Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2548
The Year 117
وِلَايَةِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَبْحَابِ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ وَالْأَنْدَلُسَ فِي سنة سبع عشرة ومائة اسْتَعْمَلَ هِشَامُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ عَلَى إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ وَالْأَنْدَلُسِ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ الْحَبْحَابِ وَأَمَرَهُ بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَيْهَا، وَكَانَ وَالِيًا عَلَى مِصْرَ، فَاسْتَخْلَفَ عَلَيْهَا وَلَدَهُ وَسَارَ إِلَى إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ، وَاسْتَعْمَلَ عَلَى الْأَنْدَلُسِ عُقْبَةَ بْنَ ( الْحَجَّاجِ، وَاسْتَعْمَلَ عَلَى طَنْجَةَ ابْنَهُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، وَبَعَثَ حَبِيبَ بْنَ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ ) نَافِعٍ غَازِيًا إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ، فَبَلَغَ السُّوسَ الْأَقْصَى وَأَرْضَ السُّودَانِ، فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلْهُ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا ظَهَرَ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَصَابَ مِنَ الْغَنَائِمِ وَالسَّبْيِ أَمْرًا عَظِيمًا، فَمُلِئَ أَهْلُ الْمَغْرِبِ مِنْهُ رُعْبًا، وَأَصَابَ بِالسَّبْيِ جَارِيَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْبَرْبَرِ لَيْسَ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُمَا غَيْرُ ثَدْيٍ وَاحِدٍ، وَرَجَعَ سَالِمًا. وَسَيَّرَ جَيْشًا فِي الْبَحْرِ سَنَةَ سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ إِلَى جَزِيرَةِ السَّرْدَانِيَّةِ، فَفَتَحُوا مِنْهَا وَنَهَبُوا وَعَادُوا. ثُمَّ سَيَّرَهُ غَازِيًا إِلَى جَزِيرَةِ صِقِلِّيَةَ سَنَةَ اثْنَتَيْنِ وَمِائَةٍ وَمَعَهُ ابْنُهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ حَبِيبٍ، فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ بِأَرْضِهَا وَجَّهَ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ عَلَى الْخَيْلِ، فَلَمْ يَلْقَهُ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا هَزَمَهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، فَظَفِرَ ظَفَرًا لَمْ يُرَ مِثْلُهُ، حَتَّى نَزَلَ عَلَى مَدِينَةِ سَرَقُوسَةَ، وَهِيَ مِنْ أَعْظَمِ مُدُنِ صِقِلِّيَّةَ، فَقَاتَلُوهُ فَهَزَمَهُمْ وَحَصَرَهُمْ، فَصَالَحُوهُ عَلَى الْجِزْيَةِ، وَعَادَ إِلَى أَبِيهِ، وَعَزَمَ حَبِيبٌ عَلَى الْمُقَامِ بِصِقِلِّيَةَ إِلَى أَنْ يَمْلِكَهَا جَمِيعًا، فَأَتَاهُ كِتَابُ ابْنِ الْحَبْحَابِ يَسْتَدْعِيهِ إِلَى إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ. وَكَانَ سَبَبُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ اسْتَعْمَلَ عَلَى طَنْجَةَ ابْنَهُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، وَجَعَلَ مَعَهُ عُمَرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمُرَادِيَّ، فَأَسَاءَ السِّيرَةَ وَتَعَدَّى، وَأَرَادَ أَنْ يُخَمِّسَ مُسْلِمِي الْبَرْبَرِ، وَزَعَمَ أَنَّهُمْ فَيْءٌ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَذَلِكَ شَيْءٌ لَمْ يَرْتَكِبْهُ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ، فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الْبَرْبَرُ بِمَسِيرِ حَبِيبِ بْنِ عُبَيْدَةَ إِلَى صِقِلِّيَّةَ بِالْعَسَاكِرِ طَمِعُوا وَنَقَضُوا الصُّلْحَ عَلَى ابْنِ الْحَبْحَابِ، وَتَدَاعَتْ عَلَيْهِ بِأَسْرِهَا مُسْلِمُهَا وَكَافِرُهَا، وَعَظُمَ الْبَلَاءُ، وَقَدَّمَ مَنْ بِطَنْجَةَ مِنَ الْبَرْبَرِ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ مَيْسَرَةَ السَّقَّاءَ ثُمَّ الْمَدْغُورِيَّ، وَكَانَ خَارِجِيًّا صُفَرِيًّا وَسَقَّاءً، وَقَصَدُوا طَنْجَةَ، فَقَاتَلَهُمْ عُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَتَلُوهُ، وَاسْتَوْلَوْا عَلَى طَنْجَةَ، وَبَايَعُوا مَيْسَرَةَ بِالْخِلَافَةِ وَخُوطِبَ بِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَكَثُرَ جَمْعُهُ مِنَ الْبَرْبَرِ، وَقَوِيَ أَمْرُهُ بِنَوَاحِي طَنْجَةَ. ظهور جماعة بإفريقية تقول بمقالة الخوارج وَظَهَرَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ جَمَاعَةٌ بِإِفْرِيقِيَّةَ، فَأَظْهَرُوا مَقَالَةَ الْخَوَارِجِ، فَأَرْسَلَ ابْنُ الْحَبْحَابِ إِلَى حَبِيبٍ وَهُوَ بِصِقِلِّيَّةَ يَسْتَدْعِيهِ إِلَيْهِ لِقِتَالِ مَيْسَرَةَ السَّقَّاءِ، لِأَنَّ أَمْرَهُ كَانَ قَدْ عَظُمَ، فَعَادَ إِلَى إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ. وَكَانَ ابْنُ الْحَبْحَابِ قَدْ سَيَّرَ خَالِدَ بْنَ حَبِيبٍ فِي جَيْشٍ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةَ، فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ حَبِيبُ بْنُ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ سَيَّرَهُ فِي أَثَرِهِ، وَالْتَقَى خَالِدٌ وَمَيْسَرَةُ بِنَوَاحِي طَنْجَةَ، وَاقْتَتَلُوا قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا لَمْ يُسْمَعْ بِمِثْلِهِ، وَعَادَ مَيْسَرَةُ إِلَى طَنْجَةَ، فَأَنْكَرَتِ الْبَرْبَرُ سِيرَتَهُ، وَكَانُوا بَايَعُوهُ بِالْخِلَافَةِ، فَقَتَلُوهُ وَوَلَّوْا أَمْرَهُمْ خَالِدَ بْنَ حُمَيْدٍ الزَّنَاتِيَّ، ثُمَّ الْتَقَى خَالِدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ وَمَعَهُ الْبَرْبَرُ بِخَالِدِ بْنِ حَبِيبٍ وَمَعَهُ الْعَرَبُ وَعَسْكَرُ هِشَامٍ، وَكَانَ بَيْنَهُمْ قِتَالٌ شَدِيدٌ صَبَرَتْ فِيهِ الْعَرَبُ، وَظَهَرَ عَلَيْهِمْ كَمِينٌ مِنَ الْبَرْبَرِ فَانْهَزَمُوا، وَكَرِهَ خَالِدُ بْنُ حَبِيبٍ أَنْ يَنْهَزِمَ مِنَ الْبَرْبَرِ فَصَبَرُوا مَعَهُ فَقُتِلُوا جَمِيعُهُمْ. وَقُتِلَ فِي هَذِهِ الْوَقْعَةِ حُمَاةُ الْعَرَبِ وَفُرْسَانُهَا، فَسُمِّيَتْ غَزْوَةَ الْأَشْرَافِ ، وَانْتَقَضَتِ الْبِلَادُ، وَخَرَجَ أَمْرُ النَّاسِ، وَبَلَغَ أَهْلَ الْأَنْدَلُسِ الْخَبَرُ فَثَارُوا بِأَمِيرِهِمْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ فَعَزَلُوهُ وَوَلَّوْا عَبْدَ الْمَلِكِ بْنَ قَطَنٍ، فَاخْتَلَطَتِ الْأُمُورُ عَلَى ابْنِ الْحَبْحَابِ، وَبَلَغَ الْخَبَرُ هِشَامَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ، فَقَالَ: لَأَغْضَبَنَّ لِلْعَرَبِ غَضْبَةً، وَأُسَيِّرُ جَيْشًا يَكُونُ أَوَّلُهُمْ عِنْدَهُمْ وَآخِرُهُمْ عِنْدِي، ثُمَّ كَتَبَ إِلَى ابْنِ الْحَبْحَابِ يَأْمُرُهُ بِالْحُضُورِ، فَسَارَ إِلَيْهِ فِي جُمَادَى سَنَةَ ثَلَاثٍ وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَةٍ، وَاسْتَعْمَلَ هِشَامٌ عِوَضَهُ كُلْثُومَ بْنَ عِيَاضٍ الْقُشَيْرِيَّ وَسَيَّرَ مَعَهُ جَيْشًا كَثِيفًا، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى سَائِرِ الْبِلَادِ الَّتِي عَلَى طَرِيقِهِ بِالْمَسِيرِ مَعَهُ، فَوَصَلَ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ وَعَلَى مُقَدِّمَتِهِ بَلْجُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، فَوَصَلَ إِلَى الْقَيْرَوَانِ وَلَقِيَ أَهْلَهَا بِالْجَفَاءِ وَالتَّكَبُّرِ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَأَرَادَ أَنْ يُنْزِلَ الْعَسْكَرَ الَّذِي مَعَهُ فِي مَنَازِلِهِمْ، فَكَتَبَ أَهْلُهَا إِلَى حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ، وَهُوَ بِتِلْمِسَانَ مَوَاقِفِ الْبَرْبَرِ، يَشْكُونَ إِلَيْهِ بَلْجًا وَكُلْثُومًا، فَكَتَبَ حَبِيبٌ إِلَى كُلْثُومٍ يَقُولُ لَهُ: إِنَّ بَلْجًا فَعَلَ كَيْتَ وَكَيْتَ، فَارْحَلْ عَنِ الْبَلَدِ وَإِلَّا رَدَدْنَا أَعِنَّةَ الْخَيْلِ إِلَيْكَ. فَاعْتَذَرَ كُلْثُومٌ وَسَارَ إِلَى حَبِيبٍ وَعَلَى مُقَدِّمَتِهِ بَلْجُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، فَاسْتَخَفَّ بِحَبِيبٍ وَسَبَّهُ، وَجَرَى بَيْنَهُمَا مُنَازَعَةٌ، ثُمَّ اصْطَلَحُوا وَاجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى قِتَالِ الْبَرْبَرِ، وَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِمُ الْبَرْبَرُ مِنْ طَنْجَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ حَبِيبٌ: اجْعَلُوا الرَّجَّالَةَ لِلرَّجَّالَةِ وَالْخَيَّالَةَ لِلْخَيَّالَةِ، فَلَمْ يَقْبَلُوا مِنْهُ، وَتَقَدَّمَ كُلْثُومٌ بِالْخَيْلِ، فَقَاتَلَهُ رَجَّالَةُ الْبَرْبَرِ فَهَزَمُوهُ، فَعَادَ إِلَى كُلْثُومٍ مُنْهَزِمًا، وَوَهَّنَ النَّاسَ ذَلِكَ وَنَشِبَ الْقِتَالُ، وَانْكَشَفَتْ خَيَّالَةُ الْبَرْبَرِ وَثَبَتَتْ رَجَّالَتُهَا وَاشْتَدَّ الْقِتَالُ وَكَثُرَ الْبَرْبَرُ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَقُتِلَ كُلْثُومُ بْنُ عِيَاضٍ وَحَبِيبُ بْنُ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ وَوُجُوهُ الْعَرَبِ، وَانْهَزَمَتِ الْعَرَبُ وَتَفَرَّقُوا. فَمَضَى أَهْلُ الشَّامِ إِلَى الْأَنْدَلُسِ وَمَعَهُمْ بَلْجُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ، وَعَادَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى الْقَيْرَوَانِ. ظهور عكاشة بن أيوب بمدينة قابس فَلَمَّا ضَعُفَتِ الْعَرَبُ بِهَذِهِ الْوَقْعَةِ ظَهَرَ إِنْسَانٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ عُكَّاشَةُ ( بْنُ أَيُّوبَ الْفَزَارِيُّ بِمَدِينَةِ قَابِسَ، وَهُوَ عَلَى رَأْيِ الْخَوَارِجِ الصُّفْرِيَّةِ، فَسَارَ إِلَيْهِ جَيْشٌ مِنَ الْقَيْرَوَانِ فَاقْتَتَلُوا قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا، فَانْهَزَمَ عَسْكَرُ الْقَيْرَوَانِ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ عَسْكَرٌ آخَرُ فَانْهَزَمَ عُكَّاشَةُ بَعْدَ قِتَالٍ شَدِيدٍ وَقُتِلَ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَلَحِقَ عُكَّاشَةُ ) بِبِلَادِ الرَّمْلِ. فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ هِشَامَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ قَتْلُ كُلْثُومٍ بَعَثَ أَمِيرًا عَلَى إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ حَنْظَلَةَ بْنَ صَفْوَانَ الْكَلْبِيَّ، فَوَصَلَهَا فِي رَبِيعٍ الْآخِرِ سَنَةَ أَرْبَعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَةٍ، فَلَمْ يَمْكُثْ بِالْقَيْرَوَانِ إِلَّا يَسِيرًا حَتَّى زَحَفَ إِلَيْهِ عُكَّاشَةُ الْخَارِجِيُّ فِي جَمْعٍ عَظِيمٍ مِنَ الْبَرْبَرِ، وَكَانَ حِينَ انْهَزَمَ حَشَدَهُمْ لِيَأْخُذَ بِثَأْرِهِ وَأَعَانَهُ عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْهَوَّارِيُّ ثُمَّ الْمُدْغَمِيُّ، وَكَانَ صُفْرِيًّا، فِي عَدَدٍ كَثِيرٍ وَافْتَرَقَا لِيَقْصِدَا الْقَيْرَوَانَ مِنْ جِهَتَيْنِ، فَلَمَّا قَرُبَ عُكَّاشَةُ خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ حَنْظَلَةُ وَلَقِيَهُ مُنْفَرِدًا وَاقْتَتَلُوا قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا، وَانْهَزَمَ عُكَّاشَةُ وَقُتِلَ مِنَ الْبَرْبَرِ مَا لَا يُحْصَى، وَعَادَ حَنْظَلَةُ إِلَى الْقَيْرَوَانِ خَوْفًا عَلَيْهَا مِنْ عَبْدِ الْوَاحِدِ، وَسَيَّرَ إِلَيْهِ جَيْشًا كَثِيفًا عُدَّتُهُمْ أَرْبَعُونَ أَلْفًا، فَسَارُوا إِلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا قَارَبُوهُ لَمْ يَجِدُوا شَعِيرًا يُطْعِمُونَهُ دَوَابَّهُمْ فَأَطْعَمُوهَا حِنْطَةً، ثُمَّ لَقُوهُ مِنَ الْغَدِ فَانْهَزَمُوا مِنْ عَبْدِ الْوَاحِدِ وَعَادُوا إِلَى الْقَيْرَوَانِ، وَهَلَكَتْ دَوَابُّهُمْ بِسَبَبِ الْحِنْطَةِ. فَلَمَّا وَصَلُوهَا نَظَرُوا وَإِذَا قَدْ هَلَكَ مِنْهُمْ عِشْرُونَ أَلْفَ فَرَسٍ، وَسَارَ عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ فَنَزَلَ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَمْيَالٍ مِنَ الْقَيْرَوَانِ بِمَوْضِعٍ يُعْرَفُ بِالْأَصْنَامِ، وَقَدِ اجْتَمَعَ مَعَهُ ثَلَاثُمِائَةِ أَلْفِ مُقَاتِلٍ، فَحَشَدَ حَنْظَلَةُ كُلَّ مَنْ بِالْقَيْرَوَانِ وَفَرَّقَ فِيهِمُ السِّلَاحَ وَالْمَالَ، فَكَثُرَ جَمْعُهُ، فَلَمَّا دَنَا الْخَوَارِجُ مَعَ عَبْدِ الْوَاحِدِ خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ حَنْظَلَةُ مِنَ الْقَيْرَوَانِ وَاصْطَفُّوا لِلْقِتَالِ، وَقَامَ الْعُلَمَاءُ فِي أَهْلِ الْقَيْرَوَانِ يَحُثُّونَهُمْ عَلَى الْجِهَادِ وَقِتَالِ الْخَوَارِجِ وَيُذَكِّرُونَهُمْ مَا يَفْعَلُونَهُ بِالنِّسَاءِ مِنَ السَّبْيِ وَبِالْأَبْنَاءِ مِنَ الِاسْتِرْقَاقِ وَبِالرِّجَالِ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ، فَكَسَرَ النَّاسُ أَجْفَانَ سُيُوفِهِمْ، وَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ نِسَاؤُهُمْ يُحَرِّضْنَهُمْ، فَحَمِيَ النَّاسُ وَحَمَلُوا عَلَى الْخَوَارِجِ حَمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً وَثَبَتَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ، فَاشْتَدَّ اللِّزَامُ وَكَثُرَ الزِّحَامُ وَصَبَرَ الْفَرِيقَانِ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى هَزَمَ الْخَوَارِجَ وَالْبَرْبَرَ وَنَصَرَ الْعَرَبَ، وَكَثُرَ الْقَتْلُ فِي الْبَرْبَرِ وَتَبِعُوهُمْ إِلَى جَلُولَاءَ يَقْتُلُونَ، وَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ عَبْدَ الْوَاحِدِ قَدْ قُتِلَ حَتَّى حُمِلَ رَأْسُهُ إِلَى حَنْظَلَةَ، فَخَرَّ النَّاسُ لِلَّهِ سُجَّدًا. فَقِيلَ: لَمْ يُقْتَلْ بِالْمَغْرِبِ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْقَتْلَةِ، فَإِنَّ حَنْظَلَةَ أَمَرَ بِإِحْصَاءِ الْقَتْلَى، فَعَجَزَ النَّاسُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى عَدُّوهُمْ بِالْقَصَبِ، فَكَانَتْ عِدَّةُ الْقَتْلَى مِائَةَ أَلْفٍ وَثَمَانِينَ أَلْفًا، ثُمَّ أُسِرَ عُكَّاشَةُ مَعَ طَائِفَةٍ أُخْرَى بِمَكَانٍ آخَرَ وَحُمِلَ إِلَى حَنْظَلَةَ فَقَتَلَهُ، وَكَتَبَ حَنْظَلَةُ إِلَى هِشَامِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بِالْفَتْحِ، وَكَانَ اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ يَقُولُ: مَا غَزْوَةٌ إِلَى الْآنَ أَشَدُّ بَعْدَ غَزْوَةِ بَدْرٍ مِنْ غَزْوَةِ الْعَرَبِ بِالْأَصْنَامِ.
Translation
