Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2865
Then the year 152 AH began
وَفِيهَا قَتَلَتِ الْخَوَارِجُ مَعْنَ بْنَ زَائِدَةَ بِسِجِسْتَانَ . - مَعْنُ بْنُ زَائِدَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَطَرِ بْنِ شَرِيكٍ، أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ الشَّيْبَانِيُّ: كَانَ مِنْ صَحَابَةِ الْمَنْصُورِ بِبَغْدَادَ لَمَّا بُنِيَتْ، ثُمَّ وَلَّاهُ الْيَمَنَ وَغَيْرَهَا، وَكَانَ جَوَادًا. أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ [الْقَزَّازُ]، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي الْأَزْهَرِيُّ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِمْرَانَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ النَّحْوِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ الْمُغِيرَةِ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا الْمَدَائِنِيُّ، عَنْ غِيَاثِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ: أَنَّ مَعْنَ بْنَ زَائِدَةَ دَخَلَ عَلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الْمَنْصُورِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَقَارَبَ فِي خَطْوِهِ، فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ: كَبُرَتْ سِنُّكَ يَا مَعْنُ، قَالَ: فِي طَاعَتِكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، قَالَ: إِنَّكَ لَجَلْدٌ، قَالَ: عَلَى أَعْدَائِكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، قَالَ: وَإِنَّ فِيكَ لَبَقِيَّةٌ، قَالَ: هِيَ لَكَ. أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ رَوْحٍ النَّهْرَوَانِيُّ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا الْمُعَافَى بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الشَّيْبَانِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ النَّحْوِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا قَعْنَبٌ، قَالَ: قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ سَلْمٍ: لَمَا وَلَّى الْمَنْصُورُ مَعْنَ بْنَ زَائِدَةَ أَذْرَبِيجَانَ قَصَدَهُ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ، فَلَمَّا صَارُوا بِبَابِهِ وَاسْتَأْذَنُوا عَلَيْهِ فَدَخَلَ الْآذِنُ، فَقَالَ: أَصْلَحَ اللَّهُ الْأَمِيرَ، بِالْبَابِ وَفْدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ، قَالَ: مِنْ أَيِّ الْعِرَاقِ؟ قَالَ: مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ، قَالَ ائْذَنْ لَهُمْ، فَدَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ مَعْنٌ فِي هَيْئَةٍ زَرِيَّةٍ، فَوَثَبَ عَلَى أَرِيكَتِهِ وَأَنْشَأَ يَقُولُ: إِذَا نَوْبَةٌ نَابَتْ صَدِيقَكَ فَاغْتَنِمْ مَرَمَّتَهَا فَالدَّهْرُ بِالنَّاسِ قُلَّبُ فَأَحْسَنُ ثَوْبَيْكَ الَّذِي هُوَ لَابِسٌ وَأَفْرَهُ مُهْرَيْكَ الَّذِي هُوَ يَرْكَبُ وَبَادِرْ بِمَعْرُوفٍ إِذَا كُنْتَ قَادِرًا زَوَالَ اقْتِدَارٍ أَوْ غِنًى عَنْكَ يَعْقُبُ قَالَ: فَوَثَبَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ، فَقَالَ: أَصْلَحَ اللَّهُ الْأَمِيرَ، أَلَا أُنْشِدُكَ أَحْسَنَ مِنْ هَذَا؟ قَالَ: لِمَنْ؟ قَالَ: لِابْنِ عَمِّكَ ابْنِ هَرِمَةَ، قَالَ: هَاتِ، فَأَنْشَأَ وَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ: وَلِلنَّفْسِ تَارَاتٌ تُحَلُّ بِهَا الْعُرَى وَتَسْخُو عَنِ الْمَالِ النُّفُوسُ الشَّحَائِحُ إِذَا الْمَرْءُ لَمْ يَنْفَعْكَ حَيًّا فَنَفْعُهُ أَقَلُّ إِذَا ضُمَّتْ عَلَيْكَ الصَّفَائِحُ لِأَيَّةِ حَالٍ يَمْنَعُ الْمَرْءُ مَالَهُ غَدًا فَغَدًا وَالْمَوْتُ غَادٍ وَرَائِحُ فَقَالَ مَعْنٌ: أَحْسَنْتَ وَاللَّهِ وَإِنْ كَانَ الشِّعْرُ لِغَيْرِكَ، يَا غُلَامُ أَعْطِهِمْ أَرْبَعَةَ آلَافٍ يَسْتَعِينُوا بِهَا عَلَى أُمُورِهِمْ إِلَى أَنْ يَتَهَيَّأَ لَنَا فِيهِمْ مَا نُرِيدُ، فَقَالَ الْغُلَامُ: يَا سَيِّدِي أَجْعَلُهَا دَنَانِيرَ أَمْ دَرَاهِمَ؟ فَقَالَ مَعْنٌ: وَاللَّهِ لَا تَكُونُ هِمَّتُكَ أَرْفَعَ مِنْ هِمَّتِي، صَفِّرْهَا لَهُمْ قَالَ الْمُعَافَى: وَحَدَّثَنَا يَزْدَادُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْكَاتِبُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُوسَى عِيسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْبَصْرِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي الْعُتْبِيُّ، قَالَ: قَدِمَ مَعْنُ بْنُ زَائِدَةَ بَغْدَادَ فَأَتَاهُ النَّاسُ وَأَتَاهُ ابْنُ أَبِي حَفْصَةَ، فَإِذَا الْمَجْلِسُ غَاصَ بِأَهْلِهِ، فَأَخَذَ بِعِضَادَتَيِ الْبَابِ فَقَالَ: وَمَا أَحْجَمَ الْأَعْدَاءُ عَنْكَ بَقِيَّةً عَلَيْكَ وَلَكِنْ لَمْ يَرَوْا فِيكَ مَطْمَعَا لَهُ رَاحَتَانِ الْجُودُ وَالْحَتْفُ فِيهِمَا أَبَى اللَّهُ إِلَّا أَنْ تَضُرَّ وَتَنْفَعَا فَقَالَ مَعْنٌ: احْتَكِمْ يَا أَبَا السِّمْطِ، فَقَالَ: عَشَرَةُ آلَافٍ، فَقَالَ مَعْنٌ: رَبِحْتُ وَاللَّهِ [عَلَيْكَ] تِسْعِينَ أَلْفًا. أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مَنْصُورٍ الْقَزَّازُ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي الْأَزْهَرِيُّ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ: [أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ دُرَيْدٍ، قَالَ:] أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عُثْمَانَ الْأُشْنَانْدَانِيُّ، عَنِ الثَّوْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ، قَالَ: وَقَفَ شَاعِرٌ بِبَابِ مَعْنِ بْنِ زَائِدَةَ حَوْلًا لَا