَزَالُ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنَّ حَبْلَ اللَّهِ خَلِيفَتُهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ، فَإِنِ اعْتَصَمْتُمْ بِهِ لَنْ تَتَفَرَّقُوا، وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا لَنْ تَجْتَمِعُوا! أَلَا وَاللَّهِ قَدْ بَيَّنْتُ لَكُمْ بَيَانًا شَافِيًا، فَلَا تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَذَا غَافِلِينَ!
Translation of the saying:
Abdullah ibn Habib al-Tabari informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the rope of Allah in His statement, where He has said: “Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.” So he said: “What do they say?” I said: “They say it is the Quran.” So he said: “The Quran is the Book of Allah, and the rope of Allah is the Prophet. Do you not see that they did not become divided as long as the Prophet was among them, but when he passed away, they became divided while the Quran was among them?! So the rope of Allah was the Prophet as long as he was among them. Then, when he passed away, it was a man from his Ahl al-Bayt who taught his Sunnah to them perfectly. And it will always be the same until the Day of Judgment arrives.” He then said: “Indeed, the rope of Allah is His caliph on Earth. So if you hold firmly to him, you will never become divided, and if you do not, you will never be united! Know that, by Allah, I clarified to you with a healing statement, so do not say on the Day of Judgment, ‘We were unaware of this!’”
11 . أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْبَارِئِ الْقَنْدَهَارِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ أَيْنَ مَا ثُقِفُوا إِلَّا بِحَبْلٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ﴾[17]، فَقَالَ: الْحَبْلُ مِنَ اللَّهِ كِتَابُهُ وَالْحَبْلُ مِنَ النَّاسِ خَلِيفَتُهُ، قُلْتُ: أَمَّا كِتَابُهُ فَقَدْ عَرَفْتُهُ، وَلَكِنْ مَنْ خَلِيفَتُهُ؟ قَالَ: هُوَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ يُبَيِّنُ لِلنَّاسِ كِتَابَهُ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ، أَلَمْ تَسْمَعْ قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ إِنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدِي، أَحَدُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْآخَرِ: كِتَابُ اللَّهِ حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَعِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي، وَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ»؟! قُلْتُ: هَذَا وَاللَّهِ لَقَوْلٌ قَوِيٌّ، وَلَكِنَّ الْمُفَسِّرِينَ لَا يَقُولُونَ بِهَذَا! قَالَ: أَفَتَعْبُدُ الْمُفَسِّرِينَ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: فَإِلَيْهِمْ تُحْشَرُ فَيُعَذِّبُونَكَ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: فَيُغْنُونَ عَنْكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: فَقُلْ بِالْحَقِّ وَدَعْ أَقْوَالَ الْمُفَسِّرِينَ!
Translation of the saying:
Abu Bakr ibn Abd al-Bari al-Qandahari informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “They are struck by ignominy wherever they are found, except with a rope from Allah and a rope from people.” So he said: “A rope from Allah is His Book, and a rope from people is His caliph.” I said: “I know His Book. But who is His caliph?” He said: “He is a man from the Ahl al-Bayt who explains His Book to people until the Day of Judgment arrives. Have you not heard the statement of the Messenger of Allah who said: ‘I leave among you two weighty treasures. If you hold firmly to them, you will never go astray after me. One of them is greater than the other: the Book of Allah, which is a rope stretched from the heavens to the Earth, and my Itrah, (who are) my Ahl al-Bayt. And these two will never be separated until they come to me by the Pond’[18]?!” I said: “By Allah, this is a strong statement, but those who interpret (the Quran) do not say like this.” He said: “Do you worship interpreters?” I said: “No.” He said: “Then will you be gathered toward them, and will they punish you?” I said: “No.” He said: “Then will they bear any of Allah’s punishment on your behalf?” I said: “No.” He said: “Then accept the truth and leave the words of interpreters.”
12 . أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْهَرَوِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿لِكُلِّ قَوْمٍ هَادٍ﴾[19]، فَقَالَ: مَا أَبْيَنَ ذَلِكَ! لَا يَخْلُو قَوْمٌ مِمَّنْ يَهْدِيهِمْ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ، قُلْتُ: وَمَا الْقَوْمُ؟ قَالَ: الْقَرْنُ -يَعْنِي أَهْلَ زَمَانٍ وَاحِدٍ.
Translation of the saying:
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Harawi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty, where He says: “There is a guide for every people.” So, he said: “How obvious it is! No people are empty of one who guides them by the command of Allah.” I said: “What does ‘people’ refer to?” He said: “Qarn—that is, generation; people of the same time.”
13 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَلْخِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَمِمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ﴾[20]، فَقَالَ: هُمْ أَئِمَّةُ الْهُدَى وَالْعَدْلِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: لَا يَزَالُ فِي الْخَلْقِ رَجُلٌ يَهْدِي بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُ، إِنْ يُطِيعُوهُ يُفْلِحُوا، وَإِنْ يَعْصُوهُ يَهْلِكُوا! وَاللَّهِ إِنَّ هَذَا لَبَيِّنٌ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ!
Translation of the saying:
Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Balkhi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty, where He says: “And among those We have created, there are some who guide with the truth and establish justice with it.” So, he said: “They are the Imams of guidance and justice.” Then he said: “There is always a man among people who guides with the truth and establishes justice with it. If they obey him, they will succeed, and if they disobey him, they will be doomed. By Allah, this is quite clear, but most of them do not know.”
14 . أَخْبَرَنَا جُبَيْرُ بْنُ عَطَاءٍ الْخُجَنْدِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ﴾[21]، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَا تَخْلُو مِنْ صَادِقٍ مَفْرُوضٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْ يَكُونُوا مَعَهُ، لَا يَتَقَدَّمُوا عَلَيْهِ وَلَا يَتَأَخَّرُوا، فَمَنْ مَاتَ وَلَيْسَ مَعَ صَادِقِ زَمَانِهِ فَقَدْ مَاتَ عَاصِيًا لِرَبِّهِ، وَهَذَا مَقْصُودُ أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ إِذْ يَقُولُونَ: رَبَّنَا ﴿وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الْأَبْرَارِ﴾[22]!
Translation of the saying:
Jubayr ibn Ata’ al-Khujandi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “O you who believed! Fear Allah and be with the truthful.” So, he said: “The Earth is never devoid of a truthful person whom believers must be with, neither going ahead of him nor falling behind him. So, whoever dies while not being with the truthful person of his time has died in disobedience to his Lord, and this is what the wise mean, when they say: O Lord! ‘Make us die in the company of the righteous!’”
15 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الدَّامْغَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ: ﴿وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الْأَبْرَارِ﴾، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الزَّمَانَ لَا يَخْلُو مِنْ إِمَامِ بِرٍّ مَنْ تُوُفِّيَ مَعَهُ فَقَدْ أَفْلَحَ، فَلَازِمُوا إِمَامَ الْبِرِّ فِي زَمَانِكُمْ تُفْلِحُوا! قُلْتُ: وَمَنْ إِمَامُ الْبِرِّ فِي زَمَانِنَا؟ قَالَ: رَجُلٌ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْمَهْدِيُّ، قُلْتُ: كَيْفَ نُلَازِمُهُ وَلَا نَعْرِفُهُ؟! قَالَ: إِذَا أَحَسَّ مِنْكُمُ الْمُلَازَمَةَ عَرَّفَكُمْ نَفْسَهُ، كَمَا غَابَ عَنْكُمْ إِذْ أَحَسَّ مِنْكُمُ الْمُفَارَقَةَ!
Translation of the saying:
Ali ibn Isma‘il al-Damghani informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of the wise, who say: “And make us die in the company of the righteous.” So, he said: “No time is empty of a righteous Imam, with whom whoever dies is saved. So be companions of the righteous Imam in your time to be saved!” I said: “Who is the righteous Imam in our time?” He said: “A man from the family of Muhammad , whom they call the Mahdi.” I said: “How can we be his companions when we do not know him?!” He said: “Whenever he feels companionship in you, he will make himself known to you, just as when he felt separation in you, he hid from you!”
16 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الشَّكُورِ بْنُ زُلْمَيَ الْوَرْدَكِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿فَاسْأَلْ بِهِ خَبِيرًا﴾[23]، فَقَالَ: فَاسْأَلْ خَبِيرًا بِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنَّ فِي النَّاسِ رَجُلًا خَبِيرًا بِاللَّهِ كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يَسْأَلُوهُ لِيُخْبِرَهُمْ عَنِ اللَّهِ، فَمَنْ مَاتَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَمْ يَعْرِفِ الرَّجُلَ فَقَدْ مَاتَ فِي جَهْلٍ وَضَلَالٍ، قُلْتُ: أَنَّى لَهُمْ أَنْ يَعْرِفُوهُ؟! قَالَ: لَوْ تَمَسَّكُوا بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ عَرَفُوهُ مِنْ خُلَفَائِهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيْهِمْ، لَكِنَّهُمْ أَعْرَضُوا، فَـ﴿طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ ۖ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ﴾[24].
Translation of the saying:
Abd al-Shakur ibn Zulmai al-Wardaki informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty, where He has said: “Ask one well-aware of Him.” So, he said: “(It means) ask someone who is well-aware of Him.’” Then he said: “Indeed, there exists among people a man who is well-aware of Allah. It is obligatory for them to ask him so that he informs them about Allah. So, whoever among them dies without knowing this man has died in ignorance and misguidance.” I said: “How can they know him?!” He said: “If they had held firmly to the Book of Allah and to one of His caliphs on Earth whom they knew, it would not have remained hidden from them. But they turned away, so ‘Allah sealed their hearts, ears, and eyes, and they are the heedless ones.’”
17 . أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو إِبْرَاهِيمَ السَّمَرْقَنْدِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي الْكِتَابِ شَيْئًا لَا يَسَعُ النَّاسَ الْقِيَامُ بِهِ، وَقَدْ أَنْزَلَ فِيهِ: ﴿فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾[25]، فَلَا يَخْلُو زَمَانٌ مِنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الذِّكْرِ يَسْأَلُهُ النَّاسُ عَمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ فَيُجِيبُهُمْ بِالصَّوَابِ، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتَ لِهَؤُلَاءِ الْجُهَّالِ: اعْرِفُوا هَذَا الرَّجُلَ وَاسْأَلُوهُ لَيَقُولُنَّ: «إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلَّا مُبْتَدِعُونَ»! قُلْتُ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ أَنَّ الْعُلَمَاءَ كُلَّهُمْ أَهْلُ الذِّكْرِ، فَقَالَ: أَكُلُّهُمْ يُصِيبُونَ فِي الْجَوَابِ إِذَا سُئِلُوا؟! قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: لَا يَأْمُرُ اللَّهُ بِسُؤَالِ قَوْمٍ قَدْ لَا يُصِيبُونَ فِي الْجَوَابِ!
Translation of the saying:
Abu Ibrahim al-Samarqandi informed us, he said: I heard Mansoor say: “Allah has not revealed in the Book anything that people are unable to do. And He has revealed in it: ‘Ask the people of remembrance if you do not know.’ So there is no time without a man from the people of remembrance, whom people ask about what they do not know, and he gives them a correct answer. And if you tell these ignorant ones to know this man and ask him, they will say, ‘You are but the people of innovation!’” I said: “May I be sacrificed for you, they say that all scholars are people of remembrance.” So, he said: “Do all of them give a correct answer whenever they are asked?!” I said: “No.” He said: “Allah does not command asking a group who may not give a correct answer!”
