Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1398
The Expedition of Muʾtah
[ بَعْثُ الرَّسُولِ إلَى مُؤْتَةَ وَاخْتِيَارُهُ الْأُمَرَاءَ ] /بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعْثَهُ إِلَى مُؤْتَةَ وَاسْتَعْمَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ زَيْدَ بْنَ حَارِثَةَ، وَقَالَ: " إِنْ أُصِيبَ زَيْدٌ فَجَعْفَرُ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ، فَإِنْ أُصِيبَ جَعْفَرٌ فَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ". فَتَجَهَّزَ النَّاسُ ثُمَّ تَهَيَّئُوا لِلْخُرُوجِ، وَهُمْ ثَلَاثَةُ آلَافٍ. وَقَالَ الْوَاقِدِيُّ: حَدَّثَنِي رَبِيعَةُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: جَاءَ النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ فُنْحُصٍ الْيَهُودِيُّ، فَوَقَفَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَعَ النَّاسِ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: " زَيْدُ بْنُ حَارِثَةَ أَمِيرُ النَّاسِ، فَإِنْ قُتِلَ زَيْدٌ فَجَعْفَرُ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، فَإِنْ قُتِلَ جَعْفَرٌ فَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ، فَإِنْ قُتِلَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ فَلْيَرْتَضِ الْمُسْلِمُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ رَجُلًا، فَلْيَجْعَلُوهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ". فَقَالَ النُّعْمَانُ: أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ، إِنْ كُنْتَ نَبِيًّا، فَلَوْ سَمَّيْتَ مَنْ سَمَّيْتَ قَلِيلًا أَوْ كَثِيرًا، أُصِيبُوا جَمِيعًا، إِنَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَانُوا إِذَا سَمَّوُا الرَّجُلَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ، فَقَالُوا: إِنْ أُصِيبَ فُلَانٌ فَفُلَانٌ، فَلَوْ سَمَّوْا مِائَةً أُصِيبُوا جَمِيعًا. ثُمَّ جَعَلَ الْيَهُودِيُّ يَقُولُ لِزَيْدٍ: اعْهَدْ فَإِنَّكَ لَا تَرْجِعُ أَبَدًا، إِنْ كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ نَبِيًّا. فَقَالَ زَيْدٌ: أَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ صَادِقٌ بَارٌّ رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ. قَالَ ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ: فَلَمَّا حَضَرَ خُرُوجُهُمْ، وَدَّعَ النَّاسُ أُمَرَاءَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَسَلَّمُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، فَلَمَّا وُدِّعَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ مَعَ مَنْ وُدِّعَ بَكَى، فَقَالُوا: مَا يُبْكِيكَ يَا ابْنَ رَوَاحَةَ ؟ فَقَالَ: أَمَا وَاللَّهِ مَا بِي حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا وَلَا صَبَابَةٌ بِكُمْ، وَلَكِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقْرَأُ آيَةً مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَذْكُرُ فِيهَا النَّارَ:وَإِنْ مِنْكُمْ إِلَّا وَارِدُهَا كَانَ عَلَى رَبِّكَ حَتْمًا مَقْضِيًّا ( مَرْيَمَ: 71 )، فَلَسْتُ أَدْرِي كَيْفَ لِي بِالصَّدَرِ بَعْدَ الْوُرُودِ ؟ فَقَالَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ: صَحِبَكُمُ اللَّهُ وَدَفَعَ عَنْكُمْ، وَرَدَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا صَالِحِينَ. فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ: لَكِنَّنِي أَسْأَلُ الرَّحْمَنَ مَغْفِرَةً وَضَرْبَةً ذَاتَ فَرْغٍ تَقْذِفُ الزَّبَدَا أَوْ طَعْنَةً بِيَدَيْ حَرَّانَ مُجْهِزَةً بِحَرْبَةٍ تُنْفِذُ الْأَحْشَاءَ وَالْكَبِدَا حَتَّى يُقَالَ إِذَا مَرُّوا عَلَى جَدَثِي أَرْشَدَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ غَازٍ وَقَدْ رَشَدَا قَالَ ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ: ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ تَهَيَّئُوا لِلْخُرُوجِ، فَأَتَى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَوَدَّعَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ: فَثَبَّتَ اللَّهُ مَا آتَاكَ مِنْ حَسَنٍ تَثْبِيتَ مُوسَى وَنَصْرًا كَالَّذِي نُصِرُوا إِنِّي تَفَرَّسْتُ فِيكَ الْخَيْرَ نَافِلَةً اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي ثَابِتُ الْبَصَرِ أَنْتَ الرَّسُولُ فَمَنْ يُحْرَمْ نَوَافِلَهُ وَالْوَجْهَ مِنْهُ فَقَدْ أَزْرَى بِهِ الْقَدَرُ قَالَ ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ: ثُمَّ خَرَجَ الْقَوْمُ وَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُشَيِّعُهُمْ، حَتَّى إِذَا وَدَّعَهُمْ وَانْصَرَفَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ: خَلَفَ السَّلَامُ عَلَى امْرِئٍ وَدَّعْتُهُ فِي النَّخْلِ خَيْرِ مُشَيِّعٍ وَخَلِيلِ وَقَالَ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، ثَنَا أَبُو خَالِدٍ الْأَحْمَرُ، عَنِ الْحَجَّاجِ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ، عَنْ مِقْسَمٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعَثَ إِلَى مُؤْتَةَ فَاسْتَعْمَلَ زَيْدًا، فَإِنَّ قُتِلَ زَيْدٌ فَجَعْفَرٌ، فَإِنَّ قُتِلَ جَعْفَرٌ فَابْنُ رَوَاحَةَ، فَتَخَلَّفَ ابْنُ رَوَاحَةَ، فَجَمَّعَ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ، فَرَآهُ فَقَالَ: " مَا خَلَّفَكَ ؟ " فَقَالَ: أُجَمِّعُ مَعَكَ. قَالَ: " لَغَدْوَةٌ أَوْ رَوْحَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا ". وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ رَوَاحَةَ فِي سَرِيَّةٍ، فَوَافَقَ ذَلِكَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ. قَالَ: فَقَدِمَ أَصْحَابَهُ، وَقَالَ: أَتَخَلَّفُ فَأُصَلِّي مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْجُمُعَةَ، ثُمَّ أَلْحَقُهُمْ. قَالَ: فَلَمَّا صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَآهُ فَقَالَ: " مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَغْدُوَ مَعَ أَصْحَابِكَ ؟ " قَالَ: فَقَالَ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ مَعَكَ الْجُمُعَةَ، ثُمَّ أَلْحَقُهُمْ، قَالَ: فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: " لَوْ أَنْفَقْتَ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مَا أَدْرَكْتَ غَدْوَتَهُمْ. وَهَذَا الْحَدِيثُ قَدْ رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الْحَجَّاجِ - وَهُوَ ابْنُ أَرْطَاةَ - ثُمَّ عَلَّلَهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ بِمَا حَكَاهُ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: لَمْ يَسْمَعِ الْحَكَمُ عَنْ مِقْسَمٍ إِلَّا خَمْسَةَ أَحَادِيثَ، وَلَيْسَ هَذَا مِنْهَا. قُلْتُ: وَالْحَجَّاجُ بْنُ أَرْطَاةَ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ نَظَرٌ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَالْمَقْصُودُ مِنْ إِيرَادِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ، أَنَّهُ يَقْتَضِي أَنَّ خُرُوجَ الْأُمَرَاءِ إِلَى مُؤْتَةَ كَانَ فِي يَوْمِ جُمُعَةٍ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
Translation
✧ [The Messenger’s dispatch to Muʾtah and his selection of the commanders] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent out his expedition to Muʾtah and appointed over them Zayd b. Ḥārithah, and said: “If Zayd is struck, then Jaʿfar b. Abī Ṭālib is over the people; and if Jaʿfar is struck, then ʿAbd Allāh b. Rawāḥah is over the people.” The people prepared themselves and then made ready to set out, and they were three thousand. Al-Wāqidī said: Rabīʿah b. ʿUthmān narrated to me, from ʿUmar b. al-Ḥakam, from his father, who said: Al-Nuʿmān b. Funḥuṣ the Jew came and stood by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ among the people. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Zayd b. Ḥārithah is the commander of the people; if Zayd is killed, then Jaʿfar b. Abī Ṭālib; if Jaʿfar is killed, then ʿAbd Allāh b. Rawāḥah; and if ʿAbd Allāh b. Rawāḥah is killed, then let the Muslims choose a man among themselves and place him over them.” Al-Nuʿmān said: “Abū al-Qāsim, if you are a prophet, then had you named those whom you named, few or many, they would all be struck. The prophets of the Children of Israel, when they named a man over a people and said, ‘If so-and-so is struck, then so-and-so,’ had they named a hundred, they would all have been struck.” Then the Jew began saying to Zayd: “Make your testament, for you will never return, if Muḥammad is a prophet.” Zayd said: “I bear