Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2721
Then the Year 136 AH Began
ذِكْرُ خِلَافَةِ الْمَنْصُورِ وَفِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ عَقَدَ السَّفَّاحُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ لِأَخِيهِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ بِالْخِلَافَةِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ، وَجَعَلَهُ وَلِيَّ عَهْدِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَمِنْ بَعْدِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ وَلَدَ أَخِيهِ عِيسَى بْنَ مُوسَى بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، وَجَعَلَ الْعَهْدَ فِي ثَوْبٍ، وَخَتَمَهُ بِخَاتَمِهِ وَخَوَاتِيمِ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ، وَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى عِيسَى بْنِ مُوسَى. فَلَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ السَّفَّاحُ كَانَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ بِمَكَّةَ، فَأَخَذَ الْبَيْعَةَ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عِيسَى بْنُ مُوسَى، وَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ يُعْلِمُهُ وَفَاةَ السَّفَّاحِ وَالْبَيْعَةَ لَهُ، فَلَقِيَهُ الرَّسُولُ بِمَنْزِلِ صَفِيَّةَ فَقَالَ: صَفَتْ لَنَا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ. وَكَتَبَ إِلَى أَبِي مُسْلِمٍ يَسْتَدْعِيهِ، وَكَانَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ قَدْ تَقَدَّمَ، فَأَقْبَلَ أَبُو مُسْلِمٍ إِلَيْهِ. فَلَمَّا جَلَسَ وَأَلْقَى إِلَيْهِ كِتَابَهُ قَرَأَهُ وَبَكَى وَاسْتَرْجَعَ وَنَظَرَ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ، وَقَدْ جَزِعَ جَزَعًا شَدِيدًا، فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا الْجَزَعُ وَقَدْ أَتَتْكَ الْخِلَافَةُ ؟ قَالَ: أَتَخَوَّفُ شَرَّ عَمِّي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ وَشَغَبَهُ عَلَيَّ. قَالَ: لَا تَخَفْهُ فَأَنَا أَكْفِيكَهُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، إِنَّمَا عَامَّةُ جُنْدِهِ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ أَهْلُ خُرَاسَانَ وَهُمْ لَا يَعْصُونَنِي. فَسُرِّيَ عَنْهُ. وَبَايَعَ أَبُو مُسْلِمٍ وَالنَّاسُ، وَأَقْبَلَا حَتَّى قَدِمَا الْكُوفَةَ. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ أَبَا مُسْلِمٍ هُوَ الَّذِي كَانَ تَقَدَّمَ عَلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ، فَعَرَفَ الْخَبَرَ قَبْلَهُ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ: عَافَاكَ اللَّهُ وَمَتَّعَ بِكَ، إِنَّهُ أَتَانِي أَمْرٌ أَفْظَعَنِي وَبَلَغَ مِنِّي مَبْلَغًا لَمْ يَبْلُغْهُ مِنِّي شَيْءٌ قَطُّ، وَفَاةُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَنَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُعَظِّمَ أَجْرَكَ وَيُحْسِنَ الْخِلَافَةَ عَلَيْكَ، إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ أَحَدٌ أَشَدَّ تَعْظِيمًا لِحَقِّكَ وَأَصْفَى نَصِيحَةً [ لَكَ ] وَحِرْصًا عَلَى مَا يَسُرُّكَ مِنِّي. ثُمَّ مَكَثَ يَوْمَيْنِ وَكَتَبَ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ بِبَيْعَتِهِ، وَإِنَّمَا أَرَادَ تَرْهِيبَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ. قَالَ: وَرَدَّ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ زِيَادَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَى مَكَّةَ، وَكَانَ عَامِلًا عَلَيْهَا وَعَلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لِلسَّفَّاحِ، وَقِيلَ: كَانَ قَدْ عَزَلَهُ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ عَنْ مَكَّةَ، وَوَلَّاهَا الْعَبَّاسَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَعْبَدِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ. وَلَمَّا بَايَعَ عِيسَى بْنُ مُوسَى النَّاسَ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ بِالشَّامِ يُخْبِرُهُ بِوَفَاةِ السَّفَّاحِ، وَبَيْعَةِ الْمَنْصُورِ وَيَأْمُرُهُ بِأَخْذِ الْبَيْعَةِ لِلْمَنْصُورِ، وَكَانَ قَدْ قَدِمَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى السَّفَّاحِ فَجَعَلَهُ عَلَى الصَّائِفَةِ، وَسَيَّرَ مَعَهُ أَهْلَ الشَّامِ وَخُرَاسَانَ، فَسَارَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ دُلُوكَ، وَلَمْ يُدْرِكْ، فَأَتَاهُ مَوْتُ السَّفَّاحِ، فَعَادَ بِمَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْجُيُوشِ، وَقَدْ بَايَعَ لِنَفْسِهِ. طرف من سيرة أبي جعفر المنصور أمير المؤمنين قَالَ: طَيْفُورٌ مَوْلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ،: حَدَّثَتْنِي سَلَّامَةُ أُمُّ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، قَالَتْ: لَمَّا حَمَلْتُ بِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ رَأَيْتُ كَأَنَّهُ خَرَجَ مِنْ فَرْجِي أَسَدٌ فَزَأَرَ، ثُمَّ أَقْعَى، فَاجْتَمَعَتْ حَوْلَهُ الْأُسْدُ، فَكُلَّمَا انْتَهَى إِلَيْهِ أَسَدٌ سَجَدَ لَهُ. قَالَ: حَمْدُونُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ الْمُؤَذِّنُ،: رَأَيْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ يَخْطُبُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ مُتَعَرِّقَ الْوَجْهِ، يَخْضِبُ بِالسَّوَادِ، وَكَانَ أَسْمَرَ طَوِيلًا نَحِيفًا خَفِيفَ الْعَارِضَيْنِ، وَأُمُّهُ أُمُّ وَلَدٍ يُقَالُ لَهَا: سَلَّامَةُ. ذِكْرُ أَوْلَادِهِ [كَانَ لَهُ] الْمَهْدِيُّ وَاسْمُهُ مُحَمَّدٌ، وَجَعْفَرٌ، أُمُّهُمَا أَرْوَى بِنْتُ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ شَمِرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيَّةُ، وَكَانَتْ تُكَنَّى أُمَّ مُوسَى، وَكَانَ الْمَنْصُورُ قَدْ شَرَطَ لَهَا أَلَّا يَتَزَوَّجَ عَلَيْهَا، وَلَا يَتَسَرَّى، وَكَتَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ بِذَلِكَ كِتَابًا وَأَشْهَدَتْ عَلَيْهِ شُهُودًا، فَبَقِيَ عَلَيْهِ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ مِنْ سُلْطَانِهِ كَذَلِكَ، وَكَانَ يَكْتُبُ إِلَى الْفَقِيهِ بَعْدَ الْفَقِيهِ لِيُفْتِيَهُ بِرُخْصَةٍ، فَإِذَا عَلِمَتْ أُمُّ مُوسَى أَرْسَلَتْ إِلَى ذَلِكَ الْفَقِيهِ بِمَالٍ فَلَا يُفْتِيهِ، فَلَمَّا مَاتَتْ أَتَتْهُ وَفَاتُهَا وَهُوَ بِحُلْوَانَ، فَأُهْدِيَتْ إِلَيْهِ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ مِائَةُ بِكْرٍ. وَمِنْ أَوْلَادِ الْمَنْصُورِ صَالِحٌ، أُمُّهُ أَمَةٌ، وَيُقَالُ: بِنْتُ مَلِكِ الصُّغْدِ. وَسُلَيْمَانُ، وَعِيسَى، وَيَعْقُوبُ، أُمُّهُمْ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ مُحَمَّدٍ مِنْ وَلَدِ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ. وَالْغَالِيَةُ أُمُّهَا مِنْ وَلَدِ خَالِدِ بْنِ أُسَيْدٍ. وَجَعْفَرٌ، وَالْقَاسِمُ، وَعَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ، وَالْعَبَّاسُ. فَأَمَّا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ فَوَلِيَ الْمَوْصِلَ لأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ وَمَاتَ بِبَغْدَادَ، فَوُلِدَ لِجَعْفَرٍ إِبْرَاهِيمُ، وَزُبَيْدَةُ وَهِيَ أُمُّ جَعْفَرٍ، أُمُّهُمَا سَلْسَلُ أُمُّ وَلَدِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، وَصَالِحُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، وَلُبَابَةُ بِنْتُ جَعْفَرٍ. فَأَمَّا إِبْرَاهِيمُ فَلَا عَقِبَ لَهُ. وَأَمَّا زُبَيْدَةُ فَتَزَوَّجَهَا هَارُونُ الرَّشِيدُ، وَأَمَّا لُبَابَةُ فَكَانَتْ عِنْدَ مُوسَى بْنِ الْمَهْدِيِّ، وَأَمَّا عِيسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ فَوَلِيَ الْبَصْرَةَ وَكُوَرَهَا وَفَارِسَ وَالْأَهْوَازَ وَالْيَمَامَةَ وَالسِّنْدَ. قالَ: عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زِيَادِ بْنِ أَنْعَمَ الْأَفْرِيقِيُّ،: كُنْتُ أَطْلُبُ الْعِلْمَ مَعَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَبْلَ الْخِلَافَةِ، فَأَدْخَلَنِي يَوْمًا إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ ثُمَّ قَدَّمَ طَعَامًا وَمُرَيْقَةً مِنْ حُبُوبٍ لَيْسَ فِيهَا لَحْمٌ، ثُمَّ قَدَّمَ إِلَيَّ زَبِيبًا ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا جَارِيَةُ عِنْدَكِ حَلْوَاءُ؟ قَالَتْ: لَا، قَالَ: وَلَا التَّمْرُ؟ قَالَتْ: وَلَا التَّمْرُ، فَاسْتَلْقَى ثُمَّ تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ: عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ فَلَمَّا وَلِيَ الْخِلَافَةَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ، بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ كُنْتَ تَفِدُ لِبَنِي أُمَيَّةَ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: أَجَلْ كُنْتُ أَفِدُ لَهُمْ وَأَفِدُ إِلَيْهِمْ. قَالَ: فَكَيْفَ رَأَيْتَ سُلْطَانِي مِنْ سُلْطَانِهِمْ؟ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَاللَّهِ مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْ سُلْطَانِهِمْ مِنَ الْجَوْرِ وَالظُّلْمِ إِلَّا رَأَيْتُهُ فِي سُلْطَانِكَ، تَحْفَظُ يَوْمَ أَدْخَلْتَنِي مَنْزِلَكَ فَقَدَّمْتَ إِلَيَّ طَعَامًا وَمُرَيْقَةً مِنْ حُبُوبٍ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهَا لَحْمٌ، ثُمَّ قَدَّمْتَ إِلَيَّ زَبِيبًا ثُمَّ قُلْتَ: يَا جَارِيَةُ عِنْدَكِ حَلْوَاءُ؟ قَالَتْ: لَا، قُلْتَ: وَلَا التَّمْرُ، قَالَتْ: وَلَا التَّمْرُ. فَاسْتَلْقَيْتَ ثُمَّ تَلَوْتَ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ: عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ فَقَدْ وَاللَّهِ أَهْلَكَ اللَّهُ عَدُوَّكَ، وَاسْتَخْلَفَكَ فِي الْأَرْضِ، فَانْظُرْ مَاذَا تَعْمَلُ، قَالَ: يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ، إِنَّا لَا نَجِدُ الْأَعْوَانَ، قُلْتُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، السُّلْطَانُ سُوقٌ نَافِقٌ لَوْ نَفَقَ عَلَيْكَ الصَّالِحُونَ لَجَلَبُوا إِلَيْكَ. قَالَ: فَكَأَنِّي أَلْقَمْتُهُ حَجَرًا، فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ شَيْئًا. قَالَ: أَبُو الْفَضْلِ الرَّبَعِيُّ،: حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، قَالَ: بَيْنَا الْمَنْصُورُ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ يَخْطُبُ وَقَدْ عَلَا بُكَاؤُهُ إِذْ قَامَ رَجُلٌ، فَقَالَ: يَا وَصَّافُ تَأْمُرُنَا بِمَا تَجْتَنِبُهُ، وَتَنْهَى عَمَّا تَرْتَكِبُهُ، بِنَفْسِكَ فَابْدَأْ ثُمَّ بِالنَّاسِ. فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ الْمَنْصُورُ ثُمَّ تَأَمَّلَهُ مَلِيًّا ثُمَّ قَطَعَ الْخُطْبَةَ وَقَالَ: يَا عَبْدَ الْجَبَّارِ خُذْهُ إِلَيْكَ، فَأَخَذَهُ عَبْدُ الْجَبَّارِ وَعَادَ إِلَى خُطْبَتِهِ فَأَتَمَّهَا، وَقَضَى الصَّلَاةَ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ، وَدَعَا بِعَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ فَقَالَ: مَا فَعَلَ الرَّجُلُ؟ فَقَالَ: مَحْبُوسٌ عِنْدَنَا يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، قَالَ: أَمْلِ لَهُ [ثُمَّ اعْرِضْ لَهُ] بِالدُّنْيَا فَإِنْ عَزَفَ عَنْهَا فَلَعَمْرِي إِنَّهُ لَمُرِيدٌ [لِلْآخِرَةِ]، وَإِنْ كَانَ كَلَامُهُ لِيَقَعَ مَوْقِعًا حَسَنًا، وَإِنْ مَالَ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا وَرَغِبَ فِيهَا إِنَّ لِي فِيهِ أَدَبًا يَزَعُهُ عَنِ الْوُثُوبِ عَلَى الْخُلَفَاءِ وَطَلَبِ الدُّنْيَا بِعَمَلِ الْآخِرَةِ. فَخَرَجَ عَبْدُ الْجَبَّارِ فَدَعَا بِالرَّجُلِ وَدَعَا بِغِذَائِهِ، فَقَالَ [لَهُ]: مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى مَا صَنَعْتَ؟ قَالَ: حَقٌّ لِلَّهِ كَانَ فِي عُنُقِي فَأَدَّيْتُهُ إِلَى خَلِيفَتِهِ، قَالَ: إِذًا، فَكُلْ، قَالَ: لَا حَاجَةَ لِي فِيهِ، قَالَ: وَمَا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَكْلِ الطَّعَامِ إِنْ كَانَتْ نِيَّتُكَ حَسَنَةً، فَدَنَا فَأَكَلَ، فَلَمَّا أَكَلَ طَمِعَ فِيهِ، فَتَرَكَهُ أَيَّامًا ثُمَّ دَعَاهُ فَقَالَ: لَهَا عَنْكَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَنْتَ مَحْبُوسٌ، فَهَلْ لَكَ فِي جَارِيَةٍ تُؤْنِسُكَ وَتَسْكُنُ إِلَيْهَا؟ قَالَ: مَا أَكْرَهُ ذَلِكَ. فَأَعْطَاهُ جَارِيَةً، ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ: هَذَا الطَّعَامُ قَدْ أَكَلْتَ، وَالْجَارِيَةُ قَدْ قَبِلْتَ، فَهَلْ لَكَ فِي ثِيَابٍ تَكْتَسِيهَا وَتَكْسُو عِيَالَكَ إِنْ كَانَ لَكَ عِيَالٌ، وَنَفَقَةٌ تَسْتَعِينُ بِهَا عَلَى أَمْرِكَ إِلَى أَنْ يَدْعُوَ بِكَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنْ أَرَدْتَ الْوَسِيلَةَ عِنْدَهُ إِذَا ذَكَرَكَ، قَالَ: وَمَا هِيَ؟ قَالَ: أُوَلِّيكَ الْحِسْبَةَ وَالْمَظَالِمَ، فَتَكُونُ أَحَدَ عُمَّالِهِ، تَأْمُرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَى عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ، قَالَ: مَا أَكْرَهُ ذَلِكَ. فَوَلَّاهُ الْحِسْبَةَ وَالْمَظَالِمَ، فَلَمَّا أَتَى عَلَيْهِ شَهْرٌ قَالَ عَبْدُ الْجَبَّارِ لِلْمَنْصُورِ: الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي تَكَلَّمَ بِمَا تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ فَأَمَرْتَ بِحَبْسِهِ قَدْ أَكَلَ مِنْ طَعَامِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَبِسَ مِنْ ثِيَابِهِ، وَعَاشَ فِي نِعْمَتِهِ، وَصَارَ أَحَدَ وُلَاتِهِ، فَإِنْ أَحَبَّ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْ أُدْخِلَهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي زِيِّ الشِّيعَةِ فَعَلْتُ. قَالَ: فَأَدْخِلْهُ. فَخَرَجَ عَبْدُ الْجَبَّارِ فَقَالَ: قَدْ دَعَا بِكَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَقَدْ أَعْلَمْتُهُ أَنَّكَ أَحَدُ عُمَّالِهِ عَلَى الْمَظَالِمِ وَالْحِسْبَةِ، فَأُدْخِلَ عَلَيْهِ فِي الزِّيِّ الَّذِي يُحِبُّ. فَأَلْبَسَهُ قَبَاءً، وَعَلَّقَ خِنْجَرًا فِي وَسَطِهِ وَسَيْفًا بِمَعَالِيقَ، وَأَسْبَلَ جُمَّتَهُ، وَدَخَلَ فَقَالَ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَقَالَ: وَعَلَيْكَ، أَلَسْتَ الْقَائِمَ بِنَا وَالْوَاعِظَ لَنَا وَمُذَكِّرَنَا بِأَيَّامِ اللَّهِ عَلَى رُؤُوسِ الْمَلَأِ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: فَكَيْفَ تَخَلَّيْتَ عَنْ مَذْهَبِكَ؟ قَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَكَّرْتُ فِي أَمْرِي فَإِذَا أَنَا [قَدْ] أَخْطَأْتُ فِيمَا تَكَلَّمْتُ بِهِ، وَرَأَيْتُ أَنِّي مُصِيبٌ فِي مُشَارَكَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي أَمَانَتِهِ، قَالَ: هَيْهَاتَ! أَخْطَأَتِ اسْتُكَ الْحُفْرَةَ، هُنَاكَ يَوْمَ أَعْلَنْتَ الْكَلَامَ وَظَنَنَّا أَنَّكَ أَرَدْتَ اللَّهَ بِهِ فَكَفَفْنَا عَنْكَ، فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَنَا أَنَّكَ أَرَدْتَ الدُّنْيَا جَعَلْنَاكَ عِظَةً لِغَيْرِكَ حَتَّى لَا يَجْتَرِئَ بَعْدَكَ مُجْتَرِئٌ عَلَى الْخِلَافَةِ، أَخْرِجْهُ يَا عَبْدَ الْجَبَّارِ فَاضْرِبْ عُنُقَهُ، فَأَخْرَجَهُ فَقَتَلَهُ. قَالَ: الْأَصْمَعِيُّ،: صَعِدَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الْمِنْبَرَ فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، أَحْمَدُهُ وَأَسْتَعِينُهُ وَأُومِنُ بِهِ، وَأَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ. فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أُذَكِّرُكَ مَنْ أَنْتَ فِي ذِكْرِهِ، فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ: مَرْحَبًا مَرْحَبًا، لَقَدْ ذَكَرْتَ جَلِيلًا، وَخَوَّفْتَ عَظِيمًا، وَأَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِمَّنْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ: اتَّقِ اللَّهَ، أَخَذَتْهُ الْعِزَّةُ بِالْإِثْمِ، وَالْمَوْعِظَةُ مِنَّا بَدَتْ، وَمِنْ عِنْدِنَا خَرَجَتْ، وَأَنْتَ يَا قَائِلَهَا فَأَحْلِفُ بِاللَّهِ مَا اللَّهَ أَرَدْتَ بِهَا، إِنَّمَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ يُقَالَ: قَامَ فَقَالَ فَعُوقِبَ فَصَبَرَ، وَأَهْوَنُ بِهَا مِنْ قَائِلِهَا، وَإِيَّاكُمْ مَعْشَرَ النَّاسِ وَأَمْثَالَهَا. وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولَهُ. فَعَادَ إِلَى خُطْبَتِهِ كَأَنَّمَا يَقْرَأُهَا مِنْ قِرْطَاسٍ. وَكَانَ الْمَنْصُورُ يَشْتَغِلُ فِي صَدْرِ نَهَارِهِ بِالْأَمْرِ وَالنَّهْيِ وَالْوِلَايَاتِ، وَسَجْنِ الثُّغُورِ وَالْأَطْرَافِ، وَالنَّظَرِ فِي الْخَرَاجِ وَالنَّفَقَاتِ وَمَصَالِحِ الرَّعِيَّةِ. فَإِذَا صَلَّى الْعَصْرَ جَلَسَ لِأَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ، فَإِذَا صَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ نَظَرَ فِيمَا وَرَدَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ كُتُبِ الثُّغُورِ وَالْأَطْرَافِ، وَشَاوَرَ سُمَّارَهُ، وَكَانَتْ وُلَاةُ الْبَرِيدِ يَكْتُبُونَ إِلَيْهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ بِسِعْرِ الْقَمْحِ، وَالْحُبُوبِ وَالْإِدَامِ، وَكُلِّ مَا يَقْضِي بِهِ الْقَاضِي فِي نَوَاحِيهِمْ، وَمَا يَرِدُ بَيْتَ الْمَالِ، وَكُلِّ حَدَثٍ، فَإِذَا صَلَّى الْمَغْرِبَ يَكْتُبُونَ إِلَيْهِ بِمَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ، وَإِذَا نَظَرَ فِي كُتُبِهِمْ، فَإِنْ رَأَى الْأَسْعَارَ عَلَى حَالِهَا أَمْسَكَ، وَإِنَّ تَغَيَّرَ شَيْءٌ مِنْهَا كَتَبَ إِلَى الْعَامِلِ هُنَاكَ وَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْعِلَّةِ، فَإِذَا وَرَدَ الْجَوَابُ تَلَطَّفَ حَتَّى يَعُودَ سِعْرُ ذَلِكَ الْبَلَدِ إِلَى حَالِهِ، وَإِنْ شَكَّ فِي شَيْءٍ مِمَّا قَضَى بِهِ الْقَاضِي كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ فِي ذَلِكَ وَسَأَلَ مَنْ بِحَضْرَتِهِ عَنْ عِلْمِهِ، فَإِنْ أَنْكَرَ شَيْئًا كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ يُوَبِّخُهُ وَيَلُومُهُ. فَإِذَا مَضَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ قَامَ إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ وَانْصَرَفَ سُمَّارُهُ، فَإِذَا مَضَى الثُّلُثُ الْبَاقِي قَامَ مِنْ فِرَاشِهِ، فَأَسْبَغَ الْوُضُوءَ وَوَقَفَ فِي مِحْرَابِهِ حَتَّى يَطْلُعَ الْفَجْرُ. وَأَوَّلُ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ الْخَيْشَ الْمَنْصُورُ، وَإِنَّمَا كَانَتِ الْأَكَاسِرَةُ تُطَيِّنُ لَهَا فِي الصَّيْفِ سَقْفَ بَيْتٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ، فَتَكُونُ قَائِلَةُ الْمَلِكِ فِيهِ، وَكَانَ يُؤْتَى بِأَطْنَانِ الْخِلَافِ طِوَالًا غِلَاظًا فَيُوضَعُ حَوَالَيِ السَّرِيرِ، وَيُؤْتَى بِقِطَعِ الثَّلْجِ الْعِظَامِ مَا بَيْنَ أَضْعَافِهَا، وَكَانَتْ بَنُو أُمَيَّةَ تَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ، فَاتَّخَذَ الْمَنْصُورُ الْخَيْشَ. وَشَكَى إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَعْضِ عُمَّالِهِ فِي قِصَّةٍ فَوَقَّعَ عَلَيْهَا: أَكْفِنِي أَمْرَهُ وَإِلَّا كَفَيْتَهُ أَمْرَكَ. وَوَقَّعَ إِلَى عَامِلٍ آخَرَ: قَدْ كَثُرَ شَاكُوكَ وَقَلَّ شَاكِرُوكَ فَإِمَّا اعْتَدَلْتَ وَإِمَّا اعْتَزَلْتَ. قَالَ: أَبُو الْعَيْنَاءِ،: دَخَلَ الْمَنْصُورُ فِي بَابِ الذَّهَبِ، فَإِذَا ثَلَاثَةُ قَنَادِيلَ مُصْطَفَّةٌ، فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا؟ أَمَا وَاحِدٌ مِنْ هَذَا كَانَ كَافِيًا! يُقْتَصَرُ مِنْ هَذَا عَلَى وَاحِدٍ. قَالَ: فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ أَشْرَفَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَهُمْ يَتَغَدَّوْنَ، فَرَأَى الطَّعَامَ قَدْ خَفَّ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَشْبَعُوا، فَقَالَ: [يَا غُلَامُ، عَلَيَّ بِالْقَهْرَمَانِ، قَالَ: مَا لِي رَأَيْتُ الطَّعَامَ قَدْ خَفَّ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَشْبَعُوا؟!] قَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، رَأَيْتُكَ قَدْ قَدَّرْتَ الزَّيْتَ فَقَدَّرْتُ الطَّعَامَ، فَقَالَ: وَيْلَكَ! أَنْتَ لَا تُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ زَيْتٍ يَحْتَرِقُ فِي غَيْرِ ذَاتِ اللَّهِ، وَبَيْنَ طَعَامٍ إِذَا فَضَلَ وَجَدْتَ لَهُ آكِلًا، أَبْطِحُوهُ، فَبَطَحُوهُ فَضَرَبَهُ سَبْعَ دِرَرٍ. وَذَكَرَ الصُّولِيُّ عَنِ الْهَيْثَمِ بْنِ عَدِيٍّ، قَالَ: كَانَ الْمَنْصُورُ يَبْخَلُ إِلَّا فِي الطِّيبِ، فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُ بِهِ، فَكَانَ يَشْتَرِي فِي رَأْسِ كُلِّ سَنَةٍ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفَ مِثْقَالٍ مِنْ سَائِرِهِ، فَيَتَطَيَّبُ كُلَّ شَهْرٍ بِأَلْفِ مِثْقَالٍ، يَخْضِبُ بِهِ رَأْسَهُ وَلِحْيَتَهُ. وَقَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ كَاتِبُ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ: وَلَمْ يُرَ فِي دَارِ الْمَنْصُورِ لَهْوٌ قَطُّ وَلَا شَيْءٌ يُشْبِهُ اللَّعِبَ وَالْعَبَثَ. وَقَالَ حَمَّادٌ التُّرْكِيُّ: كُنْتُ وَاقِفًا عَلَى رَأْسِ الْمَنْصُورِ فَسَمِعَ جَلَبَةً فِي الدَّارِ، فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا يَا حَمَّادُ انْظُرْ؟ فَذَهَبْتُ فَإِذَا خَادِمٌ لَهُ قَدْ حَبَسَ حَوْلَهُ الْجَوَارِيَ وَهُوَ يَضْرِبُ لَهُنَّ الطُّنْبُورَ وَهُنَّ يَضْحَكْنَ، فَجِئْتُ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ، فَقَالَ: وَأَيُّ شَيْءٍ الطُّنْبُورُ؟ فَقُلْتُ: خَشَبَةٌ مِنْ حَالِهَا وَصِفَتِهَا، فَقَالَ: فَمَا يُدْرِيكَ أَنْتَ مَا الطُّنْبُورُ؟ قُلْتُ: رَأَيْتُهُ بِخُرَاسَانَ فَقَالَ: هَاتِ نَعْلِي، فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِهَا، فَقَامَ يَمْشِي رُوَيْدًا حَتَّى أَشْرَفَ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَلَمَّا بَصُرُوا بِهِ تَفَرَّقُوا، فَقَالَ: خُذْهُ، فَأَخَذْتُهُ، فَقَالَ: اضْرِبْ بِهِ رَأْسَهُ، فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَضْرِبُ بِهِ رَأْسَهُ حَتَّى كَسَرْتَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَخْرِجْهُ مِنْ قَصْرِي، وَاذْهَبْ بِهِ إِلَى حُمْرَانَ بِالْكَرْخِ، وَقُلْ لَهُ يَبِيعُهُ. وَقَالَ سَالِمٌ الْأَبْرَشُ: كَانَ الْمَنْصُورُ مِنْ أَحْسَنِ النَّاسِ، فَإِذَا لَبِسَ ثِيَابَهُ تَغَيَّرَ لَوْنُهُ، وَتَرَبَّدَ وَجْهُهُ فَاحْمَرَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ، وَيَكُونُ مِنْهُ مَا يَكُونُ، فَإِذَا قَامَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ رَجَعَ بِمِثْلِ ذَلِكَ. وَقَالَ يَوْمًا: يَا بَنِيَّ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي قَدْ لَبِسْتُ ثِيَابِي وَرَجَعْتُ مِنْ مَجْلِسِي فَلَا يَدْنُوَنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنِّي؛ لِئَلَّا أَغِرَّهُ بِشَرٍّ. طرف من كلام أمير المؤمنين أبي جعفر المنصور قَالَ: أَبُو عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: الْخَلِيفَةُ لَا يُصْلِحُهُ إِلَّا التَّقْوَى، وَالسُّلْطَانُ لَا يُصْلِحُهُ إِلَّا الطَّاعَةُ، وَالرَّعِيَّةُ لَا يُصْلِحُهَا إِلَّا الْعَدْلُ، وَأَوْلَى [النَّاسِ] بِالْعَفْوِ أَقْدَرُهُمْ عَلَى الْعُقُوبَةِ، وَأَنْقُصُ النَّاسِ عَقْلًا مَنْ ظَلَمَ مَنْ هُوَ دُونَهُ. قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ: كَانَتِ الْعَرَبُ تَقُولُ: الْعُرْيُ الْفَادِحُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الزِّيِّ الْفَاضِحِ. وَقَالَ أَيْضًا: الْمُلُوكُ تَحْتَمِلُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا ثَلَاثًا: إِفْشَاءُ السِّرِّ، وَالتَّعَرُّضُ لِلْحُرْمَةِ، وَالْقَدْحُ فِي الْمَلِكِ. وَقَالَ: سِرُّكَ مِنْ دَمِكَ فَانْظُرْ مَنْ تُمَلِّكُهُ. وَقَالَ: مَنْ صَنَعَ مِثْلَ مَا صُنِعَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَدَ كَافَأَ، وَمَنْ أَضْعَفَ فَقَدْ شَكَرَ، وَمَنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا صَنَعَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ لَمْ يَسْتَبْطِئِ النَّاسَ فِي شُكْرِهِمْ، وَلَا تَلْتَمِسْ مِنْ غَيْرِكَ شُكْرَ مَا أَتَيْتَهُ إِلَى نَفْسِكَ، وَوَقَيْتَ بِهِ عِرْضَكَ، وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ طَالِبَ الْحَاجَةِ إِلَيْكَ لَمْ يُكْرِمْ وَجْهَهُ عَنْ قَصْدِكَ فَأَكْرِمْ وَجْهَكَ عَنْ رَدِّهِ.
Translation
✧ Mention of the Caliphate of al-Manṣūr In this year al-Saffāḥ ʿAbd Allāh b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās concluded the covenant of the caliphate after him for his brother Abū Jaʿfar ʿAbd Allāh b. Muḥammad, and made him heir apparent of the Muslims; and after Abū Jaʿfar, the son of his brother ʿĪsā b. Mūsā b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī. He placed the covenant in a garment, sealed it with his seal and the seals of his household, and handed it to ʿĪsā b. Mūsā. When al-Saffāḥ died, Abū Jaʿfar was in Makkah, so ʿĪsā b. Mūsā took the oath of allegiance for Abū Jaʿfar and wrote to him informing him of the death of al-Saffāḥ and the oath of allegiance to him. The messenger met him at the station of Ṣafiyya and said: "It has become pure for us, if God wills." He wrote to Abū Muslim summoning him; Abū Jaʿfar had gone ahead, so Abū Muslim came to him. When he sat down and handed him his letter, he read it, wept, uttered the istirjāʿ, and looked at Abū Jaʿfar, who was stricken with intense grief. He said: "What is this grief when the caliphate has come to you?" He said: "I fear the evil of my uncle ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAlī and his sedition against me." He said: "Do not fear him; I will suffice you against him, if God wills. Most of his army and those with him are the people of Khurāsān, and they will not disobey me." So he was relieved. Abū Muslim and the people pledged allegiance, and they set out until they arrived at al-Kūfa. It is said that Abū Muslim was the one who went ahead of Abū Jaʿfar and learned the news before him, so he wrote to him: "May God grant you well-being and continue to benefit [the community] through you. A matter has come to me that terrified me and reached a degree no other matter has ever reached: the death of the Commander of the Faithful. We ask God to magnify your reward and make your succession excellent. There is no one among your family more greatly honoring your right, more sincere in counsel [to you], and more eager for what pleases you than myself." Then he waited two days and wrote to Abū Jaʿfar with his oath of allegiance. He only intended to intimidate Abū Jaʿfar. He said: Abū Jaʿfar returned Ziyād b. ʿAbd Allāh to Makkah; he had been governor over it and over al-Madīnah for al-Saffāḥ. It is said that he had dismissed him from Makkah before his death and appointed al-ʿAbbās b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Maʿbad b. al-ʿAbbās over it. When ʿĪsā b. Mūsā had people pledge allegiance to Abū Jaʿfar, he sent to ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAlī in Syria informing him of the death of al-Saffāḥ and the oath of allegiance to al-Manṣūr, and ordering him to take the oath of allegiance for al-Manṣūr. He had previously come to al-Saffāḥ and was placed over the summer expedition, and sent with him the people of Syria and Khurāsān. He marched until he reached Dulūk, but he did not catch up, and the death of al-Saffāḥ came to him, so he returned with the troops who were with him and had pledged allegiance to himself. A portion of the biography of Abū Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr, Commander