Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2248
The Year 65 AH
شُخُوصُ التَّوَّابِينَ إِلَى ابْنِ زِيَادٍ لِلطَّلَبِ بِدَمِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وفي سَنَةُ خَمْسٍ وَسِتِّينَ اجْتَمَعَ إِلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ صُرَدٍ نَحْوٌ مِنْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا، كُلُّهُمْ يَطْلُبُونَ الْأَخْذَ بِثَأْرِ الْحُسَيْنِ مِمَّنْ قَتَلَهُ . ثُمَّ أَشَارَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ صُرَدٍ بِقَصْدِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، فَأَشَارَ بَعْضُهُمْ بِمُقَاتَلَةِ مَنْ بِالْكُوفَةِ مِنْ رُءُوسِ الْقَبَائِلِ مِنْ قَتَلَةِ الْحُسَيْنِ كَعُمَرَ بْنِ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ وَأَضْرَابِهِ، فَامْتَنَعَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ صُرَدٍ إِلَّا أَنْ يَذْهَبُوا إِلَى عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ ; فَإِنَّهُ هُوَ الَّذِي جَهَّزَ إِلَيْهِ الْجُيُوشَ، وَأَلَّبَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهِ، وَامْتَنَعَ مِنْ قَبُولِ مَا طَلَبَهُ مِنْهُ، وَقَالَ: لَيْسَ لَهُ إِلَّا السَّيْفُ، وَهَا هُوَ قَدْ أَقْبَلَ مِنَ الشَّامِ قَاصِدًا الْعِرَاقَ. فَصَمَّمَ النَّاسُ مَعَهُ عَلَى هَذَا الرَّأْيِ. فَلَمَّا أَزْمَعُوا عَلَى ذَلِكَ بَعَثَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ أُمَرَاءُ الْكُوفَةِ مِنْ جِهَةِ ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ إِلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ صُرَدٍ يَقُولَانِ لَهُ: إِنَّا نُحِبُّ أَنْ تَكُونَ أَيْدِينَا وَاحِدَةً عَلَى ابْنِ زِيَادٍ. وَأَنَّهُمْ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَبْعَثُوا مَعَهُمْ جَيْشًا لِيُقَوِّيَهُمْ عَلَى مَا قَصَدُوا لَهُ، وَبَعَثُوا إِلَيْهِ الْبَرِيدَ أَنْ يَنْتَظِرَهُمْ حَتَّى يَقْدُمُوا عَلَيْهِ، فَتَهَيَّأَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ صُرَدٍ لِقُدُومِهِمْ عَلَيْهِ فِي رُءُوسِ الْأُمَرَاءِ، وَجَلَسَ فِي أُبَّهَتِهِ، وَالْجُيُوشُ مُحْدِقَةٌ بِهِ، وَأَقْبَلَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ طَلْحَةَ فِي أَشْرَافِ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ مِنْ غَيْرِ قَتَلَةِ الْحُسَيْنِ لِئَلَّا يَطْمَعُوا فِيهِمْ، وَكَانَ عُمَرُ بْنُ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ فِي هَذِهِ الْأَيَّامِ كُلِّهَا لَا يَبِيتُ إِلَّا فِي قَصْرِ الْإِمَارَةِ عِنْدَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ خَوْفًا عَلَى نَفْسِهِ، فَلَمَّا اجْتَمَعَ الْأَمِيرَانِ عِنْدَ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ صُرَدٍ قَالَا لَهُ وَأَشَارَا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ لَا يَذْهَبُوا حَتَّى تَكُونَ أَيْدِيهِمْ كُلِّهِمْ وَاحِدَةً عَلَى قِتَالِ عَدُوِّهِمُ ابْنِ زِيَادٍ، وَيُجَهِّزُوا مَعَهُمْ جَيْشًا آخَرَ فَإِنَّ أَهْلَ الشَّامِ جَمْعٌ كَثِيرٌ وَجَمٌّ غَفِيرٌ، وَهُمْ يُحَاجِفُونَ عَنِ ابْنِ زِيَادٍ، فَامْتَنَعَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ صُرَدٍ مِنْ قَبُولِ قَوْلِهِمَا وَقَالَ: إِنَّا قَدْ خَرَجْنَا لِأَمْرٍ لَا نَرْجِعُ عَنْهُ، وَلَا نَتَأَخَّرُ فِيهِ. فَانْصَرَفَ الْأَمِيرَانِ رَاجِعِينَ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ، وَانْتَظَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ صُرَدٍ وَأَصْحَابُهُ أَصْحَابَهُمُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا قَدْ وَاعَدُوهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ وَأَهْلِ الْمَدَائِنِ أَنْ يَقْدُمُوا عَلَيْهِمُ النُّخَيْلَةَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ، فَلَمْ يَقْدُمُوا عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ، فَقَامَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ صُرَدٍ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ خَطِيبًا، وَحَرَّضَهُمْ عَلَى الذَّهَابِ لِمَا خَرَجُوا لَهُ، وَقَالَ: لَوْ قَدْ سَمِعَ إِخْوَانُكُمْ بِمَسِيرِكُمْ لَلَحِقُوكُمْ سِرَاعًا. وأَرْسَلَ حَكِيمَ بْنَ مُنْقِذٍ الْكِنْدِيَّ وَالْوَلِيدَ بْنَ عُصَيْرٍ الْكِنَانِيَّ، فَنَادَيَا فِي الْكُوفَةِ: يَا لَثَارَاتِ الْحُسَيْنِ ! فَكَانَا أَوَّلَ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ دَعَوْا: يَا لَثَارَاتِ الْحُسَيْنِ. فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ الْغَدِ وَقَدْ أَتَاهُ نَحْوٌ مِمَّا فِي عَسْكَرِهِ، ثُمَّ نَظَرَ فِي دِيوَانِهِ فَوَجَدَهُمْ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِمَّنْ بَايَعَهُ، فَقَالَ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ ! مَا وَافَانَا مِنْ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا إِلَّا أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ. فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّ الْمُخْتَارَ يُثَبِّطُ النَّاسَ عَنْكَ، إِنَّهُ قَدْ تَبِعَهُ أَلْفَانِ. فَقَالَ: قَدْ بَقِيَ عَشَرَةُ آلَافٍ، أَمَا هَؤُلَاءِ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ؟ أَمَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ وَالْعُهُودَ وَالْمَوَاثِيقَ ؟ فَأَقَامَ بِالنُّخَيْلَةِ ثَلَاثًا يَبْعَثُ إِلَى مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ نَحْوٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ رَجُلٍ. فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُسَيَّبُ بْنُ نَجَبَةَ فَقَالَ: رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ ! إِنَّهُ لَا يَنْفَعُكَ الْكَارِهُ وَلَا يُقَاتِلُ مَعَكَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَخْرَجَتْهُ النِّيَّةُ، فَلَا تَنْتَظِرْ أَحَدًا وَجِدَّ فِي أَمْرِكَ. قَالَ: نِعْمَ مَا رَأَيْتَ. ثُمَّ قَامَ سُلَيْمَانُ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ مَنْ كَانَ خَرَجَ يُرِيدُ بِخُرُوجِهِ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ وَالْآخِرَةَ فَذَلِكَ مِنَّا وَنَحْنُ مِنْهُ فَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ حَيًّا وَمَيِّتًا، وَمَنْ كَانَ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الدُّنْيَا فَوَاللَّهِ مَا نَأْتِي فَيْئًا نَأْخُذُهُ وَغَنِيمَةً نَغْنَمُهَا مَا خَلَا رِضْوَانَ [ اللَّهِ ]، وَمَا مَعَنَا مِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَلَا فِضَّةٍ وَلَا مَتَاعٍ، وَمَا هِيَ إِلَّا سُيُوفُنَا عَلَى عَوَاتِقِنَا، وَزَادٌ قَدْرُ الْبُلْغَةِ، فَمَنْ كَانَ يَنْوِي غَيْرَ هَذَا فَلَا يَصْحَبُنَا. فَتَنَادَى أَصْحَابُهُ مِنْ كُلِّ جَانِبٍ: إِنَّا لَا نَطْلُبُ الدُّنْيَا وَلَيْسَ لَهَا خَرَجْنَا إِنَّمَا خَرَجْنَا نَطْلُبُ التَّوْبَةَ وَالطَّلَبَ بِدَمِ ابْنِ بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ نَبِيِّنَا ﷺ. خروج سليمان بن صرد من النخيلة فَخَرَجَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَأَصْحَابُهُ مِنَ النُّخَيْلَةِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ لِخَمْسٍ مَضَيْنَ مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ، سَنَةَ خَمْسٍ وَسِتِّينَ، فَسَارَ بِهِمْ مَرَاحِلَ، مَا يَتَقَدَّمَونَ مَرْحَلَةً إِلَى نَحْوِ الشَّامِ إِلَّا تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ الَّذِينَ مَعَهُ، فَلَمَّا مَرُّوا بِقَبْرِ الْحُسَيْنِ صَاحُوا صَيْحَةَ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ فَمَا رُئِيَ أَكْثَرَ بَاكِيًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ، فَتَرَحَّمُوا عَلَيْهِ وَتَابُوا عِنْدَهُ مِنْ خِذْلَانِهِ، وَتَرْكِ الْقِتَالِ مَعَهُ وَأَقَامُوا عِنْدَهُ يَوْمًا وَلَيْلَةً يَبْكُونَ وَيَتَضَرَّعُونَ وَيَتَرَحَّمُونَ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ، ( وَكَانَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِمْ عِنْدَ ضَرِيحِهِ: اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْ حُسَيْنًا الشَّهِيدَ ابْنَ الشَّهِيدِ، الْمَهْدِيَّ ابْنَ الْمَهْدِيِّ، الصِّدِّيقَ ابْنَ الصِّدِّيقِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نُشْهِدُكَ أَنَّا عَلَى دِينِهِمْ وَسَبِيلِهِمْ وَأَعْدَاءُ قَاتِلِيهِمْ وَأَوْلِيَاءُ مُحِبِّيهِمُ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا خَذَلْنَا ابْنَ بِنْتِ نَبِيِّنَا ﷺ فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا مَا مَضَى مِنَّا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا وَارْحَمْ حُسَيْنًا وَأَصْحَابَهُ الشُّهَدَاءَ الصِّدِّيقِينَ، وَإِنَّا نُشْهِدُكَ أَنَّا عَلَى دِينِهِمْ وَعَلَى مَا قُتِلُوا عَلَيْهِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ! وَزَادَهُمُ النَّظَرُ إِلَيْهِ حَنَقًا ). قُلْتُ: لَوْ كَانَ هَذَا الْعَزْمُ وَالِاجْتِمَاعُ قَبْلَ وُصُولِ الْحُسَيْنِ إِلَى تِلْكَ الْمَنْزِلَةِ لَكَانَ أَنْفَعَ لَهُ وَأَنْصُرَ مِنِ اجْتِمَاعِهِمْ لِنُصْرَتِهِ بَعْدَ أَرْبَعِ سِنِينَ. وَلَمَّا أَرَادُوا الِانْصِرَافَ جَعَلَ لَا يَسِيرُ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ الْقَبْرَ فَيَتَرَحَّمَ عَلَيْهِ، وَيَسْتَغْفِرَ لَهُ، حَتَّى جَعَلُوا يَزْدَحِمُونَ عَلَيْهِ أَشَدَّ مِنِ ازْدِحَامِهِمْ عِنْدَ الْحَجَرِ الْأَسْوَدِ، ثُمَّ أَخَذُوا عَلَى الْأَنْبَارِ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِمْ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ كِتَابًا، مِنْهُ: يَا قَوْمَنَا لَا تُطِيعُوا عَدُوَّكُمْ، أَنْتُمْ فِي أَهْلِ بِلَادِكُمْ خِيَارٌ كُلُّكُمْ، وَمَتَى يُصِبْكُمْ عَدُوُّكُمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ أَعْلَامُ مِصْرِكُمْ، فَيُطْمِعُهُمْ ذَلِكَ فِيمَنْ وَرَاءَكُمْ، يَا قَوْمَنَا إِنَّهُمْ إِنْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ يَرْجُمُوكُمْ أَوْ يُعِيدُوكُمْ فِي مِلَّتِهِمْ وَلَنْ تُفْلِحُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا، يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّ أَيْدِيَنَا وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ وَاحِدَةٌ وَعَدُوَّنَا وَعَدُوَّكُمْ وَاحِدٌ وَمَتَى تَجْتَمِعُ كَلِمَتُنَا عَلَى عَدُوِّنَا نَظْهَرُ عَلَى عَدُوِّنَا وَمَتَى تَخْتَلِفُ تَهُنْ شَوْكَتُنَا عَلَى مَنْ خَالَفْنَا، يَا قَوْمَنَا لَا تَسْتَغِشُّوا نُصْحِيَ، وَلَا تُخَالِفُوا أَمْرِي وَأَقْبِلُوا حِينَ يُقْرَأُ كِتَابِي عَلَيْكُمْ. وَالسَّلَامُ. فَقَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَأَصْحَابُهُ: قَدْ أَبَيْنَا هَذَا وَنَحْنُ فِي مِصْرِنَا، فَحِينَ وَطَّنَا أَنْفُسَنَا عَلَى الْجِهَادِ وَدَنَوْنَا مِنْ أَرْضِ عَدُوِّنَا، مَا هَذَا بِرَأْيٍ. فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ سُلَيْمَانُ يَشْكُرُهُ وَيُثْنِي عَلَيْهِ وَيَقُولُ: إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ قَدِ اسْتَبْشَرُوا بِبَيْعِهِمْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ، وَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ تَابُوا مِنْ عَظِيمِ ذَنْبِهِمْ وَتَوَجَّهُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَتَوَكَّلُوا عَلَيْهِ وَرَضُوا بِمَا قَضَى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ. فَلَمَّا جَاءَ الْكِتَابُ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: اسْتَمَاتَ الْقَوْمُ، أَوَّلُ خَبَرٍ يَأْتِيكُمْ عَنْهُمْ قَتْلُهُمْ، وَاللَّهِ لَيُقْتَلُنَّ كِرَامًا مُسْلِمِينَ. ثُمَّ سَارُوا قَاصِدِينَ الشَّامَ، حَتَّى انْتَهَوْا إِلَى قَرْقِيسْيَا عَلَى تَعْبِيَةٍ، وَبِهَا زُفَرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ الْكِلَابِيُّ قَدْ تَحَصَّنَ بِهَا مِنْهُمْ وَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُسَيَّبَ بْنَ نَجَبَةَ يَطْلُبُ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ إِلَيْهِ سُوقًا، فَأَتَى الْمُسَيَّبُ إِلَى بَابِ قَرْقِيسْيَا فَعَرَّفَهُمْ نَفْسَهُ وَطَلَبَ الْإِذْنَ عَلَى زُفَرَ، فَأَتَى هُذَيْلَ بْنِ زُفَرَ أَبَاهُ فَقَالَ: هَذَا رَجُلٌ حَسَنُ الْهَيْئَةِ اسْمُهُ الْمُسَيَّبُ بْنُ نَجَبَةَ يَسْتَأْذِنُ عَلَيْكَ. فَقَالَ أَبُوهُ: أَمَا تَدْرِي يَا بُنَيَّ مَنْ هَذَا ؟ هَذَا فَارِسُ مُضَرَ الْحَمْرَاءِ كُلِّهَا، إِذَا عُدَّ مِنْ أَشْرَافِهَا عَشْرَةٌ كَانَ أَحَدَهُمْ هُوَ، وَهُوَ بَعْدُ رَجُلٌ نَاسِكٌ لَهُ دِينٌ، إِيذَنْ لَهُ. فَأَذِنَ لَهُ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْلَسَهُ إِلَى جَانِبِهِ وَسَأَلَهُ، فَعَرَّفَهُ الْمُسَيَّبُ حَالَهُ وَمَا عَزَمُوا عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ زُفَرُ: إِنَّا لَمْ نُغْلِقْ أَبْوَابَ الْمَدِينَةِ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ إِيَّانَا تُرِيدُونَ أَمْ غَيْرَنَا، وَمَا بِنَا عَجْزٌ عَنِ النَّاسِ وَمَا نُحِبُّ قِتَالَكُمْ، وَقَدْ بَلَغَنَا عَنْكُمْ صَلَاحٌ وَسِيرَةٌ جَمِيلَةٌ. ثُمَّ أَمَرَ ابْنَهُ فَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ سُوقًا، وَأَمَرَ لِلْمُسَيَّبِ بِأَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ وَفَرَسٍ، فَرَدَّ الْمَالَ وَأَخَذَ الْفَرَسَ وَقَالَ: لَعَلِّي أَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ إِنَّ عَرَجَ فَرَسِي. وَبَعَثَ زُفَرُ إِلَيْهِمْ بِخُبْزٍ كَثِيرٍ وَعَلَفٍ وَدَقِيقٍ حَتَّى اسْتَغْنَى النَّاسُ عَنِ السُّوقِ، إِلَّا أَنَّ الرَّجُلُ كَانَ يَشْتَرِي سَوْطًا أَوْ ثَوْبًا. ثُمَّ ارْتَحَلُوا مِنَ الْغَدِ، وَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ زُفَرُ يُشَيِّعُهُمْ وَقَالَ لِسُلَيْمَانَ: إِنَّهُ قَدْ سَارَ خَمْسَةُ أُمَرَاءَ مِنَ الرَّقَّةِ هُمُ الْحُصَيْنُ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، وَشُرَحْبِيلُ بْنُ ذِي الْكَلَاعِ، وَأَدْهَمُ بْنُ مُحْرِزٍ، وَجَبَلَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْخَثْعَمِيُّ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، فِي عَدَدٍ كَثِيرٍ مِثْلِ الشَّوْكِ وَالشَّجَرِ، فَإِنْ شِئْتُمْ دَخَلْتُمْ مَدِينَتَنَا وَكَانَتْ أَيْدِينَا وَاحِدَةً، فَإِذَا جَاءَنَا هَذَا الْعَدُوُّ قَاتَلْنَاهُمْ جَمِيعًا. فَقَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ: قَدْ طَلَبَ أَهْلُ مِصْرِنَا ذَلِكَ مِنَّا فَأَبَيْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ. قَالَ زُفَرُ: فَبَادِرُوهُمْ إِلَى عَيْنِ الْوَرْدَةِ وَهِيَ رَأْسُ عَيْنٍ فَاجْعَلُوا الْمَدِينَةَ فِي ظُهُورِكُمْ وَيَكُونُ الرُّسْتَاقُ وَالْمَاءُ وَالْمَادَّةُ فِي أَيْدِيكُمْ، وَمَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ فَأَنْتُمْ آمِنُونَ مِنْهُ، فَاطْوُوا الْمَنَازِلَ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا رَأَيْتُ جَمَاعَةً قَطُّ أَكْرَمَ مِنْكُمْ، فَإِنِّي أَرْجُو أَنْ تَسْبِقُوهُمْ، وَإِنْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُمْ فَلَا تُقَاتِلُوهُمْ فِي فَضَاءٍ تُرَامُونَهُمْ وَتُطَاعِنُونَهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ أَكْثَرُ مِنْكُمْ، وَلَا آمَنُ أَنْ يُحِيطُوا بِكُمْ، فَلَا تَقِفُوا لَهُمْ فَيَصْرَعُوكُمْ، وَلَا تَصِفُّوا لَهُمْ، فَإِنِّي لَا أَرَى مَعَكُمْ رَجَّالَةً وَمَعَهُمُ الرَّجَّالَةُ وَالْفُرْسَانُ بَعْضُهُمْ يَحْمِي بَعْضًا، وَلَكِنِ الْقُوهُمْ فِي الْكَتَائِبِ وَالْمَقَانِبِ ثُمَّ بُثُّوهَا فِيمَا بَيْنَ مَيَمَنَتِهِمْ وَمَيْسَرَتِهِمْ وَاجْعَلُوا مَعَ كُلِّ كَتِيبَةٍ أُخْرَى إِلَى جَانِبِهَا، فَإِنْ حُمِلَ عَلَى إِحْدَى الْكَتِيبَتَيْنِ رَحَلَتِ الْأُخْرَى فَنَفَّسَتْ عَنْهَا، وَمَتَى شَاءَتْ كَتِيبَةٌ ارْتَفَعَتْ، وَمَتَى شَاءَتْ كَتِيبَةٌ انْحَطَّتْ، وَلَوْ كُنْتُمْ صَفًّا وَاحِدًا فَزَحَفَتْ إِلَيْكُمُ الرَّجَّالَةُ فَدَفَعْتُمْ عَنِ الصَّفِّ انْتَقَضَ فَكَانَتِ الْهَزِيمَةُ. ثُمَّ وَدَّعَهُمْ وَدَعَا لَهُمْ وَدَعَوْا لَهُ وَأَثْنَوْا عَلَيْهِ. ثُمَّ سَارُوا مُجِدِّينَ فَانْتَهَوْا إِلَى عَيْنِ الْوَرْدَةِ فَنَزَلُوا غَرْبَيَّهَا وَأَقَامُوا خَمْسًا فَاسْتَرَاحُوا وَأَرَاحُوا.
Translation
✧ The Tawwābūn's March against Ibn Ziyād to Demand the Blood of al-Ḥusayn ﷺ In the year sixty-five AH About seventeen thousand gathered to Sulaymān b. Ṣurad, all of them seeking to exact vengeance for al-Ḥusayn from those who killed him. Then Sulaymān b. Ṣurad advised them to aim for ʿUbayd Allāh b. Ziyād, but some of them advised fighting the tribal chiefs in Kufa who had killed al-Ḥusayn, such as ʿUmar b. Saʿd b. Abī Waqqāṣ and the like. Sulaymān b. Ṣurad refused unless they went to ʿUbayd Allāh b. Ziyād, for he was the one who sent the armies against him, stirred up the people against him, and refused to accept what he had requested, saying: He has nothing but the sword, and here he has come from Syria heading to Iraq. So the people firmly resolved with him on this opinion. When they resolved on that, ʿAbd Allāh b. Yazīd and Ibrāhīm b. Muḥammad, the commanders of Kufa on behalf of Ibn al-Zubayr, sent to Sulaymān b. Ṣurad saying: We would like our hands to be one against Ibn Ziyād, and they intended to send an army with them to strengthen them in what they aimed for. They sent a courier to him to wait for them until they came to him. So Sulaymān b. Ṣurad prepared for their coming to him among the heads of the commanders, and sat in his magnificence, with the armies surrounding him. ʿAbd Allāh b. Yazīd and Ibrāhīm b. Muḥammad b. Ṭalḥa approached among the nobles of Kufa, excluding those who had killed al-Ḥusayn, lest they be tempted against them. During all these days ʿUmar b. Saʿd b. Abī Waqqāṣ did not spend the night except in the governor's