Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1876
The caliphate of ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb
يَوْمِ عِمَاسَ وَأَصْبَحَ الْقَوْمُ فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّالِثِ -وَيُسَمَّى يَوْمَ عَمَاسٍ- وَقَدْ قُتِلَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَلْفَانِ مِنْ مَيِّتٍ وَرَثِيثٍ، وَمِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ عَشَرَةُ آلَافٍ مِنْ مَيِّتٍ وَرَثِيثٍ فَجَعَلَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ يَنْقُلُونَ قَتْلَاهُمْ إِلَى الْمَقَابِرِ وَالْجَرْحَى إِلَى النِّسَاءِ، وَكَانَ النِّسَاءُ وَالصِّبْيَانُ يَحْفِرُونَ الْقُبُورَ، وَكَانَ عَلَى الشُّهَدَاءِ حَاجِبُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ. وَأَمَّا قَتْلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَبَيْنَ الصَّفَّيْنِ لَمْ يُنْقَلُوا، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا قَوَّى الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَبَاتَ الْقَعْقَاعُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ يُسَرِّبُ أَصْحَابَهُ إِلَى الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي فَارَقَهُمْ فِيهِ وَقَالَ: إِذَا طَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَأَقْبِلُوا مِائَةً مِائَةً، فَإِنْ جَاءَ هَاشِمٌ فَذَاكَ وَإِلَّا جَدَّدْتُمْ لِلنَّاسِ رَجَاءً وَجِدًّا وَلَا يَشْعُرُ بِهِ أَحَدٌ. وَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ عَلَى مَوَاقِفِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا ذَرَّ قَرْنُ الشَّمْسِ أَقْبَلَ أَصْحَابُ الْقَعْقَاعِ، فَحِينَ رَآهُمْ كَبَّرَ وَكَبَّرَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَتَقَدَّمُوا وَتَكَتَّبَتِ الْكَتَائِبُ وَاخْتَلَفُوا الضَّرْبَ وَالطَّعْنَ وَالْمَدَدُ مُتَتَابِعٌ، فَمَا جَاءَ آخِرُ أَصْحَابِ الْقَعْقَاعِ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَيْهِمْ هَاشِمٌ، فَأُخْبِرَ بِمَا صَنَعَ الْقَعْقَاعُ، فَعَبَّى أَصْحَابَهُ سَبْعِينَ سَبْعِينَ، وَكَانَ فِيهِمْ قَيْسُ بْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ يَغُوثَ الْمَعْرُوفُ بِقَيْسِ بْنِ الْمَكْشُوفِ الْمُرَادِيِّ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَيَّامِ إِنَّمَا كَانَ بِالْيَرْمُوكِ، فَانْتُدِبَ مَعَ هَاشِمٍ حَتَّى إِذَا خَالَطَ الْقَلْبَ كَبَّرَ وَكَبَّرَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَقَالَ: أَوَّلُ قِتَالٍ الْمُطَارَدَةُ ثُمَّ الْمُرَامَاةُ ; ثُمَّ حَمَلَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ يُقَاتِلُهُمْ حَتَّى خَرَقَ صَفَّهُمْ إِلَى الْعَتِيقِ ثُمَّ عَادَ. وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ قَدْ بَاتُوا يَعْمَلُونَ تَوَابِيتَهُمْ، حَتَّى أَعَادُوا وَأَصْبَحُوا عَلَى مَوَاقِفِهِمْ، وَأَقْبَلَتِ الرَّجَّالَةُ مَعَ الْفِيَلَةِ يَحْمُونَهَا أَنْ تُقْطَعَ وُضُنُهَا، وَمَعَ الرَّجَّالَةِ فُرْسَانٌ يَحْمُونَهُمْ، فَلَمْ تَنْفِرِ الْخَيْلُ مِنْهُمْ كَمَا كَانَتْ بِالْأَمْسِ، لِأَنَّ الْفِيلَ إِذَا كَانَ وَحْدَهُ كَانَ أَوْحَشَ، وَإِذَا طَافُوا بِهِ كَانَ آنَسَ، وَكَانَ يَوْمُ عِمَاسَ مِنْ أَوَّلِهِ إِلَى آخِرِهِ شَدِيدًا، الْعَرَبُ وَالْعَجَمُ فِيهِ سَوَاءٌ، وَلَا تَكُونُ بَيْنَهُمْ نُقْطَةٌ إِلَّا أَبْلَغُوهَا يَزْدَجِرْدَ بِالْأَصْوَاتِ، فَيَبْعَثُ إِلَيْهِمْ أَهْلَ النَّجَدَاتِ مِمَّنْ عِنْدَهُ، فَلَوْلَا أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَلْهَمَ الْقَعْقَاعَ مَا فَعَلَ فِي الْيَوْمَيْنِ وَإِلَّا كَسَرَ ذَلِكَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ. وَقَاتَلَ قَيْسُ بْنُ الْمَكْشُوحِ، وَكَانَ قَدْ قَدِمَ مَعَ هَاشِمٍ، قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا وَحَرَّضَ أَصْحَابَهُ. وَقَالَ عَمْرُو بْنُ مَعْدِي كَرِبَ: إِنِّي حَامِلٌ عَلَى الْفِيلِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ، لِفِيلٍ بِإِزَائِهِ، فَلَا تَدَعُونِي أَكْثَرَ مِنْ جَزْرِ جَزُورٍ، فَإِنْ تَأَخَّرْتُمْ عَنِّي فَقَدْتُمْ أَبَا ثَوْرٍ، يَعْنِي نَفْسَهُ، وَأَيْنَ لَكُمْ مِثْلُ أَبِي ثَوْرٍ ! فَحَمَلَ وَضَرَبَ فِيهِمْ حَتَّى سَتَرَهُ الْغُبَارُ وَحَمَلَ بِأَصْحَابِهِ فَأَفْرَجَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ عَنْهُ بَعْدَمَا صَرَعُوهُ، وَإِنَّ سَيْفَهُ لَفِي يَدِهِ يُصَارِمُهُمْ، وَقَدْ طُعِنَ فَرَسُهُ، فَأَخَذَ بِرِجْلِ فَرَسٍ أَعْجَمِيٍّ فَلَمْ يُطِقِ الْجَرْيَ، فَنَزَلَ عَنْهُ صَاحِبُهُ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ وَرَكِبَ عَمْرٌو. وَبَرَزَ فَارِسِيٌّ، فَبَرَزَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يُقَالُ لَهُ شَبْرُ بْنُ عَلْقَمَةَ، وَكَانَ قَصِيرًا، فَتَرَجَّلَ الْفَارِسِيُّ إِلَيْهِ فَاحْتَمَلَهُ وَجَلَسَ عَلَى