Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3150
The Year 201 AH
وَفِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ: جَعَلَ الْمَأْمُونُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَلِيَّ عَهْدِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْخَلِيفَةَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ، وَسَمَّاهُ الرَّضِيَّ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ وَأَمَرَ جُنْدَهُ أَنْ يَطْرَحَ السَّوَادَ وَلبْسَ ثِيَابَ الْخُضْرَةِ، وَكَتَبَ بِذَلِكَ إِلَى الْآفَاقِ، وَذَلِكَ يَوْمَ الْإِثْنَيْنِ لِلَيْلَتَيْنِ خَلَتَا مِنْ رَمَضَانِ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ. فَكَتَبَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ إِلَى عِيسَى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ يُخْبِرُهُ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ جَعَلَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُوسَى الرَّضِيَّ وَلِيَّ عَهْدِهِ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ نَظَرَ فِي بَنِي الْعَبَّاسِ وَبَنِي عَلِيٍّ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ أَحَدًا أَفْضَلَ وَلَا أَوْرَعَ وَلَا أَعْلَمَ مِنْهُ، وَأَنَّهُ سَمَّاهُ الرَّضِيَّ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ، وَأَمَرَ أَنْ يَطْرَحَ السَّوَادَ وَلَبِسَ الْخُضْرَةَ، وَأَنْ يَأْمُرَ مَنْ قِبَلَهُ مِنَ الْجُنْدِ وَالْقُوَّادِ وَبَنِي هَاشِمٍ بِالْبَيْعَةِ لَهُ، وَيَأْخُذَهُمْ بِلَبْسِ الْخُضْرَةِ فِي أَقْبِيَتِهِمْ وَقَلَانِسِهِمْ وَأَعْلَامِهِمْ، وَيَأْخُذَ أَهْلَ بَغْدَادَ جَمِيعًا بِذَلِكَ، فَوَصَلَ الْكِتَابُ إِلَى عِيسَى يَوْمَ الثُّلَاثَاءِ لِخَمْسٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ، فَدَعَا أَهْلَ بَغْدَادَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ، فَاخْتَلَفُوا، فَقَالَ قَوْمٌ: نُبَايِعُ، وَقَالَ قَوْمٌ: لَا نُخْرِجُ الْأَمْرَ مِنْ وَلَدِ الْعَبَّاسِ، وَإِنَّمَا هَذَا دَسِيسٌ مِنْ قِبَلِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ، وَغَضِبَ وَلَدُ الْعَبَّاسِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَاجْتَمَعَ بَعْضٌ إِلَى بَعْضٍ، وَتَكَلَّمُوا فِيهِ وَقَالُوا: نُوَلِّي بَعْضَنَا وَنَخْلَعُ الْمَأْمُونَ. وَكَانَ الْمُتَكَلِّمُ فِي هَذَا وَالْمُخْتَلِفُ فِيهِ وَالْمُتَقَلِّدُ لَهُ: إِبْرَاهِيمُ وَمَنْصُورُ بْنُ الْمَهْدِيِّ. ذِكْرُ الْعَهْدِ الَّذِي كَتَبَهُ الْمَأْمُونُ بِخَطِّهِ لِعَلِيِّ ابْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضَا [عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ ] بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ. هَذَا كِتَابٌ كَتَبَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ هَارُونَ الرَّشِيدِ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِيَدِهِ لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ وَلِيِّ عَهْدِهِ. أَمَّا بَعْدُ: فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا، وَاصْطَفَى لَهُ عِبَادَهُ رُسُلًا دَالِّينَ عَلَيْهِ، وَهَادِينَ إِلَيْهِ، يُبَشِّرُ أَوَّلُهُمْ بِآخِرِهِمْ، وَيُصَدِّقُ تَالِيهِمْ مَاضِيَهُمْ، حَتَّى انْتَهَتْ نُبُوَّةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ عَلَى فَتْرَةٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ، وَدُرُوسٍ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ، وَانْقِطَاعٍ مِنَ الْوَحْيِ، وَاقْتِرَابٍ مِنَ السَّاعَةِ، فَخَتَمَ اللَّهُ بِهِ النَّبِيِّينَ، وَجَعَلَهُ شَاهِدًا لَهُمْ، وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِمْ، وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ كِتَابَهُ الْعَزِيزَ الَّذِي لا يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ بِمَا أَحَلَّ وَحَرَّمَ، وَوَعَدَ وَأَوْعَدَ، وَحَذَّرَ وَأَنْذَرَ، لِيَكُونَ لَهُ الْحُجَّةُ الْبَالِغَةُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ، لِيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَا مَنْ حَيَّ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَسَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ. فَبَلَّغَ عَنِ اللَّهِ رِسَالَتَهُ، وَدَعَا إِلَى سَبِيلِهِ بِمَا أَمَرَهُ بِهِ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ، وَالْمُجَادَلَةِ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ، ثُمَّ الْجِهَادِ وَالْغِلْظَةِ حَتَّى قَبَضَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ، وَاخْتَارَ لَهُ مَا عِنْدَهُ ﷺ، فَلَمَّا انْقَضَتِ النُّبُوَّةُ، وَخَتَمَ اللَّهُ بِمُحَمَّدٍ الْوَحْيَ وَالرِّسَالَةَ، جَعَلَ قِوَامَ الدِّينِ وَنِظَامَ أَمْرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِالْخِلَافَةِ، وَإِتْمَامِهَا