of the Faithful Ṭayfūr, client of the Commander of the Faithful, said: Salāma, mother of the Commander of the Faithful, narrated to me, saying: When I was pregnant with Abū Jaʿfar, I saw as if a lion came out of my private parts and roared, then sat upon its hind legs, and the lions gathered around it. Whenever a lion reached it, it prostrated to it. Ḥamdūn b. Saʿd the muezzin said: I saw Abū Jaʿfar delivering a sermon on the pulpit with a lean face, dyeing [his beard] with black. He was brown-skinned, tall, thin, with light beard. His mother was an umm walad called Salāma. Mention of his children [He had] al-Mahdī, whose name was Muḥammad, and Jaʿfar, whose mother was Arwā bt. Manṣūr b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Yazīd b. Shimr al-Ḥimyarī. She was called Umm Mūsā. Al-Manṣūr had stipulated for her that he would not marry another wife nor take a concubine, and she wrote a document to that effect against him and had witnesses testify to it. He remained thus for ten years of his reign. He used to write to one jurist after another to issue him a dispensation, but when Umm Mūsā learned of it, she sent money to that jurist, and he would not issue the ruling. When she died, her death came to him while he was at Ḥulwān, and that very night one hundred virgins were presented to him. Among the children of al-Manṣūr: Ṣāliḥ, whose mother was a slave woman, and it is said: the daughter of the king of al-Ṣughd. Sulaymān, ʿĪsā, and Yaʿqūb, whose mother was Fāṭima bt. Muḥammad, from the descendants of Ṭalḥa b. ʿUbayd Allāh. Al-Ghāliya, whose mother was from the descendants of Khālid b. Usayd. Jaʿfar, al-Qāsim, ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, and al-ʿAbbās. As for Jaʿfar b. Abī Jaʿfar, he governed al-Mawṣil for Abū Jaʿfar and died in Baghdād. To Jaʿfar were born Ibrāhīm and Zubayda—and she is Umm Jaʿfar—their mother was Salsal, an umm walad of Jaʿfar b. Jaʿfar, and ʿUbayd Allāh b. Jaʿfar, Ṣāliḥ b. Jaʿfar, and Lubāba bt. Jaʿfar. As for Ibrāhīm, he had no descendants. Zubayda married Hārūn al-Rashīd. Lubāba was with Mūsā b. al-Mahdī. As for ʿĪsā b. Jaʿfar, he governed al-Baṣra and its districts, Fāris, al-Ahwāz, al-Yamāma, and al-Sind. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Ziyād b. Anʿum al-Afrīqī said: I used to seek knowledge together with Abū Jaʿfar, Commander of the Faithful, before the caliphate. One day he brought me into his house, then presented food and a small stew of grains with no meat in it, then presented raisins to me, then said: "O slave girl, do you have any sweet?" She said: "No." He said: "Nor dates?" She said: "Nor dates." Then he lay back and recited this verse: "Perhaps your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors in the land, and observe how you act." When he became caliph, I entered upon him, and he said: "O ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, I have heard that you used to come as a delegate to the Umayyads." He said: I said: "Yes, I used to come as a delegate to them and to others." He said: "How did you find my rule compared to theirs?" He said: I said: "O Commander of the Faithful, by God, I did not see any injustice or oppression in their rule but I saw it in your rule. Do you remember the day you brought me into your house and presented me food and a small stew of grains with no meat, then presented raisins, then said: 'O slave girl, do you have any sweet?' She said: 'No.' You said: 'Nor dates?' She said: 'Nor dates.' Then you lay back and recited this verse: 'Perhaps your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors in the land, and observe how you act.' By God, God has destroyed your enemy and made you successor in the land, so watch what you do." He said: "O ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, we do not find helpers." I said: "O Commander of the Faithful, authority is a profitable market; if the righteous were to deal with you, they would bring you [profit]." He said: It was as if I had stuffed a stone into his mouth, and he did not reply to me. Abū al-Faḍl al-Rabaʿī said: My father narrated to me, saying: One day while al-Manṣūr was giving a sermon and his weeping had risen, a man stood up and said: "O describer [of good], you command us to do what you avoid and forbid what you yourself commit. Begin with yourself, then with the people." Al-Manṣūr looked at him, then studied him for a long while, then cut off the sermon and said: "O ʿAbd al-Jabbār, take him to you." So ʿAbd al-Jabbār took him, and he returned to his sermon and completed it, performed the prayer, then entered and called ʿAbd al-Jabbār and said: "What has happened to the man?" He said: "He is imprisoned with us, O Commander of the Faithful." He said: "Give him hope [then offer him] worldly things. If he turns away from them, then by my life he is a seeker [of the Hereafter], even if his speech falls in a good