صَدْرِهِ، ثُمَّ أَخَذَ سَيْفَهُ لِيَذْبَحَهُ، وَمِقْوَدُ فَرَسِهِ مَشْدُودٌ فِي مِنْطَقَتِهِ، فَلَمَّا سَلَّ سَيْفَهُ نَفَرَ الْفَرَسُ، فَجَذَبَهُ الْمِقْوَدُ فَقَلَبَهُ عَنْهُ، وَتَبِعَهُ الْمُسْلِمُ فَقَتَلَهُ، وَأَخَذَ سَلَبَهُ فَبَاعَهُ بِاثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا. فَلَمَّا رَأَى سَعْدٌ الْفُيُولَ قَدْ فَرَّقَتْ بَيْنَ الْكَتَائِبِ وَعَادَتْ لِفِعْلِهَا، أَرْسَلَ إِلَى الْقَعْقَاعِ وَعَاصِمِ ابْنَيْ عَمْرٍو: اكْفِيَانِي الْأَبْيَضَ، وَكَانَتْ كُلُّهَا آلِفَةً لَهُ، وَكَانَ بِإِزَائِهِمَا، وَقَالَ لِحَمَّالٍ وَالرِّبِّيلِ: اكْفِيَانِي الْأَجْرَبَ، وَكَانَ بِإِزَائِهِمَا، فَأَخَذَ الْقَعْقَاعُ وَعَاصِمٌ رُمْحَيْنِ، وَتَقَدَّمَا فِي خَيْلٍ وَرَجْلٍ، وَفَعَلَ حَمَّالٌ وَالرِّبِّيلُ مِثْلَ فِعْلِهِمَا، فَحَمَلَ الْقَعْقَاعُ وَعَاصِمٌ فَوَضَعَا رُمْحَيْهِمَا فِي عَيْنِ الْفِيلِ الْأَبْيَضِ فَنَفَضَ رَأْسَهُ فَطَرَحَ سَائِسَهُ وَدَلَّى مِشْفَرَهُ، فَضَرَبَهُ الْقَعْقَاعُ فَرَمَى بِهِ، وَوَقَعَ لِجَنْبِهِ، وَقَتَلُوا مَنْ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ، وَحَمَلَ حَمَّالٌ وَالرِّبِّيلُ الْأَسَدِيَّانِ عَلَى الْفِيلِ الْآخَرِ فَطَعَنَهُ حَمَّالٌ فِي عَيْنِهِ، فَأَقْعَى ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى، وَضَرَبَهُ الرِّبِّيلُ فَأَبَانَ مِشْفَرَهُ، وَبَصُرَ بِهِ سَائِسُهُ فَبَقَرَ أَنْفَهَ وَجَبِينَهُ بِالطَّبْرَزِينَ، فَأَفْلَتَ الرِّبِّيلُ جَرِيحًا، فَبَقِيَ الْفِيلُ جَرِيحًا مُتَحَيِّرًا بَيْنَ الصَّفَّيْنِ، كُلَّمَا جَاءَ صَفَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَخَزُوهُ، وَإِذَا أَتَى صَفَّ الْمُشْرِكِينَ نَخَسُوهُ. وَوَلَّى الْفِيلُ، وَكَانَ يُدْعَى الْأَجْرَبَ، وَقَدْ عَوَّرَ حَمَّالٌ عَيْنَيْهِ، فَأَلْقَى نَفْسَهُ فِي الْعَتِيقِ، فَاتَّبَعَتْهُ الْفِيَلَةُ فَخَرَقَتْ صَفَّ الْأَعَاجِمِ، فَعَبَرَتْ فِي أَثَرِهِ، فَأَتَتِ الْمَدَائِنَ فِي تَوَابِيتِهَا، وَهَلَكَ مَنْ فِيهَا. فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَتِ الْفِيَلَةُ وَخَلَصَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَالْفُرْسُ، وَمَالَ الظِّلُّ، تَزَاحَفَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ، فَاجْتَلَدُوا حَتَّى أَمْسَوْا وَهُمْ عَلَى السَّوَاءِ. فَلَمَّا أَمْسَى النَّاسُ اشْتَدَّ الْقِتَالُ، وَصَبَرَ الْفَرِيقَانِ فَخَرَجَا عَلَى السَّوَاءِ.
Translation
✧ The Day of ʿImās The people arose on the third day — called the Day of ʿAmās — and two thousand of the Muslims had been killed, both dead and wounded, and ten thousand of the polytheists, both dead and wounded. The Muslims began carrying their dead to the graves and the wounded to the women, and the women and children were digging graves. Ḥājib b. Zayd was in charge of the martyrs. As for the dead of the polytheists, they lay between the two ranks, not moved, and that was among the things that strengthened the Muslims. Al-Qaʿqāʿ spent that night sending his companions in small groups to the place where he had parted from them, and he said: “When the sun rises, come forward in groups of a hundred. If Hāshim comes, then that; otherwise, renew for the people hope and vigor, and let no one be aware of it.” The people rose at their positions, and when the sun's horn rose, al-Qaʿqāʿ's companions advanced. When he saw them, he said “Allāhu akbar,” the Muslims said “Allāhu akbar,” and they advanced and formed squadrons, and they exchanged blows and thrusts, reinforcements continuing one after another. The last of al-Qaʿqāʿ's companions had hardly arrived when Hāshim came to them, and he was told what al-Qaʿqāʿ had done. He arrayed his companions in groups of seventy. Among them was Qays b. Hubayra b. ʿAbd Yaghūth, known as Qays b. al-Makshūf al-Murādī. He had not been among the people of the battles; rather, he had been at al-Yarmūk, and he volunteered with Hāshim. When he plunged into the center, he said “Allāhu akbar,” the Muslims said “Allāhu akbar,” and he said: “The first fighting is the pursuit, then the exchange of arrows;” then he charged against the polytheists, fighting them until he pierced their line to the ancient riverbed, then returned. The polytheists had spent the night making their howdahs, until they restored them and arose at their positions. The infantry advanced with the elephants, protecting them so their girths would not be cut, and with the infantry were horsemen protecting them. The horses did not shy from them as they had the day before, because when an elephant is alone it is more restless, and when they surround it, it is more at ease. The Day of ʿImās was severe from its beginning to its end; Arabs and Persians were equal in it. No matter what point was between them, they reached it. They called out to Yazdegerd with voices, so he sent to them men of courage from those with him. Had it not been that God inspired al-Qaʿqāʿ to what he did during the two days, that would have broken the Muslims. Qays b. al-Makshūḥ, who had arrived with Hāshim, fought a fierce fight and urged on his companions. ʿAmr b. Maʿdī Karib said: “I am charging against the elephant and those around it, at the elephant facing it. Do not abandon me for more than the time it takes to slaughter a camel. If you fall behind from me, you will lose Abū Thawr” — meaning himself — “and where will you find the like of Abū Thawr?” He charged and struck among them until the dust concealed him, and he charged with his companions. The polytheists parted from him after they had thrown him down, and his sword was in his hand, fighting them. His horse had been stabbed, so he seized the leg of a Persian's horse, but it could not run, so its rider dismounted to his companions and ʿAmr mounted. A Persian horseman came forth to duel, and a man of the Muslims called Shabr b. ʿAlqama came out to him; he was short. The Persian dismounted to him, lifted him up, and sat on his chest, then took his sword to slaughter him, while his horse's rein was tied to his belt. When he drew his sword, the horse shied, and the rein yanked him and overturned him off him. The Muslim followed him and killed him, and took his spoils and sold them for twelve thousand. When Saʿd saw that the elephants had separated the squadrons and returned to their previous action, he sent to al-Qaʿqāʿ and ʿĀṣim, the two sons of ʿAmr: “Deal with the white one for me” — all of them were attached to it, and it was facing them. And he said to Ḥammāl and al-Ribbīl: “Deal with the mangy one for me” — and it was facing them. Al-Qaʿqāʿ and ʿĀṣim took two spears and advanced with cavalry and infantry, and Ḥammāl and al-Ribbīl did the like of their action. Al-Qaʿqāʿ and ʿĀṣim charged and placed their spears in the eye of the white elephant. It shook its head, threw off its driver, and let its trunk droop. Al-Qaʿqāʿ struck it and threw it down, and it fell on its side, and they killed those upon it. Ḥammāl and al-Ribbīl al-Asadī charged against the other elephant. Ḥammāl stabbed it in the eye, and it crouched, then stood straight. Al-Ribbīl struck it and severed its trunk. Its driver saw him and split its nose and brow with the tabarzīn, and al-Ribbīl escaped wounded. The elephant remained wounded, wandering between the two ranks; whenever it came toward the Muslims' line, they speared it, and when it came toward the polytheists' line, they goaded it. The elephant turned away — it was called al-Ajrab, and Ḥammāl had blinded both its eyes — and threw itself into the ancient riverbed. The other elephants followed it, piercing the Persian line and crossing in its tracks, and they came to al-Madāʾin with their howdahs, and those in them perished. When the elephants departed and the Muslims and Persians were left alone, and the shadows inclined, the Muslims advanced upon one another and fought with swords until evening came, and they were on equal terms. When evening came upon the people, the fighting intensified, and both parties held firm and emerged on equal terms.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.