Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2510
The Year 108
مَنْ تُوُفِّيَ فِي سنة ثمان ومائة مِنَ الْأَكَابِرِ بَكْرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمُزَنِيُّ بَكْرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمُزَنِيُّ : أَسْنَدَ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، وَجَابِرٍ، وَأَنَسٍ وَغَيْرِهِمْ. وَكَانَ فَقِيهًا ثِقَةً حُجَّةً عَابِدًا شَدِيدَ الْخَوْفِ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. وَقَفَ [بِعَرَفَةَ] فَرَقَّ فَقَالَ: لَوْلَا أَنِّي فِيهِمْ لَقُلْتُ قَدْ غُفِرَ لَهُمْ. وَكَانَ يَلْبَسُ الثِّيَابَ الْحِسَانَ، وَكَانَتْ قِيمَةُ كِسَوْتِهِ أَرْبَعَةَ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ، فَاشْتَرَى طَيْلَسَانًا بِأَرْبَعِمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ. وَكَانَ يُقَالُ: الْحَسَنُ شَيْخُ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَبَكْرٌ فَتَاهَا. عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمُزَنِيِّ قَالَ: أَحْوَجُ النَّاسِ إِلَى لَطْمَةٍ مَنْ دُعِيَ إِلَى وَلِيمَةٍ فَذَهَبَ مَعَهُ بِآخَرَ، وَأَحْوَجُ النَّاسِ إِلَى لَطْمَتَيْنِ [رَجُلٌ] دَخَلَ إِلَى دَارِ قَوْمٍ فَقِيلَ لَهُ اجْلِسْ هَاهُنَا فَقَالَ لَا بَلْ هَاهُنَا، وَأَحْوَجُ النَّاسِ إِلَى ثَلَاثِ لَطَمَاتِ رَجُلٌ قُدِّمَ إِلَيْهِ طَعَامٌ، فَقَالَ: لَا آكُلُ حَتَّى يَجْلِسَ مَعِي رَبُّ الْبَيْتِ. وعن مِسْمَعُ بْنُ عَاصِمٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنْ آلِ عَاصِمٍ الْجَحْدَرِيِّ، قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ عَاصِمًا الْجَحْدَرِيَّ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ بِسَنَتَيْنِ فَقُلْتُ: أَلَيْسَ قَدْ مُتَّ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى، قُلْتُ: فَأَيْنَ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ: أَنَا وَاللَّهِ فِي رَوْضَةٍ مِنْ رِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ أَنَا وَنَفَرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِي نَجْتَمِعُ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةِ جُمْعَةٍ وَصَبِيحَتِهَا إِلَى بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمُزَنِيِّ فَنَتَلَاقَى. قَالَ: قُلْتُ: أَرْوَاحُكُمْ وَأَجْسَامُكُمْ؟ قَالَ: هَيْهَاتَ بَلِيَتِ الْأَجْسَامُ وَإِنَّمَا تَتَلَاقَى الْأَرْوَاحُ. تُوُفِّيَ بَكْرٌ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ بِالْبَصْرَةِ. عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبَانَ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبَانَ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ ؓ: رَوَى عَنْ أَبِيهِ. عَنْ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ، قَالَ: كَانَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبَانَ يَشْتَرِي أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ ثُمَّ يَأْمُرُ بِهِمْ فَيُكْسَوْنَ وَيَذْهَبُونَ، ثُمَّ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهِ فَيَقُولُ: أَنْتُمْ أَحْرَارٌ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ أَسْتَعِينُ بِكُمْ عَلَى غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ. قَالَ: فَمَاتَ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ فِي مَسْجِدِهِ، يَعْنِي فِي السَّبْخَةِ. الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ، أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ: كَانَ دَيِّنًا، أُمُّهُ أُمُّ وَلَدٍ، رَوَى عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، وَعَائِشَةَ. عن مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ: جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ إِلَى الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، فَقَالَ: أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ أَوْ سَالِمٌ؟ قَالَ: ذَاكَ مَنْزِلُ سَالِمٍ، فَلَمْ يَزِدْ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى قَامَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ. قَالَ ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ: كَرِهَ أَنْ يَقُولَ: هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنِّي فَيَكْذِبُ، أَوْ يَقُولُ: أَنَا أَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ فَيُزَكِّي نَفْسَهُ. عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، قَالَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ رَجُلًا أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الْقَاسِمِ، وَلَقَدْ تَرَكَ مِائَةَ أَلْفٍ وَهِيَ لَهُ حَلَالٌ. قَالَ يَعْقُوبُ: بسنده أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ قَالَ: لَوْ كَانَ إِلَيَّ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ شَيْءٌ لَوَلَّيْتُ الْقَاسِمَ الْخِلَافَةَ. عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، بسنده عَنْ سُفْيَانَ قَالَ: اجْتَمَعُوا إِلَى الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ فِي صَدَقَةٍ قَسَمَهَا. قَالَ: وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي، فَجَعَلُوا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ، فَقَالَ ابْنُهُ: إِنَّكُمُ اجْتَمَعْتُمْ إِلَى رَجُلٍ وَاللَّهِ مَا نَالَ مِنْهَا دِرْهَمًا وَلَا دَانِقًا، قَالَ: فَأَوْجَزَ الْقَاسِمُ ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا بُنَيَّ قُلْ فِيمَا عَلِمْتَ. قَالَ سُفْيَانُ: صَدَقَ ابْنُهُ وَلَكِنَّهُ أَرَادَ تَأْدِيبَهُ فِي النُّطْقِ وَحِفْظَهُ. وعَنْ رَجَاءِ بْنِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ: مَاتَ الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ حَاجًّا أَوْ مُعْتَمِرًا، فَقَالَ لِابْنِهِ: شُنَّ عَلَيَّ التُّرَابَ شَنًّا، وَسَوِّ عَلَى قَبْرِي وَالْحَقْ بِأَهْلِكَ، وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَقُولَ كَانَ وَكَانَ. تُوُفِّيَ الْقَاسِمُ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ بَعْدَ أَنْ كُفَّ بَصَرُهُ بِنَحْوِ ثَلَاثِ سِنِينَ، وَقَدْ عَبَرَ السَّبْعِينَ. مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَعْبٍ، أَبُو حَمْزَةَ الْقُرَظِيُّ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَعْبٍ، أَبُو حَمْزَةَ الْقُرَظِيُّ: عَنْ زُهَيْرِ بْنِ عَبَّادٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو كَثِيرٍ الْبَصْرِيُّ، قَالَ: قَالَتْ أُمُّ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ الْقُرَظِيِّ لِمُحَمَّدٍ: يَا بُنَيَّ لَوْلَا أَنِّي أَعْرِفُكَ صَغِيرًا طَيِّبًا وَكَبِيرًا طَيِّبًا لَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّكَ أَحْدَثْتَ ذَنْبًا مُوبِقًا لِمَا أَرَاكَ تَصْنَعُ بِنَفْسِكَ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ، فَقَالَ: يَ? أَمَتَاهُ وَمَا يُؤَمِّنُنِي أَنْ يَكُونَ اللَّهُ قَدِ اطَّلَعَ عَلَيَّ وَأَنَا فِي بَعْضِ ذُنُوبِي فَمَقَتَنِي فَقَالَ: اذْهَبْ لَا أَغْفِرُ لَكَ، مَعَ أَنَّ عَجَائِبَ الْقُرْآنِ تَرُدُّنِي عَلَى أُمُورٍ حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيَنْقَضِيَ اللَّيْلُ وَلَمْ أَفْرُغْ مِنْ حَاجَتِي. كَانَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَعْبٍ يَقُصُّ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَسَقَطَ عَلَيْهِ مَسْجِدُهُ وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ مَنْ كَانَ مَعَهُ فَقَتَلَهُمْ، وَذَلِكَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ. مُوسَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ مُوسَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ: وُلِدَ بِالسَّرَاةِ سَنَةَ إِحْدَى وَثَمَانِينَ، وَتُوُفِّيَ بِبِلَادِ الرُّومِ غَازِيًا فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ عَنْ سَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ سَنَةً. مُوَرِّقُ بْنُ الْمُشَمْرِجِ مُوَرِّقُ بْنُ الْمُشَمْرِجِ، أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْعِجْلِيُّ الْبَصْرِيُّ: عَابِدٌ زَاهِدٌ، رَوَى عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، وَأَنَسٍ، وَغَيْرِهِمَا. وَكَانَ يَقُولُ: أَمْرٌ أَنَا فِي طَلَبِهِ مُنْذُ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً لَمْ أَقْدِرْ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَسْتُ بِتَارِكٍ طَلَبَهُ أَبَدًا، قِيلَ: وَمَا هُوَ؟ قَالَ: الصَّمْتُ عَمَّا لَا يَعْنِينِي، وَمَا قُلْتُ فِي الْغَضَبِ شَيْئًا قَطُّ فَنَدِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الرِّضَى. وَكَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى بَعْضِ إِخْوَانِهِ فَيَضَعُ عِنْدَهُمُ الدَّرَاهِمَ فَيَقُولُ: أَمْسِكُوهَا حَتَّى أَعُودَ إِلَيْكُمْ، فَإِذَا خَرَجَ قَالَ: أَنْتُمْ فِي حِلٍّ مِنْهَا. نُصَيْبُ بْنُ رَبَاحٍ، وَقِيلَ أَبُو مِحْجَنٍ الشَّاعِرُ، مَوْلَى عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ نُصَيْبُ بْنُ رَبَاحٍ، وَقِيلَ أَبُو مِحْجَنٍ الشَّاعِرُ، مَوْلَى عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ: وَكَانَ أَسْوَدَ شَدِيدَ السَّوَادِ، جَيِّدَ الشِّعْرِ، عَفِيفَ الْفَرْجِ، كَرِيمًا يُفْضِلُ بِمَالِهِ وَطَعَامِهِ. وَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْبَادِيَةِ يَدْعُونَهُ النُّصَيْبَ تَفَخُّمًا لِمَا يَرَوْنَ مِنْ جَوْدَةِ شِعْرِهِ، وَلَمْ يَهْجُ أَحَدًا تَدَيُّنًا، وَكَانَ فِي أَوَّلِ أَمْرِهِ عَبْدًا لِبَنِي كَعْبٍ رَاعِيًا لَهُمْ، فَبَاعُوهُ مِنْ قِلَاصِ بْنِ مُحْرِزٍ الْكِنَانِيِّ وَكَانَ يَرْعَى إِبِلَهُ. وَزَعَمَ ابْنُ الْكَلْبِيِّ أَنَّ نُصَيْبًا مِنْ بَنِي الْحَافِّ بْنِ قُضَاعَةَ، وَكَانَتْ أُمُّهُ أَمَةً فَوَثَبَ عَلَيْهَا سَيِّدُهَا فَجَاءَتْ بِنُصَيْبٍ، فَوَثَبَ عَلَيْهِ عَمُّهُ فَبَاعَهُ مِنْ رَجُلٍ، فَاشْتَرَاهُ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مَرْوَانَ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَتَوَلَّعُ بِالشِّعْرِ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ قَوْلُهُ اسْتَأْذَنَ مَوْلَاهُ فِي إِتْيَانِ بَنِي مَرْوَانَ فَلَمْ يَأْذَنْ لَهُ، فَهَرَبَ عَلَى نَاقَةٍ بِاللَّيْلِ وَدَخَلَ عَلَى عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ فَمَدَحَهُ، فَقَالَ: حَاجَتُكَ، قَالَ: أَنَا مَمْلُوكٌ، فَقَالَ لِلْحَاجِبِ: اخْرُجْ فَأَبْلِغْ فِي قِيمَتِهِ، فَجَمَعَ لَهُ الْمُقَوِّمِينَ فَقَالَ: قَوِّمُوا غُلَامًا أَسْوَدَ لَيْسَ بِهِ عَيْبٌ، قَالُوا: مِائَةُ دِينَارٍ، قَالَ: إِنَّهُ رَاعِي إِبِلٍ يُبْصِرُهَا وَيُحْسِنُ الْقِيَامَ عَلَيْهَا، قَالُوا: مِائَتَا دِينَارٍ، قَالَ: إِنَّهُ يَبْرِي النَّبْلَ وَيَرِيشُهَا وَيَبْرِي الْقِسِيَّ، قَالُوا: أَرْبَعُمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ، قَالُوا: إِنَّهُ رَاوِيَةٌ لِلشِّعْرِ، قَالُوا: سِتُّمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ، قَالَ: إِنَّهُ شَاعِرٌ، قَالُوا: أَلْفُ دِينَارٍ، فَقَالَ نُصَيْبٌ: أَصْلَحَ اللَّهُ الْأَمِيرَ جَائِزَتِي عَنْ مِدْحَتِي، قَالَ: أَعْطُوهُ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ، فَعَادَ فَاشْتَرَى أُمَّهُ وَأُخْتَهُ وَأَهْلَهُ وَأَعْتَقَهُمْ. وَقَدْ مَدَحَ عَبْدَ الْعَزِيزِ بْنَ مَرْوَانَ وَأَخَاهُ عَبْدَ الْمَلِكِ بْنَ مَرْوَانَ وَأَوْلَادَهُ وَعُمَرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، وَحَصَّلَ مِنْهُمْ مَالًا كَثِيرًا. وَقَالَ أَيُّوبُ بْنُ عَبَايَةَ: بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ النُّصَيْبَ كَانَ إِذَا قَدِمَ عَلَى هِشَامِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ أَخْلَى لَهُ مَجْلِسَهُ وَاسْتَنْشَدَهُ مَرَاثِيَ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ، فَإِذَا