Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2690
Then the Year 132 AH Began
ذِكْرُ مُحَاصَرَةِ ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ بِوَاسِطَ قَدْ ذَكَرْنَا مَا كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ وَالْجَيْشِ الَّذِينَ لَقُوهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ خُرَاسَانَ مَعَ قَحْطَبَةَ، ثُمَّ مَعَ ابْنِهِ الْحَسَنِ، وَانْهِزَامَهُ إِلَى وَاسِطَ وَتَحَصُّنَهُ بِهَا، وَكَانَ لَمَّا انْهَزَمَ قَدْ وَكَّلَ بِالْأَثْقَالِ قَوْمًا، فَذَهَبُوا بِهَا، فَقَالَ لَهُ حَوْثَرَةُ: أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ وَقَدْ قُتِلَ صَاحِبُهُمْ ؟ يَعْنِي قَحْطَبَةَ، امْضِ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ وَمَعَكَ جُنْدٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَقَاتِلْهُمْ حَتَّى تُقْتَلَ أَوْ تَظْفَرَ. قَالَ: بَلْ نَأْتِي وَاسِطَ فَنَنْظُرُ. قَالَ: مَا تَزِيدُ عَلَى أَنْ تُمَكِّنَهُ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ وَتُقْتَلَ. وَقَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ حُضَيْنٍ: إِنَّكَ لَوْ تَأْتِي مَرْوَانَ بِشَيْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْجُنُودِ، فَالْزَمِ الْفُرَاتَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُ، وَإِيَّاكَ وَوَاسِطَ فَتَصِيرُ فِي حِصَارٍ، وَلَيْسَ بَعْدَ الْحَصْرِ إِلَّا الْقَتْلُ. فَأَبَى. وَكَانَ يَخَافُ مَرْوَانَ لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَكْتُبُ إِلَيْهِ بِالْأَمْرِ فَيُخَالِفُهُ، فَخَافَ أَنْ يَقْتُلَهُ، فَأَتَى وَاسِطَ فَتَحَصَّنَ بِهَا، وَسَيَّرَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ إِلَيْهِ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ قَحْطَبَةَ فَحَصَرَهُ، وَأَوَّلُ وَقْعَةٍ كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ.. قَالَ أَهْلُ الشَّامِ لِابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ: ايذَنْ لَنَا فِي قِتَالِهِمْ. فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ، فَخَرَجُوا وَخَرَجَ ابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ وَعَلَى مَيْمَنَتِهِ ابْنُهُ دَاوُدُ، فَالْتَقَوْا وَعَلَى مَيْمَنَةِ الْحَسَنِ خَازِمُ بْنُ خُزَيْمَةَ، فَحَمَلَ خَازِمٌ عَلَى ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ، فَانْهَزَمَ هُوَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ وَغَصَّ الْبَابُ بِالنَّاسِ، وَرَمَى أَصْحَابُهُ بِالْعَرَّادَاتِ. وَرَجَعَ أَهْلُ الشَّامِ، فَكَرَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْحَسَنُ وَاضْطَرَّهُمْ إِلَى دِجْلَةَ، فَغَرِقَ مِنْهُمْ نَاسٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَتَلَقَّوْهُمْ بِالسُّفُنِ وَتَحَاجَزُوا، فَمَكَثُوا سَبْعَةَ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ خَرَجُوا إِلَيْهِمْ، فَاقْتَتَلُوا، وَانْهَزَمَ أَهْلُ الشَّامِ هَزِيمَةً قَبِيحَةً، فَدَخَلُوا الْمَدِينَةَ، فَمَكَثُوا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَا يُقَاتِلُونَ إِلَّا رَمْيًا. وَبَلَغَ ابْنَ هُبَيْرَةَ، وَهُوَ فِي الْحِصَارِ، أَنَّ أَبَا أُمَيَّةَ التَّغْلِبِيَّ قَدْ سَوَّدَ فَأَخَذَهُ وَحَبَسَهُ، فَتَكَلَّمَ نَاسٌ مِنْ رَبِيعَةَ فِي ذَلِكَ وَمَعْنُ بْنُ زَائِدَةَ الشَّيْبَانِيُّ، وَأَخَذُوا ثَلَاثَةَ نَفَرٍ مِنْ فَزَارَةَ رَهْطِ ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ فَحَبَسُوهُمْ. ( وَشَتَمُوا ابْنَ هُبَيْرَةَ ) وَقَالُوا: لَا نَتْرُكُ مَا فِي أَيْدِينَا حَتَّى يَتْرُكَ ابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ صَاحِبَنَا. وَأَبَى ابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ أَنْ يُطْلِقَهُ، فَاعْتَزَلَ مَعْنٌ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ الْعِجْلِيُّ فِيمَنْ مَعَهُمَا. فَقِيلَ لِابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ: هَؤُلَاءِ فُرْسَانُكَ قَدْ أَفْسَدْتَهُمْ، وَإِنْ تَمَادَيْتَ فِي ذَلِكَ كَانُوا أَشَدَّ عَلَيْكَ مِمَّنْ حَصَرَكَ. فَدَعَا أَبَا أُمَيَّةَ فَكَسَاهُ وَخَلَّى سَبِيلَهُ، فَاصْطَلَحُوا وَعَادُوا إِلَى مَا كَانُوا عَلَيْهِ. وَقَدِمَ أَبُو نَصْرٍ مَالِكُ بْنُ الْهَيْثَمِ مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ سِجِسْتَانَ إِلَى الْحَسَنِ، فَأَوْفَدَ الْحَسَنُ وَفْدًا إِلَى السَّفَّاحِ بِقُدُومِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَلَيْهِ، وَجَعَلَ عَلَى الْوَفْدِ غَيْلَانَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْخُزَاعِيَّ، وَكَانَ غَيْلَانُ وَاجِدًا عَلَى الْحَسَنِ لِأَنَّهُ سَرَّحَهُ إِلَى رَوْحِ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ مَدَدًا لَهُ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ عَلَى السَّفَّاحِ وَقَالَ: أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَأَنَّكَ حَبْلُ اللَّهِ الْمَتِينُ، وَأَنَّكَ إِمَامُ الْمُتَّقِينَ. قَالَ: حَاجَتُكَ يَا غَيْلَانُ ؟ قَالَ: أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ. قَالَ: غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَكَ. قَالَ غَيْلَانُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مُنَّ عَلَيْنَا بِرَجُلٍ مِنْ [ أَهْلِ ] بَيْتِكَ. قَالَ: أَوَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ قَحْطَبَةَ ؟ قَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، مُنَّ عَلَيْنَا بِرَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ نَنْظُرْ إِلَى وَجْهِهِ، وَتَقَرَّ عَيْنُنَا بِهِ. فَبَعَثَ أَخَاهُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ لِقِتَالِ ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ عِنْدَ رُجُوعِهِ مِنْ خُرَاسَانَ. وَكَتَبَ إِلَى الْحَسَنِ: إِنَّ الْعَسْكَرَ عَسْكَرُكَ، وَالْقُوَّادَ قُوَّادُكَ، وَلَكِنْ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَخِي حَاضِرًا، فَاسْمَعْ لَهُ وَأَطِعْ وَأَحْسِنْ مُوَازَرَتَهُ. وَكَتَبَ إِلَى مَالِكِ بْنِ الْهَيْثَمِ بِمِثْلِ ذَلِكَ. وَكَانَ الْحَسَنُ هُوَ الْمُدَبِّرَ لِأَمْرِ ذَلِكَ الْعَسْكَرِ. فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الْمَنْصُورُ عَلَى الْحَسَنِ تَحَوَّلَ الْحَسَنُ عَنْ خَيْمَتِهِ وَأَنْزَلَهُ فِيهَا، وَجَعَلَ الْحَسَنُ عَلَى حَرَسِ الْمَنْصُورِ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ نَهِيكٍ. وَقَاتَلَهُمْ مَالِكُ بْنُ الْهَيْثَمِ يَوْمًا فَانْهَزَمَ أَهْلُ الشَّامِ إِلَى خَنَادِقِهِمْ وَقَدْ كَمَّنَ لَهُمْ مَعْنٌ وَأَبُو يَحْيَى الْجُذَامِيُّ. فَلَمَّا جَازَهُمْ أَصْحَابُ مَالِكٍ خَرَجُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَاتَلُوهُمْ حَتَّى جَاءَ اللَّيْلُ، وَابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ عَلَى بُرْجِ الْخَلَّالِينَ، فَاقْتَتَلُوا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ، وَسَرَّحَ ابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ إِلَى مَعْنٍ يَأْمُرُهُ بِالِانْصِرَافِ، فَانْصَرَفَ، فَمَكَثُوا