1 . أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْهَرَوِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ الْهَاشِمِيَّ الْخُرَاسَانِيَّ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ﴾[1]، فَقَالَ: أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ بِإِطَاعَةِ كِتَابِهِ، وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ بِإِطَاعَةِ سُنَّتِهِ، قُلْتُ: أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يُطِيعُ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَلَا يُطِيعُ سُنَّةَ الرَّسُولِ؟ قَالَ: لَا وَاللَّهِ، لَا يُطِيعُ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يُطِيعَ سُنَّةَ الرَّسُولِ، وَإِنْ جُدِعَ أَنْفُهُ!

Translation of the saying:

Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Harawi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani about the words of Allah Almighty: “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger.” So he said: “Obey Allah by obeying His Book, and obey the Messenger by obeying his Sunnah.” I said: “How is one who obeys the Book of Allah but does not obey the Sunnah of the Messenger? He said: “No, I swear to Allah, he does not obey the Book of Allah until he obeys the Sunnah of the Messenger, even though his nose is cut off!”

2 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَلْخِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ﴾[2]، فَقَالَ: هُمَا الْقُرْآنُ وَالسُّنَّةُ، وَإِنَّ السُّنَّةَ نَزَلَتْ كَمَا نَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ!

Translation of the saying:

Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Balkhi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani about the words of Allah Almighty: “And Allah sent down the Book and wisdom to you.” So he said: “They are the Quran and the Sunnah, and indeed, the Sunnah was sent down as the Quran was sent down!”

3 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ دَاوُودَ الْفَيْض‌آبَادِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِالْكِتَابِ وَبِمَا أَرْسَلْنَا بِهِ رُسُلَنَا ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾[3]، مَا هَذَا الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ رُسُلَهُ بَعْدَ الْكِتَابِ؟! قَالَ: هُوَ الْحِكْمَةُ الَّتِي آتَاهُمْ، وَأَنْتُمْ تَقُولُونَ لَهَا «السُّنَّةَ»! أَمَا سَمِعْتَ قَوْلَهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ﴾[4]؟! ثُمَّ قَالَ: مَنْ كَذَّبَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَ بِالْكِتَابِ.

Translation of the saying:

Ali ibn Dawud al-Fayzabadi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the words of Allah Almighty: “Those who denied the Book and that with which We sent Our Messengers will soon know.” What is it that Allah sent His Messengers with after the Book?! He said: “It is wisdom that He gave them, and you call it ‘the Sunnah’! Have you not heard the words of Allah Almighty: ‘And he teaches them the Book and wisdom’?!” Then he said: “Whoever denies wisdom has denied the Book.”

4 . أَخْبَرَنَا هَاشِمُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْخُجَنْدِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: لَا أُلْفِيَنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ مُتَّكِئًا عَلَى أَرِيكَتِهِ يَأْتِيهِ أَمْرٌ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَوْ نَهْيٌ فَيَقُولُ: مَا هَذَا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ! أَلَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ آتَى رَسُولَهُ الْحِكْمَةَ كَمَا آتَاهُ الْكِتَابَ، فَآمِنُوا بِالْحِكْمَةِ كَمَا آمَنْتُمْ بِالْكِتَابِ! ثُمَّ قَالَ: مَا تَوَاتَرَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَهُوَ حِكْمَةٌ، وَمَا تَوَحَّدَ عَنْهُ فَقَوْلٌ مِنَ الْأَقْوَالِ.

Translation of the saying:

Hashim ibn Ubayd al-Khujandi informed us, he said: I heard Mansoor say to his companions: “I shall not find any of you reclining on his bed, receiving a command or prohibition from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, and then saying: ‘This is not in the Book of Allah!’ Be aware that Allah gave His Messenger wisdom as He gave him the Book! So believe in wisdom as you believed in the Book!” Then he said: “Whatever has been widely transmitted from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, is wisdom, and whatever has been solitarily transmitted from him is a speech of speeches.”

5 . أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو إِبْرَاهِيمَ السَّمَرْقَنْدِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَعَلَ فِي رَسُولِهِ رُوحًا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ يُسَدِّدُهُ وَيَفْتَحُ عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: ﴿مَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا﴾[5]، فَمَنْ أَتَاهُ شَيْءٌ مِنَ الرَّسُولِ فَأَيْقَنَهُ فَلْيُطِعْهُ، فَإِنَّهُ مِمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ.

Translation of the saying:

Abu Ibrahim al-Samarqandi informed us, he said: I heard Mansoor say: “Indeed, Allah placed in His Messenger a spirit from Himself, directing him rightly and revealing to him.” Then He said: “‘And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you from, leave it.’ So whoever receives something from the Messenger and then becomes certain of it shall obey it, for it is what Allah has sent down.”

6 . أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الْجُوزَجَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ لِأَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الطَّالَقَانِيِّ: يَا أَحْمَدُ! إِذَا حَدَّثْتَ الرَّجُلَ بِسُنَّةٍ مُتَوَاتِرَةٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ لَكَ: دَعْنَا مِنْ هَذِهِ وَآتِنَا آيَةً مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ مُنَافِقٌ لَا يَرْجِعُ إِلَى خَيْرٍ أَبَدًا!

Translation of the saying:

Isa ibn Abd al-Hamid al-Jowzajani informed us, he said: I heard Mansoor say to Ahmad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Talaqani: “O Ahmad! When you talk to a man about a mutawatir Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, and he says to you: ‘Forget about that, and give us a verse from the Quran,’ then know that he is a hypocrite who will never return toward good!”

