Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2720
Then the Year 136 AH Began
وَهَذِهِ تَرْجَمَةُ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ السَّفَّاحِ وَذِكْرُ وَفَاتِهِ هُوَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ السَّفَّاحُ - وَيُقَالُ لَهُ: الْمُرْتَضَى. وَ: الْقَائِمُ أَيْضًا - ابْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْإِمَامِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ السَّجَّادِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْحَبْرِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ ذِي الرَّأْيِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ شَيْبَةِ الْحَمْدِ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافِ بْنِ قُصَيٍّ، أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ الْقُرَشِيُّ الْهَاشِمِيُّ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأُمُّهُ رَيْطَةُ - وَيُقَالُ: رَائِطَةُ - بِنْتُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَدَانِ بْنِ الدَّيَّانِ الْحَارِثِيِّ، كَانَ مَوْلِدُ السَّفَّاحِ بِالْحُمَيْمَةِ مِنْ أَرْضِ الشَّرَاةِ مِنْ أَرْضِ الْبَلْقَاءِ بِالشَّامِ وَنَشَأَ بِهَا حَتَّى طُلِبَ أَخُوهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ، فَقَتَلَهُ مَرْوَانُ الْحِمَارُ بِحَرَّانَ، فَانْتَقَلُوا إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ، وَبُويِعَ لَهُ بِالْخِلَافَةِ بَعْدَ مَقْتَلِ أَخِيهِ فِي حَيَاةِ مَرْوَانَ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ الثَّانِيَ عَشَرَ مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ، وَيُقَالُ: فِي جُمَادَى سَنَةَ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَثَلَاثِينَ وَمِائَةٍ، كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ. وَتُوفِّيَ بِالْجُدَرِيِّ بِالْأَنْبَارِ يَوْمَ الْأَحَدِ الْحَادِي عَشَرَ - وَقِيلَ: الثَّالِثَ عَشَرَ - مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ سَنَةَ سِتٍّ وَثَلَاثِينَ وَمِائَةٍ. وَكَانَ عُمْرُهُ ثَلَاثًا - وَقِيلَ: ثِنْتَيْنِ. وَقِيلَ: إِحْدَى - وَثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً. وَقِيلَ: ثَمَانِيًا وَعِشْرِينَ سَنَةً. قَالَهُ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ. وَكَانَتْ خِلَافَتُهُ أَرْبَعُ سِنِينَ وَتِسْعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ. وَكَانَ أَبْيَضَ جَمِيلًا طَوِيلًا، أَقْنَى الْأَنْفِ، جَعْدَ الشَّعْرِ، حَسَنَ اللِّحْيَةِ، حَسَنَ الْوَجْهِ، فَصِيحَ الْكَلَامِ، حَسَنَ الرَّأْيِ، جَيِّدَ الْبَدِيهَةِ. [شِدَّةُ ذَكَائِهِ وَسُرْعَةُ جَوَابِهِ وَقَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ الْبَاهِلِيُّ: (دَخَلَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ حَسَنٍ عَلَى السَّفَّاحِ مَرَّةً وَالْمَجْلِسُ غَاصٌّ بِبَنِي هَاشِمٍ وَالشِّيعَةِ وَوُجُوهِ النَّاسِ، وَمَعَهُ مُصْحَفٌ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ؛ أَعْطِنَا حَقَّنَا الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ لَنَا فِي هَذَا الْمُصْحَفِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّ عَلِيًّا جَدَّكَ كَانَ خَيْرًا مِنِّي وَأَعْدَلَ، وَلِيَ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ فَأَعْطَى جَدَّيْكَ الْحَسَنَ وَالْحُسَيْنَ - وَكَانَا خَيْرًا مِنْكَ - شَيْئًا، وَكَانَ الْوَاجِبُ أَنْ أُعْطِيَكَ مِثْلَهُ؟! فَإِنْ كُنْتُ فَعَلْتُ... فَقَدْ أَنْصَفْتُكَ، وَإِنْ كُنْتُ زِدْتُكَ... فَمَا هَذَا جَزَائِي مِنْكَ! فَانْصَرَفَ وَلَمْ يُحِرْ جَوَابًا، وَعَجِبَ النَّاسُ مِنْ جَوَابِ السَّفَّاحِ). عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ - وَهُوَ وَالِدُ السَّفَّاحِ - قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ وَعِنْدَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ النَّصَارَى، فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ: مَنْ تَجِدُونَ الْخَلِيفَةَ بَعْدَ سُلَيْمَانَ ؟ قَالَ لَهُ النَّصْرَانِيُّ: أَنْتَ. قَالَ: فَأَقْبَلَ عُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ عَلَيَّ، فَقَالَ: وَهِيَ فِي ثِيَابِكَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ. قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ: فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ جَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ النَّصْرَانِيَّ فِي بَالِي، فَرَأَيْتُهُ يَوْمًا، فَأَمَرْتُ غُلَامِي أَنْ يَحْبِسَهُ عَلَيَّ، وَذَهَبْتُ بِهِ إِلَى مَنْزِلِي، فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَمَّا يَكُونُ بَعْدُ فِي خُلَفَاءِ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ فَذَكَرَهُمْ وَاحِدًا وَاحِدًا، وَتَجَاوَزَ عَنْ مَرْوَانَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، قُلْتُ: ثُمَّ مَنْ ؟ قَالَ: ثُمَّ ابْنُكَ ابْنُ الْحَارِثِيَّةِ. قَالَ: وَكَانَ إِذْ ذَاكَ حَمْلًا. وَوَفَدَ عَلَيْهِ أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ فَبَادَرُوا إِلَى تَقْبِيلِ يَدِهِ، وَتَرَكَ ذَلِكَ عِمْرَانُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُطِيعٍ الْعَدَوِيُّ وَإِنَّمَا حَيَّاهُ بِالْخِلَافَةِ، وَهَنَّأَهُ بِهَا فَقَطْ. وَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، لَوْ كَانَتْ تَزِيدُكَ رِفْعَةً وَتَزِيدُنِي وَسِيلَةً إِلَيْكَ، مَا سَبَقَنِي إِلَيْهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ، وَإِنِّي لَغَنِيٌّ عَمَّا لَا أَجْرَ فِيهِ. ثُمَّ جَلَسَ. قَالَ: فَوَاللَّهِ مَا نَقَصَهُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ حَظِّ أَصْحَابِهِ. نعي السفاح وَذَكَرَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الْخُزَاعِيُّ أَنَّ الرَّشِيدَ أَمَرَ ابْنَهُ أَنْ يَسْمَعَ مِنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عَلِيٍّ مَا يَرْوِيهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ فِي قِصَّةِ السَّفَّاحِ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عِيسَى أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ عَلَى السَّفَّاحِ يَوْمَ عَرَفَةَ بُكْرَةً فَوَجَدَهُ صَائِمًا، فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يُحَادِثَهُ فِي يَوْمِهِ هَذَا، ثُمَّ يَخْتِمُ ذَلِكَ بِفِطْرِهِ عِنْدَهُ. قَالَ: فَحَادَثْتُهُ حَتَّى أَخَذَهُ النَّوْمُ، فَقُمْتُ عَنْهُ، وَقُلْتُ: أُقِيلَ فِي مَنْزِلِي، ثُمَّ أَجِيءُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ. فَذَهَبْتُ فَنِمْتُ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ قُمْتُ، فَأَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى دَارِهِ، فَإِذَا عَلَى بَابِهِ بَشِيرٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ السِّنْدِ بِبَيْعَتِهِمْ لِلْخَلِيفَةِ وَتَسْلِيمِ الْأُمُورِ إِلَى نُوَّابِهِ. قَالَ: فَحَمِدْتُ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى الَّذِي وَفَّقَنِي لِأَنْ أَجِيئَهُ بِبِشَارَةٍ، ثُمَّ دَخَلْتُ الدَّارَ، فَإِذَا آخَرُ مَعَهُ الْبِشَارَةُ بِفَتْحِ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ فَحَمِدْتُ اللَّهَ أَيْضًا، وَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَبَشَّرْتُهُ بِذَلِكَ وَهُوَ يُسَرِّحُ لِحْيَتَهُ بَعْدَ الْوُضُوءِ، فَسَقَطَ الْمُشْطُ مِنْ يَدِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ ! كُلُّ شَيْءٍ بَائِدٌ سِوَاهُ، نَعَيْتَ وَاللَّهِ نَفْسِي حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْإِمَامُ، عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، أَنَّهُ يَقْدَمُ عَلَيَّ فِي مَدِينَتِي هَذِهِ وَافِدَانِ ; وَافِدُ السِّنْدِ، وَالْآخَرُ وَافْدُ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَطَاعَتِهِمْ وَبَيْعَتِهِمْ، فَلَا يَمْضِي بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ثَلَاثَةُ أَيَّامٍ حَتَّى أَمُوتَ. قَالَ: وَقَدْ أَتَانِي الْوَافِدَانِ، فَأَعْظَمَ اللَّهُ أَجَرَكَ يَا عَمِّ فِي ابْنِ أَخِيكَ. فَقُلْتُ: كَلَّا يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ. قَالَ: بَلَى إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، لَئِنْ كَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا حَبِيبَةً إِلَيَّ، فَصِحَّةُ الرِّوَايَةِ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْهَا، وَاللَّهِ مَا كَذَبْتُ وَلَا كُذِبْتُ. ثُمَّ نَهَضَ فَدَخَلَ مَنْزِلَهُ، وَأَمَرَنِي بِالْجُلُوسِ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ يُعْلِمُهُ بِوَقْتِ الظُّهْرِ خَرَجَ الْخَادِمُ يَأْمُرُنِي أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ عَنْهُ، وَكَذَلِكَ الْعَصْرَ وَالْمَغْرِبَ وَالْعِشَاءَ، كُلُّ ذَلِكَ يَخْرُجُ الْخَادِمُ فَيَأْمُرُنِي أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ عَنْهُ، وَبِتُّ هُنَاكَ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ وَقْتُ السَّحَرِ خَرَجَ الْخَادِمُ بِكِتَابٍ مَعَهُ يَأْمُرُنِي أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ عَنْهُ الْعِيدَ، ثُمَّ أَرْجِعُ إِلَى دَارِهِ، وَفِيهِ يَقُولُ: يَا عَمِّ، إِذَا مِتُّ فَلَا تُعْلِمِ النَّاسَ بِمَوْتِي حَتَّى تَقْرَأَ عَلَيْهِمْ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ فَيُبَايِعُوا لِمَنْ فِيهِ. قَالَ: فَصَلَّيْتُ بِالنَّاسِ، ثُمَّ رَجَعْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَإِذَا لَيْسَ بِهِ بَأْسٌ مِمَّا أُنْكِرُهُ، ثُمَّ دَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ آخِرِ النَّهَارِ، فَإِذَا هُوَ عَلَى حَالِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ خَرَجَتْ فِي وَجْهِهِ حَبَّتَانِ صَغِيرَتَانِ، ثُمَّ كَثُرَتَا، ثُمَّ صَارَ فِي وَجْهِهِ حَبٌّ صِغَارٌ بِيضٌ - يُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ جُدَرِيٌّ - ثُمَّ بَكَّرْتُ إِلَيْهِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّانِي مِنْ أَيَّامِ التَّشْرِيقِ فَإِذَا هُوَ قَدْ هَجَرَ وَذَهَبَتْ عَنْهُ مَعْرِفَتِي وَمَعْرِفَةُ غَيْرِي، فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِيِّ، فَإِذَا هُوَ قَدِ انْتَفَخَ حَتَّى صَارَ مِثْلَ الْزِّقِّ، وَتُوُفِّيَ فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّالِثِ مِنْ أَيَّامِ التَّشْرِيقِ، فَسَجَّيْتُهُ كَمَا أَمَرَنِي، وَخَرَجْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ، فَقَرَأْتُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْكِتَابَ، فَإِذَا فِيهِ: مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَالْأَوْلِيَاءِ وَجَمَاعَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ: سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَقَدْ قَلَّدَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْخِلَافَةَ عَلَيْكُمْ بَعْدَ وَفَاتِهِ أَخَاهُ، فَاسْمَعُوا لَهُ وَأَطِيعُوا، وَقَدْ قَلَّدَ الْخِلَافَةَ مِنْ بَعْدِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عِيسَى بْنَ مُوسَى إِنْ كَانَ. قَالَ: فَاخْتَلَفَ النَّاسُ فِي قَوْلِهِ: إِنْ كَانَ. قِيلَ: إِنْ كَانَ أَهْلًا لَهَا. وَقَالَ آخَرُونَ: إِنْ كَانَ حَيًّا. وَهَذَا الْقَوْلُ الثَّانِي هُوَ الصَّوَابُ. ذَكَرَهُ الْخَطِيبُ وَابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ مُطَوَّلًا، وَهَذَا مُلَخَّصٌ مِنْهُ، وَفِيهِ ذِكْرُ الْحَدِيثِ الْمَرْفُوعِ، وَهُوَ مُنْكَرٌ جِدًّا. وَرَوَى الْخَطِيبُ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ أَنَّ السَّفَّاحَ نَظَرَ يَوْمًا فِي الْمِرْآةِ - وَكَانَ مِنْ أَجْمَلِ النَّاسِ وَجْهًا - فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ لَا أَقُولُ كَمَا قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ: أَنَا الْخَلِيفَةُ الشَّابُّ. وَلَكِنِّي أَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ عَمِّرْنِي طَوِيلًا فِي طَاعَتِكَ مُمَتَّعًا بِالْعَافِيَةِ. فَمَا اسْتَتَمَّ كَلَامَهُ حَتَّى سَمِعَ غُلَامًا يَقُولُ لِآخَرَ: الْأَجَلُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ شَهْرَانِ وَخَمْسَةُ أَيَّامٍ. فَتَطَيَّرَ مِنْ كَلَامِهِ، وَقَالَ: حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ، لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ، عَلَيْهِ تَوَكُّلِي، وَبِهِ أَسْتَعِينُ. فَمَاتَ بَعْدَ شَهْرَيْنِ وَخَمْسَةُ أَيَّامٍ. ذَكَرَ ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ أَنَّ الطَّبِيبَ لَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ، فَأَنْشَأَ السَّفَّاحُ يَقُولُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ: انْظُرْ إِلَى ضَعْفِ الْحَرَا كِ وُذُلِّهِ بِيَدِ السُّكُونْ يُنْبِئْكَ أَنَّ بَيَانَهُ هَذَا مُقَدِّمَةُ الْمَنُونْ فَقَالَ لَهُ الطَّبِيبُ: أَنْتَ صَالِحٌ. فَأَنْشَأَ يَقُولُ: يُبَشِّرُنِي بِأَنِّي ذُو صَلَاحٍ يَبِينُ لَهُ وَبِي دَاءٌ دَفِينُ لَقَدْ أَيْقَنْتُ أَنِّي غَيْرُ بِاقٍ وَلَا شَكٌّ إِذَا وَضَحَ الْيَقِينُ قَالَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ: كَانَ آخِرُ مَا تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ السَّفَّاحُ حِينَ حَضَرَهُ الْمَوْتُ: الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ الْحَيِّ الْقَيُّومِ، مَلِكِ الْمُلُوكِ، وَجَبَّارِ الْجَبَابِرَةِ. وَكَانَ نَقْشُ خَاتَمِهِ: اللَّهُ ثِقَةُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ. وَكَانَ مَوْتُهُ بِالْجُدَرِيِّ فِي يَوْمِ الْأَحَدِ الثَّالِثَ عَشَرَ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ، سَنَةَ سِتٍّ وَثَلَاثِينَ وَمِائَةٍ بِالْأَنْبَارِ الْعَتِيقَةِ، عَنْ ثَلَاثٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً. وَكَانَتْ خِلَافَتُهُ أَرْبَعَ سِنِينَ وَتِسْعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ عَلَى أَشْهَرِ الْأَقْوَالِ. وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ عَمُّهُ عِيسَى بْنُ عَلِيٍّ وَدُفِنَ فِي قَصْرِ الْإِمَارَةِ مِنَ الْأَنْبَارِ، وَتَرَكَ تِسْعَ جِبَابٍ وَأَرْبَعَةَ أَقْمِصَةٍ وَخَمْسَ سَرَاوِيلَاتٍ وَأَرْبَعَ طَيَالِسَةٍ وَثَلَاثَةَ مَطَارِفِ خَزٍّ.
Translation
✧ This is the biography of Abu al-ʿAbbās al-Saffāḥ and an account of his death. He is ʿAbd Allāh al-Saffāḥ – and he is also called al-Murtaḍā and al-Qāʾim – b. Muḥammad al-Imām b. ʿAlī al-Sajjād b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥabr b. al-ʿAbbās Dhī al-Raʾy b. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib Shaybat al-Ḥamd b. Hāshim ʿAmr b. ʿAbd Manāf b. Quṣayy, Abū al-ʿAbbās al-Qurashī al-Hāshimī, Commander of the Faithful. His mother was Rayṭa – and it is also said Rāʾiṭa – bt. ʿUbayd Allāh b. ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbd al-Madān b. al-Dayyān al-Ḥārithī. Al-Saffāḥ was born at al-Ḥumayma in the land of al-Sharāt in the land of al-Balqāʾ in Syria, and he grew up there until his brother Ibrāhīm was sought and Marwān al-Ḥimār killed him at Ḥarrān. Then they moved to al-Kūfa, and allegiance was sworn to him as caliph after the killing of his brother during Marwān's lifetime on Friday, the twelfth of Rabīʿ al-Awwal – and it is also said in Jumādā – of the year one hundred and thirty-two, as has preceded. He died of smallpox at al-Anbār on Sunday, the eleventh – and it is also said the thirteenth – of Dhū al-Ḥijja in the year one hundred and thirty-six. His age was thirty-three – and it is also said thirty-two; and it is also said thirty-one – and it is also said twenty-eight. More than one authority said this. His caliphate lasted four years and nine months. He was fair-skinned, handsome, tall, with an aquiline nose, curly hair, a fine beard, a handsome face, eloquent in speech, sound in judgment, and quick-witted. His sharp intelligence and ready answers: Saʿīd b. Muslim al-Bāhilī said: “ʿAbd Allāh b. Ḥasan once entered upon al-Saffāḥ while the assembly was packed with Banū Hāshim, the Shīʿa, and leading men, and he had a copy of the Qurʾān with him. He said: ‘O Commander of the Faithful, give us our right which God has assigned to us in this Qurʾān.’ Al-Saffāḥ said to him: ‘ʿAlī, your ancestor, was better and more just than I. He held this office and gave your two ancestors al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn – and they were better than you – something. Was it then incumbent on me to give you the like of it? If I have done so, I have treated you fairly; and if I have given you more, then what is this as my reward from you?’ He departed without giving any answer, and people marveled at al-Saffāḥ's reply.” From Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās – and he is the father of al-Saffāḥ – he said: “I entered upon ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz while a Christian man was with him. ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz said to the Christian: ‘Whom do you find to be the caliph after Sulaymān?’ The Christian said to him: ‘You.’ Then ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz turned to me and said: ‘And it is in your garments, O Abū ʿAbd Allāh.’” Muḥammad b. ʿAlī said: “After that I kept that Christian in mind. One day I saw him, so I ordered my servant to detain him for me, and I took him to my house. I asked him about what would happen among the caliphs of Banū Umayya thereafter. He mentioned them one by one, and he skipped over Marwān b. Muḥammad. I said: ‘Then who?’ He said: ‘Then your son, the son of the Ḥārithī woman.’” He said: “At that time he was a fetus.” A delegation from al-Madīna came to him, and they hastened to kiss his hand. ʿImrān b. Ibrāhīm b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Muṭīʿ al-ʿAdawī refrained from that; he only greeted him with the caliphate and congratulated him on it, and he said: ‘By God, O Commander of the Faithful, if it would increase you in rank and increase me in access to you, none of these would have preceded me to it. But I can do without anything in which there is no reward.’ Then he sat down. He said: ‘By God, that did not diminish him in the estimation of his companions.’ Mourning al-Saffāḥ: Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Mālik al-Khuzāʿī mentioned that al-Rashīd ordered his son to listen to what Isḥāq b. ʿĪsā b. ʿAlī narrated from his father about the story of al-Saffāḥ. He told him from his father ʿĪsā that he entered upon al-Saffāḥ early on the day of ʿArafa and found him fasting. He ordered him to converse with him that day and then conclude it by breaking his fast with him. He said: “I conversed with him until sleep overtook him, and I rose from him and said: ‘I will take a midday nap in my house and then return after that.’ I went and slept a little, then I got up and came to his residence. At his gate was a bearer of good tidings from the people of al-Sind with their pledge of allegiance to the caliph and their handing over of affairs to his deputies. He said: I praised God, exalted is He, who enabled me to bring him good tidings. Then I entered the residence, and there was another with news of the conquest of Ifrīqiya, so I praised God again. I entered upon him and gave him these tidings while he was combing his beard after performing ablution. The comb fell from his hand, and then he said: ‘Glory be to God! Everything perishes except Him. By God, you have announced my own death. Ibrāhīm al-Imām narrated to me, from Abū Hāshim ʿAbd Allāh b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, from ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, from the Messenger of God ﷺ, that two delegations will come to me in this city of mine: the delegate of al-Sind, and the other the delegate of Ifrīqiya, with their allegiance and obedience. After that, three days will not pass before I die.’ He said: ‘The two delegates have come to me. May God make your reward great, O uncle, in your nephew.’ I said: ‘Not so, O Commander of the Faithful, God willing.’ He said: ‘Yes, God willing. If this world is dear to me, sound transmission from the Messenger of God ﷺ is dearer to me than it. By God, I have not lied, nor have I been lied to.’ Then he rose and entered his quarters, and he ordered me to sit. When the muʾadhdhin came to inform him that it was time for the noon prayer, a servant came out ordering me to pray on his behalf; and likewise for the afternoon, sunset, and night prayers. Each time a servant came out and ordered me to pray on his behalf, and I spent the night there. When it was the time before dawn, a servant came out with a letter, ordering me to pray the festival prayer on his behalf and then return to his residence. In it he said: ‘O uncle, when I die, do not inform the people of my death until you read this letter to them, so that they pledge allegiance to the one named in it.’ He said: I prayed with the people, then I returned to him, and I found nothing wrong with him that I could discern. Then I entered upon him at the end of the day, and he was in the same state except that two small pimples had appeared on his face. Then they increased, and then small white pimples appeared on his face – it is said that it was smallpox. Then I went to him early on the second day of the days of tashrīq, and he had become delirious and lost awareness of me and of others. I returned to him in the evening, and he had swollen until he became like a waterskin. He died on the third day of the days of tashrīq. I covered him as he had ordered me, and I went out to the people and read the letter to them. In it was written: ‘From ʿAbd Allāh, Commander of the Faithful, to the messenger, the deputies, and the community of Muslims: Peace be upon you. Now then, the Commander of the Faithful has entrusted the caliphate over you after his death to his brother, so listen to him and obey. And he has entrusted the caliphate after ʿAbd Allāh to ʿĪsā b. Mūsā, if he is...’ He said: People differed over his words ‘if he is...’. Some said: ‘if he is worthy of it’; others said: ‘if he is alive’. This second view is the correct one. Al-Khaṭīb and Ibn ʿAsākir mentioned this at length, and this is an abridgment of it. It includes the mention of the marfūʿ ḥadīth, which is very objectionable. Al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī narrated that al-Saffāḥ one day looked in a mirror – and he was one of the most beautiful of people in face – and said: ‘O God, I do not say as Sulaymān b. ʿAbd al-Malik said: I am the young caliph. But I say: O God, grant me long life in obedience to You, enjoying well-being.’ He had not finished his words when he heard a servant say to another: ‘The appointed time between me and you is two months and five days.’ He took this as an ill omen and said: ‘God suffices me; there is no power except through God. Upon Him I rely, and from Him I seek help.’ He died after two months and five days. Ibn ʿAsākir mentioned that when the physician entered upon him and took his hand, al-Saffāḥ began to say at that moment: Look at the weakness of the movement and its abasement in the hand of stillness; it tells you that its eloquence is but the prelude to fate. Then the physician said to him: ‘You are healthy.’ So he began to say: He gives me good tidings that I am healthy, while a hidden disease is clear to him. I have become certain that I will not remain, and there is no doubt when certainty is plain. Some scholars said: The last words Abu al-ʿAbbās al-Saffāḥ spoke when death attended him were: ‘Sovereignty belongs to God, the Living, the Self-Subsisting, King of kings, Compeller of compellers.’ The inscription on his signet ring was: ‘God is the trust of ʿAbd Allāh.’ His death was from smallpox on Sunday, the thirteenth of Dhū al-Ḥijja in the year one hundred and thirty-six, at al-Anbār al-ʿAtīqa, at the age of thirty-three. His caliphate lasted four years and nine months, according to the most widely accepted reports. His paternal uncle ʿĪsā b. ʿAlī prayed over him, and he was buried in the governor's palace at al-Anbār. He left behind nine cloaks, four shirts, five pairs of trousers, four ṭaylasāns, and three mantles of silk brocade.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.