place. But if he inclines to the world and desires it, I have a discipline for him that will restrain him from leaping upon caliphs and seeking the world through the work of the Hereafter." ʿAbd al-Jabbār went out and summoned the man and summoned his food, and said [to him]: "What made you do what you did?" He said: "A right due to God was upon my neck, and I delivered it to His caliph." He said: "Then eat." He said: "I have no need of it." He said: "What harm is there in eating food if your intention is good?" So he came near and ate. When he ate, he became greedy for it. He left him for some days, then summoned him and said: "The Commander of the Faithful has turned away from you, and you are imprisoned. Would you like a slave girl to keep you company and give you comfort?" He said: "I do not dislike that." So he gave him a slave girl. Then he sent to him: "You have eaten this food and accepted the slave girl. Would you like clothes to wear and to clothe your dependents if you have any, and an allowance to help you with your affairs until the Commander of the Faithful summons you, if you desire a means of access to him when he remembers you?" He said: "And what is it?" He said: "I will appoint you over the ḥisba and the maẓālim, and you will be one of his officials, commanding good and forbidding evil." He said: "I do not dislike that." So he appointed him over the ḥisba and the maẓālim. When a month had passed, ʿAbd al-Jabbār said to al-Manṣūr: "The man who spoke as he did and whom you ordered imprisoned has eaten the food of the Commander of the Faithful, worn his clothes, lived in his bounty, and become one of his governors. If the Commander of the Faithful likes, I will bring him in before him in the attire of the Shīʿa." He said: "Bring him in." ʿAbd al-Jabbār went out and said: "The Commander of the Faithful has summoned you, and I have informed him that you are one of his officials over the maẓālim and ḥisba. He will be brought in before him in the attire he likes." So he clothed him in a qabāʾ, hung a dagger at his waist and a sword with straps, let his long hair hang down, and entered saying: "Peace be upon you, O Commander of the Faithful." He said: "And upon you. Are you not the one who stood against us, admonished us, and reminded us of the days of God in public?" He said: "Yes." He said: "How did you abandon your doctrine?" He said: "O Commander of the Faithful, I reflected on my situation and found that I had erred in what I said, and I saw that I was right in sharing the Commander of the Faithful's trust." He said: "Far from it! Your buttock missed the hole. That day when you proclaimed the speech, we thought you intended God by it, so we restrained ourselves from you. When it became clear to us that you intended the world, we made you a lesson for others, so that no one after you would dare to challenge the caliphate. Take him out, O ʿAbd al-Jabbār, and strike his neck." So he took him out and killed him. Al-Aṣmaʿī said: Abū Jaʿfar ascended the pulpit and said: "Praise be to God. I praise Him, seek His help, believe in Him, and rely upon Him. I bear witness that there is no god but God alone, without partner." A man stood up to him and said: "O Commander of the Faithful, I remind you of Him in whose remembrance you are." Abū Jaʿfar said: "Welcome, welcome! You have reminded of something great and warned of something tremendous. I seek refuge in God from one who, when told 'Fear God,' is seized by pride in sin. The admonition began from us and came forth from us. And you, O speaker of it—I swear by God you did not intend God by it; you only wanted it to be said: 'He stood and spoke, then was punished and bore it patiently.' And it is of less consequence than its speaker. Beware, O people, of such things." Then he said: "I bear witness that Muḥammad is His servant and Messenger." Then he returned to his sermon as if he were reading it from a scroll. Al-Manṣūr used to occupy himself in the first part of his day with command and prohibition, appointments, garrisoning the frontiers and borders, examining the land tax and expenditures, and the welfare of the subjects. When he prayed the afternoon prayer, he sat with his household. When he prayed the night prayer, he examined the letters that had come to him from the frontiers and borders, and consulted his boon companions. The postal governors used to write to him every day with the price of wheat, grains, condiments, and everything the judge ruled in their districts, and what came into the treasury, and every event. When he prayed the sunset prayer, they wrote to him with what had occurred that day. When he examined their letters, if he saw prices as they were, he held back; if anything changed, he wrote to the governor there and asked him about the cause. When the answer came, he acted gently until the price of that town returned to its state. If he doubted something the