Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1940
The caliphate of ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb
فَتْحِ خُرَاسَانَ وَفِي سنة اثنتين وعشرين غَزَا الْأَحْنَفُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ خُرَاسَانَ، فِي قَوْلِ بَعْضِهِمْ. وَقِيلَ: سَنَةَ ثَمَانِي عَشْرَةَ. وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْأَحْنَفَ بْنَ قَيْسٍ هُوَ الَّذِي أَشَارَ عَلَى عُمَرَ بِأَنْ يَتَوَسَّعَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ بِالْفُتُوحَاتِ فِي بِلَادِ الْعَجَمِ، وَيُضَيِّقُوا عَلَى كِسْرَى يَزْدَجِرْدَ، فَإِنَّهُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَسْتَحِثُّ الْفُرْسَ وَالْجُنُودَ عَلَى قِتَالِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَأَذِنَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فِي ذَلِكَ عَنْ رَأْيِهِ، وَأَمَّرَ الْأَحْنَفَ، وَأَمَرَهُ بِغَزْوِ بِلَادِ خُرَاسَانَ. فَرَكِبَ الْأَحْنَفُ فِي جَيْشٍ كَثِيفٍ إِلَى خُرَاسَانَ قَاصِدًا حَرْبَ يَزْدَجِرْدَ، فَدَخَلَ خُرَاسَانَ فَافْتَتَحَ هَرَاةَ عَنْوَةً وَاسْتَخْلَفَ عَلَيْهَا صُحَارَ بْنَ فُلَانٍ الْعَبْدِيَّ. ثُمَّ سَارَ إِلَى مَرْوِ الشَّاهِجَانِ وَفِيهَا يَزْدَجِرْدُ، وَبَعَثَ الْأَحْنَفُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مُطَرِّفَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الشِّخِّيرِ إِلَى نَيْسَابُورَ، وَالْحَارِثَ بْنَ حَسَّانَ إِلَى سَرْخَسَ، وَلَمَّا اقْتَرَبَ الْأَحْنَفُ مِنْ مَرْوِ الشَّاهِجَانِ، تَرَحَّلَ مِنْهَا يَزْدَجِرْدُ إِلَى مَرْوِ الرُّوذِ، فَافْتَتَحَ الْأَحْنَفُ مَرْوَ الشَّاهِجَانِ فَنَزَلَهَا، وَكَتَبَ يَزْدَجِرْدُ حِينَ نَزَلَ مَرْوَ الرُّوذِ إِلَى خَاقَانَ مَلِكِ التُّرْكِ يَسْتَمِدُّهُ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى مَلِكِ الصُّغْدِ يَسْتَمِدُّهُ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى مَلِكِ الصِّينِ يَسْتَعِينُهُ. وَقَصَدَهُ الْأَحْنَفُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ إِلَى مَرْوِ الرُّوذِ، وَقَدِ اسْتَخْلَفَ عَلَى مَرْوِ الشَّاهِجَانِ حَارِثَةَ بْنَ النُّعْمَانِ، وَقَدْ وَفَدَتْ إِلَى الْأَحْنَفِ أَمْدَادٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ مَعَ أَرْبَعَةِ أُمَرَاءَ. فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَسِيرَهُ إِلَى يَزْدَجِرْدَ، تَرَحَّلَ إِلَى بَلْخَ وَجَاءَ الْأَحْنَفُ، فَافْتَتَحَ مَرْوَ الرُّوذِ، ثُمَّ سَارَ وَرَاءَ يَزْدَجِرْدَ إِلَى بَلْخَ فَالْتَقَى مَعَهُ بِبَلْخَ يَزْدَجِرْدُ، فَهَزَمَهُ اللَّهُ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَهَرَبَ هُوَ وَمَنْ بَقِيَ مَعَهُ مِنْ جَيْشِهِ، فَعَبَرَ النَّهْرَ. وَاسْتَوْثَقَ مُلْكُ خُرَاسَانَ عَلَى يَدَيِ الْأَحْنَفِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، وَاسْتَخْلَفَ فِي كُلِّ بَلْدَةٍ أَمِيرًا، وَرَجَعَ الْأَحْنَفُ فَنَزَلَ مَرْوَ الرُّوذِ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى عُمَرَ بِمَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ بِلَادِ خُرَاسَانَ بِكَمَالِهَا، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: وَدِدْتُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ خُرَاسَانَ بَحْرٌ مِنْ نَارٍ. فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ: وَلِمَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ؟ فَقَالَ: إِنَّ أَهْلَهَا سَيَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَهُمْ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ، فَيَجْتَاحُونَ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ. فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، لَأَنْ يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ بِأَهْلِهَا، أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ بِالْمُسْلِمِينَ. كتاب عمر إلى الأحنف ينهاه عن العبور إلى ما وراء النهر وَكَتَبَ عُمَرُ إِلَى الْأَحْنَفِ يَنْهَاهُ عَنِ الْعُبُورِ إِلَى مَا وَرَاءَ النَّهْرِ وَقَالَ: احْفَظْ مَا بِيَدِكَ مِنْ بِلَادِ خُرَاسَانَ. وَلَمَّا وَصَلَ رَسُولَا يَزْدَجِرْدَ إِلَى اللَّذَيْنِ اسْتَنْجَدَ بِهِمَا لَمْ يَحْتَفِلَا بِأَمْرِهِ، فَلَمَّا عَبَرَ يَزْدَجِرْدُ النَّهْرَ، وَدَخَلَ فِي بِلَادِهِمَا تَعَيَّنَ عَلَيْهِمَا إِنْجَادُهُ فِي شَرْعِ الْمُلُوكِ، فَسَارَ مَعَهُ خَاقَانُ الْأَعْظَمُ مَلِكُ التُّرْكِ، وَرَجَعَ يَزْدَجِرْدُ بِجُنُودٍ عَظِيمَةٍ فِيهِمْ مَلِكُ التَّتَارِ خَاقَانُ، فَوَصَلَ إِلَى بَلْخَ وَاسْتَرْجَعَهَا، وَفَرَّ عُمَّالُ الْأَحْنَفِ إِلَيْهِ إِلَى مَرْوِ الرُّوذِ، وَخَرَجَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ مِنْ بَلْخَ حَتَّى نَزَلُوا عَلَى الْأَحْنَفِ بِمَرْوِ الرُّوذِ، فَبَرَزَ الْأَحْنَفُ بِمَنْ مَعَهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَأَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ، وَالْجَمِيعُ عِشْرُونَ أَلْفًا، فَسَمِعَ رَجُلًا يَقُولُ لِآخَرَ: إِنْ كَانَ الْأَمِيرُ ذَا رَأْيٍ، فَإِنَّهُ يَقِفُ دُونَ هَذَا الْجَبَلِ، فَيَجْعَلُهُ وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِهِ، وَيُبْقِي هَذَا النَّهْرَ خَنْدَقًا حَوْلَهُ ; فَلَا يَأْتِيهِ الْعَدُوُّ إِلَّا مِنْ جِهَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ الْأَحْنَفُ، أَمَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَوَقَفُوا فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَوْقِفِ بِعَيْنِهِ، وَكَانَ أَمَارَةَ النَّصْرِ وَالرُّشْدِ، وَجَاءَتِ الْأَتْرَاكُ وَالْفُرْسُ فِي جَمْعٍ عَظِيمٍ هَائِلٍ مُزْعِجٍ، فَقَامَ الْأَحْنَفُ فِي النَّاسِ خَطِيبًا فَقَالَ: إِنَّكُمْ قَلِيلٌ وَعَدُّوكُمْ كَثِيرٌ، فَلَا يَهُولَنَّكُمْ، فَ كَمْ مِنْ فِئَةٍ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِيرَةً بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ [ الْبَقَرَةِ: 249 ]. فَكَانَتِ التُّرْكُ يُقَاتِلُونَ بِالنَّهَارِ، وَلَا يَدْرِي الْأَحْنَفُ أَيْنَ يَذْهَبُونَ فِي اللَّيْلِ. فَسَارَ لَيْلَةً مَعَ طَلِيعَةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ نَحْوَ جَيْشِ خَاقَانَ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ قَرِيبَ الصُّبْحِ، خَرَجَ فَارِسٌ مِنَ التُّرْكِ طَلِيعَةً، وَعَلَيْهِ طَوْقٌ، وَضَرَبَ بِطَبْلِهِ، فَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِ الْأَحْنَفُ فَاخْتَلَفَا طَعْنَتَيْنِ فَطَعَنَهُ الْأَحْنَفُ فَقَتَلَهُ وَهُوَ يَرْتَجِزُ: إِنَّ عَلَى كُلِّ رَئِيسٍ حَقًّا أَنْ يَخْضِبَ الصَّعْدَةَ أَوْ يَنْدَقَّا إِنَّ لَنَا شَيْخًا بِهَا مُلَقَّى سَيْفَ أَبِي حَفْصِ الَّذِي تَبَقَّى قَالَ: ثُمَّ اسْتَلَبَ التُّرْكِيَّ طَوْقَهُ وَوَقَفَ مَوْضِعَهُ، فَخَرَجَ آخَرُ عَلَيْهِ طَوْقٌ وَمَعَهُ طَبْلٌ، فَجَعَلَ يَضْرِبُ بِطَبْلِهِ، فَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِ الْأَحْنَفُ فَقَتَلَهُ أَيْضًا، وَاسْتَلَبَهُ طَوْقَهُ وَوَقَفَ مَوْضِعَهُ، فَخَرَجَ ثَالِثٌ فَقَتَلَهُ، وَأَخَذَ طَوْقَهُ ثُمَّ أَسْرَعَ الْأَحْنَفُ الرُّجُوعَ إِلَى جَيْشِهِ وَلَا يَعْلَمُ بِذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ التُّرْكِ بِالْكُلِّيَّةِ. وَكَانَ مِنْ عَادَتِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَخْرُجُونَ مِنْ مَبِيتِهِمْ، حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنْ كَهَوْلِهِمْ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ؛ يَضْرِبُ الْأَوَّلُ بِطَبْلِهِ، ثُمَّ الثَّانِي، ثُمَّ الثَّالِثُ، ثُمَّ يَخْرُجُونَ بَعْدَ الثَّالِثِ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَتِ التُّرْكُ لَيْلَتَئِذٍ بَعْدَ الثَّالِثِ، فَأَتَوْا عَلَى فُرْسَانِهِمْ مُقَتَّلِينَ، تَشَاءَمَ بِذَلِكَ الْمَلِكُ خَاقَانُ وَتَطَيَّرَ، وَقَالَ لِعَسْكَرِهِ: قَدْ طَالَ مَقَامُنَا، وَقَدْ أُصِيبَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمُ بِمَكَانٍ لَمْ نُصَبْ بِمِثْلِهِ، مَا لَنَا فِي قِتَالِ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ مِنْ خَيْرٍ، فَانْصَرِفُوا بِنَا. فَرَجَعُوا إِلَى بِلَادِهِمْ وَانْتَظَرَهُمُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ يَوْمَهُمْ ذَلِكَ؛ لِيَخْرُجُوا إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ شِعْبِهِمْ، فَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَحَدًا مِنْهُمْ، ثُمَّ بَلَغَهُمُ انْصِرَافُهُمْ إِلَى بِلَادِهِمْ رَاجِعِينَ عَنْهُمْ. وَقَدْ كَانَ يَزْدَجِرْدُ - وَخَاقَانُ فِي مُقَابَلَةِ الْأَحْنَفِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ وَمُقَاتِلَتِهِ - ذَهَبَ إِلَى مَرْوِ الشَّاهِجَانِ فَحَاصَرَ حَارِثَةَ بْنَ النُّعْمَانِ بِهَا وَاسْتَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا خِزَانَتَهُ الَّتِي كَانَ دَفَنَهَا بِهَا، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ وَانْتَظَرَهُ خَاقَانُ بِبَلْخَ حَتَّى رَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ. وَقَدْ قَالَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ لِلْأَحْنَفِ: مَا تَرَى فِي اتِّبَاعِهِمْ ؟ فَقَالَ: أَقِيمُوا بِمَكَانِكُمْ وَدَعُوهُمْ. وَقَدْ أَصَابَ الْأَحْنَفُ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَقَدْ جَاءَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ: اتْرُكُوا التُّرْكَ مَا تَرَكُوكُمْ وَقَدْ رَدَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِغَيْظِهِمْ لَمْ يَنَالُوا خَيْرًا وَكَفَى اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْقِتَالَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ قَوِيًّا عَزِيزًا [ الْأَحْزَابِ: 25 ]. وَرَجَعَ كِسْرَى خَاسِرًا الصَّفْقَةَ لَمْ يُشْفَ لَهُ غَلِيلٌ، وَلَا حَصَلَ عَلَى خَيْرٍ، وَلَا انْتَصَرَ كَمَا كَانَ فِي زَعْمِهِ، بَلْ تَخَلَّى عَنْهُ مَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو النَّصْرَ مِنْهُ، وَتَنَحَّى عَنْهُ وَتَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ أَحْوَجَ مَا كَانَ إِلَيْهِ، وَبَقِيَ مُذَبْذَبًا لَا إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ وَلَا إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلًا. وَتَحَيَّرَ فِي أَمْرِهِ مَاذَا يَصْنَعُ ؟ وَإِلَى أَيْنَ يَذْهَبُ ؟ وَقَدْ أَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ بَعْضُ أُولِي النُّهَى مِنْ قَوْمِهِ حِينَ قَالَ: قَدْ عَزَمْتُ أَنْ أَذْهَبَ إِلَى بِلَادِ الصِّينِ أَوْ أَكُونَ مَعَ خَاقَانَ فِي بِلَادِهِ. فَقَالُوا: إِنَّا نَرَى أَنْ نُصَانِعَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ، فَإِنَّ لَهُمْ ذِمَّةً وَدِينًا يَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيْهِ، فَنَكُونَ فِي بَعْضِ هَذِهِ الْبِلَادِ وَهُمْ مُجَاوَرِينَا، فَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لَنَا مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ. فَأَبَى عَلَيْهِمْ كِسْرَى ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ بَعَثَ إِلَى مَلِكِ الصِّينِ يَسْتَغِيثُ بِهِ وَيَسْتَنْجِدُهُ، فَجَعَلَ مَلِكُ الصِّينِ يَسْأَلُ عَنْ صِفَةِ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ قَدْ فَتَحُوا الْبِلَادَ وَقَهَرُوا رِقَابَ الْعِبَادِ فقال لرسول يزدجرد: صِفْ لِي هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ الَّذِينَ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ مِنْ بِلَادِكُمْ، فَإِنِّي أَرَاكَ تَذْكُرُ قِلَّةً مِنْهُمْ وَكَثْرَةً مِنْكُمْ، وَلَا يَبْلُغُ أَمْثَالُ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَلِيلِ مِنْكُمْ مَعَ كَثْرَتِكُمْ، إِلَّا بِخَيْرٍ عِنْدَهُمْ وَشَرٍّ فِيكُمْ. فَقُلْتُ: سَلْنِي عَمَّا أَحْبَبْتَ. فَقَالَ: أَيُوفُونَ بِالْعَهْدِ ؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: وَمَا يَقُولُونَ لَكُمْ قَبْلَ الْقِتَالِ ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ: يَدْعُونَنَا إِلَى وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْ ثَلَاثٍ: إِمَّا دِينِهِمْ، فَإِنْ أَجَبْنَا أَجْرَوْنَا مَجْرَاهُمْ، أَوِ الْجِزْيَةِ وَالْمَنَعَةِ، أَوِ الْمُنَابَذَةِ. قَالَ: فَكَيْفَ طَاعَتُهُمْ أُمَرَاءَهُمْ ؟ قُلْتُ: أَطْوَعُ قَوْمٍ وَأَرْشَدُهُمْ. قَالَ: فَمَا يُحِلُّونَ وَمَا يُحَرِّمُونَ ؟ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ. قَالَ: هَلْ يُحِلُّونَ مَا حُرِّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَوْ يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حُلِّلَ لَهُمْ ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا. قَالَ: فَإِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ لَا يَزَالُونَ عَلَى ظَفَرٍ حَتَّى يُحِلُّوا حَرَامَهُمْ أَوْ يُحَرِّمُوا حَلَالَهُمْ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ لِبَاسِهِمْ ؟ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ، وَعَنْ مَطَايَاهُمْ ؟ فَقُلْتُ: الْخَيْلُ الْعِرَابُ، وَوَصَفْتُهَا لَهُ. فَقَالَ: نِعْمَتِ الْحُصُونُ ! وَوَصَفْتُ لَهُ الْإِبِلَ وَبُرُوكَهَا وَقِيَامَهَا بِحِمْلِهَا. فَقَالَ: هَذِهِ صِفَةُ دَوَابٍّ طِوَالِ الْأَعْنَاقِ. فَكَتَبَ مَعَهُ إِلَى يَزْدَجِرْدَ، إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَمْنَعْنِي أَنْ أَبْعَثَ إِلَيْكَ بِجَيْشٍ أَوَّلُهُ بِمَرْوَ وَآخِرُهُ بِالصِّينِ الْجَهَالَةُ بِمَا يَحِقُّ عَلَيَّ، وَلَكِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ الَّذِينَ وَصَفَ لِي رَسُولُكَ صِفَتَهُمْ ; لَوْ يُحَاوِلُونَ الْجِبَالَ لَهَدُّوهَا، وَلَوْ جِئْتُ لِنَصْرِكَ، أَزَالُونِي مَا دَامُوا عَلَى مَا وَصَفَ لِي رَسُولُكَ، فَسَالِمْهُمْ وَارْضَ مِنْهُمْ بِالْمُسَالَمَةِ. فَأَقَامَ كِسْرَى وَآلُ كِسْرَى فِي بَعْضِ الْبِلَادِ مَقْهُورِينَ، وَلَمْ يَزَلْ ذَلِكَ دَأْبُهُ حَتَّى قُتِلَ بَعْدَ سَنَتَيْنِ مِنْ إِمَارَةِ عُثْمَانَ. بعث الأحنف بكتاب الفتح إلى عمر بن الخطاب وَلَمَّا بَعَثَ الْأَحْنَفُ بِكِتَابِ الْفَتْحِ، وَمَا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِ التُّرْكِ وَمَنْ كَانَ مَعَهُمْ، وَأَنَّهُمْ قَتَلُوا مِنْهُمْ مَعَ ذَلِكَ مَقْتَلَةً عَظِيمَةً، ثُمَّ رَدَّهُمُ اللَّهُ بِغَيْظِهِمْ لَمْ يَنَالُوا خَيْرًا. فَقَامَ عُمَرُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ وَقُرِئَ الْكِتَابُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ عُمَرُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّدًا بِالْهُدَى، وَوَعَدَ عَلَى اتِّبَاعِهِ مَنْ عَاجِلِ الثَّوَابِ وَآجِلِهِ خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، فَقَالَ: هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ [ التَّوْبَةِ: 33 ]. فَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ، وَنَصَرَ جُنْدَهُ، أَلَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مَلِكَ الْمَجُوسِيَّةِ وَفَرَّقَ شَمْلَهُمْ، فَلَيْسُوا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ بِلَادِهِمْ شِبْرًا يَضُرُّ بِمُسْلِمٍ، أَلَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَوْرَثَكُمْ أَرْضَهُمْ وَدِيَارَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ وَأَبْنَاءَهُمْ؛ لِيَنْظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ، فَقُومُوا فِي أَمْرِهِ عَلَى وَجَلٍ، يُوفِ لَكُمْ بِعَهْدِهِ، وَيُؤْتِكُمْ وَعْدَهُ، وَلَا تُغِيرُوا فَيَسْتَبْدِلَ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ، فَإِنِّي لَا أَخَافُ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ أَنْ تُؤْتَى إِلَّا مِنْ قِبَلِكُمْ. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ فَتْحَ خُرَاسَانَ كَانَ زَمَنَ عُثْمَانَ
Translation
