Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1801
The caliphate of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq ᴿᴬ
فَصْلٌ فِي تَنْفِيذِهِ جَيْشَ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا قَدْ أَمَرَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَى تُخُومِ الْبَلْقَاءِ مِنَ الشَّامِ، حَيْثُ قُتِلَ زَيْدُ بْنُ حَارِثَةَ وَجَعْفَرٌ وَابْنُ رَوَاحَةَ فَيُغِيرُوا عَلَى تِلْكَ الْأَرَاضِي، فَخَرَجُوا إِلَى الْجُرْفِ فَخَيَّمُوا بِهِ، وَكَانَ فِيهِمْ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ - وَيُقَالُ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ. فَاسْتَثْنَاهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْهُمْ ; لِلصَّلَاةِ - فَلَمَّا ثَقُلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَقَامُوا هُنَالِكَ، فَلَمَّا مَاتَ عَظُمَ الْخُطَبُ وَاشْتَدَّ الْحَالُ وَنَجَمَ النِّفَاقُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، وَارْتَدَّ مَنِ ارْتَدَّ مِنْ أَحْيَاءِ الْعَرَبِ حَوْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ، وَامْتَنَعَ آخَرُونَ مِنْ أَدَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ إِلَى الصِّدِّيقِ، وَلَمْ تَبْقَ الْجُمُعَةُ تُقَامُ فِي بَلَدٍ سِوَى مَكَّةَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ، وَكَانَتْ جُوَاثَا مِنَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوَّلَ قَرْيَةٍ أَقَامَتِ الْجُمُعَةَ بَعْدَ رُجُوعِ النَّاسِ إِلَى الْحَقِّ، كَمَا فِي " صَحِيحِ الْبُخَارِيِّ " عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، وَقَدْ كَانَتْ ثَقِيفٌ بِالطَّائِفِ ثَبَتُوا عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، لَمْ يَفِرُّوا وَلَا ارْتَدُّوا. وَالْمَقْصُودُ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا وَقَعَتْ هَذِهِ الْأُمُورُ أَشَارَ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ عَلَى الصِّدِّيقِ أَنْ لَا يُنْفِذَ جَيْشَ أُسَامَةَ لِاحْتِيَاجِهِ إِلَيْهِ فِيمَا هُوَ أَهَمُّ الْآنَ مِمَّا جُهِّزَ بِسَبَبِهِ فِي حَالِ السَّلَامَةِ، وَكَانَ مِنْ جُمْلَةِ مَنْ أَشَارَ بِذَلِكَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ، فَامْتَنَعَ الصِّدِّيقُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَأَبَى أَشَدَّ الْإِبَاءِ إِلَّا أَنْ يُنْفِذَ جَيْشَ أُسَامَةَ، وَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَا أَحُلُّ عُقْدَةً عَقَدَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَلَوْ أَنَّ الطَّيْرَ تَخَطَفُنَا، وَالسِّبَاعَ مِنْ حَوْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ، وَلَوْ أَنَّ الْكِلَابَ جَرَّتْ بِأَرْجُلِ أُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، لَأُجَهِّزَنَّ جَيْشَ أُسَامَةَ. فَجَهَّزَهُ وَأَمَرَ الْحَرَسَ يَكُونُونَ حَوْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ، فَكَانَ خُرُوجُهُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ مِنْ أَكْبَرِ الْمَصَالِحِ، وَالْحَالَةُ تِلْكَ، فَسَارُوا لَا يَمُرُّونَ بِحَيٍّ مِنْ أَحْيَاءِ الْعَرَبِ إِلَّا أُرْعِبُوا مِنْهُمْ، وَقَالُوا: مَا خَرَجَ هَؤُلَاءِ مِنْ قَوْمٍ إِلَّا وَبِهِمْ مَنَعَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ. فَغَابُوا أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا، وَيُقَالُ: سَبْعِينَ يَوْمًا. ثُمَّ آبُوا سَالِمِينَ غَانِمِينَ، ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا فَجَهَّزَهُمْ حِينَئِذٍ مَعَ الْأَحْيَاءِ الَّذِينَ أَخْرَجَهُمْ لِقِتَالِ الْمُرْتَدَّةِ، وَمَانِعِي الزَّكَاةِ وَعَنِ الْحَسَنِ الْبَصْرِيِّ، أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ لَمَّا صَمَّمَ عَلَى تَجْهِيزِ جَيْشِ أُسَامَةَ قَالَ بَعْضُ الْأَنْصَارِ لِعُمَرَ: قُلْ لَهُ فَلْيُؤَمِّرْ عَلَيْنَا غَيْرَ أُسَامَةَ. فَذَكَرَ لَهُ عُمَرُ ذَلِكَ، فَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ أَخَذَ بِلِحْيَتِهِ وَقَالَ: ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، أَأُؤَمِّرُ غَيْرَ أَمِيرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ ؟ ! ثُمَّ نَهَضَ بِنَفْسِهِ إِلَى الْجُرْفِ فَاسْتَعْرَضَ جَيْشَ أُسَامَةَ وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْمَسِيرِ، وَسَارَ مَعَهُمْ مَاشِيًا، وَأُسَامَةُ رَاكِبًا، وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ يَقُودُ بِرَاحِلَةِ الصِّدِّيقِ، فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ يَا خَلِيفَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، إِمَّا أَنْ تَرْكَبَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ أَنْزِلَ. فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهَ لَسْتَ بِنَازِلٍ وَلَسْتُ بِرَاكِبٍ. ثُمَّ اسْتَطْلَقَ الصِّدِّيقُ مِنْ أُسَامَةَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ - وَكَانَ مُكْتَتَبًا فِي جَيْشِهِ - فَأَطْلَقَهُ لَهُ، فَلِهَذَا كَانَ عُمَرُ لَا يَلْقَاهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ إِلَّا قَالَ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا الْأَمِيرُ. وَقَالَ سَيْفُ بْنُ عُمَرَ التَّمِيمِيُّ بسنده عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ عَدِيٍّ قَالَ: نَادَى مُنَادِي أَبِي بَكْرٍ مِنَ الْغَدِ مِنْ مُتَوَفَّى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ: لِيَتِمَّ بَعْثُ أُسَامَةَ، أَلَا لَا يَبْقَيَنَّ بِالْمَدِينَةِ أَحَدٌ مِنْ جُنْدِ أُسَامَةَ إِلَّا خَرَجَ إِلَى عَسْكَرِهِ بِالْجُرْفِ. وَقَامَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فِي النَّاسِ، فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إِنَّمَا أَنَا مِثْلُكُمْ، وَإِنِّي لَا أَدْرِي لَعَلَّكُمْ سَتُكَلِّفُونَنِي مَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُطِيقُ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى مُحَمَّدًا عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ، وَعَصَمَهُ مِنَ الْآفَاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا أَنَا مُتَّبِعٌ وَلَسْتُ بِمُبْتَدِعٍ، فَإِنِ اسْتَقَمْتُ فَتَابِعُونِي، وَإِنْ زِغْتُ فَقَوِّمُونِي، وَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قُبِضَ وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ يَطْلُبُهُ بِمَظْلِمَةٍ ; ضَرْبَةِ سَوْطٍ فَمَا دُونَهَا، وَإِنَّ لِي شَيْطَانًا يَعْتَرِينِي، فَإِذَا أَتَانِي فَاجْتَنِبُونِي، لَا أُؤَثِّرُ فِي أَشْعَارِكُمْ وَأَبْشَارِكُمْ، وَإِنَّكُمْ تَغْدُونَ وَتَرُوحُونَ فِي أَجَلٍ قَدْ غُيِّبَ عَنْكُمْ عِلْمُهُ، وَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَنْ لَا يَمْضِيَ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ فِي عَمَلٍ صَالِحٍ فَافْعَلُوا، وَلَنْ تَسْتَطِيعُوا ذَلِكَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ، وَسَابِقُوا فِي مَهْلِ آجَالِكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تُسْلِمَكُمْ آجَالُكُمْ إِلَى انْقِطَاعِ الْأَعْمَالِ، فَإِنَّ قَوْمًا نَسُوا آجَالَهُمْ وَجَعَلُوا أَعْمَالَهُمْ لِغَيْرِهِمْ، فَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ تَكُونُوا أَمْثَالَهُمْ، الْجِدَّ الْجِدَّ، النَّجَاءَ النَّجَاءَ، الْوَحَا الْوَحَا، فَإِنَّ وَرَاءَكُمْ طَالِبًا حَثِيثًا، وَأَجَلًا مَرُّهُ سَرِيعٌ، احْذَرُوا الْمَوْتَ، وَاعْتَبِرُوا بِالْآبَاءِ وَالْأَبْنَاءِ وَالْإِخْوَانِ، وَلَا تَغْبِطُوا الْأَحْيَاءَ إِلَّا بِمَا تَغْبِطُونَ بِهِ الْأَمْوَاتَ. قَالَ: وَقَامَ أَيْضًا فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، لَا يَقْبَلُ مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَّا مَا أُرِيدَ بِهِ وَجْهَهُ، فَأَرِيدُوا اللَّهَ بِأَعْمَالِكُمْ، فَأَيَّمَا أَخْلَصْتُمْ لِلَّهِ مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ، فَطَاعَةً أَتَيْتُمُوهَا، وَحَظًّا ظَفِرْتُمْ بِهِ، وَضَرَائِبَ أَدَّيْتُمُوهَا، وَسَلَفًا قَدَّمْتُمُوهُ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ فَانِيَةٍ لِأُخْرَى بَاقِيَةٍ لِحِينِ فَقْرِكُمْ وَحَاجَتِكُمْ، اعْتَبَرُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ بِمَنْ مَاتَ مِنْكُمْ، وَتَفَكَّرُوا فِيمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ، أَيْنَ كَانُوا أَمْسِ ؟ وَأَيْنَ هُمُ الْيَوْمَ ؟ أَيْنَ الْجَبَّارُونَ ؟ أَيْنَ الَّذِينَ كَانَ لَهُمْ ذِكْرُ الْقِتَالِ وَالْغَلَبَةِ فِي مَوَاطِنِ الْحُرُوبِ ؟ ! قَدْ تَضَعْضَعَ بِهِمُ الدَّهْرُ، وَصَارُوا رَمِيمًا، قَدْ تُرِكَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَالَاتُ، الْخَبِيثَاتُ لِلْخَبِيثَيْنِ، وَالْخِبِّيثُونَ لِلْخَبِيثَاتِ، وَأَيْنَ الْمُلُوكُ الَّذِينَ أَثَارُوا الْأَرْضَ وَعَمَرُوهَا ؟ ! قَدْ بَعُدُوا وَنُسِيَ ذِكْرُهُمْ، وَصَارُوا كَلَا شَيْءٍ إِلَّا أَنَّ اللَّهَ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، قَدْ أَبْقَى عَلَيْهِمُ التَّبِعَاتِ، وَقَطَعَ عَنْهُمُ الشَّهَوَاتِ، وَمَضَوْا وَالْأَعْمَالُ أَعْمَالُهُمْ، وَالدُّنْيَا دُنْيَا غَيْرِهِمْ، وَبَقِينَا خَلَفًا بَعْدَهُمْ، فَإِنْ نَحْنُ اعْتَبَرْنَا بِهِمْ نَجَوْنَا، وَإِنِ اغْتَرَرْنَا بِهِمْ كُنَّا مَثَلَهُمْ، أَيْنَ الْوِضَاءُ الْحَسَنَةُ وُجُوهُهُمْ، الْمُعْجَبُونَ بِشَبَابِهِمْ ؟ ! صَارُوا تُرَابًا، وَصَارَ مَا فَرَّطُوا فِيهِ حَسْرَةً عَلَيْهِمْ، أَيْنَ الَّذِينَ بَنَوُا الْمَدَائِنَ وَحَصَّنُوهَا بِالْحَوَائِطِ، وَجَعَلُوا فِيهَا الْأَعَاجِيبَ ؟ ! قَدْ تَرَكُوهَا لِمَنْ خَلْفَهُمْ، فَتِلْكَ مَسَاكِنُهُمْ خَاوِيَةً، وَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْقُبُورِ، هَلْ تُحِسُّ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ أَوْ تَسْمَعُ لَهُمْ رِكْزًا ؟ أَيْنَ مَنْ تَعْرِفُونَ مِنْ آبَائِكُمْ وَإِخْوَانِكُمْ ؟ ! قَدِ انْتَهَتْ بِهِمْ آجَالُهُمْ، فَوَرَدُوا عَلَى مَا قَدَّمُوا فَحَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ، وَأَقَامُوا لِلشِّقْوَةِ أَوِ السَّعَادَةِ فِيمَا بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، أَلَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ سَبَبٌ يُعْطِيهِ بِهِ خَيْرًا، وَلَا يَصْرِفُ بِهِ عَنْهُ سُوءًا، إِلَّا بِطَاعَتِهِ وَاتِّبَاعِ أَمْرِهِ، وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ عَبِيدٌ مَدِينُونَ، وَأَنَّ مَا عِنْدَهُ لَا يُدْرَكُ إِلَّا بِطَاعَتِهِ، أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَا خَيْرَ بِخَيْرٍ بَعْدَهُ النَّارُ، وَلَا شَرَّ بَشَرٍ بَعْدَهُ الْجَنَّةُ.
Translation
✧ A section on his dispatch of the army of Usāmah b. Zayd Those whom the Messenger of God ﷺ had commanded to march to the borders of al-Balqāʾ in Syria, where Zayd b. Ḥārithah, Jaʿfar, and Ibn Rawāḥah were killed, so that they might raid those lands. They went out to al-Jurf and encamped there. Among them was ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb — and it is said also Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq. The Messenger of God ﷺ had exempted him from among them for the prayer. When the Messenger of God ﷺ fell gravely ill, they remained there. When he died, matters became grave, the situation grew severe, hypocrisy appeared in Madinah, some of the Arab tribes around