18 . أَخْبَرَنَا صَالِحُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ السَّبْزَوَارِيُّ، قَالَ: كُنَّا عِنْدَ الْعَبْدِ الصَّالِحِ فِي مَسْجِدٍ وَكَانَ مَعَنَا رِجَالٌ مِنَ السَّلَفِيَّةِ، فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَقَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحْدَثَ لَكُمْ ذِكْرًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ، وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السَّلَفَ، فَإِنَّ السَّلَفَ لَمْ يَتَّبِعُوا السَّلَفَ، وَلَكِنِ اتَّبَعُوا ذِكْرَهُمْ، وَإِنَّ مَنْ وَقَفَ عَلَى سَلَفٍ وَلَمْ يَتَّبِعْ مَا أَحْدَثَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مِنْ ذِكْرٍ فَقَدْ قَطَعَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ، ﴿أُولَئِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِنْ مَكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ﴾[26]! قَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ السَّلَفِيَّةِ: أَلَيْسَ كُلُّ مُحْدَثٍ بِدْعَةً؟! فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْهِ وَقَالَ: الْبِدْعَةُ مَا أَحْدَثَ النَّاسُ فِي الدِّينِ، وَالذِّكْرُ مَا أَحْدَثَ اللَّهُ، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ: ﴿مَا يَأْتِيهِمْ مِنْ ذِكْرٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ مُحْدَثٍ إِلَّا اسْتَمَعُوهُ وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ﴾[27]، قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: وَمَا ذِكْرٌ مُحْدَثٌ؟! قَالَ: إِمَامٌ يُحْدِثُهُ اللَّهُ فِي كُلِّ قَرْنٍ يَهْدِي بِأَمْرِهِ، لِيُنْذِرَ مَنْ كَانَ حَيًّا وَيُحِقَّ الْقَوْلَ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ، قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: مَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَذَا فِي الْقُرُونِ الثَّلَاثَةِ، إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا بِدْعَةٌ! قَالَ: وَيْحَكَ، أَتَأْبَى إِلَّا أَنْ تُضَاهِئَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا؟! قَالُوا: ﴿مَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَذَا فِي الْمِلَّةِ الْآخِرَةِ إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا اخْتِلَاقٌ﴾[28]! وَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنَّ مُسْلِمًا يَقُولُ بِهَذَا حَتَّى سَمِعْتُكُمْ تَقُولُونَ بِهِ يَا مَعْشَرَ السَّلَفِيَّةِ!
Translation of the saying:
Salih ibn Muhammad al-Sabzawari informed us, he said: We were in the presence of the righteous servant (meaning Mansoor) in a mosque, and there were men from the Salafiyyah with us. He then turned toward them and said: “Indeed, Allah has renewed a remembrance for you, so follow it and do not follow the predecessors; for the predecessors did not follow past generations, but rather followed their remembrance. And indeed, whoever stops at the predecessors and does not follow the remembrance that Allah has renewed for him has cut off what Allah has commanded to be kept constant and has gone astray from His path. ‘They are those who are called from a distant place!’” A man from the Salafiyyah said: “Is it not that every renewed thing is an innovation?!” So he turned toward him and said: “An innovation is something that people have renewed in religion, and remembrance is something that Allah has renewed.” Then he recited this verse: “No renewed remembrance comes to them from their Lord unless they listen to it and play with it.” The man said: “What is the renewed remembrance?!” He said: “An Imam whom Allah renews in every generation, who guides by His command, so that he warns everyone who is alive and justifies the word against disbelievers.” The man said: “We have not heard this in the early generations. This is nothing but an innovation!” He said: “Woe to you! Do you want nothing but to speak like those who disbelieved?! They said: ‘We have not heard this in the religion of past generations! This is nothing but a fabrication.’ By Allah, I did not think a Muslim would say this until I heard you say it, O group of Salafiyyah!”
19 . أَخْبَرَنَا ذَاكِرُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ دَاوُودَ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ حَبِيبٍ وَغَيْرُهُمْ، قَالُوا: كُنَّا جَمَاعَةً عِنْدَ الْمَنْصُورِ وَهُوَ يَنْكُتُ الْأَرْضَ وَيَقُولُ بِهَمْسٍ: مَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ! مَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ! مَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ! ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْنَا وَقَالَ: اكْتُبُوا! فَأَخَذْنَا نَكْتُبُ، فَقَالَ: مَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ إِذْ قَالُوا: «مَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ مِنْ خَلِيفَةٍ فِي هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ»، وَقَدْ عَلِمُوا أَنَّهُ جَعَلَ فِي الْأُمَمِ مِنْ قَبْلِهَا، وَمَا كَانَ لِيُبَدِّلَ سُنَّتَهُ إِلَّا إِذَا أَخْبَرَ عَنْ تَبْدِيلٍ، وَقَدْ أَخْبَرَ عَنْ خَتْمِ النُّبُوَّةِ، وَلَمْ يُخْبِرْ عَنْ خَتْمِ الْخِلَافَةِ، بَلْ قَالَ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ: ﴿لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾، فَقَدْ بَقِيَتْ سُنَّتُهُ فِي اسْتِخْلَافِ رِجَالٍ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ بَعْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثَابِتَةً إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَإِذَا ذَكَّرْتُ بِهَا هَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ نَسُوهَا يُطَالِبُونَنِي بِالْبَيِّنَةِ، وَمَا الْبَيِّنَةُ إِلَّا عَلَيْهِمْ؛ لِأَنَّهُمْ يَدَّعُونَ تَبْدِيلَ سُنَّةٍ يُقِرُّونَ بِثُبُوتِهَا فِي الْأُمَمِ السَّابِقَةِ، وَأَنَا أُنْكِرُهُ، وَقَدْ عَلِمُوا أَنَّ الْبَيِّنَةَ عَلَى الْمُدَّعِي وَلَيْسَتْ عَلَى الْمُنْكِرِ! ثُمَّ إِنِّي قَدْ جِئْتُهُمْ بِبَيِّنَةٍ، وَهِيَ مَا أَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، فَيُحَاجُّونَنِي بِفِعْلِ آبَائِهِمْ! يَقُولُونَ: «أَنْتَ أَفْقَهُ أَمِ الصَّحَابَةُ وَالتَّابِعُونَ؟!»، وَهُمْ يَرْوُونَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «رُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ وَلَا فِقْهَ لَهُ، وَرُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَفْقَهُ مِنْهُ»، وَيَقُولُونَ: «هَذِهِ بِدْعَةٌ»، وَمَا الْبِدْعَةُ إِلَّا مَا أَحْدَثَ آبَاؤُهُمْ فِي السَّقِيفَةِ، إِذْ نَسُوا حَظًّا مِمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ كَمَا نَسَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ، فَقَالُوا: «مِنَّا أَمِيرٌ وَمِنْكُمْ أَمِيرٌ»، ثُمَّ بَايَعُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَأْمُرْهُمْ بِمُبَايَعَتِهِ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لَمَّا سُقِطَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ: «كَانَتْ بَيْعَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَلْتَةً وَقَى اللَّهُ شَرَّهَا، فَمَنْ عَادَ إِلَى مِثْلِهَا فَلَا بَيْعَةَ لَهُ»، فَعَادَ إِلَى مِثْلِهَا كُلُّ عَائِدٍ فَبَايَعُوهُ وَقَالُوا: «هَكَذَا كَانَتْ بَيْعَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ»! فَاتَّبَعُوا عُمَرَ فِيمَا أَخْطَأَ وَلَمْ يَتَّبِعُوهُ فِيمَا أَصَابَ! فَإِذَا ذَكَّرْتُهُمْ بِهَذَا لِيَتُوبُوا وَيُصْلِحُوا تَأْخُذُهُمُ الْحَمِيَّةُ حَمِيَّةُ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، يَقُولُونَ: «يَا وَيْلَتَى! أَتُخَطِّئُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ؟!» وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُمَا لَمْ يَكُونَا إِلَهَيْنِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَا نَبِيَّيْنِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَإِنَّمَا كَانَا رَجُلَيْنِ صَالِحَيْنِ أَصَابَا فِي شَيْءٍ وَأَخْطَئَا فِي شَيْءٍ، وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَنْ يَتَّبِعَهُمَا فِيمَا أَخْطَئَا فِيهِ، وَقَدْ خَالَفَهُمَا الصَّحَابَةُ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ، وَأَفْتَى الْفُقَهَاءُ بِخِلَافِ مَا أَفْتَيَا بِهِ فِي مَسَائِلَ كَثِيرَةٍ، فَلَمْ يُنْكِرْ هَؤُلَاءِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَمْ يَقُولُوا: «يَا وَيْلَتَى! خَطَّأُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ»! حَتَّى إِذَا جَمَعْتُ لَهُمْ مَا فَرَّقُوهَا عَلَيْهِمْ وَجِئْتُهُمْ بِهَا بَيْضَاءَ نَقِيَّةً كَبُرَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَقَالُوا: «هَذَا دِينٌ جَدِيدٌ»! وَمَا هُوَ بِدِينٍ جَدِيدٍ، بَلْ هُوَ الدِّينُ الْأَوَّلُ، إِلَّا أَنْ يُرِيدُوا بِالْجَدِيدِ مَا يَرْوُونَهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَبْعَثُ فِيهِمْ رِجَالًا يُجَدِّدُونَ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمْ، فَقَدْ جَدَّدْتُ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا انْدَرَسَ، وَلَا أَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا، وَمَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بِحَفِيظٍ!
Translation of the saying:
Zakir ibn Ma‘roof, Ali ibn Dawud, Abdullah ibn Habib, and others informed us, they said: We were a group in Mansoor’s presence while he was thoughtfully touching the ground and quietly saying: “They did not know Allah as He deserves (to be known)! They did not know Allah as He deserves! They did not know Allah as He deserves!” Then he raised his head toward us and said: “Write!” So we began writing. Then he said: “They did not know Allah as He deserves when they said: ‘Allah did not appoint a caliph in this nation.’ While they know that He did so in previous nations, and He never changes His practice unless He Himself announces a change. And He has announced the sealing of Prophethood and has not announced the sealing of caliphate. Rather, He has said about those among this nation who believed and did righteous deeds: ‘He will surely appoint them as caliphs on the Earth, just as He appointed those before them as caliphs.’ So His practice of appointing men from among the people of faith and righteous deeds as caliphs after the Prophet remains in force until the Day of Judgment. However, when I remind these people—who have forgotten it—of this, they demand proof from me, whereas the burden of proof rests only upon them; because they claim a change in a practice that they themselves acknowledge was established in previous nations, and I deny the change. And they know that the burden of proof rests upon the claimant, not upon the denier! Yet, I have brought them proof—the verses of the Quran that I recite to them. But in response to me, they use the action of their forefathers as an argument! They say: ‘Are you more learned or the Sahabah and the Tabi‘un?!’ While they themselves narrate from the Messenger of Allah : ‘Many are those who carry knowledge but possess no knowledge themselves, and many are those who convey knowledge to one more learned than themselves.’[29] And they say: ‘This is an innovation.’ While the innovation was what their forefathers established in Saqifah[30] when they forgot a portion of what they were reminded of, just as past people forgot[31]. Then they said: ‘Let there be a commander from among us and a commander from among you.’[32] So they pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr, while they knew that Allah had not commanded them to pledge allegiance to him. Then, when the damage was done, Umar said: ‘Pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr was a hurried and ill-considered action[33], which Allah protected from its evil. So whoever repeats the like of it, there is no allegiance for him.’[34] However, every repeater repeated the like of it. And they pledged allegiance to him and said: ‘Pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr was the same!’ So they followed Umar in his error and did not follow him in what he said correctly! Then, when I remind them of this so that they may repent and reform, the fanaticism of (the age of) ignorance overtakes them. They say: ‘Oh no! Are you saying that Abu Bakr and Umar went wrong?!’ While they know that those two were neither gods besides Allah nor prophets after Muhammad ; rather, they were two righteous men who did right in some matters and did wrong in some matters, and no believer should follow them in their error. Just as the Sahabah opposed them in many matters, and jurists issued fatwas contrary to theirs in many cases, yet these people did not criticize them and did not say: ‘Oh no! They considered Abu Bakr and Umar to be in error!’ Until I gathered for them what they had conveyed to them in a scattered manner and presented it to them clearly and purely. However, it weighed heavily on them, and they said: ‘This is a new religion!’ While it is not a new religion; rather, it is the very first religion—unless by “new” they mean what they narrate from the Prophet , that Allah sends among them men who renew their religion for them[35]; because I renewed their religion for them after it had become worn out. And I have no authority over anything for them against Allah, and I am not their guardian.”