يَصِلُ إِلَيْهِ، وَكَانَ مَعْنٌ شَدِيدَ الْحِجَابِ، فَلَمَّا طَالَ مُقَامُهُ سَأَلَ الْحَاجِبَ أَنْ يُوصِلَ لَهُ رُقْعَةً، فَأَوْصَلَهَا فَإِذَا فِيهَا مَكْتُوبٌ: إِذَا كَانَ الْجَوَادُ لَهُ حِجَابٌ فَمَا فَضْلُ الْجَوَادِ عَلَى الْبَخِيلِ فَأَلْقَى مَعْنٌ الرُّقْعَةَ إِلَى كِتَابِهِ وَقَالَ: أَجِيبُوهُ عَنْ بَيْتِهِ، فَخَلَطُوا وَأَكْثَرُوا وَلَمْ يَأْتُوا بِمَعْنًى، فَأَخَذَ الرُّقْعَةَ وَكَتَبَ فِيهَا: إِذَا كَانَ الْجَوَادُ قَلِيلَ مَالٍ وَلَمْ يُعْذَرْ تَعَلَّلَ بِالْحِجَابِ فَقَالَ الشَّاعِرُ: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ أَيُؤْيِسُنِي مِنْ مَعْرُوفِهِ، ثُمَّ ارْتَحَلَ مُنْصَرِفًا، فَسَأَلَ مَعْنٌ عَنْهُ فَأُخْبِرَ بِانْصِرَافِهِ، فَأَتْبَعَهُ بِعَشَرَةِ آلَافٍ وَقَالَ: هِيَ عِنْدَنَا فِي كُلِّ زَوْرَةٍ. أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ النَّصِيبِيُّ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْمُعَدِّلُ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ دُرَيْدٍ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُعَاذٍ خَلَفُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ الْمُؤَدِّبُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عُثْمَانَ الْمَازِنِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا صَاحِبُ شُرَطَةِ مَعْنٍ، قَالَ: بَيْنَا أَنَا عَلَى رَأْسِ مَعْنٍ إِذَا هُوَ بِرَاكِبٍ يُوضَعُ، فَقَالَ مَعْنٌ: مَا أَحْسَبُ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ يُرِيدُ إِلَّا إِيَّايَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِحَاجِبِهِ: لَا تَحْجُبُهُ، فَجَاءَ حَتَّى مَثُلَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ قَلَّ مَا بِيَدِي فَمَا أُطِيقُ الْعِيَالَ إِذْ كَثُرُوا أَلَحَّ دَهْرٌ رَمَى بِكَلْكَلِهِ فَأَرْسَلُونِي إِلَيْكَ وَانْتَظَرُوا فَقَالَ مَعْنٌ وَأَخَذَتْهُ أَرْيَحِيَّةٌ: لَا جَرَمَ وَاللَّهِ لَأُعَجِّلَنَّ أَوَبِتَكَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا غُلَامُ، نَاقَتِي الْفُلَانِيَّةُ وَأَلْفُ دِينَارٍ، فَدَفَعَهَا إِلَيْهِ وَهُوَ لَا يَعْرِفُهُ. أَخْبَرَنَا الْقَزَّازُ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي الْأَزْهَرِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ الْمُقْرِي، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو طَالِبٍ الْكَاتِبُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عِكْرِمَةَ الضَّبِّيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ، قَالَ: خَرَجَ الْمَهْدِيُّ يَوْمًا يَتَصَيَّدُ، فَلَقِيَهُ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُطَيْرٍ فَأَنْشَدَهُ يَقُولُ: أَضْحَتْ يَمِينُكَ مِنْ جُودٍ مُصَوَّرَةً لَكِنْ يَمِينُكَ مِنْهَا صُوِّرَ الْجُودُ مِنْ حُسْنِ وَجْهِكَ تَضْحَى الْأَرْضُ مُشْرِقَةً وَمِنْ بَنَانِكَ يَجْرِي الْمَاءُ فِي الْعُودِ فَقَالَ الْمَهْدِيُّ: كَذَبْتَ يَا فَاسِقُ، وَهَلْ تَرَكْتَ فِي شِعْرِكَ مَوْضِعًا لِأَحَدٍ مَعَ قَوْلِكَ فِي مَعْنِ بْنِ زَائِدَةَ: أَلِمَّا بِمَعْنٍ ثُمَّ قُولَا لِقَبْرِهِ سَقَتْكَ الْغَوَادِي مَرْبَعًا ثُمَّ مَرْبَعَا فَيَا قَبْرَ مَعْنٍ كُنْتَ أَوَّلَ حُفْرَةٍ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ حُطَّتْ لِلْمَكَارِمِ مَضْجَعًا أَيَا قَبْرَ مَعْنٍ كَيْفَ وَارَيْتَ جُودَهُ وَقَدْ كَانَ مِنْهُ الْبَرُّ وَالْبَحْرُ مَتْرَعَا وَلَكِنْ حَوَيْتَ الْجُودَ وَالْجُودُ مَيِّتٌ وَلَوْ كَانَ حَيًّا ضِقْتَ حَتَّى تَصَدَّعَا وَمَا كَانَ إِلَّا الْجُودُ صُورَةُ وَجْهِهِ فَعَاشَ رَبِيعًا ثُمَّ وَلَّى فَوَدَّعَا فَلَمَّا مَضَى مَعْنٌ مَضَى الْجُودُ وَالنَّدَى وَأَصْبَحَ عِرْنِينُ الْمَكَارِمِ أَجْدَعَا فَأَطْرَقَ الْحُسَيْنُ ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَهَلْ مَعْنٌ إِلَّا حَسَنَةٌ مِنْ حَسَنَاتِكَ. فَرَضِيَ عَنْهُ وَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِأَلْفَيْ دِينَارٍ. بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ بَعْضَ فُصَحَاءِ الْعَرَبِ دَخَلَ عَلَى مَعْنٍ، فَقَالَ: أَصْلَحَ اللَّهُ الْأَمِيرَ، لَوْ شِئْتَ أَنْ أَتَوَسَّلَ إِلَيْكَ بِبَعْضِ مَنْ يَثْقُلُ عَلَيْكَ لَوَجَدْتَ ذَلِكَ سَهْلًا مُمْكِنًا وَلَكِنِّي اسْتَشْفَعْتُ إِلَيْكَ بِقَدْرِكَ، وَاسْتَعَنْتُ عَلَيْكَ بِفَضْلِكَ، فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ أَنْ تَضَعَنِي مِنْ كَرَمِكَ حَيْثُ وَضَعْتُ نَفْسِي مِنْ رَجَائِكَ، فَإِنِّي لَمْ أُكْرِمْ نَفْسِي عَنْ مَسْأَلَتِكَ فَأَكْرِمْ وَجْهَكَ عَنْ رَدِّي، قَالَ: سَلْ حَاجَتَكَ، قَالَ: أَلْفُ دِرْهَمٍ، قَالَ: رَبِحْتُ عَلَيْكَ رِبْحًا بَيِّنًا، قَالَ: مِثْلُكَ لَا يَرْبَحُ عَلَى سَائِلِهِ، قَالَ: أَضْعِفُوا لَهُ مَا سَأَلَ. أَخْبَرَنَا الْقَزَّازُ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ الْفَضْلِ الْقَطَّانُ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ دَرَسْتَوَيْهِ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ سُفْيَانَ، قَالَ: قُتِلَ مَعْنُ بْنُ زَائِدَةَ بِأَرْضِ خُرَاسَانَ سَنَةَ اثْنَتَيْنِ وَخَمْسِينَ وَمِائَةٍ. قَالَ الْخَطِيبُ: بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ الْمَنْصُورَ وَلَّاهُ سَجِسْتَانَ فَنَزَلَ بِسَتٍّ فَأَسَاءَ السِّيرَةَ فِي أَهْلِهَا فَقَتَلُوهُ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: قَتَلَتْهُ الْخَوَارِجُ بِسِجِسْتَانَ.
