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-Taloqani informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani about the words of God Almighty Who says: “Indeed, I am the Appointer of a Caliph on the earth.” So he said: “Indeed, the earth is not empty of a Caliph that God is the Appointer of him, 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: “God, since the time He said that, has always been appointing a Caliph on the 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 God on the earth has been guided to what God has created on it in order to put it in a place where God 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 words of God Almighty that says: “Indeed, I am the Appointer of a Caliph on the earth.” So he said: “God, since the time He promised, has always appointed a Caliph on the earth, whether he has been visible and famous or hidden and frightened, and indeed, God does not break His promise.” The man said: “People in Iraq have appointed a caliph and believe in nothing but that he is the caliph[2]!” He said: “The enemies of God lied! God did not say to them, ‘You are appointers of a Caliph on the earth,’ but rather He said: ‘I am the Appointer,’ so if they appoint a caliph on it other than the Caliph whom God has appointed on it, they will indeed become polytheists by doing so.” The man said: “Who is this Caliph whom God has appointed on it?” He said: “A man from the descendants of Fatimah, who is called the Mahdi.”
3 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ دَاوُودَ الْفَيْضآبَادِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: ﴿سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنْ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولًا﴾[3]، 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 the earth.” I said: “They deny that there is a Caliph for God on the earth!” He said: “He is on it, even if all those who are on the earth deny him.” Then he said: “I have been informed that they have appointed a caliph from among the people of Iraq on the earth[4].” I said: “Yes, and they shed blood for him.” He said: “He is the caliph of those who did wrong, and the Caliph of God 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-Jowzjani informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the words of the Angels when God said to them: “Indeed, I am the Appointer of a Caliph on the earth. They said: ‘Do you appoint on it one who will cause corruption and shed blood on it?’” Then God said to them: “I know something that you do not know.” Mansoor said: “One who causes corruption and sheds blood on the earth is not a Caliph, but rather a Caliph is one who acts justly.” Then he fell silent for a moment and then said: “Indeed, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi causes corruption and sheds blood on the 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﴾[5]؟! 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﴾[6]؟! 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﴾[7]، 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 words of God Almighty that 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 He has not appointed any Caliph on the 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 passions’?!” I said: “They say that it was in the past nations, and 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: ‘God has 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’?!” I said: “They say that He meant those Muslims who came to power, such as the Umayyads, the Abbasids, and those who came after them.” He said: “They are lying. Did anyone other than rebellious tyrants from among them come to power?! Indeed, God has promised to appoint those who believed and did righteous deeds as Caliphs, so whoever has become a polytheist in his faith or done an unrighteous deed is not one of those whom God has appointed as Caliphs, even if he comes to power and is called a caliph.” I said: “They say that He appoints them by domination or the election of Ahl al-Hall wal-Aqd[8].” He said: “They are lying. Rather, He will appoint them as Caliphs ‘as He appointed some people before them as Caliphs,’ people such as Adam and Dawud , and He did not appoint them as Caliphs by domination or the election of Ahl al-Hall wal-Aqd, but rather He did so by a revelation from Himself; as He revealed: ‘O Dawud! We appointed you as a Caliph on the earth,’ ‘and their Prophet said to them that God has appointed Talut as a ruler for you.’” At this time I cried, so he said: “What made you cry?!” I said: “Your knowledge about the Book and their ignorance about you!” He said: “Do not let it make you cry; because whomever God has wanted to teach him the Book, He will have him know 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 recite these words of God Almighty: “O Dawud! We appointed you as a Caliph on the earth, so Judge rightly among people and do not follow your passions.” So he raised his voice and said: “Listen! Listen! The Caliph of God on the earth is just one who rules justly among people and does not follow his passions, so do not let those who claim to be caliphs while they are oppressors deceive you!” Then he lowered his voice and said: “Indeed, this nation does not lack a Caliph like Dawud; because God has said: ‘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 knowledgeable neighbor who has memorized a thousand Hadiths with their chain of narrators, and he is not asked about anything of the Book of God Almighty unless he informs you of it, and he is also familiar with jurisprudence, language, and interpretation!” So he said: “Does he know that there is a Caliph for God on the earth?!” 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﴾[9].
