1 . أَخْبَرَنَا مُؤْمِنُ بْنُ مَحْمُودٍ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ حَبِيبٍ جَمِيعًا، قَالَا: كُنَّا عِنْدَ الْمَنْصُورِ الْهَاشِمِيِّ الْخُرَاسَانِيِّ فِي دَارِهِ، فَذَكَرْنَا الْمَذَاهِبَ، فَقَالَ: لَا يَذْهَبَنَّ بِكُمُ الْمَذَاهِبُ! إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى لَكُمُ الدِّينَ وَأَكْمَلَهُ لَكُمْ، وَجَعَلَ لَهُ حَدًّا بَيِّنًا كَحُدُودِ دَارِي هَذِهِ، فَمَا كَانَ فِي الطَّرِيقِ فَهُوَ مِنَ الطَّرِيقِ، وَمَا كَانَ فِي الدَّارِ فَهُوَ مِنَ الدَّارِ!
Translation of the saying:
Mu’min ibn Mahmoud and Abdullah ibn Habib both informed us, they said: We were in the presence of Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani in his house. Then we mentioned sects, so he said: “Do not let the sects take you away (like a flood)! Indeed, Allah chose a religion for you, perfected it for you, and set clear boundaries for it like these boundaries of my house. So whatever is in the alley belongs to the alley, and whatever is in the house belongs to the house!”
Explanation of the saying:
His intended meaning of this statement is that the boundaries of Islam are known from the mutawatir words of Allah and His Prophet, and they neither increase nor decrease until the Day of Judgment. Therefore, whatever is in it belongs to Islam, even if it is not in your sect, and whatever is not in it does not belong to Islam, even if it is in your sect.
2 . أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْهَرَوِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنِ السُّنَّةِ وَالشِّيعَةِ، أَيُّهُمَا حَقٌّ؟ فَقَالَ: أَفَتَّانٌ أَنْتَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ؟! قُلْتُ: لَا، جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، وَلَكِنْ أَرْهَقَنِي التَّنَازُعُ بَيْنَهُمَا، فَإِنَّ كُلًّا مِنْهُمَا يَرَى أَنَّ الْحَقَّ كُلَّهُ فِيهِ وَلَيْسَ لِلْآخَرِ مِنْهُ نَصِيبٌ! قَالَ: ذَرْهُمَا؛ فَإِنَّهُمَا أَهْلُ التَّفْرِيطِ وَالْإِفْرَاطِ! قُلْتُ: أَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ أَكْتُبَ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ؟ فَقَالَ: اكْتُبْ: أَمَّا السُّنَّةُ فَهَجَرُوا أَهْلَ بَيْتِ نَبِيِّهِمْ وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءَ قَوْمٍ قَدْ ضَلُّوا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا وَاتَّبَعُوا أَمْرَ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ، وَأَمَّا الشِّيعَةُ فَعَرَفُوا شَيْئًا مِنَ الْحَقِّ فَزَادُوا فِيهِ وَنَقَصُوا حَتَّى صَارُوا مِنْهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ شَيْءٍ، وَأَمَّا نَحْنُ فَالنُّمْرُقَةُ الْوُسْطَى، يَلْحَقُ بِنَا التَّالِي وَيَرْجِعُ إِلَيْنَا الْغَالِي!
Translation of the saying:
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Harawi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the Sunni and the Shia, which one is right? So he said: “Are you one who causes strife, O Muhammad?!” I said: “No, may I be sacrificed for you, but the dispute between them has exhausted me; because each of them claims that the entire truth is in it and the other has no share in it!” He said: “Leave them; because they are people of excess or negligence!” I said: “Do you allow me to write this down, may I be sacrificed for you?” He said: “Write: ‘As for the Sunnis, they abandoned the Ahl al-Bayt of their Prophet and followed the desires of a people who went astray before, misled many, and followed the order of every rebellious tyrant. As for the Shias, they knew something of the truth but added to it and reduced from it until they left nothing of it. As for us, we are the middle support; those who are behind reach us and those who are ahead return to us!’”