20 . أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الْجُوزَجَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَا تَخْلُو مِنْ رَجُلٍ عَادِلٍ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا، وَهَذَا عَهْدٌ عَهِدَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِذِ ابْتَلَاهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ: ﴿قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا ۖ قَالَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي ۖ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ﴾[36]، فَمَاذَا يُنْكِرُ هَؤُلَاءِ الْجُهَّالُ الضُّلَّالُ الْمَفْتُونُونَ؟! أَيُنْكِرُونَ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَكْثَرُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ قَدْ ضَلُّوا؟! ﴿وَلَقَدْ ضَلَّ قَبْلَهُمْ أَكْثَرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ﴾[37]، وَهُمْ يَرْوُونَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُمْ: «لَتَرْكَبُنَّ سُنَنَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ شِبْرًا بِشِبْرٍ وَذِرَاعًا بِذِرَاعٍ»[38]! فَمَاذَا يُنْكِرُونَ بَعْدَ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ وَقَوْلِ رَسُولِهِ؟! أَيُنْكِرُونَ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَكْثَرُ الصَّحَابَةِ قَدْ أَخْطَأَوُا؟! وَقَدْ أَخْطَأَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ، إِذْ يُصْعِدُونَ وَلَا يَلْوُونَ عَلَى أَحَدٍ وَالرَّسُولُ يَدْعُوهُمْ فِي أُخْرَاهُمْ فَأَثَابَهُمْ غَمًّا بِغَمٍّ وَقَالَ: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا مِنْكُمْ يَوْمَ الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَانِ إِنَّمَا اسْتَزَلَّهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ بِبَعْضِ مَا كَسَبُوا﴾[39]، وَيَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ، إِذْ أَعْجَبَتْهُمْ كَثْرَتُهُمْ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ عَنْهُمْ شَيْئًا وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ ثُمَّ وَلَّوْا مُدْبِرِينَ، وَهُمْ يَرْوُونَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «لَيَرِدَنَّ عَلَيَّ نَاسٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِي فَيُنَحَّوْنَ عَنِ الْحَوْضِ فَلَأَقُولَنَّ: يَا رَبِّ، أَصْحَابِي، فَيَقُولُ: إِنَّكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَكَ بِمَا أَحْدَثُوا بَعْدَكَ، إِنَّهُمُ ارْتَدُّوا عَلَى أَدْبَارِهِمُ الْقَهْقَرَى»[40]، فَمَاذَا يُنْكِرُونَ بَعْدَ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ وَقَوْلِ رَسُولِهِ؟! أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا الصَّحَابَةَ وَالتَّابِعِينَ أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ، كَمَا اتَّخَذَ الْيَهُودُ أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ؟! ﴿وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا ۖ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ﴾[41]!
Translation of the saying:
Isa ibn Abd al-Hamid al-Jowzajani informed us, he said: I heard Mansoor say: “Indeed, Earth is not empty of a just man from the descendants of Ibrahim , whom Allah has appointed as an Imam for people. And this is a covenant that Allah made with Ibrahim when He tested him with some words, then he fulfilled them. So ‘He said: “I appoint you as an Imam for people.” He said: “And also my descendants?” He said: “My covenant does not reach the oppressors.”’ So what do these trial-afflicted, misguided, ignorant people deny?! Do they deny that most Muslims have gone astray?! ‘While before them, most of the past people went astray.’ And they narrate from the Messenger of Allah that he said to them: ‘You will follow the ways of those who were before you, span by span and cubit by cubit!’ So what do they deny despite the statement of Allah and the statement of His Prophet?! Do they deny that most of the Sahabah went wrong?! While most of them went wrong on the day of Uhud, when they fled to the mountain without looking back at anyone, and the Prophet was calling them from behind. So He punished them with sorrow upon sorrow[42], and He said: ‘Undoubtedly, those among you who fled on the day when the two groups faced each other—Satan caused them to slip due to some of what they had earned.’ And on the day of Hunayn, when they took pride in their great numbers, but it availed them nothing, and Earth became narrow for them despite its vastness, so they fled[43]. And they themselves narrate from the Messenger of Allah that he said: ‘Indeed, a group of my companions will come to me (on the Day of Judgment). Then they will be driven away from around the Pond. Then I will say: “My Lord! My companions!” So He will say: “You do not know what they did after you! They turned back to their past!”’ So what do they deny despite the statement of Allah and the statement of His Prophet?! Have they taken the Sahabah and the Tabi‘un as gods besides Allah, just as Jews took their scholars and monks[44]?! ‘Whereas they were not commanded but to worship the One God. There is no god but He! Glorified is He above what they associate (with Him)!’”
