1 . أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الطَّالَقَانِيُّ، قَالَ: كُنْتُ عِنْدَ الْعَبْدِ الصَّالِحِ فِي دَارِهِ فَوَجَدْتُهُ فَارِغًا فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، أَسْأَلُكَ؟ فَقَالَ بِرَأْسِهِ: نَعَمْ، فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ يُسَبِّحُ، فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ فِي ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ، وَأَنْتَ عَالِمُهُمْ وَسَيِّدُهُمْ، فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ -جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ- أَنْ تُخْرِجَهُمْ فِيهِ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ فَعَلْتَ! فَمَكَثَ حَتَّى قَضَى سُبْحَتَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: دَعْنِي مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ السَّفَلَةِ الْمَرَدَةِ الْقَائِلِينَ عَلَى اللَّهِ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ! أَلَا تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْعِلْمَ كَنْزٌ مِنْ كُنُوزِ الْجَنَّةِ هَبَطَ مِنْهَا مَعَ آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، ثُمَّ انْتَقَلَ مِنْهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ، حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ مَعَ آخِرِهِمْ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ؟! أَفَتُرِيدُ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ مِثْلَ هَذَا الْكَنْزِ فِي أَيْدِي الصِّبْيَانِ وَالْمَجَانِينِ وَالْمُدْمِنِينَ عَلَى الْمُخَدِّرَاتِ؟! لَا وَاللَّهِ لَيْسَ هَؤُلَاءِ بِمَأْمُونِينَ عَلَيْهِ وَلَا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، وَإِنَّ فِيهِمْ سَارِقِينَ يَسْرُقُونَهُ لِيَشْتَرُوا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا وَيَسْتَعِينُوا بِهِ عَلَى حُجَجِ اللَّهِ وَأَوْلِيَائِهِ! ﴿فَذَرْهُمْ فِي غَمْرَتِهِمْ حَتَّى حِينٍ﴾[1]! فَنَدَمْتُ عَلَى مَسْأَلَتِي حَتَّى رَأَى ذَلِكَ فِي وَجْهِي، فَقَالَ: كَانَ الْيَهُودُ يَجِدُونَ ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ عِنْدَهُمْ فِي كِتَابِ دَانِيَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فَسَأَلُوا عَنْهُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِيَعْلَمُوا أَيُوحَى إِلَيْهِ أَمْ لَا، فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ: ﴿وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ ۖ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا﴾[2]، قُلْتُ: وَمَا كَانَ عِنْدَهُمْ فِي كِتَابِ دَانِيَالَ؟ قَالَ: إِنَّ دَانِيَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ رَأَى فِي الْمَنَامِ كَبَشًا لَهُ قَرْنَانِ طَوِيلَانِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَطْوَلُ مِنَ الْآخَرِ، وَرَآهُ يَنْطَحُ غَرْبًا وَشَرْقًا وَشَمَالًا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَقْدِرَ حَيَوَانٌ عَلَى دَفْعِهِ حَتَّى عَظُمَ شَأْنُهُ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ بِأَنَّ الْكَبَشَ ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ هُوَ مَلِكُ مَادِي وَفَارِسَ! قُلْتُ: أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ آتَاكَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ! أَفَأُحَدِّثَهُمْ عَنْكَ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ؟ قَالَ: حَدِّثْهُمْ بِهِ، أَرْغَمَ اللَّهُ أُنُوفَ قَوْمٍ مُسْتَكْبِرِينَ.

Translation of the saying:

Ahmad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Taloqani informed us and said: I was with Abd Saleh in his honor’s house, so I found him in his spare time, so I said to him: May I be your sacrifice, can I ask you a question? Then he said with a nod: Yes, then I realized that he was saying Dhikr, so I said: These people disagree about Dhu al-Qarnayn and you are their scholar and their master, so if you believe it is good -may I be your sacrifice- to bring them into the light of knowing him from the darkness of not knowing him, do it! His honor hesitated to finish his Dhikr, then said: Let me be from these arrogant lowly people who attribute God things that they have no knowledge of! Do you not know that this knowledge is a treasure from treasures of Paradise which was descended from there with Adam peace be upon him and then it was transmitted to the prophets and the sincere and the witnesses and the righteous from his children until it returns to Paradise with their last one?! Do you want to put such a treasure in the hands of kids and lunatics and addicts?! No I swear to God they are not trusted with it and they have nothing to do with it and there are thieves among them who will steal it to sell it with a low price and use it against proofs and friends of God! “So leave them in their confusion for a time”! (Ahmad says:) So I regretted my question to the extent that he saw it in my face, so he said: The Jews found Dhu al-Qarnayn with them in the book of Daniel peace be upon him, so they asked about him from the Messenger of God peace be upon him and his family to know whether he is revealed upon or not, so God revealed to him: “They ask you about Dhu al-Qarnayn, say I will recite to you about him a Dhikr”, I said: What was with them in the book of Daniel? He said: Daniel peace be upon him saw in a dream a ram that had two long horns, one of which was taller than the other, and he saw him butting towards the west, east and north, without an animal being able to stop him until his actions became intense, so Gabriel peace be upon him informed him that the ram with two horns (Dhu al-Qarnayn), is the king of Media and Persia! I said: I bear witness that God has given you wisdom and decisive speech! So can I narrate this statement from you to them? He said: Narrate for them, may God knock down the group who are arrogant.