3 . أَخْبَرَنَا جُبَيْرُ بْنُ عَطَاءٍ الْخُجَنْدِيُّ، قَالَ: دَخَلَ عَلَى الْمَنْصُورِ رَجُلٌ وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَشِيعِيٌّ أَنْتَ أَمْ سُنِّيٌّ؟! فَقَالَ: إِنِّي حَنِيفٌ مُسْلِمٌ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَرْضَ عَنِّي بِهَذَا الْقَوْلِ فَأَبْعَدَهُ اللَّهُ! ثُمَّ قَرَأَ: ﴿مَا كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَكِنْ كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾[1].
Translation of the saying:
Jubayr ibn Ata’ al-Khujandi informed us, he said: A man came to Mansoor and said to him: “Are you a Shia or a Sunni?!” He said: “I am a true Muslim, and whoever is not satisfied with me for this statement, then may Allah distance him from me!” Then he recited (this verse): “Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but rather he was a true Muslim, and he was not of the polytheists.”
4 . أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الشِّيرَازِيُّ، قَالَ: قَالَ لِي رَجُلٌ: إِنَّ صَاحِبَكَ هَذَا يَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا، إِلَّا أَنَّ فِيهِ عَيْبًا! قُلْتُ: وَمَا ذَلِكَ الْعَيْبُ؟! قَالَ: قَوْلُهُ مَا أَنَا شِيعِيًّا وَلَا سُنِّيًّا، وَلَكِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ! فَأَخْبَرْتُ بِذَلِكَ الْمَنْصُورَ فَقَالَ: قُلْ لَهُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ: ﴿وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ﴾؟![2] فَأَخْبَرْتُ بِذَلِكَ الرَّجُلَ، فَقَالَ: كَأَنِّي لَمْ أَسْمَعْ بِهَذِهِ الْآيَةِ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ! فَانْصَرَفَ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: ﴿اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ﴾![3]
Translation of the saying:
Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Shirazi informed us, he said: A man said to me: “This friend of yours invites toward Allah and does a good deed, except that he has a flaw!” I said: “And what is that flaw?!” He said: “His statement: ‘I am neither a Shia nor a Sunni, but rather I am one of the Muslims!’” Then I informed Mansoor of it. So he said: “Tell him: Allah Almighty says: ‘And whose word is better than one who invites toward Allah and does good and says: I am one of the Muslims?!’” Then I informed the man of it. So he said: “It appears that I had never heard this verse from the Book of Allah!” Then he left while saying: “Allah knows better where to place His mission!”
5 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَلْخِيُّ، قَالَ: اسْتَأْذَنَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ عَلَى الْمَنْصُورِ فَأَذِنَ لَهُ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ: بَلَغَنَا كِتَابُكَ فَنَظَرْنَا فِيهِ، فَظَنَنَّا أَنَّكَ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ، ثُمَّ نَظَرْنَا فِيهِ فَظَنَنَّا أَنَّكَ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ! فَمَا أَنْتَ، أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ؟! أَمِنَ الشِّيعَةِ أَمْ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ؟! قَالَ: وَيْحَكَ أَيُّهَا الرَّجُلُ! دَعْنِي حَتَّى أُصْلِحَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ! قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: لَا وَاللَّهِ، إِنَّا لَا نَتَّبِعُكَ حَتَّى تَكُونَ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ! فَاسْتَوَى الْمَنْصُورُ جَالِسًا وَكَانَ مُتَّكِئًا، فَقَالَ: أَتَزْعُمُ -أَيُّهَا الْجَاهِلُ- أَنِّي أَسْأَلُكُمْ إِلْحَافًا أَنْ تَتَّبِعُونِي؟! لَا وَاللَّهِ، مَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي فَإِنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُنِي لِنَفْسِهِ، وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَعَلَيْهَا، ﴿وَمَا أَنَا عَلَيْكُمْ بِحَفِيظٍ﴾[4]! ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَلَسْتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّكُمْ تَتَّبِعُونَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى، قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْهُ، أَكَانَ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ أَمْ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ؟! فَنَكَسَ الرَّجُلُ رَأْسَهُ سَاعَةً يَتَفَكَّرُ، فَيَقُولُ لِنَفْسِهِ بِصَوْتٍ خَافِتٍ: كَيْفَ كَانَ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ وَكَانَ لَهُ شِيعَةٌ؟! وَكَيْفَ كَانَ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ؟! ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ وَقَالَ: لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ وَلَا مِنَ السُّنَّةِ، وَلَكِنْ كَانَ عَلَى دِينِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ! قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ، فَأَنَا عَلَى مَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ!
