Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2274
The Year 67 AH
مَقْتَلِ ابْنِ زِيَادٍ وفي سَنَةُ سَبْعٍ وَسِتِّينَ كَانَ مَقْتَلُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَلَى يَدَيْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْأَشْتَرِ النَّخَعِيِّ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنَ الْأَشْتَرِ خَرَجَ مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ لِثَمَانٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ فِي السَّنَةِ الْمَاضِيَةِ، ثُمَّ اسْتَهَلَّتْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةُ وَهُوَ سَائِرٌ لِقَصْدِ ابْنِ زِيَادٍ فِي أَرْضِ الْمَوْصِلِ فَكَانَ اجْتِمَاعُهُمَا بِمَكَانٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ: الْخَازِرُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْمَوْصِلِ خَمْسَةُ فَرَاسِخَ، وَأَرْسَلَ عُمَيْرُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ السُّلَمِيُّ، وَهُوَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ ابْنِ زِيَادٍ، إِلَى ابْنِ الْأَشْتَرِ: أَنِ الْقَنِي، وَكَانَتْ قَيْسٌ كُلُّهَا مُضْطَغِنَةً عَلَى ابْنِ مَرْوَانَ وَقْعَةَ مَرْجِ رَاهِطٍ، وَجُنْدُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ يَوْمَئِذٍ كَلْبٌ. فَاجْتَمَعَ عُمَيْرٌ وَابْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ عُمَيْرٌ أَنَّهُ عَلَى مَيْسَرَةِ ابْنِ زِيَادٍ، وَوَاعَدَهُ أَنْ يَنْهَزِمَ بِالنَّاسِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ: مَا رَأْيُكَ ؟ أُخَنْدِقُ عَلَيَّ وَأَتَوَقَّفُ يَوْمَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلَاثَةً ؟ فَقَالَ عُمَيْرٌ: لَا تَفْعَلْ، وَهَلْ يُرِيدُونَ إِلَّا هَذَا ؟ فَإِنَّ الْمُطَاوَلَةَ خَيْرٌ لَهُمْ، وَهُمْ كَثِيرٌ أَضْعَافُكُمْ، وَلَيْسَ يُطِيقُ الْقَلِيلُ الْكَثِيرَ فِي الْمُطَاوَلَةِ، وَلَكِنْ نَاجِزِ الْقَوْمَ، فَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ مُلِئُوا مِنْكُمْ رُعْبًا، وَإِنْ هُمْ شَامُّوا أَصْحَابَكَ، وَقَاتَلُوهُمْ يَوْمًا بَعْدَ يَوْمٍ، وَمَرَّةً بَعْدَ مَرَّةٍ - أَنِسُوا بِهِمْ وَاجْتَرَءُوا عَلَيْهِمْ. وَقَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ: الْآنَ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ لِي مُنَاصِحٌ، وَبِهَذَا أَوْصَانِي صَاحِبِي. قَالَ عُمَيْرٌ: أَطِعْهُ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْخَ قَدْ ضَرَّسَتْهُ الْحَرْبُ وَقَاسَى مِنْهَا مَا لَمْ يُقَاسِهِ أَحَدٌ، وَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَنَاهِضْهُمْ. وَعَادَ عُمَيْرٌ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ وَأَذْكَى ابْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ حَرَسَهُ، وَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ عَيْنَهُ غَمْضٌ، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ السَّحَرُ الْأَوَّلُ عَبَّأَ أَصْحَابَهُ، وَكَتَّبَ كَتَائِبَهُ، وَأَمَرَ أُمَرَاءَهُ، فَجَعَلَ سُفْيَانَ بْنَ يَزِيدَ الْأَزْدِيَّ عَلَى مَيْمَنَتِهِ، وَعَلِيَّ بْنَ مَالِكٍ الْجُشَمِيَّ عَلَى مَيْسَرَتِهِ، وَهُوَ أَخُو الْأَحْوَصِ، وَجَعَلَ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَهُوَ أَخُو إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْأَشْتَرِ لِأُمِّهِ، عَلَى الْخَيْلِ، وَكَانَتْ خَيْلُهُ قَلِيلَةً، وَجَعَلَ الطُّفَيْلَ بْنَ لَقِيطٍ عَلَى الرَّجَّالَةِ، وَكَانَتْ رَايَتُهُ مَعَ مُزَاحِمِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ. فَلَمَّا انْفَجَرَ الْفَجْرُ صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ بِغَلَسٍ، ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَصَفَّ أَصْحَابَهُ، وَأَلْحَقَ كُلَّ أَمِيرٍ بِمَكَانِهِ، وَنَزَلَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَمْشِي وَيُحَرِّضُ النَّاسَ وَيُمَنِّيهِمُ الظَّفَرَ، وَسَارَ بِهِمْ رُوَيْدًا، فَأَشْرَفَ عَلَى تَلٍّ عَظِيمٍ مُشْرِفٍ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ، وَإِذَا أُولَئِكَ الْقَوْمُ لَمْ يَتَحَرَّكْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ، فَأَرْسَلَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ زُهَيْرٍ السَّلُولِيَّ لِيَأْتِيَهُ بِخَبَرِ الْقَوْمِ، فَعَادَ إِلَيْهِ وَقَالَ لَهُ: قَدْ خَرَجَ الْقَوْمُ عَلَى دَهَشٍ وَفَشَلٍ، لَقِيَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ كَلَامٌ إِلَّا: يَا شِيعَةَ أَبِي تُرَابٍ ! يَا شِيعَةَ الْمُخْتَارِ الْكَذَّابِ ! قَالَ: فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: الَّذِي بَيْنَنَا أَجَلُّ مِنَ الشَّتْمِ. فَرَكَبَ ابْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ فَرَسَهُ وَجَعَلَ يَقِفُ عَلَى رَايَاتِ الْقَبَائِلِ فَيُحَرِّضُهُمْ عَلَى قِتَالِ ابْنِ زِيَادٍ وَيَقُولُ: هَذَا قَاتَلُ ابْنَ بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، قَدْ جَاءَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَأَمْكَنَكُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ الْيَوْمَ، فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِهِ، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ فَعَلَ فِي ابْنِ بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ فِرْعَوْنُ فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ! هَذَا ابْنُ زِيَادٍ قَاتِلُ الْحُسَيْنِ الَّذِي حَالَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ مَاءِ الْفُرَاتِ أَنْ يَشْرَبَ مِنْهُ هُوَ وَأَوْلَادُهُ وَنِسَاؤُهُ، وَمَنَعَهُ أَنْ يَنْصَرِفَ إِلَى بَلَدِهِ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ يَزِيدَ بْنَ مُعَاوِيَةَ حَتَّى قَتَلَهُ ! وَيْحَكُمْ، اشْفُوا صُدُورَكُمْ مِنْهُ، وَارْوُوا رِمَاحَكُمْ وَسُيُوفَكُمْ مِنْ دَمِهِ، هَذَا الَّذِي فَعَلَ فِي آلِ نَبِيِّكُمْ مَا فَعَلَ، قَدْ جَاءَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ. ثُمَّ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ هَذَا الْقَوْلِ وَأَمْثَالِهِ، ثُمَّ نَزَلَ تَحْتَ رَايَتِهِ. وَأَقْبَلَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ فِي جَيْشٍ كَثِيفٍ فَمَا كَانَ إِلَّا أَنْ تَوَاقَفَ الْفَرِيقَانِ حَتَّى حَمَلَ حُصَيْنُ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ بِالْمَيْمَنَةِ عَلَى مَيْسَرَةِ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ فَهَزَمَهَا، وَقُتِلَ أَمِيرُهَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مَالِكٍ الْجُشَمِيُّ فَأَخْذَ رَايَتَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَلَدُهُ قُرَّةُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ فَقُتِلَ أَيْضًا، وَاسْتَمَرَّتِ الْمَيْسَرَةُ ذَاهِبَةً فَجَعَلَ ابْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ يُنَادِيهِمْ: إِلَيَّ يَا شُرْطَةَ اللَّهِ، أَنَا ابْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ. وَقَدْ كَشَفَ عَنْ رَأْسِهِ لِيَعْرِفُوهُ فَالْتَاثُوا بِهِ وَانْعَطَفُوا عَلَيْهِ، وَاجْتَمَعُوا إِلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ حَمَلَتْ مَيْمَنَةُ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ عَلَى مَيْسَرَةِ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ وَقِيلَ: بَلِ انْهَزَمَتْ مَيْسَرَةُ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ وَانْحَازَتْ إِلَى ابْنِ الْأَشْتَرِ، ثُمَّ حَمَلَ ابْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ بِمَنْ مَعَهُ وَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِ رَايَتِهِ: ادْخُلْ بِرَايَتِكَ فِيهِمْ. وَقَاتَلَ ابْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ يَوْمَئِذٍ قِتَالًا عَظِيمًا، وَكَانَ لَا يَضْرِبُ بِسَيْفِهِ رَجُلًا إِلَّا صَرَعَهُ، وَكَثُرَتِ الْقَتْلَى بَيْنَهُمْ وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ مَيْسَرَةَ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ ثَبَتُوا وَقَاتَلُوا قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا بِالرِّمَاحِ ثُمَّ بِالسُّيُوفِ، ثُمَّ أَرْدَفَ الْحَمْلَةَ ابْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ، فَانْهَزَمَ جَيْشُ الشَّامِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَجَعَلَ يَقْتُلُهُمْ كَمَا تُقْتَلُ الْحُمْلَانِ، وَأَتْبَعَهُمْ بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الشُّجْعَانِ، وَثَبَتَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ فِي مَوْقِفِهِ حَتَّى اجْتَازَ بِهِ ابْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ فَقَتَلَهُ، وَهُوَ لَا يَعْرِفُهُ، لَكِنْ قَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: الْتَمِسُوا فِي الْقَتْلَى رَجُلًا ضَرَبْتُهُ بِالسَّيْفِ فَنَفَحَنِي مِنْهُ رِيحُ الْمِسْكِ، شَرَّقَتْ يَدَاهُ وَغَرَّبَتْ رِجْلَاهُ وَهُوَ وَاقِفٌ عِنْدَ رَايَةٍ مُنْفَرِدَةٍ عَلَى شَاطِئِ نَهْرِ خَازِرَ، فَالْتَمَسُوهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ وَإِذَا هُوَ قَدْ ضَرَبَهُ ابْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ فَقَطَعَهُ نِصْفَيْنِ، فَاحْتَزُّوا رَأَسَهُ وَبَعَثُوهُ إِلَى الْمُخْتَارِ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ مَعَ الْبِشَارَةِ بِالنَّصْرِ وَالظَّفَرِ بِأَهْلِ الشَّامِ. وَقُتِلَ مِنْ رُءُوسِ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ أَيْضًا حُصَيْنُ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، وَ شُرَحْبِيلُ بْنُ ذِي الْكَلَاعِ، وَأَتْبَعَ الْكُوفِيُّونَ أَهْلَ الشَّامِ فَقَتَلُوا مِنْهُمْ مَقْتَلَةً عَظِيمَةً وَغَرِقَ مِنْهُمْ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّنْ قُتِلَ، وَاحْتَازُوا مَا كَانَ فِي مُعَسْكَرِهِمْ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْخُيُولِ. وَقَدْ كَانَ الْمُخْتَارُ بِشَّرَ أَصْحَابَهُ بِالنَّصْرِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَجِيءَ الْخَبَرُ فَمَا نَدْرِي أَكَانَ ذَلِكَ تَفَاؤُلًا مِنْهُ أَوِ اتِّفَاقًا وَقْعَ لَهُ أَوْ كِهَانَةً - وَأَمَّا عَلَى مَا كَانَ يَزْعُمُ أَصْحَابُهُ أَنَّهُ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْهِ بِذَلِكَ فَلَا، فَإِنَّ مَنِ اعْتَقَدَ ذَلِكَ كَفَرَ، وَمَنْ أَقَرَّهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ كَفَرَ - لَكِنْ قَالَ: إِنَّ الْوَقْعَةَ كَانَتْ بِنَصِيبِينَ. فَأَخْطَأَ مَكَانَهَا، فَإِنَّهَا إِنَّمَا كَانَتْ بِأَرْضِ الْمَوْصِلِ، وَهَذَا مِمَّا انْتَقَدَهُ عَامِرٌ الشَّعْبِيُّ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ الْمُخْتَارِ حِينَ جَاءَهُ الْخَبَرُ بِالْفَتْحِ، وَقَدْ خَرَجَ الْمُخْتَارُ مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ لِيَتَلَقَّى الْبِشَارَةَ، فَأَتَى الْمَدَائِنَ فَصَعِدَ مِنْبَرَهَا، فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يَخْطُبُ إِذْ جَاءَتْهُ الْبِشَارَةُ وَهُوَ هُنَالِكَ. قَالَ الشَّعْبِيُّ: فَقَالَ لِي بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ: أَمَا سَمِعْتُهُ بِالْأَمْسِ يُخْبِرُنَا بِهَذَا ؟ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: إِنَّهُ زَعَمَ أَنَّ الْوَقْعَةَ كَانَتْ بِنَصِيبِينَ مِنْ أَرْضِ الْجَزِيرَةِ وَإِنَّمَا قَالَ الْبَشِيرُ: إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا بِالْخَازِرِ مِنْ أَرْضِ الْمَوْصِلِ. فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَا تُؤْمِنُ يَا شَعْبِيُّ حَتَّى تَرَى الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ. خروج جماعة ممن قاتل المختار يوم جبانة السبيع والكناسة إلى البصرة ثُمَّ رَجَعَ الْمُخْتَارُ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ وَفَى غَيْبَتِهِ هَذِهِ تَمَكَّنَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِمَّنْ كَانَ قَاتَلَهُ يَوْمَ جَبَّانَةِ السَّبِيعِ وَالْكُنَاسَةِ مِنَ الْخُرُوجِ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ لِيَجْتَمِعُوا بِمُصْعَبِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَكَانَ مِنْهُمْ شَبَثُ بْنُ رِبْعِيٍّ، وَأَمَّا ابْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ فَإِنَّهُ بَعَثَ بِالْبِشَارَةِ وَرَأَسِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَى الْمُخْتَارِ، وَاسْتَقَلَّ هُوَ فِي تِلْكَ الْبِلَادِ فَبَعَثَ أَخَاهُ لِأُمِّهِ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَى نِيَابَةِ نَصِيبِينَ، وَبَعَثَ عُمَّالًا إِلَى الْمَوْصِلِ، وَأَخَذَ سِنْجَارَ وَدَارَا وَمَا وَالَاهَا مِنَ الْجَزِيرَةِ. وَقَالَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ الْحَاكِمُ: كَانَ مَقْتَلُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ سَنَةَ سِتٍّ وَسِتِّينَ وَالصَّوَابُ سَنَةَ سَبْعٍ وَسِتِّينَ. وَقَدْ قَالَ سُرَاقَةُ بْنُ مِرْدَاسٍ الْبَارِقِيُّ يَمْدَحُ ابْنَ الْأَشْتَرِ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ ابْنَ زِيَادٍ: أَتَاكُمْ غُلَامٌ مِنْ عَرَانِينِ مَذْحِجٍ جَرِيءٌ عَلَى الْأَعْدَاءِ غَيْرُ نَكُولِ فَيَا ابْنَ زِيَادٍ بُؤْ بِأَعْظَمِ مَالِكٍ وَذُقْ حَدَّ مَاضِي الشَّفْرَتَيْنِ صَقِيلِ ضَرَبْنَاكَ بِالْعَضْبِ الْحُسَامِ بِحَدِّهِ إِذَا مَا أَبَأْنَا قَاتِلًا بِقَتِيلِ جَزَى اللَّهُ خَيْرًا شُرْطَةَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُمْ شَفَوْا مِنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ أَمْسِ غَلِيلِي
Translation
✧ The Killing of Ibn Ziyād In the year sixty-seven was the killing of ʿUbayd Allāh b. Ziyād at the hands of Ibrāhīm b. al-Ashtar al-Nakhaʿī. That is because Ibrāhīm b. al-Ashtar departed from al-Kūfah on Saturday, with eight nights remaining of Dhū al-Ḥijjah in the previous year, then this year began while he was marching to seek Ibn Ziyād in the land of al-Mawṣil. Their meeting was at a place called al-Khāzir, between it and al-Mawṣil five farsakhs. ʿUmayr b. al-Ḥubāb al-Sulamī, who was one of Ibn Ziyād's companions, sent to Ibn al-Ashtar: "Come to me." All of Qays bore resentment against Ibn Marwān because of the battle of Marj Rāhiṭ, and the army of ʿAbd al-Malik that day was Kalb. ʿUmayr and Ibn al-Ashtar met, and ʿUmayr informed him that he was on the left wing of Ibn Ziyād, and promised him that he would flee with the people. Ibn al-Ashtar said to him: "What is your opinion? Should I dig a trench around myself and halt for two or three days?" ʿUmayr said: "Do not do that. Do they want anything but this? Protraction is better for them, for they are many times your number, and the few cannot withstand the many in protraction. But attack the people immediately, for they have been filled with terror of you. If they get a taste of your companions and fight them day after day and time after time, they will grow accustomed to them and become bold against them." Ibrāhīm said: "Now I know that you are a sincere adviser to me, and this is what my companion enjoined upon me." ʿUmayr said: "Obey him, for the old man has been seasoned by war and has endured from it what no one else has endured. When morning comes, advance against them." ʿUmayr returned to his companions, and Ibn al-Ashtar kindled his guards, and no sleep entered