7 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ السَّلَامِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْقَيُّومِ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ رَأَيْتَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنْكَ صُدُودًا﴾[6]، قَالَ: إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَإِلَى سُنَّةِ الرَّسُولِ، رَأَيْتَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنْ سُنَّةِ الرَّسُولِ صُدُودًا، يَقُولُونَ: حَسْبُنَا كِتَابُ اللَّهِ!

Translation of the saying:

Abd al-Salam ibn Abd al-Qayyum informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the words of Allah Almighty: “And if it is said to them: ‘Come to what Allah sent down and to the Messenger,’ you see hypocrites severely barring the way to you.” So he said: “When it is said to them: ‘Come to the Book of Allah and to the Sunnah of the Messenger,’ you see hypocrites severely barring the way to the Sunnah of the Messenger, saying: ‘The Book of Allah is sufficient for us!’”

8 . أَخْبَرَنَا ذَاكِرُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ الْخُرَاسَانِيُّ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِلْمَنْصُورِ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: مَا بَالُ صَاحِبِكُمْ يَدْعُو إِلَى رَجُلٍ لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ اسْمُهُ؟! فَغَضِبَ فَقَالَ: كَذَبَ النَّوْكَى! أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ لَهُمْ فِي كِتَابِهِ: ﴿أَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ﴾[7] وَلَمْ يَقُلْ لَهُمْ: اثْنَيْنِ وَلَا أَرْبَعًا وَلَا ثَلَاثًا حَتَّى بَيَّنَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُهُ، وَقَالَ لَهُمْ فِي كِتَابِهِ: ﴿وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ﴾[8] وَلَمْ يَقُلْ لَهُمْ: فِي مِائَتَيْنِ خَمْسَةُ دَرَاهِمَ حَتَّى بَيَّنَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُهُ، وَقَالَ لَهُمْ فِي كِتَابِهِ: ﴿وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ﴾[9] وَلَمْ يَقُلْ لَهُمْ: بِالْبَيْتِ سَبْعًا وَبِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ سَبْعًا حَتَّى بَيَّنَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُهُ؟! فَكَذَلِكَ قَالَ لَهُمْ فِي كِتَابِهِ: ﴿وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا﴾[10] وَلَمْ يَقُلْ لَهُمْ: بِإِمَامٍ عَادِلٍ مِنْ وُلْدِ فَاطِمَةَ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْمَهْدِيُّ حَتَّى بَيَّنَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُهُ! ثُمَّ قَالَ: مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَنْ سُنَّةِ رَسُولِهِ فَقَدْ فَرَّقَ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ فَرَّقَ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهُوَ كَافِرٌ حَقًّا، وَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَّخِذُوا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلًا ۝ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ حَقًّا ۚ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُهِينًا﴾[11]! قُلْتُ: وَمَا يُرِيدُونَ بِقَوْلِهِمْ: ﴿نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ﴾؟! قَالَ: يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا جَاءَهُمْ عَنِ اللَّهِ وَيَكْفُرُونَ بِمَا جَاءَهُمْ عَنْ رُسُلِهِ!

Translation of the saying:

Zakir ibn Ma‘roof al-Khorasani informed us, he said: I said to Mansoor: “May I be sacrificed for you, they say: ‘What is the matter with your companion who invites toward a man whose name is not mentioned in the Book of Allah?!’” So he became angry and said: “The fools lied! Did they not know that Allah said to them in His Book: ‘Perform prayer,’ and did not say: ‘Two or four or three (rak‘ats)’ until His Messenger explained to them, and He said to them in His Book: ‘And give Zakat,’ and did not say: ‘In two hundred (dirhams), five dirhams’ until His Messenger explained to them, and He said to them in His Book: ‘and for Allah, people should make pilgrimage to the House,’ and did not say: ‘Seven circuits around the House and seven circuits between Safa and Marwa’ until His Messenger explained to them?! So in the same way He said to them in His Book: ‘Allah promised those of you who believed and did righteous deeds that He will surely appoint them as Caliphs on the earth, as He appointed some people before them as Caliphs, and He will surely establish for them their religion which He chose for them, and He will surely give them security after their fear,’ and did not say: ‘With a just Imam from the children of Fatimah called the Mahdi’ until His Messenger explained to them!” Then he said: “Whoever thinks that with the Book of Allah he is in no need of the Sunnah of His Messenger has made a distinction between Allah and His Messenger, and whoever makes distinction between Allah and His Messenger is indeed a disbeliever, and this is the words of Allah Almighty: ‘Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Prophet and wish to make a distinction between Allah and His Prophet and say that we believe in some and disbelieve in some, and wish to take a way in between that; they are indeed disbelievers, and We have prepared a humiliating punishment for disbelievers!’” I said: “What do they mean by saying: ‘We believe in some and disbelieve in some’?!” He said: “They believe in what has come to them from Allah and disbelieve in what has come to them from His Messengers!”

Explanation of the saying:

This is the moderate approach taken by Mansoor, may Allah Almighty protect him, and the flag of justice that whoever goes ahead of it has turned away from Islam and whoever falls behind it has perished. Going ahead of it is believing in the authority of solitary reports from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, which the majority of Muslims are afflicted with, while solitary reports are based on conjecture, and conjecture is not sufficient for proving the truth. Falling behind it is believing in the lack of authority of mutawatir reports from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, which the Quranists are afflicted with, while mutawatir reports are based on knowledge, and knowledge is necessarily proof. These are the very excess and negligence, both of which have grave consequences, and the truth lies in what Mansoor, may Allah Almighty protect him, follows, which is believing in the authority of mutawatir reports and the lack of authority of solitary reports. This is the moderateness to which the intellect and Sharia guide, and the precaution in which there is salvation.

For more information about the opinion of Mansoor, may Allah Almighty protect him, on singular reports, refer to saying 8, and for more information about his opinion on mutawatir reports, refer to saying 13 of his pure words.