Translation of the saying:
Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Balkhi informed us, he said: A man from the Shias asked permission from Mansoor (to visit him), so he gave him permission. When he came to him, he said: “Your book was given to us. Then we looked at it, so we thought you were a Shia! Then we looked at it, so we thought you were a Sunni! So which one are you, may Allah rectify your affairs?! Are you a Shia or a Sunni?!” He said: “Woe to you, O man! Leave me so that I rectify among people!” The man said: “No, by Allah, we do not follow you unless you are one of the Shias!” Then Mansoor, who was leaning, sat erect and said: “O ignorant one! Do you think that I beg you out of desperation to follow me?! No, by Allah, whoever follows me has followed me only to his own benefit, and whoever disobeys me (has disobeyed me) to his own loss, ‘and I am not a guardian over you!’” Then he said: “Do you not claim that you follow Ali ibn Abi Talib?” He said: “Yes.” He said: “Then tell me about him, was he one of the Shias or one of the Sunnis?!” The man lowered his head and contemplated for a moment. Then he said in a low voice: “How could he be one of the Shias while there were Shias for him?! And how could he be one of the Sunnis?!” Then he raised his head and said: “He was not one of the Shias or one of the Sunnis. Rather, he was upon the religion of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family!” He said: “You spoke the truth. I too am upon that which Ali ibn Abi Talib was upon!”
6 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ دَاوُودَ الْفَيْضآبَادِيُّ، قَالَ: قَرَأْتُ عِنْدَ الْمَنْصُورِ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ لَيْسَتِ النَّصَارَى عَلَى شَيْءٍ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى لَيْسَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ ۗ كَذَلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ﴾[5]، قَالَ: أَتَعْلَمُ مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ فَقَالُوا مِثْلَ قَوْلِ الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى؟ قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَوَلِيُّهُ أَعْلَمُ! قَالَ: هُمُ السُّنَّةُ وَالشِّيعَةُ! قَالَتِ السُّنَّةُ لَيْسَتِ الشِّيعَةُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ، وَقَالَتِ الشِّيعَةُ لَيْسَتِ السُّنَّةُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ، وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ! قُلْتُ: إِنِّي أَرْجُو أَنْ يَنْتَهِيَ اخْتِلَافُهُمْ هَذَا بَعْدَ أَنْ جَاءَهُمُ الْمَهْدِيُّ، قَالَ: لَا، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ ﴿يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ﴾[6]!
Translation of the saying:
Ali ibn Dawud al-Fayzabadi informed us, he said: In Mansoor’s presence, I recited the words of Allah Almighty: “And the Jews said: ‘The Christians are upon nothing,’ and the Christians said: ‘The Jews are upon nothing,’ while both reciting the Book (of Allah)! Similarly, those who do not know said the like of their saying!” He said: “Do you know who those who do not know and said the like of the saying of the Jews and the Christians are?” I said: “Allah and His friend know better!” He said: “They are the Sunnis and the Shias! The Sunnis said: ‘The Shias are upon nothing,’ and the Shias said: ‘The Sunnis are upon nothing,’ while both reciting the Book (of Allah)!” I said: “I hope their disagreement will come to an end after the Mahdi comes to them!” He said: “No, but Allah ‘judges between them on the Day of Judgment concerning what they disagreed about!’”