palace with ʿAbd Allāh b. Yazīd, fearing for himself. When the two commanders met with Sulaymān b. Ṣurad, they said to him and advised that they should not go until all their hands were one in fighting their enemy Ibn Ziyād, and that they should equip another army with them, for the people of Syria were a great multitude and an enormous host, and they defended Ibn Ziyād. But Sulaymān b. Ṣurad refused to accept their words and said: We have gone out for a matter from which we will not turn back, nor will we delay in it. The two commanders returned to Kufa, and Sulaymān b. Ṣurad and his companions awaited their companions from the people of Basra and the people of al-Madāʾin whom they had appointed to meet them at al-Nukhayla in that year, but not one of them came to them. So Sulaymān b. Ṣurad stood among his companions as a preacher and urged them to go to what they had set out for, saying: If your brothers hear of your march, they will hasten to join you. He sent Ḥakīm b. Munqidh al-Kindī and al-Walīd b. ʿUṣayr al-Kinānī, and they called out in Kufa: O for the blood of al-Ḥusayn! They were the first of God's creation to call out: O for the blood of al-Ḥusayn. On the next morning, about as many as were in his camp came to him. Then he looked at his register and found them to be sixteen thousand of those who had pledged allegiance to him, and he said: Glory be to God! Out of sixteen thousand, only four thousand have come to us. It was said to him: Al-Mukhtār is discouraging the people from you, and two thousand have followed him. He said: Ten thousand remain. Are these not believers? Do they not remember God and the covenants and the oaths? He stayed at al-Nukhayla for three days sending to those who had stayed behind, and about a thousand men came out to him. Al-Musayyab b. Najaba stood up to him and said: God have mercy on you! The unwilling one does not benefit you, and only the one whom intention brings out will fight with you. So do not wait for anyone and be serious in your matter. He said: What you have seen is good. Then Sulaymān stood among his companions and said: O people, whoever went out seeking by his going out the face of God and the Hereafter, that one is from us and we are from him, and God's mercy be upon him alive and dead. And whoever desired only this world, then by God, we do not come for spoils to take or booty to gain, except the good pleasure of God. We have with us no gold, no silver, and no goods. It is nothing but our swords on our shoulders and provisions enough to reach the goal. So whoever intends other than this, let him not accompany us. His companions called out from every side: We do not seek this world, and we did not go out for it. We went out only seeking repentance and demanding the blood of the son of the daughter of the Messenger of God, our Prophet ﷺ. Sulaymān b. Ṣurad's Departure from al-Nukhayla Sulaymān and his companions departed from al-Nukhayla on Friday, five days having passed of Rabīʿ al-Awwal, in the year sixty-five. He marched them stage by stage. They did not advance a stage toward Syria but that a group of the people with him fell behind. When they passed by the grave of