his eye. When the first pre-dawn came, he marshaled his companions, organized his battalions, and commanded his commanders. He placed Sufyān b. Yazīd al-Azdī over his right wing, and ʿAlī b. Mālik al-Jushamī over his left wing—he was the brother of al-Aḥwaṣ—and he placed ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. ʿAbd Allāh, who was the maternal brother of Ibrāhīm b. al-Ashtar, over the cavalry, and his cavalry was few. He placed al-Ṭufayl b. Laqīṭ over the infantry, and his banner was with Muzāḥim b. Mālik. When dawn broke, he prayed the morning prayer in the dark, then went out and drew up his companions in ranks, attaching each commander to his position. Ibrāhīm dismounted and walked among the people, inciting them and promising them victory. He marched with them slowly, and came upon a great hill overlooking the people. Those people had not moved at all. He sent ʿAbd Allāh b. Zuhayr al-Salūlī to bring him news of the people. He returned to him and said: "The people have come out in confusion and dismay. A man of theirs met me, and he had no words except: 'O followers of Abū Turāb! O followers of al-Mukhtār the liar!' I said to him: 'What is between us is greater than abuse.'" Ibn al-Ashtar mounted his horse and began to stand before the banners of the tribes, inciting them to fight Ibn Ziyād, saying: "This is the killer of the son of the daughter of the Messenger of God ﷺ. God has brought him to you and enabled you against him today. So go after him, for he did to the son of the daughter of the Messenger of God ﷺ what Pharaoh did not do to the Children of Israel! This is Ibn Ziyād, the killer of al-Ḥusayn, who came between him and the water of the Euphrates so that he could not drink from it, he and his children and his women, and prevented him from returning to his land or going to Yazīd b. Muʿāwiyah until he killed him! Woe to you, heal your breasts of him, and quench your lances and swords with his blood. This is the one who did to the family of your Prophet what he did. God has brought him to you." Then he repeated much of this speech and its like, then dismounted beneath his banner. Ibn Ziyād advanced with a dense army. No sooner had the two parties faced each other than Ḥuṣayn b. Numayr charged with the right wing against the left wing of the people of Iraq and routed it, and its commander ʿAlī b. Mālik al-Jushamī was killed. His son Qurrah b. ʿAlī took up his banner after him and was also killed. The left wing kept fleeing, and Ibn al-Ashtar called to them: "To me, O troops of God! I am Ibn al-Ashtar." He uncovered his head so that they would recognize him. They rallied to him and turned back to him and gathered around him. Then the right wing of the people of al-Kūfah charged against the left wing of the people of Syria—and it is said: rather, the left wing of the people of Syria fled and joined Ibn al-Ashtar. Then Ibn al-Ashtar charged with those who were with him, saying to the bearer of his banner: "Enter with your banner among them." Ibn al-Ashtar fought that day a mighty fight. He did not strike a man with his sword but he felled him, and the slain became many among them. It is said that the left wing of the people of Syria stood firm and fought fiercely with lances, then with swords. Then Ibn al-Ashtar followed up with a second charge, and the army of Syria fled before him, and he killed them as lambs are killed. He pursued them himself with the brave men