7 . أَخْبَرَنَا وَلِيدُ بْنُ مَحْمُودٍ السِّجِسْتَانِيُّ، قَالَ: ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ الْمَنْصُورِ الشِّيعَةُ، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ: لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ، فَإِنَّ كُلَّهُمْ كُفَّارٌ! فَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ الْمَنْصُورُ وَقَالَ: ﴿أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى﴾![7] أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا كَفَّرَ مُسْلِمًا بَاءَ بِهَا؟! فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ: إِنَّهُمْ لَيْسُوا مُسْلِمِينَ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ! فَقَامَ عَنْهُ الْمَنْصُورُ غَضَبًا وَقَالَ: لَوِ امْتَلَأَ جَوْفُ الرَّجُلِ قَيْحًا خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يَمْتَلِئَ تَعَصُّبًا، اللَّهُمَّ أَخْزِ الْمُتَعَصِّبِينَ! ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ، فَأَدْرَكَهُ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ وَقَالَ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ يَسُبُّونَ أَصْحَابَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ! فَقَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ: فَاعْفُوا وَاصْفَحُوا، أَلَمْ تَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانُوا يَسُبُّونَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا؟! قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ يَقْذِفُونَنَا وَيَقُولُونَ لَنَا أَوْلَادَ الزِّنَا! فَقَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ: هَلْ هُمْ إِلَّا جَاهِلُونَ يُخَاطِبُونَكُمْ؟! فَقُولُوا لَهُمْ سَلَامًا كَمَا أَمَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ! قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: أَلَمْ يَأْمُرْهُمُ اللَّهُ بِشَيْءٍ كَمَا أَمَرَنَا؟! قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ: بَلَى، أَمَرَهُمْ بِالْكَفِّ عَنْكُمْ فَعَصَوْهُ، فَهَلْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَعْصَوْهُ كَمَا عَصَوْهُ فَتَكُونُوا سَوَاءً؟! ﴿فَاعْفُوا وَاصْفَحُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ﴾[8]، قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: وَمَا أَمْرُهُ؟ قَالَ: خَلِيفَتُهُ، فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا جَاءَ بَيَّنَ لَكُمْ وَلَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي تَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ.
Translation of the saying:
Walid ibn Mahmoud al-Sajistani informed us, he said: In Mansoor’s presence, the Shias were mentioned. Then a man said: “May Allah curse them, for all of them are disbelievers!” So Mansoor became angry with him and said: “‘Woe to you! Then woe to you! (Or, you deserve it more! Then you deserve it more)!’ Do you not know that whoever charges a Muslim with disbelief, it returns to himself?!” The man said: “They are not Muslims, may I be sacrificed for you!” Then Mansoor got up angrily and said: “If the inside of the human being becomes full of pus, it is better than being filled with fanaticism! O Allah! Humiliate the fanatics!” Then he left. The man then caught up with him from behind and said: “May I be sacrificed for you, they insult the companions of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family!” So Mansoor said: “You forgive and overlook! Do you not know that the companions of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, insulted each other as well?!” The man said: “They slander us and call us illegitimate children!” So Masnoor said: “Are they but ignorant ones who address you?! So say Salam to them as Allah has commanded you!” The man said: “Has Allah not commanded them anything as He has commanded us?!” Mansoor said: “Yes, He has commanded them to refrain from (slandering) you, so they have disobeyed Him! Do you then want to disobey Him as they did so and thus become equal?! ‘So forgive and overlook until Allah brings His affair!’” The man said: “What is His affair?” He said: “His Caliph. So when he comes, he will clarify for you and them some of what you disagree about.”
