Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3107
The year 196 AH
ثُمَّ دَخَلَتْ سَنَةُ سِتٍّ وَتِسْعِينَ وَمِائَةٍ ذِكْرُ تَوْجِيهِ الْأَمِينِ الْجُيُوشَ إِلَى طَاهِرٍ وُعَوْدِهِمْ مِنْ غَيْرِ قِتَالٍ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ سَيَّرَ الْأَمِينُ أَسَدَ بْنَ يَزِيدَ بْنِ مَزْيَدٍ، وَسَيَّرَ عَمَّهُ أَحْمَدَ بْنَ مَزْيَدٍ، وَعَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ قَحْطَبَةَ، إِلَى حُلْوَانَ لِحَرْبِ طَاهِرٍ. وَكَانَ سَبَبَ ذَلِكَ مَا ذَكَرَهُ أَسَدٌ قَالَ: إِنَّهُ لَمَّا قُتِلَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ يَسْتَدْعِينِي، فَجِئْتُهُ، وَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ بِيَدِهِ رُقْعَةٌ قَدْ قَرَأَهَا، وَقَدِ احْمَرَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ، فَاشْتَدَّ غَضَبُهُ، وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: يَنَامُ نَوْمَ الظَّرِبَانِ، وَيَنْتَبِهُ انْتِبَاهَ الذِّئْبِ، هَمُّهُ بَطْنُهُ، يُخَاتِلُ الرُّعَاةَ وَالْكِلَابُ تَرْصُدُهُ، لَا يُفَكِّرُ فِي زَوَالِ نِعْمَةٍ، وَلَا يُرَوِّي فِي إِمْضَاءِ رَأْيٍ، قَدْ أَلْهَاهُ كَأْسُهُ، وَشَغَلَهُ قَدَحُهُ، فَهُوَ يَجْرِي فِي لَهْوِهِ، وَالْأَيَّامُ تُوضَعُ فِي هَلَاكِهِ، قَدْ شَمَّرَ لَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ عَنْ سَاقٍ، وَفَوَّقَ لَهُ أَصْوَبَ أَسْهُمِهِ، يَرْمِيهِ عَلَى بُعْدِ الدَّارِ بِالْحَتْفِ النَّافِذِ، وَالْمَوْتِ الْقَاصِدِ، وَقَدْ عَبَّى لَهُ الْمَنَايَا عَلَى ظُهُورِ الْخَيْلِ، وَنَاطَ لَهُ الْبَلَاءَ فِي أَسِنَّةِ الرِّمَاحِ وَشِفَارِ السُّيُوفِ. ثُمَّ اسْتَرْجَعَ وَتَمَثَّلَ بِشِعْرِ الْبَعِيثِ: وَمَجْدُولَةٍ جَدْلَ الْعِنَانِ خَرِيدَةٍ لَهَا شَعَرٌ جَعْدٌ وَوَجْهٌ مُقَسَّمُ وَثَغْرٌ نَقِيُّ اللَّوْنِ عَذْبٌ مَذَاقُهُ يُضِيءُ لَهُ الظَّلْمَاءُ سَاعَةَ تَبْسِمُ وَثَدْيَانِ كَالْحُقَّيْنِ، وَالْبَطْنُ ضَامِرٌ خَمِيصٌ، وَجَهْمٌ نَارُهُ تَتَضَرَّمُ لَهَوْتُ بِهَا لَيْلَ التَّمَامِ ابْنَ خَالِدٍ وَأَنْتَ بِمَرْوِ الرُّوذِ غَيْظًا تَجَرَّمُ أَظَلُّ أُنَاغِيهَا وَتَحْتَ ابْنِ خَالِدٍ أُمَيَّةَ نَهْدُ الْمَرْكَلَيْنِ عَثَمْثَمُ طَوَاهُ طِرَادُ الْخَيْلِ فِي كُلِّ غَارَةٍ لَهَا عَارِضٌ فِيهِ الْأَسِنَّةُ تُرْزِمُ يُقَارِعُ أَتْرَاكَ ابْنِ خَاقَانَ لَيْلَهُ إِلَى أَنْ يَرَى الْإِصْبَاحَ مَا يَتَلَغَّمُ فَيُصْبِحُ مِنْ طُولِ الطِّرَادِ وَجِسْمُهُ نَحِيلٌ وَأُضْحِي فِي النَّعِيمِ أُصَمِّمُ أُبَاكِرُهَا صَهْبَاءَ كَالْمِسْكِ رِيحُهَا لَهَا أَرَجٌ فِي دَنِّهَا حِينَ يَرْسُمُ فَشَتَّانَ مَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ ابْنِ خَالِدٍ أُمَيَّةَ فِي الرِّزْقِ الَّذِي اللَّهُ يَقْسِمُ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ: أَبَا الْحَرْثِ ! أَنَا وَإِيَّاكَ نَجْرِي إِلَى غَايَةٍ، إِنْ قَصَّرْنَا عَنْهَا ذُمِمْنَا، وَإِنِ اجْتَهَدْنَا فِي بُلُوغِهَا انْقَطَعْنَا، وَإِنَّمَا نَحْنُ شِعْبٌ مِنْ أَصْلٍ، إِنْ قَوِيَ قَوِينَا، وَإِنْ ضَعُفَ ضَعُفْنَا، إِنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ قَدْ أَلْقَى بِيَدِهِ إِلْقَاءَ الْأَمَةِ الْوَكْعَاءِ، يُشَاوِرُ النِّسَاءَ، وَيَعْتَزِمُ عَلَى الرِّيَاءِ، وَقَدْ أَمْكَنَ مَسَامِعَهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ اللَّهْوِ وَالْجَسَارَةِ، فَهُمْ يَعِدُونَهُ الظَّفَرَ، وَيُمَنُّونَهُ عَقِبَ الْأَيَّامِ، وَالْهَلَاكُ أَسْرَعُ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ السَّيْلِ إِلَى قِيعَانِ الرَّمْلِ، وَقَدْ خَشِيتُ وَاللَّهِ أَنْ نَهْلَكَ بِهَلَاكِهِ، وَنَعْطَبَ بِعَطَبِهِ، وَأَنْتَ فَارِسُ الْعَرَبِ وَابْنُ فَارِسِهَا، وَقَدْ فَزِعَ إِلَيْكَ فِي هَذَا الْأَمْرِ وَلِقَاءِ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ، وَأَطْمَعَهُ فِيمَا قِبَلِكَ أَمْرَانِ: أَحَدُهُمَا صِدْقُ الطَّاعَةِ وَفَضْلُ النَّصِيحَةِ، وَالثَّانِي يُمْنُ نَقِيبَتِكَ وَشَدَّةُ بَأْسِكَ، وَقَدْ أَمَرَنِي بِإِزَاحَةِ عِلَلِ ( مَا عَلَيْكَ )، وَبَسْطِ يَدِكَ فِيمَا أَحْبَبْتَ، غَيْرَ أَنَّ الِاقْتِصَادَ رَأْسُ النَّصِيحَةِ، وَمِفْتَاحُ الْيُمْنِ وَالْبَرَكَةِ، فَأَنْجِزْ حَوَائِجَكَ، وَعَجِّلِ الْمُبَادَرَةَ إِلَى عَدُوِّكَ، فَإِنِّي أَرْجُو أَنَّ يُوَلِّيَكَ اللَّهُ هَذَا الْفَتْحَ، وَيَلُمَّ بِكَ شَعْثَ هَذِهِ الْخِلَافَةِ وَالدَّوْلَةِ. فَقُلْتُ: أَنَا لِطَاعَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَطَاعَتِكَ مُقْدِمٌ، وَلِكُلِّ مَا دَخَلَ فِيهِ الْوَهْنُ عَلَى عَدُوِّهِ وَعَدُوِّكَ حَرِيصٌ، غَيْرَ أَنَّ الْمُحَارِبَ لَا يَعْمَلُ بِالْغَدْرِ، وَلَا يَفْتَحُ أَمْرَهُ بِالتَّقْصِيرِ وَالْخَلَلِ، وَإِنَّمَا مِلَاكُ الْمُحَارِبِ الْجُنُودُ، وَمِلَاكُ الْجُنُودِ الْمَالُ، وَالَّذِي أَسْأَلُ أَنْ يُؤْمَرَ لِأَصْحَابِي بِرِزْقِ سَنَةٍ، وَتُحْمَلَ مَعَهُمْ أَرْزَاقُ سَنَةٍ، وَيُخَصَّ أَهْلُ الْغَنَاءِ وَالْبِلَاءِ، وَأُبَدِّلَ مَنْ فِيهِمْ مِنَ الضَّعْفَى، وَأَحْمِلَ أَلْفَ رَجُلٍ مِمَّنْ مَعِي عَلَى الْخَيْلِ، وَلَا أُسْأَلَ عَنْ مُحَاسَبَةِ مَا افْتَتَحْتُ مِنَ الْمُدُنِ وَالْكُوَرِ. فَقَالَ: قَدِ اشْتَطَطْتَ، وَلَا بُدَّ مِنْ مُنَاظَرَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. ثُمَّ رَكِبَ وَرَكِبْتُ مَعَهُ، فَدَخَلَ قَبْلِي عَلَى الْأَمِينِ، وَأُذِنَ لِي فَدَخَلْتُ، فَمَا كَانَ إِلَّا كَلِمَتَانِ حَتَّى غَضِبَ وَأَمَرَ بِحَبْسِي. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ طَلَبَ أَنْ يَدْفَعَ وَلَدَيِ الْمَأْمُونِ، فَإِنْ أَطَاعَهُ وَإِلَّا قَتَلَهُمَا، فَقَالَ الْأَمِينُ: أَنْتَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ مَجْنُونٌ، أَدْعُوكَ إِلَى وِلَايَةِ أَعِنَّةِ الْعَرَبِ وَالْعَجَمِ، وَأُطْعِمُكَ خَرَاجَ كُوَرِ الْجِبَالِ إِلَى خُرَاسَانَ، وَأَرْفَعُ مَنْزِلَتَكَ عَلَى نُظَرَائِكَ مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الْقُوَّادِ وَالْمُلُوكِ، وَتَدْعُونِي إِلَى قَتْلِ وَلَدَيَّ، وَسَفْكِ دِمَاءِ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي ! إِنَّ هَذَا لَلْخُرْقُ وَالتَّخْلِيطُ. وَكَانَ بِبَغْدَاذَ ابْنَانِ لِلْمَأْمُونِ مَعَ أُمِّهِمَا أُمِّ عِيسَى ابْنَةِ الْهَادِي، وَقَدْ طَلَبَهُمَا الْمَأْمُونُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ فِي حَالِ السَّلَامِ، فَمَنَعَهُمَا مِنَ الْمَالِ الَّذِي كَانَ لَهُ، فَلَمَّا حَبَسَ أَسَدًا قَالَ: هَلْ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ مَنْ يَقُومُ مَقَامَهُ، فَإِنِّي أَكْرَهُ أَنْ أُفْسِدَهُمْ مَعَ نَبَاهَتِهِمْ، وَمَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ طَاعَتِهِمْ وَنَصِيحَتِهِمْ. قَالُوا: نَعَمْ، عَمُّهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَزَيْدٍ، وَهُوَ أَحْسَنُهُمْ طَرِيقَةً، لَهُ بَأْسٌ وَنَجْدَةٌ، وَبَصَرٌ بِسِيَاسَةِ الْحَرْبِ. فَأَنْفَذَ إِلَيْهِ أَحْضَرَهُ، فَأَتَى الْفَضْلَ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ وَعِنْدَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ قَحْطَبَةَ، وَهُوَ يُرِيدُهُ عَلَى الْمَسِيرِ إِلَى طَاهِرٍ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَشِطُّ. قَالَ أَحْمَدُ: فَلَمَّا رَآنِي الْفَضْلُ رَحَّبَ بِي، وَرَفَعَنِي إِلَى صَدْرِ الْمَجْلِسِ، ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يُدَاعِبُهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا لَكُمْ إِذْ رَثَّ حَبْلُكُمْ مِنْ آلِ شَيْبَانَ أُمًّا دُونَكُمْ وَأَبَا الْأَكْثَرُونَ إِذَا عُدَّ الْحَصَى عَدَدًا وَالْأَقْرَبُونَ إِلَيْنَا مِنْكُمُ نَسَبَا فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ: أُقْسِمُ لَكَذَلِكَ، وَفِيهِمْ سَدُّ الْخَلَلِ، وَنَكْءُ الْعَدُوِّ، وَدَفْعُ مَعَرَّةِ أَهْلِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ عَنْ أَهْلِ الطَّاعَةِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ الْفَضْلُ: إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْرَى ذِكْرَكَ، فَوَصَفْتُكَ لَهُ، فَأَحَبَّ اصْطِنَاعَكَ وَالتَّنْوِيهَ بِاسْمِكَ، وَأَنْ يَرْفَعَكَ إِلَى مَنْزِلَةٍ لَمْ يَبْلُغْهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ. ثُمَّ مَضَى وَمَضَيْتُ مَعَهُ إِلَى الْأَمِينِ، فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ لِي فِي حَبْسِ أَسَدٍ، وَاعْتَذَرَ إِلَيَّ، وَأَمَرَنِي بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَى حَرْبِ طَاهِرٍ، فَقُلْتُ: سَأَبْذُلُ فِي طَاعَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مُهْجَتِي، وَأَبْلُغُ فِي جِهَادِ عَدُوِّهُ أَفْضَلَ مَا أَمَّلَهُ عِنْدِي وَرَجَاهُ مِنْ غَنَائِي وَكِفَايَتِي، إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ - تَعَالَى -. فَأَمَرَ الْفَضْلَ بِأَنْ يُمَكِّنَهُ مِنَ الْعَسَاكِرِ يَأْخُذُ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ أَرَادَ، وَأَمَرَهُ بِالْجِدِّ فِي الْمَسِيرِ وَالتَّجَهُّزِ، فَأَخَذَ مِنَ الْعَسْكَرِ عِشْرِينَ أَلْفَ فَارِسٍ، وَسَارَ مَعَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ قَحْطَبَةَ فِي عِشْرِينَ أَلْفًا، وَسَارَ بِهِمْ إِلَى حُلْوَانَ، وَشَفَعَ فِي أَسَدٍ ابْنِ أَخِيهِ، فَأَطْلَقَهُ. وَأَقَامَ أَحْمَدُ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بِخَانِقِينَ، وَأَقَامَ طَاهِرٌ بِمَوْضِعِهِ، وَدَسَّ الْجَوَاسِيسَ وَالْعُيُونَ، وَكَانُوا يُرْجِفُونَ فِي عَسْكَرِ أَحْمَدَ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّ الْأَمِينَ قَدْ وَضَعَ الْعَطَاءَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ، وَأَمَرَ لَهُمْ بِالْأَرْزَاقِ الْوَافِرَةِ، وَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَحْتَالُ فِي وُقُوعِ الِاخْتِلَافِ بَيْنَهُمْ، حَتَّى اخْتَلَفُوا، وَانْتَقَضَ أَمْرُهُمْ، وَقَاتَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا، وَرَجَعُوا عَنْ خَانِقِينَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَلْقَوْا طَاهِرًا. وَتَقَدَّمَ طَاهِرٌ فَنَزَلَ حُلْوَانَ، فَلَمَّا نَزَلَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثْ إِلَّا يَسِيرًا حَتَّى أَتَاهُ هَرْثَمَةُ فِي جَيْشٍ مِنْ عِنْدِ الْمَأْمُونِ، وَمَعَهُ كِتَابٌ إِلَى طَاهِرٍ، يَأْمُرُهُ بِتَسْلِيمِ مَا حَوَى مِنَ الْمُدُنِ وَالْكُوَرِ إِلَى هَرْثَمَةَ، وَيَتَوَجَّهُ هُوَ إِلَى الْأَهْوَازِ، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ، وَأَقَامَ هَرْثَمَةُ بِحُلْوَانَ وَحَصَّنَهَا، وَسَارَ طَاهِرٌ إِلَى الْأَهْوَازِ.
