Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2256
The Year 65 AH
مُحَارِبَةِ الْمُهَلَّبِ الْخَوَارِجَ لَمَّا قَرُبَتِ الْخَوَارِجُ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ أَتَى أَهْلُهَا الْأَحْنَفَ بْنَ قَيْسٍ وَسَأَلُوهُ أَنْ يَتَوَلَّى حَرْبَهُمْ، فَأَشَارَ بِالْمُهَلَّبِ بْنِ أَبِي صُفْرَةَ لِمَا يَعْلَمُ فِيهِ مِنَ الشَّجَاعَةِ وَالرَّأْيِ وَالْمَعْرِفَةِ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَكَانَ قَدْ قَدِمَ مِنْ عِنْدِ ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ وَقَدْ وَلَّاهُ خُرَاسَانَ، فَقَالَ الْأَحْنَفُ: مَا لِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ غَيْرُ الْمُهَلَّبِ. فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ أَشْرَافُ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ فَكَلَّمُوهُ، فَأَبَى، فَكَلَّمَهُ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَبِي رَبِيعَةَ، فَاعْتَذَرَ بِعَهْدِهِ عَلَى خُرَاسَانَ، فَوَضَعَ الْحَارِثُ وَأَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ كِتَابًا إِلَيْهِ عَنِ ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ يَأْمُرُهُ بِقِتَالِ الْخَوَارِجِ وَأَتَوْهُ بِالْكِتَابِ، فَلَمَّا قَرَأَهُ قَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَا أَسِيرُ إِلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا أَنْ تَجْعَلُوا لِي مَا غُلِبْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَتُقْطِعُونِي مِنْ بَيْتِ الْمَالِ مَا أُقَوِّي بِهِ مَنْ مَعِي. فَأَجَابُوهُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ وَكَتَبُوا لَهُ بِهِ كِتَابًا، وَأَرْسَلُوا إِلَى ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ فَأَمْضَاهُ، فَاخْتَارَ الْمُهَلَّبُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ مِمَّنْ يَعْرِفُ نَجْدَتَهُ وَشَجَاعَتَهُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا، مِنْهُمْ: مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ وَاسِعٍ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رِيَاحٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ وَمُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ قُرَّةَ الْمُزَنِيُّ وَأَبُو عِمْرَانَ الْجَوْنِيُّ، وَخَرَجَ الْمُهَلَّبُ إِلَى الْخَوَارِجِ وَهُمْ عِنْدَ الْجِسْرِ الْأَصْغَرِ، فَحَارَبَهُمْ وَهُوَ فِي وُجُوهِ النَّاسِ وَأَشْرَافِهِمْ، فَدَفَعَهُمْ عَنِ الْجِسْرِ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ بَقِيَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَدْخُلُوا، فَارْتَفَعُوا إِلَى الْجِسْرِ الْأَكْبَرِ إِلَيْهِمْ فِي الْخَيْلِ وَالرِّجَالِ. فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ قَدْ قَارَبَهُمُ ارْتَفَعُوا فَوْقَ ذَلِكَ. وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ حَارِثَةَ بْنَ بَدْرٍ تَأْمِيرُ الْمُهَلَّبِ عَلَى قِتَالِ الْأَزَارِقَةِ قَالَ لِمَنْ مَعَهُ [ مِنَ ] النَّاسِ: كَرْنِبُوا وَدَوْلِبُوا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ فَاذْهَبُوا فَأَقْبَلَ بِمَنْ مَعَهُ نَحْوَ الْبَصْرَةِ فَرَدَّ الْحَارِثَ بْنَ أَبِي رَبِيعَةَ إِلَى الْمُهَلَّبِ، وَرَكِبَ حَارِثَةُ فِي سَفِينَةٍ فِي نَهْرِ دُجَيْلٍ يُرِيدُ الْبَصْرَةَ، فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ تَمِيمٍ وَعَلَيْهِ سِلَاحُهُ وَالْخَوَارِجُ وَرَاءَهُ، فَصَاحَ التَّمِيمِيُّ بِحَارِثَةَ يَسْتَغِيثُ بِهِ لِيَحْمِلَهُ مَعَهُ، فَقَرَّبَ السَّفِينَةَ إِلَى شَاطِئِ النَّهْرِ، وَهُوَ جُرْفٌ، فَوَثَبَ التَّمِيمِيُّ إِلَيْهَا فَغَاصَتْ بِجَمِيعِ مَنْ فِيهَا فَغَرِقُوا. وَأَمَّا الْمُهَلَّبُ فَإِنَّهُ سَارَ حَتَّى نَزَلَ بِالْخَوَارِجِ وَهُمْ بِنَهْرِ تِيرَى وَتَنَحَّوْا عَنْهُ إِلَى الْأَهْوَازِ، وَسَيَّرَ الْمُهَلَّبُ إِلَى عَسْكَرِهِمُ الْجَوَاسِيسَ تَأْتِيهِ بِأَخْبَارِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا أَتَاهُ خَبَرُهُمْ سَارَ نَحْوَهُمْ وَاسْتَخْلَفَ أَخَاهُ الْمُعَارِكَ بْنَ أَبِي صُفْرَةَ عَلَى نَهْرِ تِيرَى، فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ الْأَهْوَازَ قَاتَلَتِ الْخَوَارِجُ مُقَدِّمَتَهُ، وَعَلَيْهِمُ ابْنُهُ الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ الْمُهَلَّبِ بْنِ أَبِي صُفْرَةَ، فَجَالَ أَصْحَابُهُ ثُمَّ عَادُوا. فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْخَوَارِجُ صَبْرَهُمْ سَارُوا عَنْ سُوقِ الْأَهَاوِزِ إِلَى مَنَاذِرَ، فَسَارَ يُرِيدُهُمْ، فَلَمَّا قَارَبَهُمْ سَيَّرَ الْخَوَارِجُ جَمْعًا عَلَيْهِمْ وَاقَدٌ مَوْلَى أَبِي صُفْرَةَ إِلَى نَهْرِ تِيرَى وَبِهَا الْمَعَارِكُ فَقَتَلُوهُ وَصَلَبُوهُ، وَبَلَغَ الْخَبَرُ إِلَى الْمُهَلَّبِ فَسَيَّرَ ابْنَهُ الْمُغِيرَةَ إِلَى نَهْرِ تِيرَى، فَأَنْزَلَ عَمَّهُ الْمُعَارِكَ وَدَفَنَهُ وَسَكَنَ النَّاسُ وَاسْتَخْلَفَ بِهَا جَمَاعَةً وَعَادَ إِلَى أَبِيهِ وَقَدْ نَزَلَ سُولَافَ. وَكَانَ الْمُهَلَّبُ شَدِيدَ الِاحْتِيَاطِ وَالْحَذَرِ، لَا يَنْزِلُ إِلَّا فِي خَنْدَقٍ وَهُوَ عَلَى تَعْبِيَةٍ وَيَتَوَلَّى الْحَرَسَ بِنَفْسِهِ، فَلَمَّا نَازَلَ الْخَوَارِجَ بِسُولَافَ رَكِبُوا وَوَقَفُوا لَهُ وَاقْتَتَلُوا قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا صَبَرَ فِيهِ الْفَرِيقَانِ، ثُمَّ حَمَلَتِ الْخَوَارِجُ حَمْلَةً صَادِقَةً عَلَى الْمُهَلَّبِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ فَانْهَزَمُوا وَقُتِلَ مِنْهُمْ، وَثَبَتَ الْمُهَلَّبُ وَأَبْلَى ابْنُهُ الْمُغِيرَةَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَلَاءً حَسَنًا ظَهَرَ فِيهِ أَثَرُهُ، وَنَادَى الْمُهَلَّبُ أَصْحَابَهُ فَعَادُوا إِلَيْهِ مَعَهُمْ جَمْعٌ كَثِيرٌ نَحْوَ أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافِ فَارِسٍ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ أَرَادَ الْقِتَالَ بِمَنْ مَعَهُ فَنَهَاهُ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ لِضَعْفِهِمْ وَكَثْرَةِ الْجِرَاحِ فِيهِمْ، فَتَرَكَ الْقِتَالَ وَسَارَ وَقَطَعَ دُجَيْلَ وَنَزَلَ بِالْعَاقُولِ لَا يُؤْتَى إِلَّا مِنْ جِهَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، شعر ابن قيس الرقيات في يوم سولاف ( وَفِي يَوْمِ سُولَافَ يَقُولُ ابْنُ قَيْسِ الرُّقَيَّاتِ: أَلَا طَرَقَتْ مِنْ آلِ مَيَّةَ طَارِقَهْ عَلَى أَنَّهَا مَعْشُوقَةُ الدَّلِّ عَاشِقَهْ تَمِيسُ وَأَرْضُ السُّوسِ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهَا وَسُولَافُ رُسْتَاقٌ حَمَتْهُ الْأَزَارِقَهْ إِذَا نَحْنُ شَتَّى صَادَفَتْنَا عِصَابَةٌ حَرُورِيَّةٌ أَضْحَتْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَارِقَهْ أَجَازَتْ إِلَيْنَا الْعَسْكَرَيْنِ كِلَيْهِمَا فَبَاتَتْ لَنَا دُونَ اللِّحَافِ مُعَانِقَهْ وَقَالَ فِيهِ بَعْضُ الْخَوَارِجِ: وَكَائِنْ تَرَكْنَا يَوْمَ سُولَافَ مِنْهُمُ أُسَارَى وَقَتْلَى فِي الْجَحِيمِ مَصِيرُهَا وَأَكْثَرَ الشُّعَرَاءُ فِيهِ. فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ الْمُهَلَّبُ إِلَى الْعَاقُولِ نَزَلَ فِيهِ وَأَقَامَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، ثُمَّ ارْتَحَلَ وَسَارَ نَحْوَ الْخَوَارِجِ، وَهُمْ بِسِلَّى وَسِلَّبْرَى، فَنَزَلَ قَرِيبًا مِنْهُمْ وَكَانَ كَثِيرًا مَا يَفْعَلُ أَشْيَاءَ يُحَدِّثُ بِهَا النَّاسَ لِيَنْشَطُوا إِلَى الْقِتَالِ فَلَا يَرَوْنَ لَهَا أَثَرًا، حَتَّى قَالَ الشَّاعِرُ: أَنْتَ الْفَتَى كُلُّ الْفَتَى لَوْ كُنْتَ تَصْدُقُ مَا تَقُولُ وَسَمَّاهُ بَعْضُهُمُ الْكَذَّابَ، وَبَعْضُ النَّاسِ يَظُنُّ أَنَّهُ كَذَّابٌ فِي كُلِّ حَالٍ، وَلَيْسَ كَذَلِكَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ مَكَايَدَةً لِلْعَدُوِّ. فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ الْمُهَلَّبُ قَرِيبًا مِنَ الْخَوَرِاجِ وَخَنْدَقَ عَلَيْهِ، وَضَعَ الْمَسَالِحَ وَأَذْكَى الْعُيُونَ وَالْحَرَسَ وَالنَّاسَ عَلَى رَايَاتِهِمْ وَمَوَاقِفِهِمْ، وَأَبْوَابُ الْخَنْدَقِ مَحْفُوظَةٌ، فَكَانَ الْخَوَارِجُ إِذَا أَرَادُوا بَيَاتَهُ وَغِرَّتَهُ وَجَدُوا أَمْرًا مُحْكَمًا فَرَجَعُوا، فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلْهُمْ إِنْسَانٌ كَانَ أَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْهُ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْخَوَارِجَ أَرْسَلُوا عُبَيْدَةَ بْنَ هِلَالٍ وَالزُّبَيْرَ بْنَ الْمَاحُوزِ فِي عَسْكَرٍ لَيْلًا إِلَى عَسْكَرِ الْمُهَلَّبِ لِيُبَيِّتُوهُ، فَصَاحُوا بِالنَّاسِ عَنْ يَمِينِهِمْ وَيَسَارِهِمْ فَوَجَدُوهُمْ عَلَى تَعْبِيَةٍ قَدْ حَذِرُوا، فَلَمْ يَنَالُوا مِنْهُمْ شَيْئًا، وَأَصْبَحَ الْمُهَلَّبُ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ فِي تَعْبِيَةٍ، وَجَعَلَ الْأَزْدَ وَتَمِيمًا مَيْمَنَةً، وَبَكْرَ بْنَ وَائِلٍ وَعَبْدَ الْقَيْسِ مَيْسَرَةً، وَأَهْلَ الْعَالِيَةِ فِي الْقَلْبِ، وَخَرَجَتِ الْخَوَارِجُ وَعَلَى مَيْمَنَتِهِمْ عُبَيْدَةُ بْنُ هِلَالٍ الْيَشْكُرِيُّ، وَعَلَى مَيْسَرَتِهِمُ الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ الْمَاحُوزِ، وَكَانُوا أَحْسَنَ عُدَّةً وَأَكْرَمَ خَيْلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ لِأَنَّهُمْ مَخَرُوا الْأَرْضَ وَجَرَّدُوهَا مَا بَيْنَ كَرْمَانَ إِلَى الْأَهْوَازِ. فَالْتَقَى النَّاسُ وَاقْتَتَلُوا أَشَدَّ قِتَالٍ، وَصَبَرَ الْفَرِيقَانِ عَامَّةَ النَّهَارِ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْخَوَارِجَ شَدَّتْ عَلَى النَّاسِ شَدَّةً مُنْكَرَةً، فَأَجْفَلُوا وَانْهَزَمُوا لَا يَلْوِي أَحَدٌ عَلَى أَحَدٌ، حَتَّى بَلَغَتِ الْهَزِيمَةُ الْبَصْرَةَ، وَخَافَ أَهْلُهَا السِّبَاءَ. وَأَمَّا الْمُهَلَّبُ فَإِنَّهُ سَبَقَ الْمُنْهَزِمِينَ، فَوَقَفَ لَهُمْ بِمَكَانٍ مُرْتَفِعٍ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ، وَجَعَلَ يُنَادِي: إِلَيَّ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ. فَاجْتَمَعَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ جَيْشِهِ ثَلَاثَةُ آلَافٍ مِنَ الْفُرْسَانِ الشُّجْعَانِ، فَقَامَ فِيهِمْ خَطِيبًا، فَقَالَ فِي خُطْبَتِهِ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ، أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى رُبَّمَا يَكِلُ الْجَمْعَ الْكَثِيرَ إِلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ فَيُهْزَمُونَ، وَيُنْزِلُ النَّصْرَ عَلَى الْجَمْعِ الْيَسِيرِ فَيَظْهَرُونَ، وَلَعَمْرِي مَا بِكُمُ الْآنَ مِنْ قِلَّةٍ، وَأَنْتُمْ فُرْسَانُ أَهْلِ الْمِصْرَ وَأَهْلُ النَّصْرِ، وَمَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ أَحَدًا مِمَّنِ انْهَزَمَ مَعَكُمُ الْآنَ، وَلَوْ كَانُوا فِيكُمْ مَا زَادُوكُمْ إِلَّا خَبَالًا. ثُمَّ قَالَ: عَزَمْتُ عَلَى كُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ إِلَّا أَخَذَ عَشَرَةَ أَحْجَارٍ مَعَهُ، ثُمَّ امْشُوا بِنَا إِلَى عَسْكَرِهِمْ ; فَإِنَّهُمُ الْآنَ آمِنُونَ، وَقَدْ خَرَجَتْ خُيُولُهُمْ فِي طَلَبِ إِخْوَانِكُمْ، فَوَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُوَ أَنْ لَا تَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ خَيْلُهُمْ حَتَّى تَسْتَبِيحُوا عَسْكَرَهُمْ، وَتَقْتُلُوا أَمِيرَهُمْ. فَفَعَلَ النَّاسُ ذَلِكَ، فَزَحَفَ بِهِمْ الْمُهَلَّبُ بْنُ أَبِي صُفْرَةَ عَلَى عَسْكَرِ الْخَوَارِجِ، فَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمْ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا نَحْوًا مِنْ سَبْعَةِ آلَافٍ، وَقَتَلَ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ الْمَاحُوزِ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ مِنَ الْأَزَارِقَةِ، وَاحْتَازَ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ شَيْئًا كَثِيرًا، وَقَدْ أَرْصَدَ الْمُهَلَّبُ خُيُولًا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الَّذِينَ يَرْجِعُونَ مِنْ طَلَبِ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ، فَجَعَلُوا يُقْتَطَعُونَ دُونَ قَوْمِهِمْ، وَانْهَزَمَ فَلُّهُمْ إِلَى كَرْمَانَ وَأَرْضِ أَصْبَهَانَ، وَأَقَامَ الْمُهَلَّبُ بِالْأَهْوَازِ حَتَّى قَدِمَ مُصْعَبُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ، وَعَزَلَ عَنْهَا الْحَارِثَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبِيعَةَ. شعر بعض الخوارج لما رأى قتال أصحاب المهلب بالحجارة ( قَالَ بَعْضُ الْخَوَارِجِ لَمَّا رَأَى قِتَالَ أَصْحَابِ الْمُهَلَّبِ بِالْحِجَارَةِ: أَتَانَا بِأَحْجَارٍ لِيَقْتُلَنَا بِهَا وَهَلْ تُقْتَلُ الْأَقْرَانُ وَيْحَكَ بِالْحَجَرِ ! ( وَفِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ يَقُولُ الصَّلَتَانِ الْعَبْدِيُّ: بِسِلَّى وَسِلَّبْرَى مَصَارِعُ فِتْيَةٍ كِرَامٍ وَقَتْلَى لَمْ تُوَسَّدْ خُدُودُهَا استخلاف الخوارج الزبير بن الماحوز فَلَمَّا قُتِلَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمَاحُوزِ ) اسْتَخْلَفَ الْخَوَارِجُ الزُّبَيْرَ بْنَ الْمَاحُوزِ: وَكَتَبَ الْمُهَلَّبُ إِلَى الْحَارِثِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبِيعَةَ يُعَرِّفُهُ ظَفَرَهُ، فَأَرْسَلَ الْحَارِثُ الْكِتَابَ إِلَى ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بِمَكَّةَ لِيَقْرَأَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ هُنَاكَ، وَكَتَبَ الْحَارِثُ إِلَى الْمُهَلَّبِ: ( أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي كِتَابُكَ تَذْكُرُ فِيهِ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ وَظَفَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَهَنِيئًا لَكَ يَا أَخَا الْأَزْدِ شَرَفُ الدُّنْيَا وَعِزُّهَا وَثَوَابُ الْآخِرَةِ وَفَضْلُهَا. فَلَمَّا قَرَأَ الْمُهَلَّبُ كِتَابَهُ ضَحِكَ وَقَالَ: أَمَا يَعْرِفُنِي إِلَّا بِأَخِي الْأَزْدِ ! مَا هُوَ إِلَّا أَعْرَابِيٌّ جَافٍ ). وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَعْمَرٍ قَاتَلَ الْخَوَارِجَ وَنَافِعَ بْنَ الْأَزْرَقِ قَبْلَ مُسْلِمٍ، فَقُتِلَ عُثْمَانُ وَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُهُ بَعْدَ أَنْ قُتِلَ مِنَ الْخَوَارِجِ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَسُيِّرَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ بَعْدَهُ حَارِثَةُ بْنُ بَدْرٍ الْغُدَانِيُّ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُمْ عَرَفَ أَنَّهُ لَا طَاقَةَ لَهُ بِهِمْ فَقَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: كَرْنِبُوا وَدَوْلِبُوا كَيْفَ شِئْتُمْ فَاذْهَبُوا يَعْنِي مَا شَاءَ، ثُمَّ سَارَ بَعْدَهُ مُسْلِمُ بْنُ عُبَيْسٍ ). وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ الْمُهَلَّبَ لَمَّا دَفَعَ الْخَوَارِجَ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ إِلَى نَاحِيَةِ الْأَهْوَازِ أَقَامَ بَقِيَّةَ سَنَتِهِ يَجْبِي كُوَرَ دِجْلَةَ، وَرَزَقَ أَصْحَابَهُ، وَأَتَاهُ الْمَدَدُ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ حَتَّى بَلَغَ أَصْحَابُهُ ثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفًا. فَعَلَى هَذَا يَكُونُ هَزِيمَةُ الْخَوَارِجِ سَنَةَ سِتٍّ وَسِتِّينَ.
Translation
✧ The fighting of al-Muhallab against the Khawārij When the Khawārij drew near al-Baṣrah, its people came to al-Aḥnaf b. Qays and asked him to take charge of fighting them. He pointed to al-Muhallab b. Abī Ṣufrah because of the courage, judgment, and knowledge of war he knew him to possess. Al-Muhallab had recently arrived from Ibn al-Zubayr, who had appointed him over Khurāsān. Al-Aḥnaf said: 'There is no one for this matter but al-Muhallab.' The notables of the people of al-Baṣrah went out to him and spoke with him, but he refused. Al-Ḥārith b. Abī Rabīʿah spoke with him, and he excused himself on account of his appointment over Khurāsān. So al-Ḥārith and the people of al-Baṣrah fabricated a letter to him, purportedly from Ibn al-Zubayr, commanding him to fight the Khawārij, and brought him the letter. When he read it, he said: 'By God, I will not march against them unless you grant me whatever I conquer and allot me from the treasury what I can use to strengthen those with me.' They agreed to that and wrote him a document to that effect, and they sent to Ibn al-Zubayr, who ratified it. Al-Muhallab then chose from the people of al-Baṣrah, from those whose bravery and courage he knew, twelve thousand men, among them Muḥammad b. Wāsiʿ, ʿAbd Allāh b. Riyāḥ al-Anṣārī, Muʿāwiyah b. Qurrah al-Muzanī, and Abū ʿImrān al-Jawnī. Al-Muhallab marched out to the Khawārij, who were at the Lesser Bridge. He fought them while he was at the head of the people and their notables, and he drove them back from the bridge. Before that, they had been on the point of entering; so they moved up to the Greater Bridge, both cavalry and infantry. When they saw that he was drawing near them, they moved up beyond that. When Ḥārithah b. Badr learned that al-Muhallab had been given command over the fight against the Azāriqah, he said to the people with him: 'Crabble and windlass wherever you wish, so go!' He then headed with those who were with him toward al-Baṣrah. Al-Ḥārith b. Abī Rabīʿah sent him back to al-Muhallab, but Ḥārithah boarded a boat on the Dujayl canal heading for al-Baṣrah. A man of Tamīm came to him wearing his weapons with the Khawārij behind him. The Tamīmī shouted to Ḥārithah seeking his help so that he would take him aboard. He brought the boat close to the bank of the canal, which was a steep edge. The Tamīmī leaped into it, and it sank with all who were in it, and they drowned. As for al-Muhallab, he marched until he encamped near the Khawārij while they were at the Tīrā canal; they withdrew from him to al-Ahwāz. Al-Muhallab sent spies to their camp to bring him news of them. When their news reached him, he marched toward them, leaving his brother al-Muʿārik b. Abī Ṣufrah as his deputy at the Tīrā canal. When he reached al-Ahwāz, the Khawārij fought his vanguard, which was under his son al-Mughīrah b. al-Muhallab b. Abī Ṣufrah. His companions wavered, then returned. When the Khawārij saw their steadfastness, they moved from the market of al-Ahwāz to Manādhir. He marched after them, and when he drew near them, the Khawārij sent a force against them under Wāqid, the client of Abū Ṣufrah, to the Tīrā canal, where al-Muʿārik was. They killed him and crucified him. The news reached al-Muhallab, so he sent his son al-Mughīrah to the Tīrā canal. He took down his uncle al-Muʿārik and buried him; the people settled there, and he left a group as his deputy there and returned to his father, who had encamped at Sūlāf. Al-Muhallab was very cautious and wary. He would not encamp except within a trench, and he kept his forces in battle order and personally took charge of the guard. When he confronted the Khawārij at Sūlāf, they mounted and stood before him, and the two sides fought a fierce battle in which both showed endurance. Then the Khawārij launched a sincere charge against al-Muhallab and his companions, and they were routed, and some of them were killed. Al-Muhallab held firm, and his son al-Mughīrah displayed that day an excellent feat whose mark was evident. Al-Muhallab called out to his companions, and they returned to him, with them a large body of about four thousand horsemen. The next day he wanted to fight with those with him, but some of his companions forbade him because of their weakness and the many wounds among them. So he abandoned fighting and marched off, crossed the Dujayl, and encamped at al-ʿĀqūl, which could be approached only from one direction. Poem of Ibn Qays al-Ruqayyāt on the day of Sūlāf (and about the day of Sūlāf Ibn Qays al-Ruqayyāt says: 'Alas, a night-visitant from the tribe of Mayyah has come, although she is beloved for her coquetry and passionately in love. She walks with a swaying gait while the land of al-Sūs lies between me and her, and Sūlāf is a rural district which the Azāriqah protected. Whenever we were scattered, a band met us, a Ḥarūrī band that had become apostates from the religion. They crossed over to us past both the two camps, and so she spent the night embracing us without a cover.' And one of the Khawārij said about it: 'How many we left on the day of Sūlāf among them as captives and slain whose fate is in the blazing fire.' The poets spoke much about it. When al-Muhallab reached al-ʿĀqūl, he encamped there and stayed three days. Then he departed and marched toward the Khawārij, who were at Sillā and Sillabrā. He encamped near them. He often did things that he would tell people about to encourage them to fight, but of which no trace would be seen, until a poet said: 'You are the hero, the complete hero, if only you truly did what you say.' Some called him the liar, and some people thought he was a liar in every case, but that is not so; he only did that as a stratagem against the enemy. When al-Muhallab encamped near the Khawārij and dug a trench around his camp, he set outposts, lit watch-fires, posted guards, and placed the people under their banners and at their stations, with the gates of the trench guarded. When the Khawārij wanted to attack him by night or take him unawares, they found a well-ordered affair and turned back. No one who fought them was harsher on them than he. Then the Khawārij sent ʿUbaydah b. Hilāl and al-Zubayr b. al-Māḥūz with a force at night to al-Muhallab's camp to make a night raid. They shouted at the people on their right and left but found them in battle order and on guard, so they gained nothing from them. In the morning al-Muhallab went out to them in battle order. He placed al-Azd and Tamīm on the right wing, Bakr b. Wāʾil and ʿAbd al-Qays on the left wing, and the people of al-ʿĀliyah in the center. The Khawārij came out with ʿUbaydah b. Hilāl al-Yashkurī on their right wing and al-Zubayr b. al-Māḥūz on their left wing. They were better equipped and had nobler horses than the people of al-Baṣrah because they had raided the land and stripped it from Kirmān to al-Ahwāz. The people met and fought the fiercest of battles, and both sides held firm for most of the day. Then the Khawārij launched a monstrous charge against the people, and they fled and were routed, no one turning to another, until the rout reached al-Baṣrah, and its people feared captivity. As for al-Muhallab, he got ahead of the routed men and halted in an elevated place, and he began to call out: 'To me, servants of God!' Three thousand brave horsemen of his army gathered to him. He stood among them as an orator and said in his address: 'Now then, O people, God Almighty sometimes leaves a numerous host to themselves and they are defeated, and He sends down victory upon a small host and they prevail. By my life, you are not now few; you are the horsemen of the garrison city and the people of victory. I would not like any of those who fled to be with you now; if they were among you, they would only add to your disorder.' Then he said: 'I adjure every man of you to take ten stones with him, then march with