8 . أَخْبَرَنَا ذَاكِرُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ، قَالَ: سَمِعَ الْمَنْصُورُ رَجُلًا يُكَفِّرُ رَجُلًا مِنَ الشِّيعَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: وَيْحَكَ، هَلْ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ يُفَضِّلُ عَلِيًّا عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ كَمَا أَنْتَ تُفَضِّلُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ؟! فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلًا فَضَّلَ الشَّافِعِيَّ عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِذَلِكَ كَافِرًا، فَكَيْفَ بِمَنْ فَضَّلَ عَلَيْهِ عَلِيًّا؟! إِنَّمَا الْكَافِرُ مَنْ يُفَضِّلُ الْكَافِرَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِ، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ: ﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيبًا مِنَ الْكِتَابِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْجِبْتِ وَالطَّاغُوتِ وَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْدَى مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا سَبِيلًا﴾[9]، فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ: صَدَقْتَ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، وَلَكِنَّهُ يَسُبُّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ! قَالَ: هَذَا إِثْمٌ، وَلَا يُكَفِّرُ الرَّجُلَ بِالْإِثْمِ إِلَّا حَرُورِيٌّ! ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنَّ رَجُلًا سَبَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَرْزَةَ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ: أَلَا أَضْرِبُ عُنُقَهُ يَا خَلِيفَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ؟ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا أَبَا بَرْزَةَ! إِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ لِأَحَدٍ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ![10]
Translation of the saying:
Zakir ibn Ma‘roof informed us, he said: Mansoor heard a man charging one of the Shias with disbelief. So he said to him: “Woe to you! Is he but a man who considers Ali to be better than Abu Bakr as you consider Abu Bakr to be better than Ali?! I swear to Allah, if a man considers al-Shafi‘i to be better than Abu Bakr, it does not make him a disbeliever. So how about one who considers Ali to be better than him?! A disbeliever is one who considers a disbeliever to be better than a believer.” Then he recited (this verse): “Did you not see those who were given a portion of the Book would believe in false gods and taghut and say about disbelievers that they are more guided than those who have believed?!” So the man said: “You spoke the truth, may I be sacrificed for you, but they insult Abu Bakr!” He said: “This is a sin, and none but the Kharijites charge a man with disbelief because of a sin!” Then he said: “A man insulted Abu Bakr. Then Abu Barzah said to Abu Bakr: ‘Shall I strike his neck (i.e., behead him), O caliph of Allah’s Messenger?’ So Abu Bakr said: ‘May your mother mourn for you, O Abu Barzah! This is not for anyone after the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family!’”
Explanation of the saying:
His Eminence’s statement about the permissibility of considering Ali better than Abu Bakr is a fair, reasonable statement, far from imitation and sectarian bias, which has been well-known among the righteous predecessors from Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah; as it has been narrated from Abd al-Razzaq al-San‘ani (d. 211 AH) that he said: “Ma‘mar [d. 153 AH] once laughed while I was sitting in front of him and no one was with us. So I said to him: ‘What is the matter with you?’ He said: ‘I am amazed by the people of Kufa! It appears that Kufa was built solely based on the love for Ali! I talked to none of them unless the moderate of them was one who considered Ali to be better than Abu Bakr and Umar. Sufyan al-Thuri was one of them!’ I said to Ma‘mar: ‘Did you see him yourself?!’ As if I found it great. So Ma‘mar said: ‘What is wrong with it?! If a man says: “In my opinion, Ali is better than those two,” I do not blame him when he speaks of their virtues as well and says that in his opinion (it is so), and if a man says: “In my opinion, Umar is better than Ali and Abu Bakr,” I do not blame him.’”[11] This is the good stance that Muslims need to take so that the unity that holds their good and interest is facilitated for them; as Muhammad ibn Sirin (d. 110 AH) said: “There will be a Caliph in this nation that Abu Bakr and Umar are not better than him,”[12] and no one charged him with disbelief or said that he was one of the Shias because of this statement!
