Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1918
The caliphate of ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb
الْقَحْطِ وَعَامِ الرَّمَادَةِ فِي سَنَةِ ثَمَانِي عَشْرَةَ وذلك أَنَّ نَفَرًا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَصَابُوا الشَّرَابَ، فَكَتَبَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ إِلَى عُمَرَ، كِتَابًا وَذَكَرَ فِيهِ: إِنَّا سَأَلْنَاهُمْ فَتَأَوَّلُوا، وَقَالُوا: خُيِّرْنَا فَاخْتَرْنَا، قَالَ: فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنْتَهُونَ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ عُمَرُ ؓ إِنَّ الْمُرَادَ "فَانْتَهُوا". فَادْعُهُمْ، فَإِنْ زَعَمُوا أَنَّهَا حَلَالٌ فَاقْتُلْهُمْ، وَإِنْ زَعَمُوا أَنَّهَا حَرَامٌ فَاجْلِدْهُمْ ثَمَانِينَ [جَلْدَةً]، فَسَأَلَهُمْ فَقَالُوا: حَرَامٌ، فَجَلَدَهُمْ ثَمَانِينَ [ثَمَانِينَ]، فَنَدِمُوا عَلَى لُجَاجَتِهِمْ، حَتَّى وُسْوِسَ أَبُو جَنْدَلٍ فِي نَفْسِهِ، فَكَتَبَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ إِلَى عُمَرَ فِي ذَلِكَ، وَسَأَلَهُ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ إِلَى أَبِي جَنْدَلٍ وَيُذَكِّرَهُ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فِي ذَلِكَ: مِنْ عُمَرَ إِلَى أَبِي جَنْدَلٍ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ [ النِّسَاءِ: 48 ]. فَتُبْ وَارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ وَابْرُزْ وَلَا تَقْنَطْ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ [ الزُّمَرِ: 53 ]. وَقَالَ: عمر لَيَحْدُثَنَّ فِيكُمْ يَا أَهْلَ الشَّامِ حَادِثٌ، فَحَدَثَتِ الرَّمَادَةُ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ. وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ النَّاسَ أَصَابَهُمْ جَدْبٌ وَقَحْطٌ وَجُوعٌ شَدِيدٌ حَتَّى جَعَلَتِ الْوَحْشُ تَأْوِي إِلَى الْإِنْسِ، وَكَانَتِ الرِّيحُ تُسْفِي تُرَابًا كَالرَّمَادِ، فَسُمِّيَ ذَلِكَ الْعَامُ عَامَ الرَّمَادَةِ، وَقَدْ أَجْدَبَ النَّاسُ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ بِأَرْضِ الْحِجَازِ، وَجَفَلَتِ الْأَحْيَاءُ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَلَمْ يَبْقَ عِنْدَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ زَادٌ، فَلَجَئُوا إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَأَنْفَقَ فِيهِمْ مِنْ حَوَاصِلِ بَيْتِ الْمَالِ مِمَّا فِيهِ مِنَ الْأَطْعِمَةِ وَالْأَمْوَالِ حَتَّى أَنْفَدَهُ، وَأَلْزَمَ نَفْسَهُ أَنْ لَا يَأْكُلَ سَمْنًا وَلَا سَمِينًا حَتَّى يُكْشَفَ مَا بِالنَّاسِ، فَكَانَ فِي زَمَنِ الْخِصْبِ يُبَسُّ لَهُ الْخُبْزُ بِاللَّبَنِ وَالسَّمْنِ، ثُمَّ كَانَ عَامَ الرَّمَادَةِ يُبَسُّ لَهُ بِالزَّيْتِ وَالْخَلِّ، وَكَانَ يَسْتَمْرِئُ الزَّيْتَ، وَكَانَ لَا يَشْبَعُ مَعَ ذَلِكَ، فَاسْوَدَّ لَوْنُ عُمَرَ، ؓ، وَتَغَيَّرَ جِسْمُهُ حَتَّى كَادَ يُخْشَى عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الضَّعْفِ. وَاسْتَمَرَّ هَذَا الْحَالُ فِي النَّاسِ تِسْعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ، ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلَ الْحَالُ إِلَى الْخِصْبِ وَالدَّعَةِ، وَانْشَمَرَ النَّاسُ عَنِ الْمَدِينَةِ إِلَى أَمَاكِنِهِمْ. قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ: بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْعَرَبِ قَالَ لِعُمَرَ حِينَ تَرَحَّلَ الْأَحْيَاءُ عَنِ الْمَدِينَةِ: لَقَدِ انْجَلَتْ عَنْكَ وَإِنَّكَ لَابْنُ حُرَّةٍ. أَيْ: وَاسَيْتَ النَّاسَ وَأَنْصَفْتَهُمْ وَأَحْسَنْتَ إِلَيْهِمْ. وَقَدْ رُوِّينَا أَنَّ عُمَرَ عَسَّ الْمَدِينَةَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فِي عَامِ الرَّمَادَةِ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ أَحَدًا يَضْحَكُ، وَلَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ فِي مَنَازِلِهِمْ عَلَى الْعَادَةِ، وَلَمْ يَجِدْ سَائِلًا يَسْأَلُ، فَسَأَلَ عَنْ سَبَبٍ ذَلِكَ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِنَّ السُّؤَّالَ سَأَلُوا فَلَمْ يُعْطَوْا فَقَطَعُوا السُّؤَالَ، وَالنَّاسُ فِي هَمٍّ وَضِيقٍ، فَهُمْ لَا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ وَلَا يَضْحَكُونَ. كتب عمر إلى أمراء الأمصار يستمدهم فَكَتَبَ عُمَرُ إِلَى أَبِي مُوسَى بِالْبَصْرَةِ: أَنْ يَا غَوْثَاهُ لِأُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ. وَكَتَبَ إِلَى عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ بِمِصْرَ: أَنْ يَا غَوْثَاهُ لِأُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ. فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا بِقَافِلَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ تَحْمِلُ الْبُرَّ وَسَائِرَ الْأَطْعِمَاتِ، وَوَصَلَتْ مِيرَةُ عَمْرٍو فِي الْبَحْرِ إِلَى جُدَّةَ وَمِنْ جُدَّةَ إِلَى مَكَّةَ. لَكِنَّ ذِكْرَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ فِي عَامِ الرَّمَادَةِ مُشْكِلٌ؛ فَإِنَّ مِصْرَ لَمْ تَكُنْ فُتِحَتْ فِي سَنَةِ ثَمَانِيَ عَشْرَةَ، فَإِمَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ عَامُ الرَّمَادَةِ بَعْدَ سَنَةِ ثَمَانِيَ عَشْرَةَ، أَوْ يَكُونَ ذِكْرُ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ فِي عَامِ الرَّمَادَةِ وَهْمًا، وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَذَكَرَ سَيْفٌ عَنْ شُيُوخِهِ، أَنَّ أَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ وَمَعَهُ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافِ رَاحِلَةٍ تَحْمِلُ طَعَامًا، فَأَمَرَهُ عُمَرُ بِتَفْرِقَتِهَا فِي الْأَحْيَاءِ حَوْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَمَرَ لَهُ عُمَرُ بِأَرْبَعَةِ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ، فَأَبَى أَنْ يَقْبَلَهَا، فَأَلَحَّ عَلَيْهِ عُمَرُ حَتَّى قَبِلَهَا. وَكَتَبَ عُمَرُ إِلَى النَّاسِ أَنْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ، وَمَنْ غَيَّرَ فَغَيِّرُوا عَلَيْهِ، وَلَا تُعَيِّرُوا أَحَدًا فَيَفْشُوَ فِيكُمُ الْبَلَاءُ. وَقَدْ قَالَ أَبُو الزَّهْرَاءِ الْقُشَيْرِيُّ فِي ذَلِكَ: أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ الدَّهْرَ يَعْثُرُ بِالْفَتَى وَلَيْسَ عَلَى صَرْفِ الْمَنُونِ بِقَادِرِ صَبَرْتُ وَلَمْ أَجْزَعْ وَقَدْ مَاتَ إِخْوَتِي وَلَسْتُ عَنِ الصَّهْبَاءِ يَوْمًا بِصَابِرِ رَمَاهَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِحَتْفِهَا فَخُلَّانُهَا يَبْكُونَ حَوْلَ الْمَعَاصِرِ استسقاء عمر للناس وتوسله بالعباس قَالَ سَيْفُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ يُوسُفَ السُّلَمِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ: كَانَ عَامُ الرَّمَادَةِ فِي آخِرِ سَنَةِ سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ، وَأَوَّلِ سَنَةِ ثَمَانِيَ عَشْرَةَ، أَصَابَ أَهْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَمَا حَوْلَهَا جُوعٌ فَهَلَكَ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، حَتَّى جَعَلَتِ الْوَحْشُ تَأْوِي إِلَى الْإِنْسِ. فَكَانَ النَّاسُ كَذَلِكَ وَعُمَرُ كَالْمَحْصُورِ عَنْ أَهْلِ الْأَمْصَارِ، حَتَّى أَقْبَلَ بِلَالُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ الْمُزَنِيُّ فَاسْتَأْذَنَ عَلَى عُمَرَ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَيْكَ، يَقُولُ لَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، ﷺ،: " لَقَدْ عَهِدْتُكَ كَيِّسًا، وَمَا زِلْتَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، فَمَا شَأْنُكَ ؟ ". قَالَ: مَتَى رَأَيْتَ هَذَا ؟ قَالَ: الْبَارِحَةَ. فَخَرَجَ فَنَادَى فِي النَّاسِ: الصَّلَاةَ جَامِعَةً. فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ قَامَ فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنْشُدُكُمُ اللَّهَ هَلْ تَعْلَمُونَ مِنِّي أَمْرًا غَيْرَهُ خَيْرًا مِنْهُ ؟ قَالُوا: اللَّهُمَّ لَا. فَقَالَ: إِنَّ بِلَالَ بْنَ الْحَارِثِ يَزْعُمُ ذَيْتَ وَذَيْتَ. فَقَالُوا: صَدَقَ بِلَالٌ، فَاسْتَغِثْ بِاللَّهِ ثُمَّ بِالْمُسْلِمِينَ. فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ - وَكَانَ عُمَرُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ مَحْصُورًا - فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، بَلَغَ الْبَلَاءُ مُدَّتَهُ فَانْكَشَفَ، مَا أُذِنَ لِقَوْمٍ فِي الطَّلَبِ إِلَّا وَقَدْ رُفِعَ عَنْهُمُ الْبَلَاءُ. وَكَتَبَ إِلَى أُمَرَاءِ الْأَمْصَارِ أَنْ أَعِينُوا أَهْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَ جَهْدُهُمْ. وَأَخْرَجَ النَّاسَ إِلَى الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ، فَخَرَجَ وَخَرَجَ مَعَهُ الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ مَاشِيًا، فَخَطَبَ وَأَوْجَزَ وَصَلَّى، ثُمَّ جَثَى لِرُكْبَتَيْهِ وَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَارْضَ عَنَّا. ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ فَمَا بَلَغُوا الْمَنَازِلَ رَاجِعِينَ حَتَّى خَاضُوا الْغُدْرَانَ. وَكَانَ الْعَبَّاسُ قَدْ طَالَ عُمُرُهُ، وَعَيْنَاهُ تَذْرِفَانِ وَلِحْيَتُهُ تَجُولُ عَلَى صَدْرِهِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الرَّاعِي فَلَا تُهْمِلِ الضَّالَّةَ، وَلَا تَدَعِ الْكَسِيرَ بِدَارِ مَضْيَعَةٍ، فَقَدْ صَرَخَ الصَّغِيرُ وَرَقَّ الْكَبِيرُ وَارْتَفَعَتِ الشَّكْوَى، وَأَنْتَ تَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ وَأَخْفَى، اللَّهُمَّ فَأَغْنِهِمْ بِغِنَاكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْنَطُوا فَيَهْلِكُوا، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَيْأَسُ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْكَافِرُونَ. فَنَشَأَتْ طَرِيرَةٌ مِنْ سَحَابٍ، فَقَالَ النَّاسُ: تَرَوْنَ تَرَوْنَ ! ثُمَّ الْتَأَمَتْ وَمَشَتْ فِيهَا رِيحٌ ثُمَّ هَدَأَتْ وَدَرَّتْ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا تَرَوَّحُوا حَتَّى اعْتَنَقُوا الْجِدَارَ وَقَلَّصُوا الْمَآزِرَ، فَطَفِقَ النَّاسُ بِالْعَبَّاسِ يَمْسَحُونَ أَرْكَانَهُ وَيَقُولُونَ: هَنِيئًا لَكَ سَاقِيَ الْحَرَمَيْنِ ! فَقَالَ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ أَبِي لَهَبٍ: بِعَمِّي سَقَى اللَّهُ الْحِجَازَ وَأَهْلَهُ عَشِيَّةَ يَسْتَسْقِي بِشَيْبَتِهِ عُمَرْ تَوَجَّهَ بِالْعَبَّاسِ فِي الْجَدْبِ رَاغِبًا إِلَيْهِ فَمَا إِنْ رَامَ حَتَّى أَتَى الْمَطَرْ وَمِنَّا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فِينَا تُرَاثُهُ فَهَلْ فَوْقَ هَذَا لِلْمُفَاخِرِ مُفْتَخَرْ وعَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ عُمَرَ، ؓ، خَرَجَ يَسْتَسْقِي وَخَرَجَ بِالْعَبَّاسِ مَعَهُ يَسْتَسْقِي، فَيَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا كُنَّا إِذَا قَحَطْنَا عَلَى عَهْدِ نَبِيِّنَا تَوَسَّلْنَا إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّنَا، وَإِنَّا نَتَوَسَّلُ إِلَيْكَ بِعَمِّ نَبِيِّنَا، ﷺ،. وعَنْ خَوَّاتِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، قَالَ: خَرَجَ عُمَرُ يَسْتَسْقِي بِهِمْ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ، فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْتَغْفِرُكُ وَنَسْتَسْقِيكَ. فَمَا بَرِحَ مِنْ مَكَانِهِ حَتَّى مُطِرُوا، فَقَدِمَ أَعْرَابٌ فَقَالُوا: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بَيْنَا نَحْنُ بِوَادِينَا فِي سَاعَةِ كَذَا إِذْ أَظَلَّتْنَا غَمَامَةٌ فَسَمِعْنَا مِنْهَا صَوْتًا: أَتَاكَ الْغَوْثُ أَبَا حَفْصٍ، أَتَاكَ الْغَوْثُ أَبَا حَفْصٍ. وعَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ قَالَ: خَرَجَ عُمَرُ يَسْتَسْقِي بِالنَّاسِ فَمَا زَادَ عَلَى الِاسْتِغْفَارِ حَتَّى رَجَعَ، فَقَالُوا: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، مَا نَرَاكَ اسْتَسْقَيْتَ. فَقَالَ: لَقَدْ طَلَبْتُ الْمَطَرَ بِمَجَادِيحِ السَّمَاءِ الَّتِي يُسْتَنْزَلُ بِهَا الْمَطَرُ، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ: اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا ثُمَّ قَرَأَ: وَأَنِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ [ هُودٍ: 3 ].
