Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2400
The Year 96
ثُمَّ دَخَلَتْ سَنَةُ سِتٍّ وَتِسْعِينَ فَتَحِ قُتَيْبَةَ مَدِينَةَ كَاشْغَرَ وفي سَنَةُ سِتٍّ وَتِسْعِينَ فَتَحَ قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى، كَاشْغَرَ مِنْ أَرْضِ الصِّينِ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَى مَلِكِ الصِّينِ رُسُلًا يَتَهَدَّدُهُ وَيَتَوَعَّدُهُ، وَيُقْسِمُ بِاللَّهِ لَا يَرْجِعُ حَتَّى يَطَأَ بِلَادَهُ، وَيَخْتِمَ مُلُوكَهُمْ وَأَشْرَافَهُمْ، وَيَأْخُذَ الْجِزْيَةَ مِنْهُمْ، أَوْ يَدْخُلُوا فِي الْإِسْلَامِ، فَدَخَلَ الرُّسُلُ عَلَى الْمَلِكِ الْأَعْظَمِ فِيهَا وَهُوَ فِي مَدِينَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ يُقَالُ: إِنَّ عَلَيْهَا تِسْعِينَ بَابًا فِي سُورِهَا الْمُحِيطِ بِهَا يُقَالُ لَهَا: خَانُ بَالِقَ. مِنْ أَعْظَمِ الْمُدُنِ، وَأَكْثَرِهَا رَيْعًا، وَمُعَامَلَاتٍ وَأَمْوَالًا، حَتَّى قِيلَ: إِنَّ بِلَادَ الْهِنْدِ مَعَ اتِّسَاعِهَا كَالشَّامَةِ فِي مُلْكِ الصِّينِ. وَالصِّينُ لَا يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَى أَنْ يُسَافِرُوا فِي مُلْكِ غَيْرِهِمْ; لِكَثْرَةِ أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَمَتَاعِهِمْ، وَغَيْرُهُمْ مُحْتَاجٌ إِلَيْهِمْ; لِمَا عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ الْمَتَاعِ وَالدُّنْيَا الْمُتَّسِعَةِ، وَسَائِرُ مُلُوكِ تِلْكَ الْبِلَادِ تُؤَدِّي إِلَى مَلِكِ الصِّينَ الْخَرَاجَ; لِقَهْرِهِ وَكَثْرَةِ جُنْدِهِ وَعُدَدِهِ. وَالْمَقْصُودُ أَنَّ الرُّسُلَ لَمَّا دَخَلُوا عَلَى مَلِكِ الصِّينِ وَجَدُوا مَمْلَكَةً عَظِيمَةً، وَجُنْدًا كَثِيرًا، وَمَدِينَةً حَصِينَةً ذَاتَ أَنْهَارٍ وَأَسْوَاقٍ، وَحُسْنٍ وَبَهَاءٍ، فَدَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ فِي قَلْعَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ حَصِينَةٍ، بِقَدْرِ مَدِينَةٍ كَبِيرَةٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ مَلِكُ الصِّينِ: مَا أَنْتُمْ؟ وَكَانُوا ثَلَاثَمِائَةِ رَسُولٍ عَلَيْهِمْ هُبَيْرَةُ فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ لِتُرْجُمَانِهِ: قُلْ لَهُمْ: مَا أَنْتُمْ وَمَا تُرِيدُونَ؟ فَقَالُوا: نَحْنُ رُسُلُ قُتَيْبَةَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، وَهُوَ يَدْعُوكَ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَالْجِزْيَةُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَالْحَرْبُ. فَغَضِبَ الْمَلِكُ، وَأَمَرَ بِهِمْ إِلَى دَارٍ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ دَعَاهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: كَيْفَ تَكُونُونَ فِي عِبَادَةِ إِلَهِكُمْ؟ فَصَلَّوُا الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى عَادَتِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا رَكَعُوا وَسَجَدُوا ضَحِكَ مِنْهُمْ، فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ تَكُونُونَ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ؟ فَلَبِسُوا ثِيَابَ مِهَنِهِمْ، فَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالِانْصِرَافِ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ تَدْخُلُونَ عَلَى مُلُوكِكُمْ؟ فَلَبِسُوا الْوَشْيَ وَالْعَمَائِمَ وَالْمَطَارِفَ، وَدَخَلُوا عَلَى الْمَلِكِ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: ارْجِعُوا. فَرَجَعُوا فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: كَيْفَ رَأَيْتُمْ هَؤُلَاءِ؟ فَقَالُوا: هَذِهِ أَشْبَهُ بِهَيْئَةِ الرِّجَالِ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْمَرَّةِ الْأُولَى، وَهُمْ أُولَئِكَ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الثَّالِثُ، أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: كَيْفَ تَلْقَوْنَ عَدُوَّكُمْ ؟ فَشَدُّوا عَلَيْهِمْ سِلَاحَهُمْ وَلَبِسُوا الْمَغَافِرَ وَالْبَيْضَ، وَتَقَلَّدُوا السُّيُوفَ، وَتَنْكَبُّوا الْقِسِيَّ، وَأَخَذُوا الرِّمَاحَ، وَرَكِبُوا خُيُولَهُمْ وَمَضَوْا، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ مَلِكُ الصِّينِ فَرَأَى أَمْثَالَ الْجِبَالِ مُقْبِلَةً، فَلَمَّا قَرُبُوا مِنْهُ رَكَزُوا رِمَاحَهُمْ، ثُمَّ أَقْبَلُوا نَحْوَهُ مُشَمِّرِينَ، فَقِيلَ لَهُمْ: ارْجِعُوا وَذَلِكَ لِمَا دَخَلَ قُلُوبَ أَهْلِ الصِّينِ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ مِنْهُمْ فَانْصَرَفُوا فَرَكِبُوا خُيُولَهُمْ، وَاخْتَلَجُوا رِمَاحَهُمْ، ثُمَّ سَاقُوا خُيُولَهُمْ، كَأَنَّهُمْ يَتَطَارَدُونَ بِهَا، فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: كَيْفَ تَرَوْنَهُمْ ؟ فَقَالُوا: مَا رَأَيْنَا مِثْلَ هَؤُلَاءِ قَطُّ. فَلَمَّا أَمْسَوْا بَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلِكُ; أَنِ ابْعَثُوا إِلَيَّ زَعِيمَكُمْ وَأَفْضَلَكُمْ. فَبَعَثُوا إِلَيْهِ هُبَيْرَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ حِينَ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ: قَدْ رَأَيْتُمْ عِظَمَ مُلْكِي، وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ يَمْنَعُكُمْ مِنِّي وَأَنْتُمْ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْبَيْضَةِ فِي كَفِّي، وَأَنَا سَائِلُكُ عَنْ أَمْرٍ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَصْدُقْنِي قَتَلْتُكَ. فَقَالَ: سَلْ. فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ: لِمَ صَنَعْتُمْ مَا صَنَعْتُمْ مِنْ زِيٍّ أَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ وَالثَّانِيَ وَالثَّالِثَ؟ فَقَالَ: أَمَّا زِيُّنَا أَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ فَهُوَ لِبَاسُنَا فِي أَهْلِنَا وَنِسَائِنَا، وَطِيبُنَا عِنْدَهُمْ، وَأَمَّا مَا فَعَلْنَا ثَانِيَ يَوْمٍ فَهُوَ زِيُّنَا إِذَا دَخَلْنَا عَلَى مُلُوكِنَا، وَأَمَّا زِيُّنَا ثَالِثَ يَوْمٍ فَهُوَ إِذَا لَقِينَا عَدُوَّنَا، فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ: مَا أَحْسَنَ مَا دَبَّرْتُمْ دَهْرَكُمْ! انْصَرِفُوا إِلَى صَاحِبِكُمْ يَعْنِي قُتَيْبَةَ وَقُولُوا لَهُ: يَنْصَرِفُ رَاجِعًا عَنْ بِلَادِي; فَإِنِّي قَدْ عَرَفْتُ حِرْصَهُ وَقِلَّةَ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَإِلَّا بَعَثْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ مَنْ يُهْلِكُكُمْ عَنْ آخِرِكُمْ. فَقَالَ لَهُ هُبَيْرَةُ: تَقُولُ لِقُتَيْبَةَ هَذَا؟ فَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ قَلِيلَ الْأَصْحَابِ مَنْ أَوَّلُ خَيْلِهِ فِي بِلَادِكَ وَآخِرُهَا فِي مَنَابِتِ الزَّيْتُونِ؟! وَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ حَرِيصًا مَنْ خَلَّفَ الدُّنْيَا قَادِرًا عَلَيْهَا، وَغَزَاكَ فِي بِلَادِكَ؟! وَأَمَّا تَخْوِيفُكَ إِيَّانَا بِالْقَتْلِ فَإِنَّا نَعْلَمُ أَنَّ لَنَا أَجَلًا إِذَا حَضَرَ، فَأَكْرَمُهَا عِنْدَنَا الْقَتْلُ فَلَسْنَا نَكْرَهُهُ وَلَا نَخَافُهُ. فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ: فَمَا الَّذِي يُرْضِي صَاحِبَكُمْ؟ فَقَالَ: قَدْ حَلَفَ أَنَّهُ لَا يَنْصَرِفُ حَتَّى يَطَأَ أَرْضَكَ، وَيَخْتِمَ مُلُوكَكَ، وَيَجْبِيَ الْجِزْيَةَ مِنْ بِلَادِكَ. فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ: أَنَا أَبِرُّ يَمِينَهُ وَأُخْرِجُهُ مِنْهَا; أُرْسِلُ إِلَيْهِ بِتُرَابٍ مِنْ أَرْضِي، وَأَرْبَعِ غِلْمَانٍ مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الْمُلُوكِ، وَأُرْسِلُ إِلَيْهِ ذَهَبًا كَثِيرًا، وَحَرِيرًا وَثِيَابًا صِينِيَّةً لَا تُقَوَّمُ، وَلَا يَدْرِي أَحَدٌ قَدْرَهَا، ثُمَّ جَرَتْ لَهُمْ مَعَهُ مُقَاوَلَاتٌ كَثِيرَةٌ، ثُمَّ شَرَعَ يَتَهَدَّدُهُمْ فَتَهَدَّدُوهُ، وَيَتَوَعَّدَهُمْ فَتَوَعَّدُوهُ، ثُمَّ اتَّفَقَ الْحَالُ عَلَى أَنْ بَعَثَ صِحَافًا مَنْ ذَهَبٍ مُتَّسِعَةً، فِيهَا تُرَابٌ مِنْ أَرْضِهِ لِيَطَأَهُ قُتَيْبَةُ، وَبَعَثَ بِجَمَاعَةٍ مِنْ أَوْلَادِهِ وَأَوْلَادِ الْمُلُوكِ لِيَخْتِمَ رِقَابَهُمْ، وَبَعَثَ بِمَالٍ جَزِيلٍ لِيَبِرَّ بِيَمِينِ قُتَيْبَةَ، وَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ بَعَثَ أَرْبَعَمِائَةٍ مِنْ أَوْلَادِهِ وَأَوْلَادِ الْمُلُوكِ. فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَى قُتَيْبَةَ مَا أَرْسَلَهُ مَلِكُ الصِّينِ قَبِلَ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ; وَذَلِكَ لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ قَدِ انْتَهَى إِلَيْهِ خَبَرُ مَوْتِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَانْكَسَرَتْ هِمَّتُهُ لِذَلِكَ. فَقَبِلَ قُتَيْبَةُ الْجِزْيَةَ، وَخَتَمَ الْغِلْمَانَ وَرَدَّهُمْ، وَوَطِئَ التُّرَابَ. فَقَالَ سَوَادَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ السَّلُولِيُّ: لَا عَيْبَ فِي الْوَفْدِ الَّذِينَ بَعَثْتَهُمْ لِلصِّينِ إِنْ سَلَكُوا طَرِيقَ الْمَنْهَجِ كَسَرُوا الْجُفُونَ عَلَى الْقَذَى خَوْفَ الرَّدَى حَاشَا الْكَرِيمَ هُبَيْرَةَ بْنَ مُشَمْرَجٍ أَدَّى رِسَالَتَكَ الَّتِي اسْتَرْعَيْتَهُ فَأَتَاكَ مِنْ حِنْثِ الْيَمِينِ بِمَخْرَجِ فَأَوْفَدَ قُتَيْبَةُ هُبَيْرَةَ إِلَى الْوَلِيدِ، فَمَاتَ بِقَرْيَةَ مِنْ فَارِسَ، فَرَثَاهُ سَوَادَةُ فَقَالَ: لِلَّهِ دَرُّ هُبَيْرَةَ بْنِ مُشَمْرَجِ مَاذَا تَضَمَّنَ مِنْ نَدًى وَجَمَالِ وَبَدِيهَةٍ يَعْيَا بِهَا أَبْنَاؤُهَا عِنْدَ احْتِفَالِ مَشَاهِدِ الْأَقْوَالِ كَانَ الرَّبِيعَ إِذَا السُّيُوفُ تَتَابَعَتْ وَاللَّيْثَ عِنْدَ تَكَعْكُعِ الْأَبْطَالِ فَسَقَى بِقَرْيَةَ حَيْثُ أَمْسَى قَبْرُهُ غُرٌّ يَرُحْنَ بِمُسْبِلٍ هَطَّالِ بَكَتِ الْجِيَادُ الصَّافِنَاتُ لِفَقْدِهِ وَبَكَاهُ كُلُّ مُثَقَّفٍ عَسَّالِ وَبَكَتْهُ شُعْثٌ لَمْ يَجِدْنَ مُوَاسِيًا فِي الْعَامِ ذِي السَّنَوَاتِ وَالْإِمْحَالِ وَوَصْلَ الْخَبَرُ إِلَى قُتَيْبَةَ فِي هَذِهِ الْغَزَاةِ بِمَوْتِ الْوَلِيدِ. وَكَانَ قُتَيْبَةُ إِذَا رَجَعَ مِنْ غَزَاتِهِ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ اشْتَرَى اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ فَرَسًا وَاثْنَيْ عَشَرَ هَجِينًا، فَتَحَدَّرَ إِلَى وَقْتِ الْغَزْوِ، فَإِذَا تَأَهَّبَ لِلْغَزْوِ ضَمَّرَهَا وَحَمَلَ عَلَيْهَا الطَّلَائِعَ، وَكَانَ يَجْعَلُ الطَّلَائِعَ فُرْسَانَ النَّاسِ وَأَشْرَافَهُمْ وَمَعَهُمْ مِنَ الْعَجَمِ مَنْ يَسْتَنْصِحُهُ، وَإِذَا بَعَثَ طَلِيعَةً أَمَرَ بِلَوْحٍ فَنُقِشَ، ثُمَّ شَقَّهُ بِنِصْفَيْنِ، وَجَعَلَ شِقَّةً عِنْدَهُ، وَيُعْطِي نِصْفَهُ الطَّلِيعَةَ، وَيَأْمُرُهُمْ أَنْ يَدْفِنُوهُ فِي مَوْضِعٍ يَصِفُهُ لَهُمْ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أَوْ مَخَاضَةٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِمَا، ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُ بَعْدَ الطَّلِيعَةِ مَنْ يَسْتَخْرِجُهُ لِيَعْلَمَ أَصْدَقَتِ الطَّلِيعَةُ أَمْ لَا.
Translation
✧ Then the year ninety-six began. Qutaybah's conquest of the city of Kashgar In the year ninety-six, Qutaybah b. Muslim, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, conquered Kashgar in the land of China, and he sent messengers to the king of China threatening and warning him, swearing by Allah that he would not return until he had trodden his lands, branded their kings and nobles, and taken the jizya from them, or they had entered Islam. The messengers entered upon the greatest king there, who was in a great city said to have ninety gates in its surrounding wall, called Khan Baliq, one of the greatest of cities and the most abundant in produce, commerce, and wealth, so much so that it was said that the lands of India, despite their vastness, were like a mole on the kingdom of China. The Chinese