Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2928
Then the year 158 AH began
ذِكْرُ بَعْضِ سِيرَةِ الْمَنْصُورِ قَالَ سَلَّامٌ الْأَبْرَشُ: كُنْتُ أَخْدُمُ الْمَنْصُورَ دَاخِلًا [ فِي مَنْزِلِهِ ]، وَكَانَ مِنْ أَحْسَنِ النَّاسِ خُلُقًا، مَا لَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَى النَّاسِ، وَأَشَدَّ احْتِمَالًا لِمَا يَكُونُ مِنْ عَبَثِ الصِّبْيَانِ، فَإِذَا لَبِسَ ثَوْبَهُ ارْبَدَّ لَوْنُهُ، وَاحْمَرَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ مَا يَكُونُ. وَقَالَ لِي يَوْمًا: يَا بُنَيَّ ! إِذَا رَأَيْتَنِي قَدْ لَبِسْتُ ثِيَابِي، أَوْ رَجَعْتُ مِنْ مَجْلِسِي فَلَا يَدْنُوَنَّ مِنِّي مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ أَغُرَّهُ بِشَيْءٍ. قَالَ: وَلَمْ يُرَ فِي دَارِ الْمَنْصُورِ لَهْوٌ، وَلَا شَيْءٌ يُشْبِهُ اللَّهْوَ وَاللَّعِبَ وَالْعَبَثَ، إِلَّا مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً، رُئِيَ بَعْضُ أَوْلَادِهِ وَقَدْ رَكِبَ رَاحِلَةً، وَهُوَ صَبِيٌّ، وَتَنَكَّبَ قَوْسًا فِي هَيْئَةِ الْغُلَامِ الْأَعْرَابِيِّ، بَيْنَ جُوَالِقَيْنِ فِيهِمَا مُقْلٍ وَمَسَاوِيكَ وَمَا يُهْدِيهِ الْأَعْرَابُ، فَعَجِبَ النَّاسُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَأَنْكَرُوهُ، فَعَبَرَ إِلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ بِالرُّصَافَةِ فَأَهْدَاهُ لَهُ، فَقَبِلَهُ وَمَلَأَ الْجُوَالِقَيْنِ دَرَاهِمَ، فَعَادَ بَيْنَهُمَا، فَعَلِمَ أَنَّهُ ضَرْبٌ مِنْ عَبَثِ الْمُلُوكِ. قَالَ حَمَّادٌ التُّرْكِيُّ: كُنْتُ وَاقِفًا عَلَى رَأْسِ الْمَنْصُورِ، فَسَمِعَ جَلَبَةً، فَقَالَ: انْظُرْ مَا هَذَا ! فَذَهَبْتُ فَإِذَا خَادِمٌ لَهُ قَدْ جَلَسَ حَوْلَهُ الْجَوَارِي، وَهُوَ يَضْرِبُ لَهُنَّ بِالطُّنْبُورِ، وَهُنَّ يَضْحَكْنَ، فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ، فَقَالَ: وَأَيُّ شَيْءٍ الطُّنْبُورُ ؟، فَوَصَفْتُهُ لَهُ، فَقَالَ: مَا يُدْرِيكَ أَنْتَ مَا الطُّنْبُورُ ؟ قُلْتُ: رَأَيْتُهُ بِخُرَاسَانَ. فَقَامَ وَمَشَى إِلَيْهِنَّ، فَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَهُ تَفَرَّقْنَ، فَأَمَرَ بِالْخَادِمِ فَضُرِبَ رَأْسُهُ بِالطُّنْبُورِ، حَتَّى تَكَسَّرَ الطُّنْبُورُ، وَأَخْرَجَ الْخَادِمَ فَبَاعَهُ. قَالَ: وَكَانَ الْمَنْصُورُ قَدِ اسْتَعْمَلَ مَعْنَ بْنَ زَائِدَةَ عَلَى الْيَمَنِ، لِمَا بَلَغَهُ مِنَ الِاخْتِلَافِ هُنَاكَ، فَسَارَ إِلَيْهِ وَأَصْلَحَهُ، وَقَصَدَهُ النَّاسُ مِنْ أَقْطَارِ الْأَرْضِ لِاشْتِهَارِ جُودِهِ، فَفَرَّقَ فِيهِمُ الْأَمْوَالَ، فَسَخِطَ عَلَيْهِ الْمَنْصُورُ. فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ مَعْنُ بْنُ زَائِدَةَ وَفْدًا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ، فِيهِمْ مُجَّاعَةُ بْنُ الْأَزْهَرِ، وَسَيَّرَهُمْ إِلَى الْمَنْصُورِ لِيُزِيلُوا غَيْظَهُ وَغَضَبَهُ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَى الْمَنْصُورِ ابْتَدَأَ مُجَّاعَةُ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ وَالثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ، وَذِكْرِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأَطْنَبَ فِي ذَلِكَ حَتَّى عَجِبَ الْقَوْمُ، ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ الْمَنْصُورَ وَمَا شَرَّفَهُ اللَّهُ بِهِ، وَذَكَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ صَاحِبَهُ. فَلَمَّا انْقَضَى كَلَامُهُ قَالَ: أَمَّا مَا ذَكَرْتَ مِنْ حَمْدِ اللَّهِ، فَاللَّهُ أَجَلُّ مِنْ أَنْ تَبْلُغَهُ الصِّفَاتُ، وَأَمَّا مَا ذَكَرْتَ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَدْ فَضَّلَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِأَكْثَرَ مِمَّا قُلْتَ، وَأَمَّا مَا وَصَفْتَ بِهِ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَإِنَّهُ فَضَّلَهُ اللَّهُ بِذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ مُعِينُهُ عَلَى طَاعَتِهِ، إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى، وَأَمَّا مَا ذَكَرْتَ مِنْ صَاحِبِكَ، فَكَذَبْتَ وَلَؤُمْتَ، اخْرُجْ، فَلَا يُقْبَلُ مَا ذَكَرْتَهُ. فَلَمَّا صَارُوا بِآخِرِ الْأَبْوَابِ أَمَرَ بِرَدِّهِ مَعَ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَقَالَ: مَا قُلْتَ ؟ فَأَعَادَهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَأُخْرِجُوا، ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِهِمْ، فَأُوقِفُوا، ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى مَنْ حَضَرَ مِنْ مُضَرَ، فَقَالَ: هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ فِيكُمْ مِثْلَ هَذَا ؟ وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ تَكَلَّمَ حَتَّى حَسَدْتُهُ، وَمَا مَنَعَنِي أَنْ أُتِمَّ عَلَى رَدِّهِ إِلَّا أَنْ يُقَالَ حَسَدَهُ لِأَنَّهُ مِنْ رَبِيعَةَ، وَمَا رَأَيْتُ مِثْلَهُ رُجَلًا أَرْبَطَ جَأْشًا، وَلَا أَظْهَرَ بَيَانًا، رُدَّهُ يَا غُلَامُ. فَلَمَّا صَارَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ قَالَ: اقْصِدْ لِحَاجَتِكَ ! قَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، مَعْنُ بْنُ زَائِدَةَ عَبْدُكَ، وَسَيْفُكَ، وَسَهْمُكَ، رَمَيْتَ بِهِ عَدُوَّكَ، فَضَرَبَ، وَطَعَنَ، وَرَمَى حَتَّى سَهَّلَ مَا حَزُنَ، وَذَلَّ مَا صَعُبَ، وَاسْتَوَى مَا كَانَ مُعْوَجًّا مِنَ الْيَمَنِ، فَأَصْبَحُوا مِنْ خَوَلِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أَطَالَ اللَّهُ بَقَاءَهُ، فَإِنْ كَانَ فِي نَفْسِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ هَنَةٌ مِنْ سَاعٍ، أَوْ وَاشٍ، فَأَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَوْلَى بِالْفَضْلِ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ، وَمَنْ أَفْنَى عُمُرَهُ فِي طَاعَتِهِ. فَقَبِلَ عُذْرَهُ وَأَمَرَ بِصَرْفِهِمْ إِلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا قَرَأَ مَعْنٌ الْكِتَابَ بِالرِّضَا، قَبَّلَ مَا بَيْنَ عَيْنَيْهِ، وَشَكَرَ أَصْحَابَهُ، وَأَجَازَهُمْ عَلَى أَقْدَارِهِمْ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالرَّحِيلِ إِلَى الْمَنْصُورِ. فَقَالَ مُجَّاعَةُ: آلَيْتُ فِي مَجْلِسٍ مِنْ وَائِلٍ قَسَمًا أَلَّا أَبِيعَكَ يَا مَعْنُ بِأَطْمَاعِ يَا مَعْنُ ! إِنَّكَ قَدْ أَوْلَيْتَنِي نِعَمًا عَمَّتْ لُحَيْمًا وَخَصَّتْ آلَ مُجَّاعِ فَلَا أَزَالُ إِلَيْكَ الدَّهْرَ مُنْقَطِعًا حَتَّى يُشَيِّدَ بِهُلْكِي هَتْفُهُ النَّاعِي. وَكَانَ [ مِنْ ] نِعَمِ مَعْنٍ عَلَى مُجَّاعَةَ أَنَّهُ قَضَى لَهُ ثَلَاثَ حَوَائِجَ مِنْهَا: أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَتَعَشَّقُ جَارِيَةً مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِ مَعْنٍ، اسْمُهَا زَهْرَاءُ، فَطَلَبَهَا، فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ لِفَقْرِهِ، فَطَلَبَهَا مِنْ مَعْنٍ، فَأَحْضَرَ أَبَاهَا، فَزَوَّجَهُ إِيَّاهَا عَلَى عَشَرَةِ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ، وَأَمْهَرَهَا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ. وَمِنْهَا: أَنَّهُ طَلَبَ مِنْهُ حَائِطًا بِعَيْنِهِ، فَاشْتَرَاهُ لَهُ. وَمِنْهَا أَنَّهُ اسْتَوْهَبَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا، فَوَهَبَ لَهُ ثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ تَمَامَ مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ. قِيلَ: وَكَانَ الْمَنْصُورُ يَقُولُ: مَا أَحْوَجَنِي أَنْ يَكُونَ عَلَى بَابِي أَرْبَعَةُ نَفَرٍ لَا يَكُونُ عَلَى بَابِي أَعَفَّ مِنْهُمْ، هُمْ أَرْكَانُ الدَّوْلَةِ وَلَا يَصْلُحُ الْمُلْكُ إِلَّا بِهِمْ، أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمْ فَقَاضٍ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ فِي اللَّهِ لَوْمَةُ لَائِمٍ، وَالْآخَرُ صَاحِبُ شُرْطَةٍ يُنْصِفُ الضَّعِيفَ مِنَ الْقَوِيِّ، وَالثَّالِثُ صَاحِبُ خَرَاجٍ يَسْتَقْصِي وَلَا يَظْلِمُ الرَّعِيَّةَ. ثُمَّ عَضَّ عَلَى إِصْبَعِهِ السَّبَّابَةِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ، يَقُولُ فِي كُلِّ مَرَّةٍ: آهٍ آهٍ. قِيلَ: مَا هُوَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ؟ قَالَ: صَاحِبُ بَرِيدٍ يَكْتُبُ خَبَرَ هَؤُلَاءِ عَلَى الصِّحَّةِ. وَقِيلَ: دَعَا الْمَنْصُورُ بِعَامِلٍ قَدْ كَسَرَ خَرَاجَهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَدِّ مَا عَلَيْكَ ! فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا أَمْلِكُ شَيْئًا. وَأَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ! فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، هَبْ مَا عَلَيَّ لِلَّهِ وَشَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ. فَخَلَّى سَبِيلَهُ. وَقِيلَ: وَأُتِيَ بِعَامِلٍ، فَحَبَسَهُ وَطَالَبَهُ، فَقَالَ الْعَامِلُ: عَبْدُكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَقَالَ: بِئْسَ الْعَبْدُ أَنْتَ ! فَقَالَ: لَكِنَّكَ نِعْمَ الْمَوْلَى. قَالَ: أَمَّا لَكَ فَلَا. قِيلَ: وَأُتِيَ بِخَارِجِيٍّ قَدْ هَزَمَ لَهُ جُيُوشًا، فَأَرَادَ ضَرْبَ رَقَبَتِهِ، ثُمَّ ازْدَرَاهُ فَقَالَ: يَا ابْنَ الْفَاعِلَةِ ! مِثْلُكَ يَهْزِمُ الْجُيُوشَ ؟ ! فَقَالَ لَهُ: وَيْلَكَ وَسَوْأَةً لَكَ أَمْسِ، بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ السَّيْفُ، وَالْيَوْمَ الْقَذْفُ وَالسَّبُّ، وَمَا كَانَ يُؤَمِّنُكَ أَنْ أَرُدَّ عَلَيْكَ وَقَدْ يَئِسْتُ مِنَ الْحَيَاةِ فَلَا تَسْتَقِيلُهَا أَبَدًا ؟ فَاسْتَحْيَا مِنْهُ الْمَنْصُورُ وَأَطْلَقَهُ. قِيلَ: وَكَانَ شَغْلُ الْمَنْصُورِ، فِي صَدْرِ نَهَارِهِ، بِالْأَمْرِ وَالنَّهْيِ، وَالْوِلَايَاتِ، وَالْعَزْلِ، وَشَحْنِ الثُّغُورِ وَالْأَطْرَافِ، وَأَمْنِ السُّبُلِ، وَالنَّظَرِ فِي الْخَرَاجِ وَالنَّفَقَاتِ، وَمَصْلَحَةِ مَعَاشِ الرَّعِيَّةِ، وَالتَّلَطُّفِ بِسُكُونِهِمْ وَهَدْيِهِمْ، فَإِذَا صَلَّى الْعَصْرَ جَلَسَ لِأَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ. فَإِذَا صَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ الْآخِرَةَ جَلَسَ يَنْظُرُ فِيمَا وَرَدَ مِنْ كُتُبِ الثُّغُورِ وَالْأَطْرَافِ وَالْآفَاقِ، وَشَاوَرَ سُمَّارَهُ، فَإِذَا مَضَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ ( قَامَ إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ، وَانْصَرَفَ سُمَّارُهُ، وَإِذَا مَضَى الثُّلُثُ الثَّانِي قَامَ فَتَوَضَّأَ وَصَلَّى، حَتَّى يَطْلُعَ الْفَجْرُ، ثُمَّ يَخْرُجُ فَيُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ، ثُمَّ يَدْخُلُ فَيَجْلِسُ فِي إِيوَانِهِ. قِيلَ: وَقَالَ لِلْمَهْدِيِّ: لَا تُبْرِمْ أَمْرًا حَتَّى تُفَكِّرَ فِيهِ، فَإِنَّ فِكْرَ الْعَاقِلِ مِرْآتُهُ تُرِيهِ حَسَنَهُ وَسَيِّئَهُ. يَا بُنَيَّ ! لَا يَصْلُحُ السُّلْطَانُ إِلَّا بِالتَّقْوَى، وَلَا تَصْلُحُ رَعِيَّتُهُ إِلَّا بِالطَّاعَةِ، وَلَا تَعْمُرُ الْبِلَادُ بِمِثْلِ الْعَدْلِ، وَأَقْدَرُ النَّاسِ عَلَى الْعَفْوِ أَقْدَرُهُمْ عَلَى الْعُقُوبَةِ، وَأَعْجَزُ النَّاسِ مَنْ ظَلَمَ مَنْ هُوَ دُونَهُ، وَاعْتَبِرْ عَمَلَ صَاحِبِكَ وَعِلْمَهُ بِاخْتِبَارِهِ. يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ! لَا تَجْلِسْ مَجْلِسًا إِلَّا وَمَعَكَ مِنْ [ أَهْلِ ] الْعِلْمِ مَنْ يُحَدِّثُكَ، وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُحْمَدَ أَحْسَنَ السِّيرَةَ، وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَ الْحَمْدَ أَسَاءَهَا، وَمَا أَبْغَضَ الْحَمْدَ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا اسْتُذِمَّ، وَمَا اسْتُذِمَّ إِلَّا كُرِهَ. يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ! لَيْسَ الْعَاقِلُ الَّذِي يَحْتَالُ لِلْأَمْرِ الَّذِي غَشِيَهُ، بَلِ الْعَاقِلُ الَّذِي يَحْتَالُ لِلْأَمْرِ حَتَّى لَا يَقَعَ فِيهِ. وَقَالَ لِلْمَهْدِيِّ يَوْمًا: كَمْ رَايَةً عِنْدَكَ ؟ قَالَ: لَا أَدْرِي. قَالَ: ( هَذَا وَاللَّهِ التَّضْيِيعُ، وَأَنْتَ ) لِأَمْرِ الْخِلَافَةِ أَشَدُّ تَضْيِيعًا، وَلَكِنْ قَدْ جَمَعْتُ لَكَ مَا لَا يَضُرُّكَ مَعَهُ مَا ضَيَّعْتَ، فَاتَّقِ اللَّهَ فِيمَا خَوَّلَكَ. قِيلَ: وَقَالَ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عِيسَى: لَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ بَنِي الْعَبَّاسِ يَتَكَلَّمُ فَيَبْلُغُ حَاجَتَهُ عَلَى الْبَدِيهَةِ، غَيْرُ الْمَنْصُورِ، وَأَخِيهِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَمِّهِمَا دَاوُدَ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ. قِيلَ: وَخَطَبَ الْمَنْصُورُ يَوْمًا، فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ أَحْمَدُهُ وَأَسْتَعِينُهُ، وَأُؤْمِنُ بِهِ، وَأَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ. فَاعْتَرَضَهُ إِنْسَانٌ فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا الْإِنْسَانُ أُذَكِّرُكَ مَنْ ذَكَّرْتَ بِهِ ! فَقَطَعَ الْخُطْبَةَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: سَمْعًا، سَمْعًا لِمَنْ حَفِظَ عَنِ اللَّهِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ جَبَّارًا عَنِيدًا، أَوْ تَأْخُذُنِي الْعِزَّةُ بِالْإِثْمِ، لَقَدْ ضَلَلْتُ إِذًا، وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ. وَأَنْتَ أَيُّهَا الْقَائِلُ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَرَدْتَ بِهَذَا الْقَوْلِ اللَّهَ، وَلَكِنَّكَ أَرَدْتَ أَنْ يُقَالَ قَامَ، فَقَالَ، فَعُوقِبَ، فَصَبَرَ، وَأَهْوَنَ بِهَا، وَيْلَكَ، لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ، وَاغْتَنِمْهَا إِذْ عَفَوْتُ، وَإِيَّاكَ، وَإِيَّاكُمْ مَعَاشِرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أُخْتَهَا، فَإِنَّ الْحِكْمَةَ عَلَيْنَا نُزِّلَتْ، وَمِنْ عِنْدِنَا فُصِّلَتْ، فَرُدُّوا الْأَمْرَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ، تُورِدُوهُ مَوَارِدَهُ، وَتُصْدِرُوهُ مَصَادِرَهُ. ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَى خُطْبَتِهِ، كَأَنَّمَا يَقْرَأُهَا، فَقَالَ: وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ. وَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ صَاعِدٍ: خَطَبَ الْمَنْصُورُ بِمَكَّةَ، بَعْدَ بِنَاءِ بَغْدَاذَ، فَكَانَ مِمَّا قَالَ: ( وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِي الزَّبُورِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الْأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِيَ الصَّالِحُونَ ). أَمْرٌ مُبْرَمٌ، وَقَوْلٌ عَدْلٌ، وَقَضَاءٌ فَصْلٌ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَفْلَجَ حُجَّتَهُ، وَبُعْدًا لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا الْكَعْبَةَ غَضًّا، وَالْفَيْءَ إِرْثًا وَ ( جَعَلُوا الْقُرْآنَ عِضِينَ )، لَقَدْ حَاقَ بِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ، فَكَمْ مِنْ بِئْرٍ مُعَطَّلَةٍ، وَقَصْرٍ مَشِيدٍ أَهْمَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ حِينَ بَدَّلُوا السُّنَّةَ، وَاضْطَهَدُوا الْعِتْرَةَ، وَعَنَدُوا، وَاعْتَدَوْا، وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَخَابَ كُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ، ( هَلْ تُحِسُّ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ أَوْ تَسْمَعُ لَهُمْ رِكْزًا ). قَالَ: وَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ يَشْكُو بَعْضَ عُمَّالِهِ، فَوَقَّعَ إِلَى الْعَامِلِ فِي الرُّقْعَةِ: إِنْ آثَرْتَ الْعَدْلَ صَحِبَتْكَ السَّلَامَةُ، وَإِنْ آثَرْتَ الْجَوْرَ فَمَا أَقْرَبَكَ مِنَ النَّدَامَةِ، فَأَنْصِفْ هَذَا الْمُتَظَلِّمَ مِنَ الظُّلَامَةِ. قِيلَ: وَكَتَبَ إِلَى [ الْمَنْصُورِ ] صَاحِبُ أَرْمِينِيَّةَ يُخْبِرُهُ أَنَّ الْجُنْدَ قَدْ شَغَبُوا عَلَيْهِ، وَنَهَبُوا مَا فِي بَيْتِ الْمَالِ، فَوَقَّعَ فِي كِتَابِهِ: اعْتَزِلْ عَمَلَنَا مَذْمُومًا مَدْحُورًا، فَلَوْ عَقَلْتَ لَمْ يَشْغَبُوا، وَلَوْ قَوِيتَ لَمْ يَنْهَبُوا. وَهَذَا وَمَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ كَلَامِهِ وَوَصَايَاهُ يَدُلُّ عَلَى فَصَاحَتِهِ وَبَلَاغَتِهِ، وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ لَهُ أَيْضًا مِنَ الْكُتُبِ وَغَيْرِهَا مَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ كَانَ وَاحِدَ زَمَانِهِ، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَبْخَلُ. وَمِمَّا نُقِلَ عَنْهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُ الْوَضِينِ بْنِ عَطَاءٍ: اسْتَزَارَنِي الْمَنْصُورُ، وَكَانَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ خُلَّةٌ قَبْلَ الْخِلَافَةِ، فَخَلَوْنَا يَوْمًا، فَقَالَ: يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ! مَا لَكَ ؟ قُلْتُ: الْخَبَرُ الَّذِي تَعْرِفُهُ. قَالَ: وَمَا عِيَالُكَ ؟ قُلْتُ: ثَلَاثُ بَنَاتٍ، وَالْمَرْأَةُ، وَخَادِمٌ لَهُنَّ. فَقَالَ: أَرْبَعٌ فِي بَيْتِكَ ؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ ! فَرَدَّدَهَا، حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيُعِينُنِي، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَنْتَ أَيْسَرُ الْعَرَبِ، أَرْبَعَةُ مَغَازِلَ يَدُرْنَ فِي بَيْتِكَ. قِيلَ: رُفِعَ غُلَامٌ لِأَبِي عَطَاءٍ الْخُرَاسَانِيِّ أَنَّ لَهُ عَشَرَةَ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ، فَأَخَذَهَا مِنْهُ وَقَالَ: هَذَا مَالِي. قَالَ: مِنْ أَيْنَ يَكُونُ مَالُكَ، وَوَاللَّهِ مَا وَلَّيْتُكَ عَمَلًا قَطُّ، وَلَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ رَحِمٌ وَلَا قَرَابَةٌ ! قَالَ: بَلَى ! [ كُنْتَ ] تَزَوَّجْتَ امْرَأَةً لِعُيَيْنَةَ بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ كَعْبٍ، فَوَرَّثَتْكَ مَالًا، وَكَانَ قَدْ عَصَى بِالسِّنْدِ، [ وَهُوَ وَالٍ عَلَى السِّنْدِ ]، وَأَخَذَ مَالِي فَهَذَا الْمَالُ مِنْ ذَاكَ. وَقِيلَ لِجَعْفَرٍ الصَّادِقِ: إِنَّ الْمَنْصُورَ يُكْثِرُ مِنْ لُبْسِ جُبَّةٍ هَرَوِيَّةٍ، وَإِنَّهُ يُرَقِّعُ قَمِيصَهُ. فَقَالَ جَعْفَرٌ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَطَفَ بِهِ، حَتَّى ابْتَلَاهُ بِفَقْرِ نَفْسِهِ فِي مُلْكِهِ. قِيلَ: وَكَانَ الْمَنْصُورُ إِذَا عَزَلَ عَامِلًا أَخَذَ مَالَهُ وَتَرَكَهُ فِي بَيْتِ مَالٍ مُفْرَدٍ سَمَّاهُ بَيْتَ مَالِ الْمَظَالِمِ، وَكَتَبَ عَلَيْهِ اسْمَ صَاحِبِهِ، وَقَالَ لِلْمَهْدِيِّ: قَدْ هَيَّأْتُ لَكَ شَيْئًا فَإِذَا أَنَا مِتُّ فَادْعُ مَنْ أَخَذْتَ مَالَهُ، فَارْدُدْهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّكَ تُسْتَحْمَدُ بِذَلِكَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَإِلَى الْعَامَّةِ، فَفَعَلَ الْمَهْدِيُّ ذَلِكَ. وَلَهُ فِي ضِدِّ ذَلِكَ أَشْيَاءُ كَثِيرَةٌ. قِيلَ: وَذَكَرَ زَيْدٌ مَوْلَى عِيسَى بْنِ نَهِيكٍ قَالَ: دَعَانِي الْمَنْصُورُ، بَعْدَ مَوْتِ مَوْلَايَ، فَسَأَلَنِي: كَمْ خَلَّفَ مِنْ مَالٍ ؟ قُلْتُ: أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ، وَأَنْفَقَتْهُ امْرَأَتُهُ فِي مَأْتَمِهِ. قَالَ: كَمْ خَلَّفَ مِنَ الْبَنَاتِ ؟ قُلْتُ: سِتًّا، فَأَطْرَقَ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ وَقَالَ: اغْدُ إِلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ، فَغَدَوْتُ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَعْطَانِي مِائَةَ أَلْفٍ وَثَمَانِينَ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ، لِكُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ ثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفًا. ثُمَّ دَعَانِي الْمَنْصُورُ فَقَالَ: عُدَّ عَلَيَّ بِأَكْفَائِهِنَّ حَتَّى أُزَوِّجَهُنَّ، فَفَعَلْتُ، فَزَوَّجَهُنَّ، وَأَمَرَ أَنْ تُحْمَلَ إِلَيْهِنَّ صَدُقَاتِهِنَّ مِنْ مَالِهِ، لِكُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ ثَلَاثُونَ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ، وَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَشْتَرِيَ بِمَالِهِنَّ ضِيَاعًا لَهُنَّ يَكُونُ مَعَاشُهُنَّ مِنْهَا. قِيلَ: وَفَرَّقَ الْمَنْصُورُ عَلَى جَمَاعَةٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ فِي يَوْمٍ وَاحِدٍ، عَشَرَةَ آلَافِ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، وَأَمَرَ لِجَمَاعَةٍ مِنْ أَعْمَامِهِ مِنْهُمْ: سُلَيْمَانُ، وَعِيسَى، وَصَالِحٌ، وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ، لِكُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ بِأَلْفِ أَلْفٍ، وَهُوَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ وَصَلَ بِهَا. وَلَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ أَيْضًا أَخْبَارٌ كَثِيرَةٌ، وَأَمَّا غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ، قَالَ يَزِيدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ رُجَلًا قَطُّ فِي حَرْبٍ، وَلَا سَمِعْتُ بِهِ فِي سِلْمٍ أَنْكَرَ، وَلَا أَمْكَرَ، وَلَا أَشَدَّ تَيَقُظًّا مِنَ الْمَنْصُورِ. لَقَدْ حَصَرَنِي تِسْعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ، وَمَعِي فُرْسَانُ الْعَرَبِ، فَجَهَدْنَا بِكُلِّ الْجُهْدِ أَنْ نَنَالَ مِنْ عَسْكَرِهِ شَيْئًا، فَمَا تَهَيَّأَ، وَلَقَدْ حَصَرَنِي وَمَا فِي رَأْسِي شَعْرَةٌ بَيْضَاءُ، فَخَرَجْتُ إِلَيْهِ وَمَا فِي رَأْسِي شَعْرَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ. قِيلَ: وَأَرْسَلَ ابْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ إِلَى الْمَنْصُورِ، وَهُوَ مُحَاصِرُهُ، يَدْعُو إِلَى الْمُبَارَزَةِ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ: إِنَّكَ مُتَعَدٍّ طَوْرَكَ، جَارٍ فِي عِنَانِ غَيِّكَ، يَعِدُكَ اللَّهُ مَا هُوَ مُصَدِّقُهُ، وَيُمَنِّيكَ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا هُوَ مُكَذِّبُهُ، وَيُقَرِّبُ مَا اللَّهُ مُبَاعِدُهُ، فَرُوَيْدًا يُتِمُّ الْكِتَابَ أَجَلَهُ.، وَقَدْ ضَرَبْتُ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلَكَ: بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ أَسَدًا لَقِيَ خِنْزِيرًا، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخِنْزِيرُ: قَاتِلْنِي ! فَقَالَ الْأَسَدُ: إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ خِنْزِيرٌ، وَلَسْتَ بِكُفْؤٍ لِي وَلَا نَظِيرٍ، وَمَتَى قَاتَلْتُكَ فَقَتَلْتُكَ قِيلَ لِي: قَتَلَ خِنْزِيرًا، فَلَا أَعْتَقِدُ فَخْرًا، وَلَا ذِكْرًا، وَإِنْ نَالَنِي مِنْكَ شَيْءٌ كَانَ سُبَّةً عَلَيَّ. فَقَالَ الْخِنْزِيرُ: إِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ أَعْلَمْتُ السِّبَاعَ أَنَّكَ نَكَلْتَ عَنِّي، فَقَالَ الْأَسَدُ: احْتِمَالُ عَارِ كَذِبِكَ عَلَيَّ أَيْسَرُ مِنْ لَطْخِ شَرَابِي بِدَمِكَ. قِيلَ: وَكَانَ الْمَنْصُورُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ عَمِلَ الْخَيْشَ، فَإِنَّ الْأَكَاسِرَةَ كَانُوا يُطَيِّنُونَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ بَيْتًا يَسْكُنُونَ فِي الصَّيْفِ، وَكَذَلِكَ بَنُو أُمَيَّةَ. قِيلَ: وَأُتِيَ بِرَجُلٍ مِنْ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ، فَقَالَ: إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ، فَاصْدُقْنِي وَلَكَ الْأَمَانُ. قَالَ: نَعَمْ ! قَالَ: مِنْ أَيْنَ أُتِيَ بَنُو أُمَيَّةَ ؟ قَالَ: مِنْ تَضْيِيعِ الْأَخْبَارِ. قَالَ: فَأَيُّ الْأَمْوَالِ وَجَدُوهَا أَنْفَعَ ؟ قَالَ: الْجَوْهَرُ. قَالَ: فَعِنْدَ مَنْ وَجَدُوا الْوَفَاءَ ؟ قَالَ: عِنْدَ مَوَالِيهِمْ، فَأَرَادَ الْمَنْصُورُ أَنْ يَسْتَعِينَ فِي الْأَخْبَارِ بِأَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ، فَقَالَ: اضَعُ مِنْهُمْ، فَاسْتَعَانَ بِمَوَالِيهِ.
Translation
✧ Account of some of the conduct of al-Manṣūr Sallām al-Abrash said: I used to serve al-Manṣūr inside [his residence], and he was one of the best of people in character, as long as he did not go out to the people, and one of the most forbearing toward the mischief of children. But when he put on his garment, his color would darken and his eyes would redden, and then there would come from him what would come. One day he said to me: "My son! When you see that I have put on my clothes, or have returned from my sitting, let none of you come near me, for fear that I may deceive him with something." He said: In the residence of al-Manṣūr no amusement was ever seen, nor anything resembling diversion, play, or trifling, except on one single occasion. One of his sons was seen having mounted a riding camel, while he was a boy, with a bow slung over his shoulder, in the guise of a Bedouin lad, between two camel saddlebags containing qulqul fruit, tooth-sticks, and the kinds of things that Bedouins give as gifts. The people marveled at that and disapproved of it. Then he crossed over to al-Mahdī at al-Ruṣāfah and presented it to him as a gift. He accepted it, filled the two saddlebags with dirhams, and he returned between them. So it was known that this was one of the diversions of kings. Ḥammād al-Turkī said: I was standing at al-Manṣūr's head when he heard a clamor and said: "Look at what this is!" I went and found that a servant of his had slave-girls sitting around him, while he was playing the ṭunbūr for them and they were laughing. I told him, and he said: "And what is the ṭunbūr?" I described it to him, and he said: "How do you know what the ṭunbūr is?" I said: "I saw it in Khurāsān." So he rose and walked toward them. When they saw him, they scattered. He ordered the servant to be seized, and his head was struck with the ṭunbūr until the ṭunbūr broke. Then he expelled the servant and sold him. He said: Al-Manṣūr had appointed Maʿn b. Zāʾidah over Yemen because of reports of discord that had reached him there. He traveled to it, set it right, and people came to him from all corners of the earth because of the renown of his generosity. He distributed wealth among them, and al-Manṣūr became angry with him. So Maʿn b. Zāʾidah sent to him a delegation from his people, among them Mujjāʿah b. al-Azhar, and dispatched them to al-Manṣūr to remove his wrath and anger. When Mujjāʿah entered upon al-Manṣūr, he began with praise of God and extolling Him, and mention of the Prophet ﷺ, and he went on at length in that until the people marveled. Then he mentioned al-Manṣūr and the honor God had bestowed upon him, and after that he mentioned his patron. When his speech was finished, al-Manṣūr said: "As for what you mentioned of the praise of God, God is too majestic for descriptions to reach Him. As for what you mentioned of the Prophet ﷺ, God, exalted is He, has favored him with more than you said. As for what you described of the Commander of the Faithful, God has favored him with that, and He is his helper in obedience to Him, if God, exalted is He, wills. As for what you mentioned of your patron, you have lied and acted basely. Depart, for what you have said is not accepted." When they reached the last of the gates, he ordered him and his companions to be brought back, and said: "What did you say?" So he repeated it to him, and they were sent out. Then he ordered