Translation
✧ The drought and the Year of the Ashes (ʿĀm al-Ramādah) In the year eighteen: a number of Muslims had drunk wine. Abū ʿUbaydah wrote to ʿUmar a letter in which he mentioned: "We asked them, and they interpreted [the verse] and said: 'We were given a choice, so we chose.'" He said: "Will you not desist?" So ʿUmar ؓ wrote to him: "The intended [meaning] is 'so desist.' Summon them. If they claim it is lawful, execute them; and if they claim it is forbidden, flog them eighty [lashes]." He asked them and they said: "It is forbidden," so he flogged them eighty [lashes each]. Then they regretted their obstinacy, until Abū Jandal was afflicted with obsessive thoughts within himself. Abū ʿUbaydah wrote to ʿUmar about that, asking him to write to Abū Jandal and remind him. So ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb wrote to him concerning that: "From ʿUmar to Abū Jandal: Indeed, Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him, but He forgives what is less than that to whom He wills [Qur'an 4:48]. So repent, raise your head, come out, and do not despair, for Allah Almighty says: 'Say, O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful' [Qur'an 39:53]." And ʿUmar said: "A calamity will surely befall you, O people of Syria." Then the Year of the Ashes occurred in this year. That was because the people were afflicted with drought, famine, and severe hunger, until wild animals sought refuge with humans. The wind blew dust like ashes, so that year was called the Year of the Ashes. The people suffered drought in the land of the Ḥijāz in this year, and the tribes migrated to Madinah, but none of them had any provisions left. They took refuge with the Commander of the Faithful, and he spent on them from the stores of the public treasury, from the foodstuffs and wealth it contained, until he exhausted it. He imposed upon himself not to eat clarified butter or fattened food until what had befallen the people was relieved. In times of abundance, bread was moistened for him with milk and clarified butter; then during the Year of the Ashes, it was moistened for him with oil and vinegar. He found oil agreeable, yet he did not eat his fill. As a result, the color of ʿUmar ؓ darkened and his body changed until he was nearly feared for due to weakness. This condition persisted among the people for nine months, then the situation turned to fertility and ease, and the people dispersed from Madinah to their own places. Al-Shāfiʿī said: It has reached me that a man of the Arabs said to ʿUmar when the tribes departed from Madinah: "It has cleared away from you, and indeed you are the son of a free woman." That is: you shared with the people, dealt justly with them, and treated them well. It has been related to us that ʿUmar patrolled Madinah one night during the Year of the Ashes and found no one laughing, nor were the people conversing in their homes as was customary, nor did he find any beggar asking. He asked about the reason for that, and it was said to him: "O Commander of the Faithful, the beggars asked but were not given, so they stopped asking. The people are in distress and hardship, so they neither talk nor laugh." ʿUmar wrote to the commanders of the garrison towns seeking their aid. He wrote to Abū Mūsā in Baṣrah: "O succor of the community of Muḥammad!" And he wrote to ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ in Egypt: "O succor of the community of Muḥammad!" Each of them sent him a great caravan carrying wheat and other foodstuffs. The provisions of ʿAmr arrived by sea at Jeddah, and from Jeddah to Makkah. However, the mention of ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ in the Year of the Ashes is problematic, for Egypt had not been conquered in the year eighteen. Either the Year of the Ashes occurred after the year eighteen, or the mention of ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ in the Year of the Ashes is an error, and Allah knows best. Sayf mentioned, on the authority of his teachers, that Abū ʿUbaydah came to Madinah with four thousand camels carrying food. ʿUmar commanded him to distribute it among the tribes around Madinah. When he had finished, ʿUmar ordered four thousand dirhams for him, but he refused to accept them. ʿUmar insisted until he accepted. ʿUmar wrote to the people: "Attend to yourselves, and whoever changes [for the worse], then act against him. Do not reproach anyone, lest affliction spread among you." Abū al-Zahrāʾ al-Qushayrī said concerning that: Have you not seen that time makes a young man stumble, and he has no power over the turns of fate. I was patient and did not despair, though my brothers have died, and I shall never be patient in abstaining from the reddish wine. The Commander of the Faithful cast it to its death, and its close companions weep around the winepresses. ʿUmar's seeking rain for the people and his seeking intercession through al-ʿAbbās Sayf b. ʿAmr said, on the authority of Sahl b. Yūsuf al-Sulamī, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Kaʿb b. Mālik, who said: The Year of the Ashes was at the end of the year seventeen and the beginning of the year eighteen. The people of Madinah and its surroundings were afflicted with famine, and many people perished, until wild animals sought refuge with humans. The people were in that state, and ʿUmar was like one cut off from the people of the garrison towns, until Bilāl b. al-Ḥārith al-Muzanī came and sought permission to enter upon ʿUmar. He said: "I am the messenger of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to you. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ says to you: 'I have known you to be astute, and you have continued to be so. What is the matter with you?'" He said: "When did you see this?" He said: "Last night." So he went out and called among the people: "Prayer in congregation!" He led them in two rakʿahs, then stood and said: "O people, I adjure you by Allah: do you know of any matter in me other than that which is better?" They said: "By Allah, no." He said: "Bilāl b. al-Ḥārith claims such and such." They said: "Bilāl has spoken truthfully. Seek help from Allah, then from the Muslims." So he sent to them—and ʿUmar had been cut off from that—and ʿUmar said: "Allah is greatest! The affliction has reached its term and has been lifted. Permission has not been granted to a people in supplication except when affliction has been raised from them." He wrote to the commanders of the garrison towns: "Aid the people of Madinah and those around it, for their hardship has reached its limit." He brought the people out to seek rain, and he went out with al-ʿAbbās b. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib walking beside him. He delivered a short sermon and prayed, then knelt on his knees and said: "O Allah, You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help. O Allah, forgive us, have mercy on us, and be pleased with us." Then he departed, and they had hardly reached their homes on their return before they were wading through pools of water. Al-ʿAbbās had grown old, and his eyes were overflowing with tears, and his beard moved upon his chest as he said: "O Allah, You are the Shepherd, so do not neglect the stray, and do not leave the broken one in a place of ruin. The little one has cried out, the elder has grown weak, complaints have risen, and You know the secret and what is more hidden. O Allah, enrich them with Your riches before they despair and perish, for none despairs except the disbelieving people." Then a wisp of cloud arose, and the people said: "Do you see? Do you see?" Then it gathered, and a wind moved within it, then it stilled and poured down. By Allah, they had hardly returned before they embraced the walls and shortened their waist-wrappers. The people began to touch al-ʿAbbās's sides and say: "Congratulations to you, O waterer of the two sanctuaries!" Al-Faḍl b. al-ʿAbbās b. ʿUtbah b. Abī Lahab said: Through my uncle did Allah water the Ḥijāz and its people, on the evening when ʿUmar sought rain by his gray hair. He turned with al-ʿAbbās in the drought, seeking favor from Him, and he had scarcely asked before the rain came. Among us is the Messenger of Allah; among us is his legacy, so is there any boast above this for the boaster? On the authority of Anas: ʿUmar ؓ went out to seek rain, and he brought al-ʿAbbās with him to seek rain. He said: "O Allah, we used to seek intercession with You through our Prophet when we suffered drought in the time of our Prophet, and now we seek intercession with You through the uncle of our Prophet ﷺ." On the authority of Khawwāt b. Jubayr, who said: ʿUmar went out with them to seek rain, and he prayed two rakʿahs and said: "O Allah, we seek Your forgiveness and we ask You for rain." He had hardly left his place before they were rained upon. Some Bedouins came and said: "O Commander of the Faithful, while we were in our valley at such and such an hour, a cloud overshadowed us, and we heard a voice from it: 'Help has come to you, Abū Ḥafṣ; help has come to you, Abū Ḥafṣ.'" On the authority of al-Shaʿbī, who said: ʿUmar went out with the people to seek rain, and he did no more than seek forgiveness until he returned. They said: "O Commander of the Faithful, we did not see you ask for rain." He said: "I sought rain by the very means of the sky through which rain is brought down." Then he recited: "Seek forgiveness of your Lord; indeed, He is ever Forgiving. He will send the sky upon you in abundant rain," and then he recited: "And [saying], 'Seek forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in repentance' [Qur'an 11:3]."
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No grade is recorded for this wording.