✧ THE GOVERNORSHIP OF ʿUBAYD ALLĀH B. AL-ḤABḤĀB OVER IFRĪQIYAH AND AL-ANDALUS In the year 117, Hishām b. ʿAbd al-Malik appointed ʿUbayd Allāh b. al-Ḥabḥāb as governor over Ifrīqiyah and al-Andalus and commanded him to proceed thither. He had been governor of Egypt, so he appointed his son as his deputy there and marched to Ifrīqiyah. He appointed ʿUqbah b. (al-Ḥajjāj as governor of al-Andalus, appointed his son Ismāʿīl as governor of Tangier, and sent Ḥabīb b. Abī ʿUbaydah b. ʿUqbah b.) Nāfiʿ as a raider to the Maghrib. He reached the farthest Sūs and the land of the Sudan. No one fought him but that he prevailed over them, and he obtained enormous booty and captives. The people of the Maghrib were filled with terror of him. Among the captives he took two Berber slave-girls, each of whom had only one breast. He returned safely. In the year 117 he dispatched a fleet to the island of Sardinia; they conquered part of it, plundered, and returned. Then he sent him as a raider to the island of Sicily in the year 122, accompanied by his son ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Ḥabīb. When he landed on its soil, he placed ʿAbd al-Raḥmān in command of the cavalry. No one met him but that ʿAbd al-Raḥmān routed him. He achieved a victory the like of which had not been seen, until he encamped before the city of Syracuse, one of the greatest cities of Sicily. They fought him, so he defeated them and besieged them. They made peace with him on payment of the jizyah, and he returned to his father. Ḥabīb resolved to remain in Sicily until he conquered it all, but a letter came to him from Ibn al-Ḥabḥāb summoning him back to Ifrīqiyah. The reason for that was that Ibn al-Ḥabḥāb had appointed his son Ismāʿīl as governor of Tangier, and placed with him ʿUmar b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Murādī. Ismāʿīl behaved badly and transgressed, and he wanted to impose the khums on Berber Muslims, claiming that they were fayʾ for the Muslims. That was something no one before him had done. When the Berbers heard of Ḥabīb b. ʿUbaydah's marching to Sicily with the armies, they became covetous and broke the peace treaty with Ibn al-Ḥabḥāb. All of them, Muslim and non-Muslim, rallied against him, and the affliction grew grave. The Berbers in Tangier put forward as their leader Maysarah the water-carrier, then al-Madghūrī; he was a Ṣufrī Khārijite and a water-carrier. They made for Tangier, and ʿUmar b. ʿAbd Allāh fought them, so they killed him and took possession of Tangier. They swore allegiance to Maysarah as caliph and addressed him as Commander of the Faithful. His following among the Berbers grew numerous, and his authority became strong in the regions of Tangier. APPEARANCE IN IFRĪQIYAH OF A GROUP PROFESSING THE DOCTRINE OF THE KHARIJITES At that time there appeared in Ifrīqiyah a group that professed the doctrine of the Khārijites. Ibn al-Ḥabḥāb sent to Ḥabīb, who was in Sicily, summoning him back to fight Maysarah the water-carrier, because his affair had become serious. So he returned to Ifrīqiyah. Ibn al-Ḥabḥāb had already dispatched Khālid b. Ḥabīb with an army against Maysarah. When Ḥabīb b. Abī ʿUbaydah arrived, he sent him after him. Khālid and Maysarah met in the region of Tangier and fought a fierce battle, the like of which had not been heard. Maysarah returned to Tangier, but the Berbers disapproved of his conduct — for they had sworn allegiance to him as caliph — so they killed him and entrusted their affairs