أَنْشَدَهُ بَكَى وَبَكَى مَعَهُ، فَأَنْشَدَهُ يَوْمًا قَصِيدَةً مَدَحَهُ [بِهَا يَقُولُ] فِيهَا: إِذَا اسْتَبَقَ النَّاسُ الْعُلَا سَبَقَتْهُمْ يَمِينُكَ عَفْوًا ثُمَّ ضَلَّتْ شِمَالُهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ هِشَامٌ: يَا أَسْوَدُ بَلَغْتَ غَايَةَ الْمَدْحِ فَسَلْنِي، فَقَالَ: يَدُكَ بِالْعَطِيَّةِ أَجْوَدُ وَأَبْسَطُ مِنْ لِسَانِي بِمَسْأَلَتِكَ، فَقَالَ: [هَذَا] وَاللَّهِ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ الشِّعْرِ. وَأَحْسَنَ جَائِزَتَهُ. وَمِنْ شِعْرِ نُصَيْبٍ يَمْدَحُ نَفْسَهُ: لَيْسَ السَّوَادُ بِنَاقِصِي مَا دَامَ لِي هَذَا اللِّسَانُ إِلَى فُؤَادٍ ثَابِتِ مَنْ كَانَ تَرْفَعُهُ مَنَابِتُ أَصْلِهِ فَبُيُوتُ أَشْعَارِي جُعِلْنَ مَنَابِتِي كَمْ بَيْنَ أَسْوَدَ نَاطِقٍ بِبَيَانِهِ مَاضِي الْجَنَانِ وَبَيْنَ أَبْيَضَ صَامِتِ إِنِّي لَيَحْسُدُنِي الرَّفِيعُ بِنَاؤُهُ مِنْ فَضْلِ ذَاكَ وَلَيْسَ بِي مِنْ شَامِتِ وَكَانَ نُصَيْبٌ تَشَبَّبَ بِزَيْنَبَ، وَالْمَشْهُورُ عَنْهَا أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ بَيْضَاءَ مُسْتَحْسَنَةً. وَقَدْ رُوِيَ أَيْضًا أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ سَوْدَاءَ. وعَنِ الضَّحَّاكِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ الْحِزَامِيِّ، قَالَ: خَرَجْتُ فِي آخِرِ الْحَجِّ فَنَزَلْتُ بِالْأَبْوَاءِ عَلَى امْرَأَةٍ فَأَعْجَبَنِي مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْ حُسْنِهَا وَأَطْرَبَنِي، فَتَمَثَّلْتُ قَوْلَ نُصَيْبٍ: بِزَيْنَبَ أَلْمِمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْحَلَ الرَّكْبُ وَقُلْ إِنْ تَمَلَّيْنَا فَمَا مَلَكَ الْقَلْبُ خَلِيلَيَّ مِنْ كَعْبٍ إِلَى مَا هُدِيتُمَا بِزَيْنَبَ لَا يَقْعُدُ كَمَا أَبَدًا كَعْبُ وَقُولَا لَهَا مَا فِي الْبِعَادِ لِذِي الْهَوَى بِعَادٌ وَمَا فِيهِ لِصَدْعِ النَّوَى شَعْبُ فَمَنْ شَاءَ رَامَ الصُّرْمَ أَوْ قَالَ ظَالِمًا لِصَاحِبِهِ ذَنْبٌ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ ذَنْبُ فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْنِي أَتَمَثَّلُ بِهَذِهِ الْأَبْيَاتِ قَالَتْ لِي: يَا فَتَى الْعَرَبِ، أَتَعْرِفُ قَائِلَ هَذَا الشِّعْرِ ؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ ذَاكَ نُصَيْبٌ، قَالَتْ: نَعَمْ هُوَ ذَاكَ، فَتَعْرِفُ زَيْنَبَ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَتْ: أَنَا وَاللَّهِ زَيْنَبُ، قُلْتُ: فَحَيَّاكِ اللَّهُ، قَالَتْ: أَمَا إِنَّ الْيَوْمَ مَوْعِدُهُ مِنْ عِنْدِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ عَامَ أَوَّلَ وَوَعَدَنِي هَذَا الْيَوْمَ، وَلَعَلَّكَ لَا تَبْرَحُ حَتَّى تَرَاهُ. قَالَ: فَمَا بَرِحْتْ مِنْ مَجْلِسِي حَتَّى إِذَا أَنَا بِرَكْبٍ يَزُولُ مَعَ السَّرَابِ، فَقَالَتْ: تَرَى خَبَبَ ذَلِكَ الْفَارِسِ - أَوْ ذَاكَ الرَّاكِبِ - إِنِّي لَأَحْسَبُهُ إِيَّاهُ، قَالَ: وَأَقْبَلَ الرَّاكِبُ فَأَمِنَّا حَتَّى أَنَاخَ قَرِيبًا مِنَ الْخَيْمَةِ، فَإِذَا هُوَ نُصَيْبٌ، ثُمَّ ثَنَى رِجْلَهُ عَنْ رَاحِلَتِهِ فَنَزَلَ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيَّ وَجَلَسَ مِنْهَا نَاحِيَةً وَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهَا وَسَاءَلَهَا وَسَاءَلَتْهُ فَأَخْفَيَا ثُمَّ إِنَّهَا سَأَلَتْهُ أَنْ يُنْشِدَهَا مَا أَحْدَثَ مِنَ الشِّعْرِ بَعْدَهَا، فَجَعَلَ يُنْشِدُهَا، فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي: عَاشِقَانِ أَطَالَا التَّنَائِي لَا بُدَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِأَحَدِهِمَا إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ حَاجَةٌ، فَقُمْتُ إِلَى رَاحِلَتِي أَشُدُّ عَلَيْهَا، فَقَالَ لِي: عَلَى رِسْلِكَ أَنَا مَعَكَ، فَجَلَسْتُ حَتَّى نَهَضَ وَنَهَضْتُ مَعَهُ، فَتَسَايَرْنَا سَاعَةً ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ فَقَالَ: قُلْتَ [فِي نَفْسِكَ]: مُحِبَّانِ الْتَقَيَا بَعْدَ طُولِ تَنَاءٍ لَا بُدَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِأَحَدِهِمَا إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ حَاجَةٌ؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ قَدْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ، قَالَ: فَلَا وَرَبِّ هَذِهِ الْبِنْيَةِ الَّتِي إِلَيْهَا نَعْمِدُ، مَا جَلَسْتُ مِنْهَا مَجْلِسًا قَطُّ أَقْرَبَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِي الَّذِي رَأَيْتَ وَلَا كَانَ شَيْءٌ مَكْرُوهٌ قَطُّ. وعَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ: كُنْتُ حَاجًّا وَمَعِي رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَافِلَةِ لَا أَعْرِفُهُ وَلَمْ أَرَهُ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ وَمَعَهُ هَوَادِجُ وَأَثْقَالٌ وَصِبْيَةٌ وَعَبِيدٌ وَمَتَاعٌ، فَنَزَلْنَا مَنْزِلًا، فَإِذَا فُرُشٌ مُمَهَّدَةٌ وَبُسُطٌ قَدْ بُسِطَتْ، فَخَرَجَ مَنْ أَعْظَمِهَا هَوْدَجًا امْرَأَةٌ زِنْجِيَّةٌ فَجَلَسَتْ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْفُرَشِ الْمُمَهَّدَةِ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ زِنْجِيٌّ فَجَلَسَ إِلَى جَنْبِهَا عَلَى الْفِرَاشِ فَبَقِيتُ مُتَعَجِّبًا مِنْهُمَا، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِمَا إِذْ مَرَّ بِنَا مَارٌّ وَهُوَ يَقُودُ إِبِلًا، فَجَعَلَ يَتَغَنَّى وَيَقُولُ: بِزَيْنَبَ أَلْمِمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْحَلَ الرَّكْبُ وَقُلْ إِنْ تَمَلَّيْنَا فَمَا مَلَكَ الْقَلْبُ قَالَ: فَوَثَبَتِ الزِّنْجِيَّةُ إِلَى الزِّنْجِيِّ فَخَبَطَتْهُ وَضَرَبَتْهُ وَهِيَ تَقُولُ: شَهَرْتَنِي فِي النَّاسِ شَهَرَكَ اللَّهُ، فَقُلْتْ: مَنْ هَذَا؟ قَالُوا: نُصَيْبٌ الشَّاعِرُ وَهَذِهِ زَيْنَبُ. قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ خَلَفٍ: وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ شَدَّادٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ السَّعْدِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَتْنِي جَدَّتِي، عَنْ أَبِيهَا، عَنْ جَدِّهَا، قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ رَجُلًا أَسْوَدَ وَمَعَهُ امْرَأَةٌ بَيْضَاءُ، فَجَعَلْتُ أَتَعَجَّبُ مِنْ سَوَادِهِ وَبَيَاضِهَا، فَدَنَوْتُ مِنْهُ، فَقُلْتُ: مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ فَقَالَ: أَنَا الَّذِي أَقُولُ: أَلَا لَيْتَ شِعْرِي مَا الَّذِي تُحْدِثِينَ لِي إِذَا مَا غَدَا النَّأْيُ الْمُفَرِّقُ وَالْبُعْدِ أَتَصْرِمُنِي عِنْدَ الْأُلَى فَهُمُ الْعِدَا فَتُشْمِتَهُمْ بِي أَمْ تَدُومُ عَلَى الْعَهْدِ قَالَ: فَصَاحَتْ: بَلَى وَاللَّهِ تَدُومُ عَلَى الْعَهْدِ، فَسَأَلْتُ عَنْهَا فَقِيلَ: هَذَا نُصَيْبٌ وَهَذِهِ أُمُّ بَكْرٍ. قَالَ ابْنُ خَلَفٍ: بسنده عن الْعُتْبِيُّ، قَالَ: دَخَلَ نُصَيْبٌ عَلَى عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ فَقَالَ لَهُ: هَلْ عَشِقْتَ يَا نُصَيْبُ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ جَعَلَنِي اللَّهُ فِدَاكَ، قَالَ: مَنْ؟ قَالَ: جَارِيَةٌ لِبَنِي مُدْلِجٍ فَأَحْدَقَ بِهَا الْوَاشُونَ فَكُنْتُ لَا أَقْدِرُ عَلَى كَلَامِهَا إِلَّا بِعَيْنٍ أَوْ إِشَارَةٍ، وَأَجْلِسُ لَهَا عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ حَتَّى تَمُرَّ بِي فَأَرَاهَا، وَفِي ذَلِكَ أَقُولُ: جَلَسْتُ لَهَا كَيْمَا تَمُرَّ لَعَلَّنِي أُخَالِسُهَا التَّسْلِيمَ إِنْ لَمْ تُسَلِّمِ فَلَمَّا رَأَتْنِي وَالْوُشَاةَ تَحَدَّرَتْ مَدَامِعُهَا خَوْفًا وَلَمْ تَتَكَلَّمِ مَسَاكِينُ أَهْلُ الْعِشْقِ مَا كُنْتُ مُشْتَرٍ [جَمِيعَ] حَيَاةِ الْعَاشِقِينَ بِدِرْهَمِ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ: وَيْحَكَ، وَمَا فَعَلَتِ الْمُدْلِجِيَّةُ؟ قَالَ: اشْتُرِيَتْ وَأَوْلَدَتْ، قَالَ: فَهَلْ فِي قَلْبِكَ مِنْهَا شَيْءٌ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، عَقَابِيلُ أَوْجَاعٍ. قَالَ ابْنُ خَلَفٍ: وعَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَلَامٍ، قَالَ: دَخَلَ نُصَيْبٌ عَلَى يَزِيدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ، فَقَالَ: حَدِّثْنِي بِبَعْضِ مَا مَرَّ عَلَيْكَ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِقْتُ جَارِيَةً حَمْرَاءَ - يَعْنِي بَيْضَاءَ - فَمَكَثْتُ زَمَانًا تُمَنِّينِي بِالْأَبَاطِيلِ، فَأَرْسَلْتُ إِلَيْهَا بِهَذِهِ الْأَبْيَاتِ: فَإِنْ أَكُ حَالِكًا فَالْمِسْكُ أَحَوَى وَمَا لِسَوَادِ جِلْدِي مِنْ دَوَاءِ وَلِي كَرَمٌ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ نَاءٍ كَبُعْدِ الْأَرْضِ مِنْ جَوِّ السَّمَاءِ وَمِثْلِي فِي رِجَالِكُمُ قَلِيلٌ وَمِثْلُكِ لَيْسَ يُعْدَمُ فِي النِّسَاءِ فَإِنْ تَرْضَيْ فَرُدِّي قَوْلَ رَاضٍ وَإِنْ تَنْأَيْ فَنَحْنُ عَلَى السَّوَاءِ فَلَمَّا قَرَأَتِ الْكِتَابَ قَالَتِ: الْمَالُ وَالْعَقْلُ يُعَفِّيَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِهِمَا فَزَوَّجَتْنِي نَفْسَهَا. وعَنْ مَعَاذٍ صَاحِبِ الْهَرَوِيِّ، قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ مَسْجِدَ الْكُوفَةِ فَرَأَيْتُ رَجُلًا لَمْ أَرَ قَطُّ أَنْقَى ثِيَابًا مِنْهُ، وَلَا أَشَدَّ سَوَادًا، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ: نُصَيْبٌ، فَقُلْتُ: أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْكَ وَعَنْ أَصْحَابِكَ، فَقَالَ: جَمِيلٌ إِمَامُنَا، وَعُمَرُ أَوْصَفُنَا لِرَبَّاتِ الْحِجَالِ، وَكُثَيِّرٌ أَبْكَانَا عَلَى الْأَطْلَالِ وَالدِّمَنِ، وَقَدْ قُلْتُ مَا سَمِعْتَ، قُلْتُ: فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّكَ لَا تُحْسِنُ أَنْ تَهْجُوَ، فَقَالَ: فَأَقَرُّوا لِي أَنِّي أُحْسِنُ [أَنْ] أَمْدَحَ؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: فَتَرَى أَلَّا أُحْسِنَ أَنْ أَجْعَلَ مَكَانَ عَافَاكَ اللَّهُ أَخْزَاكَ اللَّهُ؟ قُلْتُ: بَلَى، قَالَ: وَلَكِنِّي رَأَيْتُ النَّاسَ رَجُلَيْنِ، رَجُلًا لَمْ أَسْأَلْهُ فَلَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ أَهْجُوَهُ فَأَظْلِمَهُ، وَرَجُلًا سَأَلْتُهُ فَمَنَعَنِي فَكَانَتْ نَفْسِي أَحَقَّ بِالْهِجَاءِ إِذْ سَوَّلَتْ لِي أَنْ أَطْلُبَ مِنْهُ. وعن خَلَفُ بْنُ نَوْفَلِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ، قَالَ: لَمَّا أَصَابَ نُصَيْبٌ مِنَ الْمَالِ مَا أَصَابَ، وَكَانَتْ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ مِحْجَنٍ [ - وَكَانَتْ سَوْدَاءَ - تَزَوَّجَ امْرَأَةً بَيْضَاءَ، فَغَضِبَتْ أُمُّ مِحْجَنٍ] وَغَارَتْ، فَقَالَ: يَا أُمَّ مِحْجَنٍ وَاللَّهِ مَا مِثْلِي يُغَارُ عَلَيْهِ إِنِّي لَشَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَا مِثْلُكِ مَنْ يَغَارُ إِنَّكِ لَعَجُوزٌ كَبِيرَةٌ، وَمَا أَجِدُ أَكْرَمَ عَلَيَّ مِنْكِ وَلَا أَوْجَبَ حَقًّا فَجَوِّزِي هَذَا الْأَمْرَ وَلَا تُكَدِّرِيهِ عَلَيَّ، فَرَضِيَتْ وَقَّرَتْ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ: هَلْ لَكِ أَنْ أَجْمَعَ إِلَيْكِ زَوْجَتِي الْجَدِيدَةَ فَهُوَ أَصْلَحُ لِذَاتِ الْبَيْنِ وَأَلَمُّ لِلشَّعْثِ وَأَبْعَدُ لِلشَّمَاتَةِ، فَقَالَتِ: افْعَلْ فَأَعْطَاهَا دِينَارًا وَقَالَ لَهَا: إِنِّي أَكْرَهُ أَنْ تَرَى بِكِ خَصَاصَةً وَأَنْ تَفْضُلَ عَلَيْكِ، فَاعْمَلِي لَهَا إِذَا أَصْبَحَتْ عِنْدَكِ غَدًا نُزُلًا بِهَذَا الدِّينَارِ ثُمَّ أَتَى زَوْجَتَهُ الْجَدِيدَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهَا: إِنِّي قَدْ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَجْمَعَكِ إِلَى أُمِّ مِحْجَنٍ غَدًا وَهِيَ مُكْرِمَتُكِ وَأَكْرَهُ أَنْ تَفْضُلَ عَلَيْكِ، فَخُذِي هَذَا الدِّينَارَ فَاهْدِي لَهَا بِهِ إِذَا أَصْبَحْتِ عِنْدَهَا غَدًا لِئَلَّا تَرَى بِكِ خَصَاصَةً وَلَا تَذْكُرِي