Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1836
The caliphate of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq ᴿᴬ
سبب هذه الوقعة وَقْعَةٌ جَرَتْ بِالْعِرَاقِ بَعْدَ مَجِيءِ خَالِدٍ إِلَى الشَّامِ . وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَهْلَ فَارِسَ اجْتَمَعُوا بَعْدَ مَقْتَلِ مَلِكِهِمْ وَابْنِهِ عَلَى تَمْلِيكِ شَهْرِيَارَ بْنِ أَرْدَشِيرَ بْنِ شَهْرِيَارَ، وَاسْتَغْنَمُوا غَيْبَةَ خَالِدٍ عَنْهُمْ، فَبَعَثُوا إِلَى نَائِبِهِ الْمُثَنَّى بْنِ حَارِثَةَ جَيْشًا كَثِيفًا نَحْوًا مِنْ عَشَرَةِ آلَافٍ، عَلَيْهِمْ هُرْمُزُ بْنُ جَاذَوَيْهِ، وَكَتَبَ شَهْرِيَارُ إِلَى الْمُثَنَّى: إِنِّي قَدْ بَعَثْتُ إِلَيْكَ جُنْدًا مِنْ وَحْشِ أَهْلِ فَارِسَ، إِنَّمَا هُمْ رُعَاةُ الدَّجَاجِ وَالْخَنَازِيرِ، وَلَسْتُ أُقَاتِلُكَ إِلَّا بِهِمْ. فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُثَنَّى: مِنَ الْمُثَنَّى إِلَى شَهْرِيَارَ، إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ أَحَدُ رَجُلَيْنِ ; إِمَّا بَاغٍ فَذَلِكَ شَرٌّ لَكَ وَخَيْرٌ لَنَا، وَإِمَّا كَاذِبٌ فَأَعْظَمُ الْكَاذِبِينَ عُقُوبَةً وَفَضِيحَةً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ فِي النَّاسِ الْمُلُوكُ، وَأَمَّا الَّذِي يَدُلُّنَا عَلَيْهِ الرَّأْيُ فَإِنَّكُمْ إِنَّمَا اضْطُرِرْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي رَدَّ كَيْدَكُمْ إِلَى رُعَاةِ الدَّجَاجِ وَالْخَنَازِيرِ. قَالَ: فَجَزِعَ أَهْلُ فَارِسَ مِنْ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ، وَلَامُوا شَهْرِيَارَ عَلَى كِتَابِهِ إِلَيْهِ وَاسْتَهْجَنُوا رَأْيَهُ، وَسَارَ الْمُثَنَّى مِنَ الْحَرَّةِ إِلَى بَابِلَ. هزيمة الفرس وقتل المثنى للفيل وَلَمَّا الْتَقَى الْمُثَنَّى وَجَيْشَهُمْ بِمَكَانٍ عِنْدَ عُدْوَةِ الصَّرَاةِ الْأُولَى، اقْتَتَلُوا قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا جِدًّا، وَأَرْسَلَ الْفُرْسُ فِيلًا بَيْنَ صُفُوفِ الْخَيْلِ لِيُفَرِّقَ خُيُولَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَحَمَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَمِيرُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ الْمُثَنَّى بْنُ حَارِثَةَ فَقَتَلَهُ، وَأَمَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَحَمَلُوا، فَلَمْ تَكُنْ إِلَّا هَزِيمَةُ الْفُرْسِ، فَقَتَلُوهُمْ قَتْلًا ذَرِيعًا، وَغَنِمُوا مِنْهُمْ مَالًا عَظِيمًا، وَفَّرَتِ الْفُرْسُ حَتَّى انْتَهَوْا إِلَى الْمَدَائِنِ فِي شَرِّ حَالَةٍ، وَوَجَدُوا الْمَلِكَ قَدْ مَاتَ، فَمَلَّكُوا عَلَيْهِمُ ابْنَةَ كِسْرَى بُورَانَ بِنْتَ أَبَرْوِيزَ، فَأَقَامَتِ الْعَدْلَ، وَأَحْسَنَتِ السِّيرَةَ، فَأَقَامَتْ سَنَةً وَسَبْعَةَ شُهُورٍ، ثُمَّ مَاتَتْ، فَمَلَّكُوا عَلَيْهِمْ أُخْتَهَا آزَرْمِيدُخْتَ زَنَانَ، فَلَمْ يَنْتَظِمْ لَهُمْ أَمْرٌ، فَمَلَّكُوا عَلَيْهِمْ سَابُورَ بْنَ شَهْرِيَارَ، وَجَعَلُوا أَمْرَهُ إِلَى الْفَرُّخْزَاذِ بْنِ الْبِنْدَوَانِ، فَزَوَّجَهُ سَابُورُ بِابْنَةِ كِسْرَى آزَرْمِيدُخْتَ، فَكَرِهَتْ ذَلِكَ وَقَالَتْ: إِنَّمَا هَذَا عَبْدٌ مِنْ عَبِيدِنَا. فَلَمَّا كَانَ لَيْلَةُ عُرْسِهَا عَلَيْهِ هَمُّوا إِلَيْهِ فَقَتَلُوهُ، ثُمَّ سَارُوا إِلَى سَابُورَ فَقَتَلُوهُ أَيْضًا، وَمَلَّكُوا عَلَيْهِمْ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةَ، وَهِيَ آزَرْمِيدُخْتُ ابْنَةُ كِسْرَى، وَلَعِبَتْ فَارِسُ بِمُلْكِهَا لَعِبًا كَثِيرًا، وَآخِرُ مَا اسْتَقَرَّ أَمْرُهُمْ عَلَيْهِ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ أَنْ مَلَّكُوا امْرَأَةً، وَقَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: لَنْ يُفْلِحَ قَوْمٌ وَلَّوْا أَمْرَهُمُ امْرَأَةً. وَفِي هَذِهِ الْوَقْعَةِ الَّتِي ذَكَرْنَا يَقُولُ عَبْدَةُ بْنُ الطَّبِيبِ السَّعْدِيُّ، وَكَانَ قَدْ هَاجَرَ لِمُهَاجَرَةِ حَلِيلَةٍ لَهُ حَتَّى شَهِدَ وَقْعَةَ بَابِلَ هَذِهِ، فَلَمَّا آيَسَتْهُ رَجَعَ إِلَى الْبَادِيَةِ وَقَالَ:. هَلْ حَبْلُ خَوْلَةَ بَعْدَ الْبَيْنِ مَوْصُولُ أَمْ أَنْتَ عَنْهَا بَعِيدُ الدَّارِ مَشْغُولُ وَلِلْأَحِبَّةِ أَيَّامٌ تَذَكَّرُهَا وَلِلنَّوَى قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْبَيْنِ تَأْوِيلُ حَلَّتْ خُوَيْلَةُ فِي حَيٍّ عَهِدْتُهُمُ دُونَ الْمَدِينَةِ فِيهَا الدِّيكُ وَالْفِيلُ يُقَارِعُونَ رُءُوسَ الْعُجْمِ ضَاحِيَةً مِنْهُمْ فَوَارِسُ لَا عُزْلٌ وَلَا مِيلُ وَقَدْ قَالَ الْفَرَزْدَقُ فِي شِعْرِهِ يَذْكُرُ قَتْلَ الْمُثَنَّى ذَلِكَ الْفِيلَ: وَبَيْتُ الْمُثَنَّى قَاتِلِ الْفِيلِ عَنْوَةً بِبَابِلَ إِذْ فِي فَارِسٍ مُلْكُ بَابِلِ وصية الصديق لعمر بجهاد أهل العراق ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْمُثَنَّى بْنَ حَارِثَةَ اسْتَبْطَأَ أَخْبَارَ الصِّدِّيقِ لِتَشَاغُلِهِ بِأَهْلِ الشَّامِ، وَمَا فِيهِ مِنْ حَرْبِ الْيَرْمُوكِ الْمُتَقَدِّمِ ذَكَرُهُ، فَسَارَ الْمُثَنَّى نَفْسُهُ إِلَى الصِّدِّيقِ، وَاسْتَنَابَ عَلَى الْعِرَاقِ بَشِيرَ بْنَ الْخَصَاصِيَةِ، وَعَلَى الْمَسَالِحِ سَعِيدَ بْنَ مُرَّةَ الْعِجْلِيَّ، فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى الْمُثَنَّى إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَجَدَ الصِّدِّيقَ فِي آخِرِ مَرَضِ الْمَوْتِ، وَقَدْ عَهِدَ إِلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخِطَابِ، وَلَمَّا رَأَى الصِّدِّيقُ الْمُثَنَّى قَالَ لِعُمَرَ: إِذَا أَنَا مُتُّ فَلَا تُمْسِيَنَّ حَتَّى تَنْدُبَ النَّاسَ لِحَرْبِ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ مَعَ الْمُثَنَّى، وَإِذَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَى أُمَرَاءِنَا بِالشَّامِ فَارْدُدْ أَصْحَابَ خَالِدٍ إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِحَرْبِهِ. فَلَمَّا مَاتَ الصِّدِّيقُ نَدَبَ عُمَرُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى الْجِهَادِ بِأَرْضِ الْعِرَاقِ ; لِقِلَّةِ مَنْ بَقِيَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْمُقَاتِلَةِ بَعْدَ خَالِدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ، فَانْتَدَبَ خَلْقٌ، وَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَبَا عُبَيْدِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ، وَكَانَ شَابًّا شُجَاعًا خَبِيرًا بِالْحَرْبِ وَالْمَكِيدَةِ. وَهَذَا آخِرُ مَا يَتَعَلَّقُ بِخَبَرِ الْعِرَاقِ إِلَى آخَرِ أَيَّامِ الصِّدِّيقِ وَأَوَّلِ دَوْلَةِ الْفَارُوقِ.
