Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2310
The Year Seventy of the Hijrah
يَوْمُ الْبِشْرِ لِمَا اسْتَقَرَّ الْأَمْرُ لِعَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ، وَاجْتَمَعَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ عَلَيْهِ - قَدِمَ عَلَيْهِ الْأَخْطَلُ الشَّاعِرُ التَّغْلِبِيُّ، وَعِنْدَهُ الْجَحَّافُ بْنُ حُكَيْمٍ السُّلَمِيُّ، فَقَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ: أَتَعْرِفُ هَذَا يَا أَخْطَلُ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، هَذَا الَّذِي أَقُولُ فِيهِ: أَلَا سَائِلِ الْجَحَّافَ هَلْ هُوَ ثَائِرٌ بِقَتْلَى أُصِيبَتْ مِنْ سُلَيْمٍ وَعَامِرِ وَأَنْشَدَ الْقَصِيدَةَ حَتَّى فَرَغَ مِنْهَا، وَكَانَ الْجَحَّافُ يَأْكُلُ رُطَبًا، فَجَعَلَ النَّوَى يَتَسَاقَطُ مِنْ يَدِهِ غَيْظًا، وَأَجَابَهُ وَقَالَ: بَلَى سَوْفَ نُبْكِيهِمْ بِكُلِّ مُهَنَّدٍ وَنَنْعَى عُمَيْرًا بِالرِّمَاحِ الشَّوَاجِرِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا ابْنَ النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ، مَا كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنْ تَجْتَرِئَ عَلَيَّ بِمِثْلِ هَذَا ! فَأُرْعِدَ الْأَخْطَلُ مِنْ خَوْفِهِ، ثُمَّ قَامَ إِلَى عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ وَأَمْسَكَ ذَيْلَهُ وَقَالَ: هَذَا مَقَامُ الْعَائِذِ بِكَ. فَقَالَ: أَنَا لَكَ مُجِيرٌ. ثُمَّ قَامَ الْجَحَّافُ وَمَشَى وَهُوَ يَجُرُّ ثَوْبَهُ وَلَا يَعْقِلُ بِهِ، فَتَلَطَّفَ لِبَعْضِ كُتَّابِ الدِّيوَانِ حَتَّى اخْتَلَقَ لَهُ عَهْدًا عَلَى صَدَقَاتِ تَغْلِبَ وَبَكْرٍ بِالْجَزِيرَةِ، وَقَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ وَلَّانِي هَذِهِ الصَّدَقَاتِ، فَمَنْ أَرَادَ اللِّحَاقَ بِي فَلْيَفْعَلْ. ثُمَّ سَارَ حَتَّى أَتَى رُصَافَةَ هِشَامٍ فَأَعْلَمَ أَصْحَابَهُ مَا كَانَ مِنَ الْأَخْطَلِ إِلَيْهِ، وَأَنَّهُ افْتَعَلَ كِتَابًا، وَأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِوَالٍ، فَمَنْ كَانَ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَغْسِلَ عَنِّي الْعَارَ وَعَنْ نَفْسِي فَلْيَصْحَبْنِي، فَإِنِّي قَدْ أَقْسَمْتُ أَنْ لَا أَغْسِلَ رَأْسِي حَتَّى أُوقِعَ فِي بَنِي تَغْلِبَ. فَرَجَعُوا عَنْهُ غَيْرَ ثَلَاثِمِائَةٍ قَالُوا لَهُ: نَمُوتُ بِمَوْتِكَ، وَنَحْيَا بِحَيَاتِكَ. فَسَارَ لَيْلَتَهُ حَتَّى صَبَّحَ الرَّحُوبَ، وَهُوَ مَاءٌ لِبَنِي جُشَمِ بْنِ بَكْرٍ مِنْ تَغْلِبَ، فَصَادَفَ عَلَيْهِ جَمَاعَةً عَظِيمَةً مِنْهُمْ، فَقَتَلَ فِيهِمْ مَقْتَلَةً عَظِيمَةً، وَأُسِرَ الْأَخْطَلُ وَعَلَيْهِ عَبَاءَةٌ وَسِخَةٌ، فَظَنَّهُ الَّذِي أَسَرَهُ عَبْدًا، فَسَأَلَهُ مَنْ هُوَ، فَقَالَ: عَبْدٌ. فَأَطْلَقَهُ، فَرَمَى بِنَفْسِهِ فِي جُبٍّ، فَخَافَ أَنْ يَرَاهُ مَنْ يَعْرِفُهُ فَيَقْتُلَهُ. فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ الْجَحَّافُ خَرَجَ مِنَ الْجُبِّ، وَأَسْرَفَ الْجَحَّافُ فِي الْقَتْلِ، وَبَقَرَ الْبُطُونَ عَنِ الْأَجِنَّةِ، وَفَعَلَ أَمْرًا عَظِيمًا، فَلَمَّا عَادَ عَنْهُمْ قَدِمَ الْأَخْطَلُ عَلَى عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ فَأَنْشَدَهُ قَوْلَهُ: لَقَدْ أَوْقَعَ الْجَحَّافُ بِالْبِشْرِ وَقْعَةً إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنْهَا الْمُشْتَكَى