have no need to travel in the realms of others because of the abundance of their wealth and goods, while others need them for the goods and worldly abundance they possess. All the kings of those lands pay tribute to the king of China because of his dominance, the multitude of his troops, and his equipment. The point is that when the messengers entered upon the king of China, they found a mighty kingdom, numerous troops, a fortified city with rivers, markets, beauty, and splendor. They entered upon him in a great, strong castle the size of a large city. The king of China said to them, "Who are you?" They were three hundred messengers under the command of Hubayrah. The king said to his interpreter, "Say to them: Who are you and what do you want?" They said, "We are the messengers of Qutaybah b. Muslim. He invites you to Islam; if you do not accept, then the jizya; if you do not accept, then war." The king became angry and ordered them to a house. The next day he summoned them and said, "How are you in the worship of your God?" They performed the prayer according to their custom, and when they bowed and prostrated, he laughed at them. Then he said, "How are you in your homes?" They put on their work clothes, and he ordered them to depart. The next day he sent for them and said, "How do you enter upon your kings?" They put on embroidered garments, turbans, and cloaks, and entered upon the king. He said to them, "Go back." They returned, and the king said to his companions, "How do you see these?" They said, "These are more like the appearance of men than those of the first time, yet they are the same ones." On the third day, he sent for them and said, "How do you meet your enemy?" They girded on their weapons, put on helmets and mail, slung their swords, shouldered their bows, took their lances, mounted their horses, and advanced. The king of China looked at them and saw what seemed like mountains approaching. When they drew near him, they planted their lances in the ground, then came toward him with sleeves tucked up. They were told, "Go back," because fear of them had entered the hearts of the people of China. So they turned away, mounted their horses, pulled out their lances, and then urged their horses on as if they were racing one another. The king said to his companions, "How do you see them?" They said, "We have never seen the like of these." When evening came, the king sent to them, saying, "Send me your leader and the best among you." They sent him Hubayrah. When he entered upon him, the king said to him, "You have seen the greatness of my dominion, and no one can protect you from me; you are like an egg in the palm of my hand. I will ask you about something, and if you do not tell me the truth, I will kill you." He said, "Ask." The king said, "Why did you do what you did in attire on the first day, the second, and the third?" He said, "As for our attire on the first day, it is our clothing among our families and women, and our finery with them. As for what we did on the second day, it is our attire when we enter upon our kings. As for our attire on the third day, it is when we meet our enemy." The king said, "How well you have arranged your affairs! Depart to your master—meaning Qutaybah—and tell him to turn back and withdraw from my land, for I know his greed and the smallness of his companions; otherwise I will send against you those who will destroy you utterly." Hubayrah said to him, "Do you say this to Qutaybah? How