Al-Mansur

Al-Mansur (714 –6 October 775) or Abu Ja'far Abdallah ibn Muhammad al-Mansur was the second Abbasid Caliph reigning from 136 AH to 158 AH (754 AD – 775 AD) and succeeding his brother As-Saffah. He is known for founding the 'Round City' of Madinat al-Salam which was to become the core of imperial Baghdad.

Quotes

 * O, ye people! verily I am the Lord's ruler upon His earth and I govern ye through His grace and guidance and I am His treasure over His tribute which I divide according to His pleasure and bestow with His permission. And verily the Lord hath made me as a lock upon it: when He willeth to open me, he openeth me that I may give unto ye, and when it pleaseth Him to fasten me, He fasteneth me. Wherefore turn ye to the Lord, O ye people! and ask of Him on this glorious day in which he hath given unto ye of His grace, as he hath made known to ye in His Book when he saith, "this day I have perfected your religion for ye and have completed my mercy upon ye, and I have chosen for ye Islam to be your religion", that He may vouchsafe unto me justness of conduct, and guide me to rectitude and inspire me with clemency unto ye and kindness towards ye, and open me to the bountiful unto ye, and the distribution of your allowances in equity, for he hearkeneth and granteth.
 * History of the Caliphs, p.270


 * Kings can tolerate everything but three practices– revealing a secret, an outrage on his harem, or a blow aimed at his power.
 * History of the Caliphs, p.275


 * When thy enemy stretches out his hand to thee, cut it off if thou art able, otherwise kiss it.
 * History of the Caliphs, p.275

Further Readings
Al-Suyuti, History of The Caliphs, Translated by Major H. S. Jarrett, Calcutta (India), 1881.