Translation
✧ The Cause of This Battle A battle that took place in Iraq after Khālid's departure to Syria. That is because the people of Persia gathered after the killing of their king and his son to crown Shahriyār b. Ardashīr b. Shahriyār, and they seized the opportunity of Khālid's absence from them. They sent against his deputy al-Muthannā b. Ḥārithah a dense army of about ten thousand, commanded by Hurmuz b. Jādhuwayh. Shahriyār wrote to al-Muthannā: "I have sent against you a troop from the beasts of the people of Persia; they are only herders of chickens and pigs, and I will not fight you except with them." Al-Muthannā wrote back to him: "From al-Muthannā to Shahriyār: You are only one of two men: either a transgressor, and that is worse for you and better for us, or a liar, and the greatest of liars in punishment and disgrace before God among people are kings. As for what sound judgment indicates to us, it is that you were compelled to resort to them. Praise be to God who turned your scheming back upon the herders of chickens and pigs." He said: The people of Persia were distressed by this letter, and they blamed Shahriyār for his letter to him and deemed his judgment faulty. Al-Muthannā marched from al-Ḥarrah to Bābil. The Defeat of the Persians and al-Muthannā's Killing of the Elephant When al-Muthannā and their army met at a place by the first bank of al-Ṣarāh, they fought a very fierce battle. The Persians sent an elephant among the ranks of the cavalry to scatter the Muslims' horses. The commander of the Muslims, al-Muthannā b. Ḥārithah, charged it and killed it, and he ordered the Muslims to charge. There was nothing but the rout of the Persians, and they killed them in great numbers and seized from them immense wealth. The Persians fled until they reached al-Madāʾin in the worst state, and they found that the king had died, so they made the daughter of Kisrā, Būrān bt. Abarwīz, queen over them. She established justice and behaved excellently, and she remained for a year and seven months, then she died. They then made her sister Āzarmīdukht Zanān queen over them, but their affairs did not become orderly, so they made Sābūr b. Shahriyār king over them and entrusted his affairs to al-Farrukhzādh b. al-Bindawān. Sābūr married him to the daughter of Kisrā, Āzarmīdukht, but she disliked that and said: "This is only a slave of our slaves." On the night of her wedding to him, they attacked him and killed him. Then they went to Sābūr and killed him as well, and they made this woman, Āzarmīdukht the daughter of Kisrā, queen over them. Persia toyed with her rule greatly. The last thing their affairs settled upon in this year was that they made a woman ruler, and the Messenger of God ﷺ had said: "A people will never prosper who entrust their affairs to a woman." About this battle that we have mentioned, ʿAbdah b. al-Ṭabīb al-Saʿdī said—he had migrated in pursuit of a beloved woman of his until he witnessed this battle of Bābil, and when she despaired of him, he returned to the desert and said: Is the rope of Khawla after separation still connected, or are you far from her in abode and preoccupied? And for loved ones there are days you remember them, and for departure before the day of parting there is interpretation. Khuwayla settled among a tribe I knew, outside al-Madīnah, where there are roosters and elephants. They clash with the heads of the non-Arabs in open ground— among them are horsemen, not unarmed or weak. Al-Farazdaq said in his poetry, mentioning al-Muthannā's killing of that elephant: The house of al-Muthannā, killer of the elephant by force, at Bābil, when Persia held the kingship of Bābil. The Ṣiddīq's Bequest to ʿUmar to Wage Jihad Against the People of Iraq Then al-Muthannā b. Ḥārithah found the news of al-Ṣiddīq slow because he was occupied with the people of Syria and the battle of al-Yarmūk mentioned earlier. So al-Muthannā himself traveled to al-Ṣiddīq, leaving Bashīr b. al-Khaṣāṣiyah as his deputy over Iraq and Saʿīd b. Murrah al-ʿIjlī over the frontier posts. When al-Muthannā reached al-Madīnah, he found al-Ṣiddīq in the final sickness of death, and he had already entrusted the succession to ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb. When al-Ṣiddīq saw al-Muthannā, he said to ʿUmar: "If I die, do not let evening come before you call the people to war against the people of Iraq with al-Muthannā; and if God grants victory to our commanders in Syria, send Khālid's companions back to Iraq, for they know its warfare best." When al-Ṣiddīq died, ʿUmar called the Muslims to jihad in the land of Iraq because of the few fighters who remained there after Khālid b. al-Walīd. Many volunteered, and he appointed over them Abū ʿUbayd b. Masʿūd, who was a young, brave man, knowledgeable in war and stratagem. This is the last of what pertains to the news of Iraq until the end of the days of al-Ṣiddīq and the beginning of the reign of al-Fārūq.
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