الدِّينَارَ لَهَا، ثُمَّ أَتَى صَاحِبًا لَهُ يَسْتَنْصِحُهُ، فَقَالَ: إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَجْمَعَ زَوْجَتِي الْجَدِيدَةَ إِلَى أُمِّ مِحْجَنٍ غَدًا فَأْتِنِي مُسَلِّمًا فَإِنِّي سَأَسْتَجْلِسُكَ لِلْغَدَاءِ فَإِذَا تَغَدَّيْتَ فَسَلْنِي عَنْ أَحَبِّهِمَا إِلَيَّ فَإِنِّي سَأَنْفِرُ وَأُعْظِمُ ذَلِكَ وَآبَى أَنْ أُخْبِرَكَ، فَإِذَا أَبَيْتُ ذَلِكَ فَاحْلِفْ عَلَيَّ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ زَارَتْ زَوْجَتُهُ الْجَدِيدَةُ أُمَّ مِحْجَنٍ، وَمَرَّ بِهِ صَدِيقُهُ فَاسْتَجْلَسَهُ، فَلَمَّا تَغَدَّيَا أَقْبَلَ الرَّجُلُ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَبَا مِحْجَنٍ، أُحِبُّ أَنْ تُخْبِرَنِي عَنْ أَحَبِّ زَوْجَتَيْكَ إِلَيْكَ، قَالَ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، تَسْأَلُنِي عَنْ هَذَا وَهُمَا يَسْمَعَانِ، مَا سَأَلَ عَنْ مِثْلِ هَذَا أَحَدٌ، قَالَ: فَإِنِّي أُقْسِمُ عَلَيْكَ لَتُخْبِرَنِّي فَوَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَا أَعْذِرُكَ، وَلَا أَقْبَلُ إِلَّا ذَاكَ، قَالَ: أَمَا إِذْ فَعَلْتَ فَأَحَبُّهُمَا إِلَيَّ صَاحِبَةُ الدِّينَارِ، وَاللَّهِ لَا أَزِيدُكَ عَلَى هَذَا شَيْئًا، فَأَعْرَضَتْ كُلُّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُمَا تَضْحَكُ وَنَفْسُهَا مَسْرُورَةٌ وَهِيَ تَظُنُّ أَنَّهُ عَنَاهَا بِذَلِكَ الْقَوْلِ. وَفِيهَا تُوُفِّيَ أَبُو الْمُتَوَكِّلِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ دَاوُدَ النَّاجِيُّ. وَأَبُو الصِّدِّيقِ النَّاجِيُّ أَيْضًا، وَاسْمُهُ بَكْرُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ النَّاجِيُّ، ( النَّاجِيُّ: بِالنُّونِ وَالْجِيمِ ). وَأَبُو نَضْرَةَ الْمُنْذِرُ بْنُ مَالِكِ بْنِ قُطْعَةَ النَّضْرِيُّ، ( نَضْرَةُ: بِالنُّونِ وَالضَّادِ الْمُعْجَمَةِ ). وَمُحَارِبُ بْنُ دِثَارٍ الْكُوفِيُّ قَاضِيهَا، ( دِثَارٌ بِكَسْرِ الدَّالِ الْمُهْمَلَةِ، وَالثَّاءِ الْمُثَلَّثَةِ ). وَفِيهَا تُوُفِّيَ رَاشِدُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ الْمَقْرَائِيُّ الْحِمْصِيُّ
Translation
✧ Those of the notables who died in the year one hundred and eight Bakr b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Muzanī Bakr b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Muzanī: He transmitted hadith from Ibn ʿUmar, Jābir, Anas, and others. He was a jurist, trustworthy, an authority, a devout worshipper, intensely fearful of God, Mighty and Majestic. He stood [at ʿArafah] and became tender-hearted, and said: Were it not that I am among them, I would say that they have been forgiven. He used to wear fine clothes, and the value of his clothing was four thousand dirhams; he bought a ṭaylasān for four hundred dirhams. It used to be said: al-Ḥasan is the elder of al-Baṣrah, and Bakr is its youth. From Bakr b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Muzanī, who said: The person most deserving of a slap is one who is invited to a wedding feast and brings another person along with him. The person most deserving of two slaps is a man who enters the house of some people and is told, “Sit here,” and he says, “No, rather here.” The person most deserving of three slaps is a man to whom food is presented, and he says, “I will not eat until the master of the house sits with me.” And from Mismaʿ b. ʿĀṣim, who said: A man from the family of ʿĀṣim al-Jaḥdarī told me, saying: I saw ʿĀṣim al-Jaḥdarī two years after his death, and I said: Did you not die? He said: Yes. I said: Where are you? He said: By God, I am in a garden of the gardens of Paradise, I and a group of my companions. We gather every Thursday night and its morning with Bakr b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Muzanī, and we meet one another. He said: I said: Are your spirits and your bodies? He said: Far from it; the bodies have decayed, and only the spirits meet. Bakr died in this year in al-Baṣrah. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Abān b. ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Abān b. ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān ؓ: He transmitted from his father. From Muṣʿab b. ʿUthmān, who said: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Abān used to purchase members of a household, then order that they be clothed and depart, then they would be presented to him and he would say: You are free for the sake of God; I seek help through you against the agonies of death. He said: He died while standing in his mosque, that is, in al-Sabkhah. Al-Qāsim b. Muḥammad b. Abī Bakr al-Ṣiddīq al-Qāsim b. Muḥammad b. Abī Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, Abū Muḥammad: He was devout. His mother was an umm walad. He transmitted from Abū Hurayrah, Ibn ʿAbbās, and ʿĀʾishah. From Muḥammad b. Isḥāq, who said: A bedouin came to al-Qāsim b. Muḥammad and said: Are you more learned or Sālim? He said: That is Sālim's station, and he added nothing to it until the bedouin rose. Ibn Isḥāq said: He disliked saying, “He is more learned than I,” and thus lying, or saying, “I am more learned than he,” and thus commending himself. From Ayyūb, who said: I have not seen a man more excellent than al-Qāsim. He left one hundred thousand, and it was lawful for him. Yaʿqūb said, with his chain of transmission, that ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz said: If any authority were mine, I would appoint al-Qāsim