Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2797
Then the year 145 AH began
ذِكْرُ مَسِيرِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَقَتْلِهِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَزَمَ عَلَى الْمَسِيرِ، فَأَشَارَ أَصْحَابُهُ الْبَصْرِيُّونَ أَنْ " تُقِيمَ وَتُرْسِلَ الْجُنُودَ، فَيَكُونَ إِذَا انْهَزَمَ لَكَ جُنْدٌ أَمْدَدْتَهُمْ بِغَيْرِهِمْ، فَخِيفَ مَكَانُكَ، وَاتَّقَاكَ عَدُوُّكَ، وَجَبَيْتَ الْأَمْوَالَ، وَثَبَّتَّ وَطْأَتَكَ ". فَقَالَ مَنْ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ: إِنَّ بِالْكُوفَةِ أَقْوَامًا لَوْ رَأَوْكَ مَاتُوا دُونَكَ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَرَوْكَ قَعَدَتْ بِهِمْ أَسْبَابٌ شَتَّى. فَسَارَ عَنِ الْبَصْرَةِ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ. وَكَانَ الْمَنْصُورُ لَمَّا بَلَغَهُ ظُهُورُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي قِلَّةٍ مِنَ الْعَسْكَرِ قَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي كَيْفَ أَصْنَعُ ! مَا فِي عَسْكَرِي إِلَّا أَلْفَا رَجُلٍ، فَرَّقْتُ جُنْدِي: مَعَ الْمَهْدِيِّ بِالرَّيِّ ثَلَاثُونَ أَلْفًا، وَمَعَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْأَشْعَثِ بِإِفْرِيقِيَّةَ أَرْبَعُونَ أَلْفًا، وَالْبَاقُونَ مَعَ عِيسَى بْنِ مُوسَى، وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ سَلِمْتُ مِنْ هَذِهِ لَا يُفَارِقُ عَسْكَرِي ثَلَاثُونَ أَلْفًا. ثُمَّ كَتَبَ إِلَى عِيسَى بْنِ مُوسَى يَأْمُرُهُ بِالْعَوْدِ مُسْرِعًا، فَأَتَاهُ الْكِتَابُ وَقَدْ أَحْرَمَ بِعُمْرَةٍ، فَتَرَكَهَا وَعَادَ. وَكَتَبَ إِلَى سَلْمِ بْنِ قُتَيْبَةَ فَقَدِمَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الرَّيِّ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَنْصُورُ: اعْمِدْ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَلَا يَرُوعَنَّكَ جَمْعُهُ، فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّهُمَا جَمَلَا بَنِي هَاشِمٍ الْمَقْتُولَانِ ! فَثِقْ بِمَا أَقُولُ. وَضَمَّ إِلَيْهِ غَيْرَهُ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ. وَكَتَبَ إِلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ يَأْمُرُهُ بِإِنْفَاذِ خُزَيْمَةَ بْنِ خَازِمٍ إِلَى الْأَهْوَازِ، فَسَيَّرَهُ فِي أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافِ فَارِسٍ، فَوَصَلَهَا وَقَاتَلَ الْمُغِيرَةَ، فَرَجَعَ الْمُغِيرَةُ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ، وَاسْتَبَاحَ خُزَيْمَةُ الْأَهْوَازَ ثَلَاثًا. وَتَوَالَتْ عَلَى الْمَنْصُورِ الْفُتُوقُ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ وَالْأَهْوَازِ وَفَارِسَ وَوَاسِطَ وَالْمَدَائِنِ وَالسَّوَادِ، وَإِلَى جَانِبِهِ أَهْلُ الْكُوفَةِ فِي مِائَةِ أَلْفِ مُقَاتِلٍ يَنْتَظِرُونَ بِهِ صَيْحَةً، فَلَمَّا تَوَالَتِ الْأَخْبَارُ عَلَيْهِ بِذَلِكَ أَنْشَدَ: وَجَعَلْتُ نَفْسِي لِلرِّمَاحِ دَرِيئَةً إِنَّ الرَّئِيسَ لِمِثْلِ ذَاكَ فَعُولُ ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ رَمَى كُلَّ نَاحِيَةٍ بِحَجَرِهَا، وَبَقِيَ الْمَنْصُورُ عَلَى مُصَلَّاهُ خَمْسِينَ يَوْمًا يَنَامُ عَلَيْهِ، وَجَلَسَ عَلَيْهِ، وَعَلَيْهِ جُبَّةٌ مُلَوَّنَةٌ قَدْ اتَّسَخَ جَيْبُهَا، لَا غَيَّرَهَا وَلَا هَجَرَ الْمُصَلَّى، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ كَانَ إِذَا ظَهَرَ لِلنَّاسِ لَبِسَ السَّوَادَ فَإِذَا فَارَقَهُمْ رَجَعَ إِلَى هَيْئَتِهِ. وَأُهْدِيَتْ إِلَيْهِ امْرَأَتَانِ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ، إِحْدَاهُمَا فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، وَالْأُخْرَى أُمُّ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنَةُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلَدِ خَالِدِ بْنِ أُسَيْدٍ، فَلَمْ يَنْظُرْ إِلَيْهِمَا، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّهُمَا قَدْ سَاءَتْ ظُنُونُهُمَا. فَقَالَ: لَيْسَتْ هَذِهِ أَيَّامُ نِسَاءٍ، وَلَا سَبِيلَ إِلَيْهِمَا حَتَّى أَنْظُرَ رَأْسَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِي، أَوْ رَأْسِي لَهُ. قَالَ الْحَجَّاجُ بْنُ قُتَيْبَةَ: لَمَّا تَتَابَعَتِ الْفُتُوقُ عَلَى الْمَنْصُورِ دَخَلْتُ مُسَلِّمًا عَلَيْهِ وَقَدْ أَتَاهُ خَبَرُ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَالْأَهْوَازِ، وَفَارِسَ، وَعَسَاكِرُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَدْ عَظُمَتْ، وَبِالْكُوفَةِ مِائَةُ أَلْفِ سَيْفٍ بِإِزَاءِ عَسْكَرِهِ يَنْتَظِرُ صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَيَثِبُونَ بِهِ، فَرَأَيْتُهُ أَحْوَذِيًّا مُشَمِّرًا قَدْ قَامَ إِلَى مَا نَزَلَ بِهِ مِنَ النَّوَائِبِ يَعْرُكُهَا ( فَقَامَ بِهَا )، وَلَمْ تَقْعُدْ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ. وَإِنَّهُ كَمَا قَالَ الْأَوَّلُ: نَفْسُ عِصَامٍ سَوَّدَتْ عِصَامَا وَعَلَّمَتْهُ الْكَرَّ وَالْإِقْدَامَا وَصَيَّرَتْهُ مَلِكًا هُمَامَا. ثُمَّ وَجَّهَ الْمَنْصُورُ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ عِيسَى بْنَ مُوسَى فِي خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا، وَعَلَى مُقَدِّمَتِهِ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ قَحْطَبَةَ فِي ثَلَاثَةِ آلَافٍ، وَقَالَ لَهُ لَمَّا وَدَّعَهُ: إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ الْخُبَثَاءَ، يَعْنِي الْمُنَجِّمِينَ، يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّكَ إِذَا لَاقَيْتَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ يَجُولُ أَصْحَابُكَ جَوْلَةً حَتَّى تَلْقَاهُ، ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَتَكُونُ الْعَاقِبَةُ لَكَ. وَلَمَّا سَارَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَنِ الْبَصْرَةِ مَشَى لَيْلَتَهُ فِي عَسْكَرِهِ سِرًّا فَسَمِعَ أَصْوَاتَ الطَّنَابِيرِ، ثُمَّ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى فَسَمِعَهَا أَيْضًا، فَقَالَ: مَا أَطْمَعُ فِي نَصْرِ عَسْكَرٍ فِيهِ مِثْلُ هَذَا ! وَسُمِعَ يُنْشِدُ فِي طَرِيقِهِ أَبْيَاتَ الْقَطَامِيِّ: أُمُورٌ لَوْ يُدَبِّرُهَا حَلِيمٌ إِذًا لَنَهَى وَهَيَّبَ مَا اسْتَطَاعَا وَمَعْصِيَةُ الشَّقِيقِ عَلَيْكَ مِمَّا يَزِيدُكَ مَرَّةً مِنْهُ اسْتِمَاعَا وَخَيْرُ الْأَمْرِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتَ مِنْهُ وَلَيْسَ بِأَنْ تَتَبَّعَهُ اتِّبَاعَا وَلَكِنَّ الْأَدِيمَ إِذَا تَفَرَّى بِلًى وَتَعَيُّبًا غَلَبَ الصُّنَّاعَا . فَعَلِمُوا أَنَّهُ نَادِمٌ عَلَى مَسِيرِهِ. وَكَانَ دِيوَانُهُ قَدْ أَحْصَى مِائَةَ أَلْفٍ، وَقِيلَ: كَانَ مَعَهُ فِي طَرِيقِهِ عَشَرَةُ آلَافٍ. وَقِيلَ لَهُ فِي طَرِيقِهِ لِيَأْخُذَ غَيْرَ الْوَجْهِ الَّذِي فِيهِ عِيسَى، وَيَقْصِدَ الْكُوفَةَ فَإِنَّ الْمَنْصُورَ لَا يَقُومُ لَهُ وَيَنْضَافُ أَهْلُ الْكُوفَةِ إِلَيْهِ، وَلَا يَبْقَى لِلْمَنْصُورِ مَرْجِعٌ دُونَ حُلْوَانَ، فَلَمْ يَفْعَلْ. فَقِيلَ لَهُ لِيُبَيِّتَ عِيسَى. فَقَالَ: أَكْرَهُ الْبَيَاتَ إِلَّا بَعْدَ الْإِنْذَارِ. وَقَالَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ لِيَأْمُرَهُ بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَيْهَا لِيَدْعُوَ إِلَيْهِ النَّاسَ، وَقَالَ: أَدْعُوهُمْ سِرًّا ثُمَّ أَجْهَرُ، فَإِذَا سَمِعَ الْمَنْصُورُ الْهَيْعَةَ بِأَرْجَاءِ الْكُوفَةِ لَمْ يَرُدَّ وَجْهَهُ شَيْءٌ دُونَ حُلْوَانَ. فَاسْتَشَارَ بَشِيرًا الرَّحَّالَ، فَقَالَ: لَوْ وَثِقْنَا بِالَّذِي تَقُولُ لَكَانَ رَأْيًا، وَلَكِنَّا لَا نَأْمَنُ أَنْ تَجِيئَكَ مِنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ فَيُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَنْصُورُ الْخَيْلَ، فَيَأْخُذَ الْبَرِيءَ وَالصَّغِيرَ وَالْمَرْأَةَ، فَيَكُونَ ذَلِكَ تَعَرُّضًا لِلْمَأْثَمِ. فَقَالَ الْكُوفِيُّ: كَأَنَّكُمْ خَرَجْتُمْ لِقِتَالِ الْمَنْصُورِ وَأَنْتُمْ تَتَوَقَّوْنَ قَتْلَ الضَّعِيفِ وَالْمَرْأَةِ وَالصَّغِيرِ ! أَوَلَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَبْعَثُ سَرَايَاهُ لِيُقَاتِلَ وَيَكُونَ نَحْوُ هَذَا ؟ قَالَ بَشِيرٌ: أُولَئِكَ كُفَّارٌ وَهَؤُلَاءِ مُسْلِمُونَ. وَاتَّبَعَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَأْيَهُ وَسَارَ حَتَّى نَزَلَ بَاخَمْرَى، وَهِيَ مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ عَلَى سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ فَرْسَخًا، ( مُقَابِلَ عِيسَى بْنِ مُوسَى )، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ سَلْمُ بْنُ قُتَيْبَةَ: إِنَّكَ قَدْ أَصْحَرْتَ وَمِثْلُكَ أَنْفِسُ بِهِ عَنِ الْمَوْتِ، فَخَنْدِقْ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ حَتَّى لَا تُؤْتَى إِلَّا مِنْ مَأْتًى وَاحِدٍ، فَإِنْ أَنْتَ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَقَدْ أَغْرَى أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَسْكَرَهُ، فَتَخَفَّفْ فِي طَائِفَةٍ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُ فَتَأْخُذَ بِقَفَاهُ. فَدَعَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ أَصْحَابَهُ وَعَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالُوا: نُخَنْدِقُ عَلَى أَنْفُسِنَا وَنَحْنُ الظَّاهِرُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ ! لَا وَاللَّهِ لَا نَفْعَلُ. قَالَ: فَنَأْتِي أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ. قَالُوا: وَلِمَ وَهُوَ فِي أَيْدِينَا مَتَى أَرَدْنَا ؟ فَقَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِلرَّسُولِ: أَتَسْمَعُ ؟ فَارْجِعْ رَاشِدًا. ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ تَصَافُّوا، فَصَفَّ إِبْرَاهِيمُ أَصْحَابَهُ صَفًّا وَاحِدًا، فَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ بِأَنْ يَجْعَلَهُمْ كَرَادِيسَ، فَإِذَا انْهَزَمَ كُرْدُوسٌ ثَبَتَ كُرْدُوسٌ، فَإِنَّ الصَّفَّ إِذَا انْهَزَمَ بَعْضُهُ تَدَاعَى سَائِرُهُ. فَقَالَ الْبَاقُونَ: لَا نَصُفُّ إِلَّا صَفَّ أَهْلِ الْإِسْلَامِ، يَعْنِي قَوْلَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ( إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا ) الْآيَةَ. فَاقْتَتَلَ النَّاسُ قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا، وَانْهَزَمَ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ قَحْطَبَةَ، وَانْهَزَمَ النَّاسُ مَعَهُ، فَعَرَضَ لَهُمْ عِيسَى يُنَاشِدُهُمُ اللَّهَ وَالطَّاعَةَ فَلَا يَلْوُونَ عَلَيْهِ. فَأَقْبَلَ حُمَيْدٌ مُنْهَزِمًا، فَقَالَ لَهُ عِيسَى: اللَّهَ اللَّهَ وَالطَّاعَةَ ! فَقَالَ: لَا طَاعَةَ فِي الْهَزِيمَةِ ! وَمَرَّ النَّاسُ فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مَعَ عِيسَى إِلَّا نَفَرٌ يَسِيرٌ. فَقِيلَ لَهُ: لَوْ تَنَحَّيْتَ عَنْ مَكَانِكَ حَتَّى تَئُوبَ إِلَيْكَ النَّاسُ فَتَكُرَّ بِهِمْ. فَقَالَ: لَا أَزُولُ عَنْ مَكَانِي هَذَا أَبَدًا حَتَّى أُقْتَلَ أَوْ يَفْتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَى يَدَيَّ، وَاللَّهِ لَا يَنْظُرُ أَهْلُ بَيْتِي إِلَى وَجْهِي أَبَدًا وَقَدِ انْهَزَمْتُ عَنْ عَدُوِّهِمْ ! وَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ لِمَنْ يَمُرُّ بِهِ: أَقْرِئْ أَهْلَ بَيْتِي السَّلَامَ وَقُلْ لَهُمْ لَمْ أَجِدْ فِدًى أَفْدِيكُمْ بِهِ أَعَزَّ مِنْ نَفْسِي، وَقَدْ بَذَلْتُهَا دُونَكُمْ ! فَبَيْنَا هُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ لَا يَلْوِي أَحَدٌ عَلَى أَحَدٍ إِذْ أَتَى جَعْفَرٌ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ ابْنَا سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ مِنْ ظُهُورِ أَصْحَابِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَلَا يَشْعُرُ بَاقِي أَصْحَابِهِ الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الْمُنْهَزِمِينَ حَتَّى نَظَرَ بَعْضُهُمْ فَرَأَى الْقِتَالَ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ، فَعَطَفُوا نَحْوَهُ، وَرَجَعَ أَصْحَابُ الْمَنْصُورِ يَتْبَعُونَهُمْ، فَكَانَتِ الْهَزِيمَةُ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، فَلَوْلَا جَعْفَرٌ وَمُحَمَّدٌ لَتَمَّتِ الْهَزِيمَةُ. وَكَانَ مِنْ صُنْعِ اللَّهِ لِلْمَنْصُورِ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَهُ لَقِيَهُمْ نَهْرٌ فِي طَرِيقِهِمْ فَلَمْ يَقْدِرُوا عَلَى الْوُثُوبِ وَلَمْ يَجِدُوا مَخَاضَةً، فَعَادُوا بِأَجْمَعِهِمْ، وَكَانَ أَصْحَابُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَدْ مَخَرُوا الْمَاءَ لِيَكُونَ قِتَالُهُمْ مِنْ وَجْهٍ وَاحِدٍ، فَلَمَّا انْهَزَمُوا مَنَعَهُمُ الْمَاءُ مِنَ الْفِرَارِ، وَثَبَتَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ يَبْلُغُونَ سِتَّمِائَةٍ، وَقِيلَ أَرْبَعَمِائَةٍ، وَقَاتَلَهُمْ حُمَيْدٌ وَجَعَلَ يُرْسِلُ بِالرُّءُوسِ إِلَى عِيسَى، وَجَاءَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ سَهْمٌ عَائِرٌ فَوَقَعَ فِي حَلْقِهِ فَنَحَرَهُ، فَتَنَحَّى عَنْ مَوْقِفِهِ وَقَالَ: أَنْزِلُونِي، فَأَنْزَلُوهُ عَنْ مَرْكَبِهِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: ( وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ قَدَرًا مَقْدُورًا )، أَرَدْنَا أَمْرًا وَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ غَيْرَهُ. وَاجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ أَصْحَابُهُ وَخَاصَّتُهُ يَحْمُونَهُ وَيُقَاتِلُونَ دُونَهُ، فَقَالَ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ قَحْطَبَةَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: شُدُّوا عَلَى تِلْكَ الْجَمَاعَةِ حَتَّى تُزِيلُوهُمْ عَنْ مَوْضِعِهِمْ، وَتَعْلَمُوا مَا اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَيْهِ، فَشَدُّوا عَلَيْهِمْ، فَقَاتَلُوهُمْ أَشَدَّ قِتَالٍ حَتَّى أَفْرَجُوهُمْ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَخَلَصُوا إِلَيْهِ، وَحَزُّوا رَأْسَهُ فَأَتَوْا بِهِ عِيسَى، فَأَرَاهُ ابْنَ أَبِي الْكِرَامِ الْجَعْفَرِيَّ فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ هَذَا رَأَسُهُ. فَنَزَلَ عِيسَى إِلَى الْأَرْضِ، فَسَجَدَ وَبَعَثَ بِرَأْسِهِ إِلَى الْمَنْصُورِ. وَكَانَ قَتْلُهُ يَوْمَ الْإِثْنَيْنِ لِخَمْسِ لَيَالٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ ذِي الْقِعْدَةِ سَنَةَ خَمْسٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ وَمِائَةٍ، وَكَانَ عُمُرُهُ ثَمَانِيًا وَأَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً، وَمَكَثَ مُنْذُ خَرَجَ إِلَى أَنْ قُتِلَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَشْهُرٍ إِلَّا خَمْسَةَ أَيَّامٍ. وَقِيلَ: كَانَ سَبَبُ انْهِزَامِ أَصْحَابِهِ أَنَّهُمْ لَمَّا هَزَمُوا أَصْحَابَ الْمَنْصُورِ وَتَبِعُوهُمْ نَادَى مُنَادِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ: أَلَا لَا تَتْبَعُوا مُدْبِرًا ! فَرَجَعُوا، فَلَمَّا رَآهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمَنْصُورِ رَاجِعِينَ ظَنُّوهُمْ مُنْهَزِمِينَ فَعَطَفُوا فِي آثَارِهِمْ، وَكَانَتِ الْهَزِيمَةُ. وَبَلَغَ الْمَنْصُورَ الْخَبَرُ بِهَزِيمَةِ أَصْحَابِهِ أَوَّلًا، فَعَزَمَ عَلَى إِتْيَانِ الرَّيِّ، فَأَتَاهُ نَوْبَخْتُ الْمُنَجِّمُ وَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، الظُّفْرُ لَكَ، وَسَيُقْتَلُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ! فَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ مِنْهُ. فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ جَاءَهُ الْخَبَرُ بِقَتْلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، فَتَمَثَّلَ: فَأَلْقَتْ عَصَاهَا وَاسْتَقَرَّ بِهَا النَّوَى كَمَا قَرَّ عَيْنًا بِالْإِيَابِ الْمُسَافِرُ . فَأَقْطَعَ الْمَنْصُورُ نَوْبَخْتَ أَلْفَيْ جَرِيبٍ بِنَهْرِ جَوْبَرَ. وَحُمِلَ رَأْسُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِلَى الْمَنْصُورِ فَوُضِعَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ بَكَى حَتَّى خَرَجَتْ دُمُوعُهُ عَلَى خَدِّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَمَا وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي كُنْتُ لِهَذَا كَارِهًا ! وَلَكِنَّكَ ابْتُلِيتَ بِي وَابْتُلِيتُ بِكَ !. ثُمَّ جَلَسَ مَجْلِسًا عَامًّا وَأَذِنَ لِلنَّاسِ. فَكَانَ الدَّاخِلُ يَدْخُلُ فَيَتَنَاوَلُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَيُسِيءُ الْقَوْلَ فِيهِ، وَيَذْكُرُ فِيهِ الْقَبِيحَ الْتِمَاسًا لِرِضَاءِ الْمَنْصُورِ، وَالْمَنْصُورُ مُمْسِكٌ مُتَغَيِّرٌ لَوْنُهُ. حَتَّى دَخَلَ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ حَنْظَلَةَ الدَّارِمِيُّ فَوَقَفَ فَسَلَّمَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَعْظَمَ اللَّهُ أَجْرَكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي ابْنِ عَمِّكَ، وَغَفَرَ لَهُ مَا فَرَّطَ فِيهِ فِي حَقِّكَ ! فَأَسْفَرَ لَوْنُ الْمَنْصُورِ وَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَ: يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ مَرْحَبًا [ وَأَهْلًا ] هَاهُنَا ! فَعَلِمَ النَّاسُ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ يُرْضِيهِ، فَقَالُوا مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِ. وَقِيلَ: لَمَّا وُضِعَ الرَّأْسُ بَصَقَ فِي وَجْهِهِ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْحَرَسِ، فَأَمَرَ بِهِ الْمَنْصُورُ فَضُرِبَ بِالْعُمُدِ فَهُشِّمَتْ أَنْفُهُ وَوَجْهُهُ، وَضُرِبَ حَتَّى خَمَدَ، وَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَجَرُّوا رِجْلَهُ فَأَلْقَوْهُ خَارِجَ الْبَابِ. وَقِيلَ: وَنَظَرَ الْمَنْصُورُ إِلَى سُفْيَانَ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ بَعْدَ مُدَّةٍ رَاكِبًا فَقَالَ: لِلَّهِ الْعَجَبُ كَيْفَ يُفْلِتُنِي ابْنُ الْفَاعِلَةِ ! انْقَضَى أَمْرُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ؓ.
Translation
✧ Mention of the march of Ibrāhīm and his killing Then Ibrāhīm resolved to march, and his Basran companions advised: “Stay and send the armies; if one army is routed you can reinforce them with others. Your position will be feared, your enemy will be wary of you, you will collect the taxes, and you will consolidate your authority.” Those of the people of Kufa who were with him said: “In Kufa there are people who, if they see you, will die for you; but if they do not see you, various reasons will make them sit back.” So he marched from Basra toward Kufa. When al-Manṣūr learned of Ibrāhīm’s appearance with such a small force, he said: “By God, I do not know what to do! In my army there are only two thousand men. I dispersed my troops: with al-Mahdī at al-Rayy there are thirty thousand, with Muḥammad b. al-Ashʿath in Ifrīqiya there are forty thousand, and the rest are with ʿĪsā b. Mūsā. By God, if I survive this, thirty thousand will never leave my army.” Then he wrote to ʿĪsā b. Mūsā ordering him to return quickly. The letter reached him after he had entered the state of iḥrām for an ʿumrah, so he abandoned it and returned. He wrote to Salm b. Qutaybah, who came to him from al-Rayy, and al-Manṣūr said to him: “Go against Ibrāhīm and do not let his gathering alarm you; by God, they are the two camels of the Banū Hāshim that are to be slain! Trust what I say.” He attached other commanders to him. He wrote to al-Mahdī ordering him to send Khuzaymah b. Khāzim to al-Ahwāz. So he dispatched him with four thousand cavalry; he reached it and fought al-Mughīrah, who withdrew to Basra. Khuzaymah