995 - Muhammad ibn Ali informed me, saying: Muhanna narrated to us, saying: I heard Ahmad saying: A man mentioned in the presence of 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi the statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "He is not of us who strikes the cheeks, tears the collars, or calls out with the call of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance)." The man then said: "It only means he is not like us." 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi said, rejecting the man's statement: "Do you think that if he performed all the deeds of righteousness, he would be like the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)?"
٩٩٥ - وَأَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ: ثَنَا مُهَنَّى، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَحْمَدَ، يَقُولُ: وَذَكَرَ رَجُلٌ عِنْدَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ مَهْدِيٍّ قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ ضَرَبَ الْخُدُودَ، وَشَقَّ الْجُيُوبَ، أَوْ دَعَا بِدَعْوَى الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، فَقَالَ ⦗٥٧٧⦘ الرَّجُلُ: إِنَّمَا هُوَ لَيْسَ مِثْلَنَا. فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ مُنْكَرًا لِقَوْلِ الرَّجُلِ: «أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ عَمِلَ أَعْمَالَ الْبِرِّ كُلَّهَا، كَانَ يَكُونُ مِثْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟»