to the caliphate. From Muḥammad, with his chain of transmission, from Sufyān, who said: They gathered around al-Qāsim b. Muḥammad concerning some alms that he was distributing. He said: He was praying, and they began to talk. His son said: You have gathered around a man who, by God, did not take from it a dirham or a dāniq. He said: Al-Qāsim then shortened the prayer and said: O my son, speak only about what you know. Sufyān said: His son spoke the truth, but he intended to discipline him in speech and restrain him. And from Rajāʾ b. Abī Salamah, who said: Al-Qāsim b. Muḥammad died between Makkah and Madinah while performing Hajj or ʿUmrah. He said to his son: Sprinkle the earth over me lightly, level my grave, and rejoin your family. Beware of saying, “He was this and that.” Al-Qāsim died in this year, about three years after he lost his sight, having passed seventy. Muḥammad b. Kaʿb, Abū Ḥamzah al-Quraẓī Muḥammad b. Kaʿb, Abū Ḥamzah al-Quraẓī: From Zuhayr b. ʿAbbād, who said: Abū Kathīr al-Baṣrī told me, saying: The mother of Muḥammad b. Kaʿb al-Quraẓī said to Muḥammad: O my son, were it not that I knew you as a good child and a good adult, I would think that you had committed a destructive sin, because of what I see you doing to yourself night and day. He said: O my mother, what assures me that God has not looked upon me while I was in some of my sins and abhorred me, saying: “Go, I will not forgive you”? Indeed, the wonders of the Qurʾān keep bringing me back to matters until the night comes to an end and I have not finished my need. Muḥammad b. Kaʿb used to relate stories in Madinah, and his mosque collapsed upon him and upon all who were with him and killed them. That was in this year. Mūsā b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. ʿAbd Allāh b. al-ʿAbbās Mūsā b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. ʿAbd Allāh b. al-ʿAbbās: He was born in al-Sarāh in the year eighty-one, and he died in the land of the Byzantines as a warrior in this year at the age of twenty-seven. Muwarrīq b. al-Mushamrij Muwarrīq b. al-Mushamrij, Abū Bakr al-ʿIjlī al-Baṣrī: A devout worshipper and ascetic. He transmitted from Ibn ʿUmar, Anas, and others. He used to say: There is a matter I have been seeking for twenty years and have not been able to attain, and I will never cease seeking it. It was said: What is it? He said: Silence about what does not concern me. And I have never said anything in anger which I regretted in contentment. He used to enter upon some of his brothers and place dirhams with them, saying: Keep them until I return to you. Then when he left, he would say: You are absolved of them. Nuṣayb b. Rabāḥ, and it is said Abū Miḥjan the poet, client of ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Marwān Nuṣayb b. Rabāḥ, and it is said Abū Miḥjan the poet, client of ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Marwān: He was black, intensely black, excellent in poetry, chaste, generous, giving generously of his wealth and food. The desert people called him al-Nuṣayb out of reverence for the excellence of his poetry they saw. He never satirized anyone out of piety. In the beginning of his career he was a slave of the Banū Kaʿb, a shepherd for them, and they sold him to Qilāṣ b. Muḥriz al-Kinānī, and he used to tend his camels. Ibn al-Kalbī claimed that Nuṣayb was from the Banū al-Ḥāff b. Quḍāʿah. His mother was a slave woman, and her master forced himself upon her, and she gave birth to Nuṣayb. Then his uncle fell upon him and sold him to a man, and ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Marwān purchased him from that man. Others said: He was merely fond of poetry. When his verses became known, he asked his master for permission to go to the Banū Marwān, but he did not permit him, so he fled at night on a camel and entered upon ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Marwān and praised him. He said: What is your need? He said: I am a slave. He said to the chamberlain: Go out and ascertain his value. He gathered the appraisers for him and said: Appraise a black slave who has no defect. They said: One hundred dinars. He said: He is a camel herder who tends them and is skilled in caring for them. They said: Two hundred dinars. He said: He fletches arrows and strings bows. They said: Four hundred dinars. He said: He is a transmitter of poetry. They said: Six hundred dinars. He said: He is a poet. They said: One thousand dinars. Nuṣayb said: May God keep the emir righteous; what is my reward for my praise? He said: Give him one thousand dinars. So he returned and purchased his mother, his sister, and his family and set them free. He praised ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Marwān, his brother ʿAbd al-Malik b. Marwān, his sons, and ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, and obtained from them much wealth. Ayyūb b. ʿAbāyah said: It reached me that al-Nuṣayb, when he came to Hishām b. ʿAbd al-Malik, he would clear his gathering for him and ask him to recite elegies for the Umayyads. When he recited, he wept and wept with him. One day he recited to him a poem in which he praised him, saying: When people race for glory, your right hand outruns them