1 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَلْخِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ الْهَاشِمِيَّ الْخُرَاسَانِيَّ يَقُولُ: إِذَا سَكَتَ الْعَالِمُ عَنْ قَوْلِ الْحَقِّ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قَلْبِهِ، وَإِذَا قَالَ بَاطِلًا غَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا!
Translation of the saying:
Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Balkhi informed us, he said: I heard Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani say: “When a scholar remains silent about telling the truth, God seals his heart, and when he says something false, He gets angry with him, curses him, and prepares for him a great punishment!”
2 . أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الشِّيرَازِيُّ، قَالَ: قَالَ لِيَ الْمَنْصُورُ: كَيْفَ وَجَدْتَنِي عِنْدَ قَوْمِكَ؟ يَعْنِي أَهْلَ إِيرَانَ، قُلْتُ: أَمَّا عُلَمَاؤُهُمْ فَيَسْكُتُونَ عَنْكَ، وَأَمَّا جُهَّالُهُمْ فَيَقَعُونَ فِيكَ! قَالَ: لَا تَسْتَغْرِبْ ذَلِكَ، فَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَكَرَ أَهْلَ بَيْتٍ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ كَلْبَةٌ فِي دَارِهِمْ، فَضَافَهُمْ ضَيْفٌ، فَقَالَتِ الْكَلْبَةُ: وَاللَّهِ لَا أَنْبَحُ ضَيْفَ أَهْلِيَ اللَّيْلَةَ، فَنَبَحَ جِرَاؤُهَا فِي بَطْنِهَا! فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: هَذَا مَثَلُ قَوْمٍ يَكُونُونَ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ، يَغْلِبُ جُهَّالُهُمْ عُلَمَاءَهُمْ!
Translation of the saying:
Muhammad bin Ibrahim al-Shirazi informed us, he said: Mansoor said to me: “How did you find me among your people?” Referring to the people of Iran. I said: “As for their scholars, they remain silent about you, and as for their ignorant ones, they speak ill of you!” He said: “Do not find it strange; because it has reached me that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, mentioned a family that had a female dog in their house. Then (one night), they had a guest, so the female dog said: ‘By Allah, I will not bark at the guest of my owner tonight.’ Then her puppies that were in her belly barked! So the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, said: ‘This is the example of a people who will be in the end time, so their ignorant ones will gain the upper hand over their scholars.’”
3 . أَخْبَرَنَا ذَاكِرُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: كَانَ فِيمَا مَضَى مِنَ الْأُمَمِ رَجُلٌ حَكِيمٌ، فَرَأَى كَلْبَةً حَوْلَهَا جِرَاءٌ يَنْبَحُونَ، وَأُمُّهُمْ سَاكِتَةٌ، فَقَالَ: هَذَا مَثَلٌ! سَيَأْتِي زَمَانٌ يَنْطِقُ أَهْلُ الْجَهْلِ، وَيَصْمُتُ الْعُلَمَاءُ!
Translation of the saying:
Zakir ibn Ma‘roof informed us, he said: I heard Mansoor say: ‘There was a wise man in one of the past nations. Then (one day), he saw a female dog with puppies barking around her, while their mother remained silent. So he said: ‘This is an example! A time will come when the people of ignorance will speak and scholars will remain silent!’”
4 . أَخْبَرَنَا صَالِحُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ السَّبْزَوَارِيُّ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِلْمَنْصُورِ: لَقَدْ أَتْعَبَنَا مُجَادَلَةُ الْجُهَّالِ فِيكَ! فَقَالَ: لَوْ أَنَّ الْعُلَمَاءَ تَكَلَّمُوا لَسَكَتَ الْجُهَّالُ، وَلَكِنَّهُمْ سَكَتُوا فَتَكَلَّمَ الْجُهَّالُ، وَلَا يَهْدِي اللَّهُ قَوْمًا عُلَمَاؤُهُمْ سُكُوتٌ وَجُهَّالُهُمْ يَتَكَلَّمُونَ! أَوْ قَالَ: وَكَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ؟! الشَّكُّ مِنْ صَالِحِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ.
Translation of the saying:
Salih ibn Muhammad al-Sabzawari informed us, he said: I said to Mansoor: “We are tired of arguing with the ignorant about you!” So he said: “If scholars had spoken, the ignorant would have remained silent, but they remained silent, so the ignorant spoke, and God does not guide a people whose scholars are silent and whose ignorant speak!” Or he said: “And how does God guide?!” The doubt is from Salih ibn Muhammad.
