996 - Zakariyya ibn al-Faraj informed me, on the authority of Ahmad ibn al-Qasim, saying: Abu 'Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] said: It reached me that it was said to 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi: "Some people interpreted his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement: 'Whoever cheats us is not of us.'" It was said to 'Abd al-Rahman: "They said: It means 'he is not like us'." 'Abd al-Rahman replied: "Glory be to Allah the Almighty! If a man were to perform all the deeds of righteousness, would he be like the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)? This interpretation is invalid." Abu 'Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] deemed this statement of 'Abd al-Rahman to be excellent and deemed it correct.