spontaneously, then its left hand goes astray. Hishām said to him: O black one, you have reached the utmost of praise, so ask me. He said: Your hand in giving is more generous and more open than my tongue in asking you. He said: This, by God, is better than the poetry. And he gave him an excellent reward. Among the poetry of Nuṣayb in which he praises himself: Blackness does not diminish me as long as I have this tongue attached to a firm heart. He whose origins raise him—the houses of my poems have been made my origins. How great is the difference between a black man speaking eloquently, resolute of heart, and a silent white man. Truly the one of lofty stature envies me for the excellence of that, while I do not gloat over him. Nuṣayb composed love poetry about Zaynab. It is well known that she was white and beautiful, but it is also related that she was black. And from al-Ḍaḥḥāk b. ʿUthmān al-Ḥizāmī, who said: I set out at the end of the Hajj and stopped at al-Abwāʾ at the home of a woman. I admired her beauty and she delighted me. I recited the verse of Nuṣayb: Visit Zaynab before the caravan departs, and say: If we have enjoyed, the heart has not possessed. My two friends from Kaʿb, to what you have been guided—by Zaynab, Kaʿb will never sit idle forever. Say to her: In separation for the lover there is no separation, and in it for the breaking of union there is no mending. Whoever wishes may seek severance or say unjustly that his companion has a fault, when he has none. When she heard me reciting these verses, she said to me: O youth of the Arabs, do you know the composer of this poetry? I said: Yes, that is Nuṣayb. She said: Yes, he is the one. Do you know Zaynab? I said: No. She said: By God, I am Zaynab. I said: May God preserve you. She said: Today is his appointed time from the Commander of the Faithful. He went out to him last year and promised me this day. Perhaps you will not leave until you see him. He said: I did not leave my place until I saw a rider moving with the mirage. She said: Do you see the trot of that horseman—or that rider—I think it is he. He said: The rider approached and we felt safe until he made his camel kneel near the tent, and there was Nuṣayb. Then he swung his leg from his mount and dismounted, then came and greeted me and sat apart from her. He greeted her and asked her, and she asked him, and they spoke privily. Then she asked him to recite to her what he had composed of poetry after her, and he began to recite to her. I said to myself: Two lovers who have prolonged separation; one of them must have need of the other. So I got up to my mount to saddle it. He said to me: At your leisure, I am with you. So I sat until he rose, and I rose with him. We traveled together for a while, then he turned and said: You said to yourself: Two lovers who met after long separation; one of them must have need of the other? I said: Yes, that was so. He said: No, by the Lord of this building to which we are heading, I have never sat with her in a gathering closer than the one you saw, and nothing displeasing ever occurred. And from Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm, who said: A man from Quraysh told me, from one who told him, saying: I was performing Hajj, and with me was a man from the caravan whom I did not know and had not seen before. He had litters, baggage, children, slaves, and goods. We stopped at a place, and there were spread out furnishings and carpets. From the largest litter came out a black woman, and she sat on those spread furnishings. Then a black man came and sat beside her on the couch. I remained astonished at them. While I was looking at them, a passerby went by us driving camels, and he began to sing, saying: Visit Zaynab before the caravan departs, and say: If we have enjoyed, the heart has not possessed. He said: The black woman leaped at the black man and struck him and beat him, saying: You have exposed me among the people, may God expose you. I said: Who is this? They said: Nuṣayb the poet, and this is Zaynab. Muḥammad b. Khalaf said: Abū Bakr b. Shaddād told me, saying: Abū ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī Bakr told me, saying: Ibrāhīm b. Zayd b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Saʿdī told me, saying: My grandmother told me, from her father, from his grandfather, who said: I saw a black man with a white woman, and I began to marvel at his blackness and her whiteness. I approached him and said: Who are you? He said: I am the one who says: Would that I knew what you will bring upon me when the separating distance and remoteness come. Will you cut me off before those who are enemies, and make them gloat over me, or will you keep the covenant? He said: She cried out: Yes, by God, she will keep the covenant. I asked about her, and it was said: This is Nuṣayb, and this is Umm Bakr. Ibn Khalaf said, with his chain of transmission, from al-ʿUtbī, who said: Nuṣayb entered upon ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Marwān, and he said to him: Have you fallen in love, O Nuṣayb? He said: Yes, may God make me your ransom. He said: With whom? He said: A slave girl of the Banū Mudlij. The slanderers surrounded her, and I could not speak to her except with a glance or a gesture. I would sit for her on the road until she passed by me, and I would see her. About that I say: I sat for her so that she might pass, hoping to steal a greeting from her if she did not greet. When she saw me and the slanderers, her tears streamed down in fear, and she did not speak. Poor are the people of love; I would not buy all the life of lovers for a dirham. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz said: Woe to you, and what became of the Mudlijite woman? He said: She was bought and bore children. He said: Is there anything of her in your heart? He said: Yes, the lingering pains of love. Ibn Khalaf said: And from Muḥammad b. Sallām, who said: Nuṣayb entered upon Yazīd b. ʿAbd al-Malik, and he said: Tell me of some of what has happened to you. He said: O Commander of the Faithful, I fell in love with a fair-skinned slave girl—meaning white—and for a time she fed me with false hopes. I sent her these verses: If I am black, musk is darker, and there is no cure for the blackness of my skin. Yet I have a nobility that keeps me far from obscenity, as far as the earth is from the air of the sky. One like me is rare among your men, and one like you is not lacking among women. If you are content, then return the answer of one content, and if you turn away, then we are equal. When she read the letter, she said: Wealth and intellect cover over other things. And she married me. And from Muʿādh, the companion of al-Harawī, who said: I entered the mosque of al-Kūfah and saw a man whose clothes I had never seen cleaner, nor anyone blacker. I said to him: Who are you? He said: Nuṣayb. I said: Tell me about yourself and your companions. He said: Jamīl is our leader, ʿUmar is our best describer of the ladies of the boudoirs, and Kuthayyir is our most tearful over the ruins and traces. And I have said what you have heard. I said: People claim that you are not good at satire. He said: Do they admit that I am good at praise? I said: Yes. He said: Do you think I cannot replace “May God protect you” with “May God disgrace you”? I said: Yes. He said: But I have seen people as two kinds: a man from whom I have not asked, and it is not right that I satirize him and wrong him; and a man from whom I asked and he refused me, so my own soul is more deserving of satire, since it made me seek from him. And from Khalaf b. Nawfal b. ʿAbd Manāf, who said: When Nuṣayb obtained of wealth what he obtained, and he had Umm Miḥjan as his wife [—she was black—he married a white woman, so Umm Miḥjan became angry] and jealous, and he said: “O Umm Miḥjan, by God, one like me is not to be jealous over; I am indeed an old man, and one like you is not one to be jealous; you are indeed an old woman. I find none more honorable to me than you nor more entitled in right, so let this matter pass and do not make it bitter for me.” So she was pleased and honored. Then he said to her after that: “Would you like me to bring my new wife together with you? That is more conducive to harmony between us, more mending of disarray, and more remote from gloating.” She said: “Do it.” So he gave her a dinar and said to her: “I dislike that any want should be seen in you or that she should outdo you. So prepare for her, when she comes to you tomorrow morning, some hospitality with this dinar.” Then he went to his new wife and said to her: “I have decided to bring you together with Umm Miḥjan tomorrow, and she will honor you, and I dislike that you should outdo her. So take this dinar and give it to her as a gift when you go to her tomorrow morning, so that she may not see any want in you, and do not mention the dinar to her.” Then he went to a friend of his seeking his counsel and said: “I want to bring my new wife together with Umm Miḥjan tomorrow. Come to me to greet me, for I will ask you to stay for lunch, and when you have lunched, ask me about which of the two is dearer to me, for I will express aversion and make much of it and refuse to tell you. Then when I refuse, adjure me.” So when the morrow came, his new wife visited Umm Miḥjan, and his friend passed by, and he asked him to stay. When they had lunched, the man turned to him and said: “O Abū Miḥjan, I would like you to tell me which of your two wives is dearer to you.” He said: “Glory be to God! You ask me about this while they are both listening? No one has ever asked about such a thing!” He said: “Then I adjure you by God to tell me, for by God I will not excuse you nor accept anything but that.” He said: “Now that you have done so, the dearer of the two to me is the owner of the dinar. By God, I will not add to this anything.” So each of the two turned away laughing, her soul delighted, thinking that he meant her by that statement. In this year died Abū al-Mutawakkil ʿAlī b. Dāwūd al-Nājī, and Abū al-Ṣiddīq al-Nājī also, whose name was Bakr b. Qays al-Nājī (al-Nājī: with nūn and jīm). And Abū Naḍrah al-Mundhir b. Mālik b. Quṭʿah al-Naḍrī (Naḍrah: with nūn and dotted ḍād). And Muḥārib b. Dithār al-Kūfī, its judge (Dithār: with kasrah on the unpointed dāl and the three-pointed thāʾ). And in it died Rāshid b. Saʿd al-Maqrāʾī al-Ḥimṣī.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.