Dalil
العربية

Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2916

Then the year 157 AH began

[ الْوَفَيَاتُ   ] وَفِيهَا مَاتَ عَامِرُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْمُسْلِيُّ، وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ الْمَنْصُورُ. وَتُوُفِّيَ سَوَّارُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَاضِي الْبَصْرَةِ، وَاسْتُعْمِلَ مَكَانَهُ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْحُصَيْنِ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ. وَفِيهَا مَاتَ عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْإِمَامِ، وَقِيلَ: سَنَةَ ثَمَانٍ وَخَمْسِينَ: وَمُصْعَبُ بْنُ ثَابِتِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ الْعَوَّامِ جَدُّ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ بَكَّارٍ. وفيها مات الْأَوْزَاعِيِّ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ   وَهُوَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ يَحْمَدَ أَبُو عَمْرٍو الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ. وَالْأَوْزَاعُ بَطْنٌ مِنْ حِمْيَرَ، وَهُوَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ، قَالَهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَإِنَّمَا نَزَلَ فِي مَحَلَّةِ الْأَوْزَاعِ، وَكَانَتْ قَرْيَةً خَارِجَ بَابِ الْفَرَادِيسِ مِنْ دِمَشْقَ، وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي عَمْرٍو السَّيْبَانِيِّ. قَالَ أَبُو زُرْعَةَ: وَأَصْلُهُ مِنْ سِبَاءِ السِّنْدِ فَنَزَلَ الْأَوْزَاعَ، فَغَلَبَ عَلَيْهِ النِّسْبَةُ إِلَيْهَا. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: وُلِدَ بِبَعْلَبَكَّ، وَنَشَأَ بِالْبِقَاعِ يَتِيمًا فِي حِجْرِ أُمِّهِ، وَكَانَتْ تَنْتَقِلُ بِهِ مِنْ بَلَدٍ إِلَى بَلَدٍ، وَتَأَدَّبَ بِنَفْسِهِ، فَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِي أَبْنَاءِ الْمُلُوكِ وَالْوُزَرَاءِ أَعْقَلُ مِنْهُ، وَلَا أَوْرَعُ، وَلَا أَعْلَمُ، وَلَا أَفْصَحُ، وَلَا أَوْقَرُ، وَلَا أَحْلُمُ، وَلَا أَكْثَرُ صَمْتًا مِنْهُ، وَمَا تَكَلَّمَ بِكَلِمَةٍ إِلَّا كَانَ الْمُتَعَيَّنَ عَلَى مَنْ يُجَالِسُهُ أَنْ يَكْتُبَهَا; مِنْ حُسْنِهَا، وَكَانَ يُعَانِي الرَّسَائِلَ وَالْكِتَابَةَ. وَقَدِ اكْتُتِبَ فِي بَعْثٍ إِلَى الْيَمَامَةِ، فَسَمِعَ الْحَدِيثَ مِنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، وَانْقَطَعَ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَرْشَدَهُ إِلَى الرِّحْلَةِ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ لِيَسْمَعَ مِنَ الْحَسَنِ وَابْنِ سِيرِينَ، فَسَارَ إِلَيْهَا فَوَجَدَ الْحَسَنَ قَدْ تُوُفِّيَ مِنْ شَهْرَيْنِ، وَوَجَدَ ابْنَ سِيرِينَ مَرِيضًا، فَجَعَلَ يَتَرَدَّدُ لِعِيَادَتِهِ، فَقَوِيَ الْمَرَضُ بِهِ، وَمَاتَ وَلَمْ يَسْمَعْ مِنْهُ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ شَيْئًا، وَجَاءَ فَنَزَلَ دِمَشْقَ بِمَحَلَّةِ الْأَوْزَاعِ خَارِجَ بَابِ الْفَرَادِيسِ، وَسَادَ أَهْلَهَا فِي زَمَانِهِ وَسَائِرَ الْبِلَادِ فِي الْفِقْهِ وَالْحَدِيثِ وَالْمَغَازِي وَعُلُومِ الْإِسْلَامِ. وَقَدْ أَدْرَكَ خَلْقًا مِنَ التَّابِعِينَ وَغَيْرِهِمْ، وَحَدَّثَ عَنْهُ جَمَاعَاتٌ مِنْ سَادَاتِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، كَمَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، وَالثَّوْرِيِّ، وَالزُّهْرِيِّ وَهُوَ مِنْ شُيُوخِهِ. وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الْأَئِمَّةِ، وَأَجْمَعَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ عَلَى عَدَالَتِهِ وَإِمَامَتِهِ; قَالَ مَالِكٌ: كَانَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ إِمَامًا يُقْتَدَى بِهِ. وَقَالَ سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ وَغَيْرُهُ: كَانَ إِمَامَ أَهْلِ زَمَانِهِ. وَقَدْ حَجَّ مَرَّةً، فَدَخَلَ مَكَّةَ وَسُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ آخِذٌ بِزِمَامِ جَمَلِهِ، وَمَالِكٌ يَسُوقُ بِهِ، وَالثَّوْرِيُّ يَقُولُ: افْسَحُوا لِلشَّيْخِ. وَقَدْ تَذَاكَرَ مَالِكٌ وَالْأَوْزَاعِيُّ بِالْمَدِينَةِ مِنَ الظُّهْرِ حَتَّى صَلَّيَا الْعَصْرَ، وَمِنَ الْعَصْرِ حَتَّى صَلَّيَا الْمَغْرِبَ، فَغَمَرَهُ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ فِي الْمَغَازِي، وَغَمَرَهُ مَالِكٌ فِي الْفِقْهِ. وَتَنَاظَرَ هُوَ وَالثَّوْرِيُّ فِي مَسْجِدِ الْخَيْفِ فِي مَسْأَلَةِ رَفْعِ الْيَدَيْنِ فِي الرُّكُوعِ وَالرَّفْعِ مِنْهُ، فَاحْتَجَّ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ بِمَا رَوَاهُ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ فِي الرُّكُوعِ وَالرَّفْعِ مِنْهُ، وَاحْتَجَّ الثَّوْرِيُّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ بِحَدِيثِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي زِيَادٍ، فَغَضِبَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ وَقَالَ: أَتُعَارِضُ حَدِيثَ الزُّهْرِيِّ بِحَدِيثِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي زِيَادٍ وَهُوَ رَجُلٌ ضَعِيفٌ؟! فَاحْمَارَّ وَجْهُ الثَّوْرِيِّ، فَقَالَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ: لَعَلَّكَ كَرِهْتَ مَا قُلْتُ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَقُمْ بِنَا حَتَّى نَلْتَعِنَ عِنْدَ الرُّكْنِ أَيُّنَا عَلَى الْحَقِّ. فَسَكَتَ الثَّوْرِيُّ. وَقَالَ هِقْلُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ: أَفْتَى الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ فِي سَبْعِينَ أَلْفَ مَسْأَلَةٍ. وَقَالَ أَبُو زُرْعَةَ: رُوِيَ عَنْهُ سِتُّونَ أَلْفَ مَسْأَلَةٍ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُمَا: أَفْتَى فِي سَنَةٍ ثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ وَمِائَةٍ، وَعُمْرُهُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خَمْسٌ وَعِشْرُونَ سَنَةً، ثُمَّ لَمْ يَزَلْ يُفْتِي حَتَّى مَاتَ. وَقَالَ يَحْيَى الْقَطَّانُ عَنْ مَالِكٍ: اجْتَمَعَ عِنْدِي الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ، وَالثَّوْرِيُّ، وَأَبُو حَنِيفَةَ. فَقُلْتُ: أَيُّهُمْ أَرْجَحُ؟ قَالَ: الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ. وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَجْلَانَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا أَنْصَحَ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنَ الْأَوْزَاعِيِّ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: مَا رُئِيَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ ضَاحِكًا مُقَهْقِهًا قَطُّ، وَلَقَدْ كَانَ يَعِظُ النَّاسَ فَلَا يَبْقَى أَحَدٌ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ إِلَّا بَكَى بِعَيْنِهِ أَوْ بِقَلْبِهِ، وَمَا رَأَيْنَاهُ يَبْكِي فِي مَجْلِسِهِ قَطُّ. وَقَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ مَعِينٍ: الْعُلَمَاءُ أَرْبَعَةٌ; الثَّوْرِيُّ، وَأَبُو حَنِيفَةَ، وَمَالُكٌ، وَالْأَوْزَاعِيُّ. وَالْأَوْزَاعِيُّ ثِقَةٌ، وَلَيْسَ هُوَ فِي الزُّهْرِيِّ بِذَاكَ. أَخَذَ كِتَابَ الزُّبَيْدِيِّ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ. وَمَا أَقَلَّ مَا رَوَاهُ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ. قَالَ أَبُو حَاتِمٍ: كَانَ ثِقَةً مُتَّبِعًا لِمَا سَمِعَ. قَالُوا: وَكَانَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ لَا يَلْحَنُ فِي كَلَامِهِ، وَكَانَتْ كُتُبُهُ تَرِدُ عَلَى الْمَنْصُورِ، فَيَنْظُرُ فِيهَا وَيَتَأَمَّلُهَا، وَيَتَعَجَّبُ مِنْ فَصَاحَتِهَا وَحَلَاوَتِهَا، فَقَالَ يَوْمًا لِأَحْظَى كُتَّابِهِ عِنْدَهُ وَهُوَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ مُجَالِدٍ: يَنْبَغِي أَنْ تُجِيبَ الْأَوْزَاعِيَّ عَنْ كُتُبِهِ. فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، لَا يَقْدِرُ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَإِنَّا لَنَسْتَعِينُ بِكَلَامِهِ فِيمَا نُكَاتِبُ بِهِ أَهْلَ الْآفَاقِ مِمَّنْ لَا يَعْرِفُ كَلَامَ الْأَوْزَاعِيِّ. وَقَالَ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ: كَانَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ إِذَا صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ جَلَسَ يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ، وَيَأْثُرُ عَنِ السَّلَفِ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ يَقُومُونَ فَيَتَذَاكَرُونَ فِي الْفِقْهِ وَالْحَدِيثِ. وَعَنِ الْأَوْزَاعِيِّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ رَبَّ الْعِزَّةِ فِي الْمَنَامِ، فَقَالَ: أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَأْمُرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَى عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ؟ فَقُلْتُ: بِفَضْلِكَ يَا رَبِّ. قُلْتُ: يَا رَبِّ أَمِتْنِي عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ. فَقَالَ: وَعَلَى السُّنَّةِ. وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ شَابُورَ: قَالَ لِي شَيْخٌ بِجَامِعِ دِمَشْقَ: أَنَا مَيِّتٌ فِي يَوْمِ كَذَا وَكَذَا. فَلَمَّا كَانَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمُ رَأَيْتُهُ فِي صَحْنِ الْجَامِعِ يَتَفَلَّى، فَقَالَ لِي: اذْهَبْ إِلَى سَرِيرِ الْمَوْتَى فَأَحْرِزْهُ لِي عِنْدَكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُسْبَقَ إِلَيْهِ. فَقُلْتُ: مَا تَقُولُ؟! فَقَالَ: هُوَ مَا أَقُولُ لَكَ; إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ كَأَنَّ قَائِلًا يَقُولُ: فَلَانٌ قَدَرِيٌّ، وَفُلَانٌ كَذَا، وَعُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي الْعَاتِكَةِ نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ، وَأَبُو عَمْرٍو الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ خَيْرُ مِنْ يَمْشِي عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ، وَأَنْتَ مَيِّتٌ فِي يَوْمِ كَذَا وَكَذَا. قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ شُعَيْبٍ: فَمَا جَاءَ الظُّهْرُ حَتَّى مَاتَ، وَصُلِّيَ عَلَيْهِ بَعْدَهَا، وَأُخْرِجَتْ جِنَازَتُهُ. رَوَاهَا ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ. وَكَانَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ، رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ كَثِيرَ الْعِبَادَةِ، حَسَنَ الصَّلَاةِ، وَكَانَ يَقُولُ: مَنْ أَطَالَ الْقِيَامَ فِي صَلَاةِ اللَّيْلِ هَوَّنَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ طُولَ الْقِيَامِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ. وَكَأَنَّهُ أَخَذَ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَاسْجُدْ لَهُ وَسَبِّحْهُ لَيْلًا طَوِيلًا إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ يُحِبُّونَ الْعَاجِلَةَ وَيَذَرُونَ وَرَاءَهُمْ يَوْمًا ثَقِيلًا [ الْإِنْسَانِ: 26، 27 ]. وَقَالَ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ: مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا أَشَدَّ اجْتِهَادًا مِنَ الْأَوْزَاعِيِّ فِي الْعِبَادَةِ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: حَجَّ فَمَا نَامَ عَلَى الرَّاحِلَةِ، إِنَّمَا هُوَ فِي صَلَاةٍ، فَإِذَا نَعَسَ اسْتَنَدَ إِلَى الْقَتْبِ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: كَانَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْخُشُوعِ كَأَنَّهُ أَعْمَى. وَدَخَلَتِ امْرَأَةٌ عَلَى امْرَأَةِ الْأَوْزَاعِيِّ، فَرَأَتِ الْحَصِيرَ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ مَبْلُولًا، فَقَالَتْ لَهَا: لَعَلَّ الصَّبِيَّ بَالَ هَاهُنَا. فَقَالَتْ: لَا، هَذَا مِنْ أَثَرِ دُمُوعِ الشَّيْخِ فِي سُجُودِهِ، وَهَكَذَا يُصْبِحُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ. وَقَالَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ: عَلَيْكَ بِآثَارِ مَنْ سَلَفَ وَإِنْ رَفَضَكَ النَّاسُ، وَإِيَّاكَ وَرَأْيَ الرِّجَالِ وَإِنْ زَخْرَفُوهُ بِالْقَوْلِ; فَإِنَّ الْأَمْرَ يَنْجَلِي وَأَنْتَ مِنْهُ عَلَى طَرِيقٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ. وَقَالَ أَيْضًا: اصْبِرْ عَلَى السُّنَّةِ، وَقِفْ حَيْثُ وَقَفَ الْقَوْمُ، وَقُلْ مَا قَالُوا، وَكُفَّ عَمَّا كَفُّوا، وَلْيَسَعْكَ مَا وَسِعَهُمْ. وَكَانَ يَقُولُ: الْعِلْمُ مَا جَاءَ عَنْ أَصْحَابِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَمَا لَمْ يَجِئْ عَنْهُمْ فَلَيْسَ بِعِلْمٍ. وَكَانَ يَقُولُ: لَا يَجْتَمِعُ حُبُّ عَلِيٍّ وَعُثْمَانَ إِلَّا فِي قَلْبٍ مُؤْمِنٍ. وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ شَرًّا فَتَحَ عَلَيْهِمْ بَابَ الْجَدَلِ وَسَدَّ عَنْهُمْ بَابَ الْعَمَلِ. قَالُوا: وَقَدْ كَانَ مِنْ أَكْرَمِ النَّاسِ وَأَسْخَاهُمْ، وَكَانَ لَهُ فِي بَيْتِ الْمَالِ عَلَى الْخُلَفَاءِ إِقْطَاعٌ، فَصَارَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ، وَبَنِي الْعَبَّاسِ نَحْوٌ مَنْ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ، فَلَمْ يَقْتَنِ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا، وَلَا تَرَكَ يَوْمَ مَاتَ سِوَى سَبْعَةِ دَنَانِيرَ، كَانَ يُنْفِقُهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَفِي الْفُقَرَاءِ. وَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ دِمَشْقَ، وَسُلِبَ الْمُلْكُ مِنْ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ تَطَلَّبَ الْأَوْزَاعِيَّ، فَتَغَيَّبَ عَنْهُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، ثُمَّ أُحْضِرَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ. قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ عَلَى سَرِيرٍ وَفِي يَدِهِ خَيْزُرَانَةٌ، وَالْمُسَوِّدَةُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَشِمَالِهِ، مَعَهُمُ السُّيُوفُ مُصْلَتَةٌ وَالْعُمُدُ الْحَدِيدُ، فَسَلَّمْتُ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ، وَنَكَتَ بِتِلْكَ الْخَيْزُرَانَةِ الَّتِي فِي يَدِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا أَوْزَاعِيُّ، مَا تَرَى فِيمَا صَنَعْنَا مِنْ إِزَالَةِ أَيْدِي أُولَئِكَ الظَّلَمَةِ أَرِبَاطٌ هُوَ ؟ قَالَ: فَقُلْتُ: أَيُّهَا الْأَمِيرُ، سَمِعْتُ يَحْيَى بْنَ سَعِيدٍ الْأَنْصَارِيَّ يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِىَّ يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنَ وَقَّاصٍ يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ. قَالَ: فَنَكَتَ بِالْخَيْزُرَانَةِ أَشَدَّ مِمَّا كَانَ يَنْكُتُ، وَجَعَلَ مَنْ حَوْلَهُ يَعَضُّونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا أَوِزَاعِيُّ، مَا تَقُولُ فِي دِمَاءِ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ؟ فَقُلْتُ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: لَا يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ إِلَّا بِإِحْدَى ثَلَاثٍ; النَّفْسُ بِالنَّفْسِ، وَالثَّيِّبُ الزَّانِي، وَالتَّارِكُ لِدِينِهِ الْمُفَارِقُ لِلْجَمَاعَةِ. فَنَكَتَ أَشَدَّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: مَا تَقُولُ فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ؟ فَقُلْتُ: إِنْ كَانَتْ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ حَرَامًا فَهِيَ حَرَامٌ عَلَيْكَ أَيْضًا، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ حَلَالًا فَلَا تَحِلُّ لَكَ إِلَّا بِطَرِيقٍ شَرْعِيٍّ. فَنَكَتَ أَشَدَّ مِمَّا كَانَ يَنْكُتُ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَلَا نُوَلِّيكَ الْقَضَاءَ؟ فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّ أَسْلَافَكَ لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَشُقُّونَ عَلَيَّ فِي ذَلِكَ، وَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَتِمَّ مَا ابْتَدَءُونِي بِهِ مِنَ الْإِحْسَانِ. فَقَالَ: كَأَنَّكَ تُحِبُّ الِانْصِرَافَ؟ فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّ وَرَائِي حُرَمًا، وَهُمْ مُحْتَاجُونَ إِلَى الْقِيَامِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَسَتْرِهِمْ. قَالَ: وَانْتَظَرْتُ رَأْسِي أَنْ يَسْقُطَ بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ، فَأَمَرَنِي بِالِانْصِرَافِ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجْتُ إِذَا رَسُولُهُ مِنْ وَرَائِي، وَإِذَا مَعَهُ مِائَتَا دِينَارٍ، فَقَالَ: يَقُولُ لَكَ الْأَمِيرُ: أَنْفِقْ هَذِهِ. قَالَ: فَتَصَدَّقْتُ بِهَا. وَكَانَ فِي تِلْكَ الْأَيَّامِ الثَّلَاثَةِ صَائِمًا طَاوِيًا، فَيُقَالُ: إِنَّ الْأَمِيرَ لَمَّا بَلَغَهُ ذَلِكَ عَرَضَ عَلَيْهِ الْإِفْطَارَ عِنْدَهُ، فَأَبَى أَنْ يُفْطِرَ عِنْدَهُ، رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ. قَالُوا: ثُمَّ رَحَلَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ مِنْ دِمَشْقَ، فَنَزَلَ بَيْرُوتَ مُرَابِطًا بِأَهْلِهِ وَأَوْلَادِهِ. قَالَ: وَأَعْجَبَنِي فِيهَا أَنِّي مَرَرْتُ بِقُبُورِهَا، فَإِذَا امْرَأَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا: أَيْنَ الْعِمَارَةُ يَا هَنْتَاهُ ؟ فَقَالَتْ: إِنْ أَرَدْتَ الْعِمَارَةَ فَهِيَ هَذِهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تُرِيدُ الْخَرَابَ فَأَمَامَكَ. وَأَشَارَتْ إِلَى الْبَلَدِ، فَعَزَمْتُ عَلَى الْإِقَامَةِ بِهَا. وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ: سَمِعْتُ الْأَوْزَاعِيَّ يَقُولُ: خَرَجْتُ يَوْمًا إِلَى الصَّحْرَاءِ، فَإِذَا رِجْلٌ مِنْ جَرَادٍ فِي السَّمَاءِ، وَإِذَا شَخْصٌ رَاكِبٌ عَلَى جَرَادَةٍ مِنْهَا وَعَلَيْهِ سِلَاحُ الْحَدِيدِ، وَكُلَّمَا قَالَ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا مَالَ الْجَرَادُ مَعَ يَدِهِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: الدُّنْيَا بَاطِلٌ بَاطِلٌ بَاطِلٌ مَا فِيهَا، الدُّنْيَا بَاطِلٌ بَاطِلٌ بَاطِلٌ مَا فِيهَا، الدُّنْيَا بَاطِلٌ بَاطِلٌ بَاطِلٌ مَا فِيهَا. وَقَالَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ: كَانَ عِنْدَنَا رَجُلٌ يَخْرُجُ يَوْمَ الْجُمْعَةِ إِلَى الصَّيْدِ وَلَا يَنْتَظِرُ الْجُمْعَةَ، فَخُسِفَ بِبَغْلَتِهِ، فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهَا إِلَّا أُذُنُهَا. وَخَرَجَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ يَوْمًا مِنْ بَابِ مَسْجِدِ بَيْرُوتَ، وَهُنَاكَ دُكَّانٌ فِيهِ نَاطِفٌ، وَإِلَى جَانِبِهِ رَجُلٌ يَبِيعُ الْبَصَلَ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: يَا أَحْلَى مِنَ النَّاطِفِ. فَقَالَ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ! مَا يَرَى هَذَا بِالْكَذِبِ بَأْسًا ؟. وَقَالَ الْوَاقِدِيُّ: قَالَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ: كُنَّا قَبْلَ الْيَوْمِ نَضْحَكُ وَنَلْعَبُ، أَمَّا إِذْ صِرْنَا أَئِمَّةً يُقْتَدَى بِنَا فَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ نَتَحَفَّطَ. وَكَتَبَ إِلَى أَخٍ لَهُ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَقَدْ أُحِيطَ بِكَ مِنْ كُلِّ جَانِبٍ، وَإِنَّهُ يُسَارُ بِكَ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ، فَاحْذَرِ اللَّهَ وَالْقِيَامَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَأَنْ يَكُونَ آخِرَ عَهْدِكَ بِهِ، وَالسَّلَامُ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي الدُّنْيَا: حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، سَمِعْتُ أَبَا صَالِحٍ كَاتِبَ اللَّيْثِ يَذْكُرُ عَنِ الْهِقْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، عَنِ الْأَوْزَاعِيِّ، أَنَّهُ وَعَظَ فَقَالَ فِي مَوْعِظَتِهِ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، تَقَوَّوْا بِهَذِهِ النِّعَمِ الَّتِي أَصْبَحْتُمْ فِيهَا عَلَى الْهَرَبِ مِنْ نَارِ اللَّهِ الْمُوقَدَةِ، الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الْأَفْئِدَةِ، فَإِنَّكُمْ فِي دَارٍ الثَّوَاءُ فِيهَا قَلِيلٌ، وَأَنْتُمْ فِيهَا مُرَحَّلُونَ، خَلَائِفُ بَعْدَ الْقُرُونِ الَّتِي اسْتَقْبَلُوا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا أُنُفَهَا وَزَهْرَتَهَا، فَهُمْ كَانُوا أَطْوَلَ مِنْكُمْ أَعْمَارًا وَأَمَدَّ أَجْسَامًا، وَأَعْظَمَ آثَارًا، فَخَدَّدُوا الْجِبَالَ وَجَابُوا الصُّخُورَ، وَنَقَّبُوا فِي الْبِلَادِ، مُؤَيَّدِينَ بِبَطْشٍ شَدِيدٍ، وَأَجْسَادٍ كَالْعِمَادِ، فَمَا لَبِثَتِ الْأَيَّامُ وَاللَّيَالِي أَنْ طَوَتْ مُدَّتَهُمْ وَعَفَتْ آثَارَهُمْ، وَأَخْرَبَتْ مَنَازِلَهُمْ، وَأَنْسَتْ ذِكْرَهُمْ، فَمَا تُحِسُّ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ وَلَا تَسْمَعُ لَهُمْ رِكْزًا، كَانُوا بِلَهْوِ الْأَمَلِ آمِنِينَ، وَلِمِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ غَافِلِينَ، أَوْ لِصَبَاحِ قَوْمٍ نَادِمِينَ، ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ قَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ الَّذِي نَزَلَ بِسَاحَتِهِمْ بَيَانًا مِنْ عُقُوبَةِ اللَّهِ، فَأَصْبَحَ كَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ فِي دِيَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ، وَأَصْبَحَ الْبَاقُونَ يَنْظُرُونَ فِي آثَارِ نِقَمِهِ، وَزَوَالِ نِعَمِهِ، وَمَسَاكِنَ خَاوِيَةٍ، وَفِيهَا آيَةٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ، وَعِبْرَةٌ لِمَنْ يَخْشَى، وَأَصْبَحْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ فِي أَجَلٍ مَنْقُوصٍ، وَدُنْيَا مَقْبُوضَةٍ، فِي زَمَانٍ قَدْ وَلَّى عَفْوُهُ، وَذَهَبَ رَخَاؤُهُ، فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهُ إِلَّا حُمَةُ شَرٍّ، وَصُبَابَةُ كَدَرٍ، وَأَهَاوِيلُ غِيَرٍ، وَعُقُوبَاتُ عِبَرٍ، وَإِرْسَالُ فِتَنٍ، وَتَتَابُعُ زَلَازِلَ، وَرُذَالَةُ خَلْفٍ، بِهِمْ ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ، فَلَا تَكُونُوا أَشْبَاهًا لِمَنْ خَدَعَهُ الْأَمَلُ، وَغَرَّهُ طُولُ الْأَجَلِ، وَتَبَلَّغَ بِالْأَمَانِي، نَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ مِمَّنْ وَعَى نُذُرَهُ وَانْتَهَى، وَعَقَلَ مَثْوَاهُ فَمَهَدَ لِنَفْسِهِ. وَقَدِ اجْتَمَعَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ بِالْمَنْصُورِ حِينَ دَخَلَ الشَّامَ وَوَعَظَهُ، وَأَحَبَّهُ الْمَنْصُورُ وَعَظَّمَهُ، وَلَمَّا أَرَادَ الِانْصِرَافَ اسْتَأْذَنَهُ فِي أَنْ لَا يَلْبَسَ السَّوَادَ فَأَذِنَ لَهُ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ لِلرَّبِيعِ الْحَاجِبِ: الْحَقْهُ فَسَلْهُ لِمَ كَرِهَ لُبْسَ السَّوَادِ؟ وَلَا تُخْبِرْهُ أَنِّي قُلْتُ لَكَ. فَسَأَلَهُ الرَّبِيعُ فَقَالَ: لِأَنِّي لَمْ أَرَ مُحْرِمًا أَحْرَمَ فِيهِ، وَلَا مَيِّتًا كُفِّنَ فِيهِ، وَلَا عَرُوسًا جُلِيَتْ فِيهِ، فَلِهَذَا أَكْرَهُهُ. وَقَدْ كَانَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ فِي الشَّامِ مُعَظَّمًا مُكَرَّمًا، أَمْرُهُ أَعَزُّ عِنْدَهُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِ السُّلْطَانِ، وَهَمَّ بِهِ بَعْضُ الْوُلَاةِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ: دَعْهُ عَنْكَ فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ أَمَرَ الشَّامِيِّينَ أَنْ يَقْتُلُوكَ لَقَتَلُوكَ. وَلَمَّا مَاتَ جَلَسَ عِنْدَ قَبْرِهِ بَعْضُ الْوُلَاةِ فَقَالَ: رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ، فَوَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَخَافُ مِنْكَ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا أَخَافُ مِنَ الَّذِي وَلَّانِي. وَقَدْ قَالَ أَبُو مُسْهِرٍ: مَا مَاتَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ حَتَّى جَلَسَ وَحْدَهُ، وَسَمِعَ شَتْمَهُ بِأُذُنِهِ. وعن مُحَمَّدٍ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ الطَّنَافِسِيِّ قَالَ: كُنْتُ جَالِسًا عِنْدَ الثَّوْرِيِّ، فَجَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ، فَقَالَ: رَأَيْتُ كَأَنَّ رَيْحَانَةً مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ قُلِعَتْ. قَالَ: إِنْ صَدَقَتْ رُؤْيَاكَ فَقَدْ مَاتَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ. فَكَتَبُوا ذَلِكَ، فَجَاءَ مَوْتُ الْأَوْزَاعِيِّ فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ أَوْ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ. وَقَالَ أَبُو مُسْهِرٍ: بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ سَبَبَ مَوْتِ الْأَوْزَاعِيِّ أَنَّ امْرَأَتَهُ أَغْلَقَتْ عَلَيْهِ بَابَ حَمَّامٍ، فَمَاتَ فِيهِ، وَلَمْ تَكُنْ عَامِدَةً لِذَلِكَ، فَأَمَرَهَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بِعِتْقِ رَقَبَةٍ. قَالَ: وَمَا خَلَّفَ ذَهَبًا وَلَا فِضَّةً وَلَا عَقَارًا وَلَا مَتَاعًا، إِلَّا سِتَّةَ دَنَانِيرَ فَضَلَتْ مِنْ عَطَائِهِ. وَكَانَ قَدِ اكْتُتِبَ فِي دِيوَانِ السَّاحِلِ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: كَانَ الَّذِي أَغْلَقَ عَلَيْهِ بَابَ الْحَمَّامِ صَاحِبُ الْحَمَّامِ، وَذَهَبَ إِلَى حَاجَةٍ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَفَتَحَ الْحَمَّامَ، فَوَجَدَهُ مَيِّتًا قَدْ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى تَحْتَ خَدِّهِ وَهُوَ مُسْتَقْبِلٌ الْقِبْلَةَ، رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ. قُلْتُ: لَا خِلَافَ أَنَّهُ مَاتَ بِبَيْرُوتَ مُرَابِطًا، وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي سَنَةِ وَفَاتِهِ; فَرَوَى يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ سَلَمَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ أَحْمَدُ: قَالَ يَحْيَى: رَأَيْتُ الْأَوْزَاعِيَّ، وَتُوُفِّيَ سَنَةَ خَمْسِينَ وَمِائَةٍ. وَقَالَ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ: سَنَةَ سِتٍّ وَخَمْسِينَ وَمِائَةٍ. وَقَالَ الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ الْبَيْرُوتِيُّ: أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي قَالَ: تُوُفِّيَ يَوْمَ الْأَحَدِ، أَوَّلَ النَّهَارِ لِلَيْلَتَيْنِ بَقِيَتَا مِنْ صَفَرٍ، سَنَةَ سَبْعٍ وَخَمْسِينَ وَمِائَةٍ. وَهُوَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الْجُمْهُورُ، وَهُوَ الصَّحِيحُ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُ أَبِي مُسْهِرٍ، وَهِشَامِ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ، وَالْوَلِيدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ - فِي أَصَحِّ الرِّوَايَاتِ عَنْهُ - وَيَحْيَى بْنِ مَعِينٍ، وَدُحَيْمٍ، وَخَلِيفَةَ بْنِ خَيَّاطٍ، وَأَبِي عُبَيْدٍ، وَسَعِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ وَغَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ. قَالَ الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ: وَلَمْ يَبْلُغْ سَبْعِينَ سَنَةً. قُلْتُ: وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: جَاوَزَ السَّبْعِينَ. وَالصَّحِيحُ تِسْعٌ وَسِتُّونَ سَنَةً; لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ مِيلَادُهُ فِي سَنَةِ ثَمَانٍ وَثَمَانِينَ عَلَى الصَّحِيحِ. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ وُلِدَ سَنَةَ ثَلَاثٍ وَتِسْعِينَ، وَهَذَا ضَعِيفٌ. وَقَدْ رَآهُ بَعْضُهُمْ فِي الْمَنَامِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: دُلَّنِي عَلَى عَمَلٍ يُقَرِّبُنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ دَرَجَةً أَعْلَى مِنْ دَرَجَةِ الْعُلَمَاءِ، ثُمَّ الْمَحْزُونِينَ.