وَالْمُعَوَّلِ فَهَرَبَ الْجَحَّافُ، فَطَلَبَهُ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ، فَلَحِقَ بِبِلَادِ الرُّومِ، وَقَالَ بَعْدَ وَقْعَةِ الْبِشْرِ يُخَاطِبُ الْأَخْطَلَ: أَبَا مَالِكٍ هَلْ لُمْتَنِي أَوْ حَضَضْتَنِي عَلَى الْقَتْلِ أَمْ هَلْ لَامَنِي كُلُّ لَائِمِ أَلَمْ أُفْنِكُمْ قَتْلًا وَأَجْدَعَ أَنْفَكُمْ بِفِتْيَانِ قَيْسٍ وَالسُّيُوفِ الصَّوَارِمِ بِكُلِّ فَتًى يَنْعَى عُمَيْرًا بِسَيْفِهِ إِذَا اعْتَصَمَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ بِالْقَوَائِمِ فَإِنْ تَطْرُدُونِي تَطْرُدُونِي وَقَدْ جَرَى بِيَ الْوَرْدُ يَوْمًا فِي دِمَاءِ الْأَرَاقِمِ نَكَحْتُ بِسَيْفِي فِي زُهَيْرٍ وَمَالِكٍ نِكَاحَ اغْتِصَابٍ لَا نِكَاحَ دَرَاهِمِ فِي أَبْيَاتٍ. وَلَمْ يَزَلِ الْجَحَّافُ يَتَرَدَّدُ فِي بِلَادِ الرُّومِ مِنْ طَرَابِزُنْدَةَ إِلَى قَالِيقَلَا، وَبَعَثَ إِلَى بِطَانَةِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ مِنْ قَيْسٍ حَتَّى أَخَذُوا لَهُ الْأَمَانَ، فَآمَنَهُ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ، فَقَدِمَ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَلْزَمَهُ دِيَاتِ مَنْ قَتَلَ، وَأَخَذَ مِنْهُ الْكُفَلَاءَ وَسَعَى فِيهَا، فَأَتَى الْحَجَّاجَ مِنَ الشَّامِ فَطَلَبَ مِنْهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: مَتَى عَهِدْتَنِي خَائِنًا ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ: وَلَكِنَّكَ سَيِّدُ قَوْمِكَ وَلَكَ عِمَالَةٌ وَاسِعَةٌ. فَقَالَ: لَقَدْ أُلْهِمْتَ الصِّدْقَ. فَأَعْطَاهُ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، وَجَمَعَ الدِّيَاتِ فَأَوْصَلَهَا. ثُمَّ تَنَسَّكَ بَعْدُ وَصَلُحَ، وَمَضَى حَاجًّا، فَتَعَلَّقَ بِأَسْتَارِ الْكَعْبَةِ وَجَعَلَ يُنَادِي: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي، وَمَا أَظُنُّ تَفْعَلُ. فَسَمِعَهُ مُحَمَّدُ ابْنُ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ فَقَالَ: يَا شَيْخُ، قُنُوطُكَ شَرٌّ مِنْ ذَنْبِكَ. ( وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ سَبَبَ عَوْدِهِ كَانَ أَنَّ الْجَحَّافَ أَكْرَمَهُ مَلِكُ الرُّومِ وَقَرَّبَهُ، وَعَرَضَ عَلَيْهِ النَّصْرَانِيَّةَ وَيُعْطِيهِ مَا شَاءَ، فَقَالَ: مَا أَتَيْتُكَ رَغْبَةً عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ. وَلَقِيَ الرُّومُ تِلْكَ السَّنَةَ عَسَاكِرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ صَائِفَةً، فَانْهَزَمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ، وَأَخْبَرُوا عَبْدَ الْمَلِكِ أَنَّهُمْ هَزَمَهُمُ الْجَحَّافُ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ يُؤَمِّنُهُ، فَسَارَ وَقَصَدَ الْبِشْرَ وَبِهِ حَيٌّ مِنْ بِشْرٍ، وَقَدْ لَبِسَ أَكْفَانَهُ وَقَالَ: قَدْ جِئْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ أُعْطِي الْقَوَدَ مِنْ نَفْسِي. وَأَرَادَ شَبَابُهُمْ قَتْلَهُ، فَنَهَاهُمْ شُيُوخُهُمْ، فَعَفَوْا عَنْهُ وَحَجَّ، فَسَمِعَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ وَهُوَ يَطُوفُ وَيَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي، وَمَا أَظُنُّكَ تَفْعَلُ ؟ فَقَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ: لَوْ كُنْتَ الْجَحَّافَ مَا زِدْتَ عَلَى هَذَا. قَالَ: فَأَنَا الْجَحَّافُ ).