أَيَّامًا. وَخَرَجَ أَهْلُ وَاسِطَ أَيْضًا مَعَ مَعْنٍ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ، فَقَاتَلَهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْحَسَنِ فَهَزَمُوهُمْ إِلَى دِجْلَةَ حَتَّى تَسَاقَطُوا فِيهَا، وَرَجَعُوا وَقَدْ قُتِلَ وَلَدُ مَالِكِ بْنِ الْهَيْثَمِ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ أَبُوهُ قَتِيلًا قَالَ: لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْحَيَاةَ بَعْدَكَ ! ثُمَّ حَمَلُوا عَلَى أَهْلِ وَاسِطَ فَقَاتَلُوهُمْ حَتَّى أَدْخَلُوهُمُ الْمَدِينَةَ. وَكَانَ مَالِكٌ يَمْلَأُ السُّفُنَ حَطَبًا، ثُمَّ يُضْرِمُهَا نَارًا لِتَحْرِقَ مَا مَرَّتْ بِهِ، فَكَانَ ابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ يَجُرُّ تِلْكَ السُّفُنَ بِكَلَالِيبَ، فَمَكَثُوا كَذَلِكَ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا. فَلَمَّا طَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْحِصَارُ طَلَبُوا الصُّلْحَ، وَلَمْ يَطْلُبُوهُ حَتَّى جَاءَهُمْ خَبَرُ قَتْلِ مَرْوَانَ، أَتَاهُمْ بِهِ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْقَسْرِيُّ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: عَلَامَ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَقَدْ قُتِلَ مَرْوَانُ ؟ وَتَجَنَّى أَصْحَابُ ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ عَلَيْهِ. فَقَالَتِ الْيَمَانِيَّةُ: لَا نُعِينُ مَرْوَانَ وَآثَارُهُ فِينَا آثَارُهُ. وَقَالَتِ النِّزَارِيَّةُ: لَا نُقَاتِلُ حَتَّى تُقَاتِلَ مَعَنَا الْيَمَانِيَّةُ، وَكَانَ يُقَاتِلُ مَعَهُ صَعَالِيكُ النَّاسِ وَفِتْيَانُهُمْ. وَهَمَّ ابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ بِأَنْ يَدْعُوَ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَبْطَأَ جَوَابَهُ، وَكَاتَبَ السَّفَّاحُ الْيَمَانِيَّةَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ وَأَطْمَعَهُمْ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ زِيَادُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، وَزِيَادُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْحَارِثِيَّانِ، وَوَعَدَا ابْنَ هُبَيْرَةَ أَنْ يُصْلِحَا لَهُ نَاحِيَةَ ابْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ، فَلَمْ يَفْعَلَا. وَجَرَتِ السُّفَرَاءُ بَيْنَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ وَابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ، حَتَّى جَعَلَ لَهُ أَمَانًا، وَكَتَبَ بِهِ كِتَابًا مَكَثَ ابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ يُشَاوِرُ فِيهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا حَتَّى رَضِيَهُ، فَأَنْفَذَهُ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ، فَأَنْفَذَهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ إِلَى أَخِيهِ السَّفَّاحِ، فَأَمَرَهُ بِإِمْضَائِهِ. وَكَانَ رَأْيُ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الْوَفَاءَ لَهُ بِمَا أَعْطَاهُ، وَكَانَ السَّفَّاحُ لَا يَقْطَعُ أَمْرًا دُونَ أَبِي مُسْلِمٍ، وَكَانَ أَبُو الْجَهْمِ عَيْنًا لِأَبِي مُسْلِمٍ عَلَى السَّفَّاحِ، فَكَتَبَ السَّفَّاحُ إِلَى أَبِي مُسْلِمٍ يُخْبِرُهُ أَمْرَ ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ، فَكَتَبَ أَبُو مُسْلِمٍ إِلَيْهِ: إِنَّ الطَّرِيقَ السَّهْلَ إِذَا أَلْقَيْتَ فِيهِ الْحِجَارَةَ فَسَدَ، لَا وَاللَّهِ لَا يَصْلُحُ طَرِيقٌ فِيهِ ابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ. وَلَمَّا