Madinah apostatized, and others withheld the zakāh from al-Ṣiddīq. The Friday prayer was no longer established in any town except Makkah and Madinah. Juwāthā in al-Baḥrayn was the first village to establish the Friday prayer after the people returned to the truth, as in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī from Ibn ʿAbbās. Thaqīf in al-Ṭāʾif had remained firm upon Islam; they neither fled nor apostatized. The point is that when these things occurred, many people advised al-Ṣiddīq not to dispatch the army of Usāmah because he needed it for what was more important now than the purpose for which it had been prepared in a time of security. Among those who advised that was ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb. Al-Ṣiddīq refused that and adamantly insisted on dispatching the army of Usāmah. He said: By God, I will not loosen a bond that the Messenger of God ﷺ tied, even if the birds snatch us away and the beasts surround Madinah, and even if the dogs drag the legs of the Mothers of the Believers. I will certainly equip the army of Usāmah. So he equipped it and ordered guards to be around Madinah. His going out at that time, in those circumstances, was one of the greatest benefits. They marched and did not pass by any tribe of the Arabs but that they were terrified of them. They said: These men have not come out from a people except that they possess strong might. They were absent forty days — and it is said seventy days — then returned safe and laden with spoils. Then they came back and he equipped them at that time along with the tribes whom he sent out to fight the apostates and those who withheld the zakāh. From al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī: When Abū Bakr resolved to equip the army of Usāmah, some of the Anṣār said to ʿUmar: Tell him to appoint someone other than Usāmah over us. ʿUmar mentioned that to him, and it is said that he seized his beard and said: May your mother lose you, O Ibn al-Khaṭṭāb! Shall I appoint someone other than the commander of the Messenger of God ﷺ? Then he himself went out to al-Jurf, reviewed the army of Usāmah, and ordered them to march. He walked alongside them while Usāmah was mounted, and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. ʿAwf led the riding camel of al-Ṣiddīq. Usāmah said: O successor of the Messenger of God, either you ride or I dismount. He said: By God, you will not dismount and I will not ride. Then al-Ṣiddīq requested that Usāmah release ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb — who was enrolled in his army — and he released him to him. For this reason, ʿUmar would never meet him afterward except that he said: Peace be upon you, O commander. Sayf b. ʿUmar al-Tamīmī said with his chain from ʿĀṣim b. ʿAdī: The crier of Abū Bakr called out on the morrow after the death of the Messenger of God ﷺ: Let the expedition of Usāmah be completed. Indeed, let no one of the army of Usāmah remain in Madinah but that he goes out to his camp at al-Jurf. Abū Bakr stood before the people, praised God and extolled Him, and said: O people, I am only like you, and I do not know — perhaps you will burden me with what the Messenger of God ﷺ was able to bear. God chose Muḥammad above the worlds and protected him from faults. I am only a follower, not an innovator. If I am upright, follow me; and if I deviate, set me straight. The