1 . أَخْبَرَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مَحْمُودٍ السِّجِسْتَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ الْهَاشِمِيَّ الْخُرَاسَانِيَّ يَقُولُ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمُ الْفِتَنَ فِي أَدْيَانِكُمْ، فَتَمَسَّكُوا بِمَا عَلِمْتُمْ وَعَضُّوا عَلَيْهِ بِالنَّوَاجِذِ، وَلَا تَذَرُوهُ لِجَهْلِ جَاهِلٍ وَإِنْ رَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ وَضَرَبَ بِمِخْفَقَتِهِ! قُلْتُ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، أَرَأَيْتَ الْفِتَنَ الَّتِي قَدْ نَزَلَتْ بِأَهْلِ الشَّامِ وَالْعِرَاقِ؟! قَالَ: مَا فِيهَا مِنْ قَاتِلٍ وَلَا مَقْتُولٍ إِلَّا وَهُوَ فِي النَّارِ، قُلْتُ: لِمَ؟! قَالَ: يَطْلُبَانِ الْمُلْكَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَيْلٌ لِطُغَاةِ الْعَرَبِ مِنْ شَرٍّ قَدِ اقْتَرَبَ! قُلْتُ: أَتَرَى بَعْدَ هَذِهِ الْفِتَنِ فِتْنَةً أَكْبَرَ مِنْهَا؟! قَالَ: نَعَمْ، وَلَا تَأْتِي فِتْنَةٌ إِلَّا وَهِيَ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أُخْتِهَا، وَإِنَّ أَكْبَرَ فِتْنَةٍ قَدْ بَقِيَتْ فِتْنَةُ السُّفْيَانِيِّ، فَإِنَّهُ يَنْزِعُ جُلُودَ الرِّجَالِ وَيَبْقُرُ بُطُونَ النِّسَاءِ! قُلْتُ: إِذَا أَدْرَكْنَاهُ فَمَا نَفْعَلُ؟! قَالَ: إِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ فَإِلَيَّ!
Translation of the saying:
Walid ibn Mahmoud al-Sajistani informed us, he said: I heard Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani say to his companions: “Indeed, I fear for you from the trials in your religions, so hold firmly to what you have gained knowledge about, grasp it with your teeth, and do not let it go because of the ignorance of an ignorant person, even if he raises his voice and strikes with his whip!” I said: “May I be sacrificed for you, do you see these trials that have befallen the people of Damascus and Iraq?!” He said: “There is no killer or killed among them unless he is in the fire!” I said: “For what?!” He said: “Both of them seek dominion!” Then he said: “Woe to Arab despots from the evil that has approached!” I said: “Do you see a trial after these trials that is greater than them?!” He said: “Yes, and no trial comes unless it is greater than the trial before, and indeed, the greatest remaining trial is the trial of Sufyani; because he skins men and tear open women’s bellies!” I said: “What should we do if we see him?!” He said: “If it happens, to me!”
Explanation of the saying:
The intended meaning of “the trials in religions” is to be turned back from beliefs due to the deception or torture of the ignorant. The intended meaning of what his companions have gained knowledge about and must hold firmly to it, grasp it with their teeth, and not let it go because of the ignorance of an ignorant person, even if he raises his voice and strikes with his whip, is the pure beliefs that have been explained in the noble book Return to Islam based on the Book of Allah, the mutawatir Sunnah of the Prophet, and rational proofs. The intended meaning of “Sufyani” is a man from the Umayyad who emerges before the advent of the Mahdi, peace be upon him, invites people toward himself, spreads corruption on Earth, and sheds blood. The intended meaning of his word, “If it happens, to me,” is, “If you see this man emerge and invite you toward himself, then come to me and I will protect you from him and lead you toward the Mahdi”; as it has been stated in another saying from His Eminence:
2 . أَخْبَرَنَا هَاشِمُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْخُجَنْدِيُّ، قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى الْمَنْصُورِ، فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَأَعْلَمُ أَنَّ حَدِيثَكُمْ هَذَا لَتَشْمَئِزُّ مِنْهُ قُلُوبُ الرِّجَالِ، فَانْبِذُوهُ إِلَيْهِمْ نَبْذًا، فَمَنْ أَقَرَّ بِهِ فَزِيدُوهُ وَمَنْ أَنْكَرَ فَذَرُوهُ! إِنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ أَنْ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ يَسْقُطُ فِيهَا كُلُّ ضَلِيعٍ وَدَاهِيَةٍ، حَتَّى يَسْقُطَ فِيهَا مَنْ يَشُقُّ الشَّعْرَ بِشَعْرَتَيْنِ، حَتَّى لَا يَبْقَى إِلَّا أَنَا وَأَصْحَابِي، فَنَرْتَحِلُ إِلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ!
Translation of the saying:
Hashim ibn Ubayd al-Khujandi informed us, he said: I went to Mansoor. Then I heard him say to his companions: “Indeed, by Allah, I know that the hearts of people will hate this speech of yours, so throw a little of it toward them, then whoever acknowledges it, increase for him, and whoever denies it, leave him! Indeed, there will inevitably be a trial into which every skilled and smart person will fall, to the point where one who splits a hair strand into two will fall into it, to the point where none remains but me and my companions, then we will migrate toward the Mahdi!”
Explanation of the saying:
The intended meaning of the speech that “the hearts of people will hate” is the discourse of “Return to Islam” and making preparations for the advent of the Mahdi, peace be upon him, which many people hate. The intended meaning of the trial from which no skilled and smart person is safe is the confusing and comprehensive doubts that surround this pure discourse and prevent even the greatest scholars and intellectuals from acknowledging it, despite all their skills and smartness, leading them to take a stance against it, to the extent that many meticulous and insightful individuals do not succeed in understanding it, to the point where only a purified and chosen group remains, and they accompany Mansoor toward the Mahdi until they join him.