تَمَّ الْكِتَابُ خَرَجَ ابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ فِي أَلْفٍ وَثَلَاثِمِائَةٍ [ مِنَ الْبُخَارِيَّةِ ]، وَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ، فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ الْحَاجِبُ سَلَّامُ بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ، فَقَالَ: مَرْحَبًا [ بِكَ ] أَبَا خَالِدٍ، انْزِلْ رَاشِدًا ! وَقَدْ أَطَافَ بِحُجْرَةِ الْمَنْصُورِ عَشَرَةُ آلَافٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ خُرَاسَانَ، فَنَزَلَ، وَدَعَا لَهُ بِوِسَادَةٍ لِيَجْلِسَ عَلَيْهَا، وَأَدْخَلَ الْقُوَّادَ ثُمَّ أَذِنَ لِابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ وَحْدَهُ، فَدَخَلَ، وَحَادَثَهُ سَاعَةً، ثُمَّ قَامَ. ثُمَّ مَكَثَ يَأْتِيهِ يَوْمًا وَيَتْرُكُهُ يَوْمًا، فَكَانَ يَأْتِيهِ فِي خَمْسِمِائَةِ فَارِسٍ وَثَلَاثِمِائَةِ رَاجِلٍ، فَقِيلَ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ: إِنَّ ابْنَ هُبَيْرَةَ لَيَأْتِي فَيَتَضَعْضَعُ لَهُ الْعَسْكَرُ وَمَا نَقَصَ مِنْ سُلْطَانِهِ شَيْءٌ. فَأَمَرَهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ أَنْ لَا يَأْتِيَ إِلَّا فِي حَاشِيَتِهِ، فَكَانَ يَأْتِي فِي ثَلَاثِينَ، ثُمَّ صَارَ يَأْتِي فِي ثَلَاثَةٍ أَوْ أَرْبَعَةٍ. وَكَلَّمَ ابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ الْمَنْصُورَ يَوْمًا، فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ: يَا هَنَاهْ ! أَوْ: يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَرْءُ ! ثُمَّ رَجَعَ، فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا الْأَمِيرُ، إِنَّ عَهْدِي بِكَلَامِ النَّاسِ بِمِثْلِ مَا خَاطَبْتُكَ بِهِ لَقَرِيبٌ فَسَبَقَنِي لِسَانِي إِلَى مَا لَمْ أُرِدْهُ. فَأَلَحَّ السَّفَّاحُ عَلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ يَأْمُرُهُ بِقَتْلِ ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ، وَهُوَ يُرَاجِعُهُ حَتَّى كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ: وَاللَّهِ لَتَقْتُلَنَّهُ أَوْ لَأُرْسِلَنَّ إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يُخْرِجُهُ مِنْ حُجْرَتِكَ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّى قَتْلَهُ. فَعَزَمَ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، فَبَعَثَ خَازِمَ بْنَ خُزَيْمَةَ، وَالْهَيْثَمَ بْنَ ظُهَيْرٍ وَأَمَرَهُمَا بِخَتْمِ بُيُوتِ الْأَمْوَالِ، ثُمَّ بَعَثَ إِلَى وُجُوهِ مَنْ مَعَ ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ مِنَ الْقَيْسِيَّةِ وَالْمُضَرِيَّةِ فَأَحْضَرَهُمْ، فَأَقْبَلَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ نُبَاتَةَ، وَحَوْثَرَةُ بْنُ سُهَيْلٍ فِي اثْنَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ رَجُلًا، فَخَرَجَ سَلَّامُ بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ، فَقَالَ: أَيْنَ ابْنُ نُبَاتَةَ وَحَوْثَرَةُ ؟ فَدَخَلَا وَقَدْ أَجْلَسَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ نَهِيكٍ وَغَيْرَهُ فِي مِائَةٍ فِي حُجْرَةٍ دُونَ حُجْرَتِهِ، فَنُزِعَتْ سُيُوفُهُمَا وَكُتِّفَا، وَاسْتَدْعَى رَجُلَيْنِ رَجُلَيْنِ يَفْعَلُ بِهِمَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ. فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: أَعْطَيْتُمُونَا عَهْدَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ غَدَرْتُمْ بِنَا ! إِنَّا لَنَرْجُو أَنْ يُدْرِكَكُمُ اللَّهُ ! وَجَعَلَ ابْنُ نُبَاتَةَ يَضْرِطُ فِي لِحْيَةِ نَفْسِهِ وَقَالَ: كَأَنِّي كُنْتُ أَنْظُرُ إِلَى هَذَا. وَانْطَلَقَ خَازِمٌ وَالْهَيْثَمُ بْنُ شُعْبَةَ فِي نَحْوٍ مِنْ مِائَةٍ إِلَى ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ فَقَالُوا: نُرِيدُ حَمْلَ الْمَالِ. فَقَالَ لِحَاجِبِهِ: دُلَّهُمْ عَلَى الْخَزَائِنِ. فَأَقَامُوا عِنْدَ كُلِّ بَيْتٍ نَفَرًا، وَأَقْبَلُوا نَحْوَهُ وَعِنْدَهُ ابْنُهُ دَاوُدُ وَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ مَوَالِيهِ وَبُنَيٌّ لَهُ صَغِيرٌ فِي حِجْرِهِ. فَلَمَّا أَقْبَلُوا نَحْوَهُ قَامَ حَاجِبُهُ فِي وُجُوهِهِمْ، فَضَرَبَهُ الْهَيْثَمُ بْنُ شُعْبَةَ عَلَى حَبْلِ عَاتِقِهِ فَصَرَعَهُ، وَقَاتَلَ ابْنُهُ دَاوُدُ، وَأَقْبَلَ هُوَ إِلَيْهِ وَنَحَّى ابْنَهُ مِنْ حِجْرِهِ، فَقَالَ: دُونَكُمْ هَذَا الصَّبِيَّ، وَخَرَّ سَاجِدًا فَقُتِلَ، وَحُمِلَتْ رُءُوسُهُمْ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ. وَنَادَى بِالْأَمَانِ لِلنَّاسِ إِلَّا الْحَكَمَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ بِشْرٍ، وَخَالِدَ بْنَ سَلَمَةَ الْمَخْزُومِيَّ، وَعُمَرَ بْنَ ذَرٍّ، فَاسْتَأْمَنَ زِيَادُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ لِابْنِ ذَرٍّ، فَآمَنَهُ، وَهَرَبَ الْحَكَمُ، وَآمَنَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ خَالِدًا فَقَتَلَهُ السَّفَّاحُ، وَلَمْ يُجِزْ أَمَانَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ. فَقَالَ أَبُو الْعَطَاءِ السِّنْدِيُّ يَرْثِي ابْنَ هُبَيْرَةَ: أَلَا إِنَّ عَيْنًا لَمْ تَجُدْ يَوْمَ وَاسِطٍ عَلَيْكَ بِجَارِي دَمْعِهَا لَجَمُودُ عَشِيَّةَ قَامَ النَّائِحَاتُ وَصَفَّقَتْ أَكُفٌّ بِأَيْدِي مَأْتَمٍ وَخُدُودُ فَإِنْ تُمْسِ مَهْجُورَ الْفِنَاءِ فَرُبَّمَا أَقَامَ بِهِ بَعْدَ الْوُفُودِ وُفُودُ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تَبْعُدْ عَلَى مُتَعَهِّدٍ بَلَى كُلُّ مَنْ تَحْتَ التُّرَابِ بَعِيدُ.
Translation
✧ Mention of the siege of Ibn Hubayrah at Wāsiṭ We have previously mentioned what occurred regarding Yazīd b. Hubayrah and the army that met him from the people of Khurāsān under Qaḥṭabah, then under his son al-Ḥasan, and his defeat and retreat to Wāsiṭ where he fortified himself. When he was defeated, he had entrusted the baggage to a group, and they went off with it. Ḥawtharah said to him: “Where are you going when their leader—meaning Qaḥṭabah—has been killed? Proceed to al-Kūfah with the large force you have and fight them until you are killed or prevail.” He said: “Rather, we will go to Wāsiṭ and see.” He said: “You will only enable him to seize you and be killed.” Yaḥyā b. Ḥuḍayn said: “If you were to bring Marwān anything, nothing would be dearer to him than these troops, so keep to the Euphrates until you reach him. Beware of Wāsiṭ, lest you end up besieged, for after a siege there is nothing but death.” But he refused. He feared Marwān because he used to write to him with orders and he would disobey him, so he feared that Marwān would kill him. He therefore went to Wāsiṭ and fortified himself there. Abū Salamah sent al-Ḥasan b. Qaḥṭabah against him and besieged him. The first battle between them took place on a Wednesday. The people of Syria said to Ibn Hubayrah: “Permit us to fight them.” He permitted them, and they went out, and Ibn Hubayrah went out