Messenger of God ﷺ passed away while no one of this community was seeking him for an injustice — a whip lash or less. I have a devil that seizes me, so when he comes to me, avoid me, so that I may not affect your hair or your skin. You go forth in the morning and return in the evening within a term whose knowledge has been hidden from you. If you are able not to let it pass except while you are in righteous deeds, then do so. You will not be able to do that except by God. Race within the respite of your appointed times before your appointed times surrender you to the cutting off of deeds. A people forgot their appointed times and made their deeds for others, so beware lest you be like them. Strive, strive! Deliverance, deliverance! Hasten, hasten! Behind you is a swift pursuer and a term whose passing is quick. Beware of death. Take heed from fathers, sons, and brothers. Do not envy the living except for what you would envy the dead. He said: He also stood, praised God and extolled Him, then said: God, mighty and majestic, accepts no deeds except what was intended for His face. So intend God with your deeds. Whatever deeds you sincerely perform for God are obedience you have brought, a share you have gained, dues you have paid, and a loan you have advanced from fleeting days for everlasting ones, for the time of your poverty and need. Take heed, servants of God, from those among you who have died. Reflect on those who were before you. Where were they yesterday? Where are they today? Where are the tyrants? Where are those who had renown in fighting and victory in the arenas of war? Time has shattered them and they have become decayed bones. The slanderous words have been left upon them: evil women for evil men, and evil men for evil women. Where are the kings who stirred up the earth and cultivated it? They have become distant and their mention is forgotten. They have become as nothing, except that God, mighty and majestic, has kept the consequences upon them and cut off from them the desires. They have passed on, and deeds are their deeds, while the world is the world of others. We remain as successors after them. If we take heed from them, we will be saved; if we are deceived by them, we will be like them. Where are the fair-faced ones of beautiful appearance, who were pleased with their youth? They have become dust, and what they neglected has become a regret upon them. Where are those who built cities, fortified them with walls, and made wonders within them? They left them to those after them. Those are their dwellings, empty, while they are in the darkness of the graves. Do you perceive any of them, or hear any faint sound from them? Where are those of your fathers and brothers whom you know? Their appointed times have come to an end. They came upon what they had sent ahead and settled upon it, and they remained for wretchedness or felicity in what is after death. Indeed, God has no partner. Between Him and any of His creation there is no means by which He gives him good or averts from him evil, except through obedience to Him and following His command. Know that you are servants held accountable, and that what is with Him is not attained except by obeying Him. Indeed, there is no good in a good after which is the Fire, and no evil in an evil after which is Paradise.
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