✧ The Conquest of Khurāsān In the year twenty-two, al-Aḥnaf b. Qays raided Khurāsān, according to some. It was said: in the year eighteen. That was because al-Aḥnaf b. Qays was the one who advised ʿUmar that the Muslims should expand by conquests into the lands of the Persians and press hard on Kisrā Yazdajird, for he was the one urging the Persians and the troops to fight the Muslims. So ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb gave permission for that based on his counsel, appointed al-Aḥnaf as commander, and ordered him to raid the lands of Khurāsān. Al-Aḥnaf rode with a dense army to Khurāsān, intending war against Yazdajird. He entered Khurāsān and conquered Herāt by force, leaving Ṣuḥār b. so-and-so al-ʿAbdī as his deputy over it. Then he marched to Marw al-Shāhijān, where Yazdajird was. Al-Aḥnaf sent ahead of him Muṭarrif b. ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Shikhkhīr to Nīsābūr, and al-Ḥārith b. Ḥassān to Sarakhs. When al-Aḥnaf drew near Marw al-Shāhijān, Yazdajird departed from it for Marw al-Rūdh. Al-Aḥnaf conquered Marw al-Shāhijān and encamped there. Yazdajird, when he encamped at Marw al-Rūdh, wrote to the Khāqān, king of the Turks, seeking his aid, wrote to the king of Sughd seeking his aid, and wrote to the king of China seeking his help. Al-Aḥnaf b. Qays pursued him to Marw al-Rūdh, having left Ḥārithah b. al-Nuʿmān as his deputy over Marw al-Shāhijān. Reinforcements from the people of Kūfah came to al-Aḥnaf with four commanders. When Yazdajird learned of his march toward him, he departed for Balkh. Al-Aḥnaf came and conquered Marw al-Rūdh, then marched after Yazdajird to Balkh. Yazdajird met him at Balkh, and God, mighty and glorious, defeated him; he fled with the remnant of his army and crossed the river. The rule of Khurāsān was secured under the hand of al-Aḥnaf b. Qays. He left a commander in every town, returned, and encamped at Marw al-Rūdh. He wrote to ʿUmar about what God had opened for him of the lands of Khurāsān in their entirety. ʿUmar said: "I wish there were between us and Khurāsān a sea of fire." ʿAlī said to him: "Why, Commander of the Faithful?" He said: "Its people will break their covenant three times, and on the third they will be wiped out." He said: "Commander of the Faithful, that it befalls its people is dearer to me than that it befalls the Muslims." ʿUmar's letter to al-Aḥnaf forbidding him from crossing beyond the river ʿUmar wrote to al-Aḥnaf forbidding him from crossing beyond the river and said: "Guard what is in your hand of the lands of Khurāsān." When Yazdajird's messengers reached the two whose aid he had sought, they did not concern themselves with his affair. But when Yazdajird crossed the river and entered their lands, aiding him became incumbent upon them in the custom of kings. The Great Khāqān, king of the Turks, marched with him, and Yazdajird returned with great armies, among them the king of the Tatars, the Khāqān. He reached Balkh and retook it. Al-Aḥnaf's governors fled to him at Marw al-Rūdh. The polytheists came out from Balkh and encamped against al-Aḥnaf at Marw al-Rūdh. Al-Aḥnaf went forth with those with him from the people of Baṣrah and the people of Kūfah, twenty thousand in all. He heard a man say to another: "If the commander has judgment, let him halt before this mountain and place it behind his back, and let this river remain as a trench around him; then the enemy can come at him only from one direction." When morning came, al-Aḥnaf ordered the Muslims and they halted in that very position, and it was a sign of victory and right guidance. The Turks and Persians came in a great, terrifying, clamorous mass. Al-Aḥnaf stood among the people as a preacher