with his son Dāwūd on his right wing. They met, and on al-Ḥasan's right wing was Khāzim b. Khuzaymah. Khāzim charged Ibn Hubayrah, and he and those with him were defeated. The gate became choked with people, and his companions hurled stones from catapults. The people of Syria turned back, and al-Ḥasan attacked them and drove them to the Tigris. Many of them drowned, and they were met with boats and separated. They remained for seven days, then went out against them and fought. The people of Syria were badly defeated and entered the city. They remained, as long as God willed, fighting only with missiles. While Ibn Hubayrah was under siege, he learned that Abū Umayyah al-Taghlibī had proclaimed a black banner, so he seized and imprisoned him. Some men of Rabīʿah spoke about that, including Maʿn b. Zāʾidah al-Shaybānī, and they seized three men from Fazārah, the clan of Ibn Hubayrah, and imprisoned them. They reviled Ibn Hubayrah and said: “We will not release what is in our hands until Ibn Hubayrah releases our companion.” Ibn Hubayrah refused to release him, so Maʿn and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Bashīr al-ʿIjlī withdrew with their followers. It was said to Ibn Hubayrah: “These are your horsemen, and you have corrupted them. If you persist in this, they will be more harmful to you than those besieging you.” So he summoned Abū Umayyah, clothed him, and set him free, and they made peace and returned to their former state. Abū Naṣr Mālik b. al-Haytham arrived from the direction of Sijistān to al-Ḥasan. Al-Ḥasan sent a delegation to al-Saffāḥ announcing the arrival of Abū Naṣr, and he placed Ghaylān b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Khuzāʿī in charge of the delegation. Ghaylān was angry with al-Ḥasan because he had sent him to Rawḥ b. Ḥātim as a reinforcement. When he came before al-Saffāḥ, he said: “I bear witness that you are the Commander of the Faithful, that you are God's firm rope, and that you are the leader of the God-fearing.” He said: “What is your need, O Ghaylān?” He said: “I ask your forgiveness.” He said: “May God forgive you.” Ghaylān said: “O Commander of the Faithful, bestow upon us a man from your own family.” He said: “Is there not over you a man from my family, al-Ḥasan b. Qaḥṭabah?” He said: “O Commander of the Faithful, bestow upon us a man from your own family so that we may look upon his face and our eyes be comforted by him.” So he sent his brother Abū Jaʿfar to fight Ibn Hubayrah upon his return from Khurāsān. He wrote to al-Ḥasan: “The army is your army, and the commanders are your commanders, but I wished my brother to be present, so listen to him and obey, and support him well.” He wrote similarly to Mālik b. al-Haytham. Al-Ḥasan was the one managing the affairs of that army. When Abū Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr arrived at al-Ḥasan's camp, al-Ḥasan moved from his tent and lodged him in it. Al-Ḥasan placed ʿUthmān b. Nahīk in charge of al-Manṣūr's guard. Mālik b. al-Haytham fought them one day, and the people of Syria were defeated and retreated to their trenches. Maʿn and Abū Yaḥyā al-Judhāmī had laid