plundered al-Ahwāz for three days. The breaches against al-Manṣūr followed one after another from Basra, al-Ahwāz, Fārs, Wāsiṭ, al-Madāʾin, and the Sawād, while beside him the people of Kufa, numbering a hundred thousand fighters, were awaiting a single shout [to rise] against him. When the reports kept coming to him of this, he recited: “I made myself a target for the spears; a chief, for such a thing, must act.” Then he threw a stone at every corner, and al-Manṣūr remained on his prayer rug for fifty days, sleeping on it and sitting on it, wearing a colored jubbah whose collar had become dirty; he neither changed it nor abandoned the prayer rug, except that when he appeared before the people he wore black, and when he left them he returned to his [former] state. Two women from Madinah were given to him as gifts, one of them Fāṭimah bt. Muḥammad b. ʿĪsā b. Ṭalḥah b. ʿUbayd Allāh and the other Umm al-Karīm, daughter of ʿAbd Allāh, from the descendants of Khālid b. Usayd. He did not look at them, and it was said to him: “They have become suspicious.” He said: “These are not days for women, and there is no way to them until I see Ibrāhīm’s head before me, or my head before him.” Al-Ḥajjāj b. Qutaybah said: When the breaches kept multiplying against al-Manṣūr, I entered to greet him after news of Basra, al-Ahwāz, and Fārs had come to him, and Ibrāhīm’s armies had grown great, while in Kufa a hundred thousand swords stood opposite his army, awaiting a single shout to leap upon him. I saw him a resolute man, girded up, who had risen to the calamities that befell him and wrestled with them (and stood up to them), and his soul did not make him sit down. He was as the first [poet] said: “The soul of ʿIṣām made ʿIṣām a chief, and taught him attack and boldness, and made him a magnanimous king.” Then al-Manṣūr sent ʿĪsā b. Mūsā against Ibrāhīm with fifteen thousand men, with Ḥumayd b. Qaḥṭabah leading his vanguard with three thousand. When he bade him farewell, he said to him: “These wicked men—meaning the astrologers—claim that when you meet Ibrāhīm, your companions will make a charge until you encounter him, then they will return to you and the outcome will be yours.” When Ibrāhīm marched from Basra, he walked secretly through his army one night and heard the sounds of lutes. Then he did it another time and heard them again, and said: “I have no hope of victory for an army in which there is such a thing!” On his way he was heard reciting the verses of al-Qaṭāmī: “Matters which, if a prudent man managed them, he would forbid and, as much as he could, would inspire awe. Disobeying the brother—[listening] to it is something that increases you, time after time, in heeding it. The best of affairs is what you face from the outset, not what you pursue in pursuit. But leather, when it is split by wear and defect, defeats the tanners.” So they knew that he regretted his march. His dīwān had counted a hundred thousand, and it was said that he had ten thousand with him on his way. He was advised on his way to take a route other than the one on which ʿĪsā was, and to head for Kufa, for al-Manṣūr would not withstand him and the people of Kufa would join him, leaving al-Manṣūr no refuge short of Ḥulwān. But he did not do it. He was told to fall upon ʿĪsā by night. He said: “I dislike night attacks except after warning.” One of the people of Kufa said he should order him to march to it to call the people to him, and he said: “I will call them secretly, then openly. When al-Manṣūr