Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3119
The year 198 AH
وَفِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ بُويِعَ لِلْمَأْمُونِ الْبَيْعَةَ الْعَامَّةَ . بَابُ ذِكْرِ خِلَافَةِ الْمَأْمُونِ وَاسْمُهُ: عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ هَارُونَ الرَّشِيدِ، وَكَانَ يُكَنَّى أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ فِي أَيَّامِ الرَّشِيدِ، وَكَانَ فِي خِلَافَتِهِ تَكَنَّى بِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ تَفَاؤُلًا بِكُنْيَةِ الْمَنْصُورِ وَالرَّشِيدِ فِي طُولِ الْعُمُرِ. وُلِدَ لَيْلَةَ اسْتُخْلِفَ الرَّشِيدُ فِي رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ سَنَةَ سَبْعِينَ، وَكَانَ أَبْيَضَ، أَقْنَى، أَعْيَنَ، جَمِيلًا، طَوِيلَ اللِّحْيَةِ، قَدْ وَخَطَّهُ الشَّيْبُ، ضَيِّقَ الْجَبْهَةِ، بِخَدِّهِ خَالٌ أَسْوَدُ يَعْلُوهُ صُفْرَةٌ، سَاقَاهُ دُونَ سَائِرِ جَسَدِهِ صَفْرَاوَيْنِ كَأَنَّهُمَا طُلِيَا بِالزَّعْفَرَانِ، وَأُمُّهُ أَمَةٌ اسْمُهَا مَرَاجِلُ، مَاتَتْ بَعْدَ وِلَادَتِهِ بِقَلِيلٍ، فَسَلَّمَهُ الرَّشِيدُ إِلَى سَعِيدٍ الْجَوْهَرِيِّ، وَكَانَ مِنْ زَمَنِ صِغَرِهِ فَطِنًا ذَكِيًّا. قَالَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الْيَزِيدِيُّ: كُنْتُ أُؤَدِّبُ الْمَأْمُونَ وَهُوَ فِي حِجْرِ سَعِيدٍ الْجَوْهَرِيِّ. قَالَ: فَأَتَيْتُهُ يَوْمًا وَهُوَ دَاخِلٌ، فَوَجَّهْتُ إِلَيْهِ بَعْضَ خَدَمِهِ يُعْلِمُهُ بِمَكَانِي، فَأَبْطَأَ عَلَيَّ، ثُمَّ وَجَّهْتُ آخَرَ فَأَبْطَأَ عَلَيَّ، فَقُلْتُ لِسَعِيدٍ: إِنَّ هَذَا الْفَتَى رُبَّمَا تَشَاغَلَ بِالْبطَالَةِ وَتَأَخَّرَ. فَقَالَ: أَجَلْ، وَمَعَ هَذَا إِذَا فَارَقَكَ عَزَمَ عَلَى خَدَمِهِ، وَلَقُوا مِنْهُ أَذًى شَدِيدًا، فَقَوَّمَهُ بِالْأَدَبِ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ أَمَرْتُ بِحَمْلِهِ فَضَرَبْتُهُ سَبْعَ دُرَرٍ. قَالَ: فَإِنَّهُ لَيُدَلِّكُ عَيْنَهُ مِنَ الْبُكَاءِ إِذْ قِيلَ: هَذَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ يَحْيَى قَدْ أَقْبَلَ، فَأَخَذَ مَنْدِيلًا، فَمَسَحَ عَيْنَيْهِ، وَجَمَعَ ثِيَابَهُ، وَقَامَ إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ، فَقَعَدَ عَلَيْهِ مُتَرَبِّعًا وَقَالَ: لِيَدْخُلْ. فَدَخَلَ، فَقُمْتُ إِلَى الْمَجْلِسِ، وَخِفْتُ أَنْ يَشْكُوَنِي إِلَيْهِ، فَأَلْقَى مِنْهُ مَا أَكْرَهُ، فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ بِوَجْهِهِ وَحَدَّثَهُ حَتَّى أَضْحَكَهُ، وَضَحِكَ إِلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا هَمَّ بِالْحَرَكَةِ دَعَا بِدَابَّتِهِ، وَأَمَرَ غِلْمَانَهُ فَسَعَوْا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، ثُمَّ سَأَلَ عَنِّي، فَجِئْتُ فَقَالَ: خُذْ عَلَيَّ مَا بَقِيَ مِنْ جُزْئِي، فَقُلْتُ: أَيُّهَا الْأَمِيرُ، أَطَالَ اللَّهُ بَقَاءَكَ، لَقَدْ خِفْتُ أَنْ تَشْكُوَنِي إِلَى جَعْفَرِ بْنِ يَحْيَى، وَلَوْ فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ لَتَنَكَّرَ لِي. فَقَالَ: أَتُرَانِي يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ كُنْتُ أُطْلِعُ الرَّشِيدَ عَلَى هَذَا، فَكَيْفَ بِجَعْفَرِ بْنِ يَحْيَى حَتَّى أُطْلِعَهُ أَنِّي أَحْتَاجُ إِلَى أَدَبٍ، أَدَبٍ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكَ بَعْدَ ظَنِّكَ، خُذْ فِي أَمْرِكَ، فَقَدْ خَطَرَ بِبَالِكَ مَا لَا تَرَاهُ أَبَدًا، وَلَوْ عُدْتَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ. وَرَوَى الطَّالقَانِيُّ قَالَ: قَالَ الرَّشِيدُ لِأَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ الضَّرِيرِ وَهُشَيْمٍ: إِنِّي أَسْمَعُ مِنِ ابْنِي هَذَا - يَعْنِي الْمَأْمُونَ - كَلَامًا لَسْتُ أَدْرِي أَمِنْ تَلْقِينِ الْقَيِّمِ عَلَيْهِ هُوَ أَمْ مِنْ قَرِيحَةٍ ؟ فَادْخُلَا إِلَيْهِ، فَنَاظِرَاهُ وَاسْمَعَا مِنْهُ، وَأَخْبِرَانِي بِمَا تَقِفَانِ عَلَيْهِ. فَدَخَلَا عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ فِي أَثْوَابِ صِبَاهُ، فَقَالَا لَهُ: إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَمَرَنَا بِالدُّخُولِ عَلَيْكَ وَمُنَاظَرَتِكَ، فَأَيُّ الْعُلُومِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ ؟ قَالَ: أَمْتُعُهَا لِي. قَالَا: وَمَا أَمْتُعُهَا لَكَ. قَالَ: أَثْبَتُهَا عَنْ ثِقَةٍ، وَأَقْرَبُهَا مِنْ أَفْهَامِ مُسْتَمِعِيهَا. فَقَالَ لَهُ هُشَيْمٌ: جِئْنَاكَ لِنُعَلِّمَكَ فَتَعَلَّمْنَا. ثُمَّ أَخْبَرَا الرَّشِيدَ فَقَالَا: إِنَّ هَذَا شَيْءٌ أَوَّلُهُ لَحَقِيقٌ أَنْ يُرْجَى آخِرُهُ، ثُمَّ أَعْتَقَ عَنْهُ مِائَةَ عَبْدٍ وَأَمَةٍ، وَأَلْزَمَهَا خِدْمَتَهُ. وَبَلَغَنَا أَنَّ أُمَّ جَعْفَرٍ عَاتَبَتِ الرَّشِيدَ عَلَى تَقْرِيبِهِ الْمَأْمُونَ دُونَ ابْنِهَا مُحَمَّدٍ، فَدَعَا خَادِمًا بِحَضْرَتِهَا، وَقَالَ لَهُ: وَجِّهْ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَمُحَمَّدٍ خَادِمَيْنِ حَصِيفَيْنِ يَقُولَانِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى الْخَلْوَةِ: مَا يَفْعَلُ بِهِ إِذَا أَفْضَتِ الْخِلَافَةُ إِلَيْهِ ؟ فَأَمَّا مُحَمَّدٌ فَقَالَ لِلْخَادِمِ الَّذِي مَضَى إِلَيْهِ: أُقْطِعُكَ وَأُوَلِّيكَ وَأَبْلُغُ لَكَ. وَأَمَّا الْمَأْمُونُ فَرَمَى الْخَادِمَ بِالدَّوَاةِ وَقَالَ: يَا ابْنَ اللَّخْنَاءِ تَسْأَلُنِي مَا أَفْعَلُ بِكَ بِمَوْتِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ؟ بَلْ نَكُونُ جَمِيعًا فِدَاءً لَهُ. فَرَجَعَ بِالْخَبَرِ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمَا. فَقَالَ لِأُمِّ جَعْفَرٍ: كَيْفَ تَرَيْنَ مَا أَقْدَمَ ابْنُكِ إِلَّا مُتَابَعَةً لِرَأْيِكِ وَتَرْكًا لِلْجَزَعِ، وَقَدْ كَانَ الْمَأْمُونُ يُعْنَى بِالْعِلْمِ قَبْلَ وِلَايَتِهِ كَثِيرًا حَتَّى جَعَلَ لِنَفْسِهِ مَجْلِسَ نَظَرٍ. عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَكْثَمَ قَالَ: كَانَ الْمَأْمُونُ قَبْلَ تَقَلُّدِهِ الْخِلَافَةَ يَجْلِسُ لِلنَّظَرِ، فَدَخَلَ يَهُودِيٌّ حَسَنُ الْوَجْهِ، طَيِّبُ الرَّائِحَةِ، حَسَنُ الثَّوْبِ، فَتَكَلَّمَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْكَلَامَ، فَلَمَّا تَقَوَّضَ الْمَجْلِسُ دَعَاهُ الْمَأْمُونُ فَقَالَ لَهُ: إِسْرَائِيلِيٌّ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: أَسْلِمْ حَتَّى أَفْعَلَ لَكَ وَأَصْنَعَ. فَقَالَ: دِينِي وَدِينِ آبَائِي فَلَا تَكْشِفْنِي. فَتَرَكَهُ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ سَنَةٍ جَاءَنَا وَهُوَ مُسْلِمٌ، فَتَكَلَّمَ فِي الْفِقْهِ، فَأَحْسَنَ الْكَلَامَ، فَلَمَّا تَقَوَّضَ الْمَجْلِسَ دَعَاهُ الْمَأْمُونُ فَقَالَ: أَلَسْتَ صَاحِبَنَا ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: أَيُّ شَيْءٍ دَعَاكَ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، وَقَدْ كُنْتُ عَرَضْتُهُ عَلَيْكَ فَأَبَيْتَ ؟ قَالَ: إِنِّي أُحْسِنُ الْخَطَّ، فَمَضَيْتُ فَكَتَبْتُ ثَلَاثَ نُسَخٍ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ، فَزِدْتُ فِيهَا وَنَقَصْتُ وَأَدْخَلْتُهَا الْكَنِيسَةَ، فَبِعْتُهَا، فَاشْتَرَيْتُ. قَالَ: وَكَتَبْتُ ثَلَاثَ نُسَخٍ مِنَ الْإِنْجِيلِ، فَزِدْتُ فِيهَا وَنَقَصْتُ فَأَدْخَلْتُهَا إِلَى الْبَيْعَةِ فَاشْتُرِيَتْ مِنِّي. قَالَ: وَعَمَدْتُ إِلَى الْقُرْآنِ فَكَتَبْتُ ثَلَاثَ نُسَخٍ فَزِدْتُ فِيهَا وَنَقَصْتُ، وَأَدْخَلْتُهَا إِلَى الْوَرَّاقِينَ، فَكُلَّمَا تَصَفَّحُوهَا قَرَؤُوا الزِّيَادَةَ وَالنُّقْصَانَ وَرَمَوْا بِهَا، فَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ مَحْفُوظٌ، فَكَانَ سَبَبَ إِسْلَامِي. قَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ أَكْثَمَ: فَحَجَجْتُ فَرَأَيْتُ سُفْيَانَ بْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ فَقَالَ لِي: مِصْدَاقُ هَذَا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. قُلْتُ: فِي أَيِّ مَوْضِعٍ ؟ قَالَ: فِي قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ: بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُوا عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَاءَ فَجَعَلَ حِفْظَهُ إِلَيْهِمْ فَضَاعَ. وَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ. فَحَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْنَا فَلَمْ يَضِعْ. عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ: اسْتُخْلِفَ الْمَأْمُونُ فِي الْمُحَرَّمِ سَنَةَ ثَمَانٍ وَتِسْعِينَ [وَمِائَةٍ ]، وَقَدْ سُلِّمَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْخِلَافَةِ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ بِبِلَادِ خُرَاسَانَ نَحْوَ سَنَتَيْنِ، وَخَلَعَ أَهْلُ خُرَاسَانَ وَغَيْرِهَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ هَارُونَ. خِلَافَةُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمَأْمُونِ بْنِ هَارُونَ الرَّشِيدِ لَمَّا قُتِلَ أَخُوهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ الرَّشِيدِ بِبَغْدَادَ فِي رَابِعِ صَفَرٍ مِنْ سَنَةِ ثَمَانٍ وَتِسْعِينَ وَمِائَةٍ، وَقِيلَ: فِي آخِرِ الْمُحَرَّمِ اسْتَوْسَقَتِ الْبَيْعَةُ شَرْقًا وَغَرْبًا لِلْمَأْمُونِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الرَّشِيدِ، فَوَلَّى الْحَسَنَ بْنَ سَهْلٍ نِيَابَةَ الْعِرَاقِ وَفَارِسَ وَالْأَهْوَازِ وَالْكُوفَةِ وَالْبَصْرَةِ وَالْحِجَازِ وَالْيَمَنِ، وَبَعَثَ نُوَّابَهُ إِلَى هَذِهِ الْأَقَالِيمِ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى طَاهِرِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَهُوَ بِبَغْدَادَ أَنْ يَنْصَرِفَ إِلَى الرَّقَّةِ لِحَرْبِ نَصْرِ بْنِ شَبَثٍ وَوَلَّاهُ نِيَابَةَ الْجَزِيرَةِ وَالشَّامِ وَالْمَوْصِلِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ. وَكَتَبَ إِلَى هَرْثَمَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ بِنِيَابَةِ خُرَاسَانَ.
Translation
✧ In this year, the general oath of allegiance was given to al-Maʾmūn. Chapter on the caliphate of al-Maʾmūn His name was ʿAbd Allāh b. Hārūn al-Rashīd. He was given the kunya Abū al-ʿAbbās in the days of al-Rashīd, and during his caliphate he adopted the kunya Abū Jaʿfar, taking it as a good omen from the kunyas of al-Manṣūr and al-Rashīd for long life. He was born on the night al-Rashīd became caliph, in Rabīʿ al-Awwal of the year 170 AH. He was fair-skinned, with an aquiline nose, wide-eyed, handsome, long-bearded, with grey hairs appearing in it, a narrow forehead, and on his cheek a black mole tinged with yellow. His shins, unlike the rest of his body, were yellowish as if dyed with saffron. His mother was a slave woman named Marājil, who died shortly after his birth. Al-Rashīd entrusted him to Saʿīd al-Jawharī, and from his childhood he was astute and intelligent. Abū Muḥammad al-Yazīdī said: I was tutoring al-Maʾmūn while he was in the care of Saʿīd al-Jawharī. He