Translation
✧ In it the Kharijites killed Maʿn b. Zāʾidah in Sijistān. - Maʿn b. Zāʾidah b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Maṭar b. Sharīk, Abū al-Walīd al-Shaybānī: He was among the companions of al-Manṣūr in Baghdad when it was built, then he appointed him over Yemen and elsewhere, and he was generous. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Muḥammad [al-Qazzāz] informed us, saying: Aḥmad b. ʿAlī b. Thābit informed us, saying: al-Azharī informed me, saying: Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. ʿImrān informed us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh b. Jaʿfar al-Naḥwī narrated to us, saying: al-Qāsim b. al-Mughīrah narrated to us, saying: al-Madāʾinī narrated to us, from Ghiyāth b. Ibrāhīm: that Maʿn b. Zāʾidah entered upon Abū Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr, Commander of the Faithful, and shortened his stride, so Abū Jaʿfar said: "Your age has grown, O Maʿn." He said: "In obedience to you, O Commander of the Faithful." He said: "You are indeed hardy." He said: "Against your enemies, O Commander of the Faithful." He said: "Indeed there is still some remnant in you." He said: "It is for you." ʿAbd al-Raḥmān informed us, saying: Aḥmad b. ʿAlī informed us, saying: Aḥmad b. ʿUmar b. Rawḥ al-Nahrawānī informed us, saying: al-Muʿāfā b. Zakariyyā informed us, saying: ʿUmar b. al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī al-Shaybānī narrated to us, saying: Muḥammad b. Yazīd al-Naḥwī narrated to us, saying: Qaʿnab narrated to us, saying: Saʿīd b. Salm said: When al-Manṣūr appointed Maʿn b. Zāʾidah over Adharbayjān, a group of people from Kufa made for him. When they reached his gate and sought permission to enter, the doorkeeper went in and said: "May God keep the amir righteous, at the gate is a delegation from the people of Iraq." He said: "From which Iraq?" He said: "From Kufa." He said: "Give them permission." So they entered upon him, and Maʿn looked at them in a wretched appearance, so he leapt up on his couch and began to recite: If a mishap befalls your friend, seize the chance to repair it, for time turns people about. So the best of your two garments is the one you are wearing, And the finest of your two colts is the one you are riding. And hasten to do good while you are able, Lest the passing of power or wealth come upon you. He said: Then a man from the group leapt up to him and said: "May God keep the amir righteous, shall I not recite to you something better than this?" He said: "Whose is it?" He said: "Your cousin Ibn Harmah's." He said: "Give it." So he began to recite: The soul has times when knots are untied by it, and miserly souls become generous with wealth. If a man does not benefit you while alive, his benefit is less when the slabs are placed upon you. For what state does a man withhold his wealth tomorrow after tomorrow, while death comes and goes? So Maʿn said: "You have done well, by God, even if the poetry is another's. O boy, give them four thousand, to help them with their affairs until we can arrange for them what we intend." The boy said: "O my master, shall I make them dinars or dirhams?" Maʿn said: "By God, let not your ambition be higher than mine; make them yellow for them." Al-Muʿāfā said: And Yazdād b. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Kātib narrated to us, saying: Abū Mūsā ʿĪsā b. Ismāʿīl al-Baṣrī narrated to us, saying: al-ʿUtbī narrated to me, saying: Maʿn b. Zāʾidah came to Baghdad, and the people came to him, and Ibn Abī Ḥafṣah came to him. The assembly was packed with its people, so he took hold of the two doorposts and said: The enemies did not hold back from you out of any remnant of regard for you, but because they saw no hope in you. He has two palms in which are generosity and death; God refused that you should harm and benefit. So Maʿn said: "Choose your reward, O Abū al-Simṭ." He said: "Ten thousand." Maʿn said: "By God, I have profited ninety thousand over you." Abū Manṣūr al-Qazzāz informed us, saying: Aḥmad b. ʿAlī b. Thābit informed us, saying: al-Azharī informed me, saying: Aḥmad b. Ibrāhīm informed us, saying: [Ibn Durayd informed us, saying:] Abū ʿUthmān al-Ushnāndānī informed us, from al-Thawrī, from Abū ʿUbaydah, who said: A poet stood at the gate of Maʿn b. Zāʾidah for a year without reaching him; Maʿn kept strict seclusion behind his chamberlains. When his stay grew long, he asked the chamberlain to deliver a note for him. He delivered it, and in it was written: If the generous man has a