an ambush for them. When Mālik's men passed by them, they came out against them and fought them until nightfall. Ibn Hubayrah was on the tower of the vinegar-makers, and they fought as long as God willed during the night. Ibn Hubayrah sent to Maʿn ordering him to withdraw, and he withdrew, and they remained for some days. The people of Wāsiṭ also went out with Maʿn and Muḥammad b. Nubātah, and al-Ḥasan's men fought them and drove them to the Tigris until they fell into it, and they returned. A son of Mālik b. al-Haytham had been killed, and when his father saw him slain, he said: “May God curse life after you!” Then they charged the people of Wāsiṭ and fought them until they forced them into the city. Mālik would fill boats with firewood and set them ablaze to burn whatever they passed. Ibn Hubayrah would drag those boats with grappling hooks. They remained thus for eleven months. When the siege grew long, they sought peace, but they did not seek it until news of Marwān's death came to them, brought by Ismāʿīl b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Qasrī, who said to them: “Why do you kill yourselves when Marwān has been killed?” Ibn Hubayrah's companions were angered by him. The Yemenis said: “We will not support Marwān, for his traces among us are what they are.” The Nizārīs said: “We will not fight unless the Yemenis fight with us.” Those fighting with him were the rabble and the young men. Ibn Hubayrah considered summoning people to Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī, and he wrote to him, but his reply was slow. Al-Saffāḥ corresponded with the Yemenis among Ibn Hubayrah's men and tempted them. Ziyād b. Ṣāliḥ and Ziyād b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥārithī went out to him, promising Ibn Hubayrah to reconcile Ibn al-ʿAbbās's side for him, but they did not. Envoys went back and forth between Abū Jaʿfar and Ibn Hubayrah until Abū Jaʿfar granted him a guarantee of safety and wrote a document for it. Ibn Hubayrah consulted the scholars about it for forty days until he approved it and sent it to Abū Jaʿfar. Abū Jaʿfar forwarded it to his brother al-Saffāḥ, who ordered him to carry it out. Abū Jaʿfar's view was to fulfill what he had granted him. Al-Saffāḥ would not decide a matter without Abū Muslim, and Abū al-Jahm was Abū Muslim's informant on al-Saffāḥ. Al-Saffāḥ wrote to Abū Muslim informing him of Ibn Hubayrah's affair, and Abū Muslim wrote to him: “The smooth road, when you cast stones into it, is ruined. No, by God, no road is sound while Ibn Hubayrah is in it.” When the document was completed, Ibn Hubayrah came out to Abū Jaʿfar with one thousand three hundred Bukhārī horsemen. He wanted to enter on his mount, but the chamberlain Sallām b. Sulaym rose to him and said: “Welcome, Abū Khālid! Dismount, rightly guided!” Ten thousand men of Khurāsān surrounded al-Manṣūr's chamber. He dismounted, and a cushion was brought for him to sit on. The commanders were admitted, then Ibn Hubayrah alone was given permission, and he entered. He conversed with him for a while, then left. Then he continued to come to him one day and stay away the