Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2926
Then the year 158 AH began
ذِكْرُ مَوْتِ الْمَنْصُورِ وَوَصِيَّتِهِ وَفِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ تُوُفِّيَ الْمَنْصُورُ لِسِتٍّ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ بِبِئْرِ مَيْمُونٍ، وَكَانَ عَلَى مَا قِيلَ قَدْ هَتَفَ بِهِ هَاتِفٌ مِنْ قَصْرِهِ، فَسَمِعَهُ يَقُولُ: أَمَا وَرَبِّ السُّكُونِ وَالْحَرَكِ إِنَّ الْمَنَايَا كَثِيرَةُ الشَّرَكِ عَلَيْكِ، يَا نَفْسُ إِنْ أَسَأْتِ، وَإِنْ أَحْسَنْتِ بِالْقَصْدِ، كُلُّ ذَاكَ لَكِ مَا اخْتَلَفَ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ، وَلَا دَارَتْ نُجُومُ السَّمَاءِ فِي الْفَلَكِ إِلَّا تَنَقَّلَ السُّلْطَانُ عَنْ مَلِكٍ إِذَا انْتَهَى مُلْكُهُ إِلَى مَلِكِ حَتَّى يَصِيرَا بِهِ إِلَى مَلِكٍ مَا عِزُّ سُلْطَانِهِ بِمُشْتَرَكِ ذَاكَ بَدِيعُ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْ مُرْسِي الْجِبَالِ الْمُسَخِّرِ الْفَلَكِ فَقَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ: هَذَا أَوَانُ أَجَلِي. قَالَ الطَّبَرِيُّ: وَقَدْ حَكَى عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى الْمَنْصُورِ يَوْمًا أُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ، فَإِذَا هُوَ بَاهِتٌ لَا يُحِيرُ جَوَابًا، فَوَثَبْتُ لِمَا أَرَى مِنْهُ لِأَنْصَرِفَ، فَقَالَ [ لِي ] بَعْدَ سَاعَةٍ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ فِي الْمَنَامِ كَأَنَّ رُجَلًا يُنْشِدُنِي هَذِهِ [ الْأَبْيَاتَ ]: أَأُخَيَّ خَفِّضْ مِنْ مُنَاكَا فَكَأَنَّ يَوْمَكَ قَدْ أَتَاكَا وَلَقَدْ أَرَاكَ الدَّهْرَ مِنْ تَصَرُّفَيْهِ مَا قَدْ أَرَاكَا فَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ النَّاقِصَ الْ عَبْدَ الذَّلِيلَ، فَأَنْتَ ذَاكَا مُلِّكْتَ مَا مُلِّكْتَهُ وَالْأَمُرُ فِيهِ إِلَى سِوَاكَا . هَذَا الَّذِي تَرَى مِنْ قَلَقِي وَغَمِّي لِمَا سَمِعْتُ وَرَأَيْتُ، فَقُلْتُ: خَيْرًا رَأَيْتَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَلَمْ يَلْبَثْ أَنْ خَرَجَ إِلَى مَكَّةَ. فَلَمَّا سَارَ مِنْ بَغْدَاذَ لِيَحُجَّ نَزَلَ قَصْرَ عَبْدَوَيْهِ، فَانْقَضَّ فِي مَقَامِهِ هُنَالِكَ كَوْكَبٌ لِثَلَاثٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ شَوَّالٍ، بَعْدَ إِضَاءَةِ الْفَجْرِ، فَبَقِيَ أَثَرُهُ بَيِّنًا إِلَى طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ، فَأَحْضَرَ الْمَهْدِيَّ، وَكَانَ قَدْ صَحِبَهُ لِيُوَدِّعَهُ، فَوَصَّاهُ بِالْمَالِ وَالسُّلْطَانِ، يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مِنْ أَيَّامِ مُقَامِهِ، بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيَّةً، فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي ارْتَحَلَ فِيهِ قَالَ لَهُ: إِنِّي لَمْ أَدَعْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمْتُ إِلَيْكَ فِيهِ، وَسَأُوصِيكَ بِخِصَالٍ مَا أَظُنُّكَ تَفْعَلُ وَاحِدَةً مِنْهَا. ( وَكَانَ لَهُ سَفَطٌ فِيهِ دَفَاتِرُ عِلْمِهِ )، وَعَلَيْهِ قُفْلٌ لَا يَفْتَحُهُ غَيْرُهُ، فَقَالَ لِلْمَهْدِيِّ: انْظُرْ إِلَى هَذَا السَّفَطِ فَاحْتَفِظْ بِهِ، فَإِنَّ فِيهِ عِلْمَ آبَائِكَ، ( مَا كَانَ ) وَمَا هُوَ كَائِنٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَإِنْ أَحْزَنَكَ أَمْرٌ فَانْظُرْ فِي الدَّفْتَرِ الْكَبِيرِ، فَإِنْ أَصَبْتَ فِيهِ مَا