وَعِزِّهَا، وَالْقِيَامِ بِحَقِّ اللَّهِ فِيهَا بِالطَّاعَةِ الَّتِي بِهَا تُقَامُ فَرَائِضُ اللَّهِ وَحُدُودُهُ وَشَرَائِعُ الْإِسْلَامِ وَسُنَنُهُ، وَيُجَاهَدُ بِهَا عَدُوُّهُ، فَعَلَى خُلَفَاءِ اللَّهِ طَاعَتُهُ فِيمَا اسْتَخْلَفَهُمْ، وَاسْتَرْعَاهُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِ دِينِهِ وَعِبَادِهِ، وَعَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ طَاعَةُ خُلَفَائِهِمْ وَمُعَاوَنَتُهُمْ عَلَى إِقَامَةِ حَقِّ اللَّهِ وَعَدْلِهِ، وَأَمْنِ السُّبُلِ، وَحَقْنِ الدِّمَاءِ، وَإِصْلَاحِ ذَاتِ الْبَيْنِ، وَجَمْعِ الْأُلْفَةِ، وَفِي خِلَافِ ذَلِكَ اضْطِرَابُ أَمْرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَاخْتِلَافُ مِلَّتِهِمْ، وَقَهْرُ دِينِهِمْ، وَاسْتِعْلَاءُ عَدُوِّهُمْ، وَتَفَرَّقُ الْكَلِمَةِ، وَخُسْرَانُ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، فَحَقٌّ عَلَى مَنِ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ فِي أَرْضِهِ، وَائْتَمَنَهُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ أَنْ يُجْهِدَ لِلَّهِ نَفْسَهُ، وَيُؤْثِرَ عَلَى مَا فِيهِ رِضَا اللَّهِ وَطَاعَتُهُ، وَيَعْمَلَ لِمَا اللَّهُ وَاقِفُهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَسَائِلُهُ عَنْهُ، وَيَحْكُمَ بِالْحَقِّ، وَيَعْمَلَ بِالْعَدْلِ فِيمَا حَمَلَهُ اللَّهُ وَقَلَّدَهُ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ لِنَبِيِّهِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: يَا دَاوُدُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الأَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْأَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ - 93. وَبَلَغَنَا أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ قَالَ: لَوْ ضَاعَتْ سَخْلَةٌ بِشَاطِئِ الْفُرَاتِ لَتَخَوَّفْتُ أَنْ يَسْأَلَنِي اللَّهُ عَنْهَا، وَأَيْمُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الْمَسْئُولَ عَنْ خَاصَّةِ نَفْسِهِ عَلَى عَمَلِهِ فِيمَا بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَبَيْنَهُ لِيَعْرِضَ أَمْرٌ كَبِيرٌ عَلَى خَطَرٍ عَظِيمٍ، فَكَيْفَ بِالْمَسْئُولِ عَنْ رِعَايَةِ الْأُمَّةِ، وَبِاللَّهِ الثِّقَةُ، وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَفْزَعُ وَالرَّغْبَةُ فِي التَّوْفِيقِ، وَالْعِصْمَةُ وَالتَّسْدِيدُ وَالْهِدَايَةُ إِلَى مَا فِيهِ ثُبُوتُ الْحُجَّةِ، وَالْفَوْزُ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَالرِّضْوَانُ وَالرَّحْمَةُ، وَأَنْظُرُ الْأَئِمَّةَ لِنَفْسِهِ وَأَنْصَحُهُمْ لِلَّهِ فِي دِينِهِ وَعِبَادِهِ، وَخِلَافَتِهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِطَاعَتِهِ وَدِينِهِ وَسُنَّةِ نَبِيِّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي [مُدَّةِ ] أَيَّامِهِ وَبَعْدِهَا، فَأَجْهَدَ رَأْيَهُ وَنَظَرَهُ فِيمَنْ يُوَلِّيهِ عَهْدَهُ، وَيَخْتَارُهُ لِإِمَارَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَرِعَايَتِهِمْ بَعْدَهُ، وَيُنَصِّبُهُ عَلَمًا لَهُمْ، وَمَفْزَعًا فِي جَمْعِ أُلْفَتِهِمْ، وَلَمِّ شَعَثِهِمْ، وَحَقْنِ دِمَائِهِمْ، وَالْأَمْنِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ مِنْ فُرْقَتِهِمْ، وَفَسَادِ ذَاتِ بَيْنَهُمْ، وَاخْتِلَافِهِمْ، وَرَفْعِ نَزْغِ الشَّيْطَانِ وَكَيْدِهِ عَنْهُمْ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ جَعَلَ الْعَهْدَ بَعْدَ الْخِلَافَةِ مِنْ تَمَامِ أَمْرِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَكَمَالِهِ وَعِزِّهِ وَصَلَاحِ أَهْلِهِ، وَأَنَّهُمْ خُلَفَاؤُهُ مِنْ تَوْكِيدِهِ لِمَنْ يَخْتَارُونَهُ لَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ مَا عَظُمَتْ بِهِ النِّعْمَةُ، وَسَلِمَتْ فِيهِ الْعَاقِبَةُ، وَيَنْقُضُ اللَّهُ بِذَلِكَ الشِّقَاقَ وَالْعَدَاوَةَ، وَالسَّعْيَ فِي الْفُرْقَةِ، وَالتَّرَبُّصَ لِلْفِتْنَةِ، وَلَمْ يَزَلْ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مُذْ أَفْضَتْ إِلَيْهِ الْخِلَافَةُ، فَاخْتَبَرَ بَشَاعَةَ مَذَاقِهَا، وَثِقَلَ مَحْمِلِهَا، وَشِدَّةَ مَئُونَتِهَا، وَمَا يَجِبُ عَلَى مَنْ تَقَلَّدَهَا مِنِ ارْتِبَاطِ طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَمُرَاقَبَتِهِ فِيمَا حَمَلَهُ فِيهَا وَأَنْصَبَ بَدَنَهُ، وَأَسْهَرَ عَيْنَهُ، وَأَطَالَ فِكْرَهُ فِيمَا فِيهِ عِزُّ الدِّينِ، وَقَمْعُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، وَصَلَاحُ الْأُمَّةِ، وَنَشْرُ الْعَدْلِ، وَإِقَامَةُ الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ، وَمَنْعُ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْخَفْضِ، وَالدَّعَةِ، وَمَهْنَأُ الْعَيْشِ، عِلْمًا بِمَا اللَّهُ سَائِلُهُ عَنْهُ، وَمَحَبَّتُهُ أَنْ يَلْقَى اللَّهَ مُنَاصِحًا فِي دِينِهِ وَعِبَادِهِ، وَمُخْتَارًا لِوِلَايَةِ عَهْدِهِ وَرِعَايَةِ الْأُمَّةِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ أَفْضَلَ مَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ فِي دِينِهِ وَوَرَعِهِ، وَأَرْجَاهُمْ لِلْقِيَامِ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ وَحَقِّهِ، مُنَاجِيًا لِلَّهِ بِالِاسْتِخَارَةِ فِي ذَلِكَ، وَمَسْأَلَتِهِ إِلْهَامَهُ مَا فِيهِ رِضَاهُ وَطَاعَتُهُ فِي آنَاءِ لَيْلِهِ وَنَهَارِهِ، مُعْمِلًا فِي طَلَبِهِ، وَالْتِمَاسِهِ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ مِنْ وَلَدِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ وَعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، فِكْرَهُ وَنَظَرَهُ، مُقْتَصِرًا فِيمَنْ عَلِمَ حَالَهُ، وَمَذْهَبَهُ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى الْحَقِّ عِلْمًا بَالِغًا فِي الْمَسْأَلَةِ فِيمَنْ خَفِيَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُهُ، وَجُهْدُهُ وَطَاقَتُهُ، حَتَّى اسْتَقْضَى أُمُورَهُمْ مَعْرِفَةً، وَابْتَلَى أَخْبَارَهُمْ مُشَاهَدَةً، وَكَشَفَ مَا عِنْدَهُمْ مُسَاءَلَةً، فَكَانَتْ خِيرَتُهُ بَعْدَ اسْتِخَارَتِهِ لِلَّهِ، وَإِجْهَادِ نَفْسِهِ فِي قَضَاءِ حَقِّهِ فِي عِبَادِهِ مِنَ الْبَيْتَيْنِ جَمِيعًا: عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، لَمَّا رَأَى مِنْ فَضْلِهِ الْبَارِعِ، وَعِلْمِهِ النَّاصِعِ، وَوَرَعِهِ الظَّاهِرِ، وَزُهْدِهِ الْخَالِصِ، وَتَخْلِيَةٍ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا، وَمَسْلَمَتِهِ مِنَ النَّاسِ، فَقَدِ اسْتَبَانَ لَهُ مَا لَمْ تَزَلِ الْأَخْبَارُ عَلَيْهِ مُتَوَاطِئَةً، وَالْأَلْسُنُ مُتَّفِقَةً، وَالْكَلِمَةُ فِيهِ جَامِعَةٌ، وَمَا لَمْ يَزَلْ يَعْرِفُهُ [بِهِ ] مِنَ الْفَضْلِ، يَافِعًا وَنَاشِئًا، وَحَدَثًا وَمُكْتَهِلًا، فَعَقَدَ لَهُ الْعَهْدَ وَالْوِلَايَةَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ، وَاثِقًا بِخِيرَةِ اللَّهِ فِي ذَلِكَ، إِذْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ مِنْ فِعْلِهِ إِيثَارًا لَهُ وَلِلدِّينِ، وَنَظَرًا لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَطَلَبًا لِلسَّلَامَةِ، وَثَبَاتِ الْحُجَّةِ، وَالنَّجَاةِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي يَقُومُ النَّاسُ فِيهِ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَدَعَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَدَهُ وَأَهْلَ بَيْتِهِ وَخَاصَّتَهُ وَقُوَّادَهُ وَجُنْدَهُ، فَبَايَعُوهُ مُسَارِعِينَ مَسْرُورِينَ عَالِمِينَ بِإِيثَارِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ طَاعَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْهَوَى فِي وَلَدِهِ وَغَيْرِهِمْ مِمَّنْ هُوَ أَشْبَكُ رَحِمًا، وَأَقْرَبُ قُرَابَةً، وَسَمَّاهُ الرَّضِيَّ، إِذْ كَانَ رِضًا عِنْدَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَبَايِعُوهُ مَعْشَرَ بَيْتِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَمَنْ بِالْمَدِينَةِ الْمَحْرُوسَةِ مِنْ قُوَّادِهِ وَجُنْدِهِ وَعَامَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالرَّضِيِّ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ عَلَى اسْمِ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَتِهِ وَحُسْنِ قَضَائِهِ لِدِينِهِ وَعِبَادِهِ، بَيْعَةً مَبْسُوطَةً إِلَيْهَا أَيْدِيكُمْ، مُنْشَرِحَةً لَهَا صَدُرُوكُمْ، عَالِمِينَ مَا أَرَادَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِهَا، وَأَثَرَ طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ، وَالنَّظَرِ لِنَفْسِهِ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا، شَاكِرِينَ لِلَّهِ عَلَى مَا أَلْهَمَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ قَضَاءِ حَقِّهِ فِي رِعَايَتِكُمْ، وَحِرْصِهِ عَلَى رُشْدِكُمْ وَصَلَاحِكُمْ، رَاجِينَ عَائِدَةَ اللَّهِ فِي جَمْعِ أُلْفَتِكُمْ، وَحَقْنِ دِمَائِكُمْ، وَلَمِّ شَعَثِكُمْ، وَسَدِّ ثُغُورِكُمْ، وَقُوَّةِ دِينِكُمْ، وَقَمْعِ عَدُوِّكُمْ، وَاسْتِقَامَةِ أُمُورِكُمْ، فَسَارِعُوا إِلَى طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَطَاعَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَإِنَّهُ الْأَمْرُ إِنْ سَارَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِ، وَحَمِدْتُمُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ، عَرَفْتُمُ الْحَظَّ فِيهِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، وَكَتَبَ بِيَدِهِ لِسَبْعٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ الْمُعَظَّمِ قَدْرُهُ سَنَةَ إِحْدَى وَمِائَتَيْنِ. وَكَتَبَ الرَّضِيُّ [عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ ] كَلِمَاتٍ مِنْهَا أَنَّهُ كَتَبَ عِنْدَ قَوْلِهِ: اخْتَارَ مِنَ الْبَيْتَيْنِ جَمِيعًا عَلَيَّ بْنَ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ، كَتَبَ تَحْتَهُ: وَصِلَتُكَ رَحِمٌ وَجُزِيتَ خَيْرًا. وَكَتَبَ تَحْتَ مَدْحِهِ إِيَّاهُ بِقَوْلِهِ وَوَرَعِهِ وَزُهْدِهِ: أَثْنَى اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ فَأَجْمَلَ، وَأَجْزَلَ لَكَ الثَّوَابَ فَأَكْمَلَ. وَكَتَبَ تَحْتَ قَوْلِهِ: فَعَقَدَ لَهُ الْعَهْدَ بَعْدَهُ: بَلْ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ وَكَتَبَ تَحْتَ قَوْلِهِ: وَسَمَّاهُ الرَّضِيَّ: ؓ وَأَرْضَاكَ وَأَحْسَنَ فِي الدَّارَيْنِ جَزَاكَ. ثُمَّ كَتَبَ الرَّضِيُّ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْعَهْدِ مَا نُسْخَتُهُ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، الْفَعَّالِ لِمَا يُرِيدُ، لَا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِ، وَلَا رَادَّ لِقَضَائِهِ، يَعْلَمُ خَائِنَةَ الْأَعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِي الصُّدُورُ، وَصَلَوَاتُهُ عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ الطَّيِّبِينَ الطَّاهِرِينَ. أَقُولُ وَأَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَضَّدَهُ اللَّهُ بِالسَّدَادِ، وَوَفَّقَهُ لِلرَّشَادِ عَرَفَ مِنْ حَقِّنَا مَا جَهِلَهُ غَيْرُهُ، فَوَصَلَ أَرْحَامًا قُطِّعَتْ، وَأَمَّنَ أَنْفُسًا فَزِعَتْ، بَلْ أَحْيَاهَا وَقَدْ تَلِفَتْ، وَأَغْنَاهَا وَقَدِ افْتَقَرَتْ، مُبْتَغِيًا رِضَا رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، لَا يَرْضَى جَزَاءً مِنْ غَيْرِهِ، وَسَيَجْزِي اللَّهُ الشَّاكِرِينَ، وَلَا يَضِيعُ أَجْرُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ، وَإِنَّهُ جَعَلَ إِلَيَّ عَهْدَهُ وَالْإِمْرَةَ الْكُبْرَى إِنْ بَقِيتُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ، فَمَنْ حَلَّ عُقْدَةً أَمَرَهَا، وَفَصَمَ عُرْوَةً [أَحَبَّ ] إِيثَاقَهَا، فَقَدْ أَبَاحَ حَرِيمَهُ وَأَحَلَّ مُحَرَّمَهُ، إِذْ كَانَ بِذَلِكَ زَارِيًا عَلَى الْإِمَامِ، مُنْتَهِكًا حُرْمَةَ الْإِسْلَامِ وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى نَفْسِي إِنِ اسْتَرْعَانِي أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَقَلَّدَنِي خِلَافَتَهُ الْعَمَلَ فِيهِمْ عَامَّةً، وَفِي بَنِي الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ خَاصَّةً، بِطَاعَتِهِ وَسُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَأَنْ لَا أَسْفِكَ دَمًا حَرَامًا، وَلَا أُبِيحَ فَرْجًا وَلَا مَالًا إِلَّا مَا سَفَكَتْهُ حُدُودُهُ، وَأَبَاحَتْهُ فَرَائِضُهُ، وَأَنْ أَتَخَيَّرَ الْكُفَاةَ جُهْدِي وَطَاقَتِي، وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُ بِذَلِكَ عَلَى نَفْسِي عَهْدًا مُؤَكَّدًا، يَسْأَلُنِي اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، فَإِنَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ: وَأَوْفُوا بِالْعَهْدِ إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْئُولا فَإِنْ حِدْتُ أَوْ غَيَّرْتُ أَوْ بَدَّلْتُ كُنْتُ لِلتَّغْيِيرِ مُسْتَحِقًّا، وَلِلنَّكَالِ مُتَعَرِّضًا، فَأَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ وَإِلَيْهِ أَرْغَبُ فِي التَّوْفِيقِ لِطَاعَتِهِ وَالْحَوْلِ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ مَعْصِيَتِهِ فِي عَافِيَتِهِ لِي وَلِلْمُسْلِمِينَ. وَقَدِ امْتَثَلْتُ أَمْرَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَآثَرْتُ رِضَاهُ، وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُنِي وَإِيَّاهُ، وَأَشْهَدْتُ اللَّهَ عَلَى نَفْسِي، وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا. وَكَتَبْتُ خَطِّي بِحَضْرَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أَطَالَ اللَّهُ بَقَاءَهُ، وَالْفَضْلِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ، وَيَحْيَى بْنِ أَكْثَمَ، وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ طَاهِرٍ، وَثُمَامَةَ بْنِ أَشْرَسَ، وَبِشْرِ بْنِ الْمُعْتَمِرِ، وَحَمَّادِ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ. فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ سَنَةَ إِحْدَى وَمِائَتَيْنِ. نُسْخَةُ الشَّهَادَاتِ رَسَمَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ - أَطَالَ اللَّهُ بَقَاءَهُ وَكَبَّتْ أَعْدَاءَهُ - قِرَاءَةَ مَضْمُونِ هَذِهِ الصَّحِيفَةِ، ظَهْرِهَا وَبَطْنِهَا بِحَرَمِ سَيِّدِنَا رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَيْنَ الرَّوْضَةِ وَالْمِنْبَرِ، عَلَى رُءُوسِ الْأَشْهَادِ، وَبِمَرْأَى وَمَسْمَعٍ مِنْ وُجُوهِ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ وَسَائِرِ الْأَوْلِيَاءِ وَالْأَجْنَادِ، بِمَا أَوْجَبَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْحُجَّةَ بِهِ عَلَى سَائِرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَأَبْطَلَ الشُّبْهَةَ الَّتِي كَانَتِ اعْتَرَضَتْ آرَاءَ الْجَاهِلِينَ، وَ مَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى مَا أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ. وَكَتَبَ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ بِحَضْرَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي التَّارِيخِ الْمَذْكُورِ: عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ طَاهِرِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ أَثْبَتَ شَهَادَتَهُ فِي تَارِيخِهِ. شَهِدَ يَحْيَى بْنُ أَكْثَمَ عَلَى مَضْمُونِ هَذَا الْمَكْتُوبِ، ظَهْرِهِ وَبَطْنِهِ، وَهُوَ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَّ يَعْرِفَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَكَافَّةُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بَرَكَاتِ هَذَا الْعَهْدِ، وَالْمِيثَاقِ، وَكَتَبَ بِخَطِّهِ فِي التَّارِيخِ الْمُبَيَّنِ. شَهِدَ حَمَّادُ بْنُ النُّعْمَانِ عَلَى مَضْمُونِ ظَهْرِهِ وَبَطْنِهِ، وَكَتَبَ بِيَدِهِ فِي تَارِيخِهِ. بِشْرُ بْنُ الْمُعْتَمِرِ يَشْهَدُ بِذَلِكَ، وَكَتَبَ بِيَدِهِ فِي التَّارِيخِ. ثُمَامَةُ بْنُ أَشْرَسَ حَضَرَ وَكَتَبَ خَطَّهُ. قَالَ هِبَةُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ صَاعِدٍ الْكَاتِبُ: هَذَا الْعَهْدُ، رَأَيْتُهُ بِخَطِّ الْمَأْمُونِ، ابْتَاعَهُ خَالِي يَحْيَى بْنُ صَاعِدٍ بِمِائَتَيْ دِينَارِ، وَحَمَلَهُ إِلَى سَيْفِ الدَّوْلَةِ صَدَقَةُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، وَكَانَ فِيهِ خُطُوطُ جَمَاعَةٍ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ، مِثْلَ: الصُّولِيِّ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ، وَالْوَزِيرِ الْمَغْرِبِيِّ.
Translation
✧ In this year, al-Maʾmūn made ʿAlī b. Mūsā b. Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn heir apparent of the Muslims and caliph after him, and he named him al-Riḍā of the family of Muḥammad ﷺ. He ordered his troops to discard black and wear green garments, and he wrote concerning that to the horizons. That was on Monday, with two nights remaining of Ramaḍān of this year. Al-Ḥasan b. Sahl wrote to ʿĪsā b. Muḥammad informing him that the Commander of the Faithful had made ʿAlī b. Mūsā al-Riḍā his heir apparent, because he had considered the Banū al-ʿAbbās and the Banū ʿAlī, and had found no one more excellent, more pious, or more learned than him. He said that he had named him al-Riḍā of the family of Muḥammad ﷺ, and he ordered that black be discarded and green worn, and that he command those with him of the troops, commanders, and Banū Hāshim to pledge allegiance to him, and make them wear green in their cloaks, caps, and banners, and make all the people of Baghdad do that. The letter reached ʿĪsā on Tuesday, with five nights remaining of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. He summoned the people of Baghdad to that, and they differed. Some people said: We pledge allegiance. Others said: We will not remove the affair from the descendants of al-ʿAbbās. This is only a plot from al-Faḍl b. Sahl. The descendants of al-ʿAbbās became angry at that, and some gathered together and spoke about it, saying: We will appoint one of our own and depose al-Maʾmūn. The ones speaking and differing in this and undertaking it were Ibrāhīm and Manṣūr b. al-Mahdī. Mention of the covenant that al-Maʾmūn wrote in his own hand for ʿAlī b. Mūsā al-Riḍā [peace be upon them] In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. This is a document written by ʿAbd Allāh b. Hārūn al-Rashīd, Commander of the Faithful, with his own hand, for ʿAlī b. Mūsā b. Jaʿfar, his heir apparent. Now then: God chose Islam as a religion, and chose for it His servants as messengers, guiding to Him and directing to Him. The first of them gave glad tidings of the last, and the latter of them confirmed the former, until the prophethood of God Most High reached Muḥammad ﷺ after an interval of messengers, effacement of knowledge, cessation of revelation, and nearness of the Hour. So God sealed with him the prophets, made him a witness for them and a guardian over them, and sent down to him His mighty Book, which falsehood does not approach from before it or from behind it, a revelation from the Wise, the Praiseworthy, with what He permitted and forbade, promised and threatened, warned and admonished, so that His conclusive proof might be against His creation, that those who perish