Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1899
The caliphate of ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb
كُتِبَ التَّارِيخُ مِنَ الْهِجْرَةِ بِمَشُورَةِ عَلِيٍّ . وَفِي رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ مِنْ سَنَةَ سِتَّ عَشْرَةَ كَتَبَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ التَّأْرِيخَ، وَهُوَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ كَتَبَهُ وسَبَبَهُ أَنَّهُ رُفِعَ إِلَى عُمَرَ صَكٌّ مَكْتُوبٌ لِرَجُلٍ عَلَى آخَرَ بِدَيْنٍ يَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ فِي شَعْبَانَ، فَقَالَ: أَيُّ شَعْبَانَ ؟ أَمِنْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ أَمِ الَّتِي قَبْلَهَا، أَمِ الَّتِي بَعْدَهَا ؟ ثُمَّ جَمَعَ النَّاسَ فَقَالَ: ضَعُوا لِلنَّاسِ شَيْئًا يَعْرِفُونَ بِهِ حُلُولَ دُيُونِهِمْ. فَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُمْ أَرَادَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَنْ يُؤَرِّخُوا كَمَا تُؤَرِّخُ الْفُرْسُ بِمُلُوكِهِمْ، كُلَّمَا هَلَكَ مَلِكٌ أَرَّخُوا مِنْ تَارِيخِ وِلَايَةِ الَّذِي بَعْدَهُ، فَكَرِهُوا ذَلِكَ. وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَالَ: أَرِّخُوا بِتَارِيخِ الرُّومِ مِنْ زَمَانِ إِسْكَنْدَرَ. فَكَرِهُوا ذَلِكَ، وَلِطُولِهِ أَيْضًا. وَقَالَ قَائِلُونَ: أَرِّخُوا مِنْ مَوْلِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، ﷺ. وَقَالَ آخَرُونَ: مِنْ مَبْعَثِهِ، ﷺ. وَأَشَارَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَآخَرُونَ أَنْ يُؤَرَّخَ مِنْ هِجْرَتِهِ مِنْ مَكَّةَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ ; لِظُهُورِهِ لِكُلِّ أَحَدٍ فَإِنَّهُ أَظْهَرُ مِنَ الْمَوْلِدِ وَالْمَبْعَثِ. فَاسْتَحْسَنَ ذَلِكَ عُمَرُ وَالصَّحَابَةُ، فَأَمَرَ عُمَرُ أَنْ يُؤَرَّخَ مِنْ هِجْرَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، ﷺ. وَأَرَّخُوا مِنْ أَوَّلِ تِلْكَ السَّنَةِ مِنْ مُحَرَّمِهَا. وَعِنْدَ مَالِكٍ، رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ، فِيمَا حَكَاهُ عَنْهُ السُّهَيْلِيُّ وَغَيْرُهُ أَنَّ أَوَّلَ السَّنَةِ مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ لِقُدُومِهِ، ﷺ، إِلَى الْمَدِينَةَ فِيهِ. وَالْجُمْهُورُ عَلَى أَنَّ أَوَّلَ السَّنَةِ مِنَ الْمُحَرَّمِ ; لِأَنَّهُ أَضْبَطُ، لِئَلَّا تَخْتَلِفَ الشُّهُورُ، فَإِنَّ الْمُحَرَّمَ أَوَّلُ السَّنَةِ الْهِلَالِيَّةِ الْعَرَبِيَّةِ. وَكَانَتْ لِلْعَرَبِ أَيَّامٌ وَأَعْلَامٌ يَعُدُّونَهَا، ثُمَّ أَرَّخُوا مِنْ مَوْتِ كَعْبِ بْنِ لُؤَيٍّ إِلَى الْفِيلِ، وَكَانَ التَّأْرِيخُ مِنَ الْفِيلِ حَتَّى أَرَّخَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ مِنَ الْهِجْرَةِ. وَإِنَّمَا أَرَّخَ عُمَرُ بَعْدَ سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ مِنْ مُهَاجَرَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَبَا مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيَّ كَتَبَ إِلَى عُمَرَ: إِنَّهُ يَأْتِينَا مِنْكَ كُتُبٌ لَيْسَ لَهَا تَارِيخٌ. قَالَ: فَجَمَعَ عُمَرُ النَّاسَ لِلْمَشُورَةِ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: أَرِّخْ لِمَبْعَثِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: أَرِّخْ لِمُهَاجَرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: لَا بَلْ نُؤَرِّخُ لِمُهَاجَرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَإِنَّ مُهَاجَرَهُ فَرَقَّ بَيْنَ الْحَقِّ وَالْبَاطِلِ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ سِيرِينَ: قَامَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى عُمَرَ فَقَالَ: أَرِّخُوا، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: مَا أَرِّخُوا؟ قَالَ: شَيْءٌ تَفْعَلُهُ الْأَعَاجِمُ، يَكْتُبُونَ فِي شَهْرِ كَذَا مِنْ سَنَةِ كَذَا، قَالَ عُمَرُ: حَسَنٌ فَأَرِّخُوا، فَقَالَ: مِنْ أَيِّ السِّنِينَ نَبْدَأُ؟ فَقَالُوا: مِنْ مَبْعَثِهِ، وَقَالُوا: مِنْ وَفَاتِهِ، ثُمَّ أَجْمَعُوا عَلَى الْهِجْرَةِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: فَبِأَيِّ الشُّهُورِ نَبْدَأُ، فَقَالُوا: مِنْ رَمَضَانَ، ثُمَّ قَالُوا: الْمُحَرَّمُ؛ فَإِنَّهُ مُنْصَرَفُ النَّاسِ مِنْ حَجِّهِمْ، وَهُوَ شَهْرٌ حَرَامٌ، فَأَجْمَعُوا عَلَى الْمُحَرَّمِ. قَالَ ابن الجوزي: فَقَدْ قَدَّمُوا التَّأْرِيخَ شَهْرَيْنِ وَبَعْضَ الْآخَرِ؛ لِأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ لِاثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ خَلَتْ مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ. وَقَدْ قِيلَ: إِنَّمَا كَتَبَ عُمَرُ التَّارِيخَ فِي سَنَةِ سِتَّ عَشْرَةَ. وَقَالَ قُدَامَةَ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْكَاتِبُ: تَارِيخُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ آخِرُهُ، وَهُوَ فِي الْوَقْتِ غَايَتُهُ وَالْمَوْضِعُ الَّذِي انْتَهَى إِلَيْهِ، يُقَالُ: فُلَانٌ تَارِيخُ قَوْمِهِ؛ أَيْ: إِلَيْهِ انْتَهَى شَرَفُهُمْ. وَيُقَالُ: وَرَّخْتُ الْكِتَابَ تَوْرِيخًا، وَأَرَّخْتُهُ تَأْرِيخًا، اللُّغَةُ الْأُولَى لِتَمِيمٍ، وَالْأُخْرَى لِقَيْسٍ، وَلِكُلِّ مَمْلَكَةٍ وَأَهْلِ مِلَّةٍ تَأْرِيخٌ، وَقَدْ كَانَ الرُّومُ أَرَّخُوا عَلَى حَسَبِ مَا وَقَعَ مِنَ الْأَحْدَاثِ إِلَى أَنِ اسْتَقَرَّ تَأْرِيخُهُمْ عَلَى وَفَاةِ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ، وَكَانَتِ الْفُرْسُ تُؤَرِّخُ بِأَعْدَلِ مَلِكٍ لَهَا إِلَى أَنِ اسْتَقَرَّ تَأْرِيخُهَا عَلَى هَلَاكِ يَزْدَجِرْدَ الَّذِي كَانَ آخِرَ مُلُوكِهِمْ، وَكَانَتِ الْعَرَبُ تُؤَرِّخُ بِتَفَرُّقِ وَلَدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَخُرُوجِهِمْ عَنْ مَكَّةَ، ثُمَّ أَرَّخُوا بِعَامِ الْغَدْرَةِ، وَقَالَ: إِنَّ مَلِكًا مِنْ مُلُوكِ حَمِيرَ وَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ بِكُسْوَةٍ وَطِيبٍ، فَاعْتَرَضَ قَوْمٌ مِنْ بَنِي يَرْبُوعَ بْنِ حَنْظَلَةَ الرُّسُلَ فَقَتَلُوهُمْ، فَانْتَهَبُوا ذَلِكَ، وَكَانُوا لَا يَفْعَلُونَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْأَشْهُرِ الْحُرُمِ، فَسُمِّيَ عَامَ الْغَدْرَةِ. ثُمَّ أَرَّخُوا بِعَامِ الْفِيلِ، وَكَانَ فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّانِي عَشَرَ مِنْ شُبَاطَ سَنَةَ ثَمَانِمِائَةٍ وَاثْنَيْنِ وَثَمَانِينَ لِذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ، ثُمَّ أُرِّخَ بِسِنِي الْهِجْرَةِ، ابْتَدَأَ بِذَلِكَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ. وَالتَّوَارِيخُ الْعَرَبِيَّةُ إِنَّمَا هِيَ عَلَى اللَّيَالِي، وَسَائِرُ تَوَارِيخِ الْأُمَمِ عَلَى الْأَيَّامِ؛ لِأَنَّ سِنِيهِمْ تَجْرِي عَلَى أَمْرِ الشَّمْسِ، وَهِيَ نَهَارِيَّةٌ، وَسِنُو الْعَرَبِ يُعْمَلُ فِيهَا عَلَى الْقَمَرِ، وَابْتِدَاءُ رُؤْيَتِنَا لَهُ اللَّيْلُ، فَيُقَالُ فِي أَوَّلِ لَيْلَةِ مُسْتَهَلٍّ، وَلَا يُقَالُ ذَلِكَ فِي النَّهَارِ، وَيُقَالُ فِي آخِرِ الشَّهْرِ يَوْمَ كَذَا: انْسِلَاخُ شَهْرِ كَذَا؛ لِأَنَّ الشَّهْرَ يَبْتَدِئُ بِابْتِدَاءِ اللَّيْلِ وَيَنْقَضِي بِانْقِضَاءِ النَّهَارِ، وَمَا قَبْلَ الْخَامِسَ عَشَرَ يُعْرَفُ بِاللَّيَالِي الْمَوَاضِي، وَإِذَا كَانَ بَعْدَهُ عُرِفَ بِاللَّيَالِي الْبَوَاقِي.