can he be few in companions when the vanguard of his cavalry is in your lands and its rear is in the olive-growing regions? How can he be greedy when he has left the world behind, able as he is to possess it, and has raided you in your own land? As for your threatening us with death, we know that we have a fixed term; when it comes, the noblest of deaths to us is being killed, so we do not dislike it or fear it." The king said, "What then will satisfy your master?" He said, "He has sworn that he will not turn back until he has trodden your land, branded your kings, and collected the jizya from your country." The king said, "I will fulfill his oath and release him from it. I will send him soil from my land, four boys from the sons of kings, and I will send him much gold, silk, and Chinese garments of inestimable value, the worth of which no one knows." Then many negotiations took place between them. Then he began to threaten them and they threatened him, he warned them and they warned him. Finally, it was agreed that he would send wide platters of gold containing soil from his land for Qutaybah to tread upon, and he sent a group of his own sons and the sons of kings for him to brand their necks, and he sent abundant wealth to fulfill Qutaybah's oath. It is said that he sent four hundred of his sons and the sons of kings. When what the king of China had sent reached Qutaybah, he accepted it, because news of the death of al-Walīd b. ʿAbd al-Malik, Commander of the Faithful, had reached him, and his resolve was broken by that. Qutaybah accepted the jizya, branded the boys, and returned them, and trod upon the soil. Sawādah b. ʿAbd al-Malik al-Salūlī said: No fault in the delegation you sent to China, if they followed the path of the clear way. They endured grit in their eyes for fear of death, except the noble Hubayrah b. Mushamraj. He delivered your message with which you entrusted him, and brought you a way out of the oath's violation. Qutaybah then sent Hubayrah to al-Walīd, but he died at a village in Fārs, and Sawādah elegized him, saying: May Allah reward Hubayrah b. Mushamraj with good—what generosity and beauty he embraced! And a presence of mind that baffles its own sons at the gathering of words. He was the spring when swords followed one another, and the lion when heroes held back. May white clouds that return with pouring, abundant rain water the village where his grave now lies. The noble, swift horses wept for his loss, and every straightened, quivering spear wept for him. And disheveled women wept for him, who found no comforter in the year of droughts and barrenness. The news of al-Walīd's death reached Qutaybah during this campaign. Whenever Qutaybah returned from his campaign each year, he would buy twelve horses and twelve hujayns (noble crossbreeds), and they would descend until the time of the next raid. When he prepared for the raid, he would train them lean and mount scouts upon them. He made the scouts the horsemen and nobles of the people, and with them were Persians whose advice he sought. When he sent out a scout party, he ordered a wooden tablet to be inscribed, then split it in two; he kept one half and gave the other half to the scouts, ordering them to bury it in a place he described to them, such as a tree, a ford, or the like. Then, after the scouts, he would send someone to retrieve it to know whether the scouts had spoken truth or not.
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