Translation

✧ [THE DEATHS] In it died ʿĀmir b. Ismāʿīl al-Muslimī, and al-Manṣūr prayed over him. And Sawwār b. ʿAbd Allāh, the qāḍī of al-Baṣrah, died, and ʿUbayd Allāh b. al-Ḥasan b. al-Ḥuṣayn al-ʿAnbarī was appointed in his place. And in it died ʿAbd al-Wahhāb b. Ibrāhīm al-Imām—and it is said: in the year 158—and Muṣʿab b. Thābit b. ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Zubayr b. al-ʿAwwām, the grandfather of al-Zubayr b. Bakkār. And in it al-Awzāʿī, may God have mercy on him, died. He is ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. ʿAmr b. Yuḥmad, Abū ʿAmr al-Awzāʿī. Al-Awzāʿ is a clan of Ḥimyar, and he is of their own stock—so said Muḥammad b. Saʿd. But others said: He was not of their own stock; rather, he settled in the quarter of al-Awzāʿ, which was a village outside Bāb al-Farādīs of Damascus, and he is the cousin of Yaḥyā b. Abī ʿAmr al-Saybānī. Abū Zurʿah said: His origin is from the captives of Sind, and he settled in al-Awzāʿ, so the ascription to it prevailed over him. Another said: He was born in Baʿlabakk and grew up in al-Biqāʿ as an orphan in his mother's care, and she used to move with him from one town to another. He educated himself, and among the sons of kings and ministers there was none more intelligent than he, nor more devout, nor more learned, nor more eloquent, nor more dignified, nor more forbearing, nor more silent than he. And he did not utter a word but it was incumbent upon whoever sat with him to write it down, because of its excellence. And he used to practice epistolary writing and correspondence. He was enrolled for a military expedition to al-Yamāmah, and he heard ḥadīth from Yaḥyā b. Abī Kathīr and devoted himself to him, and he directed him to travel to al-Baṣrah to hear from al-Ḥasan and Ibn Sīrīn. So he traveled there and found that al-Ḥasan had died two months earlier, and he found Ibn Sīrīn ill. He kept returning to visit him, but the illness worsened upon him and he died without al-Awzāʿī having heard anything from him. Then he came and settled in Damascus in the quarter of al-Awzāʿ outside Bāb al-Farādīs, and he became preeminent among its people in his time and in all other lands in fiqh, ḥadīth, maghāzī, and the Islamic sciences. He met a host of the tābiʿūn and others, and groups of the leading Muslims transmitted from him, such as Mālik b. Anas, al-Thawrī, and al-Zuhrī, who was one of his shaykhs. More than one of the imams praised him, and the Muslims were unanimous on his uprightness and his imamate. Mālik said: Al-Awzāʿī was an imam to be followed. Sufyān b. ʿUyaynah and others said: He was the imam of the people of his time. He once performed the ḥajj, and he entered Makkah while Sufyān al-Thawrī was holding the rein of his camel and Mālik was driving it, and al-Thawrī was saying: "Make way for the shaykh." Mālik and al-Awzāʿī engaged in scholarly discussion in al-Madīnah from midday until they prayed the afternoon prayer, and from the afternoon until they prayed the sunset prayer. Then al-Awzāʿī overwhelmed him in the maghāzī, and Mālik overwhelmed him in fiqh. He and al-Thawrī debated in the mosque of al-Khayf concerning the issue of raising the hands when bowing and when rising from it. Al-Awzāʿī adduced as evidence what he related from al-Zuhrī, from Sālim, from his father, that the Messenger of God ﷺ used to raise his hands when bowing and when rising from it, while al-Thawrī adduced the ḥadīth of Yazīd b. Abī Ziyād. So al-Awzāʿī became angry and said: "Do you oppose the ḥadīth of al-Zuhrī with the ḥadīth of Yazīd b. Abī Ziyād, and he is a weak man?!" Then al-Thawrī's face turned red, and al-Awzāʿī said: "Perhaps you disliked what I said?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Then rise with us so that we may invoke mutual cursing at the Corner as to which of us is upon the truth." So al-Thawrī fell silent. Hiql b. Ziyād said: Al-Awzāʿī issued legal rulings on seventy thousand questions. Abū Zurʿah said: Sixty thousand questions were reported from him. Others than these two said: He issued rulings in the year 113, and his age then was twenty-five years, and he continued to issue rulings until he died. Yaḥyā al-Qaṭṭān said, on the authority of Mālik: Al-Awzāʿī, al-Thawrī, and Abū Ḥanīfah gathered in my presence. I asked: "Which of them is most sound?" He said: "Al-Awzāʿī." Muḥammad b. ʿAjlān said: I have never seen anyone more sincere in giving counsel to the Muslims than al-Awzāʿī. Another said: Al-Awzāʿī was never seen laughing out loud, and he used to admonish the people, and no one remained in his gathering but wept with his eyes or with his heart, and we never saw him weeping in his gathering. Yaḥyā b. Maʿīn said: The scholars are four: al-Thawrī, Abū Ḥanīfah, Mālik, and al-Awzāʿī. Al-Awzāʿī is trustworthy, but he is not especially strong in al-Zuhrī. He took the book of al-Zubaydī from al-Zuhrī. And how little he related from al-Zuhrī. Abū Ḥātim said: He was trustworthy, following what he heard. They said: Al-Awzāʿī did not err in his speech, and his letters used to arrive at al-Manṣūr, who would examine them carefully and marvel at their eloquence and sweetness. One day he said to Sulaymān b. Mujālid, one of his most favored secretaries: "You should answer al-Awzāʿī's letters." He said: "By God, O Commander of the Faithful, no one on earth is able to do that. We rely on his expressions in what we write to the people of the horizons, those who do not know the speech of al-Awzāʿī." Al-Walīd b. Muslim said: When al-Awzāʿī prayed the dawn prayer, he would sit remembering God, glorified and exalted be He, until the sun rose, and he traced that practice back to the salaf. He said: Then they would rise and engage in discussing fiqh and ḥadīth. It is related from al-Awzāʿī that he said: I saw the Lord of Might in a dream, and He said: "Are you the one who commands good and forbids evil?" I said: "By Your grace, O Lord." I said: "O Lord, cause me to die upon Islam." He said: "And upon the Sunnah." Muḥammad b. Shuʿayb b. Shābūr said: A shaykh in the mosque of Damascus told me: "I will die on such-and-such a day." When that day came, I saw him in the courtyard of the mosque delousing himself. He said to me: "Go to the bier of the dead and secure it for me with you before someone else gets to it." I said: "What are you saying?!" He said: "It is as I tell you. I saw in a dream as if someone said: So-and-so is a Qadarī, and so-and-so is such and such, and ʿUthmān b. Abī al-ʿĀtikah is an excellent man, and Abū ʿAmr al-Awzāʿī is the best of those who walk upon the face of the earth, and you will die on such-and-such a day." Muḥammad b. Shuʿayb said: The noon had not yet come but he died, and the prayer was offered over him after it, and his funeral was brought out. Ibn ʿAsākir related it. Al-Awzāʿī, may God have mercy on him, was abundant in worship and excellent in prayer, and he used to say: "Whoever prolongs standing in the night prayer will have God lighten for him the length of standing on the Day of Resurrection." And it is as if he took that from the Qurʾān, namely the words of the Exalted: And from the night prostrate to Him and glorify Him a long night. Indeed, these love the fleeting life and leave behind them a heavy day [al-Insān: 26, 27]. Al-Walīd b. Muslim said: I have never seen anyone more diligent in worship than al-Awzāʿī. Another said: He performed the ḥajj and did not sleep upon the riding camel; he was constantly in prayer, and when he dozed he would lean against the saddle-bow. And another said: From the intensity of his humility, it was as if he were blind. A woman entered upon the wife of al-Awzāʿī and saw the mat upon which he prayed wet, and she said to her: "Perhaps the boy urinated here." She said: "No, this is from the traces of the shaykh's tears in his prostration, and thus it is every morning." Al-Awzāʿī said: "Hold fast to the traditions of those who have passed, even if people reject you. And beware of the opinions of men, even if they adorn them with speech. For the matter will become clear while you are upon a straight path." He also said: "Be patient upon the Sunnah, stop where the people stopped, say what they said, abstain from what they abstained from, and let what sufficed them suffice you." He used to say: "Knowledge is what has come from the companions of Muḥammad, and what has not come from them is not knowledge." He used to say: "Love of ʿAlī and ʿUthmān does not come together except in a believing heart. And when God wills evil for a people, He opens for them the door of disputation and closes for them the door of action." They said: He was one of the most generous and open-handed of people, and he had an iqṭāʿ from the treasuries of the caliphs, and there accrued to him from the Umayyads and the Abbasids something like seventy thousand dinars, but he did not acquire anything from it, and when he died he left nothing but seven dinars, which he used to spend in the way of God and on the poor. When ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAlī entered Damascus and sovereignty was wrested from the Umayyads, he sought al-Awzāʿī, who hid from him for three days, and then he was brought before him. He said: I entered upon him while he was upon a couch holding a stick of bamboo, and the black-clad troops were on his right and left, with swords unsheathed and iron maces. I greeted him, but he did not return the greeting, and he tapped with that stick of bamboo in his hand. Then he said: "O Awzāʿī, what do you think of what we have done in removing the hands of those oppressors? Is it a matter of frontier guarding?" He said: I said: "O emir, I heard Yaḥyā b. Saʿīd al-Anṣārī say: I heard Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm al-Taymī say: I heard ʿAlqamah b. Waqqāṣ say: I heard ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb say: I heard the Messenger of God ﷺ say: 'Actions are but by intentions, and every man shall have only what he intended. So he whose emigration was to God and His Messenger, his emigration was to God and His Messenger; and he whose emigration was to a worldly gain he might attain or a woman he might marry, his emigration was to that to which he emigrated.'" He said: Then he tapped with the stick more vigorously than before, and those around him began to bite their hands. Then he said: "O Awzāʿī, what do you say about the blood of the Umayyads?" I said: "The Messenger of God ﷺ said: 'The blood of a Muslim man is not lawful except for one of three: a life for a life, a married adulterer, and one who abandons his religion and separates from the community.'" So he tapped even more vigorously. Then he said: "What do you say about their wealth?" I said: "If it was unlawfully in their hands, then it is unlawful for you too; and if it was lawful for them, then it is not lawful for you except by a legal means." So he tapped even more vigorously than before. Then he said: "Shall we not appoint you to the judiciary?" I said: "Your predecessors did not burden me in that matter, and I would love that the kindness they began with me be completed." He said: "It is as if you desire to depart?" I said: "Behind me are dependents, and they are in need of someone to care for them and protect them." He said: And I awaited my head to fall before me, but he ordered me to depart. When I went out, his messenger came after me, carrying two hundred dinars, and said: "The emir says to you: Spend these." He said: And I gave them in charity. During those three days he had been fasting, abstaining from food, and it is said that when the emir learned of that, he offered him breakfast at his place, but he refused to break his fast with him, may God have mercy on him. They said: Then al-Awzāʿī departed from Damascus and settled in Beirut as a frontier guard with his family and children. He said: I liked it there because I passed by its graves and encountered a black woman, and I said to her: "Where is the inhabited area, O you?" She said: "If you want the inhabited area, it is this; and if you want ruin, it is before you." And she pointed to the town. So I resolved to reside there. Muḥammad b. Kathīr said: I heard al-Awzāʿī say: One day I went out to the desert, and there was a swarm of locusts in the sky, and a figure riding upon one of the locusts, clad in iron armor, and whenever he gestured with his hand thus, the locusts inclined with his hand, and he was saying: "The world is vain, vain, vain; there is nothing in it. The world is vain, vain, vain; there is nothing in it. The world is vain, vain, vain; there is nothing in it." Al-Awzāʿī said: We