2 . أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الْجُوزَجَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ -رُوحِي فِدَاهُ- يَقُولُ: إِنَّ رُوحَ الْقُدُسِ نَفَثَ فِي رُوعِي أَنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ قَبِيلَتَانِ مِنْ قَبَائِلِ الْمُغُولِ كَانُوا يُغِيرُونَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ فِي شَمَالِ فَارِسَ لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلًا، فَاسْتَعَانُوا عَلَيْهِمْ بِكُورَشَ، فَبَنَى لَهُمْ بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ سَدًّا، فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا، حَتَّى إِذَا فَتَحَ سَبِيلَهُمْ مَلِكُ خوارَزْمَ فِي الْقَرْنِ السَّابِعِ، فَأَقْبَلُوا كَالسَّيْلِ يُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ! قُلْتُ: وَاللَّهِ قُلْتَ قَوْلًا عَظِيمًا! قُلْتَ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ أَتَى فَمَضَى؟! قَالَ: نَعَمْ، إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ يَأْتِي فَيَمْضِي، وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ! قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ كَانُوا قَوْمًا مِنَ الْخَزَرِ أَوْ يَكُونُونَ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ! قَالَ: إِنَّ قَوْمًا مِنَ الْخَزَرِ كَانُوا مُفْسِدِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَشُبِّهُوا بِيَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ لِإِفْسَادِهِمْ كَمَا يُقَالُ لِرَجُلٍ شَرِيرٍ إِبْلِيسُ لِشَرَارَتِهِ، فَكُلُّ مُفْسِدِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ، وَفِي كُلِّ قَرْنَيْنِ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ.

Translation of the saying:

Isa ibn Abd al-Hamid al-Juzajani informed us and said: I heard his honor Mansoor may I be his sacrifice says: Indeed the Holy Spirit inspired me that Gog and Magog were two tribes of the Mongol tribes that used to attack a nation in northern Persia (present-day Iran) who could hardly understand the language, so that nation asked Cyrus for help against them, so he built a barrier for them between two mountains, which they could not climb and could not dig, until the king of Khwarezm (Khwarezmshah) opened their way in the seventh century, so they came like a flood and caused corruption on earth, while flooding from every height! I said: I swear to God you said a great word! Did you say that God’s promise (in the Quran) has come and gone?! He said: Yes, surely the promise of God comes and goes, while most people do not know! I said: They say that Gog and Magog were a nation from Khazars or will be a nation at the end of time! He said: There were a nation from Khazars who used to cause corruption on earth, so they were resembled to Gog and Magog because of their corruption, just as an evil man is called Iblis because of his evilness, so every corrupt nation on earth is a Gog and Magog and there is a Gog and Magog in every two centuries.

Explanation of the saying:

His honor’s view about Gog and Magog is supported by Quranic, narrative and historical evidences and is the most reasonable and realistic view that has been presented about them and the words of his honor that said: “Indeed the Holy Spirit inspired me” does not mean that God has revealed upon him; because it is obvious that he is not a prophet and he does not claim to be a prophet, but it means his “fortune” from God and his “intelligence” in looking at the Quranic, narrative and historical evidences that God has said about: ﴿إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ﴾[3]; “Indeed in that are signs for those who have intellect” and the Prophet peace be upon him and his family has said about it: «اتَّقُوا فِرَاسَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِ فَإِنَّهُ يَنْظُرُ بِنُورِ اللَّهِ»[4]; “Beware of the intelligence of the believer; for he looks with the light of God”; regardless of the fact that “inspiration” and “understanding” in the heart of the believer is a common grace of God’s graces; as it has been narrated: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذَا أَرَادَ بِعَبْدٍ خَيْرًا نَكَتَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةً مِنْ نُورٍ وَفَتَحَ مَسَامِعَ قَلْبِهِ وَوَكَّلَ بِهِ مَلَكًا يُسَدِّدُهُ»[5]; “God Almighty, whenever He wills good for a servant, puts a luminous point in his heart and opens the ears of his heart and appoints an angel for him to guide him through” to the extent that it has been narrated from Abu Abdellah Sadegh peace be upon him: «إِنَّا لَا نَعُدُّ الْفَقِيهَ فَقِيهًا حَتَّى يَكُونَ مُحَدَّثًا، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: أَوَ يَكُونُ الْمُؤْمِنُ مُحَدَّثًا؟ قَالَ: يَكُونُ مُفَهَّمًا وَالْمُفَهَّمُ مُحَدَّثٌ»[6]; “We do not consider any jurist to be a jurist until he is a narrator (meaning the angel speaks to him), he was told: Will a believer become a narrator? He said: He will understand (meaning the angel makes him understand) and who understands is a narrator” and this is a description that the Shia narrators[7] have narrated for Salman Farsi and Sunni narrators[8] have narrated for Umar ibn Khattab and Ibn Hajar has said in explaining it: «اخْتُلِفَ فِي تَأْوِيلِهِ، فَقِيلَ: مُلْهَمٌ قَالَهُ الْأَكْثَرُ، قَالُوا: الْمُحَدَّثُ بِالْفَتْحِ هُوَ الرَّجُلُ الصَّادِقُ الظَّنِّ وَهُوَ مَنْ أُلْقِيَ فِي رُوعِهِ شَيْءٌ مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَلَأِ الْأَعْلَى فَيَكُونُ كَالَّذِي حَدَّثَهُ غَيْرُهُ بِهِ ... وَقِيلَ: مُكَلَّمٌ أَيْ تُكَلِّمُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ بِغَيْرِ نُبُوَّةٍ وَهَذَا وَرَدَ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ مَرْفُوعًا وَلَفْظُهُ: قِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، وَكَيْفَ يُحَدَّثُ؟ قَالَ: تَتَكَلَّمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عَلَى لِسَانِهِ ... وَيَحْتَمِلُ رَدُّهُ إِلَى الْمَعْنَى الْأَوَّلِ أَيْ تُكَلِّمُهُ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَرَ مُكَلِّمًا فِي الْحَقِيقَةِ فَيَرْجِعُ إِلَى الْإِلْهَامِ وَفَسَّرَهُ ابْنُ التِّينِ بِالتَّفَرُّسِ»[9]; “There is disagreement about its meaning. It has been said that it means the one who receives inspiration and this is the opinion of the majority who have said: The narrator is a man whose guess is right and something is entered into his heart from the world above and therefore, he is like someone whom another has said to him ... and it has been said that it means the one with whom the angels speak without him being a prophet and this is mentioned in the Hadith of Abu Saeed Khedri with the word that was said: O Messenger of God! How is he talked to? He said: The angels speak in his language ... and it can be restored to its original meaning; that is, the angels speak to him in his heart even though he does not really see a speaker and this goes back to inspiration and Ibn Tin considered it to mean intelligence”, but it is right that the grace of the Holy Spirit - more or less - includes every believer; as God has said: ﴿أُولَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ﴾[10]; “Those whom He has inscribed within their hearts faith and supported them with spirit from Him”; especially a believer who invites toward God and His Caliph; as it has been narrated as an example, the Prophet peace be upon him and his family addressed Hasan ibn Thabit Ansari: «إِنَّ رُوحَ الْقُدُسِ لَا يَزَالُ يُؤَيِّدُكَ مَا نَافَحْتَ عَنِ اللَّهِ وَعَنْ رَسُولِهِ»; “Indeed the Holy Spirit always helps you as long as you support God and His Prophet” and addressed him: «لَا تَزَالُ مُؤَيَّدًا بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ مَا نَصَرْتَنَا بِلِسَانِكَ»; “You are always supported by the Holy Spirit as long as you help us with your tongue”[11] and he said to him and Abdullah Bin Rawaha: «لَنْ تَزَالَا تُؤَيَّدَانِ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ مَا ذَبَبْتُمَا عَنَّا بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمَا»[12]; “You are always supported by the Holy Spirit as long as you defend us with your tongue” and Abu Ja’far Bagher peace be upon him said to Kumayt ibn Zayd Asadi: «لَا تَزَالُ مُؤَيَّدًا بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ مَادُمْتَ تَقُولُ فِينَا»[13]; “You are always supported by the Holy Spirit as long as you talk about us” and Ali ibn Musa al-Rida peace be upon him said to Da’bal ibn Ali Khaza’i: «نَطَقَ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ عَلَى لِسَانِكَ بِهَذَيْنِ الْبَيْتَيْنِ»[14]; “The Holy Spirit inspired these two rhymes to your tongue”, while it is clear that none of them were prophets and did not claim to be prophets, but they only were inviters to the Prophet and his family and this is an attribute that is now manifested in Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani.

To read an explanation about his remarks about Dhu al-Qarnayn and Gog and Magog, see Question and Answer 74.