Translation
✧ Then the year 196 AH commenced. Mention of al-Amīn dispatching the armies against Ṭāhir and their return without fighting In this year, al-Amīn sent Asad b. Yazīd b. Mazyad, and sent his paternal uncle Aḥmad b. Mazyad, and ʿAbd Allāh b. Ḥumayd b. Qaḥṭabah, to Ḥulwān to fight Ṭāhir. The reason for that was what Asad mentioned. He said: When ʿAbd al-Raḥmān was killed, al-Faḍl b. al-Rabīʿ sent for me, summoning me. I came to him and entered upon him while he was sitting with a note in his hand which he had read. His eyes had turned red and his anger intensified, and he was saying: He sleeps the sleep of the male hyena and awakens the awakening of the wolf; his concern is his belly; he deceives the shepherds while the dogs watch for him; he does not reflect on the passing of a blessing, nor does he deliberate in executing a judgment. His cup has distracted him, and his goblet has occupied him. He continues in his amusement while the days are working toward his destruction. ʿAbd Allāh has tucked up his garment for him and fitted for him the straightest of his arrows, shooting at him from a far distance with piercing death and deliberate demise. He has arrayed fates for him on the backs of horses and attached calamity for him to the points of spears and the edges of swords. Then he uttered the formula of returning to God and recited the poetry of al-Baʿīth: A braided one, braided like the reins, a shy maiden, with curly hair and a well-proportioned face, And a mouth clean of color, sweet in its taste, illuminating darkness whenever she smiles, And two breasts like small boxes, and a lean belly, sunken, and a gloomy face whose fire blazes, I played with her on the night of the full moon, O Ibn Khālid, while you were at Marw al-Rūdh, grinding with rage, I keep dallying with her while beneath Ibn Khālid is Umayyah, broad in the flanks, sturdy, The pursuit of horses has wasted him in every raid, with a cheek in which spearheads hum, He fights the Turks of Ibn Khāqān through his night, until he sees the dawn, without tasting food, So he rises from the length of pursuit, his body emaciated, while I spend the morning in luxury, resolute, I bring her wine, red like musk in fragrance, having a sweet scent in its jar when it is sealed, How far apart are I and Ibn Khālid, Umayyah, in the provision that God apportions. Then he turned to me and said: O Abū al-Ḥārith! You and I are running toward a goal. If we fall short of it, we are blamed; if we strive to reach it, we are cut off. We are but a branch of a root: if it is strong, we are strong; if it weakens, we weaken. This man has thrown down his hand like a clumsy slave girl, consulting women and resolving upon hypocrisy. He has opened his ears to the people of amusement and boldness, so they promise him victory and make him wish for the aftermath of days, while destruction is swifter to him than a flood to sandy plains. By God, I feared that we would perish with his perishing and be ruined by his ruin. You are the knight of the Arabs and the son of its knight. He has turned to you in this matter and in meeting this man. Two things have made him covetous of what is with you: one of them is sincere obedience and abundant counsel, and the second is the auspiciousness of your disposition and the severity of your might. He has commanded me to remove the impediments that concern you and to extend your hand in whatever you desire, except that moderation is the head of counsel and the key of good fortune and blessing. So fulfill your needs and hasten to go forth against your enemy, for I hope that God will grant you this victory and gather through you the scattered state of this caliphate and dynasty. I said: I am advancing in obedience to the Commander of the Faithful and to you, and I am eager for everything in which weakness befalls his enemy and your enemy. However, a warrior does not act with treachery, nor does he open his affair with negligence and deficiency. The mainstay of a warrior is troops, and the mainstay of troops is money. What I ask is that my companions be granted a year’s stipend, and that a year’s provisions be carried with them, that the people of competence and trial be