21 . أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْخَتْلَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَسْتَ مُرْسَلًا ۚ قُلْ كَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ﴾[45]، فَقَالَ: شَهَادَةُ اللَّهِ كِتَابُهُ، وَإِنَّ بَيْنَ الرَّسُولِ وَأُمَّتِهِ شَهِيدَيْنِ: كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ، وَهُوَ خَلِيفَةُ اللَّهِ فِيهِمْ بَعْدَ الرَّسُولِ، وَلَا تَعْدِمُهُمَا أُمَّتُهُ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ، قُلْتُ: جَعَلَنِيَ اللَّهُ فِدَاكَ، فَقَدْ أَظْهَرْتَ لِي مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ مَا يُخْفُونَهُ! قَالَ: لَا يُخْفُونَهُ، وَلَكِنْ لَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَهُ، أَمْ عَلَى قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا! فَأَخَذَنِي الْبُكَاءُ، فَقَالَ: مَا لَكَ؟! قُلْتُ: آسَفُ عَلَى النَّاسِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَسْمَعُوا قَوْلَكَ، وَإِنَّهُ الْحِكْمَةُ وَفَصْلُ الْخِطَابِ، وَلَوْ سَمِعُوهُ لَاهْتَدَوْا، فَقَالَ: لَا تَأْسَفْ عَلَيْهِمْ، ﴿وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لَأَسْمَعَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّوْا وَهُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ﴾[46]!
Translation of the saying:
Yunus ibn Abdullah al-Khatlani informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “And those who disbelieved say: ‘You are not a Prophet.’ Say: ‘Allah and one who has knowledge of the Book are sufficient as witnesses between me and you.’” So he said: “Allah’s testimony is His Book. And indeed, there are two witnesses between the Prophet and his nation: the Book of Allah and one who has knowledge of the Book. And he is Allah’s caliph among them after the Prophet. And his nation will never be without these two until the Day of Judgment arrives.” I said: “May Allah sacrifice me for you; because you revealed to me something from the Book of Allah that they conceal.” He said: “They do not conceal it. But they do not reflect on it, or the hearts have locks upon them[47]!” At that moment, I began to cry. So he said: “What is the matter with you?!” I said: “I feel sorry for people; because they have not heard your statement, while it is wisdom and decisive speech. And if they had heard it, they would have been guided.” So he said: “Do not feel sorry for them. ‘If Allah had found any good in them, He would have certainly made them hear. And if He had made them hear, they would have turned away, while they were averse.’”
22 . أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ وَوَلِيدُ بْنُ مَحْمُودٍ وَصَالِحُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَغَيْرُهُمْ، قَالُوا: كُنَّا جَمَاعَةً عِنْدَ الْمَنْصُورِ، فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا وَقَالَ: إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ شَهِيدَيْنِ: كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ، وَلَا يَكْفِيهِمْ أَحَدُهُمَا دُونَ الْآخَرِ، وَهَذَا قَوْلُ اللَّهِ: ﴿قُلْ كَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ﴾، ثُمَّ نَظَرَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ هَلْ بَيَّنْتُ؟! فَدَاخَلَنَا مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَمَّا قَالَ هَذَا، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَيْنَا وَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَا تَخْلُو مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ، لِيَكُونَا شَهِيدَيْنِ بَيْنَ الرَّسُولِ وَأُمَّتِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ عِتْرَةِ الرَّسُولِ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ، وَهَذَا قَوْلُهُ: «إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ: كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَعِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي، إِنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدِي، وَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ»، ثُمَّ نَظَرَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ نَظْرَةً أُخْرَى فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ هَلْ وَفَّيْتُ؟! فَأَخَذْنَا نَرْتَعِدُ مِنْ هَيْبَتِهِ لَمَّا قَالَ هَذَا كَأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ فِي هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا!
Translation of the saying:
Hasan ibn Qasim, Walid ibn Mahmoud, Salih ibn Muhammad, and others informed us, they said: We were a group in Mansoor’s presence. Then he turned toward us and said: “Indeed, for Allah, there are two witnesses over people: the Book of Allah and one who has knowledge of the Book. And neither of these two makes them free from the need for the other, and this is the statement of Allah, where He has said: ‘Say: Allah and one who has knowledge of the Book are sufficient as witnesses between me and you.’” Then he looked up at the sky and said: “O Allah! Did I explain?!” So, a sense of fear from Allah came over us that Allah knows, when he said this. Then he turned back to us and said: “Indeed, the Earth is not empty of the Book of Allah and one who has knowledge of the Book, to serve as two witnesses between the Prophet and his nation until the Day of Judgment. And the one who has knowledge of the Book is a man from the Itrah and the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet, and this is his statement, where he has said: ‘Indeed, I leave among you two weighty treasures: the Book of Allah and my Itrah, (who are) my Ahl al-Bayt. If you hold firmly to them, you will never go astray after me. And these two will never be separated until they come to me by the Pond.’” Then, once more, he looked up at the sky and said: “O Allah! Did I fulfill?!” Then we began to tremble because of his awe when he said this, as if he were not in this world!