5 . أَخْبَرَنَا حَمْزَةُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْقُمِّيُّ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِلْمَنْصُورِ: بَلَّغْتُ قَوْلَكَ عَالِمَيْنِ مِنْ عُلَمَاءِ قُمَّ، فَكَذَّبَهُ أَحَدُهُمَا وَسَكَتَ الْآخَرُ! قَالَ: هَلَكَ الْأَوَّلُ، وَنَظَرَ الْآخَرُ لِنَفْسِهِ! أَلَا إِنَّهُ لَوْ دَامَ عَلَى سُكُوتِهِ هَلَكَ! وَيْلَهُ، كَيْفَ يَسْكُتُ؟! وَلَا يَرَى إِلَّا جَمِيلًا! ثُمَّ قَالَ: لَيْسَ مَنْ سَرَقَ عِلْمًا عَالِمًا، وَلَكِنَّ الْعَالِمَ مَنْ مَلَكَهُ وَأَحْرَزَهُ فِي قَلْبِهِ.
Translation of the saying:
Hamzah ibn Ja‘far al-Qomi informed us, he said: I said to Mansoor: “I conveyed your word to two scholars of Qom, then one of them denied it and the other remained silent!” He said: “The first one perished, and the other gave himself time! Beware that if he remains silent, he will perish (as well)! Woe to him! How can he remain silent?! While he sees nothing but beauty!” Then he said: “One who steals knowledge is not a scholar, but a scholar is one who owns it and keeps it in his heart.”
6 . أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ الطِّهْرَانِيُّ، قَالَ: ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ الْمَنْصُورِ عُلَمَاءُ إِيرَانَ، فَقَالَ: هَلْ بَلَغَتْهُمْ دَعْوَتِي؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: فَمَا لَهُمْ لَا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ؟! قُلْتُ: هُمْ أَصْنَافٌ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ: مِنْهُمْ جَاحِدٌ يُرِيدُ إِنْسَاءَ ذِكْرِكَ، وَمِنْهُمْ مُسْتَكْبِرٌ يَسْتَضْعِفُكَ وَيَزْدَرِيكَ، وَمِنْهُمْ حَاسِدٌ يَحْسُدُكَ وَيَعْلُو عَلَيْكَ، وَمِنْهُمْ شَاكٌّ يَشُكُّ فِيكَ وَيَتَرَبَّصُ بِكَ، وَمِنْهُمْ خَائِفٌ يَخَافُ أَنْ يَمَسَّهُ سُوءٌ مِنْ أَعْدَائِكَ! فَقَالَ: قَاتَلَ اللَّهُ هَؤُلَاءِ الْفُسَّاقَ الْأَخْبَاثَ الَّذِينَ قَدْ أَجْمَعُوا عَلَى إِطْفَاءِ نُورِ اللَّهِ! يَقُولُ اللَّهُ: أَبِي يَغْتَرُّونَ؟! أَمْ إِيَّايَ يُخَادِعُونَ؟! أَمْ عَلَيَّ يَجْتَرِؤُونَ؟! فَبِي حَلَفْتُ لَأَبْعَثَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ فِتْنَةً يُتْرَكُ الْحَلِيمُ فِيهَا حَيْرَانَ، وَقَدْ فَعَلَ، وَنَحْنُ نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَسَطْوَتِهِ.
Translation of the saying:
Hasan ibn Qasim al-Tehrani informed us, he said: “Scholars of Iran were mentioned in Mansoor’s presence, so he said: “Has my invitation reached them?” I said: “Yes.” He said: “Then what is the matter with them that they do not speak?!” I said: “They are different kinds: some of them are deniers and want you to be forgotten, some of them are arrogant, consider you weak, and disrespect you, some of them are envious, envy you, and seek superiority over you, some of them are doubtful, have doubts about you, and hesitate, and some of them are fearful and afraid that an evil will come to them from your enemies!” So he said: “May God kill these evil sinners who have unanimously agreed to put out the light of God! God says: ‘Do you act arrogantly against Me?! Or do you want to deceive Me?! Or do you act recklessly against Me?! So I swear to Myself that I will send upon them a fitnah in which the wisest of them will be confused,’ and He has done so, and we seek refuge with God from His anger and wrath.
7 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ حَبِيبٍ الطَّبَرِيُّ، قَالَ: ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ الْمَنْصُورِ عُلَمَاءُ زَمَانِهِ، فَذَمَّهُمْ عَلَى تَغَافُلِهِمْ عَنْ دَعْوَتِهِ، وَقَالَ: إِنَّ أَحَدَهُمْ لَيَهْتَمُّ بِمَا لَا يَنْفَعُ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ، وَيَخُوضُ فِي الْأَمْرِ الْهَيِّنِ، وَيَتَكَلَّمُ عَنِ الشَّيْءِ التَّافِهِ، وَيُضْجِرُ النَّاسَ بِالْإِطَالَةِ وَالْإِعَادَةِ، ثُمَّ إِذَا بَلَغَتْهُ دَعْوَتِي إِلَى خَلِيفَةِ اللَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ ﴿وَلَّى مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْهَا كَأَنَّ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ وَقْرًا﴾[1]، أَوْ كَأَنِّي أَنْعِقُ ﴿بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَاءً وَنِدَاءً ۚ صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾[2]! أَفَيُنْكِرُونَ خَلِيفَةَ اللَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ؟! أَمْ يَسْتَخِفُّونَ بِهِ؟! أَمْ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَكْتُمُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ كَمَا كَتَمَ الْيَهُودُ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟! أَمْ يَكْرَهُونَ خُرُوجَهُ، فَيُعَرْقِلُونَهُ؟! أَمْ يَخَافُونَ أَنْ يَسْلُبَهُمْ مَكَانَتَهُمْ إِذَا مَلَكَ، فَيَصُدُّونَهُ؟! أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَنِي عَلَى أَنْ دَعَوْتُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ، وَهُمْ أَصْحَابُ دَعْوَةٍ، فَيَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَلَيَّ؟! وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ! أَمْ لَا يَرَوْنَ مَعِي جُنُودًا، فَيَسْتَضْعِفُونَنِي؟! ﴿وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ﴾[3]! أَمْ جِئْتُهُمْ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَى أَنْفُسُهُمْ، فَيُكَذِّبُونَنِي؟! ﴿وَلَوِ اتَّبَعَ الْحَقُّ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ لَفَسَدَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ ۚ بَلْ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ بِذِكْرِهِمْ فَهُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِهِمْ مُعْرِضُونَ﴾[4]! أَمْ يُرْضُونَ الْجَبَابِرَةَ وَالْجُهَّالَ بِإِعْرَاضِهِمْ عَنِّي؟! وَاللَّهُ وَخَلِيفَتُهُ أَحَقُّ أَنْ يُرْضُوهُ إِنْ كَانُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ! أَمْ يَخَافُونَ أَنْ يَمَسَّهُمْ سُوءٌ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا إِنِ اسْتَجَابُوا لِي؟! ﴿وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ ۖ وَلَلدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ﴾[5]، أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ؟! أَمْ ﴿يَقُولُونَ سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا﴾[6]؟! وَ﴿لَبِئْسَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لَهُمْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ أَنْ سَخِطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَفِي الْعَذَابِ هُمْ خَالِدُونَ﴾[7]! وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ خَلِيفَةُ اللَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ اشْمَأَزَّتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ، وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ دُونِهِ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ! ﴿أُولَئِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ أَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ﴾[8]، وَ﴿أُولَئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ﴾[9]!
Translation of the saying:
Abdullah ibn Habib al-Tabari informed us, he said: In Mansoor’s presence, scholars of his time were mentioned. Then he reproached them for their feigning negligence of his invitation and said: “Each of them is concerned with what of knowledge that is of no benefit, delves into trivial matters, talks about insignificant things, and annoys people with verbosity and repetition, but when my invitation toward Allah’s Caliph on the earth reaches him, ‘he turns away arrogantly as if he does not hear it, as if there is deafness in his ears,’ or as if I shout ‘at that which hears nothing but calls and cries. They are the deaf and the dumb and the blind, so they do not use the intellect!’ Do they deny Allah’s Caliph on the earth?! Or do they belittle him?! Or do they want to conceal what Allah has sent down about him, just as the Jews concealed what Allah sent down about Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family?! Or do they dislike his arrival, so they prevent it?! Or do they fear that he will take away their positions when he comes to power, so they stand in his way?! Or are they jealous of me because I have invited them toward him, while they are the ones who do invitations, so they act arrogantly against me?! And Allah does not like the arrogant! Or do they not see armies with me, so they consider me weak?! ‘And to Allah belong the armies of the heavens and the earth!’ Or have I come to them with what their selves do not desire, so they accuse me of lying?! ‘And if the truth had followed their desires, the heavens, the earth, and whoever is in them would have been corrupted. Rather, We have brought them their Remembrance, but they turn away from their Remembrance!’ Or do they please tyrants and the ignorant by turning away from me?! While Allah and His Caliph are more deserving to be pleased if they are believers! Or do they fear that they will encounter a problem in the life of the world if they answer me?! ‘While the life of the world is nothing but play and amusement, and the abode of the Hereafter is better for the pious.’ Do they not use the intellect?! Or do ‘they say: We will be forgiven’?! While ‘this is such a bad thing that their selves have sent forth for them, that Allah will get furious on them, and they will be in eternal punishment!’ And when Allah’s Caliph on the earth is mentioned, their hearts shrink with aversion, and when those other than him are mentioned, then they rejoice! ‘Their punishment is that upon them is the curse of Allah, the Angels, and people, all together,’ and ‘their deeds come to nothing in the world and the Hereafter, and they are the losers!’”