al-Ḥusayn, they cried out with the cry of a single man, and no greater weeping was ever seen than on that day. They invoked mercy upon him, repented at his grave for abandoning him and forsaking fighting with him, and stayed by it for a day and a night, weeping, supplicating, and invoking mercy upon him and his companions. Among their words at his tomb were: 'O God, have mercy on al-Ḥusayn, the martyr, son of the martyr, the rightly guided, son of the rightly guided, the truthful, son of the truthful. O God, we call You to witness that we are upon their religion and their path, and enemies of their killers and friends of their lovers. O God, we abandoned the son of the daughter of our Prophet ﷺ, so forgive us what has passed from us, turn to us, and have mercy on al-Ḥusayn and his companions, the martyrs, the truthful ones. And we call You to witness that we are upon their religion and upon what they were killed for. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will surely be among the losers.' And looking at him increased their grief. I say: Had this resolve and gathering been before al-Ḥusayn reached that place, it would have been more beneficial to him and more supportive than their gathering to help him after four years. When they wanted to depart, none of them would leave until he came to the grave and invoked mercy upon him and asked forgiveness for him, until they crowded around it more intensely than their crowding at the Black Stone. Then they took the road to al-Anbār. ʿAbd Allāh b. Yazīd wrote them a letter, in which he said: 'O our people, do not obey your enemy. You are among the best of all the people of your land. Whenever your enemy strikes you, they will know that you are the banners of your city, and that will make them covetous of those behind you. O our people, if they prevail over you, they will stone you or return you to their religion, and then you will never succeed. O my people, our hands and your hands are one, and our enemy and your enemy are one. Whenever our word unites against our enemy, we will prevail over our enemy, and whenever it differs, our strength will weaken against those who oppose us. O our people, do not deem my counsel treacherous, do not oppose my command, and come forward when my letter is read to you. Peace.' Sulaymān and his companions said: We refused this while we were in our own city, so now that we have steeled ourselves for jihād and drawn near the land of our enemy, this is not a sound opinion. So Sulaymān wrote to him thanking him and praising him, saying: The people rejoice in having sold themselves to their Lord, and they have repented of their great sin, turned to God, relied upon Him, and are content with what God has decreed for them. When the letter came to ʿAbd Allāh, he said: The people have sought death. The first news that comes to you about them will be their killing. By God, they will be killed as noble Muslims. Then they marched toward Syria until they reached Qarqīsiyā in battle order. There was Zufar b. al-Ḥārith al-Kilābī, who had fortified himself in it against them and did not come out to them. So Sulaymān sent al-Musayyab b. Najaba to ask him