9 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ السَّلَامِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْقَيُّومِ، قَالَ: كُنَّا مَعَ الْمَنْصُورِ فِي مَسْجِدٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ: أَنَا مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ! قَالَ: وَمَا تُرِيدُ بِالشِّيعَةِ؟ قَالَ: شِيعَةَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ! قَالَ: كُنْ مُسْلِمًا تَكُنْ مِنْ شِيعَةِ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ! فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ: أَنَا مِنَ السُّنَّةِ! قَالَ: وَمَا تُرِيدُ بِالسُّنَّةِ؟ قَالَ: أَهْلَ سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ! قَالَ: كُنْ مُسْلِمًا تَكُنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ! ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَخَذْتُمُ الْأَسَامِي وَتَرَكْتُمُ الْمَعَانِي! كُونُوا مُسْلِمِينَ -أَيُّهَا الْأَحْجَارُ- كَمَا كُنْتُمْ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَلَا تَكُونُوا ﴿مِنَ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا ۖ كُلُّ حِزْبٍ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ فَرِحُونَ﴾[13]!
Translation of the saying:
Abd al-Salam ibn Abd al-Qayyum informed us, he said: We were with Mansoor in a mosque. Then a man said to him: “I am a Shia!” He said: “What do you mean by Shia?” He said: “A follower of the family of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family!” He said: “Be a Muslim and you will be a follower of the family of Muhammad peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family!” Then (another) man said to him: “I am a Sunni!” He said: “What do you mean by Sunni?” He said: “A follower of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family!” He said: “Be a Muslim and you will be a follower of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family!” Then he said: “You have taken the names and abandoned the meanings! Be Muslims, O stones, as you were with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, and do not be ‘of those who have divided their religion into several factions and became different groups, every group rejoicing in what they have!’”
Explanation of the saying:
His Eminence’s intended meaning of his statement: “Be a Muslim and you will be a follower of the family of Muhammad peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family” is that whoever is truly a Muslim is a follower of the family of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family; because there is no Muslim who would hate the family of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, or dislike following them unless he is a hypocrite; as it has been established that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, said to Ali: «لَا يُحِبُّكَ إِلَّا مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلَا يُبْغِضُكَ إِلَّا مُنَافِقٌ»[14]; “None but a believer would love you, and none but a hypocrite would hate you.” Also, His Eminence’s intended meaning of his statement: “Be a Muslim and you will be a follower of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family” is that whoever is truly a Muslim is a follower of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family; because there is no Muslim who would refuse to follow his Sunnah unless he is a hypocrite. Therefore, there is no Muslim unless he is a Shia and a Sunni, although it has different degrees.
10 . أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الطَّالَقَانِيُّ، قَالَ: أَدْخَلْتُ عَلَى الْمَنْصُورِ رَجُلَيْنِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: هَذَا فُلَانٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِكَ وَهُوَ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ، وَهَذَا فُلَانٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِكَ وَهُوَ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ، قَالَ: دَعْنَا -يَا أَحْمَدُ- مِنْ شِيعَتِكُمْ وَسُنَّتِكُمْ! إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ رَضِيَ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا، فَتَدَيَّنُوا بِهِ، ﴿مِلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ۚ هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْ قَبْلُ﴾[15]، فَلَا تَسَمُّوا إِلَّا بِالْمُسْلِمِينَ، ﴿وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ﴾[16]! ثُمَّ قَالَ: مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ وَلَمْ يُشْرِكْ بِهِ شَيْئًا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ!
Translation of the saying:
Ahmad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Talaqani informed us, he said: I took two of our companions to Mansoor. Then I said to him: “This is so-and-so, one of your companions, and he is a Shia, and this is so-and-so, one of your companions, and he is a Sunni.” He said: “Forget about your Shia and Sunni, O Ahmad! Indeed, Allah has chosen Islam for you as religion, so act on it, for ‘it is the religion of your father, Ibrahim. He named you Muslims before,’ so name yourselves nothing but ‘Muslims’, ‘and do not call one another by nicknames!’” Then he said: “Whoever goes to Allah without associating anything with Him will enter Heaven!”
