Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2977
The year 173 AH
[ وَفَاةُ الْخَيْزُرَانِ ] وَفِي سنة ثلاث وسبعين ومائة مَاتَتِ الْخَيْزُرَانُ وَهي أُمُّ أَمِيرَيِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْهَادِي وَالرَّشِيدِ، اشْتَرَاهَا الْمَهْدِيُّ وَحَظِيَتْ عِنْدَهُ جَدَّا، ثُمَّ أَعْتَقَهَا وَتَزَوَّجَهَا، وَوَلَدَتْ لَهُ خَلِيفَتَيْنِ; مُوسَى الْهَادِي وَالرَّشِيدَ،. وَقَدْ رُوِيَ مِنْ طَرِيقِ الْخَيْزُرَانِ، عَنْ مَوْلَاهَا الْمَهْدِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ: مَنِ اتَّقَى اللَّهَ وَقَاهُ اللَّهُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ. وَلَمَّا عُرِضَتْ عَلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ لِيَشْتَرِيَهَا أَعْجَبَتْهُ إِلَّا دِقَّةَ سَاقَيْهَا، فَقَالَ لَهَا: يَا جَارِيَةُ، إِنَّكِ لَعَلَى غَايَةِ الْمُنَى لَوْلَا خُمُوشَةٌ فِي سَاقَيْكَ. فَقَالَتْ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِنَّكَ أَحْوَجُ مَا تَكُونُ إِلَيْهِمَا لَا تَرَاهُمَا. فَاسْتَحْسَنَ جَوَابَهَا وَاشْتَرَاهَا، وَحَظِيَتْ عِنْدَهُ جِدًّا. وعَنِ الْوَاقِدِيِّ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ يَوْمًا إِلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ فَدَعَا بِمِحْبَرَتِهِ وَدَفْتَرِهِ، وَكَتَبَ عَنِّي أَشْيَاءَ حَدَّثْتُهُ بِهَا، ثُمَّ نَهَضَ وَقَالَ: كُنْ بِمَكَانِكَ حَتَّى أَعُودَ إِلَيْكَ، وَدَخَلَ إِلَى دَارِ الْحَرَمِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ مُتَنَكِّرًا مُمْتَلِئًا غَيْظًا، فَلَمَّا جَلَسَ: قُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ خَرَجْتَ عَلَى خِلَافِ الْحَالِ الَّتِي دَخَلْتَ عَلَيْهَا؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى الْخَيْزُرَانِ فَوَثَبَتْ إِلَيَّ وَمَدَّتْ يَدَهَا إِلَيَّ وَخَرَقَتْ ثَوْبِي، وَقَالَتْ: يَا قَشَّاشُ، وَأَيُّ خَيْرٍ رَأَيْتُ مِنْكَ؟ وَإِنَّمَا اشْتَرَيْتُهَا مِنْ نَخَّاسٍ وَرَأَتْ مِنِّي مَا رَأَتْ وَعَقَدْتُ لِابْنَيْهَا وِلَايَةَ الْعَهْدِ وَيْحَكِ وَأَنَا قَشَّاشٌ؟ قَالَ: فَقُلْتُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: "إِنَّهُنَّ يَغْلِبْنَ الْكِرَامَ وَيَغْلِبُهُنَّ اللِّئَامُ" وَقَالَ: "خَيْرُكُمْ خَيْرُكُمْ لِأَهْلِهِ وَأَنَا خَيْرُكُمْ لِأَهْلِي"، وَقَالَ: "خُلِقَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ مِنْ ضِلْعٍ أَعْوَجَ إِنْ قَوَّمْتَهُ كَسَرْتَهُ". وَحَدَّثْتُهُ فِي هَذَا الْبَابِ بِكُلِّ مَا حَضَرَنِي، فَسَكَنَ غَضَبُهُ، وَأَسْفَرَ وَجْهُهُ، وَأَمَرَ لِي بِأَلْفَيْ دِينَارٍ، وَقَالَ: أَصْلِحْ بِهَذِهِ مِنْ حَالِكَ، وَانْصَرَفْتُ، فَلَمَّا وَصَلْتُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِي وَافَانِي رَسُولُ الْخَيْزُرَانِ، فَقَالَ: تَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكَ سِتِّي السَّلَامَ، وَتَقُولُ لَكَ: يَا عَمِّ قَدْ سَمِعْتُ جَمِيعَ مَا كَلَّمْتَ بِهِ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَأَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ جَزَاكَ، وَهَذِهِ أَلْفَا دِينَارٍ إِلَّا عَشَرَةَ دَنَانِيرَ بَعَثَتْ بِهَا إِلَيْكَ لِأَنِّي لَمْ أُحِبَّ أَنْ أُسَاوِيَ صِلَةَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَوَجَّهَتْ إِلَيَّ بِأَثْوَابٍ. وعن أَبِي الْفَضْلِ بْنِ الرَّبْعِيِّ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي قَالَ: سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ الْخَيْزُرَانَ حَاجَةً ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهَا بِهَدِيَّةٍ فَأَجَابَتْهُ: إِنْ كَانَ مَا وَجَّهْتَ بِهِ مِنْ هَدِيَّتِكَ ثَمَنًا لِرَأْيِي فِيكَ فَلَقَدْ بَخَسْتَنِي الْقِيمَةَ، وَإِنْ كَانَ اسْتِزَادَةً فَقَدِ اسْتَغْشَشْتَنِي فِي الْمَوَدَّةِ وَرَدَّتْهَا عَلَيْهِ. وَقَدْ حَجَّتِ الْخَيْزُرَانُ مَرَّةً فِي حَيَاةِ الْمَهْدِيِّ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهَا وَهِيَ بِمَكَّةَ يَسْتَوْحِشُ لَهَا، وَيَتَشَوَّقُ إِلَيْهَا، يَقُولُ: نَحْنُ فِي غَايَةِ السُّرُورِ وَلَكِنْ لَيْسَ إِلَّا بِكُمْ يَتِمُّ السُّرُورُ عَيْبُ مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ يَا أَهْلَ وُدِّي أَنَّكُمْ غُيَّبٌ وَنَحْنُ حُضُورُ فَأَجِدُّوا فِي السَّيْرِ بَلْ إِنْ قَدَرْتُمْ أَنْ تَطِيرُوا مَعَ الرِّيَاحِ فَطِيرُوا فَأَجَابَتْهُ أَوْ قَالَتْ لِمَنْ أَجَابَهُ: قَدْ أَتَانَا الَّذِي وَصَفْتَ مِنَ الشَّوْ قِ فَكَدِنْا وَمَا فَعَلْنَا نَطِيرُ لَيْتَ أَنَّ الرِّيَاحَ كُنَّ يُؤَدِّي نَ إِلَيْكُمْ مَا قَدْ يُجِنُّ الضَّمِيرُ لَمْ أَزَلْ صَبَّةً فَإِنْ كُنْتَ بَعْدِي فِي سُرُورٍ فَدَامَ ذَاكَ السُّرُورُ وَذَكَرُوا أَنَّهُ أَهْدَى إِلَيْهَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ نَائِبُ الْبَصْرَةِ مِائَةَ وَصَيْفٍ، مَعَ كُلِّ وَصَيْفٍ جَامٌ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ مَمْلُوءٌ مِسْكًا. فَكَتَبَتْ إِلَيْهِ: إِنْ كَانَ مَا بَعَثْتَهُ ثَمَنًا عَنْ ظَنِّنَا فِيكَ فَظَنُّنَا فِيكَ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا بَعَثْتَ، وَقَدْ بَخَسْتَنَا فِي الثَّمَنِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تُرِيدُ بِهِ زِيَادَةَ الْمَوَدَّةِ فَقَدِ اتَّهَمْتَنِي فِي الْمَوَدَّةِ. وَرَدَّتْهَا عَلَيْهِ. وَقَدِ اشْتَرَتِ الدَّارَ الْمَشْهُورَةَ بِهَا بِمَكَّةَ الْمَعْرُوفَةَ بِدَارِ الْخَيْزُرَانِ، فَزَادَتْهَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ. وَكَانَ مُغَلُّ ضِيَاعِهَا فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ أَلْفَ أَلْفٍ وَسِتِّينَ أَلْفًا. وَاتَّفَقَ مَوْتُهَا بِبَغْدَادَ لَيْلَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ لِثَلَاثٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ، وَدُفِنَتْ بِمَقَابِرِ قُرَيْشٍ. وَرَوَى يَحْيَى بْنُ الْحَسَنِ أَنَّ أَخَاهُ حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ الرَّشِيدَ يَوْمَ مَاتَتِ الْخَيْزُرَانُ وَعَلَيْهِ طَيْلَسَانٌ أَزْرَقُ قَدْ شَدَّ بِهِ وَسَطَهُ وَهُوَ آخِذٌ بِقَائِمَةِ السَّرِيرِ حَافِيًا يَعْدُو فِي الطِّينِ حَتَّى أَتَى مَقَابِرَ قُرَيْشٍ فَغَسَلَ رِجْلَيْهِ وَدَعَا بِخُفٍّ، فَصَلَّى عَلَيْهَا وَدَخَلَ قَبْرَهَا، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ مِنَ الْمَقْبَرَةِ وُضِعَ لَهُ كُرْسِيٌّ فَجَلَسَ عَلَيْهِ، وَدَعَا الْفَضْلَ بْنَ الرَّبِيعِ وَقَالَ لَهُ: وَحَقِّ الْمَهْدِيِّ - وَكَانَ لَا يَحْلِفُ بِهَا إِلَّا إِذَا اجْتَهَدَ - إِنِّي لَأَهُمُّ بِالشَّيْءِ لَكَ مِنَ التَّوْلِيَةِ وَغَيْرِهَا فَتَمْنَعُنِي أُمِّي فَأُطِيعُ أَمْرَهَا، فَخُذِ الْخَاتَمَ مِنْ جَعْفَرٍ وَوَلِيَ الْفَضْلُ نَفَقَاتِ الْعَامَّةِ وَالْخَاصَّةِ وَبَادُورْيَا وَالْكُوفَةِ، فَتَمَّتْ حَالُهُ، وَانْصَرَفَ الرَّشِيدُ مِنْ جِنَازَتِهَا يَتَمَثَّلُ بِقَوْلِ مُتَمِّمِ بْنِ نُوَيْرَةَ: كُنَّا كَنَدْمَانَيْ جَذِيمَةَ حِقْبَةً مِنَ الدَّهْرِ حَتَّى قِيلَ لَنْ تَتَصَدَّعَا فَلَمَّا تَفَرَّقْنَا كَأَنِّي وَمَالِكًا لِطُولِ اجْتِمَاعٍ لَمْ نَبِتْ لَيْلَةً مَعَا وَكَانَتْ غَلَّةُ الْخَيْزُرَانِ أَلْفَ أَلْفٍ وَسِتِّينَ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ، فَاتَّسَعَ الرَّشِيدُ بِغَلَّتِهَا وَأَقْطَعَ النَّاسَ مِنْ ضِيَاعِهَا.