might perish by a clear proof, and those who live might live by a clear proof. And God is indeed Hearing, Knowing. So he conveyed God's message, and called to His path with what He commanded him of wisdom and good admonition and disputing in the better way, then jihad and severity, until God took him to Himself and chose for him what is with Him ﷺ. When prophethood ended and God sealed with Muḥammad the revelation and the message, He made the maintenance of the religion and the order of the Muslims' affairs through the caliphate, its completion and honor, and the upholding of God's right therein through obedience, by which God's obligations, limits, laws of Islam, and its sunnas are established, and His enemy is fought. So upon God's caliphs is obedience to Him in what He has made them caliphs over, and entrusted to them of the affair of His religion and His servants. And upon the Muslims is obedience to their caliphs and helping them in the establishment of God's right and His justice, the security of roads, the spilling of blood, the reconciliation of hearts, and the gathering of affection. In the opposite of that is the disturbance of the Muslims' affair, the discord of their community, the oppression of their religion, the ascendancy of their enemy, the dispersal of the word, and the loss of this world and the hereafter. So it is incumbent upon the one whom He has made caliph in His earth and entrusted over His creation to exert himself for God, to prefer what is in God's pleasure and obedience, to act for what God will hold him accountable for and ask him about, to judge by truth, and to act with justice in what God has charged and entrusted him with. For God, Mighty and Majestic, says to His prophet David, ﷺ: "O David, We have made you a caliph in the earth, so judge between people with truth." And He Most High said: "By your Lord, We shall question them all together about what they used to do." It has reached us that ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb said: "If a lamb were lost on the bank of the Euphrates, I would fear that God would ask me about it." By God, the one who is asked about his own self concerning his deeds between God and himself faces a great matter and grave peril, so how about the one who is asked about the care of the community? Trust is in God, and to Him is the refuge and the desire for success, protection, right direction, and guidance to what contains the establishment of proof and the attainment from God of pleasure, mercy, and compassion. The most far-sighted of the imams for himself and the most sincere to God in His religion and His servants and His caliphate in His earth is the one who acts in obedience to Him, His religion, and the sunna of His Prophet, ﷺ, during his days and after them. So he exerted his judgment and consideration regarding whom he should appoint as heir and choose for the command of the Muslims and their care after him, and set up as a banner for them and a refuge in gathering their affection, restoring their scattered condition, sparing their blood, and securing them, by God's permission, from their division, the corruption of their mutual relations, their discord, and the raising of Satan's incitement and his schemes away from them. God, Mighty and Majestic, made the covenant after the caliphate part of the completeness of Islam's affair, its perfection, its honor, and the welfare of its people. And that they are His caliphs, of His confirmation to those whom they choose for them after them, what great blessing is in it, and sound outcome, by which God undoes schism and enmity, efforts at division, and waiting for discord. The Commander of the Faithful has not ceased, since the caliphate came to him, to experience the ugliness of its taste, the weight of its burden, the severity of its cost, and what is incumbent upon the one who undertakes it of binding oneself to obey God and watchfulness over Him in what He has charged him with. He exhausted his body, kept his eyes awake, and prolonged his thought in what contains the honor of the religion, the suppression of the polytheists, the welfare of the community, the spread of justice, the establishment of the Book and the sunna, and the prevention of ease, comfort, and pleasant living—knowing what God will