to Khālid b. Ḥumayd al-Zanātī. Then Khālid b. Ḥumayd, with the Berbers, met Khālid b. Ḥabīb, with the Arabs and Hishām's army. A fierce battle took place between them, in which the Arabs stood firm. An ambush by the Berbers appeared against them, and they were routed. Khālid b. Ḥabīb disliked fleeing from the Berbers, so they stood firm with him and were all killed. In this battle the champions and horsemen of the Arabs were killed, and it was called the Expedition of the Nobles. The provinces revolted, and the people's affairs fell into disorder. When the news reached the people of al-Andalus, they rose against their governor ʿUqbah b. al-Ḥajjāj, deposed him, and appointed ʿAbd al-Malik b. Qaṭan. Affairs became confused for Ibn al-Ḥabḥāb. The news reached Hishām b. ʿAbd al-Malik, and he said: 'I shall be angry for the Arabs with a mighty anger, and I shall send an army whose vanguard will be with them and whose rearguard will be with me.' Then he wrote to Ibn al-Ḥabḥāb ordering him to come to him. He set out to him in Jumādā of the year 123. Hishām appointed in his place Kulthūm b. ʿIyāḍ al-Qushayrī, and sent with him a numerous army. He wrote to all the provinces along his route to march with him. He reached Ifrīqiyah, with Balj b. Bishr commanding his vanguard. He arrived at al-Qayrawān and met its people with harshness and arrogance toward them. He wanted to quarter the army with him in their houses. The people wrote to Ḥabīb b. Abī ʿUbaydah, who was at Tilimsān facing the Berbers, complaining to him about Balj and Kulthūm. Ḥabīb wrote to Kulthūm saying to him: 'Balj has done such-and-such. Depart from the city, or else we shall turn the reins of the horses back against you.' Kulthūm apologized, and marched to Ḥabīb, with Balj b. Bishr in command of his vanguard. Balj behaved contemptuously toward Ḥabīb and insulted him, and a dispute occurred between them. Then they made peace and joined forces to fight the Berbers. The Berbers advanced toward them from Tangier. Ḥabīb said to them: 'Set infantry against infantry and cavalry against cavalry.' But they did not accept his advice. Kulthūm advanced with the cavalry, and the Berber infantry fought him and routed him. He returned to Kulthūm defeated, and that disheartened the people. Battle was joined, the Berber cavalry broke, but their infantry stood firm, the fighting intensified, and the Berbers overwhelmed them. Kulthūm b. ʿIyāḍ, Ḥabīb b. Abī ʿUbaydah, and the notables of the Arabs were killed. The Arabs were routed and scattered. The Syrians went to al-Andalus, accompanied by Balj b. Bishr and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Ḥabīb b. Abī ʿUbaydah, while some returned to al-Qayrawān. APPEARANCE OF ʿUKKĀSHAH B. AYYŪB AT THE CITY OF QĀBIS When the Arabs were weakened by this battle, a man called ʿUkkāshah (b. Ayyūb al-Fazārī appeared at the city of Qābis, holding the doctrine of the Ṣufrī Khārijites. An army from al-Qayrawān marched against him, and they fought a fierce battle; the army of al-Qayrawān was routed. Another army went out against him, and ʿUkkāshah was defeated after severe fighting, many of his companions being killed, and