Translation of the saying:
Hashim ibn Ubayd al-Khojandi informed us, he said: I was sitting with Mansoor, then he looked at me and said: “O Hashim! Do you not see these misguided people who think that God has not explained the Caliphate in the Quran?! Do you think they do not know or pretend to not know?!” 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 words of God in the Quran that has said: ‘God has 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.’ Do they want words clearer than these?! Or do they think that He has broken His promise, so He has not appointed anyone as a Caliph among them 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 more misguided than this! They think that God has appointed anyone among them as a caliph, to whom they pledged allegiance as a caliph after the Messenger of God 
!” He said: “Woe to them. Did they pledge allegiance to anyone other than rebellious tyrants after Hasan[10]?! Indeed, God promised to appoint those of them as Caliphs who believed and did righteous deeds, and it is not that God promises them good and then gives them evil, but rather He fulfills His promise, and He appoints a man like Dawud as a Caliph in every era, 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, God 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﴾[11]، 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﴾[12]؟! ﴿بَلْ قَالُوا مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ الْأَوَّلُونَ﴾[13]، وَمَا كَانَ حُجَّتَهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ قَالُوا: ﴿إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ مُهْتَدُونَ﴾[14]! 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 Mahmud al-Sajistani informed us, he said: Mansoor heard a reciter recite these words of God Almighty: “That you should establish religion and make no divisions in it.” So he said: “They recite the Quran but do not ponder on it, as if they are talking parrots! How can they establish the entire religion and not make any division in it unless there is an Imam from God, who teaches them the entire religion and judges among them about what they disagree on?!” I said: “May I be sacrificed for you, they say that the Quran and the Sunnah are sufficient for this purpose and they do not need such an Imam.” He said: “Woe to them. Have the Quran and the Sunnah not existed among them for fourteen hundred years and they go into them day and night?! Then why do they not establish the entire religion, and why have they made divisions in it?! Do they not find something other than an Imam from God that teaches them the entire Quran and the Sunnah and judges among them about what they disagree on?! Woe to them. How can they say that the Quran and the Sunnah are sufficient for them to establish the religion?! While religion is nothing but the Quran and the Sunnah, and how can they say that those two are sufficient to resolve disagreements?! While disagreements are only about those two! ‘So do they not use the intellect’?! ‘Rather, they say the like of what their predecessors said,’ and their proof is nothing but to say: ‘We found our fathers upon a religion, and we have been guided by following them!’ It is not so, but rather they will always spoil religion and make divisions in it until they gather around an Imam from God, who teaches them and judges among them, 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﴾[15]، 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 God in His words that has said: “Hold firmly to the rope of God all together and do not become divided.” So he said: “What do they say?” I said: “They say that it is the Quran.” So he said: “The Quran is the Book of God, and the rope of God is the Prophet. Do you not see that they were not divided as long as the Prophet was among them, then, when he passed away, they were divided while the Quran was among them?! So the rope of God 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 them his Sunnah perfectly, and it will always be the same until the Day of Judgment comes.” Then he said: “Indeed, the rope of God is His Caliph on the earth, so if you hold firmly to him, you will never be divided, and if you do not do so, you will never be united! Be aware that, I swear to God, I explained 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﴾[16]، 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 words of God Almighty that says: “They are struck by ignominy wherever they are found except with a rope from God and a rope from people.” So he said: “A rope from God 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 comes. Have you not heard the words of the Messenger of God that said: ‘I leave among you two precious things that if you hold firmly to them, you will never go astray after me; one of them is greater than the other: the Book of God, which is a rope stretched from the heaven to the earth, and my Itrah, my Ahl al-Bayt, and those two will never be separated until they come to me by the Pond’[17]?!” I said: “I swear to God, this is a strong statement, but interpreters do not believe in it!” He said: “Do you worship interpreters?” I said: “No.” He said: “Then will you be gathered toward them and they will punish you?” I said: “No.” He said: “Then will they bear a portion of the punishment of God instead of you?” I said: “No.” He said: “Then believe in the truth and leave the sayings of interpreters!”
12 . أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْهَرَوِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿لِكُلِّ قَوْمٍ هَادٍ﴾[18]، 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 words of God Almighty that says: “There is a guide for every nation.” So he said: “How obvious it is! No nation is empty of one who guides them by the command of God.” I said: “What does nation mean?” He said: “Age –that is, 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﴾[19]، 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 words of God Almighty that 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 be saved, and if they disobey him, they will perish! I swear to God, this is so 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﴾[20]، 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﴾[21]!
Translation of the saying:
Jubayr ibn Ata’ al-Khojandi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the words of God Almighty that says: “O you who believed! Fear God and be with the truthful.” So he said: “The earth is never empty of a truthful one that the believers are obliged to be with him, not go ahead of him, and not fall behind him. So whoever dies without being with the truthful one of his time has died disobeying his Lord, and this is the purpose of the wise, where they say: O Lord! ‘Make us die with 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 words of the wise that say: “And make us die with the righteous.” So he said: “No time is empty of a righteous Imam with whom whoever dies will be saved, so be the 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 who is called 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 introduce himself 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﴾[22]، 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﴾[23].
Translation of the saying:
Abd al-Shakur ibn Zulami al-Wardaki informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the words of God Almighty that has said: “Ask the informed about Him.’ So he said: “(It means) ask from who is informed about Him.” Then he said: “Indeed, there is a man informed about God among people that they must ask him so that he informs them about God, so whoever of them dies while not knowing this man has died in ignorance and misguidance.” I said: “How can they know him?!” He said: “If they held firmly to the Book of God and the one from among His Caliphs on the earth whom they knew, it would not be hidden from them, but they turned away, so ‘God sealed their hearts, ears, and eyes, and they are the heedless.’”
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﴾[24]، 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: “God has not revealed in the Book what people are not able to do, and He has revealed in it: ‘Ask the people of remembrance if you do not know.’ So no time is empty of a man of remembrance that people ask him about what they do not know and he gives them the right answer, and if you tell these ignorant people 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, these people say that all scholars are people of remembrance.” So he said: “Do all of them give the right answers when asked?!” I said: “No.” He said: “God does not command to ask a people that may not give right answers!”
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﴾[25]! 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﴾[26]، 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﴾[27]! 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 a mosque with the righteous servant (i.e., Mansoor), and there were men from Salafiyyah with us, then he looked at them and said: “Indeed, God has renewed a new remembrance for you, so follow it and do not follow the predecessors; because the predecessors did not follow the predecessors, but rather they followed their remembrance, and indeed, whoever stops at the predecessors and does not follow the remembrance that God has renewed for him, has cut off what God has commanded to be always kept constant, and has gone astray from His way, ‘they are being called from a faraway place!’” A man from Salafiyyah said: “Is it not that every renewed thing is an innovation?!” So His Honor turned toward him and said: “An innovation is what people have renewed in religion, and the remembrance is what God has renewed.” Then he recited this verse that says: “Never comes to them a renewed remembrance from their Lord unless they listen to it as they play around.” The man said: “What is the renewed remembrance?!” He said: “An Imam whom God renews in every generation, who guides by His command to warn whoever is alive and prove the Word against disbelievers.” The man said: “We have not heard of this in the first 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 of this in the religion of past people. This is but a fabrication.’ I swear to God, I did not think any Muslim would say this until I heard you say it, O people of Salfiyyah!”
