Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2313
Then the Year Seventy-One Began
ثُمَّ دَخَلَتْ سَنَةُ إِحْدَى وَسَبْعِينَ وَفِيهَا كَانَ مَقْتَلُ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَذَلِكَ أَنْ عَبْدَ الْمَلِكِ بْنَ مَرْوَانَ سَارَ فِي جُنُودٍ هَائِلَةٍ مِنَ الشَّامِ قَاصِدًا مُصْعَبَ بْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ بِالْعِرَاقِ، فَالْتَقَيَا فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ، وَقَدْ كَانَا قَبْلَهَا يَرْكَبُ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ لِمُلْتَقَى الْآخَرِ، فَيَحُولُ بَيْنَهُمَا الشِّتَاءُ وَالْبَرْدُ وَالْوَحْلُ، فَيَرْجِعُ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا إِلَى بَلَدِهِ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي هَذَا الْعَامِ سَارَ إِلَيْهِ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ، وَبَعَثَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ السَّرَايَا، وَدَخَلَ بَعْضُ مَنْ أَرْسَلَهُ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ فَدَعَا أَهْلَهَا إِلَى عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ فِي السِّرِّ، فَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُ بَعْضُهُمْ، وَقَدْ كَانَ مُصْعَبٌ سَارَ إِلَى الْحِجَازِ، فَجَاءَ وَدَخَلَ الْبَصْرَةَ عَلَى إِثْرِ ذَلِكَ، فَأَنَّبَ الْكُبَرَاءَ مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَشَتَمَهُمْ وَلَامَهُمْ عَلَى دُخُولِ أُولَئِكَ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَإِقْرَارِهِمْ لَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَهَدَمَ دُورَ بَعْضِهِمْ، ثُمَّ شَخَصَ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ، ثُمَّ بَلَغَهُ قَصْدُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ لَهُ بِجُنُودِ الشَّامِ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ. وَوَصَلَ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ إِلَى مَسْكِنٍ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى الْمَرْوَانِيَّةِ الَّذِينَ اسْتَجَابُوا لِمَنْ بَعَثَهُ إِلَيْهِمْ فَأَجَابُوهُ، وَاشْتَرَطُوا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يُوَلِّيَهُمْ أَصْبَهَانَ، فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ. وَهُمْ جَمَاعَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ مِنَ الْأُمَرَاءِ، وَقَدْ جَعَلَ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ عَلَى مُقَدِّمَتِهِ أَخَاهُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ مَرْوَانَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ، وَعَلَى مَيْمَنَتِهِ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ يَزِيدَ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَعَلَى مَيْسَرَتِهِ خَالِدَ بْنَ يَزِيدَ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَخَرَجَ مُصْعَبُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَقَدِ اخْتَلَفَ عَلَيْهِ أَهْلُ الْعِرَاقِ، وَخَذَلُوهُ وَجَعَلَ يَتَأَمَّلُ مَنْ مَعَهُ فَلَا يَجِدُهُمْ يُقَاوِمُونَ أَعْدَاءَهُ، فَاسْتَقْتَلَ وَطَمَّنَ نَفْسَهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَقَالَ: لِي بِالْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ أُسْوَةٌ حِينَ امْتَنَعَ مِنْ إِلْقَائِهِ يَدَهُ، وَمِنَ الذِّلَّةِ لِعُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، وَجَعَلَ يُنْشِدُ وَيَقُولُ مُسَلِّيًا نَفْسَهُ: وَإِنَّ الْأُلَى بِالطَّفِّ مِنْ آلِ هَاشِمٍ تَأَسَّوْا فَسَنُّوا لِلْكِرَامِ التَّأَسِّيَا وَكَانَ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ قَدْ أَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ بَعْضُ أُمَرَائِهِ أَنْ يُقِيمَ بِالشَّامِ، وَأَنْ يَبْعَثَ إِلَى مُصْعَبٍ جَيْشًا فَأَبَى، وَقَالَ: لَعَلِّي أَبْعَثُ رَجُلًا شُجَاعًا لَا رَأْيَ لَهُ، أَوْ مَنْ لَهُ رَأْيٌ وَلَا شَجَاعَةَ لَهُ، وَإِنِّي أَجِدُ مِنْ نَفْسِي بَصَرًا بِالْحَرْبِ وَشَجَاعَةً، وَإِنَّ مُصْعَبًا فِي بَيْتِ شَجَاعَةٍ، أَبُوهُ أَشْجَعُ قُرَيْشٍ، وَأَخُوهُ لَا تُجْهَلُ شَجَاعَتُهُ، وَهُوَ شُجَاعٌ، لَا عِلْمَ لَهُ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَهُوَ يُحِبُّ الدَّعَةَ وَالْخَفْضَ، وَمَعَهُ مَنْ يُخَالِفُهُ، وَمَعِي مَنْ يَنْصَحُ لِي. فَسَارَ بِنَفْسِهِ، فَلَمَّا تَقَارَبَ الْجَيْشَانِ بَعَثَ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ إِلَى أُمَرَاءِ مُصْعَبٍ بِكُتُبٍ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ وَيَعِدُهُمُ الْوِلَايَاتِ، فَجَاءَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ إِلَى مُصْعَبٍ فَأَلْقَى إِلَيْهِ كِتَابًا مَخْتُومًا، وَقَالَ: هَذَا جَاءَنِي مِنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ. فَفَتَحَهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَدْعُوهُ إِلَى الْإِتْيَانِ إِلَيْهِ، وَلَهُ نِيَابَةُ الْعِرَاقِ. وَقَالَ لِمُصْعَبٍ: أَيُّهَا الْأَمِيرُ، إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَبْقَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أُمَرَائِكَ إِلَّا وَقَدْ جَاءَهُ كِتَابٌ مِثْلُ هَذَا فَإِنْ أَطَعْتَنِي ضَرَبْتُ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ. فَقَالَ لَهُ مُصْعَبٌ: إِنِّي لَوْ فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ لَمْ تَنْصَحْنَا عَشَائِرُهُمْ بَعْدَهُمْ. فَقَالَ: فَأَوَقِرْهُمْ فِي الْحَدِيدِ وَابْعَثْهُمْ إِلَى أَبْيَضِ كِسْرَى فَاسْجُنْهُمْ فِيهِ، وَوَكِّلْ بِهِمْ مَنْ إِنْ غُلِبْتَ ضَرَبَ أَعْنُقَهُمْ، وَإِنْ غَلَبْتَ مَنَنْتَ بِهِمْ عَلَى عَشَائِرَهُمْ. فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا أَبَا النُّعْمَانِ، إِنِّي لَفِي شُغْلٍ عَنْ هَذَا. ثُمَّ قَالَ مُصْعَبٌ: رَحِمَ اللَّهُ أَبَا بَحْرٍ - يَعْنِي الْأَحْنَفَ بْنَ قَيْسٍ - إِنْ كَانَ لِيُحَذِّرُنِي غَدْرَ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ، وَكَأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ الْآنَ. مواجهة الجيشان بدير الجاثليق من مسكن ثُمَّ تَوَاجَهَ الْجَيْشَانِ بِدَيْرِ الْجَاثَلِيقِ مِنْ مَسْكِنٍ، فَحَمَلَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ - وَهُوَ أَمِيرُ الْمُقَدِّمَةِ الْعِرَاقِيَّةِ لِجَيْشِ مُصْعَبٍ - عَلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ - وَهُوَ أَمِيرُ مُقَدِّمَةِ الشَّامِ - فَأَزَالَهُ عَنْ مَوْضِعِهِ، فَأَرْدَفَهُ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ مَرْوَانَ بِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَحَمَلُوا عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْأَشْتَرِ، وَمَنْ مَعَهُ فَطَحَنُوهُمْ، وَقُتِلَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْأَشْتَرِ، رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ وَعَفَا عَنْهُ، وَقُتِلَ مَعَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْأُمَرَاءِ، وَكَانَ عَتَّابُ بْنُ وَرْقَاءَ عَلَى خَيْلِ مُصْعَبٍ فَهَرَبَ أَيْضًا وَلَجَأَ إِلَى عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ، وَجَعَلَ مُصْعَبُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ وَهُوَ وَاقِفٌ فِي الْقَلْبِ يُنْهِضُ أَصْحَابَ الرَّايَاتِ، وَيَحُثُّ الشُّجْعَانَ وَالْأَبْطَالَ أَنْ يَتَقَدَّمُوا إِلَى أَمَامِ الْقَوْمِ، فَلَا يَتَحَرَّكُ أَحَدٌ، فَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ: يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ وَلَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِي الْيَوْمَ ! وَتَفَاقَمَ الْأَمْرُ، وَاشْتَدَّ الْقِتَالُ وَتَخَاذَلَتِ الرِّجَالُ، وَضَاقَ الْحَالُ، وَكَثُرَ النِّزَالُ. قَالَ الْمَدَائِنِيُّ: عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ الْمُهَاجِرِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: أَرْسَلَ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ أَخَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَرْوَانَ إِلَى مُصْعَبٍ يُعْطِيهِ الْأَمَانَ فَأَبَى، وَقَالَ: إِنَّ مِثْلِي لَا يَنْصَرِفُ عَنْ هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ إِلَّا غَالِبًا أَوْ مَغْلُوبًا. قَالُوا: فَنَادَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَرْوَانَ عِيسَى بْنَ مُصْعَبٍ فَقَالَ: يَابْنَ أَخِي، لَا تَقْتُلْ نَفْسَكَ، لَكَ الْأَمَانُ. فَقَالَ لَهُ مُصْعَبٌ: قَدْ آمَنَكَ عَمُّكَ فَامْضِ إِلَيْهِ. فَقَالَ: لَا تَتَحَدَّثُ نِسَاءُ قُرَيْشٍ أَنِّي أَسْلَمْتُكَ لِلْقَتْلِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا بُنَيَّ، فَارْكَبْ خَيْلَ السَّبْقِ فَالْحَقْ بِعَمِّكَ، فَأَخْبِرْهُ بِمَا صَنَعَ أَهْلُ الْعِرَاقِ فَإِنِّي مَقْتُولٌ هَاهُنَا، فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَا أُخْبِرُ عَنْكَ أَحَدًا أَبَدًا، وَلَا أُخْبِرُ نِسَاءَ قُرَيْشٍ بِمَصْرَعِكَ أَبَدًا، وَلَا أُقْتَلُ إِلَّا مَعَكَ، وَلَكِنْ إِنْ شِئْتَ رَكِبْتَ خَيْلَكَ، وَسِرْنَا إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ عَلَى الْجَمَاعَةِ. فَقَالَ مُصْعَبٌ: لَا وَاللَّهِ، مَا الْفِرَارُ لِي بِعَادَةٍ، وَلَكِنْ أُقَاتِلُ، فَإِنْ قُتِلْتُ فَمَا السَّيْفُ لِي بِعَارٍ، وَاللَّهِ لَا تَتَحَدَّثُ قُرَيْشٌ عَنِّي أَنِّي فَرَرْتُ مِنَ الْقِتَالِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لِابْنِهِ: تَقَدَّمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ حَتَّى أَحْتَسِبَكَ. فَتَقَدَّمَ ابْنُهُ، فَقَاتَلَ حَتَّى قُتِلَ، وَأُثْخِنَ مُصْعَبٌ بِالرَّمْيِ، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ زَائِدَةُ بْنُ قُدَامَةَ، وَهُوَ كَذَلِكَ فَحَمَلُ عَلَيْهِ فَطَعَنَهُ، وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: يَا ثَارَاتِ الْمُخْتَارِ ! فَصَرَعَهُ، وَنَزَلَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ: عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زِيَادِ بْنِ ظَبْيَانَ التَّمِيمِيُّ، فَقَتَلَهُ وَحَزَّ رَأْسَهُ، وَأَتَى بِهِ عَبْدَ الْمَلِكِ بْنَ مَرْوَانَ، فَسَجَدَ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ، وَأَطْلَقَ لَهُ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ فَأَبَى أَنْ يَقْبَلَهَا، وَقَالَ: لَمْ أَقْتُلْهُ عَلَى طَاعَتِكَ، وَلَكِنْ بِثَأْرٍ كَانَ لِي عِنْدَهُ، وَكَانَ قَدْ وَلِيَ لَهُ عَمَلًا قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَعَزَلَهُ عَنْهُ وَأَهَانَهُ. وَقَالَ: لَمَّا تَفَرَّقَ عَنْ مُصْعَبٍ جُمُوعُهُ قَالَ لَهُ ابْنُهُ عِيسَى: لَوِ اعْتَصَمْتَ بِبَعْضِ الْقِلَاعِ، وَكَاتَبْتَ مَنْ بَعُدُ عَنْكَ مِثْلَ الْمُهَلَّبِ بْنِ أَبِي صُفْرَةَ وَغَيْرِهِ فَقَدِمُوا عَلَيْكَ، فَإِذَا اجْتَمَعَ لَكَ مَا تُرِيدُ مِنْهُمْ لَقِيَتَ الْقَوْمَ ; فَإِنَّكَ قَدْ ضَعُفْتَ جِدًّا. فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِ جَوَابًا. ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مَا جَرَى لِلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، وَكَيْفَ قُتِلَ كَرِيمًا، وَلَمْ يُلْقِ بِيَدِهِ، وَلَمْ يَجِدْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ وَفَاءً. وَكَذَلِكَ أَبُوهُ وَأَخُوهُ، وَنَحْنُ مَا وَجَدْنَا لَهُمْ وَفَاءً. ثُمَّ انْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُهُ، وَبَقِيَ فِي قَلِيلٍ مِنْ خَوَاصِّهِ، وَمَالَ الْجَمِيعُ إِلَى عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ، وَقَدْ كَانَ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ يُحِبُّ مُصْعَبًا حَبًّا شَدِيدًا، وَكَانَ خَلِيلًا لَهُ قَبْلَ الْخِلَافَةِ، فَقَالَ لِأَخِيهِ مُحَمَّدٍ: اذْهَبْ إِلَيْهِ فَآمِنْهُ، فَجَاءَهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا مُصْعَبُ قَدْ آمَنُكَ ابْنُ عَمِّكَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ وَوَلَدِكَ وَمَالِكَ وَأَهْلِكَ، فَاذْهَبْ حَيْثُ شِئْتَ مِنَ الْبِلَادِ، وَلَوْ أَرَادَ بِكَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ لَكَانَ، فَقَالَ مُصْعَبٌ: قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ، إِنَّ مِثْلِي لَا يَنْصَرِفُ عَنْ مِثْلِ هَذَا الْمَوْقِفِ إِلَّا غَالِبًا أَوْ مَغْلُوبًا. فَتَقَدَّمَ ابْنُهُ عِيسَى فَقَاتَلَ، فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَرْوَانَ يَابْنَ أَخِي لَا تَقْتُلْ نَفْسَكَ. ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ مَا تَقَدَّمَ، ثُمَّ قَاتَلَ حَتَّى قُتِلَ، رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ، ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مِنْ قَتْلِ أَبِيهِ بَعْدَهُ، كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ. بكاء عبد الملك عند وفاة مصعب ووقت وفاته قَالَ: وَلَمَّا وُضِعَ رَأْسُ مُصْعَبٍ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بَكَى وَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتُ أَقْدِرُ أَنْ أَصْبِرَ عَلَيْهِ سَاعَةً وَاحِدَةً مِنْ حُبِّي لَهُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ السَّيْفُ بَيْنَنَا، وَلَكِنَّ الْمُلْكَ عَقِيمٌ ! وَلَقَدْ كَانَتِ الْمَحَبَّةُ وَالْحُرْمَةُ بَيْنَنَا قَدِيمَةً، مَتَى تَلِدُ النِّسَاءُ مِثْلَ مُصْعَبٍ ؟ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِمُوَارَاتِهِ، وَدَفَنَهُ هُوَ وَابْنَهُ وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنَ الْأَشْتَرِ فِي قُبُورٍ بِمَسْكِنٍ بِالْقُرْبِ مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ. قَالَ الْمَدَائِنِيُّ: وَكَانَ مَقْتَلُ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ يَوْمَ الثُّلَاثَاءِ الثَّالِثَ عَشَرَ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْأُولَى أَوِ الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ سَنَةِ إِحْدَى وَسَبْعِينَ فِي قَوْلِ الْجُمْهُورِ، وَقَالَ الْمَدَائِنِيُّ: سَنَةَ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
Translation
✧ Then the Year Seventy-One Began In it occurred the killing of Muṣʿab b. al-Zubayr. That was because ʿAbd al-Malik b. Marwān marched with formidable troops from Syria, heading for Muṣʿab b. al-Zubayr in Iraq. They met in this year. Before it, each of them used to ride out to meet the other, but winter, cold, and mud would intervene between them, so each of them would return to his own land. When this year came, ʿAbd al-Malik marched against him and sent raiding parties ahead of him. Some of those he sent entered al-Baṣrah and secretly called its people to ʿAbd al-Malik. Some of them answered him. Muṣʿab had marched to the Hijaz, then came and entered al-Baṣrah immediately after that. He rebuked the leading men among the people, insulted them, and blamed them for allowing those people to enter among them and for accepting that from them. He demolished the houses of some of them. Then he set out to al-Kūfah. Then news reached him that ʿAbd al-Malik was heading for him with the troops of Syria, so he went out to meet him. ʿAbd al-Malik reached Maskin and wrote to the Marwanid supporters who had answered the one he had sent to them. They responded to him and stipulated that he appoint them over Iṣbahān. He said: "Yes." They were a large group of commanders. ʿAbd al-Malik had placed his brother Muḥammad b. Marwān b. al-Ḥakam over his vanguard, ʿAbd Allāh b. Yazīd b. Muʿāwiyah over his right wing, and Khālid b. Yazīd b. Muʿāwiyah over his left wing. Muṣʿab b. al-Zubayr went out, while the people of Iraq had turned against him and deserted him. He began to look at those with him and found that they could not match his enemies. So he sought death and resigned himself to that. He said: "I have an example in