hears the uproar in the outskirts of Kufa, nothing will turn his face back short of Ḥulwān.” He consulted Bashīr al-Raḥḥāl, who said: “If we were sure of what you say, it would be a sound opinion. But we do not feel safe that a group of them might come to you, and al-Manṣūr would send cavalry against them, seizing the innocent, the child, and the woman, and that would be courting sin.” The Kufan said: “It is as if you came out to fight al-Manṣūr while avoiding the killing of the weak, the woman, and the child! Did not the Messenger of God ﷺ send out his raiding parties to fight, with things like this happening?” Bashīr said: “Those were unbelievers; these are Muslims.” Ibrāhīm followed his own opinion and marched until he encamped at Bākhamrā, sixteen farsakhs from Kufa (facing ʿĪsā b. Mūsā). Salm b. Qutaybah sent to him: “You have come out into the open, and one like you is too precious to be exposed to death. Dig a trench around yourself so that you can be approached only from one direction. If you do not, then Abū Jaʿfar has incited his army; slip away with a small band until you come upon him and seize him from behind.” Ibrāhīm summoned his companions and presented this to them, and they said: “We dig a trench around ourselves while we are the ones prevailing over them! No, by God, we will not do it.” He said: “Then let us go against Abū Jaʿfar.” They said: “Why, when he is in our hands whenever we want?” Ibrāhīm said to the messenger: “Do you hear? Return rightly guided.” Then the armies drew up in ranks. Ibrāhīm arrayed his companions in a single line, and one of his companions advised him to make them into squadrons, so that if one squadron was routed another would hold firm, for when part of a line is routed the rest collapses. The others said: “We will array ourselves only as the people of Islam array themselves,” meaning the word of God Most High: “Indeed God loves those who fight in His way in a line” (to the end of the verse). The men fought a fierce battle, and Ḥumayd b. Qaḥṭabah was routed, and the people with him. ʿĪsā confronted them, adjuring them by God and obedience, but they paid no heed to him. Ḥumayd came fleeing, and ʿĪsā said to him: “God, God, and obedience!” He said: “There is no obedience in flight!” The people passed by, and only a small band remained with ʿĪsā. He was told: “If only you would withdraw from your position until the people return to you, so you could charge with them.” He said: “I will never leave this place of mine until I am killed or God grants victory at my hands. By God, the people of my house will never look at my face again if I have fled before their enemy!” He kept saying to those who passed him: “Convey my greetings to the people of my house and tell them I found no ransom with which to redeem you dearer than my own self, and I have offered it for you!” While they were thus, with no one paying heed to anyone, Jaʿfar and Muḥammad, the two sons of Sulaymān b. ʿAlī, came upon the rear of Ibrāhīm’s companions, while the rest of his companions who were pursuing the fugitives did not notice until some of them looked and saw the fighting behind them. They turned toward it, and al-Manṣūr’s companions returned pursuing them. Thus defeat fell upon Ibrāhīm’s companions; had it not been for Jaʿfar and Muḥammad, the rout would have been complete. It was part of God’s contrivance for al-Manṣūr that his companions came upon a canal on their way which they could not leap across and for which they found no ford, so they