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 the presence of Mansoor while he thoughtfully was touching the ground and saying quietly: “They did not know God as He deserves! They did not know God as He deserves! They did not know God as He deserves!” Then he raised his head toward us and said: “Write!” So we started writing, then he said: “They did not know God as He deserves when they said: ‘God did not appoint a Caliph in this nation,’ while they know that He appointed in the previous nations, and He never changes His way unless He Himself announces a change, and He has announced the end of the Prophethood and not announced the end of the Caliphate, but rather He has said about those of this nation, who believed and did righteous deeds: ‘He will surely appoint them as Caliphs on the earth, as He appointed some people before them as Caliphs.’ So His tradition of appointing men of faith and righteous deeds as Caliphs after the Prophet remains valid until the Day of Judgment, but when I remind those who have forgotten it about it, they ask me for proof, while proof is only on them; because they make a claim about a change of way that they acknowledge its establishment in the previous nations, and I deny the change, and they know that the onus of proof rests on the claimant, not on the denier! However, I have given them proof, and it is the verses of the Quran that I read to them, but in response to me, they bring the work of their fathers as proof! They say: ‘Are you more learned or the Sahabah and their followers?!’ While they themselves narrate from the Messenger of God : ‘Many are those who carry knowledge but have no knowledge themselves, and many are those who convey knowledge to one more learned than themselves,’[28] and they say: ‘This is an innovation,’ while the innovation was what their fathers founded in Saqifah[29], when they forgot a portion of what they were reminded of, as the past people forgot[30], so they said: ‘Let there be a commander from among us and a commander from among you’[31] then they pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr, while they knew God 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[32], which God protected against its evil, so whoever repeats such a thing, there is no allegiance for him,’[33] but every repeater repeated such a thing, 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 what he said correctly! So when I remind them of this so that they may repent and reform, fanaticism of the time of ignorance overtakes them; they say: ‘O, Woe is me! Are you saying that Abu Bakr and Umar went wrong?!’ While they know that those two were not gods besides God or prophets after Muhammad but rather they were two righteous men who did right in some things and did wrong in some things, and no believer shall follow them in their error; as the Sahabah opposed them in many matters, and the jurists gave fatwas contrary to their fatwas on many issues, and these people did not denounce them either, nor did they say: ‘O, Woe is me! They considered Abu Bakr and Umar to be in the wrong!’ Until I gathered for them what they said to them in a scattered manner, and brought it to them clearly and purely, but it was hard on them, and they said, ‘This is a new religion!’ While it is not a new religion, but rather it is the very first religion, unless by new they mean what they narrate from the Prophet that God sends men among them to renew their religion for them[34]; because I renewed their religion for them after it became old, and I do not possess anything for them against God, nor am I a guardian over them.”
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﴾[35]، فَمَاذَا يُنْكِرُ هَؤُلَاءِ الْجُهَّالُ الضُّلَّالُ الْمَفْتُونُونَ؟! أَيُنْكِرُونَ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَكْثَرُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ قَدْ ضَلُّوا؟! ﴿وَلَقَدْ ضَلَّ قَبْلَهُمْ أَكْثَرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ﴾[36]، وَهُمْ يَرْوُونَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُمْ: «لَتَرْكَبُنَّ سُنَنَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ شِبْرًا بِشِبْرٍ وَذِرَاعًا بِذِرَاعٍ»[37]! 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﴾[38]، 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»[39]، 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﴾[40]!
Translation of the saying:
Isa ibn Abd al-Hamid al-Jowzjani informed us, he said: I heard Mansoor say: “Indeed, the earth is not empty of a just man from the offspring of Ibrahim whom God has appointed as an Imam for people, and this is a covenant that God made with Ibrahim when He tested him with some words, so he fulfilled them, then ‘He said: “I am going to appoint you as an Imam for people.” He said: “And also my offspring?” He said: “My covenant does not reach the oppressors.”’ so what do these misguided, fallen-into-fitnah ignorant people deny?! Do they deny that most Muslims have gone astray?! ‘While before them, most people in the past went astray,’ and they narrate from the Messenger of God that he said to them: ‘You will follow the ways of people in the past, handspan by handspan and step by step!’ So what do they deny despite the words of God and the words 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 were fleeing to the mountain without looking back at anyone and the Prophet was calling them from behind, so He punished them with sorrow upon sorrow[41] and said: ‘Undoubtedly, those of you who fled on the day when the two groups faced each other, Satan caused them to slip because of some of what they had gained,’ and on the day of Hunayn, when they took pride in their great number, but it did not avail them, and the earth became narrow for them despite its vastness, so they fled[42], and they themselves narrate from the Messenger of God that he said: ‘Indeed, a group of my Sahabah will come to me (on the Day of Judgment), then they will be driven away from around the Pond, so I will say: “My Lord! My Sahabah!” 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 words of God and the words of His Prophet?! Have they taken the Sahabah and their followers as gods besides God, as Jews took their scholars and monks[43]?! ‘While they were not commanded but to worship 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﴾[44]، 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﴾[45]!