تُرِيدُ، وَإِلَّا فَفِي الثَّانِي وَالثَّالِثِ، حَتَّى بَلَغَ سَبْعَةً، فَإِنْ ثَقُلَ عَلَيْكَ، فَالْكُرَّاسَةُ الصَّغِيرَةُ، فَإِنَّكَ وَاجِدٌ فِيهَا مَا تُرِيدُ، وَمَا أَظُنُّكَ تَفْعَلُ. وَانْظُرْ هَذِهِ الْمَدِينَةَ، وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَسْتَبْدِلَ بِهَا غَيْرَهَا، وَقَدْ جَمَعْتُ لَكَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ مَا إِنْ كُسِرَ عَلَيْكَ الْخَرَاجُ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ كَفَاكَ لِأَرْزَاقِ الْجُنْدِ وَالنَّفَقَاتِ، وَالذُّرِّيَّةِ، وَمَصْلَحَةِ الْبُعُوثِ، فَاحْتَفِظْ بِهَا، فَإِنَّكَ لَا تَزَالُ عَزِيزًا مَا دَامَ بَيْتُ مَالِكَ عَامِرًا، وَمَا أَظُنُّكَ تَفْعَلُ. وَأُوصِيكَ بِأَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ أَنْ تُظْهِرَ كَرَامَتَهُمْ، وَتُحْسِنَ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَتُقَدِّمَهُمْ، وَتُوطِئَ النَّاسَ أَعْقَابُهُمْ، وَتُوَلِّيَهُمُ الْمَنَابِرَ، فَإِنَّ عِزَّكَ عِزَّهُمْ، وَذِكْرَهُمْ لَكَ، وَمَا أَظُنُّكَ تَفْعَلُ. وَانْظُرْ مَوَالِيَكَ فَأَحْسِنْ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَقَرِّبْهُمْ، وَاسْتَكْثِرْ مِنْهُمْ، فَإِنَّهُمْ مَادَّتُكَ لِشِدَّةٍ إِنْ نَزَلَتْ بِكَ، وَمَا أَظُنُّكَ تَفْعَلُ. وَأُوصِيكَ بِأَهْلِ خُرَاسَانَ خَيْرًا، فَإِنَّهُمْ أَنْصَارُكَ وَشِيعَتُكَ الَّذِينَ بَذَلُوا أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَدِمَاءَهُمْ فِي دَوْلَتِكَ، وَمَنْ لَا تَخْرُجُ مَحَبَّتُكَ مِنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ، أَنْ تُحْسِنَ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَتَتَجَاوَزَ عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ، وَتُكَافِئَهُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ مِنْهُمْ، وَتَخْلُفَ مَنْ مَاتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ، وَمَا أَظُنُّكَ تَفْعَلُ. وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَبْنِيَ مَدِينَةَ الشَّرْقِيَّةِ، فَإِنَّكَ لَا تُتِمُّ بِنَاءَهَا، وَأَظُنُّكَ سَتَفْعَلُ. وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَسْتَعِينَ بِرَجُلٍ مِنْ بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ، وَأَظُنُّكَ سَتَفْعَلُ. وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُدْخِلَ النِّسَاءَ فِي أَمْرِكَ، وَأَظُنُّكَ سَتَفْعَلُ. وَقِيلَ: قَالَ لَهُ: إِنِّي وُلِدْتُ فِي ذِي الْحِجَّةِ، وَوُلِّيتُ فِي ذِي الْحِجَّةِ، وَقَدْ هَجَسَ فِي نَفْسِي أَنِّي أَمُوتُ فِي ذِي الْحِجَّةِ مِنْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ، وَإِنَّمَا حَدَانِي عَلَى الْحَجِّ ذَلِكَ، فَاتَّقِ اللَّهَ فِيمَا أَعْهَدُ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ أُمُورِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بَعْدِي، يَجْعَلْ لَكَ فِيمَا كَرَبَكَ وَحَزَنَكَ فَرَجًا وَمَخْرَجًا، وَيَرْزُقْكَ السَّلَامَةَ وَحُسْنَ الْعَاقِبَةِ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا تَحْتَسِبُ. يَا بُنَيَّ احْفَظْ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ فِي أُمَّتِهِ، يَحْفَظْكَ اللَّهُ ( وَيَحْفَظْ ) عَلَيْكَ أُمُورَكَ، وَإِيَّاكَ وَالدَّمَ وَالْحَرَامَ، فَإِنَّهُ حُوبٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَظِيمٌ، وَعَارٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا لَازِمٌ مُقِيمٌ، وَالْزَمِ الْحُدُودَ، فَإِنَّ فِيهَا خَلَاصَكَ فِي الْآجِلِ وَصَلَاحَكَ فِي الْعَاجِلِ، وَلَا تَعْتَدِ فِيهَا فَتَبُورَ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى لَوْ عَلِمَ أَنْ شَيْئًا أَصْلَحُ مِنْهَا لِدِينِهِ وَأَزْجَرُ عَنْ مَعَاصِيهِ لَأَمَرَ بِهِ فِي كِتَابِهِ. وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ مِنْ شِدَّةِ غَضَبِ اللَّهِ لِسُلْطَانِهِ [ أَنَّهُ ] أَمَرَ فِي كِتَابِهِ بِتَضْعِيفِ الْعَذَابِ وَالْعِقَابِ عَلَى مَنْ سَعَى فِي الْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا مَعَ مَا ذَكَرَ لَهُ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْعَظِيمِ فَقَالَ: ( إِنَّمَا جَزَاءُ الَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَنْ يُقَتَّلُوا أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوا ) الْآيَةَ. فَالسُّلْطَانُ، يَا بُنَيَّ حَبْلُ اللَّهِ الْمَتِينُ، وَعُرْوَتُهُ الْوُثْقَى، وَدِينُهُ الْقَيِّمُ، فَاحْفَظْهُ، وَحَصِّنْهُ، وَذُبَّ عَنْهُ، وَأَوْقِعْ بِالْمُلْحِدِينَ فِيهِ، وَاقْمَعِ الْمَارِقِينَ مِنْهُ، وَاقْتُلِ الْخَارِجِينَ عَنْهُ بِالْعِقَابِ، وَلَا تُجَاوِزْ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ فِي مُحْكَمِ الْقُرْآنِ، وَاحْكُمْ بِالْعَدْلِ، وَلَا تُشْطِطْ، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَقْطَعُ لِلشَّغَبِ، وَأَحْسَمُ لِلْعَدُوِّ، وَأَنْجَعُ فِي الدَّوَاءِ. وَعُفَّ عَنِ الْفَيْءِ، فَلَيْسَ بِكَ إِلَيْهِ حَاجَةٌ مَعَ مَا خَلَفَهُ اللَّهُ لَكَ، وَافْتَتِحْ [ عَمَلَكَ ] بِصِلَةِ الرَّحِمِ وَبِرِّ الْقَرَابَةِ، وَإِيَّاكَ وَالْأَثَرَةَ وَالتَّبْذِيرَ لِأَمْوَالِ الرَّعِيَّةِ، وَاشْحَنِ الثُّغُورَ، وَاضْبُطِ الْأَطْرَافَ، وَأَمِّنِ السُّبُلَ، وَسَكِّنِ الْعَامَّةَ، وَأَدْخِلِ الْمَرَافِقَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَادْفَعِ الْمَكَارِهَ عَنْهُمْ. وَأَعِدَّ الْأَمْوَالَ، وَاخْزُنْهَا، وَإِيَّاكَ وَالتَّبْذِيرَ، فَإِنَّ النَّوَائِبَ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونَةٍ، وَهِيَ مِنْ شِيَمِ الزَّمَانِ. وَأَعِدَّ الْكُرَاعَ وَالرِّجَالَ وَالْجُنْدَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتَ، وَإِيَّاكَ وَتَأْخِيرَ عَمَلِ الْيَوْمِ إِلَى الْغَدِ، فَتَتَدَارَكُ عَلَيْكَ الْأُمُورَ وَتَضِيعُ، جِدَّ فِي إِحْكَامِ الْأُمُورِ النَّازِلَاتِ لِأَوْقَاتِهَا أَوَّلًا [ فَأَوَّلًا ]، وَاجْتَهِدْ وَشَمِّرْ فِيهَا. وَأَعِدَّ رِجَالًا بِاللَّيْلِ لِمَعْرِفَةِ مَا يَكُونُ بِالنَّهَارِ، وَرِجَالًا بِالنَّهَارِ لِمَعْرِفَةِ مَا يَكُونُ بِاللَّيْلِ، وَبَاشِرِ الْأُمُورَ بِنَفْسِكَ، وَلَا تَضْجَرْ، وَلَا تُكْسِلْ، وَاسْتَعْمِلْ حُسْنَ الظَّنِّ [ بِرَبِّكَ ]، وَأَسِئَ الظَّنَّ بِعُمَّالِكَ وَكُتَّابِكَ. وَخُذْ نَفْسَكَ بِالتَّيَقُّظِ، وَتَفَقَّدْ مَنْ تَثَبَّتَ عَلَى بَابِكَ، وَسَهِّلْ إِذْنَكَ لِلنَّاسِ، وَانْظُرْ فِي أَمْرِ النُّزَّاعِ إِلَيْكَ، وَوَكِّلْ بِهِمْ عَيْنًا غَيْرَ نَائِمَةٍ، وَنَفْسًا غَيْرَ لَاهِيَةٍ، وَلَا تَنَمْ، وَإِيَّاكَ، فَإِنَّ أَبَاكَ لَمْ يَنَمْ مُنْذُ وَلِيَ الْخِلَافَةَ، وَلَا دَخَلَ عَيْنَهُ الْغَمْضُ إِلَّا وَقَلْبُهُ مُسْتَيْقِظٌ. هَذِهِ وَصِيَّتِي إِلَيْكَ، وَاللَّهُ خَلِيفَتِي عَلَيْكَ. ثُمَّ وَدَّعَهُ وَبَكَى كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ، ثُمَّ سَارَ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ، وَجَمَعَ بَيْنَ الْحَجِّ وَالْعُمْرَةِ، وَسَاقَ الْهَدْيَ، وَأَشْعَرَهُ، وَقَلَّدَهُ لِأَيَّامٍ خَلَتْ مِنْ ذِي الْقِعْدَةِ. فَلَمَّا سَارَ مَنَازِلَ مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ عَرَضَ لَهُ وَجَعُهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ بِهِ وَهُوَ الْقِيَامُ، فَلَمَّا اشْتَدَّ وَجَعُهُ جَعَلَ يَقُولُ لِلرَّبِيعِ: بَادِرْنِي حَرَمَ رَبِّي هَارِبًا مِنْ ذُنُوبِي، وَكَانَ الرَّبِيعُ عَدِيلَهُ، وَوَصَّاهُ بِمَا أَرَادَ. فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ إِلَى بِئْرِ مَيْمُونٍ مَاتَ بِهَا مَعَ السَّحَرِ لِسِتٍّ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ، وَلَمْ يَحْضُرْهُ عِنْدَ وَفَاتِهِ إِلَّا خَدَمُهُ، وَالرَّبِيعُ مَوْلَاهُ، فَكَتَمَ الرَّبِيعُ مَوْتَهُ، وَمَنَعَ مِنَ الْبُكَاءِ عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ أَصْبَحَ، فَحَضَرَ أَهْلُ بَيْتِهِ كَمَا كَانُوا يَحْضُرُونَ. وَكَانَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ دَعَا عَمَّهُ عِيسَى بْنَ عَلِيٍّ، فَمَكَثَ سَاعَةً، ثُمَّ أَذِنَ ( لِابْنِ أَخِيهِ عِيسَى ) بْنِ مُوسَى وَكَانَ فِيمَا خَلَا يُقَدَّمُ عَلَى عِيسَى بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، ثُمَّ أَذِنَ لِلْأَكَابِرِ وَذَوِي الْأَسْنَانِ مِنْهُمْ، ثُمَّ لِعَامَّتِهِمْ، فَبَايَعَهُمُ الرَّبِيعُ لِلْمَهْدِيِّ، وَلِعِيسَى بْنِ مُوسَى بَعْدَهُ عَلَى يَدَيْ مُوسَى الْهَادِي بْنِ الْمَهْدِيِّ. فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ بَيْعَةِ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ بَايَعَ الْقُوَّادَ، وَبَايَعَ عَامَّةَ النَّاسِ، وَسَارَ الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ إِلَى مَكَّةَ لِيُبَايِعَا النَّاسَ، فَبَايَعُوا بَيْنَ الرُّكْنِ وَالْمَقَامِ. وَاشْتَغَلُوا بِتَجْهِيزِ الْمَنْصُورِ، فَفَرَغُوا مِنْهُ الْعَصْرَ، وَكُفِّنَ وَغُطِّيَ وَجْهُهُ وَبَدَنُهُ، وَجُعِلَ رَأْسُهُ مَكْشُوفًا لِأَجْلِ إِحْرَامِهِ، وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ عِيسَى بْنُ مُوسَى، وَقِيلَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، وَدُفِنَ فِي مَقْبَرَةِ الْمَعْلَاةِ، وَحَفَرُوا لَهُ مِائَةَ قَبْرٍ لِيُغَمُّوا عَلَى النَّاسِ، وَدُفِنَ فِي غَيْرِهَا، وَنَزَلَ فِي قَبْرِهِ عِيسَى بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، وَعِيسَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَالْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَالرَّبِيعُ وَالرَّيَّانُ مَوْلَيَاهُ، وَيَقْطِينُ. وَكَانَ عُمُرُهُ ثَلَاثًا وَسِتِّينَ سَنَةً، وَقِيلَ أَرْبَعًا وَسِتِّينَ، وَقِيلَ ثَمَانِيًا وَسِتِّينَ سَنَةً، فَكَانَتْ مُدَّةُ خِلَافَتِهِ اثْنَتَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ سَنَةً إِلَّا أَرْبَعَةً وَعِشْرِينَ يَوْمًا، وَقِيلَ إِلَّا ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، وَقِيلَ إِلَّا يَوْمَيْنِ. وَقِيلَ فِي مَوْتِهِ: إِنَّهُ لَمَّا نَزَلَ آخِرَ مَنْزِلٍ بِطَرِيقِ مَكَّةَ نَظَرَ فِي صَدْرِ الْبَيْتِ، فَإِذَا فِيهِ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ حَانَتْ وَفَاتُكَ وَانْقَضَتْ سُنُوكُ، وَأَمْرُ اللَّهِ لَابُدَّ وَاقِعُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ هَلْ كَاهِنٌ أَوْ مُنَجِّمٌ لَكَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ حَرِّ الْمَنِيَّةِ مَانِعُ . فَأَحْضَرَ مُتَوَلِّيَ الْمَنَازِلِ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَلَمْ آمُرْكَ أَنْ لَا يَدْخُلَ الْمَنَازِلَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ ؟ قَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا دَخَلَهَا أَحَدٌ مُنْذُ فُرِغَ [ مِنْهَا ]. فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ مَا فِي صَدْرِ الْبَيْتِ ! فَقَالَ: مَا أَرَى شَيْئًا، فَأَحْضَرَ غَيْرَهُ، فَلَمْ يَرَ شَيْئًا، فَأَمْلَى الْبَيْتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِحَاجِبِهِ: اقْرَأْ آيَةً، فَقَرَأَ: ( وَسَيَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَيَّ مُنْقَلَبٍ يَنْقَلِبُونَ ). فَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَضُرِبَ، وَرَحَلَ مِنَ الْمَنْزِلِ تَطَيُّرًا، فَسَقَطَ عَنْ دَابَّتِهِ، فَانْدَقَّ ظَهْرُهُ وَمَاتَ، فَدُفِنَ بِبِئْرِ مَيْمُونٍ. وَالصَّحِيحُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ.
Translation
✧ Mention of the death of al-Manṣūr and his testament In this year, al-Manṣūr died on the sixth of Dhū al-Ḥijjah at Biʾr Maymūn. It was said that a caller from his palace had called out to him, and he heard it say: Amā wa-rabbi al-sukūni wa-al-ḥaraki inna al-manāyā kathīratu al-sharaki ʿAlayki, yā nafsu in asaʾti, wa-in Aḥsanti bi-al-qaṣdi, kullu dhāka laki Mā ikhtalafa al-laylu wa-al-nahāru, wa-lā Dārat nujūmu al-samāʾi fī al-falaki Illā tanaqqala al-sulṭānu ʿan malikin Idhā intahā mulkuhu ilā maliki Ḥattā yaṣīrā bihi ilā malikin Mā ʿizzu sulṭānihi bi-mushtaraki Dhāka badīʿu al-samāʾi wa-al-arḍi wa-al- Mursī al-jibāli al-musakhkhiri al-falaki Al-Manṣūr said: "This is the time of my appointed term." Al-Ṭabarī said: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Muslim related that he said: I entered upon al-Manṣūr one day to greet him, and there he was, stunned, not returning a greeting. I jumped up from what I saw of him to leave, and after a while he said [to me]: "I saw in a dream as if a man was reciting these [verses] to me: A-ukhayya khaffiḍ min munākā fa-ka-anna yawmaka qad atākā Wa-laqad arāka al-dahra min taṣarrufayhi mā qad arākā Fa-idhā aradta al-nāqiṣa al-ʿabda al-dhalīla, fa-anta dhākā Mullikta mā mulliktahu wa-al-amru fīhi ilā siwākā . This is what you see of my anxiety and grief from what I heard and saw." I said: "You have seen good, O Commander of the Faithful." It was not long before he set out for Makkah. When he departed from Baghdād to perform the pilgrimage, he alighted at the palace of ʿAbda wayh. A star fell during his stay there, with three nights remaining of Shawwāl, after the break of dawn, and its trace remained visible until sunrise. He summoned al-Mahdī, who had accompanied him to bid him farewell, and charged him regarding wealth and authority, doing that every day of his stay, morning and evening. On the day he departed, he said to him: "I have not left anything without having already charged you about it, and I will now enjoin upon you traits of which I do not think you will carry out even one." (He had a basket containing the notebooks of his knowledge), with a lock that none but he opened. He said to al-Mahdī: "Look to this basket and keep it safe, for in it is the knowledge of your forefathers, (what has been) and what will be until the Day of Resurrection. If a matter grieves you, look in the large notebook; if you find what you want in it, fine, and if not, then in the second and the third, until you reach seven. If it is too burdensome for you, then the small booklet, for you will find in it what you want; and I do not think you will do it. Look to this city, and beware of exchanging it for another. I have gathered for you in it such wealth that if the land tax were to fail you for ten years, it would suffice you for the stipends of the army, expenditures, the descendants, and the needs of expeditions. Guard it, for you will remain mighty as long as your treasury is full; and I do not think you will do it. I enjoin upon you the people of your house: show them honor, be good to them, give them precedence, make people walk behind them, and appoint them to pulpits, for your might is their might, and their mention is for you; and I do not think you will do it. Look to your clients and be good to them, draw them near, and increase their number, for they are your support in hardship if it befalls you; and I do not think you will do it. I enjoin upon you good treatment of the people of Khurāsān, for they are your helpers and your partisans who expended their wealth and blood for your dynasty, and whose love for you does not leave their hearts. Be good to them, overlook their wrongdoers, reward them for what they have done, and provide for the family and children of any of them who dies; and I do not think you will do it. Beware of building the city of al-Sharqiyyah, for you will not complete its construction; and I think you will do it. Beware of seeking help from any man of Banū Sulaym; and I think you will do it. Beware of admitting women into your affairs; and I think you will do it. It was said that he said to him: "I was born in Dhū al-Ḥijjah, I was given authority in Dhū al-Ḥijjah, and it has occurred to me that I will die in Dhū al-Ḥijjah of this year. That is what prompted me to perform the pilgrimage. So fear God in what I entrust to you of the affairs of the Muslims after me, and He will grant you relief and a way out in whatever distresses and grieves you, and provide you safety and a good outcome from where you do not expect. My son, safeguard Muḥammad ﷺ in his community, and God will safeguard you and preserve your affairs for you. Beware of blood and the forbidden, for it is a grave sin before God, and a lasting, abiding shame in this world. Adhere to the prescribed punishments, for in them lies your salvation in the hereafter and your well-being in this world. Do not transgress them lest you perish, for if God Almighty had known that anything was