witness that he is a truthful, righteous prophet.” Al-Bayhaqī narrated it. Ibn Isḥāq said: When their departure was at hand, the people bade farewell to the commanders of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and greeted them. When ʿAbd Allāh b. Rawāḥah was bidden farewell along with those who were bidden farewell, he wept. They said: “What makes you weep, O Ibn Rawāḥah?” He said: “By Allah, it is not love of this world that is in me, nor longing for you; but I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recite a verse from the Book of Allah in which He mentions the Fire: ‘There is not one of you but will pass over it; this is, with your Lord, a decree that must be accomplished’ (Maryam: 71). I do not know how I will fare with the emerging after the passing over.” The Muslims said: “May Allah accompany you, defend you, and return you to us righteous.” ʿAbd Allāh b. Rawāḥah said: But I ask the Merciful for forgiveness, and a blow with a wide gash that flings forth froth, or a thrust by the hands of a thirsty one, finishing, with a spear that pierces the entrails and the liver, so that it will be said, when they pass by my grave: Allah guided him, a warrior, and he was guided. Ibn Isḥāq said: Then the people made ready to set out. ʿAbd Allāh b. Rawāḥah came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and bade him farewell, then said: May Allah make firm the good He has given you, with the firmness of Moses, and victory like that with which they were aided. I have discerned in you good as a supererogatory gift; Allah knows that I am firm of vision. You are the Messenger; whoever is deprived of his supererogatory gifts and his countenance, fate has abased him. Ibn Isḥāq said: Then the people set out, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out to see them off, until when he had bidden them farewell and turned back, ʿAbd Allāh b. Rawāḥah said: Peace be upon a man I bade farewell, in the palm grove, the best escort and friend. Imām Aḥmad said: ʿAbd Allāh b. Muḥammad narrated to us, Abū Khālid al-Aḥmar narrated to us, from al-Ḥajjāj, from al-Ḥakam, from Miqsam, from Ibn ʿAbbās, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent an expedition to Muʾtah and appointed Zayd; if Zayd is killed, then Jaʿfar; if Jaʿfar is killed, then Ibn Rawāḥah. Ibn Rawāḥah remained behind and attended the Friday prayer with the Prophet ﷺ. He saw him and said: “What kept you back?” He said: “I attend the Friday prayer with you.” He said: “A morning expedition or an evening expedition is better than this world and all it contains.” And from Ibn ʿAbbās, he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent ʿAbd Allāh b. Rawāḥah on a military detachment, and that coincided with Friday. He said: He went ahead of his companions and said: “I will stay behind and pray the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, then catch up with them.” He said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had prayed, he saw him and said: “What prevented you from setting out in the morning with your companions?” He said: “I wanted to pray the Friday prayer with you, then catch up with them.” He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Were you to spend all that is on earth, you would not attain their morning expedition.” This ḥadīth was narrated by al-Tirmidhī from the ḥadīth of Abū Muʿāwiyah, from al-Ḥajjāj—who is Ibn Arṭāh—then al-Tirmidhī found fault with it because of what he reported from Shuʿbah, that he said: Al-Ḥakam heard from Miqsam only five ḥadīths, and this is not one of them. I say: Al-Ḥajjāj b. Arṭāh’s transmission is questionable, and Allah knows best. The point of citing this ḥadīth is that it implies that the departure of the commanders to Muʾtah was on a Friday, and Allah knows best.
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