Translation of the saying:
Yunus ibn Abdullah al-Khatlani informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the words of God Almighty that says: “And those who disbelieved say: ‘You are not a Prophet.’ Say: ‘God and whoever has knowledge of the Book are sufficient as witnesses among me and you.’” So he said: “The witness of God is His Book, and indeed, there are two witnesses among the Prophet and his nation: the Book of God and the one who has knowledge of the Book, and he is God’s Caliph among them after the Prophet, and his nation will never be without those two until the Day of Judgment comes.” I said: “May God make me a sacrifice for you; because you revealed to me something of the Book of God that they conceal!” He said: “They do not conceal it, but they do not ponder on it, or there are locks on the hearts[46]!” At this time I cried, so he said: “What is the matter?!” I said: “I feel sorry for people; because they have not heard your words while it is wisdom and decisive statement, and if they heard it, they would be guided.” So he said: “Do not feel sorry for them, ‘if God had found any good in them, He would have certainly made them hear, and if He were to make them hear, they would turn away in rejection!’”
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 the presence of Mansoor, then he looked at us and said: “Indeed, for God, there are two witnesses over people: the Book of God and the one who has knowledge of the Book, and neither of those two makes them free of the need for the other, and this is the words of God that has said: ‘Say: God and whoever has knowledge of the Book are sufficient as witnesses among me and you.’” Then he looked at the sky and said: “O God! Did I explain?!” Then something from the fear of God came to us that God knows when he said this, then he looked at us again and said: “Indeed, the earth is not empty of the Book of God and the one who has knowledge of the Book in order to be two witnesses among 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, the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet, and this is his words that has said: ‘Indeed, I leave among you two precious things: the Book of God and my Itrah, my Ahl al-Bayt, and those two will never be separated until they come to me by the Pond.’” Then he looked at the sky again and said: “O God! Did I fulfill?!” Then we started to tremble because of his dignity 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﴾[47]، 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﴾[48] 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﴾[49]!
Translation of the saying:
Ahmad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Taloqani informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the words of God Almighty that says: “Is he the one who has clear proof from his Lord, followed by a witness.” So he said: “The one who has clear proof from his Lord is Muhammad and after him, in every century, a witness from his family follows him, that is, comes after him. Do you not see the words of God Almighty that has said: ‘By the sun and its brightness, and the moon when follows it,’ that is, comes after it?! So whoever wants to be free of the fire and enter Heaven must believe in what God has sent down, follow Muhammad and accompany the witness from his family, as the disciples (of Christ) 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﴾[50]، 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 words of God Almighty that says: “Say: This is my way that I invite toward God with insight; I and whoever follows me.” So he said: “The earth is not empty of one who follows the Prophet in everything, and he is the one who invites toward God 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﴾[51]، 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﴾[52]! 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﴾[53]! قُلْتُ: جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا، فَقَدْ زَوَّدْتَنِي بِحِكْمَتَيْنِ بَالِغَتَيْنِ لَمْ أَسْمَعْ بِهِمَا قَطُّ أَبَدًا! قَالَ: ﴿ذَانِكَ بُرْهَانَانِ مِنْ رَبِّكَ﴾[54]! 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 words of God Almighty that says: “O you who believed! Obey God and obey the Prophet and those in authority from among you.” So he said: “There is always a man among those who believed that obedience to him is obligatory for them like obedience to God and the Prophet; whoever obeys him has obeyed God and the Prophet, and whoever disobeys him has disobeyed God and the Prophet, and he is one whom God and the Prophet have appointed, not one whom people have appointed by their desires.” I said: “They say that whoever from among believers takes control of their authority is one 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 one whom God and the Prophet have appointed takes control of their authority is not from among believers, but rather he is from among sinners, and God has commanded to obey those in authority from among believers and not commanded to obey those in authority from among sinners! ‘Is one who is a believer equal to one 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 God and the Prophet have appointed, and whoever other than them takes control of it is a usurper, and the usurper is not considered from among the owners ‘if only they could understand!’” I said: “May God reward you well; because you gave me two perfect words of wisdom that I had never heard before!” He said: “They are two proofs from your Lord!” Then 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 God curse him! How well he knows the Book of God!’” He said: “O Muhammad! Do you not know that in the opinion of the people of Iran, I am like Ali ibn Abi Talib in the opinion of the people of Damascus?! The Umayyads deceived them with lies, to the extent that they cursed him without any guilt for nearly sixty years!”