us to their camp; for they are now secure, and their horsemen have gone out in pursuit of your brothers. By God, I hope their horsemen will not return to them until you have plundered their camp and killed their commander.' The people did that, and al-Muhallab b. Abī Ṣufrah advanced with them against the camp of the Khawārij. He killed a great number of them, about seven thousand, and killed ʿUbayd Allāh b. al-Māḥūz along with a large group of the Azāriqah, and he seized much of their property. Al-Muhallab had placed horsemen in ambush between him and those who were returning from pursuing the people of al-Baṣrah, and they were cut off from their comrades. Their remnant fled to Kirmān and the land of Iṣbahān. Al-Muhallab remained at al-Ahwāz until Muṣʿab b. al-Zubayr came to al-Baṣrah and dismissed al-Ḥārith b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī Rabīʿah from it. Poem of one of the Khawārij when he saw the fighting of al-Muhallab's companions with stones (one of the Khawārij said when he saw the fighting of al-Muhallab's companions with stones: 'He came to us with stones to kill us with them; and can champions, woe to you, be killed with a stone!' (And about this day al-Ṣaltān al-ʿAbdī says: 'At Sillā and Sillabrā are the death-places of youths, noble ones, and slain whose cheeks were not laid upon pillows.' The Khawārij appoint al-Zubayr b. al-Māḥūz as successor. When ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Māḥūz was killed, the Khawārij appointed al-Zubayr b. al-Māḥūz as successor: Al-Muhallab wrote to al-Ḥārith b. Abī Rabīʿah informing him of his victory. Al-Ḥārith sent the letter to Ibn al-Zubayr in Makkah so that it could be read to the people there. Al-Ḥārith wrote to al-Muhallab: 'Now then, your letter has reached me in which you mention God's help and the victory of the Muslims. Congratulations to you, O brother of al-Azd, on the honor and might of this world and the reward and excellence of the hereafter.' When al-Muhallab read his letter, he laughed and said: 'Does he know me only as the brother of al-Azd? He is nothing but a rude Bedouin.' It is said that ʿUthmān b. ʿUbayd Allāh b. Maʿmar fought the Khawārij and Nāfiʿ b. al-Azraq before Muslim, and ʿUthmān was killed and his companions routed after a great number of the Khawārij had been killed. Then Ḥārithah b. Badr al-Ghudānī was sent against them from al-Baṣrah after him. When he saw them, he knew he had no power against them, so he said to his companions: 'Crabble and windlass however you wish, so go!' meaning whatever they wished. Then after him Muslim b. ʿUbays marched. It is said that when al-Muhallab drove the Khawārij from al-Baṣrah to the region of al-Ahwāz, he remained for the rest of that year collecting the taxes of the districts of the Tigris and paying his companions, and reinforcements came to him from al-Baṣrah until his companions reached thirty thousand. According to this, the defeat of the Khawārij would have been in the year sixty-six.
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