all returned. Ibrāhīm’s companions had dug into the water to make their fighting face one direction; when they fled, the water prevented them from escaping. Ibrāhīm stood firm with a band of his companions numbering six hundred—or, it was said, four hundred—and Ḥumayd fought them, sending heads to ʿĪsā. A stray arrow came to Ibrāhīm and struck him in the throat, slaughtering him. He withdrew from his station and said: “Let me down.” They lowered him from his mount while he was saying: “And God’s command is a decree decreed. We wanted one thing, and God wanted another.” His companions and his close followers gathered around him, protecting him and fighting in his defense. Ḥumayd b. Qaḥṭabah said to his companions: “Charge that group until you dislodge them from their position and learn what they are gathered around.” They charged them and fought the fiercest fighting until they forced them away from Ibrāhīm and reached him, then cut off his head and brought it to ʿĪsā. Ibn Abī al-Kirām al-Jaʿfarī was shown it and said: “Yes, this is his head.” ʿĪsā dismounted to the ground, prostrated, and sent his head to al-Manṣūr. He was killed on Monday, five nights remaining of Dhū al-Qaʿdah in the year 145, and he was forty-eight years old. From the time he came out until he was killed he remained three months less five days. It was said that the cause of his companions’ defeat was that when they routed al-Manṣūr’s companions and pursued them, Ibrāhīm’s crier called out: “Do not pursue the fleeing!” So they turned back. When al-Manṣūr’s companions saw them returning, they thought they were fleeing, so they turned upon their tracks, and the rout took place. News of the defeat of his companions reached al-Manṣūr first, and he resolved to go to al-Rayy. Nawbakht the astrologer came to him and said: “O Commander of the Faithful, victory is yours, and Ibrāhīm will be killed!” But he did not accept it from him. While he was thus, news of Ibrāhīm’s killing came to him, and he recited: “She threw down her staff and settled, as a traveler’s eyes are cooled by his return.” So al-Manṣūr granted Nawbakht two thousand jarībs at the Nahr Jawbar. Ibrāhīm’s head was carried to al-Manṣūr and placed before him. When he saw it, he wept until his tears fell upon Ibrāhīm’s cheek, then said: “By God, I was averse to this! But you were tried with me, and I was tried with you!” Then he sat in a public assembly and admitted the people. Those who entered began to revile Ibrāhīm and speak ill of him, mentioning ugly things about him in order to please al-Manṣūr, while al-Manṣūr kept silent, his color changing. Until Jaʿfar b. Ḥanẓalah al-Dārimī entered, stood, and greeted, then said: “May God magnify your reward, O Commander of the Faithful, for your cousin, and forgive him for what he neglected regarding your right!” Al-Manṣūr’s face brightened, and he turned to him and said: “O Abū Khālid, welcome and greetings! Here!” Then the people knew that this pleased him, and they spoke as he had spoken. It was said: When the head was placed, a man of the guard spat in his face, so al-Manṣūr ordered him to be beaten with clubs, and his nose and face were smashed; he was beaten until he fell silent. Then he ordered him to be dragged by his foot and thrown outside the gate. It was said: Al-Manṣūr looked at Sufyān b. Muʿāwiyah riding after a time and said: “To God belongs wonder—how does that son of a whore escape me!” Thus ended the affair of Ibrāhīm ؓ.
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