Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3038
The year 187 AH
مَهْلِكُ الْبَرَامِكَةِ وفِي سَنَةُ سَبْعٍ وَثَمَانِينَ وَمِائَةٍ كَانَ مَقْتَلُ الرَّشِيدِ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ يَحْيَى بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْبَرْمَكِيَّ ، وَدَمَارُ دِيَارِهِمْ وَانْدِثَارُ آثَارِهِمْ، وَذَهَابُ صِغَارِهِمْ وَكِبَارِهِمْ، وَقَدِ اخْتُلِفَ فِي سَبَبِ ذَلِكَ عَلَى أَقْوَالٍ فَقَالَ بَخْتِيشُوعُ: إِنِّي لَقَاعِدٌ فِي مَجْلِسِ الرَّشِيدِ إِذْ طَلَعَ يَحْيَى بْنُ خَالِدٍ، وَكَانَ يَدْخُلُ بِلَا إِذْنٍ، فَلَمَّا صَارَ بِالْقُرْبِ مِنَ الرَّشِيدِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ رَدَّ عَلَيْهِ رَدًّا ضَعِيفًا، فَعَلِمَ يَحْيَى أَنَّ أَمْرَهُمْ قَدْ تَغَيَّرَ، ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيَّ الرَّشِيدُ فَقَالَ: يَا بَخْتِيشُوعُ، يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْكَ فِي مَنْزِلِكَ أَحَدٌ بِلَا إِذْنِكَ ؟ فَقُلْتُ: لَا، وَلَا يَطْمَعُ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ: مَا بَالُنَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْنَا بِلَا إِذْنٍ. فَقَامَ يَحْيَى فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدَّمَنِي اللَّهُ قَبْلَكَ، وَاللَّهِ مَا ابْتَدَأْتُ ذَلِكَ السَّاعَةَ، وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا شَيْءٌ خَصَّنِي بِهِ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَرَفَعَ بِهِ ذِكْرِي حَتَّى إِنْ كُنْتُ لَأَدْخُلُ وَهُوَ فِي فِرَاشِهِ، وَمَا عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كَرِهَ مَا كَانَ يُحِبُّ، وَإِذْ عَلِمْتُ فَإِنِّي أَكُونُ فِي الطَّبَقَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْإِذْنِ وَالثَّالِثَةِ إِنْ أَمَرَنِي سَيِّدِي بِذَلِكَ. قَالَ: فَاسْتَحَى، وَكَانَ مِنْ أَرَقِّ الْخُلَفَاءِ وَجْهًا، وَعَيْنَاهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ، مَا يَرْفَعُ طَرْفَهُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: مَا أَرَدْتُ مَا تَكْرَهُ، وَلَكِنَّ النَّاسَ يَقُولُونَ. وَخَرَجَ يَحْيَى. وَقَالَ ثُمَامَةُ بْنُ أَشْرَسَ: رَفَعَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ اللَّيْثِ رِسَالَةً إِلَى الرَّشِيدِ يَعِظُهُ فِيهَا وَيَقُولُ: إِنَّ يَحْيَى بْنَ خَالِدٍ لَا يُغْنِي عَنْكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا، وَقَدْ جَعَلْتَهُ فِيمَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ، فَكَيْفَ أَنْتَ إِذَا وَقَفْتَ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ فَسَأَلَكَ عَمَّا عَمِلْتَ فِي عِبَادِهِ وَبِلَادِهِ، فَقُلْتَ: اسْتَكْفَيْتُ يَحْيَى أُمُورَ عِبَادِكَ. أَتُرَاكَ تَحْتَجُّ بِحُجَّةٍ يَرْضَاهَا. مَعَ كَلَامٍ فِيهِ تَوْبِيخٌ وَتَقْرِيعٌ، فَدَعَى الرَّشِيدُ يَحْيَى وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِ خَبَرُ الرِّسَالَةِ، فَقَالَ: تَعْرِفُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ اللَّيْثِ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَأَيُّ الرِّجَالِ هُوَ ؟ قَالَ: مُتَّهَمٌ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ. فَأَمَرَ بِهِ، فَوُضِعَ فِي الْحَبْسِ دَهْرًا، فَلَمَّا تَنَكَّرَ الرَّشِيدُ لِلْبَرَامِكَةِ ذَكَرَهُ فَأَمَرَ بِإِخْرَاجِهِ، فَأُحْضِرَ فَقَالَ لَهُ بَعْدَ مُخَاطَبَةٍ طَوِيلَةٍ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَتُحِبُّنِي ؟ قَالَ: لَا وَاللَّهِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. قَالَ: تَقُولُ هَذَا ! ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، وَضَعْتَ رِجْلِي فِي الْأَكْبَالِ، وَحُلْتَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ الْعِيَالِ بِلَا ذَنْبٍ أَتَيْتُ، وَلَا حَدَثٍ أَحْدَثْتُ، سِوَى قَوْلِ حَاسِدٍ يَكِيدُ الْإِسْلَامَ وَأَهْلَهُ، وَيُحِبُّ الْإِلْحَادَ وَأَهْلَهُ، فَكَيْفَ أُحِبُّكَ ؟ قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ. وَأَمَرَ بِإِطْلَاقِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَتُحِبُّنِي ؟ قَالَ: لَا وَاللَّهِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَلَكِنْ قَدْ ذَهَبَ مَا فِي قَلْبِي. فَأَمَرَ أَنْ يُعْطَى مِائَةَ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، فَأُحْضِرَتْ فَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَتُحِبُّنِي ؟ قَالَ: أَمَّا الْآنَ فَنَعَمْ، قَدْ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَحْسَنْتَ إِلَيَّ. قَالَ: انْتَقَمَ اللَّهُ مِمَّنْ ظَلَمَكَ، وَأَخَذَ لَكَ بِحَقِّكَ مِمَّنْ بَعَثَنِي عَلَيْكَ. قَالَ: فَقَالَ النَّاسُ فِي الْبَرَامِكَةِ، فَأَكْثَرُوا، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ أَوَّلَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْ تَغَيُّرِ حَالِهِمْ. وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ مَوْلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ: دَخَلَ يَحْيَى بْنُ خَالِدٍ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ إِلَى الرَّشِيدِ، فَقَامَ الْغِلْمَانُ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ الرَّشِيدُ لِمَسْرُورٍ [الْخَادِمِ ]: مُرِ الْغِلْمَانَ أَنْ لَا يَقُومُوا إِلَيْهِ إِذَا دَخَلَ. فَدَخَلَ فَلَمْ يَقُمْ إِلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ، فَارْبَدَّ لَوْنُهُ، وَكَانَ الْغِلْمَانُ وَالْحُجَّابُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ إِذَا رَأَوْهُ أَعْرَضُوا عَنْهُ، فَكَانَ رُبَّمَا اسْتَسْقَى الشَّرْبَةَ فَلَا يَسْقُونَهُ. وَقَالَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الْيَزِيدِيُّ: مَنْ قَالَ إِنَّ الرَّشِيدَ قَتَلَ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ يَحْيَى بِغَيْرِ سَبَبِ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حَسَنٍ فَلَا تُصَدِّقْهُ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الرَّشِيدَ دَفَعَ يَحْيَى إِلَى جَعْفَرٍ فَحَبَسَهُ، ثُمَّ دَعَى بِهِ لَيْلَةً مِنَ اللَّيَالِي فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ فَأَجَابَهُ إِلَى أَنْ قَالَ لَهُ: اتَّقِ اللَّهَ فِي أَمْرِي وَلَا تَتَعَرَّضْ أَنْ يَكُونَ خَصْمَكَ غَدًا مُحَمَّدٌ ﷺ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَحْدَثْتُ حَدَثًا، وَلَا آوَيْتُ مُحْدِثًا. فَرَقَّ لَهُ وَقَالَ: اذْهَبْ حَيْثُ شِئْتَ مِنْ بِلَادِ اللَّهِ. قَالَ: وَكَيْفَ أَذْهَبُ وَلَا آمَنُ أَنْ أُؤْخَذَ بَعْدَ قَلِيلٍ. فَأُرَدَّ إِلَيْكَ أَوْ عَلَى غَيْرِكَ. فَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْهِ مَنْ أَدَّاهُ إِلَى مَأْمَنِهِ. وَبَلَغَ الْخَبَرُ الْفَضْلَ بْنَ الرَّبِيعِ مِنْ عَيْنٍ كَانَتْ لَهُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ خَاصِّ خَدَمِهِ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَى الرَّشِيدِ فَأَخْبَرَهُ، فَأَرَاهُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَعْبَأُ بِخَبَرِهِ وَقَالَ: مَا أَنْتَ وَهَذَا، لَا أُمَّ لَكَ، فَلَعَلَّ ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَمْرِي. فَانْكَسَرَ الْفَضْلُ، وَجَاءَهُ جَعْفَرٌ فَدَعَا بِالْغَدَاءِ فَأَكَلَا، وَجَعَلَ يُلْقِمُهُ وَيُحَادِثُهُ، إِلَى أَنْ كَانَ آخِرَ مَا كَانَ بَيْنَهُمَا أَنْ قَالَ: مَا فَعَلَ يَحْيَى بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ؟ قَالَ: بِحَالِهِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي الْحَبْسِ الضَّيِّقِ وَالْأَكْبَالِ الثَّقِيلَةِ. فَقَالَ: بِحَيَاتِي ! فَأَحْجَمَ جَعْفَرٌ، وَكَانَ مِنْ أَرَقِّ الْخَلْقِ ذِهْنًا، وَأَصَحِّهِمْ فِكْرًا، فَهَجَسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ أَنَّهُ قَدْ عَلِمَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ، فَقَالَ: لَا وَحَيَاتِكَ يَا سَيِّدِي، وَلَكِنْ أَطْلَقْتُهُ وَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُ لَا حَيَاةَ بِهِ، وَلَا مَكْرُوهَ عِنْدَهُ. قَالَ: نَعَمْ مَا فَعَلْتَ، مَا عَدَوْتَ مَا كَانَ فِي نَفْسِي. فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ أَتْبَعُهُ بَصَرَهُ حَتَّى كَادَ يَتَوَارَى عَنْ وَجْهِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: قَتَلَنِي اللَّهُ بِسَيْفِ الْهُدَى عَلَى عَمَلِ الضَّلَالَةِ إِنْ لَمْ أَقْتُلْكَ. فَكَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ مَا كَانَ. وَقَالَ إِدْرِيسُ بْنُ بَدْرٍ: عَرَضَ رَجُلٌ لِلرَّشِيدِ فَقَالَ: نَصِيحَةً، فَقَالَ لِهَرْثَمَةَ: خُذْ إِلَيْكَ الرَّجُلَ وَسَلْهُ عَنْ نَصِيحَتِهِ. فَسَأَلَهُ فَأَبَى أَنْ يُخْبِرَهُ وَقَالَ: هِيَ سِرٌّ مِنْ أَسْرَارِ الْخَلِيفَةِ. فَأَخْبَرَ هَرْثَمَةُ الرَّشِيدَ فَقَالَ لَهُ: لَا تَبْرَحْ بِالْبَابِ حَتَّى أَفْرُغَ لَهُ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي الْهَاجِرَةِ، وَانْصَرَفَ مَنْ كَانَ عِنْدَهُ، دَعَا بِهِ، فَقَالَ: أَخْلِنِي. فَالْتَفَتَ هَارُونُ إِلَى بَنِيهِ فَقَالَ: انْصَرِفُوا يَا فِتْيَانُ. فَوَثَبُوا، وَبَقِيَ خَاقَانُ وَحُسَيْنٌ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِمَا الرَّجُلُ فَقَالَ: تَنَحَّيَا عَنَّا. فَفَعَلَا، ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ فَقَالَ: هَاتِ مَا عِنْدَكَ. فَقَالَ: عَلَى أَنْ تُؤَمِّنَنِي. قَالَ: عَلَى أَنْ أُؤَمِّنَكَ وَأُحْسِنَ إِلَيْكَ. قَالَ: كُنْتُ بِحُلْوَانَ فِي خَانٍ مِنْ خَانَاتِهَا، فَإِذَا أَنَا بِيَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِي دُرَّاعَةِ صُوفٍ غَلِيظَةٍ وَكِسَاءِ صُوفٍ أَخْضَرَ غَلِيظٍ، وَإِذَا مَعَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ يَنْزِلُونَ إِذَا نَزَلَ، وَيَرْحَلُونَ إِذَا رَحَلَ، وَيَكُونُونَ مِنْهُ بِرَصَدٍ، يُوهِمُونَ مَنْ رَآهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْرِفُونَهُ وَهُمْ أَعْوَانُهُ، وَمَعَ [كُلِّ ] وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ مَنْشُورٌ يَأْمَنُ لَهُ إِنْ عُرِضَ لَهُ. قَالَ: تَعْرِفُ يَحْيَى بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ؟ قَالَ: أَعْرِفُهُ قَدِيمًا، وَذَلِكَ الَّذِي حَقَّقَ مَعْرِفَتِي بِهِ بِالْأَمْسِ. قَالَ: فَصِفْهُ. قَالَ: مَرْبُوعٌ، أَسْمَرُ، رَقِيقُ الْبَشَرَةِ، أَجْلَحُ، حَسَنُ الْعَيْنَيْنِ، عَظِيمُ الْبَطْنِ. قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ هُوَ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ: فَمَا سَمِعْتَهُ يَقُولُ ؟ قَالَ: مَا سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ شَيْئًا غَيْرَ أَنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ يُصَلِّي، وَرَأَيْتُ غُلَامًا مِنْ غِلْمَانِهِ أَعْرِفُهُ قَدِيمًا جَالِسًا عَلَى بَابٍ بِالْخَانِ، فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ صَلَاتِهِ أَتَاهُ بِثَوْبٍ غَسِيلٍ، فَأَلْقَاهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ، وَنَزَعَ الْجُبَّةَ الصُّوفَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَحْسَنُ اللَّهُ جَزَاءَكَ، وَشَكَرَ سَعْيُكَ، فَمَنْ أَنْتَ ؟ قَالَ: رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ هَذِهِ الدَّوْلَةِ، وَأَصْلِي مِنْ مَرْوٍ، وَمَوْلِدِي مَدِينَةُ السَّلَامِ. قَالَ: فَمَنْزِلُكَ بِهَا ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. فَأَطْرَقَ مَلِيًّا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: كَيْفَ احْتِمَالُكَ لِمَكْرُوهٍ تُمْتَحَنُ بِهِ فِي طَاعَتِي ؟ قَالَ: أَبْلَغُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ حَيْثُ أَحَبَّ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. قَالَ: كُنْ بِمَكَانِكَ حَتَّى أَرْجِعَ. فَدَخَلَ حُجْرَةً كَانَتْ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِهِ، فَأَخْرَجَ كِيسًا فِيهِ أَلْفَا دِينَارٍ، فَقَالَ: خُذْ هَذِهِ وَدَعْنِي وَمَا أُدَبِّرُ فِيكَ. فَأَخَذَهَا وَضَمَّ عَلَيْهَا ثِيَابَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا غُلَامُ. فَأَجَابَهُ خَاقَانُ وَحُسَيْنٌ، فَقَالَ: اصْفَعَا ابْنَ اللَّخْنَاءِ، فَصَفَعَاهُ نَحْوًا مِنْ مِائَةِ صَفْعَةٍ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَخْرِجَاهُ إِلَى مَنْ بَقِيَ فِي الدَّارِ وَعِمَامَتُهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ، فَقُولَا: هَذَا جَزَاءُ مَنْ يَسْعَى بِبِطَانَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَوْلِيَائِهِ ! فَفَعَلَا ذَلِكَ وَتَحَدَّثُوا بِخَبَرِهِ، وَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِحَالِ الرَّجُلِ أَحَدٌ، وَلَا بِمَا أَلْقَى إِلَى الرَّشِيدِ حَتَّى كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْبَرَامِكَةِ مَا كَانَ. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ الْبَرَامِكَةَ كَانُوا يُرِيدُونَ إِبْطَالَ خِلَافَةِ الرَّشِيدِ وَإِظْهَارَ الزَّنْدَقَةِ. وَقِيلَ: بِسَبَبِ الْعَبَّاسَةِ. وَمِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ مَنْ أَنْكَرَ ذَلِكَ. وَإِنْ كَانَ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ قَدْ ذَكَرَهُ. رَوَى ابْنُ الْجَوْزِيِّ أَنَّ الرَّشِيدَ سُئِلَ عَنِ السَّبَبِ الَّذِي مِنْ أَجْلِهِ أَهْلَكَ الْبَرَامِكَةَ فَقَالَ: لَوْ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ قَمِيصِي يَعْلَمُ ذَلِكَ لَأَحْرَقْتُهُ. وَقَدْ كَانَ جَعْفَرٌ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى الرَّشِيدِ بِغَيْرِ إِذْنٍ حَتَّى كَانَ رُبَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ فِي الْفِرَاشِ مَعَ حَظَايَاهُ، وَهَذِهِ وَجَاهَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ وَمَنْزِلَةٌ عَالِيَةٌ، وَكَانَ مِنْ أَحْظَى الْعُشَرَاءِ عَلَى الشَّرَابِ - فَإِنَّ الرَّشِيدَ كَانَ يَسْتَعْمِلُ فِي أَوَاخِرِ مُلْكِهِ الْمُسْكِرَ، وَكَأَنَّهُ الْمُخْتَلَفُ فِيهِ - وَكَانَ أَحَبَّ أَهْلِهِ إِلَيْهِ أُخْتُهُ الْعَبَّاسَةُ بِنْتُ الْمَهْدِيِّ، وَكَانَ يُحْضِرُهَا مَعَهُ، وَجَعْفَرٌ الْبَرْمَكِيُّ حَاضِرٌ أَيْضًا، فَزَوَّجَهُ بِهَا لِيَحِلَّ لَهُ النَّظَرُ إِلَيْهَا، وَاشْتَرَطَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ لَا يَطَأْهَا، فَكَانَ الرَّشِيدُ رُبَّمَا قَامَ وَتَرَكَهُمَا وَهُمَا ثَمِلَانِ مِنَ الشَّرَابِ، فَرُبَّمَا وَاقَعَهَا جَعْفَرٌ فَاتَّفَقَ حَمْلُهَا مِنْهُ فَوَلَدَتْ وَلَدًا، وَبَعْثَتْهُ مَعَ بَعْضِ جَوَارِيهَا إِلَى مَكَّةَ، فَكَانَ يُرَبَّى بِهَا. سبب آخر في مقتل جعفر البرمكي وَذَكَرَ الْقَاضِي ابْنُ خِلِّكَانَ فِي " الْوَفَيَاتِ " صِفَةً أُخْرَى فِي مَقْتَلِ جَعْفَرٍ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا زَوَّجَ الرَّشِيدُ جَعْفَرًا مِنَ الْعَبَّاسَةِ أَحَبَّتْهُ حُبًّا شَدِيدًا، فَرَاوَدَتْهُ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ فَامْتَنَعَ أَشَدَّ الِامْتِنَاعِ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَاحْتَالَتْ عَلَيْهِ، وَكَانَتْ أُمُّهُ تُهْدِي إِلَيْهِ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةِ جُمْعَةٍ جَارِيَةً حَسْنَاءَ بِكْرًا فَقَالَتْ لِأُمِّهِ: أَدْخِلِينِي عَلَيْهِ فِي صِفَةِ جَارِيَةٍ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْجَوَارِي فَهَابَتْ مِنْ تِلْكَ، فَتَهَدَّدَتْهَا حَتَّى فَعَلَتْ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَكَانَ لَا يَتَحَقَّقُ وَجْهَهَا مِنْ مَهَابَةِ الرَّشِيدِ، فَوَاقَعَهَا فَقَالَتْ لَهُ: كَيْفَ رَأَيْتَ خَدِيعَةَ بَنَاتِ الْمُلُوكِ. فَقَالَ: وَمَنْ أَنْتَ؟ فَقَالَتْ: أَنَا الْعَبَّاسَةُ. وَحَمَلَتْ مِنْ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَى أُمِّهِ فَقَالَ لَهَا. بِعْتِينِي وَاللَّهِ بِرَخِيصٍ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ وَالِدَهُ يَحْيَى بْنَ خَالِدٍ جَعَلَ يُضَيِّقُ عَلَى عِيَالِ الرَّشِيدِ فِي النَّفَقَةِ، حَتَّى شَكَتْهُ إِلَى الرَّشِيدِ زُبَيْدَةُ مَرَّاتٍ، ثُمَّ أَفْشَتْ لَهُ سِرَّ الْعَبَّاسَةِ، فَاسْتَشَاطَ غَضَبًا، وَلَمَّا أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ الْوَلَدَ قَدْ أَرْسَلَتْ بِهِ إِلَى مَكَّةَ حَجَّ عَامَهُ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى تَحَقَّقَ الْأَمْرَ. وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّ بَعْضَ الْجَوَارِي نَمَّتْ عَلَيْهَا إِلَى الرَّشِيدِ، وَأَخْبَرَتْهُ بِمَا وَقَعَ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ، وَأَنَّ الْوَلَدَ بِمَكَّةَ، وَعِنْدَهُ جَوَارٍ وَمَعَهُ أَمْوَالٌ وَحُلِيٌّ كَثِيرٌ، فَلَمْ يُصَدِّقْ حَتَّى حَجَّ فِي السَّنَةِ الْحَالِيَّةِ، فَكَشَفَ عَنِ الْحَالِ، فَإِذَا هُوَ كَمَا ذَكَرَتْ تِلْكَ الْجَارِيَةُ. وَقَدْ حَجَّ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ يَحْيَى بْنُ خَالِدٍ الْوَزِيرُ، وَقَدِ اسْتَشْعَرَ الْغَضَبَ مِنَ الرَّشِيدِ عَلَيْهِ، فَجَعَلَ يَدْعُو عِنْدَ الْكَعْبَةِ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ يُرْضِيكَ عَنِّي سَلْبُ مَالِيَ وَوَلَدِي وَأَهْلِي فَافْعَلْ ذَلِكَ بِي، وَأَبْقِ عَلَيَّ مِنْهُمُ الْفَضْلَ. ثُمَّ خَرَجَ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ عِنْدَ بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ رَجَعَ فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ وَالْفَضْلُ مَعَهُمْ، فَإِنِّي رَاضٍ بِرِضَاكَ عَنِّي وَلَا تَسْتَثْنِ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا. وَسُمِعَ أَيْضًا يَقُولُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَقَامِ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ ذُنُوبِي جَمَّةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ لَا يُحْصِيهَا غَيْرُكَ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تُعَاقِبُنِي فَاجْعَلْ عُقُوبَتِي بِذَلِكَ فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَإِنْ أَحَاطَ ( ذَلِكَ بِسَمْعِي ) وَبَصَرِي وَوَلَدِي وَمَالِي، حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ رِضَاكَ، وَلَا تَجْعَلْ عُقُوبَتِي فِي الْآخِرَةِ. فَاسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ. فَلَمَّا قَفَلَ الرَّشِيدُ مِنَ الْحَجِّ صَارَ إِلَى الْحِيرَةِ، ثُمَّ رَكِبَ فِي السُّفُنِ إِلَى الْعُمْرِ مِنْ أَرْضِ الْأَنْبَارِ، فَلَمَّا كَانَتْ لَيْلَةُ السَّبْتِ سَلْخَ الْمُحَرَّمِ مِنْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ أَعْنِي سَنَةَ سَبْعٍ وَثَمَانِينَ أَرْسَلَ مَسْرُورًا الْخَادِمَ، وَمَعَهُ حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَالِمٍ أَبُو عِصْمَةَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ مِنَ الْجُنْدِ فَأَطَافُوا بِجَعْفَرِ بْنِ يَحْيَى لَيْلًا، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ مَسْرُورٌ الْخَادِمُ، وَعِنْدَهُ بُخْتَيَشُوعُ الْمُتَطَبِّبُ، وَأَبُو زَكَّارٍ الْأَعْمَى الْمُغَنِّي الْكَلْوَذَانِيُّ، وَهُوَ فِي أَمْرِهِ، وَأَبُو زَكَّارٍ يُغَنِّيهِ: فَلَا تَبْعَدْ فَكُلُّ فَتًى سَيَأْتِي عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتُ يَطْرُقُ أَوْ يُغَادِي فَقَالَ الْخَادِمُ لَهُ: يَا أَبَا الْفَضْلِ، هَذَا الْمَوْتُ قَدْ طُرَقَكَ، أَجِبْ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ، فَقَبَّلَ قَدَمَيْهِ، وَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ، أَنْ يَدْخُلَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ، فَيُوصِيَ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالَ: أَمَّا الدُّخُولُ فَلَا سَبِيلَ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَوْصَى جَعْفَرٌ وَأَعْتَقَ جَمَاعَةً مِنْ مَمَالِيكِهِ، وَجَاءَتْ رُسُلُ الرَّشِيدِ تَسْتَحِثُّ الْخَادِمَ، فَأَخْرَجَهُ إِخْرَاجًا عَنِيفًا يَقُودُهُ، حَتَّى أَتَى الْمَنْزِلَ الَّذِي كَانَ فِيهِ الرَّشِيدُ فَحَبَسَهُ وَقَيَّدَهُ بِقَيْدِ حِمَارٍ، وَأَعْلَمَ الرَّشِيدَ بِمَا كَانَ فَعَلَ، فَأَمَرَهُ بِضَرْبِ عُنُقِهِ، فَجَاءَ إِلَى جَعْفَرٍ فَقَالَ: إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ آتِيَهُ بِرَأْسِكَ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَبَا هَاشِمٍ، لَعَلَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَكْرَانُ، فَإِذَا صَحَا عَاتَبَكَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، فَعَاوِدْهُ. فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، لَعَلَّكَ مَشْغُولٌ. فَقَالَ: وَيْحَكَ يَا مَاصَّ بَظْرِ أُمِّهِ ! ائْتِنِي بِرَأْسِهِ. فَكَرَّرَ عَلَيْهِ جَعْفَرٌ الْمُعَاوَدَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: بَرِئْتُ مِنَ الْمَهْدِيِّ لَئِنْ لَمْ تَأْتِنِي بِرَأْسِهِ لَأَبْعَثَنَّ مَنْ يَأْتِينِي بِرَأْسِكَ وَرَأْسِهِ. فَرَجَعَ إِلَى جَعْفَرٍ، فَحَزَّ رَأْسَهُ، وَجَاءَ بِهِ إِلَى الرَّشِيدِ، فَأَلْقَاهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَأَرْسَلَ الرَّشِيدُ مِنْ لَيْلَتِهِ الْبُرُدَ فِي الِاحْتِيَاطِ عَلَى الْبَرَامِكَةِ جَمِيعِهِمْ بِبَغْدَادَ وَغَيْرِهَا، وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْهُمْ بِسَبِيلٍ فَأُخِذُوا كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ آخِرِهِمْ، فَلَمْ يُفْلِتْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ، وَحَبَسَ يَحْيَى بْنَ خَالِدٍ فِي مَنْزِلِهِ، وَحَبَسَ الْفَضْلَ بْنَ يَحْيَى فِي مَنْزِلٍ آخَرَ، وَأَخَذَ جَمِيعَ مَا كَانُوا يَمْلِكُونَهُ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ، وَالْمَوَالِي، وَالْحَشَمِ، وَالْخَدَمِ، وَاحْتِيطَ عَلَى أَمْلَاكِهِمْ، وَبَعَثَ الرَّشِيدُ بِرَأْسِ جَعْفَرٍ وَجُثَّتِهِ، ثُمَّ قُطِعَتْ بِاثْنَيْنِ، فَنُصِبَ الرَّأْسُ عِنْدَ الْجِسْرِ الْأَعْلَى، وَشِقُّ الْجُثَّةِ عِنْدَ الْجِسْرِ الْأَسْفَلِ، وَشِقُّهَا الْآخَرُ عِنْدَ الْجِسْرِ الْآخَرِ، ثُمَّ أُحْرِقَتْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ، وَنُودِيَ فِي بَغْدَادَ أَنْ لَا أَمَانَ لِلْبَرَامِكَةِ وَلَا لِمَنْ آوَاهُمْ، إِلَّا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ يَحْيَى بْنِ خَالِدٍ، فَإِنَّهُ اسْتَثْنَاهُ مِنْ بَيْنِ الْبَرَامِكَةِ لِنُصْحِهِ لِلْخَلِيفَةِ. مقتل أنس بن أبي شيخ وَأَتَى الرَّشِيدُ بِأَنَسِ بْنِ أَبِي شَيْخٍ - وَكَانَ يُتَّهَمُ بِالزَّنْدَقَةِ، وَكَانَ مُصَاحِبًا لِجَعْفَرٍ الْبَرْمَكِيِّ - وَذَلِكَ لَيْلَةَ قُتِلَ جَعْفَرٌ، فَدَارَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُ كَلَامٌ، فَأَخْرَجَ الرَّشِيدُ سَيْفًا مِنْ تَحْتِ فِرَاشِهِ، وَأَمَرَ بِضَرْبِ عُنُقِهِ بِهِ، وَجَعَلَ يَتَمَثَّلُ بِبَيْتٍ قِيلَ فِي أَنَسٍ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ: تَلَمَّظَ السَّيْفُ مِنْ شَوْقٍ إِلَى أَنَسٍ فَالسَّيْفُ يَلْحَظُ وَالْأَقْدَارُ تَنْتَظِرُ فَضُرِبَتْ عُنُقُ أَنَسٍ، فَسَبَقَ السَّيْفُ الدَّمَ، فَقَالَ الرَّشِيدُ: رَحِمَ اللَّهُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مُصْعَبٍ. فَقَالَ النَّاسُ: إِنَّ السَّيْفَ كَانَ سَيْفَ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ الْعَوَّامِ. وَشُحِنَتِ السُّجُونُ بِالْبَرَامِكَةِ، وَاسْتُلِبَتْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ كُلُّهَا. وَقَدْ كَانَ الرَّشِيدُ فِي الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي قَتَلَ فِي آخِرِهِ جَعْفَرًا، هُوَ وَإِيَّاهُ رَاكِبَيْنِ فِي الصَّيْدِ، وَقَدْ خَلَا بِهِ دُونَ وُلَاةِ الْعُهُودِ، وَطَيَّبَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ بِالْغَالِيَةِ بِيَدِهِ، وَلَمَّا كَانَ وَقْتُ الْمَغْرِبِ وَوَدَّعَهُ الرَّشِيدُ، ضَمَّهُ إِلَيْهِ وَقَالَ: لَوْلَا أَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ لَيْلَةُ خَلْوَتِي بِالنِّسَاءِ مَا فَارَقْتُكَ، فَاذْهَبْ إِلَى مَنْزِلِكَ وَاشْرَبْ وَاطْرَبْ لِتَكُونَ عَلَى مِثْلِ حَالِي. فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَا أَشْتَهِي ذَلِكَ إِلَّا مَعَكَ. فَانْصَرَفَ عَنْهُ جَعْفَرٌ، فَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا أَنْ ذَهَبَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ بَعْضُهُ حَتَّى أَوْقَعَ بِهِ مِنَ الْبَأْسِ وَالنَّكَالِ مَا تَقَدَّمَ ذِكْرُهُ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ لَيْلَةَ السَّبْتِ آخَرَ لَيْلَةٍ مِنَ الْمُحَرَّمِ، وَقِيلَ: إِنَّهَا مُسْتَهَلُّ صَفَرٍ سَنَةَ سَبْعٍ وَثَمَانِينَ. وَكَانَ عُمْرُ جَعْفَرٍ إِذْ ذَاكَ سَبْعًا وَثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً. وَلَمَّا جَاءَ الْخَبَرُ إِلَى أَبِيهِ يَحْيَى بْنِ خَالِدٍ بِقَتْلِهِ قَالَ: قَتَلَ اللَّهُ ابْنَهُ. وَلَمَّا قِيلَ لَهُ: قَدْ خُرِّبَتْ دَارُكَ. قَالَ: خَرَّبَ اللَّهُ دَوْرَهُ. وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ لَمَّا نَظَرَ إِلَى دَارِهِ وَقَدْ هُتِكَتْ سُتُورُهَا، وَاسْتُبِيحَتْ قُصُورُهَا، وَانْتُهِبَ مَا فِيهَا، قَالَ: هَكَذَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ. وَقَدْ كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ يُعَزِّيهِ فِيمَا وَقَعَ، فَكَتَبَ جَوَابَ التَّعْزِيَةِ: أَنَا بِقَضَاءِ اللَّهِ رَاضٍ، وَبِالْخِيَارِ عَالِمٌ، وَلَا يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ الْعِبَادَ إِلَّا بِذُنُوبِهِمْ، وَمَا اللَّهُ بِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ، وَمَا يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ أَكْثَرُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ. الحزن على مقتل البرامكة وعن عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ الْبَصْرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ مَسْرُورًا قَالَ: اسْتَدْعَانِي الْمَأْمُونُ فَقَالَ لِي: قَدْ أُكْثِرَ عَلَيَّ أَخْبَارُ السِّرِّ بِأَنَّ شَيْخًا يَأْتِي خَرَابَ الْبَرَامِكَةِ فَيَبْكِي وَيَنْتَحِبُ طَوِيلًا ثُمَّ يَنْشُدُ شِعْرًا يَرْثِيهِمْ بِهِ وَيَنْصَرِفُ، فَارْكَبْ أَنْتَ وَدِينَارُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَاسْتَتِرْ بِالْجُدْرَانِ، فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَشَاهَدْتُمَا مَا فَعَلَ وَسَمِعْتُمَا مَا قَالَ فَأْتِيَانِي بِهِ، فَرَكِبْنَا مُغَلِّسِينَ، فَأَتَيْنَا الْمَوْضِعَ فَاخْتَفَيْنَا فِيهِ وَأَبْعَدْنَا الدَّوَابَّ، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْنَا إِذَا بِخَادِمٍ أَسْوَدَ قَدْ أَقْبَلَ وَمَعَهُ كُرْسِيٌّ حَدِيدٌ، فَطَرَحَهُ وَجَاءَ عَلَى أَثَرِهِ كَهْلٌ فَجَلَسَ عَلَى الْكُرْسِيِّ وَتَلَفَّتَ فَلَمْ يَرَ أَحَدًا، فَبَكَى وَانْتَحَبَ حَتَّى قُلْتُ قَدْ فَارَقَ الدُّنْيَا، ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَ يَقُولُ: وَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُ السَّيْفَ خَلَّلَ جَعْفَرًا وَنَادَى مُنَادٍ لِلْخَلِيفَةِ فِي يَحْيَى وَذَكَرَ أَبْيَاتًا قَدْ تَقَدَّمَتْ، فَلَمَّا قَامَ قَبَضْنَا عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: مَا تُرِيدَانِ مِنِّي. قُلْتُ: هَذَا دِينَارُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَأَنَا مَسْرُورٌ خَادِمُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَهُوَ يَسْتَدْعِيكَ فَالْبِسْ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنِّي لَا آمَنُهُ عَلَى نَفْسِي، فَأَمْهِلْنِي حَتَّى أُوصِيَ. قُلْتُ: شَأْنُكَ. فَسِرْنَا مَعَهُ فَوَقَفَ عَلَى دُكَّانِ رَجُلٍ وَاسْتَدْعَى دَوَاةً وَبَيْضَاءَ، فَكَتَبَ فِيهَا وَصِيتَهُ، وَدَفَعَهَا إِلَى خَادِمِهِ، وَسِرْنَا بِهِ، فَلَمَّا مَثُلَ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ الْخَلِيفَةِ زَبَرَهُ وَقَالَ: مَنْ أَنْتَ ؟ وَبِمَ اسْتَحَقَّ مِنْكَ الْبَرَامِكَةُ مَا تَصْنَعُ. فَقَالَ غَيْرَ هَائِبٍ وَلَا مُحْتَشِمٍ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِنَّ لِلْبَرَامِكَةِ عِنْدِي أَيَادِيَ خَضْرَاءَ، فَإِنْ أَمَرَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَدَّثْتُهُ بِبَعْضِهَا. فَقَالَ: هَاتِ. فَقَالَ: أَنَا الْمُنْذِرُ بْنُ الْمُغِيرَةِ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، نَشْأَتُ فِي نِعْمَةٍ فَزَالَتْ حَتَّى أَفْضَتْ إِلَى بَيْعِ دَارِي، وَأَمْلَقْتُ إِلَى [غَيْرِ ] غَايَةٍ، فَأُشِيرَ عَلَيَّ بِقَصْدِ الْبَرَامِكَةِ، فَخَرَجْتُ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ وَمَعِي نَيِّفٌ وَعِشْرُونَ امْرَأَةً وَصَبِيًّا، فَدَخَلْتُ بِهِمْ إِلَى [مَسْجِدٍ ] بِبَغْدَادَ، ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ وَتَرَكْتُهُمْ جِيَاعًا لَا نَفَقَةَ لَهُمْ، فَمَرَرْتُ بِمَسْجِدٍ فِيهِ جَمَاعَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَحْسَنُ زِيٍّ، فَجَلَسْتُ مَعَهُمْ أُرَدِّدُ فِي صَدْرِي مَا أُخَاطِبُهُمْ بِهِ فَتَحِيدُ نَفْسِي عَنْ ذُلِّ السُّؤَالِ، فَإِذَا خَادِمٌ قَدْ أَزْعَجَ الْقَوْمَ، فَقَامُوا فَقُمْتُ مَعَهُمْ، فَدَخَلُوا دَارًا كَبِيرَةً، فَدَخَلْتُ مَعَهُمْ، فَإِذَا يَحْيَى بْنُ خَالِدٍ عَلَى دِكَّةٍ وَسَطَ بُسْتَانٍ، فَجَلَسُوا وَجَلَسْتُ، وَكُنَّا مِائَةَ رَجُلٍ وَرَجُلٍ، فَخَرَجَ مِائَةُ خَادِمٍ وَخَادِمٍ، فِي يَدِ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ مِجْمَرَةٌ ذَهَبٌ، فِيهَا قِطْعَةُ عَنْبَرٍ، فَسَجَرُوا الْعُودَ، وَأَقْبَلَ يَحْيَى عَلَى الْقَاضِي فَقَالَ زَوِّجِ ابْنَ عَمِّي هَذَا بِابْنَتِي عَائِشَةَ فَخَطَبَ وَعَقَدَ النِّكَاحَ، فَأَخَذْنَا النِّثَارَ مِنْ فُتَاتِ الْمِسْكِ وَبَنَادِقِ الْعَنْبَرِ وَتَمَاثِيلِ النِّدِّ، فَالْتَقَطَ النَّاسُ وَالْتَقَطَ، ثُمَّ جَاءَنَا الْخَدَمُ فِي يَدِ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ صِينِيَّةُ فِضَّةٍ، فِيهَا أَلْفُ دِينَارٍ، مَخْلُوطٌ بِالْمِسْكِ، فَوُضِعَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ وَاحِدَةٌ، فَأَقْبَلَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ يَأْخُذُ الدَّنَانِيرَ فِي كُمِّهِ، وَالصِّينِيَّةَ تَحْتَ إِبِطِهِ، وَيَخْرُجُ، فَبَقِيتُ وَحْدِي، لَا أَجْسُرُ أَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ، فَغَمَزَنِي بَعْضُ الْخَدَمِ وَقَالَ: خُذْهَا [ وَقُمْ ]، فَأَخَذْتُهَا وَقُمْتُ، وَجَعَلْتُ أَمْشِي، وَأَلْتَفِتُ [خَوْفًا مِنْ أَنْ يُؤْخَذَ مِنِّي، ] وَيَحْيَى يُلَاحِظُنِي مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا أَفْطَنُ، فَلَمَّا قَارَبْتُ السِّتْرَ رُدِدْتُ فَيَئِسَتْ مِنَ الصِّينِيَّةِ، فَجِئْتُ فَأَمَرَنِي بِالْجُلُوسِ، فَجَلَسْتُ فَسَأَلَنِي عَنْ حَالِي فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِقِصَّتِي، فَبَكَى، ثُمَّ قَالَ: عَلَيَّ بِمُوسَى. فَجَاءَهُ، فَقَالَ: يَا بُنَيَّ، هَذَا رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَوْلَادِ النِّعَمِ، قَدْ رَمَتْهُ الْأَيَّامُ بِصَرْفِهَا، فَخُذْهُ وَاخْلِطْهُ بِنَفْسِكَ، فَأَخَذَنِي فَخَلَعَ عَلَيَّ وَأَمَرَ لِي بِحِفْظِ الصِّينِيَّةِ فَكُنْتُ فِي الْعَيْشِ يَوْمِي وَلَيْلَتِي، ثُمَّ اسْتَدْعَى [أَخَاهُ ] الْعَبَّاسَ وَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْوَزِيرَ سَلَّمَ إِلَيَّ هَذَا، وَأُرِيدُ الرُّكُوبَ إِلَى دَارِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَلْيَكُنْ عِنْدَكَ الْيَوْمَ. فَكَانَ يَوْمِي مِثْلَ أَمْسِي، وَأَقْبَلُوا يَتَدَاوَلُونِي وَأَنَا قَلِقٌ بِأَمْرِ عِيَالِي، وَلَا أَتَجَاسَرُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُمْ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الْعَاشِرُ أُدْخِلْتُ إِلَى الْفَضْلِ بْنِ يَحْيَى، فَأَقَمْتُ عِنْدَهُ يَوْمِي وَلَيْلَتِي، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْتُ جَاءَنِي خَادِمٌ فَقَالَ: قُمْ إِلَى عِيَالِكَ وَصِبْيَانِكَ. فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ، ذَهَبَتِ الصِّينِيَّةُ وَمَا فِيهَا، فَيَا لَيْتَ هَذَا كَانَ مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ. فَقُمْتُ وَالْخَادِمُ يَمْشِي بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ، فَأَخْرَجَنِي مِنَ الدَّارِ، فَازْدَادَ يَأْسِي، ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَنِي إِلَى دَارٍ كَأَنَّ الشَّمْسَ تَطْلُعُ مِنْ جَوَانِبِهَا، وَفِيهَا مِنْ صُنُوفِ الْآلَاتِ وَالْفُرُشِ، فَلَمَّا تَوَسَّطْتُهَا رَأَيْتُ عِيَالِي يَرْتَعُونَ فِيهَا فِي الدِّيبَاجِ وَالسُّتُورِ، وَقَدْ حُمِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِائَةُ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، وَعَشْرَةُ آلَافِ دِينَارٍ، وَسَلَّمَ إِلَيَّ الْخَادِمُ صَكًّا بِضَيْعَتَيْنِ جَلِيلَتَيْنِ، وَقَالَ: هَذِهِ الدَّارُ وَمَا فِيهَا وَالضِّيَاعُ لَكَ. فَأَقَمْتُ مَعَ الْبَرَامِكَةِ فِي أَخْفَضِ عَيْشٍ إِلَى الْآنَ. ثُمَّ قَصَدَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ فِي الضَّيْعَتَيْنِ، فَأَلْزَمَنِي مِنْ خَرَاجِهِمَا مَا لَا يَفِي بِهِ دَخْلُهُمَا، فَكُلَّمَا لَحِقَتْنِي نَائِبَةٌ قَصَدْتُ دُورَهُمْ فَبَكَيْتُهُمْ، فَاسْتَدْعَى الْمَأْمُونُ عَمْرَو بْنَ مَسْعَدَةَ، فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَرُدَّ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ مَا اسْتَخْرَجَ مِنْهُ، وَيُقَرِّرَ خَرَاجَهُ عَلَى مَا كَانَ فِي أَيَّامِ الْبَرَامِكَةِ. فَبَكَى الرَّجُلُ بُكَاءً شَدِيدًا، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَأْمُونُ: أَلَمْ أَسْتَأْنِفْ لَكَ جَمِيلًا ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى، وَلَكِنَّ هَذَا مِنْ بَرَكَةِ الْبَرَامِكَةِ. فَقَالَ: امْضِ، فَإِنَّ الْوَفَاءَ مُبَارَكٌ، وَحُسْنَ الْعَهْدِ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ. مراثي في البرامكة وَقَدْ أَكْثَرَ الشُّعَرَاءُ مِنَ الْمَرَاثِي فِي الْبَرَامِكَةِ، فَمِنْ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُ الرَّقَاشِيِّ - وَيُذْكَرُ أَنَّهَا لِأَبِي نُوَاسٍ -: أَلَانَ اسْتَرَحْنَا وَاسْتَرَاحَتْ رِكَابُنَا وَأَمْسَكَ مَنْ يُجْدِي وَمَنْ كَانَ يَجْتَدِي فَقُلْ لِلْمَطَايَا قَدْ أَمِنْتِ مِنَ السُّرَى وَطَيِّ الْفَيَافِي فَدْفَدًا بَعْدَ فَدْفَدِ وَقُلْ لِلْمَنَايَا قَدْ ظَفِرْتِ بِجَعْفَرٍ وَلَنْ تَظْفَرِي مِنْ بَعْدِهِ بَمُسَوَّدِ وَقُلْ لِلْعَطَايَا بَعْدْ فَضْلٍ تَعَطَّلِي وَقُلْ لِلرَّزَايَا كُلَّ يَوْمٍ تَجَدَّدِي وَدُونَكِ سَيْفًا بَرْمَكِيًّا مُهَنَّدًا أُصِيبَ بِسَيْفٍ هَاشِمِيٍّ مُهَنَّدِ وَقَالَ الرَّقَاشِيُّ وَقَدْ نَظَرَ إِلَى جَعْفَرٍ وَهُوَ عَلَى جِذْعِهِ مَصْلُوبٌ: أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَوْلَا خَوْفُ وَاشٍ وَعَيْنٌ لِلْخَلِيفَةِ لَا تَنَامُ لَطُفْنَا حَوْلِ جِذْعِكَ وَاسْتَلَمْنَا كَمَا لِلنَّاسِ بِالْحَجَرِ اسْتِلَامُ فَمَا أَبْصَرْتُ قُبْلَكَ يَابْنَ يَحْيَى حُسَامًا فَلَّهُ السَّيْفُ الْحُسَامُ عَلَى اللَّذَّاتِ وَالدُّنْيَا جَمِيعًا وَدَوْلَةِ آلِ بَرْمَكٍ السَّلَامُ قَالَ: فَاسْتَدْعَى بِهِ الرَّشِيدُ وَقَالَ لَهُ: وَيْحَكَ! كَمْ كَانَ يُعْطِيكَ جَعْفَرٌ كُلَّ عَامٍ؟ قَالَ: أَلْفُ دِينَارٍ. فَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِأَلْفَيْ دِينَارٍ. وَقَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ بَكَّارٍ عَنْ عَمِّهِ مُصْعَبٍ الزُّبَيْرِيِّ قَالَ: لَمَّا قُتِلَ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَقَفَتِ امْرَأَةٌ عَلَى حِمَارٍ فَارِهٍ، فَقَالَتْ بِلِسَانٍ فَصِيحٍ: وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ صِرْتَ الْيَوْمَ آيَةً فَلَقَدْ كُنْتَ فِي الْمَكَارِمِ غَايَةً. ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَتْ تَقُولُ: وَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُ السَّيْفَ خَالَطَ جَعْفَرًا وَنَادَى مُنَادٍ لِلْخَلِيفَةِ فِي يَحْيَى بَكَيْتُ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا وَأَيْقَنْتُ أَنَّمَا قُصَارَى الْفَتَى يَوْمًا مُفَارَقَةُ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا هِيَ إِلَّا دَوْلَةٌ بَعْدَ دَوْلَةٍ تُخَوِّلُ ذَا نُعْمَى وَتُعْقِبُ ذَا بَلْوَى إِذَا أَنْزَلَتْ هَذَا مَنَازِلَ رِفْعَةٍ مِنَ الْمُلْكِ حَطَّتْ ذَا إِلَى الْغَايَةِ الْقُصْوَى قَالَ ثُمَّ حَرَّكَتْ حِمَارَهَا، فَذَهَبَتْ فَكَأَنَّهَا كَانَتْ رِيحًا لَا أَثَرَ لَهَا، وَلَا يُعْرَفُ أَيْنَ ذَهَبَتْ وَذَكَرَ الشَّيْخُ أَبُو الْفَرَجِ ابْنُ الْجَوْزِيِّ فِي كِتَابِهِ " الْمُنْتَظَمِ " أَنَّ جَعْفَرًا كَانَتْ لَهُ جَارِيَةٌ يُقَالُ لَهَا: فَنْفَنَةُ. مُغَنِيَّةٌ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا نَظِيرٌ، كَانَ مُشْتَرَاهَا عَلَيْهِ بِمَنْ مَعَهَا مِنَ الْجَوَارِي مِائَةَ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ، فَطَلَبَهَا مِنْهُ الرَّشِيدُ، فَامْتَنَعَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، فَلَمَّا قَتَلَهُ الرَّشِيدُ اصْطَفَى تِلْكَ الْجَارِيَةَ، فَأَحْضَرَهَا لَيْلَةً فِي مَجْلِسِ شَرَابِهِ، وَعِنْدَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ جُلَسَائِهِ وَسُمَّارِهِ وَأَحْبَابِهِ، فَأَمَرَ مَنْ مَعَهَا أَنْ يُغَنِّينَ، فَانْدَفَعَتْ كُلُّ وَاحِدَةٍ تَغَنِّي، حَتَّى انْتَهَتِ النَّوْبَةُ إِلَى فَنْفَنَةَ، فَأَمَرَهَا بِالْغِنَاءِ، فَأَسْبَلَتْ دَمْعَهَا وَقَالَتْ: أَمَّا بَعْدَ السَّادَةِ فَلَا. فَغَضِبَ الرَّشِيدُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ غَضَبًا شَدِيدًا، وَأَمَرَ بَعْضَ الْحَاضِرِينَ أَنْ يَأْخُذَهَا إِلَيْهِ فَقَدْ وَهَبَهَا لَهُ، ثُمَّ لَمَّا أَرَادَ الِانْصِرَافَ قَالَ لَهُ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُ: لَا تَطَأْهَا. فَفَهِمُوا أَنَّهُ يُرِيدُ بِذَلِكَ كَسْرَهَا. فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَحْضَرَهَا، وَأَظْهَرَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ رَضِيَ عَنْهَا وَأَمَرَهَا بِالْغِنَاءِ، فَامْتَنَعَتْ وَأَرْسَلَتْ دُمُوعَهَا وَقَالَتْ: أَمَّا بَعْدَ السَّادَةِ فَلَا. فَغَضِبَ الرَّشِيدُ أَشَدَّ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِ، وَقَالَ: النِّطْعُ وَالسَّيْفُ. وَجَاءَ السَّيَّافُ، فَوَقَفَ عَلَى رَأْسِهَا، وَقَالَ لَهُ: إِذَا أَمَرْتُكَ ثَلَاثًا وَعَقَدْتُ أَصَابِعِي ثَلَاثًا فَاضْرِبْ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهَا: غَنِّي. فَبَكَتْ وَقَالَتْ: أَمَّا بَعْدَ السَّادَةِ فَلَا. فَعَقَدَ أُصْبَعَهُ الْخِنْصَرَ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَهَا الثَّانِيَةَ فَامْتَنَعَتْ، فَعَقَدَ اثْنَتَيْنِ، فَارْتَعَدَ الْحَاضِرُونَ، وَأَشْفَقُوا غَايَةَ الْإِشْفَاقِ، وَأَقْبَلُوا عَلَيْهَا يَسْأَلُونَهَا أَنْ لَا تَقْتَلَ نَفْسَهَا، وَأَنْ تُجِيبَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَى مَا يُرِيدُ مِنْهَا. ثُمَّ أَمَرَهَا الثَّالِثَةَ، فَانْدَفَعَتْ تَغَنِّي: لَمَّا رَأَيْتُ الدِّيَارَ قَدْ دَرَسَتْ أَيْقَنْتُ أَنَّ النَّعِيمَ لَمْ يَعُدْ قَالَ: فَوَثَبَ إِلَيْهَا الرَّشِيدُ، وَأَخَذَ الْعُودَ مِنْ يَدِهَا، وَأَقْبَلَ يَضْرِبُ بِهِ وَجْهَهَا، وَرَأْسَهَا حَتَّى تَكَسَّرَ، وَأَقْبَلَتِ الدِّمَاءُ، وَتَطَايَرْنَا مِنْ حَوْلِهَا، وَحُمِلَتِ الْجَارِيَةُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ فَمَاتَتْ بَعْدَ ثَلَاثٍ. وَرُوِيَ أَنَّ الرَّشِيدَ كَانَ يَقُولُ: لَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ أَغْرَانِي بِالْبَرَامِكَةِ، فَمَا وَجَدْتُ بَعْدَهُمْ لَذَّةً وَلَا رَاحَةً وَلَا رَخَاءً، وَوَدِدْتُ وَاللَّهِ أَنِّي شُوطِرْتُ نِصْفَ عُمْرِي وَمُلْكِي وَأَنِّي تَرَكْتُهُمْ عَلَى أَمْرِهِمْ. بعض من أخبار جعفر البرمكي وَحَكَى ابْنُ خِلِّكَانَ أَنَّ جَعْفَرًا اشْتَرَى جَارِيَةً مِنْ رَجُلٍ بِأَرْبَعِينَ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ، فَالْتَفَتَتْ إِلَى بَائِعِهَا وَقَالَتْ لَهُ: اذْكُرِ الْعَهْدَ الَّذِي بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ أَنْ لَا تَأْكُلَ مِنْ ثَمَنِي شَيْئًا. فَبَكَى سَيِّدُهَا وَقَالَ: اشْهَدُوا أَنَّهَا حُرَّةٌ، وَأَنِّي قَدْ تَزَوَّجْتُهَا. فَقَالَ جَعْفَرٌ: اشْهَدُوا أَنَّ الثَّمَنَ لَهُ أَيْضًا. قَالَ: وَكَتَبَ إِلَى نَائِبٍ لَهُ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ; فَقَدْ كَثُرَ شَاكُوكَ، وَقَلَّ شَاكِرُوكَ، فَإِمَّا أَنْ تَعْدِلَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَعْتَزِلَ. وَمِنْ أَحْسَنِ مَا وَقَعَ مِنْهُ مِنَ التَّلَطُّفِ فِي إِزَالَةِ هَمِّ الرَّشِيدِ وَقَدْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ مُنَجِّمٌ يَهُودِيٌّ، فَأَخْبَرَ أَنَّهُ سَيَمُوتُ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ، فَحَمَلَ الرَّشِيدُ هَمًّا عَظِيمًا، فَدَخَلَ جَعْفَرٌ فَسَأَلَ: مَا الْخَبَرُ؟ فَأُخْبِرَ بِقَوْلِ الْيَهُودِيِّ لِلْخَلِيفَةِ: أَنَّهُ سَيَمُوتُ مِنْ عَامِهِ هَذَا، فَاسْتَدْعَى جَعْفَرٌ الْيَهُودِيَّ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: كَمْ وَجَدْتَ بَقِيَ لَكَ مِنَ الْعُمْرِ؟ فَذَكَرَ مُدَّةً طَوِيلَةً، فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَى الرَّشِيدِ وَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، اقْتُلْهُ حَتَّى تَعْلَمَ كَذِبَهُ فِيمَا أَخْبَرَ بِهِ عَنْ مَوْتِكَ، كَمَا عَلِمْتَ كَذِبَهُ فِيمَا أَخْبَرَ عَنْ عُمْرِهِ. فَأَمَرَ الرَّشِيدُ بِالْيَهُودِيِّ فَقُتِلَ، وَسُرِّيَ عَنِ الرَّشِيدِ هَمُّهُ الَّذِي كَانَ يَجِدُهُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ.
Translation
✧ The downfall of the Barāmikah In the year one hundred and eighty-seven AH occurred the killing of al-Rashīd's [confidant] Jaʿfar b. Yaḥyā b. Khālid al-Barmakī, the destruction of their abodes, the obliteration of their traces, and the removal of their young and old. The cause of that has been subject to differing accounts. Bakhtīshūʿ said: I was sitting in al-Rashīd's assembly when Yaḥyā b. Khālid appeared, and he used to enter without permission. When he came near al-Rashīd and greeted him, al-Rashīd returned the greeting feebly. Yaḥyā realized that their affair had changed. Then al-Rashīd turned to me and said: 'O Bakhtīshūʿ, does anyone enter your house without your permission?' I said: 'No, and no one would aspire to that.' He said: 'What is the matter with us that he enters upon us without permission?' Yaḥyā stood up and said: 'O Commander of the Faithful, may God grant me precedence before you. By God, I did not initiate that just now; it is nothing but something with which the Commander of the Faithful singled me out and by which he elevated my mention, so much so that I would enter while he was in his bed. I did not know that the Commander of the Faithful had come to dislike what he used to love. Now that I know, I shall be in the second or third rank of those who have permission, if my master commands me so.' He said: [Al-Rashīd] felt ashamed, and he was among the most tender-faced of caliphs, his eyes cast down, not raising his glance. Then he said: 'I did not intend what you dislike, but people are saying...' And Yaḥyā left. Thumāmah b. Ashras said: Muḥammad b. al-Layth sent a letter to al-Rashīd admonishing him, saying: 'Yaḥyā b. Khālid will not avail you anything before God. You have placed him between yourself and God. How will it be for you when you stand before God and He asks you about what you did concerning His servants and His lands, and you say: "I delegated to Yaḥyā the affairs of Your servants"? Do you think you will offer a plea that He accepts?' Along with other words of reproach and rebuke. Al-Rashīd summoned Yaḥyā, and the news of the letter had already reached him. He said: 'Do you know Muḥammad b. al-Layth?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'What kind of man is he?' He said: 'One suspected in his Islam.' So he ordered him imprisoned for a long time. When al-Rashīd turned against the Barāmikah, he remembered him and ordered his release. He was brought, and after a long conversation, [al-Rashīd] said to him: 'O Muḥammad, do you love me?' He said: 'No, by God, O Commander of the Faithful.' He said: 'You say this?!' He said: 'Yes. You placed my leg in fetters and came between me and my family without any crime I committed or any offense I caused, except for the word of an envious man who plots against Islam and its people and loves heresy and its people. How, then, should I love you?' He said: 'You have spoken the truth.' And he ordered his release. Then he said: 'O Muḥammad, do you love me?' He said: 'No, by God, O Commander of the Faithful, but what was in my heart has gone.' He ordered that he be given one hundred thousand dirhams. They were brought, and he said: 'O Muḥammad, do you love me?' He said: 'Now, yes. You have bestowed favor upon me and been good to me.' He said: 'May God take vengeance on whoever wronged you, and obtain your right from the one who incited me against you.' He [the narrator] said: People then spoke about the Barāmikah, and spoke much, and that was the first sign of their changed state. Muḥammad b. al-Faḍl, client of Sulaymān b. Abī Jaʿfar, said: After that, Yaḥyā b. Khālid entered upon al-Rashīd, and the pages rose for him. Al-Rashīd said to Masrūr [the servant]: 'Order the pages not to rise for him when he enters.' He entered and no one rose for him, and his color darkened. Thereafter, when the pages and chamberlains saw him, they turned away from him. Sometimes he would ask for a drink of water and they would not give it to him. Abū Muḥammad al-Yazīdī said: Whoever says that al-Rashīd killed Jaʿfar b. Yaḥyā for no reason related to Yaḥyā b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Ḥasan, do not believe him. That is because al-Rashīd handed Yaḥyā over to Jaʿfar, who imprisoned him. Then one night he summoned him and asked him about some matter of his affair. He answered him until he said to him: 'Fear God concerning my case; do not expose yourself to having Muḥammad ﷺ as your adversary tomorrow. By God, I have committed no offense and sheltered no offender.' [Jaʿfar] felt compassion for him and said: 'Go wherever you wish in God's lands.' He said: 'How can I go when I do not feel safe from being seized after a short while and returned to you or to another?' So he sent someone with