al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī, when he refused to surrender his hand and to accept humiliation before ʿUbayd Allāh b. Ziyād." He began to recite, consoling himself: And those of the family of Hāshim at al-Ṭaff set an example, so they established for the noble the following of examples. One of ʿAbd al-Malik's commanders had advised him to remain in Syria and send an army against Muṣʿab, but he refused and said: "Perhaps I would send a brave man with no judgment, or one with judgment but no bravery. I find in myself insight into war and courage. Muṣʿab is of a house of courage: his father is the bravest of Quraysh, his brother's courage is not unknown, and he is brave but has no knowledge of war. He loves ease and comfort, and with him are those who oppose him, while with me are those who advise me sincerely." So he marched himself. When the two armies drew near, ʿAbd al-Malik sent letters to Muṣʿab's commanders, summoning them to himself and promising them governorships. Ibrāhīm b. al-Ashtar came to Muṣʿab and threw him a sealed letter, saying: "This came to me from ʿAbd al-Malik." He opened it, and there he was summoning him to come to him, with the deputyship of Iraq for him. He said to Muṣʿab: "O commander, there is not one of your commanders left but has received a letter like this. If you obey me, I will strike their necks." Muṣʿab said to him: "If I did that, their clans would not be loyal to us after them." He said: "Then load them with iron and send them to the White Palace of Kisrā, imprison them there, and appoint over them someone who, if you are defeated, will strike their necks, and if you prevail, you may bestow them as a favor upon their clans." He said to him: "O Abū al-Nuʿmān, I am too occupied for this." Then Muṣʿab said: "May God have mercy on Abū Baḥr—meaning al-Aḥnaf b. Qays—he used to warn me of the treachery of the people of Iraq, and it is as if he were looking at what we are in now." The two armies faced each other at Dayr al-Jāthalīq near Maskin. Ibrāhīm b. al-Ashtar—commander of the Iraqi vanguard of Muṣʿab's army—charged Muḥammad b. Marwān—commander of the Syrian vanguard—and dislodged him from his position. ʿAbd al-Malik b. Marwān reinforced him with ʿAbd Allāh b. Yazīd b. Muʿāwiyah. They charged Ibrāhīm b. al-Ashtar and those with him and ground them down. Ibrāhīm b. al-Ashtar, may God have mercy on him and pardon him, was killed, and a group of commanders were killed with him. ʿAttāb b. Warqāʾ was over Muṣʿab's cavalry, and he too fled and took refuge with ʿAbd al-Malik b. Marwān. Muṣʿab b. al-Zubayr, standing in the center, began rousing the banner-bearers and urging the brave men and heroes to advance against the front of the enemy, but no one moved. He began saying: "O Ibrāhīm, there is no Ibrāhīm for me today!" The matter worsened, fighting intensified, men failed one another, the situation became dire, and combat increased. Al-Madāʾinī said, on the authority of Yaḥyā b. Ismāʿīl b. al-Muhājir, from his father, who said: ʿAbd al-Malik sent his brother Muḥammad b. Marwān to Muṣʿab to offer him safe-conduct, but he refused and said: "One like me does not turn away from this place except as victor or vanquished." They said: Muḥammad b. Marwān called out to ʿĪsā b. Muṣʿab, saying: "O nephew, do not kill yourself; you have safe-conduct." Muṣʿab said to him: "Your uncle has granted you safe-conduct, so go to him." He said: "The women of Quraysh shall not say that I handed you over to be killed." He said to him: "O my son, ride the swift horses and join your uncle; tell him