Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2114
The caliphate of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān
وَقَدْ كَانَتْ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ - أَعْنِي سَنَةَ ثَلَاثٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ - وَقْعَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ بَيْنَ الْخَوَارِجِ وَجُنْدِ الْكُوفَةِ وقُتِلَ فيها الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ بْنُ عِلَّفَةَ الْخَارِجِيُّ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُمْ اتَّعَدُوا لِلْخُرُوجِ غُرَّةَ شَعْبَانَ، فَأَرْسَلَ الْمُغِيرَةُ صَاحِبَ شُرْطَتِهِ، وَهُوَ قَبِيصَةُ بْنُ الدَّمُونِ، فَأَحَاطَ بِدَارِ حَيَّانَ هُوَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ، وَإِذَا عِنْدَهُ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جُوَيْنٍ وَنَحْوُ عِشْرِينَ رَجُلًا، وَثَارَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ، وَهِيَ أُمُّ وَلَدٍ كَانَتْ لَهُ كَارِهَةً، فَأَخَذَتْ سُيُوفَهُمْ فَأَلْقَتْهَا تَحْتَ الْفِرَاشِ، وَقَامُوا لِيَأْخُذُوا سُيُوفَهُمْ فَلَمْ يَجِدُوهَا فَاسْتَسْلَمُوا، فَانْطَلَقَ بِهِمْ إِلَى الْمُغِيرَةِ فَحَبَسَهُمْ بَعْدَ أَنْ قَرَّرَهُمْ فَلَمْ يَعْتَرِفُوا بِشَيْءٍ، وَذَكَرُوا أَنَّهُمُ اجْتَمَعُوا لِقِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ، وَلَمْ يَزَالُوا فِي السِّجْنِ نَحْوَ سَنَةٍ، وَسَمِعَ إِخْوَانُهُمْ فَحَذَرُوا، وَخَرَجَ صَاحِبُهُمُ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ فَنَزَلَ الْحِيرَةَ، وَاخْتَلَفَ الْخَوَارِجُ إِلَيْهِ، فَرَآهُمْ حَجَّارُ بْنُ أَبْجَرَ، فَسَأَلُوهُ أَنْ يَكْتُمَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَيْلَتَهُمْ تِلْكَ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: سَأَكْتُمُ عَلَيْكُمُ الدَّهْرَ، فَخَافُوهُ أَنْ يَذْكُرَ حَالَهُمْ لِلْمُغِيرَةِ، فَتَحَوَّلُوا إِلَى دَارِ سُلَيْمِ بْنِ مَحْدُوجٍ الْعَبْدِيِّ، وَكَانَ صِهْرًا لِلْمُسْتَوْرِدِ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ حَجَّارٌ مِنْ أَخْبَارِهِمْ شَيْئًا. وَبَلَغَ الْمُغِيرَةَ خَبَرُهُمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ عَازِمُونَ عَلَى الْخُرُوجِ تِلْكَ الْأَيَّامَ، فَقَامَ فِي النَّاسِ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ ثُمَّ قَالَ: لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنِّي لَمْ أَزَلْ أُحِبُّ لِجَمَاعَتِهِمُ الْعَافِيَةَ وَأَكُفُّ عَنْكُمُ الْأَذَى، وَخَشِيتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ أَدَبُ سُوءٍ لِسُفَهَائِكُمْ، ( وَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ لَا نَجِدَ بُدًّا مِنْ أَنْ يُؤْخَذَ ) الْحَلِيمُ التَّقِيُّ بِذَنْبِ الْجَاهِلِ السَّفِيهِ، فَكُفُّوا عَنْهَا سُفَهَاءَكُمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَشْمَلَ الْبَلَاءُ عَوَامَّكُمْ، وَقَدْ بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ رِجَالًا يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَظْهَرُوا فِي الْمِصْرِ بِالشِّقَاقِ ( وَالنِّفَاقِ ) وَالْخِلَافِ، وَايْمُ اللَّهِ لَا يَخْرُجُونَ فِي حَيٍّ مِنْ أَحْيَاءِ الْعَرَبِ إِلَّا أَهْلَكْتُهُمْ وَجَعَلْتُهُمْ نَكَالًا لِمَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ ! فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ مَعْقِلُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ الرِّيَاحِيُّ فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا الْأَمِيرُ أَعْلِمْنَا بِهَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنَّا كَفَيْنَاكَهُمْ، وَإِنْ كَانُوا غَيْرَنَا أَمَرْتَ أَهْلَ الطَّاعَةِ فَأَتَاكَ كُلُّ قَبِيلَةٍ بِسُفَهَائِهِمْ. فَقَالَ: مَا سُمِّيَ لِي أَحَدٌ بِاسْمِهِ. فَقَالَ مَعْقِلٌ: أَنَا أَكْفِيكَ قَوْمِي فَلْيَكْفِكَ كُلُّ رَئِيسٍ قَوْمَهُ. فَأَحْضَرَ الْمُغِيرَةُ الرُّؤَسَاءَ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: لِيَكْفِنِي كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ قَوْمَهُ وَإِلَّا فَوَاللَّهِ لَأَتَحَوَّلَنَّ عَمَّا تَعْرِفُونَ إِلَى مَا تُنْكِرُونَ، وَعَمَّا تُحِبُّونَ إِلَى مَا تَكْرَهُونَ. فَرَجَعُوا إِلَى قَوْمِهِمْ فَنَاشَدُوهُمُ اللَّهَ وَالْإِسْلَامَ إِلَّا دَلُّوهُمْ عَلَى كُلِّ مَنْ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُهَيِّجَ الْفِتْنَةَ. خطبة صعصعة بن صوحان في عبد القيس وَجَاءَ صَعْصَعَةُ بْنُ صُوحَانَ إِلَى عَبْدِ الْقَيْسِ، وَكَانَ قَدْ عَلِمَ بِمَنْزِلِ حَيَّانَ فِي دَارِ سُلَيْمٍ، وَلَكِنَّهُ كَرِهَ أَنْ يُؤْخَذَ مِنْ عَشِيرَتِهِ عَلَى فِرَاقِهِ لِأَهْلِ الشَّامِ وَبُغْضِهِ لِرَأْيِهِمْ، ( وَكَرِهَ مَسَاءَةَ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ )، فَقَامَ فِيهِمْ فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ لَمَّا قَسَّمَ الْفَضْلَ خَصَّكُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ الْقَسَمِ فَأَجَبْتُمْ إِلَى دِينِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي اخْتَارَهُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَارْتَضَاهُ لِمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ، ثُمَّ أَقَمْتُمْ حَتَّى قَبَضَ اللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ ﷺ ثُمَّ اخْتَلَفَ النَّاسُ بَعْدَهُ فَثَبَتَتْ طَائِفَةٌ وَارْتَدَّتْ طَائِفَةٌ وَأَدْهَنَتْ طَائِفَةٌ، وَتَرَبَّصَتْ طَائِفَةٌ، فَلَزِمْتُمْ دِينَ اللَّهِ إِيمَانًا بِهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِ وَقَاتَلْتُمُ الْمُرْتَدِّينَ حَتَّى قَامَ الدِّينُ وَأَهْلَكَ اللَّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ، وَلَمْ يَزَلِ اللَّهُ يَزِيدُكُمْ بِذَلِكَ خَيْرًا حَتَّى اخْتَلَفَتِ الْأُمَّةُ بَيْنَهَا فَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ: نُرِيدُ طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَعَائِشَةَ، وَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ: نُرِيدُ أَهْلَ الْمَغْرِبِ، وَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ: نُرِيدُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ وَهْبٍ الرَّاسِبِيَّ، وَقُلْتُمْ أَنْتُمْ: لَا نُرِيدُ إِلَّا أَهْلَ بَيْتِ نَبِيِّنَا الَّذِينَ ابْتَدَأَنَا اللَّهُ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - مِنْ قِبَلِهِمْ بِالْكَرَامَةِ تَسْدِيدًا مِنَ اللَّهِ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - لَكُمْ وَتَوْفِيقًا، فَلَمْ تَزَالُوا عَلَى الْحَقِّ لَازِمِينَ لَهُ آخِذِينَ بِهِ حَتَّى أَهْلَكَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ وَبِمَنْ كَانَ عَلَى مِثْلِ هَدْيِكُمُ النَّاكِثِينَ يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ، وَالْمَارِقِينَ يَوْمَ النَّهْرِ، وَسَكَتَ عَنْ ذِكْرِ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ لِأَنَّ السُّلْطَانَ لَهُمْ، فَلَا قَوْمَ أَعْدَى لِلَّهِ وَلَكُمْ وَلِأَهْلِ بَيْتِ نَبِيِّكُمْ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْمَارِقَةِ الْخَاطِئَةِ الَّذِينَ فَارَقُوا إِمَامَنَا وَاسْتَحَلُّوا دِمَاءَنَا وَشَهِدُوا عَلَيْنَا بِالْكُفْرِ، فَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ تُؤْوُوهُمْ فِي دُورِكُمْ أَوْ تَكْتُمُوا عَلَيْهِمْ شَيْئًا، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي لِحَيٍّ مِنْ أَحْيَاءِ الْعَرَبِ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَعْدَى لِهَذِهِ الْمَارِقَةِ مِنْكُمْ، وَقَدْ ذُكِرَ لِي أَنَّ بَعْضَهُمْ فِي جَانِبٍ مِنَ الْحَيِّ، وَأَنَا بَاحِثٌ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَإِنْ يَكُ حَقًّا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَى اللَّهِ بِدِمَائِهِمْ، فَإِنَّ دِمَاءَهُمْ حَلَالٌ ! وَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ عَبْدِ الْقَيْسِ إِنَّ وُلَاتَنَا هَؤُلَاءِ أَعْرَفُ شَيْءٍ بِكُمْ وَبِرَأْيِكُمْ، فَلَا تَجْعَلُوا لَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ سَبِيلًا، فَإِنَّهُمْ أَسْرَعُ شَيْءٍ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَى مِثْلِكُمْ. ثُمَّ جَلَسَ وَكُلُّ قَوْمٍ قَالَ: لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَبَرِئَ مِنْهُمْ، لَا نُؤْوِيهِمْ، وَلَئِنْ عَلِمْنَا بِمَكَانِهِمْ لَنُطْلِعَنَّكَ عَلَيْهِمْ، غَيْرَ سُلَيْمِ بْنِ مَحْدُوجٍ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَقُلْ شَيْئًا وَرَجَعَ كَئِيبًا يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ أَصْحَابُهُ مِنْ دَارِهِ فَيَلُومُوهُ، وَيَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُؤْخَذُوا فِي دَارِهِ فَيَهْلِكُوا وَيَهْلِكَ مَعَهُمْ. وَجَاءَ أَصْحَابُ الْمُسْتَوْرِدِ إِلَيْهِ فَأَعْلَمُوهُ بِمَا قَامَ بِهِ الْمُغِيرَةُ فِي النَّاسِ وَبِمَا قَامَ بِهِ رُءُوسُهُمْ فِيهِمْ. فَسَأَلَ ابْنَ مَحْدُوجٍ عَمَّا قَامَ بِهِ صَعْصَعَةُ فِي عَبْدِ الْقَيْسِ فَأَخْبَرَهُ، وَقَالَ: كَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُعْلِمَكُمْ فَتَظُنُّوا أَنَّهُ ثَقُلَ عَلَيَّ مَكَانُكُمْ. فَقَالَ لَهُ: قَدْ أَكْرَمْتَ الْمَثْوَى وَأَحْسَنْتَ، وَنَحْنُ مُرْتَحِلُونَ عَنْكَ. وَبَلَغَ الْخَبَرُ الَّذِينَ فِي مَحْبَسِ الْمُغِيرَةِ مِنَ الْخَوَارِجِ فَقَالَ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جُوَيْنِ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ فِي ذَلِكَ: أَلَا أَيُّهَا الشَّارُونَ قَدْ حَانَ لِامْرِئٍ شَرَى نَفْسَهُ لِلَّهِ أَنْ يَتَرَحَّلَا أَقَمْتُمْ بِدَارِ الْخَاطِئِينَ جَهَالَةً وَكُلُّ امْرِئٍ مِنْكُمْ يُصَادُ لِيُقْتَلَا فَشُدُّوا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْعُدَاةِ فَإِنَّمَا أَقَامَتْكُمُ لِلذَّبْحِ رَأْيًا مُضَلِّلًا أَلَا فَاقْصِدُوا يَا قَوْمِ لِلْغَايَةِ الَّتِي إِذَا ذُكِرَتْ كَانَتْ أَبَرَّ وَأَعْدَلَا فَيَا لَيْتَنِي فِيكُمْ عَلَى ظَهْرِ سَابِحٍ شَدِيدِ الْقُصَيْرَى دَارِعًا غَيْرَ أَعْزَلَا وَيَا لَيْتَنِي فِيكُمُ الْعَادِي عَدُوَّكُمْ فَيَسْقِينِي كَأْسَ الْمَنِيَّةِ أَوَّلَا يَعِزُّ عَلِيَّ أَنْ تُخَافُوا وَتُطْرَدُوا وَلَمَّا أُجَرِّدْ فِي الْمُحِلِّينَ مُنْصُلَا وَلَمَّا يُفَرِّقْ جَمْعَهُمْ كُلُّ مَاجِدٍ إِذَا قُلْتَ قَدْ وَلَّى وَأَدْبَرَ أَقْبَلَا مُشِيحًا بِنَصْلِ السَّيْفِ فِي حَمَسِ الْوَغَى يَرَى الصَّبْرَ فِي بَعْضِ الْمُوَاطِنِ أَمْثَلَا وَعَزَّ عَلَيَّ أَنْ تُصَابُوا وَتُنْقَصُوا وَأَصْبَحَ ذَا بَثٍّ أَسِيرًا مُكَبَّلَا وَلَوْ أَنَّنِي فِيكُمْ وَقَدْ قَصَدُوا لَكُمْ أَثَرْتُ إِذًا بَيْنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ قَسْطَلَا فَيَا رُبَّ جَمْعٍ قَدْ فَلَلْتُ وَغَارَةٍ شَهِدْتُ وَقِرْنٍ قَدْ تَرَكْتُ مُجَدَّلَا وَأَرْسَلَ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ: اخْرُجُوا مِنْ هَذِهِ الْقَبِيلَةِ، وَاتَّعِدُوا سُورَاءَ. فَخَرَجُوا إِلَيْهَا مُتَقَطِّعِينِ، فَاجْتَمَعُوا بِهَا ثَلَاثَمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ وَسَارُوا إِلَى الصَّرَاةِ إرسال المغيرة بن شعبة معقل بن قيس لقتال الخوارج فَسَمِعَ الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ شُعْبَةَ خَبَرَهُمْ فَدَعَا رُؤَسَاءَ النَّاسِ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ فِيمَنْ يُرْسِلُهُ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالَ لَهُ عَدِيُّ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ: كُلُّنَا لَهُمْ عَدُوٌّ وَلِرَأْيِهِمْ مُبْغِضٌ وَبِطَاعَتِكَ مُسْتَمْسِكٌ، فَأَيَّنَا شِئْتَ سَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ. وَقَالَ لَهُ مَعْقِلُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ: إِنَّكَ لَا تَبْعَثُ إِلَيْهِمْ أَحَدًا مِمَّنْ تَرَى حَوْلَكَ إِلَّا رَأَيْتَهُ سَامِعًا مُطِيعًا وَلَهُمْ مُفَارِقًا وَلِهَلَاكِهِمْ مُحِبًّا، وَلَا أَرَى أَنْ تَبْعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَحَدًا مِنَ النَّاسِ أَعْدَى لَهُمْ مِنِّي، فَابْعَثْنِي إِلَيْهِمْ، فَأَنَا أَكْفِيكَهُمْ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى. فَقَالَ: اخْرُجْ عَلَى اسْمِ اللَّهِ ! فَجَهَّزَ مَعَهُ ثَلَاثَةَ آلَافٍ. وَقَالَ الْمُغِيرَةُ لِصَاحِبِ شُرْطَتِهِ: الْصِقْ بِمَعْقِلٍ شِيعَةَ عَلِيٍّ؛ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنْ رُؤَسَاءِ أَصْحَابِهِ: فَإِذَا اجْتَمَعُوا اسْتَأْنَسَ بَعْضُهُمْ بِبَعْضِ وَهُمْ أَشَدُّ اسْتِحْلَالًا لِدِمَاءِ هَذِهِ الْمَارِقَةِ وَأَجْرَأُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ، فَقَدْ قَاتَلُوهُمْ قَبْلَ هَذِهِ الْمَرَّةِ. وَقَالَ لَهُ صَعْصَعَةُ بْنُ صُوحَانَ نَحْوًا مِنْ قَوْلِ مَعْقِلٍ. فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمُغِيرَةُ: اجْلِسْ فَإِنَّمَا أَنْتَ خَطِيبٌ. فَأَحْفَظَهُ ذَلِكَ. وَإِنَّمَا قَالَ لَهُ ذَلِكَ لِأَنَّهُ بَلَغَهُ أَنَّهُ يَعِيبُ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ عَفَّانَ وَيُكْثِرُ ذِكْرَ عَلِيٍّ وَيُفَضِّلُهُ، وَكَانَ الْمُغِيرَةُ دَعَاهُ وَقَالَ لَهُ: إِيَّاكَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَنِي عَنْكَ أَنَّكَ تَعِيبُ عُثْمَانَ، وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَنِي أَنَّكَ تُظْهِرُ شَيْئًا مِنْ فَضْلِ عَلِيٍّ، فَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِذَلِكَ مِنْكَ، وَلَكِنَّ هَذَا السُّلْطَانَ قَدْ ظَهَرَ وَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا بِإِظْهَارِ عَيْبِهِ لِلنَّاسِ فَنَحْنُ نَدَعُ شَيْئًا كَثِيرًا مِمَّا أُمِرْنَا بِهِ، وَنَذْكُرُ الشَّيْءَ الَّذِي لَا نَجِدُ مِنْهُ بُدًّا نَدْفَعُ بِهِ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ عَنْ أَنْفُسِنَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتَ ذَاكِرًا فَضْلَهُ فَاذْكُرْهُ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ أَصْحَابِكَ فِي مَنَازِلِكُمْ سِرًّا، وَأَمَّا عَلَانِيَةً فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَإِنَّ هَذَا لَا يَحْتَمِلُهُ الْخَلِيفَةُ لَنَا. فَكَانَ يَقُولُ لَهُ: نَعَمْ، ثُمَّ يَبْلُغُهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ، فَحَقَدَ عَلَيْهِ الْمُغِيرَةُ فَأَجَابَهُ بِهَذَا الْجَوَابِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ صَعْصَعَةُ: وَمَا أَنَا إِلَّا خَطِيبٌ فَقَطْ ! قَالَ: أَجَلْ. فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَلْخَطِيبُ الصَّلِيبُ الرَّئِيسُ، أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَوْ شَهِدْتَنِي يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ حَيْثُ اخْتَلَفَتِ الْقَنَا فَشُئُونٌ تُفْرَى وَهَامَةٌ تُخْتَلَى لَعَلِمْتَ أَنِّي اللَّيْثُ النَّهِدُ. فَقَالَ: حَسْبُكَ، لَعَمْرِي لَقَدْ أُوتِيَتْ لِسَانًا فَصِيحًا. وَخَرَجَ مَعْقِلٌ وَمَعَهُ ثَلَاثَةُ آلَافِ فَارِسٍ نَقَاوَةُ الشِّيعَةِ وَسَارَ إِلَى سُورَاءَ وَلَحِقَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ. وَأَمَّا الْخَوَارِجُ فَإِنَّهُمْ سَارُوا إِلَى بَهُرَسِيرَ وَأَرَادُوا الْعُبُورَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ الْعَتِيقَةِ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَنَازِلُ كِسْرَى، فَمَنَعَهُمْ سِمَاكُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْأَزْدِيُّ الْعَبْسِيُّ، وَكَانَ عَامِلًا عَلَيْهَا، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ يَدْعُوهُ إِلَى الْبَرَاءَةِ مِنْ عُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيٍّ وَأَنْ يَتَوَلَّاهُ وَأَصْحَابَهُ. فَقَالَ سِمَاكٌ: بِئْسَ الشَّيْخُ أَنَا إِذًا ! وَأَعَادَ الْجَوَابَ عَلَى الْمُسْتَوْرِدِ يَدْعُوهُ إِلَى الْجَمَاعَةِ وَأَنْ يَأَخُذَ لَهُ الْأَمَانَ، فَلَمْ يُجِبْ وَأَقَامَ بِالْمَدَائِنِ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، ثُمَّ بَلَغَهُ مَسِيرُ مَعْقِلٍ إِلَيْهِمْ فَجَمَعَهُمُ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: إِنَّ الْمُغِيرَةَ قَدْ بَعَثَ إِلَيْكُمْ مَعْقِلَ بْنَ قَيْسٍ وَهُوَ مِنَ السَّبَئِيَّةِ الْمُفْتَرِينَ الْكَاذِبِينَ، فَأَشِيرُوا عَلَيَّ بِرَأْيِكُمْ. فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: خَرَجْنَا نُرِيدُ اللَّهَ وَالْجِهَادَ وَقَدْ جَاءُونَا فَأَيْنَ نَذْهَبُ بَلْ نُقِيمُ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَنَا. وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: بَلْ نَتَنَحَّى نَدْعُو النَّاسَ، وَنَحْتَجُّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِالدُّعَاءِ. فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: لَا أَرَى أَنْ نُقِيمَ حَتَّى يَأْتُونَا وَهُمْ مُسْتَرِيحُونَ، بَلْ أَرَى أَنْ نَسِيرَ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ فَيَخْرُجُوا فِي طَلَبِنَا فَيَنْقَطِعُوا وَيَتَبَدَّدُوا عَلَى تِلْكَ الْحَالِ. فَسَارُوا فَعَبَرُوا بِجَرْجَرَايَا، وَمَضَوْا إِلَى أَرْضِ جُوخَى ثُمَّ بَلَغُوا الْمَذَارَ فَأَقَامُوا بِهَا. وَبَلَغَ ابْنَ عَامِرٍ بِالْبَصْرَةِ خَبَرُهُمْ، فَسَأَلَ كَيْفَ صَنَعَ الْمُغِيرَةُ فَأُخْبِرَ بِفِعْلِهِ، فَاسْتَدْعَى شَرِيكَ بْنَ الْأَعْوَرِ الْحَارِثِيَّ، وَكَانَ مِنْ شِيعَةِ عَلِيٍّ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: اخْرُجْ إِلَى هَذِهِ الْمَارِقَةِ. فَفَعَلَ. وَانْتَخَبَ مَعَهُ ثَلَاثَةَ آلَافِ فَارِسٍ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ، وَكَانَ أَكْثُرُهُمْ مِنْ رَبِيعَةَ، وَسَارَ بِهِمْ إِلَى الْمَذَارِ. وَأَمَّا مَعْقِلُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ فَسَارَ إِلَى الْمَدَائِنِ حَتَّى بَلَغَهَا، فَبَلَغَهُ رَحِيلُهُمْ فَشَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى النَّاسِ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ مَعْقِلٌ: إِنَّهُمْ سَارُوا لِتَتَّبِعُوهُمْ وَتَتَبَدَّدُوا وَتَنْقَطِعُوا فَتَلْحَقُوهُمْ وَقَدْ تَعِبْتُمْ، وَإِنَّهُ لَا يُصِيبُكُمْ شَيْءٌ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَقَدْ أَصَابَهُمْ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ. وَسَارَ فِي أَثَارِهِمْ وَقَدَّمَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ أَبَا الرَّوَاغِ الشَّاكِرِيَّ فِي ثَلَاثِمِائَةِ فَارِسٍ، فَتَبِعَهُمْ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ حَتَّى لَحِقَهُمْ بِالْمَذَارِ، فَاسْتَشَارَ أَصْحَابَهُ فِي قِتَالِهِمْ قَبْلَ قُدُومِ مَعْقِلٍ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: لَا تَفْعَلْ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: بَلْ نُقَاتِلُهُمْ. فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: إِنَّ مَعْقِلًا أَمَرَنِي أَنْ لَا أُقَاتِلَهُمْ. فَقَالُوا لَهُ: يَنْبَغِي أَنْ تَكُونَ قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ مَعْقِلٌ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ الْمَسَاءِ. فَبَاتُوا يَتَحَارَسُونَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحُوا، فَلَمَّا ارْتَفَعَ النَّهَارُ خَرَجَتِ الْخَوَارِجُ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَكَانُوا أَيْضًا ثَلَاثَمِائَةٍ، وَحَمَلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، فَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُ أَبِي الرَّوَاغِ سَاعَةً ثُمَّ صَاحَ بِهِمْ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ: الْكَرَّةَ الْكَرَّةَ ! وَحَمَلَ وَمَعَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ، فَلَمَّا دَنَوْا مِنَ الْخَوَارِجِ عَادُوا مُنْهَزِمِينَ، إِلَّا أَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُقْتَلْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ، فَصَاحَ بِهِمْ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ أَيْضًا: ثَكِلَتْكُمْ أُمَّهَاتُكُمُ ! ارْجِعُوا بِنَا نَكُنْ قَرِيبًا مِنْهُمْ لَا نُفَارِقُهُمْ حَتَّى يَقْدَمَ عَلَيْنَا أَمِيرُنَا، وَمَا أَقْبَحَ بِنَا أَنْ نَرْجِعَ إِلَى الْجَيْشِ مُنْهَزِمِينَ مِنْ عَدُوِّنَا ! فَقَالَ لَهُ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ، قَدْ وَاللَّهِ هَزَمُونَا. فَقَالَ لَهُ: لَا أَكْثَرَ اللَّهُ فِينَا مِثْلَكَ، إِنَّا مَا لَمْ نُفَارِقِ الْمَعْرَكَةَ فَلَمْ نُهْزَمْ، وَمَتَى عَطَفْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ وَكُنَّا قَرِيبًا مِنْهُمْ فَنَحْنُ عَلَى حَالٍ حَسَنَةٍ، فَقِفُوا قَرِيبًا مِنْهُمْ فَإِنْ أَتَوْكُمْ وَعَجَزْتُمْ عَنْهُمْ فَتَأَخَّرُوا قَلِيلًا، فَإِذَا حَمَلُوا عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَجَزْتُمْ عَنْ قِتَالِهِمْ فَانْحَازُوا عَلَى حَامِيَةٍ، فَإِذَا رَجَعُوا عَنْكُمْ فَاعْطِفُوا عَلَيْهِمْ وَكُونُوا قَرِيبًا مِنْهُمْ، فَإِنَّ الْجَيْشَ يَأْتِيكُمْ عَنْ سَاعَةٍ. فَجَعَلَتِ الْخَوَارِجُ كُلَّمَا حَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ انْحَازُوا عَنْهُمْ، فَإِذَا عَادَ الْخَوَارِجُ رَجَعَ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ فِي آثَارِهِمْ، فَلَمْ يَزَالُوا كَذَلِكَ إِلَى وَقْتِ الظُّهْرِ، فَنَزَلَ الطَّائِفَتَانِ يُصَلُّونَ ثُمَّ أَقَامُوا إِلَى الْعَصْرِ، وَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى وَالسَّيَّارَةُ قَدْ أَخْبَرُوا مَعْقِلًا بِالْتِقَاءِ الْخَوَارِجِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ، وَأَنَّ الْخَوَارِجَ تَطْرُدُ أَصْحَابَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ، فَإِذَا رَجَعُوا عَادَ أَصْحَابُهُ خَلْفَهُمْ. فَقَالَ مَعْقِلٌ: إِنْ كَانَ ظَنِّي فِي أَبِي الرَّوَاغِ صَادِقًا لَا يَأْتِيكُمْ مُنْهَزِمًا أَبَدًا. ثُمَّ أَسْرَعَ السَّيْرَ فِي سَبْعِمِائَةٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُوَّةِ وَاسْتَخْلَفَ مُحْرِزَ بْنَ شِهَابٍ التَّمِيمِيَّ عَلَى ضَعَفَةِ النَّاسِ، فَلَمَّا أَشْرَفُوا عَلَى أَبِي الرَّوَاغِ قَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: هَذِهِ غَبَرَةٌ فَتَقَدَّمُوا بِنَا إِلَى عَدُوِّنَا حَتَّى لَا يَرَانَا أَصْحَابُنَا، أَنَّا تَنَحَّيْنَا عَنْهُمْ وَهِبْنَاهُمْ. فَتَقَدَّمَ حَتَّى وَقَفَ مُقَابِلَ الْخَوَارِجِ وَلَحِقَهُمْ مَعْقِلٌ، فَلَمَّا دَنَا مِنْهُمْ غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَصَلَّى بِأَصْحَابِهِ وَصَلَّى أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ بِأَصْحَابِهِ وَصَلَّى الْخَوَارِجُ أَيْضًا، وَقَالَ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ لِمَعْقِلٍ: إِنَّ لَهُمْ شَدَّاتٍ مُنْكَرَاتٍ فَلَا تَلِهَا بِنَفْسِكَ وَلَكِنْ قِفْ وَرَاءَ النَّاسِ تَكُونُ رِدْءًا لَهُمْ. فَقَالَ: نِعْمَ مَا رَأَيْتَ. فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يُخَاطِبُهُ حَمَلَتِ الْخَوَارِجُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَانْهَزَمَ عَامَّةُ أَصْحَابِ مَعْقِلٍ وَثَبَتَ هُوَ، فَنَزَلَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَمَعَهُ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ فِي نَحْوِ مِائَتَيْ رَجُلٍ، فَلَمَّا غَشِيَهُمُ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ اسْتَقْبَلُوهُ بِالرِّمَاحِ وَالسُّيُوفِ، فَانْهَزَمَتْ خَيْلُ مَعْقِلٍ سَاعَةً، ثُمَّ نَادَاهُمْ مِسْكِينُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ، وَكَانَ شُجَاعًا: أَيْنَ الْفِرَارُ وَقَدْ نَزَلَ أَمِيرُكُمْ، أَلَا تَسْتَحْيُونَ ؟ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ وَرَجَعَتْ مَعَهُ خَيْلٌ عَظِيمَةٌ وَمَعْقِلُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ يُقَاتِلُ الْخَوَارِجَ بِمَنْ مَعَهُ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُقَاتِلُهُمْ حَتَّى رَدَّهُمْ إِلَى الْبُيُوتِ، ثُمَّ لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا حَتَّى جَاءَهُمْ مُحْرِزُ بْنُ شِهَابٍ فِيمَنْ مَعَهُ، فَجَعَلَهُمْ مَعْقِلٌ مَيْمَنَةً وَمَيْسَرَةً وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: لَا تَبْرَحُوا حَتَّى تُصْبِحُوا وَنَثُورَ إِلَيْهِمْ. وَوَقَفَ النَّاسُ بَعْضُهُمْ مُقَابِلَ بَعْضٍ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ مُتَوَافِقُونَ أَتَى الْخَوَارِجَ عَيْنٌ لَهُمْ فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ أَنَّ شَرِيكَ بْنَ الْأَعْوَرِ قَدْ أَقْبَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ فِي ثَلَاثَةِ آلَافٍ. فَقَالَ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: لَا أَرَى أَنْ نُقِيمَ لِهَؤُلَاءِ جَمِيعًا، وَلَكِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ نَرْجِعَ إِلَى الْوَجْهِ الَّذِي جِئْنَا مِنْهُ، فَإِنَّ أَهْلَ الْبَصْرَةِ لَا يَتْبَعُونَنَا إِلَى أَرْضِ الْكُوفَةِ فَيَهُونُ عَلَيْنَا ( قِتَالُ ) أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ. ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُمْ بِالنُّزُولِ لِيُرِيحُوا دَوَابَّهُمْ سَاعَةً، فَفَعَلُوا، ثُمَّ دَخَلُوا الْقَرْيَةَ وَأَخَذُوا مِنْهَا مَنْ دَلَّهُمْ عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ الَّذِي أَقْبَلُوا مِنْهُ وَعَادُوا رَاجِعِينَ. وَأَمَّا مَعْقِلٌ فَإِنَّهُ بَعَثَ مَنْ يَأْتِيهِ بِخَبَرِهِمْ حِينَ لَمْ يَرَ سَوَادَهُمْ، فَعَادَ إِلَيْهِ الْخَبَرُ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ سَارُوا، فَخَافَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مَكِيدَةً وَخَافَ الْبَيَاتَ فَاحْتَاطَ هُوَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ وَتَحَارَسُوا إِلَى الصَّبَاحِ، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحُوا أَتَاهُمْ مَنْ أَخْبَرَهُمْ بِمَسِيرِهِمْ، وَجَاءَ شَرِيكُ بْنُ الْأَعْوَرِ فِيمَنْ مَعَهُ فَلَقِيَ مَعْقِلًا فَتَسَاءَلَا سَاعَةً وَأَخْبَرَهُ مَعْقِلٌ بِخَبَرِهِمْ، فَدَعَا شَرِيكٌ أَصْحَابَهُ إِلَى الْمَسِيرِ مَعَ مَعْقِلٍ، فَلَمْ يُجِيبُوهُ، فَاعْتَذَرَ إِلَى مَعْقِلٍ بِخِلَافِ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَكَانَ صَدِيقًا لَهُ يَجْمَعُهُمَا رَأْيُ الشِّيعَةِ، وَدَعَا مَعْقِلٌ أَبَا الرَّوَاغِ وَأَمَرَهُ بِاتِّبَاعِهِمْ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: زِدْنِي مِثْلَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مَعِي لِيَكُونَ أَقْوَى لِي إِنْ أَرَادُوا مُنَاجِزَتِي. فَبَعَثَ مَعَهُ سِتَّمِائَةِ فَارِسٍ، فَسَارُوا سِرَاعًا حَتَّى أَدْرَكُوا الْخَوَارِجَ بِجَرْجَرَايَا وَقَدْ نَزَلُوا فَنَزَلَ بِهِمْ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ مَعَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُمْ قَالُوا: إِنَّ قِتَالَ هَؤُلَاءِ أَيْسَرُ مِنْ قِتَالِ مَنْ يَأْتِي بَعْدَهُمْ، فَحَمَلُوا عَلَى أَبِي الرَّوَاغِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ حَمْلَةً صَادِقَةً، فَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُهُ وَثَبَتَ فِي مِائَةِ فَارِسٍ، فَقَاتَلَهُمْ طَوِيلًا وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ الْفَتَى كُلَّ الْفَتَى مَنْ لَمْ يُهَلْ إِذَا الْجَبَانُ حَادَ عَنْ وَقْعِ الْأَسَلْ قَدْ عَلِمَتْ أَنِّي إِذَا الْبَأْسُ نَزَلْ أَرْوَعُ يَوْمَ الْهَيْجِ مِقْدَامٌ بَطَلْ ثُمَّ عَطَفَ أَصْحَابُهُ مِنْ كُلِّ جَانِبٍ، فَصَدَقُوهُمُ الْقِتَالَ حَتَّى أَعَادُوهُمْ إِلَى مَكَانِهِمْ، عبور المستورد وأصحابه دجلة فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ ذَلِكَ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُمْ إِنْ أَتَاهُمْ مَعْقِلٌ وَمِنْ مَعَهُ هَلَكُوا، فَمَضَى هُوَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ فَعَبَرُوا دِجْلَةَ وَوَقَفُوا فِي أَرْضِ بَهُرَسِيرَ وَتَبِعَهُمْ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ حَتَّى نَزَلَ بِهِمْ بِسَابَاطَ، فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ بِهِمْ قَالَ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ هُمْ حُمَاةُ أَصْحَابِ مَعْقِلٍ وَفُرْسَانُهُ، وَلَوْ عَلِمْتُ أَنِّي أَسْبِقُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ بِسَاعَةٍ لَسِرْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَوَاقَعْتُهُ. ثُمَّ أَمَرَ مَنْ يَسْأَلُ عَنْ مَعْقِلٍ، فَسَأَلُوا بَعْضَ مَنْ عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ فَأَخْبَرُوهُمْ أَنَّهُ نَزَلَ دَيْلَمَايَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ ثَلَاثَةُ فَرَاسِخَ، فَلَمَّا أُخْبِرَ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ ذَلِكَ رَكِبَ وَرَكِبَ أَصْحَابُهُ وَأَقْبَلَ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى جِسْرِ سَابَاطَ، وَهُوَ جِسْرُ نَهْرِ مَلِكٍ، وَهُوَ مِنْ جَانِبِهِ الَّذِي يَلِي الْكُوفَةَ، وَأَبُو الرَّوَاغِ مِنْ جَانِبِ الْمَدَائِنِ، فَقَطَعَ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ الْجِسْرَ، وَلَمَّا رَآهُمْ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ قَدْ رَكِبُوا عَبَّى أَصْحَابَهُ وَاعْتَزَلَ إِلَى صَحْرَاءَ بَيْنَ الْمَدَائِنِ وَسَابَاطَ لِيُكُونَ الْقِتَالُ بِهَا وَوَقَفَ يَنْتَظِرُهُمْ، فَلَمَّا قَطَعَ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ الْجِسْرَ سَارَ إِلَى دَيْلَمَايَا نَحْوَ مَعْقِلٍ لِيُوقِعَ بِهِ، فَانْتَهَى إِلَيْهِ وَأَصْحَابُهُ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ عَنْهُ وَهُوَ يُرِيدُ الرَّحِيلَ وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُمْ مَعْقِلٌ نَصَبَ رَايَتَهُ وَنَادَى: يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْأَرْضَ الْأَرْضَ ! فَنَزَلَ مَعَهُ نَحْوُ مِائَتَيْ رَجُلٍ، فَحَمَلَتِ الْخَوَارِجُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَاسْتَقْبَلُوهُمْ بِالرِّمَاحِ جُثَاةً عَلَى الرُّكَبِ فَلَمْ يَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَتَرَكُوهُمْ وَعَدَلُوا إِلَى خُيُولِهِمْ فَحَالُوا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَهَا وَقَطَعُوا أَعِنَّتَهَا، فَذَهَبَتْ فِي كُلِّ جَانِبٍ، ثُمَّ مَالَ عَلَى الْمُتَفَرِّقِينَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مَعْقِلٍ فَفَرَّقُوا بَيْنَهُمْ، ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا إِلَى مَعْقِلٍ وَأَصْحَابِهِ وَهُمْ عَلَى الرُّكَبِ فَحَمَلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، فَلَمَّ يَتَجَلْجَلُوا، فَحَمَلُوا أُخْرَى فَلَمْ يَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالَ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: لِيَنْزِلْ نِصْفُكُمْ وَيَبْقَى نِصْفُكُمْ عَلَى الْخَيْلِ. فَفَعَلُوا وَاشْتَدَّ الْحَالُ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ مَعْقِلٍ وَأَشْرَفُوا عَلَى الْهَلَاكِ. فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ أَقْبَلُ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ عَلَيْهِمْ فِيمَنْ مَعَهُ. وَكَانَ سَبَبُ عَوْدِهِ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنَّهُ أَقَامَ بِمَكَانِهِ يَنْتَظِرُهُمْ، فَلَمَّا أَبْطَأُوا عَلَيْهِ أَرْسَلَ مِنْ يَأْتِيهِ بِخَبَرِهِمْ، فَرَأَوُا الْجِسْرَ مَقْطُوعًا فَفَرِحُوا ظَنًّا مِنْهُمْ أَنَّ الْخَوَارِجَ فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ لَهُمْ، فَرَجَعُوا إِلَى أَبِي الرَّوَاغِ فَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَرَوْهُمْ وَأَنَّ الْجِسْرَ قَدْ قَطَعُوهُ هَيْبَةً لَهُمْ. فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ: لَعَمْرِي مَا فَعَلُوا هَذَا إِلَّا مَكِيدَةً، وَمَا أُرَاهُمْ إِلَّا وَقَدْ سَبَقُوكُمْ إِلَى مَعْقِلٍ حَيْثُ رَأَوْا فُرْسَانَ أَصْحَابِهِ مَعِي، وَقَدْ قَطَعُوا الْجِسْرَ لِيَشْغَلُوكُمْ بِهِ عَنْ لَحَاقِهِمْ، فَالنَّجَاءَ النَّجَاءَ فِي الطَّلَبِ. ثُمَّ أَمَرَ أَهْلَ الْقَرْيَةِ فَعَقَدُوا الْجِسْرَ وَعَبَرَ عَلَيْهِ وَاتَّبَعَ الْخَوَارِجَ، فَلَقِيَهُ أَوَائِلُ النَّاسِ مُنْهَزِمِينَ، فَصَاحَ بِهِمْ: إِلَيَّ إِلَيَّ ! فَرَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِ وَأَخْبَرُوهُ الْخَبَرَ وَأَنَّهُمْ تَرَكُوا مَعْقِلًا يُقَاتِلُهُمْ وَمَا يَظُنُّونَهُ إِلَّا قَتِيلًا. فَجَدَّ فِي السَّيْرِ وَرَدَّ مَعَهُ كُلَّ مَنْ لَقِيَهُ مِنَ الْمُنْهَزِمِينَ، فَانْتَهَى إِلَى الْعَسْكَرِ فَرَأَى رَايَةَ مَعْقِلٍ مَنْصُوبَةً وَالنَّاسُ يَقْتَتِلُونَ، فَحَمَلَ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ عَلَى الْخَوَارِجِ فَأَزَالُوهُمْ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ، وَوَصَلَ أَبُو الرَّوَاغِ إِلَى مَعْقِلٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ مُتَقَدِّمٌ يُحَرِّضُ أَصْحَابَهُ، فَشَدُّوا عَلَى الْخَوَارِجِ شَدَّةً مُنْكَرَةً، وَنَزَلَ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْخَوَارِجِ وَنَزَلَ أَصْحَابُ مَعْقِلٍ أَيْضًا ثُمَّ اقْتَتَلُوا طَوِيلًا مِنَ النَّهَارِ بِالسُّيُوفِ أَشَدَّ قِتَالٍ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْمُسْتَوْرِدَ نَادَى مَعْقِلًا لِيَبْرُزَ إِلَيْهِ، فَبَرَزَ إِلَيْهِ، فَمَنَعَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ، فَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ، وَكَانَ مَعَهُ سَيْفُهُ وَمَعَ الْمُسْتَوْرِدِ رُمْحُهُ، فَقَالَ أَصْحَابُ مَعْقِلٍ: خُذْ رُمْحَكَ فَأَبَى وَأَقْبَلَ عَلَى الْمُسْتَوْرِدِ، فَطَعَنَهُ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ بِرُمْحِهِ فَخَرَجَ السِّنَّانِ مِنْ ظَهْرِهِ، وَتَقَدَّمَ مَعْقِلٌ وَالرُّمْحُ فِيهِ إِلَى الْمُسْتَوْرِدِ فَضَرَبَهُ بِالسَّيْفِ فَخَالَطَ دِمَاغَهُ فَوَقَعَ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ مَيِّتًا وَمَاتَ مَعْقِلٌ أَيْضًا. وَكَانَ مَعْقِلٌ قَدْ قَالَ: إِنْ قُتِلْتُ فَأَمِيرُكُمْ عَمْرُو بْنُ شِهَابٍ التَّمِيمِيُّ. فَلَمَّا قُتِلَ أَخَذَ الرَّايَةَ عَمْرٌو ثُمَّ حَمَلَ فِي النَّاسِ عَلَى الْخَوَارِجِ فَقَتَلُوهُمْ وَلَمْ يَنْجُ مِنْهُمْ غَيْرُ خَمْسَةٍ أَوْ سِتَّةٍ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ الْكَلْبِيِّ: كَانَ الْمُسْتَوْرِدُ مِنْ تَمِيمٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ بَنِي رِيَاحٍ، وَاحْتَجَّ بِقَوْلِ جَرِيرٍ: وَمِنَّا فَتَى الْفِتْيَانِ وَالْجُودِ مَعْقِلُ وَمِنَّا الَّذِي لَاقَى بِدِجْلَةَ مَعْقِلَا يَعْنِي هَذِهِ الْوَقْعَةَ.
Translation
✧ In this year—I mean the year forty-three—there was a great encounter between the Kharijites and the army of Kufah, in which al-Mustawrid b. ʿIllafah the Kharijite was killed. That is because they had appointed the first of Shaʿbān for their rising. Al-Mughīrah sent the commander of his shurṭah, Qabīṣah b. al-Damūn, who surrounded the house of Ḥayyān together with those who were with him. With him were Muʿādh b. Juwayn and about twenty men. His wife—an umm walad of his who detested them—rose up, took their swords, and threw them under the bedding. They stood up to take their swords but did not find them, so they surrendered. He took them to al-Mughīrah, who imprisoned them after interrogating them, but they confessed nothing and said that they had gathered to recite the Qurʾān. They remained in prison for about a year. Their brethren heard of it and became wary. Their leader al-Mustawrid went out and encamped at al-Ḥīrah, and the Kharijites came and went to him. Ḥajjār b. Abjar saw them, and they asked him to conceal their affair that night. He said to them, “I shall conceal it from you for all time.” They feared that he would mention their situation to al-Mughīrah, so they moved to the house of Sulaym b. Maḥdūj al-ʿAbdī, who was al-Mustawrid’s brother-in-law. Ḥajjār mentioned nothing of their affair. News of them reached al-Mughīrah and that they were resolved to rise in those days. He stood before the people, praised God, and then said: “You know that I have always loved well-being for their community and have held back harm from you, but I feared that this would be a bad discipline for your fools. I feared that we would find no alternative but for the forbearing, God-fearing man to be seized for the sin of the ignorant fool. So restrain your fools from them before the affliction encompasses your common people. It has reached us that men intend to appear in the garrison with discord, hypocrisy, and opposition. By God, they will not rise in any quarter of the Arab tribes but that I shall destroy them and make them an exemplary punishment for those after them!” Maʿqil b. Qays al-Riyāḥī stood up to him and said: “O Commander, inform us of these people. If they are from among us, we will suffice you against them; if they are others, command the people of obedience and every tribe will bring you its fools.” He said, “No one has been named to me.” Maʿqil said, “I will suffice you for my people, and let every chief suffice you for his people.” Al-Mughīrah summoned the chiefs and said to them: “Let each man of you suffice me for his people. Otherwise, by God, I shall turn from what you know to what you deny, and from what you love to what you hate.” They returned to their people and adjured them by God and Islam to point out to them everyone who wished to stir up strife. Ṣaʿṣaʿah b. Ṣūḥān’s address to ʿAbd al-Qays Ṣaʿṣaʿah b. Ṣūḥān came to ʿAbd al-Qays. He knew of Ḥayyān’s lodging in the house of Sulaym, but he disliked that anyone from his clan should be seized because of his separation from the people of Syria and his hatred of their views, and he disliked bringing harm to a household of his people. He stood among them and said: “O people, God—to Him be praise—when He apportioned excellence, singled you out with the fairest portion. You responded to the religion of God which He chose for Himself and approved for His angels and messengers. Then you remained steadfast until God took His Messenger ﷺ. Then the people differed after him: one party stood firm, one party apostatized, one party temporized, and one party waited. You clung to God’s religion out of faith in Him and His Messenger, and you fought the apostates until the religion was established and God destroyed the wrongdoers. God has not ceased to increase you in good thereby until the community fell into internal discord. One party said: ‘We want Ṭalḥah, al-Zubayr, and ʿĀʾishah.’ Another party said: ‘We want the people of the West.’ Another party said: ‘We want ʿAbd Allāh b. Wahb al-Rāsibī.’ But you said: ‘We want none but the Household of our Prophet, through whom God—mighty and glorious—began His honor toward us.’ That was God’s—mighty and glorious—right guidance and success for you. You have not ceased to be upon the truth, adhering to it and holding fast to it, until God destroyed through you and through those who followed your guidance the oath-breakers on the Day of the Camel and the renegades on the Day of the Canal.” He was silent about mentioning the people of Syria because the authority belonged to them. “No people are more hostile to God, to you, and to the Household of your Prophet than these erring renegades who have parted from our Imam, deemed our blood lawful, and testified that we are unbelievers. Beware of sheltering them in your houses or concealing anything about them. It is not fitting for any quarter of the Arab tribes to be more hostile to these renegades than you. It has been mentioned to me that some of them are in a part of the tribe. I shall inquire about that. If it is true, I shall draw near to God through their blood, for their blood is lawful!” He said: “O assembly of ʿAbd al-Qays, these governors of ours know you and your views best. Do not give them any way against you, for they are swiftest toward you and the like of you.” Then he sat down. Every group said: “May God curse them and disown them. We shall not shelter them, and if we learn of their whereabouts, we shall inform you of them”—except Sulaym b. Maḥdūj, who said nothing and returned despondent, disliking that his companions should leave his house and blame him, and disliking that they should be seized in his house and perish, and he perish with them. Al-Mustawrid’s companions came to him and told him what al-Mughīrah had done among the people and what their chiefs had done among them. He asked Ibn Maḥdūj about what Ṣaʿṣaʿah had done among ʿAbd al-Qays. Ibn Maḥdūj told him and said, “I disliked to inform you lest you think that your stay had become burdensome to me.” Al-Mustawrid said to him, “You have honored our lodging and done well, but we shall depart from you.” The news reached the Kharijites who were in al-Mughīrah’s prison. Muʿādh b. Juwayn b. Ḥuṣayn said of that: “Hark, you who have sold your souls to God—it is time for a man who has sold himself to God to depart. You have stayed in the abode of the sinners in ignorance, And every man of you is hunted down to be slain. So fall upon the hostile people, for only a misleading opinion Has kept you here for slaughter. Hark, O my people, aim for the goal which, When mentioned, is most righteous and most just. Would that I were among you on the back of a swift steed, Strong in the loins, armored, not unarmed. Would that I were among you running against your enemy, So that he might give me the cup of death first. It grieves me that you should be feared and driven away While I have not yet drawn a blade among the foes. While no noble one has yet scattered their host— One who, when you say ‘he has fled and turned his back,’ comes on again Brandishing the blade of the sword in the heat of battle, Seeing patience in some stations as more fitting. It grieves me that you should be stricken and diminished And that I should become one of sorrows, a captive in fetters. If only I were among you when they marched against you, I would then have raised dust between the two parties. How many a host I have broken, and how many a raid I have witnessed, and how many a champion I have left stretched low.” Al-Mustawrid sent to his companions and said to them: “Depart from this tribe and make your rendezvous at Sūrāʾ.” They went out to it in scattered groups, and three hundred men gathered there. Then they marched to al-Ṣarāh. Al-Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah sends Maʿqil b. Qays to fight the Kharijites Al-Mughīrah heard news of them and summoned the chiefs of the people to consult them about whom to send against them. ʿAdī b. Ḥātim said to him: “All of us are enemies to them and hate their views while holding fast to obedience to you. Whomever of us you wish will march against them.” Maʿqil b. Qays said to him: “You will not send against them anyone of those you see around you but you will find him listening, obedient, separating from them, and loving their destruction. I do not think you can send against them anyone more hostile to them than I. So send me against them, and I shall suffice you against them, if God—exalted is He—wills.” He said, “Go forth in the name of God!” He equipped three thousand men with him. Al-Mughīrah said to the commander of his shurṭah: “Attach to Maʿqil the Shīʿah of ʿAlī, for he was one of the chiefs of his companions. When they come together, they will take comfort in one another, and they are more convinced of the lawfulness of the blood of these renegades and bolder against them than others, for they fought them before this occasion.” Ṣaʿṣaʿah b. Ṣūḥān said to him something like Maʿqil’s words. Al-Mughīrah said to him, “Sit down. You are only a khaṭīb.” That angered him. He said that to him only because he had heard that he disparaged ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān, mentioned ʿAlī frequently, and preferred him. Al-Mughīrah had summoned him and said to him: “Beware lest I hear that you disparage ʿUthmān, and beware lest I hear that you show anything of ʿAlī’s excellence. I know that better than you, but this authority has appeared, and we have been obliged to display his faults to the people. We leave aside much of what we have been commanded and mention the thing we cannot avoid, by which we ward off these people from ourselves. If you are to mention his excellence, mention it privately among your companions in your homes. But openly in the mosque—the caliph will not tolerate that for us.” He would say to him, “Yes,” but then al-Mughīrah would hear that he had done it. Al-Mughīrah bore a grudge against him and answered him with this answer. Ṣaʿṣaʿah said to him, “Am I only a khaṭīb and nothing more?” He said, “Yes.” He said, “By God, I am the tough, chief khaṭīb. By God, if you had seen me on the Day of the Camel when the spears crossed—skulls being cleft and heads being struck off—you would know that I am the stout lion.” He said, “Enough. By my life, you have been