ask him about, and desiring to meet God sincere in His religion and His servants, and to choose for the succession to his covenant and the care of the community after him the most excellent of what he can attain in religion and piety, and the most hopeful for the establishment of God's command and His right. He called upon God with the prayer for guidance in that, and asked Him to inspire him with what is His pleasure and obedience, in the hours of his night and day, exerting himself in seeking and searching among the people of his house from the descendants of ʿAbd Allāh b. al-ʿAbbās and ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, his thought and consideration, confining himself, in those whose state and doctrine he knew from among them, to the truth, with knowledge reaching fully in asking about those whose affair was hidden from him, his effort and capacity, until he assessed their affairs with knowledge, tested their reports by observation, and uncovered what they had by questioning. So his choice, after seeking guidance from God and exerting himself in fulfilling His right toward His servants, from both houses together was: ʿAlī b. Mūsā b. Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, because he saw his surpassing excellence, pure knowledge, manifest piety, sincere renunciation, his detachment from the world, and his being safe from men. It became clear to him what reports have continued to agree upon, tongues to concur in, and the word regarding him to be unanimous, and what he has continued to know him by of excellence, as a youth, a growing boy, a young man, and a mature adult. So he bound for him the covenant and the succession after him, trusting in God's choice in that, since he knew from his action that he preferred him and the religion, cared for the Muslims, sought safety, the establishment of proof, and salvation on the day when people stand before the Lord of the Worlds. The Commander of the Faithful summoned his sons, his household, his elite, his commanders, and his troops, and they pledged allegiance to him, hastening, rejoicing, knowing the Commander of the Faithful's preference of obedience to God over desire in his own sons and others of closer kinship and nearer relation. He named him al-Riḍā, since he was pleasing to the Commander of the Faithful. So pledge allegiance to him, O assembly of the household of the Commander of the Faithful, and those in the guarded city from his commanders, troops, and the generality of Muslims, to the Commander of the Faithful and to al-Riḍā after him, in the name of God and His blessing and His good decree for His religion and His servants—an allegiance to which your hands are extended and your hearts are open, knowing what the Commander of the Faithful intended by it, and preferring obedience to God and care for himself and for you in it, thanking God for what He inspired the Commander of the Faithful to do in fulfilling His right in caring for you, and his eagerness for your guidance and welfare, hoping for God's return in gathering your affection, sparing your blood, restoring your scattered condition, closing your frontiers, strengthening your religion, suppressing your enemy, and setting your affairs aright. So hasten to obey God and to obey the Commander of the Faithful, for it is the matter: if you hasten to it and praise God for it, you will know your share in it, God willing. He wrote with his own hand on the seventh of the venerated month of Ramaḍān in the year two hundred and one. Al-Riḍā ﷺ wrote some words, among them that when it said: He chose from both houses together ʿAlī b. Mūsā b. Jaʿfar, he wrote beneath it: May your ties of kinship remain, and may you be rewarded with good. And beneath his praise of him with his piety and renunciation, he wrote: May God praise you, for you have done well, and may He give you abundant reward, for you have completed it. And beneath his saying: So he bound for him the covenant after him, he wrote: Rather, may I be made your ransom. And beneath his saying: And he named him al-Riḍā, he wrote: ؓ May He please you and give you the best reward in both abodes. Then al-Riḍā wrote on the back of the covenant a text whose copy is: In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds, doer of what He wills. There