who were with him. ʿUbayd Allāh b. Ziyād remained in his position until Ibn al-Ashtar passed by him and killed him, not recognizing him. But he said to his companions: "Look among the slain for a man whom I struck with the sword, and from him the scent of musk wafted to me; his hands were parted and his legs were parted, and he was standing by an isolated banner on the bank of the river Khāzir." They looked for him, and it was ʿUbayd Allāh b. Ziyād. Ibn al-Ashtar had struck him and cut him in two. They cut off his head and sent it to al-Mukhtār in al-Kūfah with the good news of victory and triumph over the people of Syria. Among the slain leaders of the people of Syria also were Ḥuṣayn b. Numayr and Shuraḥbīl b. Dhī al-Kalāʿ. The Kufans pursued the people of Syria and killed a great number of them, and more of them drowned than were killed. They seized what was in their camp of wealth and horses. Al-Mukhtār had given his companions good news of victory before the news came. We do not know whether that was optimism on his part, or a coincidence that befell him, or divination—but as for what his companions claimed, that it was revealed to him, no; for whoever believes that has disbelieved, and whoever approves of them in that has disbelieved—but he said: "The battle was at Naṣībīn." He erred about its location, for it was only in the land of al-Mawṣil. This is what ʿĀmir al-Shaʿbī criticized about the companions of al-Mukhtār when the news of the victory came to him. Al-Mukhtār had gone out from al-Kūfah to receive the good news, and came to al-Madāʾin and ascended its pulpit. While he was delivering a sermon, the good news came to him there. Al-Shaʿbī said: One of his companions said to me: "Did you not hear him yesterday telling us of this?" I said to him: "He claimed that the battle was at Naṣībīn in the land of al-Jazīrah, but the bearer of good news said that they were at al-Khāzir in the land of al-Mawṣil." He said: "By God, you will not believe, O Shaʿbī, until you see the painful punishment." The departure of a group of those who fought al-Mukhtār on the day of Jabbānat al-Sabīʿ and al-Kunāsah to al-Baṣrah. Then al-Mukhtār returned to al-Kūfah, and during this absence of his, a group of those who had fought him on the day of Jabbānat al-Sabīʿ and al-Kunāsah were able to go out to al-Baṣrah to join Muṣʿab b. al-Zubayr. Among them was Shabath b. Ribʿī. As for Ibn al-Ashtar, he sent the good news and the head of ʿUbayd Allāh to al-Mukhtār, and he remained in those lands. He sent his maternal brother ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. ʿAbd Allāh as his deputy over Naṣībīn, and sent governors to al-Mawṣil, and took Sinjār and Dārā and what bordered them of al-Jazīrah. Abū Aḥmad al-Ḥākim said: The killing of ʿUbayd Allāh b. Ziyād was on the day of ʿĀshūrāʾ in the year sixty-six, but the correct view is the year sixty-seven. Surāqah b. Mirdās al-Bāriqī said, praising Ibn al-Ashtar for killing Ibn Ziyād: A youth came to you from the nobles of Madhḥij, bold against enemies, not one to hold back. So, O Ibn Ziyād, suffer with the greatest of your wealth, and taste the edge of a sharp, polished two-edged blade. We struck you with the cutting, sharp sword with its edge, when we matched a killer with a slain one. May God reward with good the troops of God, for they healed, from ʿUbayd Allāh, yesterday my burning thirst.
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