judge had ruled, he wrote to him about it and asked those in his presence about his knowledge. If he disapproved of something, he wrote to him rebuking and blaming him. When a third of the night had passed, he rose to his bed and his boon companions departed. When the remaining third had passed, he rose from his bed, performed the ablution thoroughly, and stood in his prayer niche until dawn broke. The first to adopt the khaysh (burlap awnings) was al-Manṣūr. The Persian kings used to have a roof of a house plastered for them in the summer each day, and the king's midday nap would be there. Long, thick bundles of willow branches would be brought and placed around the bed, and great pieces of ice between them. The Umayyads used to do that, but al-Manṣūr adopted the khaysh. A man complained to him about one of his officials in a case, so he wrote on it: "Spare me his affair, or else you will have taken care of your own affair." He wrote to another official: "Those who complain of you have become many and those who thank you few, so either be just or resign." Abū al-ʿAynāʾ said: Al-Manṣūr entered through the Gate of Gold and saw three lamps in a row. He said: "What is this? Would not one of these have sufficed? Let us limit ourselves to one." He said: When morning came, he looked upon the people as they were eating lunch and saw that the food had diminished from before them before they were full. He said: "O boy, bring me the steward." He said: "Why did I see the food diminish from before them before they were full?!" He said: "O Commander of the Faithful, I saw you measure the oil, so I measured the food." He said: "Woe to you! Can you not distinguish between oil that burns not for God's sake and food which, if it is left over, you will find someone to eat it? Throw him down." So they threw him down and he beat him seven blows with a whip. Al-Ṣūlī mentioned from al-Haytham b. ʿAdī, who said: Al-Manṣūr was stingy except in perfume. He used to order his family to use it. He used to buy at the beginning of every year twelve thousand mithqāls of all kinds, and perfume himself each month with a thousand mithqāls, dyeing his head and beard with it. Yaḥyā b. Sulaym, secretary of al-Faḍl b. al-Rabīʿ, said: No amusement was ever seen in the house of al-Manṣūr, nor anything resembling play or frivolity. Ḥammād al-Turkī said: I was standing at al-Manṣūr's head when he heard a clamor in the house. He said: "What is this, O Ḥammād? Look." I went and found a servant of his who had gathered the slave girls around him and was playing the ṭunbūr for them while they laughed. I came and told him. He said: "What is the ṭunbūr?" I said: "A piece of wood of such and such condition and description." He said: "How do you know what the ṭunbūr is?" I said: "I saw it in Khurāsān." He said: "Bring my sandals." I brought them. He rose and walked slowly until he looked upon them. When they saw him, they scattered. He said: "Seize him." I seized him. He said: "Strike his head with it." I kept striking his head with it until I broke it [the ṭunbūr]. Then he said: "Take him out of my palace and go with him to Ḥumrān in al-Karkh and tell him to sell him." Sālim al-Abrash said: Al-Manṣūr was one of the most handsome of people. When he put on his clothes, his color changed, his face became dark and reddened, and his eyes turned red, and from him came what came. When he rose from his assembly, he returned to the same. And he said one day: O my sons, when you see me having put on my garments and returned from my assembly, let none of you draw near to me, lest I deceive him with evil. An aspect of the speech of the Commander of the Faithful Abū Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr He said: Abū ʿUbayd Allāh: I heard al-Manṣūr say: The caliph is only reformed by piety, and authority is only reformed by obedience, and the subjects are only reformed by justice. The most worthy of people of pardon is the most capable of them of punishment, and the most deficient of people in intellect is one who wrongs one who is beneath him. Al-Manṣūr said: The Arabs used to say: Bitter nakedness is better than disgraceful adornment. He also said: Kings tolerate everything except three things: divulging a secret, encroaching upon sanctity, and disparaging the king. And he said: Your secret is of your blood, so consider whom you make its master. And he said: Whoever does the like of what was done to him has requited, and whoever does more has shown gratitude, and whoever knows that he has only done it for himself does not find people slow in their gratitude to him. Do not seek from other than yourself gratitude for what you have brought to yourself and by which you have protected your honor. Know that the seeker of a need from you has not honored his face away from seeking you, so honor your face away from rejecting him.
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