screen, what virtue has the generous over the miser? So Maʿn threw the note to his scribes and said: "Answer his verse." They mixed things up and said much but produced nothing meaningful. He took the note and wrote on it: If the generous man has little wealth and is not excused, he makes excuses with the screen. The poet said: "Indeed we belong to God; he makes me despair of his generosity." Then he departed and went away. Maʿn asked about him and was told that he had left, so he sent after him with ten thousand and said: "They are with us on every visit." ʿAbd al-Raḥmān informed us, saying: Abū Bakr b. Thābit informed us, saying: al-Ḥusayn b. Muḥammad b. ʿUthmān al-Naṣībī informed me, saying: Ismāʿīl b. Saʿīd al-Muʿaddil informed us, saying: Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan b. Durayd informed us, saying: Abū Muʿādh Khalaf b. Aḥmad al-Muʾaddib informed us, saying: Abū ʿUthmān al-Māzinī narrated to us, saying: the head of Maʿn's guard narrated to me, saying: While I was standing at Maʿn's head, behold, a rider came at full speed. Maʿn said: "I think this man intends none but me." Then he said to his chamberlain: "Do not screen him." The man came and stood before him, and said: May God keep you righteous, little is in my hand, so I cannot bear the family when they are many. A time has pressed down with its chest, so they sent me to you and they wait. So Maʿn said, and a surge of generosity seized him: "By God, no blame; I will hasten your return." Then he said: "O boy, my such-and-such she-camel and a thousand dinars," and gave them to him, though he did not know him. Al-Qazzāz informed us, saying: Aḥmad b. ʿAlī informed us, saying: al-Azharī informed me, saying: Abū al-Qāsim ʿUbayd Allāh b. Aḥmad al-Muqrī narrated to us, saying: Abū Ṭālib al-Kātib narrated to us, saying: Abū ʿIkrimah al-Ḍabbī narrated to us, saying: Sulaymān narrated to us, saying: One day al-Mahdī went out hunting, and al-Ḥusayn b. Muṭayr met him and recited to him, saying: Your right hand has become formed from generosity, but it is from your right hand that generosity itself was formed. From the beauty of your face the earth shines brightly, and from your fingertips water runs in the wood. Al-Mahdī said: "You have lied, O transgressor. Have you left anyone a place in your poetry besides what you said about Maʿn b. Zāʾidah: Halt at Maʿn, then say to his grave: May the rain-clouds water you spring after spring. O grave of Maʿn, you were the first pit of the earth to be laid down as a resting place for noble qualities. O grave of Maʿn, how did you conceal his generosity, when from it the land and the sea were full? But you have contained generosity while generosity is dead; and had it been alive, you would have been too narrow and split open. He was nothing but generosity shaped as his face; so he lived a spring, then turned away and bade farewell. When Maʿn passed away, generosity and munificence passed away, and the nose of noble qualities became mutilated. So al-Ḥusayn hung his head, then said: "O Commander of the Faithful, is Maʿn anything but one good deed among your good deeds?" So he was pleased with him and ordered two thousand dinars for him. It has reached us that one of the eloquent Arabs entered upon Maʿn and said: "May God keep the amir righteous. If you wished me to seek access to you through someone who weighs upon you, you would find that easy and possible. But I have interceded with you by your own worth, and sought help against you by your own excellence. So if you see fit to place me by your generosity where I have placed myself in hoping from you, then I have not deemed myself too noble to ask of you, so honor your face from refusing me." He said: "Ask your need." He said: "A thousand dirhams." He said: "I have profited a clear profit over you." He said: "One like you does not profit over his beggar." He said: "Double for him what he asked." Al-Qazzāz informed us, saying: Aḥmad b. ʿAlī informed us, saying: Ibn al-Faḍl al-Qaṭṭān informed us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh b. Jaʿfar b. Durustawayh informed us, saying: Yaʿqūb b. Sufyān narrated to us, saying: Maʿn b. Zāʾidah was killed in the land of Khurasan in the year one hundred fifty-two. Al-Khaṭīb said: It has reached me that al-Manṣūr appointed him over Sijistān, and he encamped at Bust and behaved badly toward its people, so they killed him. Others said: The Kharijites killed him in Sijistān.
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No grade is recorded for this wording.