89 - Muhammad ibn Abi Harun and Muhammad ibn Ja'far informed me that Abu al-Harith narrated to them, saying: I asked Abu 'Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] regarding a matter that had occurred in Baghdad, when a group intended to rebel. I said: "O Abu 'Abd Allah, what do you say about rebelling with these people?" He disapproved of that for them and began saying: "Glory be to Allah! Blood, blood! I do not hold that view, nor do I command it. Patience with what we are in is better than a civil strife (fitnah) in which blood is shed, wealth is made lawful, and sanctities are violated. Do you not know what the people were in?"—meaning the days of civil strife. I said: "And the people today, are they not in a state of civil strife, O Abu 'Abd Allah?" He replied: "Even if they are, it is merely a private trial. But once the sword is drawn, the civil strife becomes widespread, and the paths are cut off. Patience with this, while your religion remains safe for you, is better for you." I observed him disapproving of rebelling against the leaders, and he said: "Blood! I do not hold that view, nor do I command it."
٨٩ - أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي هَارُونَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، أَنَّ أَبَا الْحَارِثِ حَدَّثَهُمْ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِي أَمْرٍ كَانَ حَدَثَ بِبَغْدَادَ، وَهَمَّ قَوْمٌ بِالْخُرُوجِ، فَقُلْتُ: " يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، مَا تَقُولُ فِي الْخُرُوجِ مَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ، فَأَنْكَرَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، الدِّمَاءَ، الدِّمَاءَ، لَا أَرَى ذَلِكَ، وَلَا آمُرُ بِهِ، الصَّبْرُ عَلَى مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْفِتْنَةِ يُسْفَكُ فِيهَا الدِّمَاءُ، وَيُسْتَبَاحُ فِيهَا الْأَمْوَالُ، وَيُنْتَهَكُ فِيهَا الْمَحَارِمُ، أَمَا عَلِمْتَ مَا كَانَ النَّاسُ فِيهِ، يَعْنِي أَيَّامَ الْفِتْنَةِ، قُلْتُ: وَالنَّاسُ الْيَوْمَ، أَلَيْسَ هُمْ فِي فِتْنَةٍ ⦗١٣٣⦘ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: وَإِنْ كَانَ، فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ فِتْنَةٌ خَاصَّةٌ، فَإِذَا وَقَعَ السَّيْفُ عَمَّتِ الْفِتْنَةُ، وَانْقَطَعَتِ السُّبُلُ، الصَّبْرَ عَلَى هَذَا، وَيَسْلَمُ لَكَ دِينُكَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ، وَرَأَيْتُهُ يُنْكِرُ الْخُرُوجَ عَلَى الْأَئِمَّةِ، وَقَالَ: الدِّمَاءَ، لَا أَرَى ذَلِكَ، وَلَا آمُرُ بِهِ "