ʿUkkāshah fled) to the land of al-Raml. When news of Kulthūm's death reached Hishām b. ʿAbd al-Malik, he sent Ḥanẓalah b. Ṣafwān al-Kalbī as governor of Ifrīqiyah. He arrived there in Rabīʿ II of the year 124. He had stayed in al-Qayrawān only a short time when ʿUkkāshah the Khārijite advanced against him with a great host of Berbers. When he had been routed, he had gathered them to seek revenge, and he was aided by ʿAbd al-Wāḥid b. Yazīd al-Hawwārī, then al-Mudghamī, a Ṣufrī, with a great number. They separated in order to attack al-Qayrawān from two directions. When ʿUkkāshah drew near, Ḥanẓalah went out to meet him and encountered him alone. They fought a fierce battle, ʿUkkāshah was routed, and a countless number of Berbers were killed. Ḥanẓalah returned to al-Qayrawān fearing for it from ʿAbd al-Wāḥid. He sent against him a numerous army numbering forty thousand. They marched to him, but when they approached him they found no barley to feed their mounts, so they fed them wheat. Then they met him the next day and were defeated by ʿAbd al-Wāḥid. They returned to al-Qayrawān, but their mounts perished because of the wheat. When they arrived, they found that twenty thousand horses of theirs had perished. ʿAbd al-Wāḥid advanced and encamped three miles from al-Qayrawān at a place known as al-Aṣnām, and three hundred thousand fighting men had gathered with him. Ḥanẓalah mustered everyone in al-Qayrawān and distributed weapons and money among them, so his force grew large. When the Khārijites with ʿAbd al-Wāḥid drew near, Ḥanẓalah went out from al-Qayrawān against them, and they drew up in ranks for battle. The scholars stood among the people of al-Qayrawān urging them to fight in the path of God and against the Khārijites, and reminding them of what they would do to the women — taking them captive — to the children — enslaving them — and to the men — killing them. The people broke the scabbards of their swords, and their women came out urging them on. The people burned with zeal and charged the Khārijites in a single assault. Each side held firm against the other, the battle grew fierce, the press of men increased, and both parties stood steadfast. Then God Most High routed the Khārijites and the Berbers and granted victory to the Arabs. Slaughter among the Berbers was immense; they pursued them to Jalūlāʾ, killing. They did not know that ʿAbd al-Wāḥid had been killed until his head was brought to Ḥanẓalah, and the people fell prostrate to God. It is said that no greater slaughter than this ever took place in the Maghrib, for Ḥanẓalah ordered the dead to be counted, but the people were unable to do so until they counted them by reeds. The number of the slain was one hundred and eighty thousand. Later, ʿUkkāshah was captured with another group at another place and brought to Ḥanẓalah, who executed him. Ḥanẓalah wrote to Hishām b. ʿAbd al-Malik announcing the victory. Al-Layth b. Saʿd used to say: 'There is no expedition up to now more severe, after the expedition of Badr, than the expedition of the Arabs at al-Aṣnām.'
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No grade is recorded for this wording.