Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1747
The illness of the Prophet ﷺ and his death
[ أَمْرُ الرَّسُولِ بِإِنْفَاذِ بَعْثِ أُسَامَةَ ] وَقَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ وَغَيْرِهِ مِنْ الْعُلَمَاءِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ اسْتَبْطَأَ النَّاسَ فِي بَعْثِ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، وَهُوَ فِي وَجَعِهِ، فَخَرَجَ عَاصِبًا رَأْسَهُ حَتَّى جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، وَقَدْ كَانَ النَّاسُ قَالُوا فِي إمْرَةِ أُسَامَةَ: أَمَّرَ غُلَامًا حَدَثًا عَلَى جِلَّةِ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ. فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ لَهُ أَهْلٌ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، أَنْفِذُوا بَعْثَ أُسَامَةَ، فَلِعَمْرِي لَئِنْ قُلْتُمْ فِي إمَارَتِهِ لَقَدْ قُلْتُمْ فِي إمَارَةِ أَبِيهِ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ، وَإِنَّهُ لَخَلِيقٌ لِلْإِمَارَةِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ أَبُوهُ لَخَلِيقًا لَهَا قَالَ: ثُمَّ نَزَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَانْكَمَشَ النَّاسُ فِي جَهَازِهِمْ، اسْتَعَزَّ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَجَعُهُ، فَخَرَجَ أُسَامَةُ، وَخَرَجَ جَيْشُهُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى نَزَلُوا الْجُرْفَ، مِنْ الْمَدِينَةِ عَلَى فَرْسَخٍ، فَضَرَبَ بِهِ عَسْكَرَهُ، وَتَتَامَّ إلَيْهِ النَّاسُ، وَثَقُلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَأَقَامَ أُسَامَةُ وَالنَّاسُ، لِيَنْظُرُوا مَا اللَّهُ قَاضٍ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ. فَتُوُفِّيَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَلَمْ يَسِرِ الْجَيْشُ، وَارْتَدَّتِ الْعَرَبُ إِمَّا عَامَّةً أَوْ خَاصَّةً مِنْ كُلِّ قَبِيلَةٍ، وَظَهَرَ النِّفَاقُ، وَاشْرَأَبَّتْ يَهُودُ وَالنَّصْرَانِيَّةُ، وَبَقِيَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ كَالْغَنَمِ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الْمَطِيرَةِ؛ لِفَقْدِ نَبِيِّهِمْ، وَقِلَّتِهِمْ وَكَثْرَةِ عَدُوِّهِمْ. فَقَالَ النَّاسُ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ: إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ - يَعْنُونَ جَيْشَ أُسَامَةَ - جُنْدُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَالْعَرَبُ عَلَى مَا تَرَى قَدِ انْتَقَضَتْ بِكَ، فَلَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ تُفَرِّقَ جَمَاعَةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ عَنْكَ. فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ السِّبَاعَ تَخْتَطِفُنِي لَأَنْفَذْتُ جَيْشَ أُسَامَةَ كَمَا أَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ. فَخَاطَبَ النَّاسَ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالتَّجَهُّزِ لِلْغَزْوِ، وَأَنْ يَخْرُجَ كُلُّ مَنْ هُوَ مِنْ جَيْشِ أُسَامَةَ إِلَى مُعَسْكَرِهِ بِالْجُرُفِ، فَخَرَجُوا كَمَا أَمَرَهُمْ، وَجَيَّشَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ مَنْ بَقِيَ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْقَبَائِلِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ لَهُمُ الْهِجْرَةُ فِي دِيَارِهِمْ، فَصَارُوا مَسَالِحَ حَوْلَ قَبَائِلِهِمْ، وَهُمْ قَلِيلٌ. فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ الْجَيْشُ إِلَى مُعَسْكَرِهِمْ بِالْجُرُفِ وَتَكَامَلُوا - أَرْسَلَ أُسَامَةُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، وَكَانَ مَعَهُ فِي جَيْشِهِ، إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ يَسْتَأْذِنُهُ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ النَّاسُ، وَقَالَ: إِنَّ مَعِي وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ وَحْدَهُمْ، وَلَا آمَنُ عَلَى خَلِيفَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، وَحُرُمِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ أَنْ يَتَخَطَّفَهُمُ الْمُشْرِكُونَ. وَقَالَ مَنْ مَعَ أُسَامَةَ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ لِعُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ: إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيفَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، فَإِنْ أَبَى إِلَّا أَنْ نَمْضِيَ فَأَبْلِغْهُ عَنَّا، وَاطْلُبْ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يُوَلِّيَ أَمْرَنَا رَجُلًا أَقْدَمَ سِنًّا مِنْ أُسَامَةَ. فَخَرَجَ عُمَرُ بِأَمْرِ أُسَامَةَ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِمَا قَالَ أُسَامَةُ. فَقَالَ: لَوْ خَطَفَتْنِي الْكِلَابُ وَالذِّئَابُ لَأَنْفَذْتُهُ كَمَا أَمَرَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلَا أَرُدُّ قَضَاءً قَضَى بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلَوْ لَمْ يَبْقَ فِي الْقُرَى غَيْرِي لَأَنْفَذْتُهُ. قَالَ عُمَرُ: فَإِنَّ الْأَنْصَارَ تَطْلُبُ رَجُلًا أَقْدَمَ سِنًّا مِنْ أُسَامَةَ. فَوَثَبَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، وَكَانَ جَالِسًا، وَأَخَذَ بِلِحْيَةِ عُمَرَ وَقَالَ: ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ ! اسْتَعْمَلَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَتَأْمُرُنِي أَنْ أَعْزِلَهُ ؟ ! ثُمَّ خَرَجَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَتَّى أَتَاهُمْ وَأَشْخَصَهُمْ وَشَيَّعَهُمْ، وَهُوَ مَاشٍ وَأُسَامَةُ رَاكِبٌ، فَقَالَ لَهُ أُسَامَةُ: يَا خَلِيفَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، لَتَرْكَبَنَّ أَوْ لَأَنْزِلَنَّ ! فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَا نَزَلْتَ وَلَا أَرْكَبُ، وَمَا عَلَيَّ أَنْ أُغَبِّرَ قَدَمَيَّ سَاعَةً فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ! فَإِنَّ لِلْغَازِي بِكُلِّ خُطْوَةٍ يَخْطُوهَا سَبْعَمِائَةِ حَسَنَةٍ تُكْتَبُ لَهُ، وَسَبْعَمِائَةِ دَرَجَةٍ تُرْفَعُ لَهُ، وَسَبْعَمِائَةِ سَيِّئَةٍ تُمْحَى عَنْهُ. فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ قَالَ لِأُسَامَةَ: إِنْ رَأَيْتَ أَنْ تُعِينَنِي بِعُمَرَ فَافْعَلْ، فَأَذِنَ لَهُ، ثُمَّ وَصَّاهُمْ فَقَالَ: لَا تَخُونُوا، وَلَا تَغْدِرُوا، وَلَا تَغُلُّوا، وَلَا تُمَثِّلُوا، وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا طِفْلًا وَلَا شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا وَلَا امْرَأَةً، وَلَا تَعْقِرُوا نَخْلًا وَتُحْرِقُوهُ، وَلَا تَقْطَعُوا شَجَرَةً مُثْمِرَةً، وَلَا تَذْبَحُوا شَاةً وَلَا بَقَرَةً وَلَا بَعِيرًا إِلَّا لِمَأْكَلَةٍ، وَسَوْفَ تَمُرُّونَ بِأَقْوَامٍ قَدْ فَرَّغُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ فِي الصَّوَامِعِ، فَدَعُوهُمْ وَمَا فَرَّغُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ لَهُ، وَسَوْفَ تَقْدَمُونَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ قَدْ فَحَصُوا أَوْسَاطَ رُءُوسِهِمْ، وَتَرَكُوا حَوْلَهَا مِثْلَ الْعَصَائِبِ، فَاخْفِقُوهُمْ بِالسَّيْفِ خَفْقًا. انْدَفِعُوا بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ. وَأَوْصَى أُسَامَةَ أَنْ يَفْعَلَ مَا أَمَرَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ. فَسَارَ وَأَوْقَعَ بِقَبَائِلَ مِنْ نَاسِ قُضَاعَةَ الَّتِي ارْتَدَّتْ، وَغَنِمَ وَعَادَ، وَكَانَتْ غَيْبَتُهُ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا، وَقِيلَ: سَبْعِينَ يَوْمًا. وَكَانَ إِنْفَاذُ جَيْشِ أُسَامَةَ أَعْظَمَ الْأُمُورِ نَفْعًا لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَإِنَّ الْعَرَبَ قَالُوا: لَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِهِمْ قُوَّةٌ لَمَا أَرْسَلُوا هَذَا الْجَيْشَ، فَكَفُّوا عَنْ كَثِيرٍ مِمَّا كَانُوا يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَفْعَلُوهُ.