Translation
✧ [The death of al-Khayzurān] In the year one hundred and seventy-three, al-Khayzurān died. She was the mother of the two Commanders of the Believers, al-Hādī and al-Rashīd. Al-Mahdī purchased her as a slave, and she enjoyed great favour with him. Then he manumitted her and married her, and she bore him two caliphs: Mūsā al-Hādī and al-Rashīd. It is related on the authority of al-Khayzurān, from her master al-Mahdī, from his father, from his grandfather, from Ibn ʿAbbās, from the Prophet ﷺ, that he said: "Whoever fears God, God will protect him from everything." When she was presented to al-Mahdī for purchase, she pleased him except for the thinness of her legs. He said to her: "O slave-girl, you would be the utmost of desire were it not for a slight thinness in your legs." She replied: "O Commander of the Believers, when you most need them, you do not see them." He considered her answer excellent, bought her, and she enjoyed great favour with him. From al-Wāqidī, who said: One day I entered upon al-Mahdī, and he called for his inkwell and notebook, and wrote down some things I had narrated to him. Then he rose and said: "Stay where you are until I return to you." He entered the women's quarters, then came out disguised, full of anger. When he sat down, I said: "O Commander of the Believers, you went out in a state different from that in which you entered." He said: "Yes. I entered upon al-Khayzurān, and she leapt at me, stretched out her hand, and tore my garment, saying: 'O you rag-picker! What good have I ever seen from you?' I only bought her from a slave-dealer, she saw what she saw from me, and I appointed her two sons as heirs to the throne. Woe to you! Am I a rag-picker?" He continued: "So I said: 'O Commander of the Believers.' The Messenger of God ﷺ said: 'They overpower the noble, and the vile overpower them.' And he said: 'The best of you is the one who is best to his family, and I am the best of you to my family.' And he said: 'Woman was created from a crooked rib; if you straighten it, you break it.' And I related to him everything I knew on this subject. His anger subsided, his face brightened, and he ordered for me two thousand dinars, saying: 'Set right your affairs with this.' I departed, and when I reached my house, al-Khayzurān's messenger came to me and said: 'My lady sends you greetings and says: O uncle, I heard all that you said to the Commander of the Believers. May God reward you well. Here are two thousand dinars less ten dinars, which she has sent to you because she did not wish to equal the gift of the Commander of the Believers.' And she also sent me garments." From Abū al-Faḍl b. al-Rabʿī, who said: My father narrated to me, saying: A man asked al-Khayzurān for a need, then sent her a gift. She replied: "If what you sent as a gift is a price for my good opinion of you, you have undervalued me; if it is to seek increase, you have deemed me false in affection." And she returned it to him. Al-Khayzurān once performed the pilgrimage during al-Mahdī's lifetime. He wrote to her while she was in Makkah, expressing his loneliness for her and longing for her, saying: We are in the utmost joy, but only with you does joy become complete — O people of my love, the flaw in our state is that you are absent while we are present. So hasten in your journey; rather, if you are able, to fly with the winds, then fly. She answered him, or told someone to answer him: The longing you described has come to us, and we nearly — though we did not — took flight. Would that the winds could convey to you what my heart conceals. I remain ever yearning; if you, after me, are in joy, may that joy endure. They also mention that Muḥammad b. Sulaymān, the governor of al-Baṣrah, sent her a hundred slave-boys, each with a silver cup filled with musk. She wrote to him: "If what you sent is a price for our good opinion of you, our good opinion of you is worth more than what you sent, and you have undervalued us in the price. If you intended by it to increase affection, you have suspected me in affection." And she returned it to him. She bought the house that is famous as hers in Makkah, known as Dār al-Khayzurān, and incorporated it into the Sacred Mosque. The revenue of her estates was one million and sixty thousand [dirhams] each year. Her death occurred in Baghdad on Friday night, three nights remaining in Jumādā al-Ākhirah of this year, and she was buried in the cemetery of Quraysh. Yaḥyā b. al-Ḥasan narrated that his brother told him: "I saw al-Rashīd on the day al-Khayzurān died, wearing a blue ṭaylasān tied around his waist, holding onto the leg of the bier, barefoot, running through the mud until he reached the cemetery of Quraysh. He washed his feet, called for a pair of khuffs, prayed over her, and entered her grave. When he came out of the cemetery, a chair was placed for him, and he sat on it. He summoned al-Faḍl b. al-Rabīʿ and said to him: 'By al-Mahdī' — and he would not swear by her unless he was in earnest — 'I intend something for you, of appointment or otherwise, but my mother prevents me, and I obey her command. Take the seal from Jaʿfar.' And al-Faḍl was appointed over the expenditures of the common and elite, Bādūrayā, and al-Kūfah. His situation was thus completed. Al-Rashīd returned from her funeral reciting the words of Mutammim b. Nuwayrah: We were like the two boon companions of Judhaymah for a long span of time, until it was said they would never part. When we separated, it was as if I and Mālik, for all our long union, had never spent a night together. And al-Khayzurān's revenue was one million and sixty thousand dirhams, and al-Rashīd made use of her revenue and granted portions of her estates to people."
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.