23 . أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الطَّالَقَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿أَفَمَنْ كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِنْهُ﴾[48]، فَقَالَ: مَنْ كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَيَخْلُفُهُ فِي كُلِّ قَرْنٍ شَاهِدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، وَيَتْلُوهُ يَخْلُفُهُ، أَلَا تَرَى قَوْلَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَاهَا﴾[49] أَيْ جَاءَ بَعْدَهَا؟! فَمَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُزَحْزَحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَيُدْخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَلْيُؤْمِنْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ وَلْيَتَّبِعْ مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَلْيَكُنْ مَعَ الشَّاهِدِ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، كَمَا قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ: ﴿رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ وَاتَّبَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ﴾[50]!
Translation of the saying:
Ahmad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Talaqani informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “Is he who is upon a clear proof from his Lord, and a witness from him follows him.” So he said: “The one who is upon a clear proof from his Lord is Muhammad . And after him, in every generation, a witness from his family comes and follows him, meaning that he comes after him. Do you not see the statement of Allah Almighty, where He has said: ‘By the sun and its radiance, and the moon when it follows it,’ meaning that it comes after it?! So whoever wants to be free from the fire and enter Heaven should believe in what Allah has sent down, follow Muhammad , and be with the witness from his family—just as the Disciples said: ‘O Lord! We believed in what You sent down and followed the Prophet. So write us down with the witnesses.’”
24 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ بْنُ بَخْتِيَارَ السَّمَرْقَنْدِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿قُلْ هَذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي﴾[51]، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَا تَخْلُو مِنْ رَجُلٍ يَتَّبِعُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَهُوَ الدَّاعِي إِلَى اللَّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ بَعْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ.
Translation of the saying:
Abd al-Hamid ibn Bakhtiar al-Samarqandi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “Say: ‘This is my way: I invite to Allah with insight, I and one who follows me.’” So, he said: “Earth is not empty of one who follows the Prophet in everything, and he is an inviter to Allah with insight after the Prophet .”
25 . أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الشِّيرَازِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ﴾[52]، فَقَالَ: لَا يَزَالُ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَجُلٌ طَاعَتُهُ مُفْتَرَضَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ كَطَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ، مَنْ أَطَاعَهُ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ، وَمَنْ عَصَاهُ فَقَدْ عَصَى اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ، وَهُوَ مَنْ وَلَّاهُ اللَّهُ وَالرَّسُولُ، وَلَيْسَ مَنْ وَلَّاهُ النَّاسُ بِأَهْوَائِهِمْ، قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ أَنَّ كُلَّ مَنْ وَلِيَ أَمْرَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَهُوَ مِنْ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ، قَالَ: صَدَقُوا! قُلْتُ: كَيْفَ صَدَقُوا وَقَدْ قُلْتَ مَا قُلْتَ؟! قَالَ: كُلُّ مَنْ وَلِيَ أَمْرَهُمْ دُونَ الَّذِي وَلَّاهُ اللَّهُ وَالرَّسُولُ فَلَيْسَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، بَلْ هُوَ مِنَ الْفَاسِقِينَ، وَقَدْ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِطَاعَةِ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَلَمْ يَأْمُرْ بِطَاعَةِ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنَ الْفَاسِقِينَ! ﴿أَفَمَنْ كَانَ مُؤْمِنًا كَمَنْ كَانَ فَاسِقًا ۚ لَا يَسْتَوُونَ﴾[53]! ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَزِيدُكَ؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: إِنَّمَا أُولُوا الْأَمْرِ مَالِكُوهُ، وَهُمُ الَّذِينَ وَلَّاهُمُ اللَّهُ وَالرَّسُولُ، وَأَمَّا مَنْ يَقُومُ بِهِ مِنْ دُونِهِمْ فَهُوَ غَاصِبُهُ، وَلَيْسَ الْغَاصِبُ مِنَ الْمَالِكِينَ، ﴿لَوْ كَانُوا يَفْقَهُونَ﴾[54]! قُلْتُ: جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا، فَقَدْ زَوَّدْتَنِي بِحِكْمَتَيْنِ بَالِغَتَيْنِ لَمْ أَسْمَعْ بِهِمَا قَطُّ أَبَدًا! قَالَ: ﴿ذَانِكَ بُرْهَانَانِ مِنْ رَبِّكَ﴾[55]! ثُمَّ دَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ بَعْدَ شُهُورٍ، فَقُلْتُ: إِنِّي حَدَّثْتُ بِحِكْمَتَيْكَ رَجُلًا فِي إِيرَانَ، فَقَالَ: لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ! مَا أَعْلَمَهُ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ! قَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ! أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنِّي عِنْدَ أَهْلِ إِيرَانَ كَمَا كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ؟! خَدَعَهُمْ بَنُو أُمَيَّةَ بِالْبُهْتَانِ حَتَّى لَعَنُوهُ بِغَيْرِ ذَنْبٍ نَحْوَ سِتِّينَ سَنَةً!
Translation of the saying:
Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Shirazi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “O you who believed! Obey Allah and obey the Prophet and those in authority from among you.” So, he said: “There is always a man among those who believed whose obedience is obligatory for them, just like obedience to Allah and the Prophet. Whoever obeys him has obeyed Allah and the Prophet, and whoever disobeys him has disobeyed Allah and the Prophet. And he is one whom Allah and the Prophet have appointed, not one whom people have appointed by their desires.” I said: “They say that whoever among believers takes control of their authority is among those in authority from among them.” He said: “They are right!” I said: “How can they be right while you said what you said?!” He said: “Whoever other than the one whom Allah and the Prophet have appointed takes control of their authority is not among believers; rather, he is among sinners, and Allah has commanded obedience to those in authority from among believers, and He has not commanded obedience to those in authority from among sinners! ‘Is he who is a believer equal to he who is a sinner?! They are not equal!’” Then he said: “Shall I increase for you?” I said: “Yes.” He said: “Those in authority are its owners, and they are the ones whom Allah and the Prophet have appointed, and whoever other than them takes control of it is a usurper, and the usurper is not considered among the owners—‘if only they could understand!’” I said: “May Allah reward you well; because you gave me two profound words of wisdom that I had never heard before!” He said: “They are two proofs from your Lord!” I came to him a few months later. Then I said: “I told your two words of wisdom to a man in Iran. So, he said: ‘May Allah curse him! How well he knows the Book of Allah!’” He said: “O Muhammad! Do you not know that I am to the people of Iran like Ali ibn Abi Talib is to the people of Sham?! Banu Umayyah deceived them with slander, to the extent that they cursed him for nearly sixty years without any sin!”