said: I came to him one day while he was inside, and I sent one of his servants to inform him of my presence, but he delayed. Then I sent another, and he delayed further. I said to Saʿīd: This boy may have been distracted by idleness and is late. He said: Yes, and besides, when he leaves you he domineers over his servants, and they suffer greatly from him, so discipline him. When he came out, I ordered him to be brought to me and struck him seven blows. He said: While he was rubbing his eyes from weeping, it was announced that Jaʿfar b. Yaḥyā had arrived. He took a handkerchief, wiped his eyes, gathered his clothes, stood up, and sat cross-legged on his bed, saying: Let him enter. He entered, and I went to the assembly, fearing that he would complain about me to him, and that I would receive something unpleasant from him. But he turned to him, spoke with him until he made him laugh, and laughed with him. When he was about to leave, he called for his mount and ordered his servants, who hurried before him. Then he asked about me, and I came. He said: Hear from me what remains of my lesson. I said: O prince, may God prolong your life, I feared you would complain about me to Jaʿfar b. Yaḥyā, and if you had done so, he would have turned against me. He said: Do you think, O Abū Muḥammad, that I would inform al-Rashīd of this, let alone Jaʿfar b. Yaḥyā, letting him know that I need discipline? May God forgive you for your suspicion. Proceed with your lesson. What crossed your mind will never come from me, even if you repeated it a hundred times a day. Al-Ṭālaqānī narrated, saying: Al-Rashīd said to Abū Muʿāwiya al-Ḍarīr and Hushaym: I hear from this son of mine—meaning al-Maʾmūn—speech that I do not know whether it is from the instruction of his guardian or from his own natural talent. So go in to him, debate with him, listen to what he says, and tell me what you find. They entered upon him while he was in his boyish clothes. They said to him: The Commander of the Faithful ordered us to enter upon you and debate with you. Which of the disciplines is most pleasing to you? He said: The one most beneficial to me. They said: And what is most beneficial to you? He said: The one most reliably transmitted from trustworthy sources, and the closest to the understanding of its listeners. Hushaym said to him: We came to teach you, and we learned from you. Then they reported to al-Rashīd, saying: This is something whose beginning warrants hope for its end. Then he manumitted on his behalf one hundred male and female slaves and assigned them to his service. It has reached us that Umm Jaʿfar reproached al-Rashīd for bringing al-Maʾmūn close while neglecting her son Muḥammad. So he summoned a servant in her presence and said to him: Send two prudent servants to ʿAbd Allāh and Muḥammad, each to ask in private: What will you do with me if the caliphate comes to you? Muḥammad said to the servant sent to him: I will grant you an estate, appoint you to office, and do my best for you. Al-Maʾmūn threw the inkwell at the servant and said: O son of a foul woman, you ask me what I would do with you upon the death of the Commander of the Faithful? Rather, we would all be ransom for him. Each returned with the news. He said