and said: "You are few and your enemy is many, but let them not frighten you: How many a small band has overcome a large band by God's permission! And God is with the steadfast [al-Baqarah: 249]." The Turks fought by day, and al-Aḥnaf did not know where they went at night. One night he went with a reconnaissance party of his companions toward the army of the Khāqān. When it was near dawn, a horseman of the Turks came out as a scout wearing a torc and beating his drum. Al-Aḥnaf advanced against him; they exchanged two thrusts, and al-Aḥnaf stabbed and killed him, reciting rajaz: "Upon every chief lies a right: To dye the spear-point or have it shatter. We have an elder who has met this there: The sword of Abū Ḥafṣ, that which remains." He said: Then he stripped the Turk of his torc and stood in his place. Another came out wearing a torc and carrying a drum, and began beating his drum. Al-Aḥnaf advanced against him and killed him too, stripped him of his torc, and stood in his place. A third came out, and he killed him and took his torc. Then al-Aḥnaf hastened back to his army, none of the Turks knowing of it at all. It was their custom not to come out from their night camp until three of their elders came out before them: the first beat his drum, then the second, then the third, and then they came out after the third. That night, when the Turks came out after the third, they came upon their horsemen slain. The king, the Khāqān, took this as an evil omen and was filled with foreboding. He said to his army: "Our stay has been long. These people have been struck in a place such as we have never been struck. There is no good for us in fighting these people, so turn back with us." They returned to their lands. The Muslims waited for them that whole day for them to come out from their mountain pass, but they saw no one of them. Then news reached them that they had departed to their lands, turning away from them. While the Khāqān was facing al-Aḥnaf b. Qays and fighting him, Yazdajird had gone to Marw al-Shāhijān and besieged Ḥārithah b. al-Nuʿmān there, and he brought out from it his treasure that he had buried there. Then he returned, and the Khāqān waited for him at Balkh until he came back to him. The Muslims said to al-Aḥnaf: "What do you think about pursuing them?" He said: "Stay where you are and leave them alone." Al-Aḥnaf was right in that, for it is stated in the ḥadīth: "Leave the Turks alone as long as they leave you alone." And God turned back those who disbelieved in their rage; they gained no good, and God spared the believers fighting, and God is strong, mighty [al-Aḥzāb: 25]. Kisrā returned with a losing bargain; his thirst was not quenched, he gained no good, and he did not prevail as he had claimed. Rather, those from whom he had hoped for victory abandoned him, withdrew from him, and disowned him when he was most in need of them. He remained wavering, belonging neither to these nor to those: And whomsoever God leads astray, you will never find a way for him. He was bewildered in his affair: what should he do, and where should he go? Some of the wise among his people advised him when he said: "I have resolved to go to the lands of China or to be with the Khāqān in his lands." They said: "We think you should make peace with these people, for they have a covenant and a religion to which they hold. Let us be in some of these lands with them neighboring us, for they are better for us than others." Kisrā refused them that. Then he sent to the king of China seeking his aid and