next, coming with five hundred horsemen and three hundred foot soldiers. It was said to Abū Jaʿfar: “Ibn Hubayrah comes and the army trembles before him, and nothing of his authority is diminished.” Abū Jaʿfar ordered him not to come except with his retinue, so he came with thirty. Then he came with three or four. One day Ibn Hubayrah spoke to al-Manṣūr, and Ibn Hubayrah said to him: “O fellow!” or “O man!” Then he corrected himself and said: “O emir, my habit of addressing people as I addressed you is recent, and my tongue slipped into what I did not intend.” Al-Saffāḥ kept pressing Abū Jaʿfar, ordering him to kill Ibn Hubayrah, while Abū Jaʿfar kept remonstrating, until al-Saffāḥ wrote to him: “By God, you will kill him, or I will send someone to take him from your chamber and then carry out his execution.” So he resolved to kill him. He sent Khāzim b. Khuzaymah and al-Haytham b. Ẓuhayr and ordered them to seal the treasury buildings. Then he sent for the leading men of the Qaysīs and Muḍarīs with Ibn Hubayrah and had them brought. Muḥammad b. Nubātah and Ḥawtharah b. Suhayl came with twenty-two men. Sallām b. Sulaym went out and said: “Where are Ibn Nubātah and Ḥawtharah?” They entered, and Abū Jaʿfar had seated ʿUthmān b. Nahīk and others, a hundred men, in a chamber before his own chamber. Their swords were removed, and their hands were bound behind their backs. Then he summoned them two by two and did the same to them. Some of them said: “You gave us God's covenant and then betrayed us! We hope God will overtake you!” Ibn Nubātah began to pass wind into his own beard and said: “It is as if I had foreseen this.” Khāzim and al-Haytham b. Shuʿbah went with about a hundred men to Ibn Hubayrah and said: “We want to transport the money.” He said to his chamberlain: “Show them the treasuries.” They stationed men at each building and then came toward him. With him were his son Dāwūd, several of his mawālī, and a small son in his lap. When they came toward him, his chamberlain rose in their faces, and al-Haytham b. Shuʿbah struck him on the tendon of his shoulder and threw him down. His son Dāwūd fought. Ibn Hubayrah came forward, removed his small son from his lap, and said: “Take this boy.” Then he fell prostrate and was killed. Their heads were carried to Abū Jaʿfar. A proclamation of safety was made for the people except for al-Ḥakam b. ʿAbd al-Malik b. Bishr, Khālid b. Salamah al-Makhzūmī, and ʿUmar b. Dharr. Ziyād b. ʿAbd Allāh sought safety for Ibn Dharr, and he was granted it. Al-Ḥakam fled. Abū Jaʿfar granted safety to Khālid, but al-Saffāḥ killed him and did not allow Abū Jaʿfar's guarantee to stand. Abū al-ʿAṭāʾ al-Sindī said in mourning for Ibn Hubayrah: Alas, an eye that did not weep for you on the day of Wāsiṭ, shedding its flowing tears, is indeed dry; On the evening when the wailing women stood and clapped, hands with the hands of mourners, and cheeks were struck. If your courtyard is now forsaken, yet often it hosted delegations after delegations. You are not far from one who visits you; nay, but everyone beneath the dust is far.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.