Translation
✧ [The Messenger’s command to dispatch the expedition of Usāmah] Ibn Isḥāq said: Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar b. al-Zubayr narrated to me, from ʿUrwah b. al-Zubayr and other scholars, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ found the people slow in the expedition of Usāmah b. Zayd while he was in his illness, so he came out with his head bandaged until he sat on the pulpit. The people had spoken about Usāmah’s command, saying: He has put a young lad in command over the notables of the Muhājirūn and the Anṣār. He praised Allah and extolled Him as He is worthy, then said: O people, carry out the expedition of Usāmah. By my life, if you have spoken about his command, you have spoken about the command of his father before him, and he is indeed worthy of command, and his father was indeed worthy of it. He said: Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ descended, and the people hastened in their preparations. The illness of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intensified, and Usāmah went out with his army until they camped at al-Jurf, a farsakh from Madinah. He pitched his camp there and the people joined him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ grew gravely ill, so Usāmah and the people stayed to see what Allah would decree regarding the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then the Prophet ﷺ died while the army had not set out. The Arabs apostatized, either generally or particularly from every tribe, hypocrisy appeared, the Jews and Christians raised their heads, and the Muslims remained like sheep on a rainy night, because of the loss of their Prophet, their small number, and the multitude of their enemy. The people said to Abū Bakr: These—meaning the army of Usāmah—are the troops of the Muslims, and the Arabs, as you see, have broken away from you, so it is not right that you should scatter the community of the Muslims away from you. Abū Bakr said: By Him in whose hand is my soul, if I thought that wild beasts would snatch me away, I would still dispatch the army of Usāmah as the Prophet ﷺ commanded. He addressed the people and ordered them to prepare for the expedition, and that everyone who was in Usāmah’s army should go out to his camp at al-Jurf. They went out as he commanded them, and Abū Bakr mobilized those who remained of those tribes that had emigrated from their homes, and they became garrisons around their tribes, and they were few. When the army went out to their camp at al-Jurf and were complete, Usāmah sent ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb, who was with him in his army, to Abū Bakr to ask his permission for the people to return. He said: With me are the notables of the people alone, and I do not feel safe for the Caliph of the Messenger of Allah, the women of the Messenger of Allah, and the Muslims, lest the idolaters snatch them away. The Anṣār who were with Usāmah said to ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb: Abū Bakr is the Caliph of the Messenger of Allah; if he insists that we go, then convey from us and ask him to appoint over us a man older in age than Usāmah. ʿUmar went out at Usāmah’s command to Abū Bakr and informed him of what Usāmah said. He said: Even if dogs and wolves snatched me away, I would dispatch it as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded, and I would not reject a decision that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made. Even if no one remained in the towns but me, I would dispatch it. ʿUmar said: The Anṣār are asking for a man older in age than Usāmah. Abū Bakr leapt up—he had been sitting—and took hold of ʿUmar’s beard and said: May your mother be bereft of you, O Ibn al-Khaṭṭāb! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed him, and you command me to remove him?! Then Abū Bakr went out until he came to them, sent them off, and bade them farewell, walking while Usāmah was riding. Usāmah said to him: O Caliph of the Messenger of Allah, either you ride or I dismount. He said: By Allah, you will not dismount, and I will not ride. What harm is it for me to get my feet dusty for an hour in the path of Allah? For the warrior has, for every step he takes, seven hundred good deeds written for him, seven hundred degrees raised for him, and seven hundred evil deeds erased from him. When he wanted to return, he said to Usāmah: If you see fit to help me with ʿUmar, then do so. He gave him permission. Then he enjoined them, saying: Do not betray, do not act treacherously, do not steal from the spoils, do not mutilate, do not kill a child, an old man, or a woman. Do not cut down or burn palm trees, do not cut down a fruit-bearing tree, do not slaughter a sheep, a cow, or a camel except for food. You will pass by people who have devoted themselves in monasteries, so leave them and what they have devoted themselves to. You will come upon a people who have shaved the middle of their heads and left around it like headbands, so strike them with the sword. Advance in the name of Allah. He enjoined Usāmah to do what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had commanded. He set out and fell upon tribes of Quḍāʿah that had apostatized, took spoils, and returned. His absence was forty days, and it is said seventy days. The dispatch of Usāmah’s army was the greatest of matters in benefit for the Muslims, for the Arabs said: If they did not have strength, they would not have sent this army. So they refrained from much of what they had intended to do.
Grades by grader
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