them brought and made to stand. Then he turned to those of Muḍar who were present and said: "Do you know of anyone among you like this man? By God, he spoke until I envied him. Nothing prevented me from carrying out my rejection of him except that it would be said, 'He envied him because he is of Rabīʿah.' I have never seen a man like him, firmer of heart, nor clearer in eloquence. Bring him back, boy." When he stood before him, al-Manṣūr said: "State your need!" He said: "Commander of the Faithful, Maʿn b. Zāʾidah is your servant, your sword, and your arrow. You hurled him at your enemy, and he struck, thrust, and shot until what was rugged became smooth, what was difficult became easy, and what was crooked in Yemen became straight. They have become among the servants of the Commander of the Faithful, may God prolong his life. If there is in the heart of the Commander of the Faithful any rancor from a slanderer or tale-bearer, the Commander of the Faithful is more worthy of showing favor to his servant and to one who has spent his life in obedience to him." So he accepted his excuse and ordered them sent back to him. When Maʿn read the letter of satisfaction, he kissed it between his eyes, thanked his companions, rewarded them according to their stations, and ordered them to return to al-Manṣūr. Then Mujjāʿah said: I swore in a gathering of Wāʾil an oath that I would not sell you, O Maʿn, for desires. O Maʿn! You have bestowed on me favors that encompassed Luḥaym and singled out the family of Mujjāʿ. I shall never cease to be devoted to you all my life, until the crier's voice proclaims my death. And among the favors of Maʿn upon Mujjāʿah was that he granted him three requests. Among them: he was in love with a slave-girl of the household of Maʿn, named Zahrāʾ. He sought to marry her, but her family would not consent because of his poverty. So he asked Maʿn for her. Maʿn summoned her father and married her to him for a dower of ten thousand dirhams, and paid the dower on his behalf. And among them: he asked him for a specific walled garden, and he bought it for him. And among them: he asked him to grant him something, and he gave him thirty thousand dirhams, which completed one hundred thousand. It is said: Al-Manṣūr used to say: "How I long to have at my gate four men, than whom none at my gate would be more upright. They are the pillars of the state, and kingship is sound only through them. One of them is a judge whom no blame of a blamer affects in what pertains to God. The second is a chief of police who gives the weak their right against the strong. The third is a collector of land-tax who is thorough and does not wrong the subjects." Then he bit his index finger three times, saying each time: "Ah! Ah!" It was said: "What is it, Commander of the Faithful?" He said: "A postmaster who records the reports of these men accurately." It is said: Al-Manṣūr summoned an agent who had fallen short in his tax. He said to him: "Pay what you owe!" He replied: "By God, I own nothing." Then a muezzin called: "I bear witness that there is no god but God!" He said: "Commander of the Faithful, forgive me what I owe for the sake of God and the testimony that there is no god but God." So he let him go. It is said: An agent was brought, and he imprisoned him and demanded payment from him. The agent said: "I am your servant, Commander of the Faithful." He said: "What a bad servant you are!" He replied: "But you are an excellent master." He said: "Not for you, no." It is said: A Khārijite was brought who had routed armies belonging to him. He intended to strike his neck, but then he scorned him and said: "Son of a whore! Would someone like you rout armies?!" The man said to him: "Woe to you, and shame on you! Yesterday, between me and you was the sword, and today it is slander and insulting. What made you feel safe that I would answer you back when I have despaired of life, and that you would never be able to recover from it?" Al-Manṣūr felt ashamed before him and released him. It is said: Al-Manṣūr's occupation in the early part of his day was with commanding and forbidding, appointments and dismissals, garrisoning the frontiers and outlying regions, securing the roads, examining the land-tax and expenditures, and the welfare of the subjects' livelihood, being gentle in calming them and guiding them. When he prayed the afternoon prayer, he sat with his household. When he prayed the last evening prayer, he sat examining the letters that had come in from the frontiers, the outlying regions, and the horizons, and consulted his night companions. When a third of the night had passed, he rose and went to his bed, and his night companions departed. When the second third had passed, he rose, performed ablution, and prayed until dawn broke. Then he went out and prayed with the people. Then he entered and sat in his portico. It is said: He said to al-Mahdī: "Do not make a matter final until you have reflected on it, for the reflection of a wise man is his mirror, showing him its good and its evil. My son! The ruler is not sound except through piety, and his subjects are not sound except through obedience, and lands are not cultivated by anything like justice. The most capable of people in pardoning is the most capable of them in punishing, and the most incapable of people is one who wrongs someone beneath him. Judge the conduct and knowledge of your companion by testing him. O Abū ʿAbd Allāh! Do not sit in any gathering unless you have with you one of the people of knowledge to converse with you. Whoever loves to be praised behaves well, and whoever hates praise behaves badly. No one hates praise without being disparaged, and no one is disparaged without being disliked. O Abū ʿAbd Allāh! The wise man is not the one who devises a plan for a matter that has already befallen him. Rather, the wise man is the one who devises a plan for a matter so that he does not fall into it." One day he said to al-Mahdī: "How many banners do you have?" He said: "I do not know." He said: "This, by God, is negligence. And you are even more negligent of the matter of the caliphate. But I have gathered for you what will not harm you despite what you have neglected. So fear God in what He has entrusted to you." It is said: Isḥāq b. ʿĪsā said: No one of the Banū al-ʿAbbās would speak and attain what he needed extemporaneously, except al-Manṣūr, his brother al-ʿAbbās b. Muḥammad, and their paternal uncle Dāwūd b. ʿAlī. It is said: Al-Manṣūr delivered a sermon one day and said: "Praise be to God. I praise Him and seek His help, believe in Him, and rely on Him. I bear witness that there is no god but God alone, with no partner." A man interrupted him and said: "O man, I remind you of the One whom you have mentioned!" So he cut short the sermon, then said: "I hear, I hear one who has preserved what pertains to God. I seek refuge in God from being a stubborn tyrant, or from being seized by pride in sin. Then I would indeed have gone astray and would not be among the rightly guided. And you, O speaker, by God, by this saying you did not intend God, but you intended that it be said: 'He stood and spoke, and was punished, and bore it patiently.' How insignificant it is! Woe to you! I considered punishing you, but seize it now that I have pardoned. Beware, you and all the Muslims, of its like. For wisdom was sent down upon us, and from us it was expounded. So return the matter to its people, and you will bring it to its proper watering places and drive it away from its proper sources." Then he returned to his sermon as if he were reading it, and said: "And I bear witness that Muḥammad is His servant and His messenger." ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṣāʿid said: Al-Manṣūr delivered a sermon in Makkah, after the building of Baghdādh, and among what he said was: "And indeed We wrote in the Psalms, after the Reminder, that the earth shall be inherited by My righteous servants." A decided matter, a just saying, and a decisive decree. Praise be to God who made His proof victorious, and far removed are the wrongdoing people who took the Kaʿbah as something to be snatched and the fayʾ as an inheritance, and "made the Qurʾān into fragments." What they used to mock has indeed surrounded them. How many a deserted well, and a lofty palace, did God neglect them when they altered the Sunnah, oppressed the Prophet's family, and were obstinate, transgressed, and grew arrogant. Failed is every stubborn tyrant. "Do you perceive any of them, or hear from them a whisper?" He said: A man wrote to him complaining about one of his agents. He wrote to the agent on the petition: "If you prefer justice, safety will accompany you, and if you prefer oppression, how close you are to regret. So give this complainant justice against the wrong." It is said: The governor of Armenia wrote to al-Manṣūr informing him that the troops had mutinied against him and plundered what was in the treasury. He wrote on his letter: "Withdraw from our employ, blameworthy and driven away. Had you been prudent, they would not have mutinied, and had you been strong, they would not have plundered." This, along with what has preceded of his speech and counsels, indicates his eloquence and rhetorical skill. There has also preceded of his letters and other writings what indicates that he was the unique one of his age, except that he was miserly. Among what is transmitted of him in that regard is the saying of al-Waḍīn b. ʿAṭāʾ: Al-Manṣūr invited me to visit him, and between me and him there had been a friendship before the caliphate. One day we were alone, and he said: "O Abū ʿAbd Allāh, what is wrong with you?" I said: "The situation you know." He