to Umm Jaʿfar: Do you see how your son only followed your opinion and abandoned grief, while al-Maʾmūn was deeply devoted to knowledge before his rule, to the point that he established a debating assembly for himself. From Yaḥyā b. Aktham, who said: Before al-Maʾmūn assumed the caliphate, he used to hold sessions for debate. A Jew entered, handsome of face, pleasant of scent, well-dressed, and spoke eloquently. When the assembly dispersed, al-Maʾmūn summoned him and asked: Are you an Israelite? He said: Yes. He said: Become a Muslim, and I will do for you and bestow upon you. The Jew replied: My religion and the religion of my fathers, so do not expose me. He left him. A year later, he came to us as a Muslim and spoke on jurisprudence, and spoke excellently. When the assembly dispersed, al-Maʾmūn summoned him and said: Are you not our friend? He said: Yes. He said: What called you to Islam, when I had offered it to you and you refused? He said: I am skilled in calligraphy. I went and wrote three copies of the Torah, adding to them and omitting from them, and brought them into the synagogue, and sold them. He said: And I wrote three copies of the Gospel, adding and omitting, and brought them into the church, and they were bought from me. He said: Then I turned to the Qurʾān, wrote three copies, added to them and omitted, and brought them to the booksellers. Whenever they examined them, they noticed the additions and omissions and discarded them. Thus I knew that this Book is protected, and that was the cause of my embracing Islam. Yaḥyā b. Aktham said: I performed the pilgrimage and saw Sufyān b. ʿUyayna, and narrated this account to him. He said to me: The confirmation of this is in the Book of God, Mighty and Majestic. I said: In which place? He said: In His saying, Mighty and Majestic, concerning the Torah and the Gospel: "because they were entrusted with the Book of God and were witnesses to it" (Q 5:44). He made its preservation their responsibility, and it was lost. And God, Mighty and Majestic, said: "Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will be its guardian" (Q 15:9). Thus God, Exalted, preserved it for us, and it was not lost. From Muḥammad b. Yazīd, who said: Al-Maʾmūn was appointed caliph in Muḥarram of the year 198 AH, after having been hailed as caliph in the lands of Khurāsān for about two years, and the people of Khurāsān and elsewhere had deposed Muḥammad b. Hārūn. The caliphate of ʿAbd Allāh al-Maʾmūn b. Hārūn al-Rashīd When his brother Muḥammad b. Hārūn al-Rashīd was killed in Baghdād on the fourth of Ṣafar in the year 198 AH—or, it is said, at the end of Muḥarram—the oath of allegiance became firmly established in east and west for al-Maʾmūn ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Rashīd. He appointed al-Ḥasan b. Sahl as his deputy over Iraq, Fārs, al-Ahwāz, al-Kūfa, al-Baṣra, the Ḥijāz, and Yemen, and sent his governors to these provinces. He wrote to Ṭāhir b. al-Ḥusayn, who was in Baghdād, ordering him to proceed to al-Raqqa to fight Naṣr b. Shabath, and appointed him deputy over al-Jazīra, Syria, al-Mawṣil, and the Maghrib. He wrote to Harthama b. Aʿyan appointing him deputy over Khurāsān.
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