relief. The king of China asked about the description of these people who had conquered the lands and subdued the necks of the servants. He said to Yazdajird's messenger: "Describe to me these people who drove you out of your lands, for I see you mention fewness of them and greatness of your numbers, and such a small number as these cannot overcome your great numbers except through a good they possess and an evil in you." He said: "Ask me whatever you wish." He said: "Do they fulfill covenants?" I said: "Yes." He said: "What do they say to you before fighting?" I said: "They call us to one of three: either their religion, and if we accept, they treat us as themselves; or the jizyah and protection; or renunciation of ties." He said: "How is their obedience to their commanders?" I said: "The most obedient and most rightly guided of peoples." He said: "What do they make lawful and what do they make unlawful?" I informed him. He said: "Do they make lawful what is forbidden to them, or make unlawful what has been made lawful for them?" I said: "No." He said: "These people will not cease to be victorious until they make lawful their forbidden things or make forbidden their lawful things." Then he said: "Tell me about their clothing." I told him. "And about their mounts?" I said: "Purebred horses," and I described them to him. He said: "What fine fortresses!" I described camels to him and their kneeling and rising with their loads. He said: "This is the description of beasts with long necks." He wrote with him to Yazdajird: "It was not ignorance of what is due from me that prevented me from sending you an army whose vanguard would be at Marw and whose rear at China. But these people whose description your messenger gave me, if they attempted the mountains, they would tear them down. If I came to aid you, they would remove me as long as they remain as your messenger described. So make peace with them and be content with peace from them." Kisrā and the house of Kisrā remained in some of the lands, subdued, and that remained his condition until he was killed two years into the emirate of ʿUthmān. Al-Aḥnaf's dispatch of the letter of conquest to ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb When al-Aḥnaf sent the letter of conquest and what God had granted them of the wealth of the Turks and those with them, and that they had inflicted a great slaughter upon them besides, and that God had turned them back in their rage, gaining no good, ʿUmar stood on the pulpit. The letter was read before him. Then ʿUmar said: "God sent Muḥammad with guidance, and promised those who follow him, of the immediate reward and the delayed one, the good of this world and the next. He said: He it is who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, to make it prevail over all religion, though the polytheists dislike it [al-Tawbah: 33]. Praise be to God who fulfilled His promise and aided His army. Lo, God has destroyed the king of the Magians and scattered their unity. They do not possess a span of their lands that could harm a Muslim. Lo, God has made you inherit their land, their abodes, their wealth, and their children, to see how you will act. So rise in His affair with fear; He will fulfill His covenant to you and grant you His promise. Do not change, lest He replace you with another people. For I do not fear for this community that it will be afflicted except from your direction." It was said: the conquest of Khurāsān was in the time of ʿUthmān.
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