Translation
✧ The Day of al-Bishr When the matter became settled for ʿAbd al-Malik, and the Muslims came together under him, al-Akhṭal the poet of Taghlib came to him, and with him was al-Jaḥḥāf b. Ḥukaym al-Sulamī. ʿAbd al-Malik said to him: “Do you know this one, O Akhṭal?” He said: “Yes—this is the one about whom I say: Ask al-Jaḥḥāf whether he seeks vengeance for the slain who were struck down from Sulaym and ʿĀmir. And he recited the ode until he finished it. Al-Jaḥḥāf was eating fresh dates, and the pits began falling from his hand in rage. He answered him and said: Yea, we shall weep for them with every Indian blade, and mourn ʿUmayr with the bristling spears. Then he said: “O son of the Christian woman, I did not think you would dare such a thing against me!” Al-Akhṭal trembled with fear, then rose to ʿAbd al-Malik, seized the hem of his garment, and said: “This is the station of one seeking refuge with you.” He said: “I grant you protection.” Then al-Jaḥḥāf rose and walked, dragging his garment, beside himself. He coaxed one of the clerks of the dīwān until the clerk forged for him a document granting authority over the ṣadaqāt of Taghlib and Bakr in the Jazīrah. He told his companions: “The Commander of the Faithful has appointed me over these ṣadaqāt, so whoever wishes to accompany me, let him do so.” Then he set out until he reached Ruṣāfat Hishām, and he informed his companions of what al-Akhṭal had done to him, that he had fabricated a letter, and that he was not a governor. He said: “Whoever would like to wash away the shame from me and from himself, let him accompany me, for I have sworn not to wash my head until I fall upon the Banū Taghlib.” They turned back from him except three hundred who said to him: “We die with your death and live with your life.” He traveled through the night until he came at dawn to al-Raḥūb, a watering place belonging to the Banū Jusham b. Bakr of Taghlib. He came upon a great assembly of them there, and he wrought among them a great slaughter. Al-Akhṭal was taken captive, wearing a filthy cloak, and the one who captured him thought he was a slave. He asked him who he was, and he said: “A slave,” so he released him. He threw himself into a well, fearing that someone who recognized him would see him and kill him. When al-Jaḥḥāf departed, he came out of the well. Al-Jaḥḥāf went to excess in killing, ripping open bellies to expose fetuses, and wrought a great affair. When he turned back from them, al-Akhṭal came to ʿAbd al-Malik and recited to him his words: Al-Jaḥḥāf brought down on al-Bishr a blow whose complaint and recourse are to God. So al-Jaḥḥāf fled, and ʿAbd al-Malik sought him, and he joined the land of the Byzantines. After the battle of al-Bishr he said, addressing al-Akhṭal: Abū Mālik, did you blame me or urge me on to the killing, or has every blamer blamed me? Did I not annihilate you in slaughter and cut off your noses with the young men of Qays and the sharp swords, With every youth who mourns ʿUmayr with his sword when their right hands grip the hilts? If you drive me away, you drive me away when the roan has run one day in the blood of the serpents; I wedded with my sword in Zuhayr and Mālik the wedding of rape, not the wedding of dirhams. Among other verses. Al-Jaḥḥāf kept moving about in the land of the Byzantines, from Ṭarābizundah to Qālīqalā. He sent to ʿAbd al-Malik's inner circle of Qays until they obtained for him a guarantee of safety. ʿAbd al-Malik granted him amnesty, so he came to him. He required him to pay the blood money for those he had killed, took sureties from him, and he strove to raise it. He went to al-Ḥajjāj from Syria and sought it from him. Al-Ḥajjāj said to him: “Since when have you known me to be a betrayer?” He said to him: “But you are the chief of your people, and you have a vast governorship.” He said: “You have been inspired with truth.” He gave him one hundred thousand dirhams, and he collected the blood money and delivered it. Afterwards he became devout and righteous, and he went on pilgrimage. He clung to the curtains of the Kaʿbah and began calling out: “O God, forgive me—though I do not think You will do so.” Muḥammad b. al-Ḥanafiyyah heard him and said: “Old man, your despair is worse than your sin.” (It is said that the reason for his return was that the king of the Byzantines honored al-Jaḥḥāf, brought him close, and offered him Christianity with whatever he wished. He said: “I did not come to you out of aversion to Islam.” That year the Byzantines met the Muslims' summer expeditionary forces, the Muslims were defeated, and they reported to ʿAbd al-Malik that al-Jaḥḥāf had defeated them. So ʿAbd al-Malik sent to him granting him amnesty. He traveled and made for al-Bishr, where there was a clan of Bishr. He had put on his shroud and said: “I have come to you to offer retaliation from myself.” Their young men wanted to kill him, but their elders forbade them, so they pardoned him, and he performed the pilgrimage. ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿUmar heard him circumambulating and saying: “O God, forgive me—though I do not think You will do so.” Ibn ʿUmar said: “If you were al-Jaḥḥāf, you would add nothing to this.” He said: “Then I am al-Jaḥḥāf.”)
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.