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﴾[55]، 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 words of God Almighty that says: “O you who believed! Fear God and believe in His Prophet, then He will grant you two portions of His mercy and place for you a light to walk in.” So he said: “The two portions of His mercy are the Book and the Sunnah, and the light is an Imam who illuminates those two for them until the Day of Judgment comes. So fear God and believe in His Prophet, then He will grant you the Book and the Sunnah and appoint an Imam for you, who illuminates those two for you until the Day of Judgment comes.”
27 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ السَّلَامِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْقَيُّومِ الْبَلْخِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ﴾[56]، فَقَالَ: هَادِيهَا، وَنُورُ اللَّهِ هُدَاهُ، وَهُوَ ﴿فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ﴾[57]، وَهِيَ بُيُوتُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، ﴿يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ رِجَالٌ لَا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ﴾[58]، 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 words of God Almighty that says: “God is the Light of the heavens and the earth.” So he said: “He is their Guide, and the light of God is His guidance, and it is ‘in houses that God has permitted to be raised up and His name to be mentioned in them,’ and they are the houses of the Prophets, ‘in them, morning and evening, He is praised by men that no business or occupation makes them neglect the remembrance of God,’ and they are the people of the houses of the Prophets, do you not see that He says they praise Him morning and evening in them? So they are their people, and God’s guidance does not leave the houses of the Prophets until the Day of Judgment comes, so seek it with the Ah al-Bayt (the people of the house) of the Prophet, and do not seek it with others or you will go astray.”
Explanation of the saying:
These perfect words of wisdom and healing points are verbal miracles from this righteous servant, and those who examine and research know that they are treasures for which there is no equivalent in the words of scholars and wise people, and they can be compared only with the words of the Prophets and the truthful ones whom God has chosen, guided, confirmed with a Spirit from Himself, and granted knowledge from Himself. So if you are one of those who discern, try to convey them to other Muslims; because God Almighty has said: ﴿إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ﴾[59]; “Indeed, that are signs in that for those who discern,” and if you are one of those whose hearts, ears, and eyes have been sealed by God, then you will turn away arrogantly as if you did not hear it, as if there were deafness in your ears, ﴿كَذَلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ مُرْتَابٌ﴾[60]; “This is how God leads astray whoever is extravagant and doubtful.”
So if you are one of the first group, then spread these bright lights and inform the heedless from among your family, friends, and all other people about them, expressing your gratitude toward God for the guidance He has granted you, and perhaps they may take heed; because it is an obligatory duty for you, and if you are one of the other group, then do whatever you want, for ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ﴾[61]; “God is All-Seeing of what you do,” and ﴿سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌ مُقِيمٌ﴾[62]; “soon you will know to whom will come a punishment to disgrace him and on whom will fall a lasting punishment.”
For more information on this, refer to lessons about the fact that the earth is not empty of a man knowledgeable about the entire religion, whom God has appointed as a Caliph, Imam, and guide on it with His command.
and ibn Mandah has said in his Tadhkarah that twenty four Companions have narrated it, and he has mentioned their names, and it has been said in the explanation of Al-Muwahib al-Ladunniyyah: “Hafiz has said that it is a famous Hadith, and some people have considered it mutawatir; because it has been received through twenty four Companions,” and it has been said in Sharh al-Taqrib of al-Suyuti that it has been received through about thirty Companions (See: Nazm al-Mutanathir Min al-Hadith al-Mutawarir by al-Kattani, p. 34) that 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 God sends for this Ummah, every century, someone who will renew their religion for them.”