to bring out a market for them. Al-Musayyab came to the gate of Qarqīsiyā, identified himself, and asked permission to see Zufar. Hudhayl b. Zufar went to his father and said: This is a man of fine appearance named al-Musayyab b. Najaba, asking permission to see you. His father said: Do you know, my son, who this is? This is the horseman of all of Muḍar the Red. When ten of its nobles are counted, he is one of them. And besides, he is a devout man with religion. Give him permission. So he gave him permission. When he entered, he seated him at his side and questioned him. Al-Musayyab told him his situation and what they had resolved upon. Zufar said: We only closed the gates of the city to know whether you intended us or others. We have no inability against people, and we do not love fighting you. We have heard about you righteousness and good conduct. Then he ordered his son, and he brought out a market for them, and he ordered a thousand dirhams and a horse for al-Musayyab. He returned the money and took the horse, saying: Perhaps I will need it if my horse goes lame. And Zufar sent them much bread, fodder, and flour until the people had no need of the market, except that a man would buy a whip or a garment. Then they departed the next day, and Zufar came out to see them off. He said to Sulaymān: Five commanders have marched from al-Raqqa: al-Ḥuṣayn b. Numayr, Shuraḥbīl b. Dhī al-Kalāʿ, Adham b. Muḥriz, Jabala b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Khathʿamī, and ʿUbayd Allāh b. Ziyād, in a great number like thorns and trees. If you wish, enter our city and our hands will be one. When this enemy comes to us, we will fight them together. Sulaymān said: The people of our city asked that of us, and we refused them. Zufar said: Then hasten to ʿAyn al-Warda, which is Raʾs al-ʿAyn, and put the city behind you, so that the countryside, water, and supplies are in your hands. As for what is between us and you, you are safe from it. So cover the stages quickly, for by God, I have never seen a more noble company than you. I hope you will reach it before them. If you fight them, do not fight them in open ground where you exchange arrows and thrusts with them, for they are more numerous than you, and I do not feel safe that they will surround you. Do not stand for them lest they fell you, and do not form a single line for them. I do not see infantry with you, while they have infantry and cavalry, each protecting the other. But meet them in squadrons and detachments, then spread them out between their right wing and left wing, and place another squadron beside each squadron. If one squadron is charged, the other moves and relieves it. Whenever a squadron wishes it rises, and whenever it wishes it descends. If you were a single line and the infantry advanced against you and you pushed back from the line, it would break, and that would be defeat. Then he bade them farewell, prayed for them, and they prayed for him and praised him. Then they marched on earnestly and reached ʿAyn al-Warda, encamping to its west. They stayed five days, resting themselves and their mounts.
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