him to deliver him to a place of safety. The news reached al-Faḍl b. al-Rabīʿ from a spy he had among [Jaʿfar's] private servants. He entered upon al-Rashīd and informed him. [Al-Rashīd] showed that he paid no heed to his news and said: 'What have you to do with this? May you have no mother! Perhaps that was by my command.' Al-Faḍl returned dejected. Then Jaʿfar came, and [al-Rashīd] called for lunch and they ate. He began to feed him morsels and converse with him, until the last thing between them was that he said: 'What became of Yaḥyā b. ʿAbd Allāh?' He said: 'He is as he was, O Commander of the Faithful, in the narrow prison and heavy fetters.' He said: 'By my life?' Jaʿfar held back. He was among the sharpest of creatures in wit and soundest in thought, and it occurred to him that [al-Rashīd] had learned something of his affair. He said: 'No, by your life, O my master. Rather, I released him, knowing that he has no strength and no harm in him.' He said: 'Yes, what you did was right; you did not exceed what was in my own mind.' When [Jaʿfar] left, [al-Rashīd] followed him with his gaze until he almost disappeared from his sight, then said: 'May God kill me with the sword of guidance for the deed of error if I do not kill you.' Then his affair proceeded as it did. Idrīs b. Badr said: A man presented himself to al-Rashīd and said: '[I have] counsel.' Al-Rashīd said to Harthamah: 'Take the man and ask him about his counsel.' He asked him, but he refused to tell him, saying: 'It is a secret among the secrets of the caliph.' Harthamah informed al-Rashīd, who said: 'Stay at the door until I am free for him.' When it was midday and those present had left, he summoned him and said: 'Leave me alone with him.' Hārūn turned to his sons and said: 'Depart, young men.' They rose and left, while Khāqān and Ḥusayn remained at his head. The man looked at them and said: 'Move away from us.' They did so. Then [al-Rashīd] turned to the man and said: 'Give me what you have.' He said: 'On condition that you grant me safety.' He said: 'On condition that I grant you safety and treat you well.' He said: 'I was at Ḥulwān in one of its khans, and there I saw Yaḥyā b. ʿAbd Allāh in a coarse wool shirt and a thick green wool cloak. With him was a group who dismounted when he dismounted and mounted when he mounted, and kept watch over him, giving the impression to anyone who saw them that they did not know him, though they were his helpers. Each of them had a written safe-conduct to protect him if he was accosted.' He said: 'Do you know Yaḥyā b. ʿAbd Allāh?' He said: 'I have known him for a long time, and that is what confirmed my recognition of him yesterday.' He said: 'Describe him.' He said: 'Medium height, dark-complexioned, fine skin, bald in front, handsome eyes, large belly.' He said: 'You have spoken truly; that is he.' He said: 'What did you hear him say?' He said: 'I did not hear him say anything, except that I saw him praying. I saw a page of his, whom I knew from before, sitting at a gate of the khan. When he finished his prayer, the page brought him a washed garment and placed it around his neck, and he took off the wool jubbah. He said to him: "May God reward you well and thank your effort. Who are you?" He said: "A man from the sons of this dynasty, originally from Marw, born in Madīnat al-Salām." He said: "Is your house there?" He said: "Yes." Then [Yaḥyā b. ʿAbd Allāh] bowed his head for a long while, then said: "How is your endurance of hardship by which you might be tested in obedience to me?" He said: "I can go beyond that, wherever the Commander of the Faithful wishes." He said: "Stay where you are until I return." He entered a chamber behind him and brought out a purse containing two thousand dinars, and said: "Take this, and leave me to manage your affairs." He took it and pressed it against his clothes. Then he said: "O boy!" Khāqān and Ḥusayn answered. He said: "Slap this son of a foul woman." They slapped him about a hundred slaps. Then he said: "Take him out to those remaining in the house with his turban around his neck, and say: This is the reward of one who slanders the intimate associates and friends of the Commander of the Faithful." They did so. The man's affair was spoken of, but no one knew what he had told al-Rashīd until the affair of the Barāmikah occurred as it did. It was said that the Barāmikah intended to invalidate al-Rashīd's caliphate and manifest heresy. It was also said it was because of al-ʿAbbāsah. Among scholars, some denied that, even though Ibn Jarīr mentioned it. Ibn al-Jawzī related that al-Rashīd was asked about the reason for which he destroyed the Barāmikah. He said: 'If I knew that my shirt knew it, I would burn it.' Jaʿfar used to enter upon al-Rashīd without permission, so much so that he sometimes entered while he was in bed with his concubines, which was a great distinction and high rank. He was among the most favored boon companions at wine—for al-Rashīd used to drink intoxicants in the latter part of his reign, though it is a matter of disagreement—and the dearest of his family to him was his sister al-ʿAbbāsah bt. al-Mahdī. He used to have her present with him, and Jaʿfar al-Barmakī was also present, so he married him to her so that it would be lawful for him to look at her, on condition that he not have intercourse with her. Al-Rashīd would sometimes rise and leave the two of them while they were intoxicated with wine, and sometimes Jaʿfar had intercourse with her. It happened that she became pregnant by him and gave birth to a child. She sent him with one of her slave women to Makkah, where he was raised. Another reason for the killing of Jaʿfar al-Barmakī Judge Ibn Khillikān mentioned in al-Wafayāt another description of Jaʿfar's killing. When al-Rashīd married Jaʿfar to al-ʿAbbāsah, she fell deeply in love with him and sought to seduce him, but he refused most firmly out of fear of the Commander of the Faithful. She resorted to a ruse. His mother used to send him every Friday night a beautiful virgin slave girl. She said to his mother: 'Send me in to him in the guise of one of those slave girls.' His mother feared that, but she threatened her until she did it. When she entered upon him—and he did not look closely at her face out of awe of al-Rashīd—he had intercourse with her. She said to him: 'How did you find the deception of kings' daughters?' He said: 'Who are you?' She said: 'I am al-ʿAbbāsah.' She conceived that night. He went to his mother and said: 'By God, you have sold me cheaply.' Then his father, Yaḥyā b. Khālid, began to restrict the expenses of al-Rashīd's family, until Zubaydah complained of him to al-Rashīd several times. Then she divulged to him the secret of al-ʿAbbāsah. He became furious. When she informed him that the child had been sent to Makkah, he performed the pilgrimage that year to verify the matter. It is said that one of the slave women informed on her to al-Rashīd and told him what had happened, and that the child was in Makkah with slave women, much wealth, and many jewels. He did not believe it until he made the pilgrimage that year and investigated the situation, and found it as that slave woman had described. In that year, the vizier Yaḥyā b. Khālid performed the pilgrimage, sensing al-Rashīd's anger against him. At the Kaʿbah he prayed: 'O God, if it pleases You concerning me to strip away my wealth, my children, and my family, then do that to me, but preserve for me al-Faḍl.' Then he left. When he reached the door of the mosque, he turned back and said: 'O God, and al-Faḍl with them, for I am content with Your pleasure concerning me, and do not exempt any of them.' He was also heard saying at that station: 'O God, my sins are many and great, which none but You can count. O God, if You punish me, make my punishment for that in this world, even if it encompasses my hearing, my sight, my children, and my wealth, until Your pleasure is attained, and do not make my punishment in the Hereafter.' His prayer was answered. When al-Rashīd returned from the pilgrimage, he went to al-Ḥīrah, then rode in boats to al-ʿUmr in the land of al-Anbār. On Saturday night, the last night of Muḥarram of this year—I mean the year one hundred and eighty-seven—he sent the servant Masrūr, accompanied