singled out, that the weak among them be replaced, that I mount a thousand men of those with me on horses, and that I not be questioned about an accounting of the cities and districts I conquer. He said: You have asked excessively, and there must be consultation with the Commander of the Faithful. Then he mounted, and I mounted with him. He entered before me upon al-Amīn, and I was granted permission, so I entered. It was only two sentences before he became angry and ordered my imprisonment. It was said: He demanded that the two sons of al-Maʾmūn be handed over, and if he [al-Amīn] complied, fine; otherwise he would kill them. Al-Amīn said: You are a mad Bedouin. I call you to the governorship of the reins of the Arabs and non-Arabs, I feed you the land tax of the districts of the mountains as far as Khurāsān, and I raise your rank above your peers among the sons of commanders and kings, and you call me to kill my two sons and shed the blood of my household! This is indeed folly and confusion. There were in Baghdād two sons of al-Maʾmūn with their mother Umm ʿĪsā bt. al-Hādī. Al-Maʾmūn had requested them from his brother during the time of peace, but he prevented them because of the money that belonged to him. When he imprisoned Asad, he said: Is there anyone in his household who can take his place? For I dislike corrupting them, given their renown and their previous obedience and counsel. They said: Yes, his paternal uncle Aḥmad b. Mazyad, and he is the best of them in conduct. He has might and bravery and insight into the management of war. So he sent for him and summoned him. He came to al-Faḍl and entered upon him while ʿAbd Allāh b. Ḥumayd b. Qaḥṭabah was with him, and he was urging him to march against Ṭāhir while ʿAbd Allāh was exaggerating. Aḥmad said: When al-Faḍl saw me, he welcomed me and raised me to the head of the assembly. Then he turned to ʿAbd Allāh, jesting with him, and said: We found for you, when your rope became frayed, from the family of Shaybān a mother and a father beside you, The more numerous when pebbles are counted as a number, and the closer to us in kinship than you. ʿAbd Allāh said: I swear it is so. Among them is the closing of gaps, the smiting of the enemy, and the warding off of the harm of the disobedient from the obedient. Al-Faḍl said to him: The Commander of the Faithful mentioned you, and I described you to him, so he loved to make you his protégé and to exalt your name, and to raise you to a rank no one of your household has attained. Then he went on, and I went with him to al-Amīn. We entered upon him. He spoke to me about the imprisonment of Asad and apologized to me, and he ordered me to march to fight Ṭāhir. I said: I will expend my lifeblood in obedience to the Commander of the Faithful, and I will strive in waging war against his enemy to the utmost of what he hoped from me and expected of my assistance and sufficiency, if God Almighty wills. He ordered al-Faḍl to enable him to access the armies, taking from them whom he wished, and he ordered him to be diligent in marching and equipping himself. He took twenty thousand horsemen from the army, and ʿAbd Allāh b. Ḥumayd b. Qaḥṭabah marched with him with twenty thousand. He marched with them to Ḥulwān, and he interceded for Asad, his nephew, so he released him. Aḥmad and ʿAbd Allāh encamped at Khāniqīn, while Ṭāhir remained in his position. He planted spies and scouts, and they spread rumors in the army of Aḥmad and ʿAbd Allāh that al-Amīn had assigned stipends to his companions and ordered abundant provisions for them. He did not cease employing stratagems to cause discord among them until they differed, their affair fell apart, and they fought one another and retreated from Khāniqīn without meeting Ṭāhir. Ṭāhir advanced and encamped at Ḥulwān. When he camped there, he did not remain but a short while until Harthamah came to him with an army from al-Maʾmūn, bearing a letter to Ṭāhir ordering him to hand over what he had captured of cities and districts to Harthamah, and to proceed himself to al-Ahwāz. He did so. Harthamah stayed at Ḥulwān and fortified it, and Ṭāhir marched to al-Ahwāz.
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