is no overturning His judgment and no repelling His decree. He knows the treachery of the eyes and what the hearts conceal. His blessings be upon His Prophet and upon his pure, good family. I say—and I am ʿAlī b. Mūsā b. Jaʿfar—that the Commander of the Faithful, may God support him with rightness and grant him success in right guidance, has recognized of our right what others have been ignorant of. He has joined ties of kinship that were severed and given security to souls that were terrified. Rather, he revived them when they were perishing, and enriched them when they were impoverished, seeking the pleasure of the Lord of the Worlds, not desiring recompense from other than Him. God will reward the thankful, and the reward of the doers of good is not lost. He has made over to me his covenant and the supreme command, if I remain after him. Whoever loosens a knot that He commanded to be tied, or breaks a bond that He loved to be secured, has made his sacred trust permissible and his forbidden thing lawful, since in that he would be disparaging the imam and violating the sanctity of Islam. I have made a covenant with God upon myself, if the Commander of the Faithful entrusts me with the care and confers upon me his caliphate, to act among them generally, and among the Banū al-ʿAbbās b. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib particularly, in obedience to Him and the sunna of the Messenger of God ﷺ, and not to shed forbidden blood, nor make lawful a private part or property except what His limits shed and His obligations make lawful, and to choose competent agents to my utmost effort and capacity. I have made upon myself a binding covenant concerning that, about which God will ask me. For He, Mighty and Majestic, says: "And fulfill the covenant; indeed the covenant will be asked about." If I deviate, change, or alter, I will deserve alteration and be exposed to punishment. I seek refuge in God from His wrath, and to Him I desire for success in obeying Him, and that He come between me and disobedience to Him, in His well-being for me and for the Muslims. I have complied with the command of the Commander of the Faithful and preferred his pleasure. May God protect me and him. I call God as witness over myself, and God suffices as witness. I wrote my hand in the presence of the Commander of the Faithful, may God prolong his life, and of al-Faḍl b. Sahl, Yaḥyā b. Aktham, ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṭāhir, Thumāma b. Ashras, Bishr b. al-Muʿtamir, and Ḥammād b. al-Nuʿmān. In the month of Ramaḍān in the year two hundred and one. Copy of the testimonies The Commander of the Faithful—may God prolong his life and overthrow his enemies—ordered that the contents of this document, back and front, be read in the sanctuary of our master the Messenger of God ﷺ, between the garden and the pulpit, before the leading witnesses, and in the sight and hearing of the notables of the Banū Hāshim and all the friends and troops, with what the Commander of the Faithful made binding as proof upon all Muslims and invalidated the doubt that had occurred to the opinions of the ignorant: "God would not leave the believers in the state you are in." Al-Faḍl b. Sahl wrote in the presence of the Commander of the Faithful on the aforementioned date: ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṭāhir b. al-Ḥusayn recorded his testimony on its date. Yaḥyā b. Aktham testified to the contents of this writing, back and front, and he asks God, Mighty and Majestic, that the Commander of the Faithful and all the Muslims recognize the blessings of this covenant and pact. He wrote with his hand on the specified date. Ḥammād b. al-Nuʿmān testified to the contents of its back and front, and wrote with his hand on its date. Bishr b. al-Muʿtamir testifies to that and wrote with his hand on the date. Thumāma b. Ashras was present and wrote his hand. Hibat Allāh b. al-Faḍl b. Ṣāʿid the scribe said: This covenant I saw in the handwriting of al-Maʾmūn. My maternal uncle Yaḥyā b. Ṣāʿid bought it for two hundred dinars, and Ṣadaqa b. Manṣūr carried it to Sayf al-Dawla. It contained the handwriting of a group of scribes, such as al-Ṣūlī ʿAbd Allāh b. al-ʿAbbās and the vizier al-Maghribī.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.