had a man who used to go out on Friday to hunt and would not wait for the Friday prayer, and the earth swallowed up his mule, and nothing remained of it but its ears. One day al-Awzāʿī went out from the gate of the mosque of Beirut, and there was a shop with nougat, and beside it a man selling onions, and he was saying: "O sweeter than nougat!" So he said: "Glory be to God! Does this man see no harm in lying?" Al-Wāqidī said: Al-Awzāʿī said: "Before today we used to laugh and play, but now that we have become imams who are followed, we should be cautious." He wrote to a brother of his: "To proceed: You have been encompassed from every side, and you are being carried along every day and night. So beware of God and of standing before Him, and that it might be your last encounter with Him. Peace." Ibn Abī al-Dunyā said: Muḥammad b. Idrīs narrated to me: I heard Abū Ṣāliḥ, the secretary of al-Layth, mention from Hiql b. Ziyād, from al-Awzāʿī, that he admonished and said in his admonition: "O people, use these blessings in which you have entered upon as strength to flee from the fire of God, which is kindled and which rises over the hearts. For you are in an abode where the stay is short, and you are being made to depart from it. You are successors after the generations who enjoyed the first fruits and blossoms of this world. They were longer-lived than you, larger in body, and greater in monuments. They carved the mountains and pierced the rocks and dug mines in the lands, aided by mighty strength and bodies like pillars. But it was not long before the days and nights folded up their appointed terms, obliterated their traces, ruined their dwellings, and caused their remembrance to be forgotten. You do not perceive anyone of them, nor do you hear from them a faint sound. They were secure in the amusement of hope, heedless of the appointed time of a day, or of a morning when a people are regretful. Then you have learned what befell them clearly as a punishment from God. So many of them lay prostrate in their homes, and the rest remained looking at the traces of His vengeance and the removal of His blessings, and at empty dwellings, in which there is a sign for those who fear the painful punishment and a lesson for those who fear. And you have become after them in a diminished term and a contracted world, in a time whose good has passed and whose ease has departed, so that nothing remains of it but a sting of evil, a dreg of turbidity, terrors of change, punishments of examples, the sending of trials, successive earthquakes, and the refuse of a generation through whom corruption has appeared on land and sea. So do not be like those whom hope deceived and length of life beguiled and who contented themselves with wishes. We ask God to make us and you among those who heeded His warnings and desisted, and who understood his final abode and so prepared for himself." Al-Awzāʿī met al-Manṣūr when he entered Syria and admonished him, and al-Manṣūr loved and honored him. When he wished to depart, he asked his permission not to wear black, and he granted it. When he left, al-Manṣūr said to al-Rabīʿ the chamberlain: "Follow him and ask him why he disliked wearing black, but do not tell him that I told you." So al-Rabīʿ asked him, and he said: "Because I have not seen a pilgrim in a state of iḥrām who put it on, nor a dead person shrouded in it, nor a bride unveiled in it; therefore I dislike it." Al-Awzāʿī had been greatly honored and respected in Syria; his authority was dearer to them than that of the sultan. One of the governors plotted against him, but his companions said to that governor: Leave him alone, for by God, if he commanded the Syrians to kill you, they would kill you. When he died, one of the governors sat by his grave and said: May God have mercy on you, for by God, I used to fear you more than I feared the one who appointed me. Abū Mushir said: Al-Awzāʿī did not die until he sat alone and heard his own defamation with his own ears. Muḥammad b. ʿUbayd al-Ṭanāfisī reported: I was sitting with al-Thawrī when a man came to him and said: I saw in a dream as though a fragrant herb was uprooted from the west. He said: If your dream is true, then al-Awzāʿī has died. They wrote that down, and the death of al-Awzāʿī occurred on that day or that night. Abū Mushir said: It reached us that the cause of al-Awzāʿī's death was that his wife locked the bathhouse door on him, and he died inside, though she did not intend that. Saʿīd b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ordered her to free a slave. He said: He left behind neither gold, nor silver, nor property, nor goods, except six dinars remaining from his stipend. He had been enrolled in the register of the coastal frontier. Others said: The one who locked the bathhouse door on him was the bathhouse keeper; he went off on an errand, then returned and opened the bathhouse, and found him dead, having placed his right hand under his cheek, facing the qiblah—may God have mercy on him. I say: There is no disagreement that he died in Beirut as a frontier guard. They differed over the year of his death. Yaʿqūb b. Sufyān narrated from Salamah, who said: Aḥmad said: Yaḥyā said: I saw al-Awzāʿī, and he died in the year 150 AH. Al-Walīd b. Muslim said: In the year 156 AH. Al-ʿAbbās b. al-Walīd al-Bayrūtī said: My father informed me: He died on Sunday, early in the day, with two nights remaining of Ṣafar, in the year 157 AH. This is what the majority hold, and it is the correct view. It is the statement of Abū Mushir, Hishām b. ʿAmmār, al-Walīd b. Muslim—in the most reliable narrations from him—Yaḥyā b. Maʿīn, Duḥaym, Khalīfah b. Khayyāṭ, Abū ʿUbayd, Saʿīd b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, and more than one other. Al-ʿAbbās b. al-Walīd said: He had not reached seventy years. I say: Others said he exceeded seventy. The correct view is sixty-nine years, because his birth was in the year 88 AH according to the sound opinion. It was said that he was born in the year 93 AH, but this is weak. One of them saw him in a dream and said to him: Guide me to a deed that will bring me near to God. He said: I have not seen in Paradise a rank higher than the rank of the scholars, then the sorrowful.

Grades by grader

No grade is recorded for this wording.