better for His religion and more deterrent against disobedience to Him, He would have commanded it in His Book. Know that out of the intensity of God's anger for His authority, He commanded in His Book the doubling of torment and punishment for those who strive in the land to cause corruption, along with the great punishment He mentioned for them. He said: (The recompense of those who wage war against God and His Messenger and strive in the land to cause corruption is that they be killed or crucified) the verse. Authority, my son, is the firm rope of God, His trustworthy handhold, and His upright religion. So preserve it, fortify it, defend it, strike down the heretics against it, suppress the apostates from it, and kill those who revolt against it with punishment. Do not exceed what God has commanded in the clear Qurʾān. Judge with justice and do not be unjust, for that is more effective in cutting off turmoil, more decisive against the enemy, and more beneficial in the remedy. Abstain from the spoils, for you have no need of them given what God has left you. Begin your work with maintaining ties of kinship and being dutiful to relatives. Beware of favoritism and squandering the wealth of the subjects. Fill the frontiers, secure the borders, make the roads safe, keep the common people tranquil, bring benefits to them, and ward off hardships from them. Prepare wealth and store it. Beware of wastefulness, for calamities are not safe, and they are part of the character of time. Prepare horses, men, and troops as much as you can. Beware of postponing today's work to tomorrow, lest matters overtake you and be lost. Strive to perfect matters as they occur, at their times, one after another. Exert yourself and be diligent in them. Prepare men at night to know what happens by day, and men by day to know what happens at night. Attend to affairs yourself, and do not be vexed or lazy. Think well of your Lord, and think ill of your agents and scribes. Keep yourself vigilant. Inspect those who are stationed at your gate. Make your permission easy for the people. Look into the affairs of those who come to you. Appoint over them a watchful eye and an attentive soul. Do not sleep, and beware, for your father has not slept since he assumed the caliphate, and no slumber has entered his eye except while his heart was awake. This is my testament to you, and God is my successor over you. Then he bade him farewell, and each of them wept to his companion. Then he traveled to al-Kūfah, combined the pilgrimage and the ʿumrah, and drove the sacrificial animal, marking it and garlanding it, for days that had passed of Dhū al-Qiʿdah. When he had traveled some stages from al-Kūfah, the illness from which he died, which was intestinal pain, afflicted him. When his pain grew severe, he began saying to al-Rabīʿ: "Hasten me to the sanctuary of my Lord, fleeing from my sins." Al-Rabīʿ was his riding companion, and he charged him with what he wanted. When he reached Biʾr Maymūn, he died there at dawn, on the