Translation
✧ The calendar was established from the Hijrah on the advice of ʿAlī. In Rabīʿ al-Awwal of the year sixteen, ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb wrote down the calendar, and he was the first to write it. The reason was that a written deed was brought to ʿUmar for one man against another for a debt due in Shaʿbān. He said: “Which Shaʿbān? Is it from this year, or the one before it, or the one after it?” Then he gathered the people and said: “Set up something for the people by which they can know when their debts are due.” It is said that some of them wanted to date as the Persians dated by their kings; whenever a king died, they dated from the beginning of the reign of the one who succeeded him, but they disliked that. Among them were those who said: “Date according to the calendar of the Byzantines, from the time of Alexander.” They disliked that, also because of its length. Some said: “Date from the birth of the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ.” Others said: “From his mission, ﷺ.” ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib and others advised that it be dated from his emigration from Makkah to Madinah, because of its clarity for everyone; for it is clearer than the birth and the mission. ʿUmar and the Companions deemed that good, so ʿUmar ordered that it be dated from the emigration of the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ. They dated from the beginning of that year, from its Muḥarram. According to Mālik, may Allah have mercy on him, in what al-Suhaylī and others related from him, the beginning of the year is from Rabīʿ al-Awwal because of his arrival, ﷺ, in Madinah during it. The majority hold that the beginning of the year is from al-Muḥarram, because it is more precise, so that the months do not differ; for al-Muḥarram is the beginning of the Arabian lunar year. The Arabs had days and markers by which they counted; then they dated from the death of Kaʿb b. Luʾayy until the Elephant. The dating was from the Elephant until ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb dated from the Hijrah. ʿUmar only established the calendar seventeen years after the emigration of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. That is because Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī wrote to ʿUmar: “Letters come to us from you that have no date.” He said: So ʿUmar gathered the people for consultation. Some of them said: “Date from the mission of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” Others said: “Date from the emigration of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” ʿUmar said: “No, rather we date from the emigration of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, for his emigration distinguished between truth and falsehood.” Ibn Sīrīn said: A man stood up to ʿUmar and said: “Set a date.” ʿUmar said: “What do you mean by setting a date?” He said: “Something the non-Arabs do; they write in such-and-such a month of such-and-such a year.” ʿUmar said: “Good, then set a date.” He said: “From which year do we begin?” They said: “From his mission.” They said: “From his death.” Then they agreed upon the Hijrah. Then he said: “With which month do we begin?” They said: “From Ramaḍān.” Then they said: “Al-Muḥarram, because it is the return of the people from their pilgrimage, and it is a sacred month.” So they agreed upon al-Muḥarram. Ibn al-Jawzī said: They put the calendar two months and part of another earlier, because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Madinah on the twelfth night of Rabīʿ al-Awwal. It has been said: ʿUmar wrote down the calendar only in the year sixteen. Qudāmah b. Jaʿfar al-Kātib said: The history of everything is its end, and in time it is its limit and the place to which it has arrived. It is said: “So-and-so is the history of his people,” meaning: their honor has ended with him. It is said: warrakhtu al-kitāb tawrīkhan, and arrakhtuhu taʾrīkhan; the first form is that of Tamīm, the other of Qays. Every kingdom and every community of a religion has a calendar. The Byzantines dated according to the events that occurred until their dating settled on the death of Dhū al-Qarnayn. The Persians dated by their most just king until their dating settled on the death of Yazdegerd, who was the last of their kings. The Arabs dated by the dispersion of the children of Ismāʿīl and their departure from Makkah, then they dated by the year of treachery. He said: A king of the kings of Ḥimyar sent a covering and perfume to the Kaʿbah, but a group from Banū Yarbūʿ b. Ḥanẓalah intercepted the messengers, killed them, and plundered it; and they would not have done that in the sacred months, so it was called the Year of Treachery. Then they dated by the Year of the Elephant, which was on the twelfth day of Shubāṭ in the year eight hundred and eighty-two of Dhū al-Qarnayn. Then they dated by the years of the Hijrah; ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb began that. Arab calendars are by nights, while the calendars of other nations are by days; because their years run according to the course of the sun, which is by day, while the years of the Arabs are based on the moon, and the beginning of our sighting of it is at night. So it is said “on the first night of the new moon,” and that is not said during the day. At the end of the month it is said “on such-and-such a day, the end of such-and-such a month,” because the month begins with the beginning of the night and ends with the end of the day. What is before the fifteenth is known by the nights that have passed, and when it is after that it is known by the nights that remain.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.