said: "And how many are your dependents?" I said: "Three daughters, my wife, and a servant for them." He said: "Four in your house?" I said: "Yes." He repeated it until I thought he would help me. Then he said: "You are the wealthiest of the Arabs: four spindles spinning in your house." It is said: A servant of Abū ʿAṭāʾ al-Khurāsānī was brought to him because he had ten thousand dirhams. He took them from him and said: "This is my money." He said: "How could it be your money? By God, I have never appointed you to any governorship, nor is there between me and you any kinship or relationship!" He said: "Yes, you married a woman of ʿUyaynah b. Mūsā b. Kaʿb, and she inherited to you wealth. He had rebelled while in Sind, when he was governor of Sind, and he took my money. So this money is from that." It is said to Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq: "Al-Manṣūr wears many Heratī robes, and he patches his shirt." Jaʿfar said: "Praise be to God who was kind to him to the point of afflicting him with poverty of spirit within his own kingdom." It is said: When al-Manṣūr dismissed an agent, he would take his wealth and place it in a separate treasury which he called the Treasury of Grievances, write on it the name of its owner, and say to al-Mahdī: "I have prepared something for you. When I die, summon those whose wealth you have taken and return it to them, for you will be praised for that among them and among the common people." Al-Mahdī did that. He also has many things contrary to that. It is said: Zayd, the mawlā of ʿĪsā b. Nahīk, said: Al-Manṣūr summoned me after the death of my master and asked me: "How much wealth did he leave?" I said: "A thousand dinars, and his wife spent it on his funeral." He said: "How many daughters did he leave?" I said: "Six." He bowed his head, then raised it and said: "Go to al-Mahdī in the morning." So I went to him, and he gave me one hundred and eighty thousand dinars, for each of them thirty thousand. Then al-Manṣūr summoned me and said: "Count out to me their peers so that I may marry them off." I did so, and he married them off, and ordered their dowers to be paid to them from his own wealth, thirty thousand dirhams for each of them. He ordered me to buy estates for them with their wealth, from which their livelihood would come. It is said: Al-Manṣūr distributed among a group of his household in a single day ten million dirhams, and ordered for a group of his paternal uncles, among them Sulaymān, ʿĪsā, Ṣāliḥ, and Ismāʿīl, a million for each man. He was the first to give such a sum. He also has many reports of that kind. As for other matters, Yazīd b. ʿUmar b. Hubayrah said: "I have never seen a man, whether in war or heard of in peace, more astute, more resourceful, or more vigilant than al-Manṣūr. He besieged me for nine months, and with me were the horsemen of the Arabs. We exerted every effort to gain something from his army, but it was not possible. He besieged me when there was not a white hair on my head, and I came out to him when there was not a black hair on my head." It is said: Ibn Hubayrah sent to al-Manṣūr, while he was besieging him, challenging him to single combat. He wrote to him: "You have overstepped your bounds, running in the reins of your error. God promises you what He will verify, and Satan gives you false hopes of what he belies, and brings near what God keeps distant. So wait a little; the appointed term will complete the book of destiny. I have set forth a parable of you and me. It has reached me that a lion met a pig, and the pig said to him: 'Fight me!' The lion said: 'You are only a pig. You are not a match for me, nor an equal. If I fight you and kill you, it will be said of me: He killed a pig. Then I will gain no pride or renown. And if something from you touches me, it will be a disgrace upon me.' The pig said: 'If you do not, I will tell the beasts of prey that you have shown cowardice before me.' The lion said: 'Bearing the shame of your lie against me is easier than staining my drink with your blood.'" It is said: Al-Manṣūr was the first to make coarse cloth, for the Khosrows used to plaster with mud every day a house in which they dwelt in summer, and likewise the Banū Umayyah. It is said: A man from the Banū Umayyah was brought to him, and he said: “I will ask you about things, so be truthful with me and you will have safe-conduct.” He said: “Yes!” He said: “From where did the Banū Umayyah come?” He said: “From the neglect of reports.” He said: “Which of the properties did they find most useful?” He said: “The jewel.” He said: “With whom did they find fidelity?” He said: “With their clients.” So al-Manṣūr wanted to seek help in the reports from the people of his own house, but he said: “I distrust them,” and he sought help from his clients.
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