sixth of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. None were present at his death except his servants and al-Rabīʿ, his client. Al-Rabīʿ concealed his death and prevented wailing over him. Then morning came, and the people of his house attended as they used to attend. The first person he called was his uncle ʿĪsā b. ʿAlī, and he stayed for a while. Then he gave permission to his nephew ʿĪsā b. Mūsā, who had previously been given precedence over ʿĪsā b. ʿAlī. Then he gave permission to the nobles and the elderly among them, then to their common people. Al-Rabīʿ had them pledge allegiance to al-Mahdī, and to ʿĪsā b. Mūsā after him, at the hands of Mūsā al-Hādī b. al-Mahdī. When he finished the oath of allegiance of Banū Hāshim, he had the commanders pledge allegiance, and the common people pledged allegiance. Al-ʿAbbās b. Muḥammad and Muḥammad b. Sulaymān went to Makkah to have the people pledge allegiance, and they pledged allegiance between the Corner and the Station. They busied themselves with preparing al-Manṣūr's body. They finished with him by the afternoon. He was shrouded and his face and body were covered, but his head was left uncovered because of his state of iḥrām. ʿĪsā b. Mūsā prayed over him; it was also said that Ibrāhīm b. Yaḥyā b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās did. He was buried in the cemetery of al-Maʿlāt. They dug a hundred graves for him to conceal the matter from the people, and he was buried in a different one. Those who descended into his grave were ʿĪsā b. ʿAlī, ʿĪsā b. Muḥammad, al-ʿAbbās b. Muḥammad, al-Rabīʿ and al-Rayyān, his two clients, and Yaqṭīn. His age was sixty-three years; it was said sixty-four, and it was said sixty-eight years. The duration of his caliphate was twenty-two years minus twenty-four days; it was said minus three days, and it was said minus two days. It was said concerning his death that when he alighted at the last stage on the road to Makkah, he looked at the front of the house, and there in it was: In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate Abā Jaʿfar ḥānat wafātuka wa-inqaḍat sunūku, wa-amru Allāhi lā budda wāqiʿu Abā Jaʿfar hal kāhinun aw munajjimun laka al-yawma min ḥarri al-maniyyati māniʿu . He summoned the keeper of the stages and said to him: "Did I not command you that no one among the people should enter the stages?" He said: "By God, no one has entered them since they were completed." He said: "Read what is at the front of the house!" He said: "I see nothing." He brought someone else, and he saw nothing. He dictated the two verses, then said to his chamberlain: "Recite a verse," and he recited: (And those who have wronged will come to know by what overturning they will be overturned). He ordered him beaten, and he departed from the stage out of superstitious dread. He fell from his mount, his back was broken, and he died. He was buried at Biʾr Maymūn. But the correct account is what was mentioned earlier.
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