given an eloquent tongue.” Maʿqil went out with three thousand horsemen, the elite of the Shīʿah, and marched to Sūrāʾ, where his companions joined him. As for the Kharijites, they marched to Bihurasīr and wanted to cross to the old city in which were the dwellings of Kisrā. Simāk b. ʿUbayd al-Azdī al-ʿAbsī, who was governor over it, prevented them. Al-Mustawrid wrote to him, calling him to disavow ʿUthmān and ʿAlī and to take allegiance to himself and his companions. Simāk said, “What a bad old man I would be then!” He sent the reply back to al-Mustawrid, calling him to the community and offering to obtain a guarantee of safety for him. Al-Mustawrid did not accept and stayed at al-Madāʾin for three days. Then news reached him of Maʿqil’s march against them. Al-Mustawrid gathered them and said to them: “Al-Mughīrah has sent against you Maʿqil b. Qays, one of the lying, fabricating Sabaʾīs. Give me your counsel.” Some of them said: “We went out seeking God and jihād, and they have come to us. Where should we go? Rather, let us stay until God judges between us.” Others said: “Rather, let us withdraw and call the people, and argue against them by invitation.” He said to them: “I do not think we should stay until they come to us rested. Rather, I think we should march ahead of them so that they come out in pursuit of us and become cut off and scattered in that condition.” So they marched, crossed at Jarjarāyā, and went on to the land of Jūkhā, then reached al-Madhār and stayed there. Ibn ʿĀmir in al-Baṣrah heard news of them. He asked what al-Mughīrah had done and was told of his action. He summoned Sharīk b. al-Aʿwar al-Ḥārithī, who was of the Shīʿah of ʿAlī, and said to him: “Go out against these renegades.” He did so and selected three thousand horsemen from the Shīʿah with him, most of them from Rabīʿah, and marched with them to al-Madhār. As for Maʿqil b. Qays, he marched to al-Madāʾin until he reached it. News of their departure reached him, and that distressed the people. Maʿqil said to them: “They have marched so that you would pursue them, become scattered, and be cut off, and then catch up with them while you are exhausted. None of that will befall you, while the like of it has befallen them.” He marched in their tracks and sent ahead of him Abū al-Rawwāgh al-Shākirī with three hundred horsemen. Abū al-Rawwāgh followed them until he caught up with them at al-Madhār. He consulted his companions about fighting them before Maʿqil’s arrival. Some said, “Do not do it,” while others said, “Rather, let us fight them.” He said to them, “Maʿqil ordered me not to fight them.” They said to him, “You should remain near him until Maʿqil comes.” That was at evening time. They spent the night keeping watch over one another until morning. When the day had risen, the Kharijites came out to them—they were also three hundred—and charged them. Abū al-Rawwāgh’s companions were routed for a moment, then Abū al-Rawwāgh shouted to them: “Attack again! Attack again!” He charged with his companions. When they drew near the Kharijites, they turned back in flight, though none of them was killed. Abū al-Rawwāgh shouted to them again: “May your mothers be bereaved of you! Return with us and let us remain near them, not parting from them until our commander comes to us. How shameful it would be for us to return to the army routed by our enemy!” One of his companions said to him, “God is not ashamed of the truth. By God, they have routed us.” He said to him, “May God not multiply the like of you among us. As long as we have not left the battlefield, we have not been routed. Whenever we turn on them and remain near them, we are in a good state. So stand near them. If they come to you and you are unable to withstand them, fall back a little. When they charge you and you are unable to fight them, withdraw to a protected position. When they turn back from you, turn on them again and remain near them, for the army will come to you within an hour.” The Kharijites, whenever they charged, Abū al-Rawwāgh’s men withdrew from them, and when the Kharijites turned back, Abū al-Rawwāgh returned on their tracks. They continued thus until noon. Both parties dismounted and prayed, then they remained until the afternoon prayer. The people of the villages and the travelers had informed Maʿqil of the meeting between the Kharijites and his companions, and that the Kharijites were driving his companions before them, and when they turned back, his companions returned behind them. Maʿqil said, “If my opinion of Abū al-Rawwāgh is true, he will never come to you routed.” Then he hastened his march with seven hundred of the strong men, and left Muḥriz b. Shihāb al-Tamīmī in charge of the weaker people. When they looked down upon Abū al-Rawwāgh, he said to his companions: “This is a dust cloud. Advance with us toward our enemy so that our companions will not see that we have withdrawn from them and feared them.” He advanced until he stood facing the Kharijites, and Maʿqil caught up with them. When he drew near them, the sun set. He prayed with his companions, Abū al-Rawwāgh prayed with his companions, and the Kharijites also prayed. Abū al-Rawwāgh said to Maʿqil, “They have fearsome charges. Do not meet them yourself, but stand behind the people and be a support for them.” He said, “Excellent is what you have advised.” While he was addressing him, the Khārijites charged against them, and most of Maʿqil's companions fled while he stood firm. He dismounted to the ground, and with him was Abū al-Rawāgh and about two hundred men. When al-Mustawrid approached them, they faced him with spears and swords, and Maʿqil's cavalry fled for a while. Then Miskīn b. ʿĀmir, who was courageous, called out to them: 'Where are you fleeing when your commander has dismounted? Are you not ashamed?' Then he returned, and with him a great body of cavalry returned while Maʿqil b. Qays fought the Khārijites with those who were with him. He continued fighting them until he drove them back to the houses. Then they did not wait long before Muḥriz b. Shihāb came to them with those who were with him, and Maʿqil placed them on the right and left wings and said to them: 'Do not move until morning, then we shall attack them.' The people stood facing one another. While they were thus confronting each other, a spy of the Khārijites came to them and informed them that Sharīk b. al-Aʿwar had set out toward them from al-Baṣrah with three thousand men. Al-Mustawrid said to his companions: 'I do not think we should stay to face all of these. I think we should return by the way we came. The people of al-Baṣrah will not pursue us into the land of al-Kūfah, and fighting the people of al-Kūfah alone will be easier for us.' Then he ordered them to dismount so that they might rest their mounts for a