what the people of Iraq have done, for I am to be killed here." He said: "By God, I will never tell anyone about you, and I will never tell the women of Quraysh of your death, and I will not be killed except with you. But if you wish, ride your horse and let us go to al-Baṣrah, for they are upon the community." Muṣʿab said: "No, by God, flight is not my habit. I will fight, and if I am killed, the sword is no disgrace to me. By God, Quraysh shall not say of me that I fled from battle." Then he said to his son: "Advance before me so that I may count you as one given to God." His son advanced and fought until he was killed. Muṣʿab was severely wounded by arrows. Zāʾidah b. Qudāmah looked at him in that state, charged him, and thrust at him, saying: "O vengeance for al-Mukhtār!" He threw him down. A man called ʿUbayd Allāh b. Ziyād b. Ẓabyān al-Tamīmī came down to him, killed him, cut off his head, and brought it to ʿAbd al-Malik b. Marwān. ʿAbd al-Malik prostrated and gave him a thousand dinars, but he refused to accept them and said: "I did not kill him in obedience to you, but for a blood claim I had against him. He had appointed me to an office before that, then dismissed me from it and humiliated me." He said: When Muṣʿab's forces scattered from him, his son ʿĪsā said to him: "If only you would take refuge in one of the fortresses and write to those far from you, such as al-Muhallab b. Abī Ṣufrah and others, so they would come to you. Then when you have gathered what you want from them, meet the enemy, for you have become very weak." He gave him no answer. Then he mentioned what had happened to al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī, how he was killed honorably, and did not surrender his hand, and found no loyalty among the people of Iraq. Likewise his father and his brother; and we have found no loyalty from them. Then his companions fled, and he remained with a few of his close associates. All the rest went over to ʿAbd al-Malik. ʿAbd al-Malik had loved Muṣʿab greatly and had been his close friend before the caliphate. He said to his brother Muḥammad: "Go to him and grant him safe-conduct." He came to him and said: "O Muṣʿab, your cousin has granted you safe-conduct for yourself, your children, your wealth, and your family. Go wherever you wish of the lands. If he intended otherwise for you, it would be so." Muṣʿab said: "The matter is decided. One like me does not turn away from a position like this except as victor or vanquished." His son ʿĪsā advanced and fought. Muḥammad b. Marwān said: "O nephew, do not kill yourself." Then he mentioned his words as before. Then he fought until he was killed, may God have mercy on him. Then he mentioned the killing of his father after him, as before. ʿAbd al-Malik's weeping at the death of Muṣʿab and the time of his death He said: When Muṣʿab's head was placed before ʿAbd al-Malik, he wept and said: "By God, I could not have borne to be patient with him for a single hour because of my love for him, until the sword came between us. But sovereignty is barren! Love and respect between us were long-standing. When will women give birth to one like Muṣʿab?" Then he ordered his burial, and he buried him, his son, and Ibrāhīm b. al-Ashtar in graves at Maskin near al-Kūfah. Al-Madāʾinī said: The killing of Muṣʿab b. al-Zubayr was on Tuesday, the thirteenth of Jumādā al-Ūlā or al-Ākhirah of the year seventy-one, according to the majority. Al-Madāʾinī said: in the year seventy-two. And God knows best.
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