by Ḥammād b. Sālim Abū ʿIṣmah and a group of soldiers. They surrounded Jaʿfar b. Yaḥyā by night. Masrūr the servant entered upon him while Bukhtīshūʿ the physician and Abū Zakkār the blind singer from al-Kalwādhānī were with him, and he was engaged with them. Abū Zakkār was singing to him: Do not be far away, for every youth will be visited by death, coming by night or morning. The servant said to him: 'O Abū al-Faḍl, death has already visited you. Answer the Commander of the Faithful.' He rose, kissed his feet, and asked to enter upon his family to give them his final instructions. He said: 'As for entering, there is no way.' So Jaʿfar gave his final instructions and freed a group of his slaves. The messengers of al-Rashīd came urging the servant on, and he brought him out roughly, leading him, until he came to the lodging where al-Rashīd was. He imprisoned him and bound him with the fetter of a donkey. He informed al-Rashīd of what he had done, and al-Rashīd ordered him to strike his neck. He came to Jaʿfar and said: 'The Commander of the Faithful has ordered me to bring him your head.' He said: 'O Abū Hāshim, perhaps the Commander of the Faithful is drunk. When he sobers up, he will blame you for that. Go back to him.' He returned to him and said: 'O Commander of the Faithful, perhaps you are preoccupied.' He said: 'Woe to you, O sucker of his mother's clitoris! Bring me his head.' Jaʿfar asked him to repeat the request, and [al-Rashīd] said: 'I disavow al-Mahdī if you do not bring me his head; I will send someone who will bring me your head and his.' He returned to Jaʿfar and cut off his head, then brought it to al-Rashīd and threw it before him. That night al-Rashīd sent messengers to take custody of all the Barāmikah in Baghdad and elsewhere. All of them were seized to the last one; none escaped. He imprisoned Yaḥyā b. Khālid in his house, and imprisoned al-Faḍl b. Yaḥyā in another house. He seized all the wealth, clients, retainers, and servants they possessed, and placed their properties under guard. Al-Rashīd sent the head and body of Jaʿfar. The body was then cut in two. The head was set up at the upper bridge, one half of the body at the lower bridge, and the other at the other bridge. Later it was burned. It was proclaimed in Baghdad that there was no safe-conduct for the Barāmikah or for anyone who sheltered them, except Muḥammad b. Yaḥyā b. Khālid, whom he exempted from among the Barāmikah because of his sincerity to the caliph. The killing of Anas b. Abī Shaykh Al-Rashīd had Anas b. Abī Shaykh brought—he was suspected of heresy and was a companion of Jaʿfar al-Barmakī—on the night Jaʿfar was killed. Words passed between them. Al-Rashīd drew a sword from under his mattress and ordered that his neck be struck with it. He recited a verse that had been said about Anas earlier: The sword licked its lips out of longing for Anas; the sword glances while the fates await. Anas's neck was struck, and the sword preceded the blood. Al-Rashīd said: 'May God have mercy on ʿAbd Allāh b. Muṣʿab.' People said that the sword was the sword of al-Zubayr b. al-ʿAwwām. The prisons were filled with the Barāmikah, and all their wealth was plundered. On the day at whose end al-Rashīd killed Jaʿfar, the two of them had been riding together in the hunt, and he had been alone with him apart from the heirs apparent. That day, he had perfumed him with ghāliyah with his own hand. When the time of sunset came and al-Rashīd bade him farewell, he embraced him and said: “Were it not that tonight is my night of seclusion with women, I would not part from you. So go to your house, drink, and make merry so that you may be in a state like mine.” He replied: “By God, O Commander of the Faithful, I desire that only with you.” So Jaʿfar departed from him. Hardly had a portion of the night passed before he inflicted upon him the violence and exemplary punishment the mention of which has preceded. That was on Saturday night, the last night of al-Muḥarram; and it is said it was the beginning of Ṣafar in the year one hundred and eighty-seven. At that time Jaʿfar’s age was thirty-seven years. When the news reached his father Yaḥyā b. Khālid of his killing, he said: “May God kill his (al-Rashīd’s) son.” When it was said to him: “Your abode has been destroyed,” he said: “May God destroy his abodes.” It is said that when he looked at his own abode with its curtains ripped, its palaces violated, and its contents plundered, he said: “Thus will the Hour arise.” One of his companions wrote to him condoling him over what had happened, and he wrote this reply to the condolence: “I am content with God’s decree, and I know that the choice is His. God does not hold servants accountable except for their own sins, and God is not at all unjust to His servants; and God forgives most. Praise be to God.” Grief over the killing of the Barāmikah On the authority of ʿAlī b. Abī ʿAlī al-Baṣrī, from his father, that Masrūr said: Al-Maʾmūn summoned me and said: “Reports from secret sources have come to me in abundance that an old man comes to the ruins of the Barāmikah, weeps and sobs at length, then recites poetry elegizing them and departs. Ride, you and Dīnār b. ʿAbd Allāh, and conceal yourselves behind the walls. When he comes and you have witnessed what he does and heard what he says, bring him to me.” So we rode out in the pre-dawn darkness, came to the place, hid ourselves there, and moved our mounts far off. When morning came, a black servant appeared with an iron chair, set it down, and after him came a middle-aged man who sat on the chair. He looked about and saw no one, then wept and sobbed until I thought he had departed this world. Then he began to recite: “When I saw the sword pierce Jaʿfar / and a herald called out for the caliph against Yaḥyā” And he mentioned verses that have already been given. When he arose, we seized him. He said: “What do you two want from me?” I said: “This is Dīnār b. ʿAbd Allāh, and I am Masrūr, servant of the Commander of the Faithful. He summons you, so put on your garment.” Then he said: “I do not trust him with my life, so grant me time to make my will.” I said: “As you wish.” We walked with him until he stopped at a man’s shop and called for an inkwell and a sheet of paper; he wrote his will on it, gave it to his servant, and we proceeded with him. When he stood before the caliph, the caliph rebuked him and said: “Who are you? And what have the Barāmikah done that you deserve to behave as you do?” Without fear or shyness, he said: “O Commander of the Faithful, the Barāmikah hold fresh favors over me. If the Commander of the Faithful commands, I shall relate some of them.” He said: “Speak.” He said: “I am al-Mundhir b. al-Mughīrah al-Dimashqī. I was raised in comfort, but it vanished until I was reduced to selling my house, and I became destitute beyond measure. I was advised to seek out the Barāmikah, so I set out for Baghdād with more than twenty women and children. I brought them into a mosque in Baghdād, then left them there hungry, with no money. I passed by another mosque where a group of people were dressed in the finest attire. I sat with them, rehearsing in my mind what I might say to them, but my soul shrank from the disgrace of begging. Then a servant roused the people; they stood, and I stood with them. They entered a large house, and I entered with them. There was Yaḥyā b. Khālid on a bench in the middle of a garden. They sat, and I sat. We were one hundred and one men. Out came one hundred and one servants, each carrying a gold censer containing a piece of ambergris. They lit the aloeswood. Yaḥyā turned to the judge and said: ‘Marry this cousin of mine to my daughter ʿĀʾishah.’ So he delivered the marriage sermon and concluded the contract. We took the wedding-scattering, consisting of crumbs of musk, pellets of ambergris, and figurines of aloeswood incense. The people picked them up, and I picked them up. Then the servants came to us, each carrying a silver tray containing a thousand dinars mixed with musk. One was placed before each man. Each man took the dinars into his sleeve, put the tray under his arm, and departed. I remained alone, not daring to do that. One of the servants winked at me and said: ‘Take it and go.’ So I took it and rose. I began to walk, turning my head in fear that it would be taken from me, while Yaḥyā observed me without my noticing. When I neared the curtain, I was brought back, and I despaired of keeping the tray. I came, and he ordered me to sit. I sat, and he asked me about my condition. I told him my story. He wept, then said: ‘Bring Mūsā to me.’ He came, and Yaḥyā said: ‘My son, this is a man of noble origins whom the days have struck with their vicissitudes. Take him and make him one of your companions.’ So he took me, bestowed robes of honor on me, and ordered that the tray be kept for me. I lived in comfort day and night. Then he summoned his brother al-ʿAbbās and said: ‘The vizier has entrusted this man to me, and I wish to ride to the house of the Commander of the Faithful. Let him be with you today.’ My day was like the one before, and they took turns hosting me while I was anxious about my family but did not dare mention them. When the tenth day came, I was brought in to al-Faḍl b. Yaḥyā and spent the day and night with him. In the morning, a servant came to me and said: ‘Arise, go to your family and children.’ I said: ‘To God we belong. The tray and what was in it are gone. Would that this had come on the first day.’ I rose, and the servant walked ahead of me. He led me out of the house, and my despair increased. Then he brought me into a house as though the sun rose from its sides, filled with all kinds of furnishings and carpets. When I reached its center, I saw my family reveling in silks and curtains. One hundred thousand dirhams and ten thousand dinars had been delivered to them. The servant handed me a deed for two fine estates and said: ‘This house, its contents, and the estates are yours.’ I remained with the Barāmikah in the softest of living until now.” “Then ʿAmr b. Masʿadah came after me concerning the two estates and imposed on me a land tax from them that their income could not meet. Whenever a misfortune befell me, I went to their ruined homes and wept over them.” So al-Maʾmūn summoned ʿAmr b. Masʿadah and ordered him to return to the man what he had exacted from him and to fix his land tax at what it had been in the days of the Barāmikah. The man wept bitterly, and al-Maʾmūn said to him: “Have I not begun anew in kindness to you?” He said: “Yes, but this is from the blessing of the Barāmikah.” He said: “Go, for loyalty is blessed, and fidelity to one’s pledge is part of faith.” Elegies for the Barāmikah The poets composed many elegies for the Barāmikah. Among them is the saying of al-Raqāshī—though it is mentioned that it is by Abū Nuwās—: “Now have we found rest, and our mounts found rest, / and he who bestows and he who begs have ceased. Say to the riding camels: you are safe from night travel / and from folding the deserts, dune after dune. Say to the fates: you have triumphed over Jaʿfar, / but after him you shall never triumph over a lord. Say to gifts: after Faḍl, be idle; / and say to calamities: be renewed each day. Here before you is a Barmakī sword, an Indian blade, / struck down by a Hāshimī sword, an Indian blade.” Al-Raqāshī said, when he looked at Jaʿfar crucified on his trunk: “By God, were it not for fear of a slanderer / and an eye of the caliph that never sleeps, we would circumambulate your trunk and touch it / as people touch the Black Stone. Never before you, O son of Yaḥyā, have I seen / a keen blade dulled by the keen sword. Upon pleasures and the world altogether, / and upon the reign of the house of Barmak, be peace.” He said: Al-Rashīd summoned him and said to him: “Woe to you! How much did Jaʿfar give you every year?” He said: “A thousand dinars.” So he ordered him two thousand dinars. Al-Zubayr b. Bakkār said, on the authority of his uncle Muṣʿab al-Zubayrī: When Jaʿfar b. Yaḥyā was killed, a woman stopped on a fine donkey and said in eloquent speech: “By God, if today you have become a sign, you were once the utmost goal in noble deeds.” Then she began to recite: “When I saw the sword pierce Jaʿfar / and a herald called out for the caliph against Yaḥyā, I wept for the world and became certain that / the utmost end of a youth is one day to part from the world. It is only a turn of fortune after a turn of fortune, / granting one man favor and causing another affliction. When it lowers this one to places of elevation / in kingship, it casts down that one to the farthest limit.” He said: Then she urged her donkey on and departed, as if she had been a wind leaving no trace, and no one knew where she went. Shaykh Abū al-Faraj Ibn al-Jawzī mentioned in his book “al-Muntaẓam” that Jaʿfar had a slave girl named Fanfanah, a singer who had no equal in the world. He had purchased her together with the slave girls who were with her for one hundred thousand dinars. Al-Rashīd asked for her from him, but he refused. When al-Rashīd killed him, he selected that slave girl for himself. One night he had her brought into his drinking assembly, in the presence of a group of his boon companions, table companions, and close friends. He ordered those with her to sing. Each one began to sing until the turn came to Fanfanah. He ordered her to sing, but she let fall her tears and said: “After the masters, no.” Al-Rashīd became intensely angry and ordered one of those present to take her for himself, saying he had given her to him. Then, when he wished to depart, he said to him privately: “Do not lie with her.” They understood that he meant thereby to break her. Later, he brought her again, showed that he was pleased with her, and ordered her to sing. She refused, let her tears flow, and said: “After the masters, no.” Al-Rashīd became angrier than the first time and said: “The leather mat and the sword.” The executioner came and stood at her head. Al-Rashīd said to him: “When I command you three times and have crooked three of my fingers, strike.” Then he said to her: “Sing.” She wept and said: “After the masters, no.” He crooked his little finger. Then he commanded her a second time, and she refused, so he crooked two fingers. Those present trembled and were extremely alarmed. They turned to her, begging her not to kill herself and to comply with what the Commander of the Faithful wanted from her. Then he commanded her a third time, and she began to sing: “When I saw the dwellings had become effaced, / I was certain that bliss would never return.” He said: Al-Rashīd leaped at her, snatched the lute from her hand, and began striking her face and head with it until it broke. Blood flowed, and we scattered away from her. The slave girl was carried out from before him and died after three days. It is related that al-Rashīd used to say: “May God curse the one who incited me against the Barāmikah. After them, I have found no pleasure, no rest, and no ease. By God, I wish I had been divested of half my life and half my kingdom and that I had left them as they were.” Some accounts of Jaʿfar al-Barmakī Ibn Khillikān related that Jaʿfar bought a slave girl from a man for forty thousand dinars. She turned to her seller and said: “Remember the pact between me and you that you would not consume any of my price.” Her master wept and said: “Bear witness that she is free and that I have married her.” Jaʿfar said: “Bear witness that the price is his as well.” He said: He wrote to one of his deputies: “Now then, those who complain of you have become many, and those who thank you few. So either act justly or resign.” Among the finest instances of his subtlety in dispelling al-Rashīd’s anxiety: A Jewish astrologer had entered to him and informed him that he would die in that year. Al-Rashīd fell into great distress. Jaʿfar entered and asked: “What is the matter?” He was told of the Jew’s statement to the caliph that he would die within that year. Jaʿfar summoned the Jew and said to him: “How much life have you found remaining for yourself?” The man mentioned a long period. Jaʿfar turned to al-Rashīd and said: “O Commander of the Faithful, kill him so that you may know his lie concerning what he told you about your death, just as you have known his lie concerning what he told you about his own lifespan.” So al-Rashīd ordered the Jew killed, and his distress that he had been feeling was dispelled. Praise be to God.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.