26 . أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْهَرَوِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَآمِنُوا بِرَسُولِهِ يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفْلَيْنِ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ نُورًا تَمْشُونَ بِهِ﴾[56]، فَقَالَ: كِفْلَانِ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ هُمَا الْكِتَابُ وَالسُّنَّةُ، وَالنُّورُ إِمَامٌ يُبَيِّنُهُمَا حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ، فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَآمِنُوا بِرَسُولِهِ يُؤْتِكُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالسُّنَّةَ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ إِمَامًا يُبَيِّنُهُمَا لَكُمْ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ.
Translation of the saying:
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Harawi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “O you who believed! Fear Allah and believe in His Messenger so that He grants you two portions of His mercy and places for you a light to walk by.” So he said: “The two portions of His mercy are the Book and the Sunnah, and the light is an Imam who clarifies these two for them until the Day of Judgment arrives. So fear Allah and believe in His Messenger so that He grants you the Book and the Sunnah and appoints an Imam for you who clarifies these two for you until the Day of Judgment arrives.”
27 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ السَّلَامِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْقَيُّومِ الْبَلْخِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ﴾[57]، فَقَالَ: هَادِيهَا، وَنُورُ اللَّهِ هُدَاهُ، وَهُوَ ﴿فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ﴾[58]، وَهِيَ بُيُوتُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، ﴿يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ رِجَالٌ لَا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ﴾[59]، وَهُمْ أَهْلُ بُيُوتِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، أَلَا تَرَى أَنَّهُ يَقُولُ أَنَّهُمْ يُسَبِّحُونَ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ؟ فَهُمْ أَهْلُهَا، وَلَا يَخْرُجُ هُدَى اللَّهِ مِنْ بُيُوتِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ، فَابْتَغُوهُ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِ النَّبِيِّ، وَلَا تَبْتَغُوهُ عِنْدَ غَيْرِهِمْ فَتَضِلُّوا.
Translation of the saying:
Abd al-Salam ibn Abd al-Qayyum al-Balkhi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty, where He has said: “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the Earth.” So he said: “He is their Guide, and the light of Allah is His guidance, and it is ‘in houses that Allah has permitted to be raised and for His name to be mentioned therein,’ and they are the houses of the Prophets. ‘In them, they glorify Him morning and evening, men whom neither trade nor business distracts from the remembrance of Allah,’ and they are the people of the houses of the Prophets. Do you not see that He says they glorify Him morning and evening in them? So they are the people of those houses. And Allah’s guidance does not depart from the houses of the Prophets until the Day of Judgment arrives. So seek it from the people of the Prophet’s house, and do not seek it from others, or you will go astray.”
Explanation of the saying:
These profound words of wisdom and healing insights are verbal wonders of this righteous servant. Those who examine and are well-informed know that they are treasures unparalleled in the statements of scholars and the wise, and that they can be compared only to the words of the Prophets and the truthful, whom Allah has chosen, guided, supported with a Spirit from Him, and taught knowledge from His presence. Therefore, if you are among those endowed with discernment, you will perceive the signs contained within them; for Allah Almighty has said: ﴿إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ﴾[60]; “Indeed, in that are signs for those who perceive.” However, if you are among those upon whose hearts, hearing, and sight Allah has set a seal, you will turn away arrogantly as though you had not heard them, as though there were heaviness in your ears. ﴿كَذَلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ مُرْتَابٌ﴾[61]; “This is how Allah leads astray whoever is extravagant and doubtful.”
Thus, if you are among the first group, then spread these radiant lights and convey them to the heedless among your family, your friends, and all people, in gratitude to Allah for having guided you—perhaps they may take heed; for this is a binding duty upon you. However, if you are among the other group, then do whatever you want; for ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ﴾[62]; “Allah is All-Seeing of what you do,” and ﴿سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌ مُقِيمٌ﴾[63]; “you will soon know upon whom will come a punishment that will disgrace him, and upon whom will descend an enduring punishment.”
For more information on this, refer to lessons from His Eminence on the fact that the Earth is never without a man knowledgeable in the entire religion, whom Allah has appointed as a caliph, Imam, and guide on it by His command.
, and ibn Mandah has said in his Tadhkarah that twenty-four companions have narrated it, and he has mentioned their names. It has also been said in the explanation of Al-Muwahib al-Ladunniyyah: “Hafiz has said that it is a well-known Hadith, and some people have considered it mutawatir; for it has been transmitted through twenty-four companions,” and it has been said in Sharh al-Taqrib of al-Suyuti that it has been transmitted through about thirty companions (see Nazm al-Mutanathir Min al-Hadith al-Mutawarir by al-Kattani, p. 34)., in which he said: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَبْعَثُ لِهَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ عَلَى رَأْسِ كُلِّ مِائَةِ سَنَةٍ مَنْ يُجَدِّدُ لَهَا دِينَهَا» (Sunan of Abi Dawud, vol. 4, p. 109; al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat by al-Tabarani, vol. 6, p. 323; al-Mustadrak Ala al-Sahihain by al-Hakim, vol. 4, p. 567; Ma‘rifah al-Sunan Wa al-Athar by al-Bayhaqi, vol. 1, p. 208); “Indeed, Allah sends for this Ummah, at the turn of every century, one who renews its religion for it.”