while, and they did so. Then they entered the village and took from it someone to guide them on the road by which they had come, and they went back. As for Maʿqil, he sent someone to bring him news of them when he no longer saw their mass. The report came back to him that they had marched away. He feared it might be a trick, and he feared a night attack, so he and his companions took precautions and kept watch until morning. When morning came, someone came to them and told them of their departure. Sharīk b. al-Aʿwar arrived with his men and met Maʿqil. They asked each other for a while, and Maʿqil informed him of their situation. Sharīk called upon his companions to march with Maʿqil, but they did not respond to him. He apologized to Maʿqil for his companions' disagreement, and he was a friend of his, united by the opinion of the Shīʿah. Maʿqil summoned Abū al-Rawāgh and ordered him to pursue them. Abū al-Rawāgh said to him: 'Give me the like of those who were with me so that I may be stronger if they decide to fight me.' So he sent with him six hundred horsemen. They marched quickly until they overtook the Khārijites at Jarjarāyā, where they had dismounted. Abū al-Rawāgh dismounted against them at sunrise. When they saw them, they said: 'Fighting these is easier than fighting those who come after them.' They charged Abū al-Rawāgh and his companions with a sincere charge, and his companions fled while he stood firm with a hundred horsemen. He fought them for a long time, saying: 'The youth, the true youth, is he who does not falter when the coward turns aside from the fall of the spears. She knows that when war descends, I am awe-inspiring on the day of battle, bold, a hero.' Then his companions wheeled around from every side and fought them truly until they drove them back to their place. Al-Mustawrid and his companions crossed the Tigris. When al-Mustawrid saw that, he knew that if Maʿqil and his men came to them, they would perish. So he and his companions went on and crossed the Tigris, and they stood in the land of Bahurasīr. Abū al-Rawāgh pursued them until he encamped against them at Sābāṭ. When he encamped against them, al-Mustawrid said to his companions: 'These are the protectors and horsemen of Maʿqil's companions. If I knew that I could reach him an hour before them, I would march to him and fight him.' Then he ordered someone to ask about Maʿqil. They asked some people on the road, and they told them that he had encamped at Daylamāyā, three parasangs away. When al-Mustawrid was told that, he mounted, and his companions mounted, and he advanced until he reached the bridge of Sābāṭ, which is the bridge of the Nahr Malik canal, on the side facing al-Kūfah, while Abū al-Rawāgh was on the side of al-Madāʾin. Al-Mustawrid cut the bridge. When Abū al-Rawāgh saw them mounting, he drew up his companions in ranks and withdrew to an open plain between al-Madāʾin and Sābāṭ so that the fighting would take place there, and he stood waiting for them. When al-Mustawrid cut the bridge, he marched toward Daylamāyā, toward Maʿqil, to fall upon him. He reached him while his companions were scattered from him, and he was preparing to depart, and some of his companions had already gone ahead. When Maʿqil saw them, he raised his banner and called out: 'O servants of God, to the ground, to the ground!' So about two hundred men dismounted with him. The Khārijites charged them, and they met them with spears, kneeling on their knees, so they could not overpower them. They left them and turned to their horses, coming between them and their mounts and cutting their reins, and the horses ran off in every direction. Then they turned upon the scattered companions of Maʿqil and separated them. Then they returned to Maʿqil and his companions, who were still on their knees, and charged them, but they did not waver. They charged again and could not overpower them. Al-Mustawrid said to his companions: 'Let half of you dismount and half remain on horseback.' They did so, and the situation became severe for Maʿqil's companions, and they were on the verge of destruction. While they were in that state, Abū al-Rawāgh came upon them with his men. The reason for his return was that he had stayed in his place waiting for them. When they were slow in coming, he sent someone to bring him news of them. They saw the bridge cut and rejoiced, thinking that the Khārijites had done that out of fear of them, and they returned to Abū al-Rawāgh and told him that they had not seen them and that they had cut the bridge out of awe of them. Abū al-Rawāgh said to them: 'By my life, they did this only as a trick. I think they have gone ahead of you to Maʿqil, since they saw the horsemen of his companions with me, and they cut the bridge to occupy you with it and prevent you from catching up with them. So hasten, hasten in pursuit.' Then he ordered the people of the village to rebuild the bridge, and he crossed it and followed the Khārijites. The first of the people he met were fleeing, and he shouted at them: 'To me, to me!' They returned to him and told him the news, and that they had left Maʿqil fighting them and thought he was surely killed. He hastened on and brought back with him everyone he met of the fugitives. He reached the camp and saw Maʿqil's banner raised and the people fighting. Abū al-Rawāgh and his men charged the Khārijites and drove them back a little way. Abū al-Rawāgh reached Maʿqil and found him advancing, urging on his companions. They made a fierce attack on the Khārijites. Al-Mustawrid and the Khārijites with him dismounted, and Maʿqil's companions also dismounted. Then they fought for a long part of the day with swords, the fiercest fighting. Then al-Mustawrid called out to Maʿqil to come out to him in single combat. He came out to him, but his companions tried to prevent him, and he would not accept their refusal. He had his sword with him, and al-Mustawrid had his spear. Maʿqil's companions said: 'Take your spear,' but he refused and advanced upon al-Mustawrid. Al-Mustawrid thrust at him with his spear, and the spearhead came out of his back. Maʿqil advanced with the spear still in him toward al-Mustawrid and struck him with his sword, and it entered his brain. Al-Mustawrid fell dead, and Maʿqil also died. Maʿqil had said: 'If I am killed, your commander is ʿAmr b. Shihāb al-Tamīmī.' When he was killed, ʿAmr took the banner, then charged with the people against the Khārijites and killed them, and none of them escaped except five or six. Ibn al-Kalbī said: Al-Mustawrid was from Tamīm, then from Banū Riyāḥ. He cited as evidence the saying of Jarīr: 'From us is the youth of youths and generosity, Maʿqil, and from us is the one who met by the Tigris Maʿqilā.' He means this battle.
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