Ibn ‘Abdul Barr reported: Imam Malik ibn Anas, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: When the Caliph Abu Ja’far al-Mansur performed the pilgrimage, he called for me, so I entered upon him and he spoke to me, asking me questions, and I replied. Then, he said, “I am determined to have several copies made of these books of yours. I will send a copy to every region in the lands of the Muslims. I will command them to adhere to its contents without referring to any other, and they will set aside everything but this new knowledge. Indeed, I see the foundation of knowledge in the narrations of the people of Medina and their teachings.” I said, “O Commander of the Faithful, do not do so, for the people have received sayings, heard reports, and transmitted various accounts. Each one holds to what it has received and acts according to it. They practice as such due to people’s differences, the Companions of the Messenger of Allah and others. Turning them away from their beliefs would surely be difficult, so leave the people with what they are upon and what every country has chosen for themselves.” Al-Mansur said, “I swear on my life, if you had obeyed me in this matter, I would have commanded it.”
Source: Jāmi’ Bayān al-‘Ilm li-Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr 870
عن ابن عبد البر قال مالك بن أنس رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ لَمَّا حَجَّ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الْمَنْصُورُ دَعَانِي فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ وَسَأَلَنِي فَأَجَبْتُهُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي قَدْ عَزَمْتُ أَنْ آمُرَ بِكُتُبِكَ هَذِهِ الَّتِي وَضَعْتَهَا يَعْنِي الْمُوَطَّأَ فَيُنْسَخُ نُسَخًا ثُمَّ أَبْعَثُ إِلَى كُلِّ مِصْرٍ مِنْ أَمْصَارِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْهَا نُسْخَةً وَآمُرُهُمْ أَنْ يَعْمَلُوا بِمَا فِيهَا لَا يَتَعَدَّوْنَ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ وَيَدَعُونَ مَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ مِنْ هَذَا الْعِلْمِ الْمُحْدَثِ فَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَصْلَ الْعِلْمِ رِوَايَةَ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَعِلْمَهُمْ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَا تَفْعَلْ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ سَبَقَتْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَقَاوِيلُ وَسَمِعُوا أَحَادِيثَ وَرَوَوْا رِوَايَاتٍ وَأَخَذَ كُلُّ قَوْمٍ بِمَا سَبَقَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَعَمِلُوا بِهِ وَدَانُوا بِهِ مِنَ اخْتِلَافِ النَّاسِ أَصْحَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَغَيْرَهُمْ وَإِنَّ رَدَّهُمْ عَمَّا اعْتَقَدُوهُ شَدِيدٌ فَدَعِ النَّاسَ وَمَا هُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَمَا اخْتَارَ كُلُّ أَهْلِ بَلَدٍ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ فَقَالَ لَعَمْرِي لَوْ طَاوَعْتَنِي عَلَى ذَلِكَ لَأَمَرْتُ بِهِ
1/532 جامع بيان العلم وفضله لابن عبد البر فصل في الإنصاف في العلم
