Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3227
The Year 210 AH
ذِكْرُ الظَّفَرِ بِإِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْمَهْدِيِّ وَفِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ، فِي رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ، أُخِذَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمَهْدِيِّ، وَهُوَ مُتَنَقِّبٌ مَعَ امْرَأَتَيْنِ، وَهُوَ فِي زِيِّ امْرَأَةٍ، أَخَذَهُ حَارِسٌ أَسْوَدُ لَيْلًا، فَقَالَ: مِنْ أَيْنَ أَنْتُنَّ، وَأَيْنَ تُرِدْنَ هَذَا الْوَقْتَ ؟ فَأَعْطَاهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ خَاتَمَ يَاقُوتٍ كَانَ فِي يَدِهِ لَهُ قَدْرٌ عَظِيمٌ لِيُخَلِّيَهُنَّ وَلَا يَسْأَلَهُنَّ، فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ الْحَارِسُ إِلَى الْخَاتَمِ اسْتَرَابَهُنَّ، وَقَالَ: خَاتَمُ رَجُلٍ لَهُ شَأْنٌ، وَرَفَعَهُنَّ إِلَى صَاحِبِ الْمَسْلَحَةِ، فَأَمَرَهُنَّ أَنْ يُسْفِرْنَ، فَامْتَنَعَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ، فَجَذَبَهُ، فَبَدَتْ لِحْيَتُهُ، فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى صَاحِبِ الْجِسْرِ، فَعَرَفَهُ، فَذَهَبَ بِهِ إِلَى بَابِ الْمَأْمُونِ وَأَعْلَمَهُ بِهِ، فَأَمَرَ بِالِاحْتِفَاظِ بِهِ إِلَى بُكْرَةٍ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ أُقْعِدُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ فِي دَارِ الْمَأْمُونِ وَالْمَقْنَعَةُ الَّتِي تَقَنَّعَ بِهَا فِي عُنُقِهِ، وَالْمِلْحَفَةُ عَلَى صَدْرِهِ لِيَرَاهُ بَنُو هَاشِمٍ وَالنَّاسُ، وَيَعْلَمُوا كَيْفَ أُخِذَ، ثُمَّ حَوَّلَهُ إِلَى أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، فَحَبَسَهُ عِنْدَهُ، ثُمَّ أَخْرَجَهُ مَعَهُ، لَمَّا سَارَ إِلَى فَمِ الصُّلْحِ، إِلَى الْحَسَنِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ، فَشَفَعَ فِيهِ الْحَسَنُ، وَقِيلَ: ابْنَتُهُ بُورَانُ. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لَمَّا أُخِذَ حُمِلَ إِلَى دَارِ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ الْمُعْتَصِمِ، وَكَانَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ عِنْدَ الْمَأْمُونِ، فَحُمِلَ رَدِيفًا لِفَرَحٍ التُّرْكِيِّ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَى الْمَأْمُونِ قَالَ: هِيهِ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ ! فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَلِيُّ الثَّأْرُ مُحَكَّمٌ فِي الْقِصَاصِ، وَالْعَفْوُ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى، وَمَنْ تَنَاوَلَهُ الِاغْتِرَارُ بِمَا مُدَّ لَهُ مِنْ أَسْبَابِ الشَّقَاءِ، أَمْكَنَ عَادِيَةَ الدَّهْرِ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ، وَقَدْ جَعَلَكَ اللَّهُ فَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي ذَنْبٍ، كَمَا جُعِلَ كُلُّ ذِي ذَنْبٍ دُونَكَ، فَإِنْ تُعَاقِبْ فَبِحَقِّكَ، وَإِنْ تَعْفُ فَبِفَضْلِكَ. قَالَ: بَلْ أَعْفُو يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ. فَكَبَّرَ وَسَجَدَ. وَقِيلَ: بَلْ كَتَبَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ هَذَا الْكَلَامَ إِلَى الْمَأْمُونِ وَهُوَ مُتَخَفٍّ، فَوَقَّعَ الْمَأْمُونُ فِي رُقْعَتِهِ: الْقُدْرَةُ تُذْهِبُ الْحَفِيظَةَ، وَالنَّدَمُ تَوْبَةٌ، وَبَيْنَهُمَا عَفْوُ اللَّهِ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - وَهُوَ أَكْبَرُ مَا يُسْأَلُهُ. فَقَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَمْدَحُ الْمَأْمُونَ: يَا خَيْرَ مَنْ ذَمَلَتْ يَمَانِيَةٌ بِهِ بَعْدَ النَّبِيِّ لِآيِسٍ أَوْ طَامِعِ وَأَبَرَّ مَنْ عَبَدَ الْإِلَهَ عَلَى التُّقَى غَيْبًا وَأَقْوَلَهُ بِحَقٍّ صَادِعِ عَسَلُ الْفَوَارِعِ مَا أُطِعْتَ فَإِنْ تُهَجْ فَالصَّابُّ يُمْزَجُ بِالسِّمَامِ النَّاقِعِ مُتَيَقِّظًا حَذِرًا وَمَا تَخْشَى الْعِدَى نَبْهَانَ مِنْ وَسَنَاتِ لَيْلِ الْهَاجِعِ مُلِئَتْ قُلُوبُ النَّاسِ مِنْكَ مَخَافَةً وَتَبِيتُ تَكْلَؤُهُمْ بِقَلْبٍ خَاشِعِ بِأَبِي وَأُمِّي فِدْيَةً وَأَبِيهِمَا مِنْ كُلِّ مُعْضِلَةٍ وَذَنْبٍ وَاقِعِ مَا أَلْيَنَ الْكَنَفَ الَّذِي بَوَّأْتَنِي وَطَنًا وَأَمْرَعَ رَبْعَهُ لِلرَّاتِعِ لِلصَّالِحَاتِ أَخًا جُعِلْتَ وَلِلتُّقَى وَأَبًا رَءُوفًا لِلْفَقِيرِ الْقَانِعِ نَفْسِي فِدَاؤُكَ إِذْ تَضِلُّ مَعَاذِرِي وَأَلُوذُ مِنْكَ بِفَضْلِ حِلْمٍ وَاسِعِ أَمَلًا لِفَضْلِكَ، وَالْفَوَاضِلُ شِيمَةٌ رَفَعَتْ بِنَاءَكَ لِلْمَحَلِّ الْيَافِعِ فَبَذَلْتَ أَفْضَلَ مَا يَضِيقُ بِبَذْلِهِ وُسْعُ النُّفُوسِ مِنَ الْفِعَالِ الْبَارِعِ وَعَفَوْتَ عَمَّنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ عَنْ مِثْلِهِ عَفْوٌ وَلَمْ يَشْفَعْ إِلَيْكَ بِشَافِعِ إِلَّا الْعُلُوَّ عَنِ الْعُقُوبَةِ بَعْدَمَا ظَفِرَتْ يَدَاكَ بِمُسْتَكِينٍ خَاضِعِ فَرَحِمْتَ أَطْفَالًا كَأَفْرَاخِ الْقَطَا وَعَوِيلَ عَانِسَةٍ كَقَوْسِ النَّازِعِ وَعَطَفْتَ آصِرَةً عَلَيَّ كَمَا وَهَى بَعْدَ انْهِيَاضِ الْوَثْيِ عَظْمُ الظَّالِعِ اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا أَقُولُ كَأَنَّهَا جَهْدُ الْأَلِيَّةِ مِنْ حَنِيفٍ رَاكِعِ مَا إِنْ عَصَيْتُكَ وَالْغُوَاةُ تَقُودُنِي أَسْبَابُهَا إِلَّا بِنِيَّةِ طَائِعِ حَتَّى إِذَا عَلِقَتْ حَبَائِلُ شِقْوَتِي بِرَدِّي إِلَى حُفَرِ الْمَهَالِكِ هَائِعِ لَمْ أَدْرِ أَنَّ لِمِثْلِ جُرْمِي غَافِرًا فَوَقَفْتُ أَنْظُرُ أَيُّ حَتْفٍ صَارِعِي رَدَّ الْحَيَاةَ عَلَيَّ بَعْدَ ذَهَابِهَا وَرَعُ الْإِمَامِ الْقَادِرِ الْمُتَوَاضِعِ أَحْيَاكَ مَنْ وَلَّاكَ أَفْضَلَ مُدَّةٍ وَرَمَى عَدُوَّكَ فِي الْوَتِينِ بِقَاطِعِ كَمْ مِنْ يَدٍ لَكَ لَمْ تُحَدِّثْنِي بِهَا نَفْسِي إِذَا آلَتْ إِلَيَّ مَطَامِعِي أَسْدَيْتَهَا عَفْوًا إِلَيَّ هَنِيئَةً وَشَكَرْتُ مُصْطَنَعًا لِأَكْرَمِ صَانِعِ إِلَّا يَسِيرًا عِنْدَمَا أَوْلَيْتَنِي وَهُوَ الْكَبِيرُ لَدَيَّ غَيْرُ الضَّائِعِ إِنْ أَنْتَ جُدْتَ بِهَا عَلَيَّ تَكُنْ لَهَا أَهْلًا وَإِنْ تَمْنَعْ فَأَكْرَمُ مَانِعِ إِنَّ الَّذِي قَسَمَ الْخِلَافَةَ حَازَهَا مِنْ صُلْبِ آدَمَ لِلْإِمَامِ السَّابِعِ جَمَعَ الْقُلُوبَ عَلَيْكَ جَامِعُ أَمْرِهَا وَحَوَى رِدَاؤُكَ كُلَّ خَيْرٍ جَامِعِ فَذُكِرَ أَنَّ الْمَأْمُونَ قَالَ حِينَ أَنْشَدَهُ هَذِهِ الْقَصِيدَةَ: أَقُولُ كَمَا قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِإِخْوَتِهِ: لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ.
Translation
✧ Mention of the capture of Ibrāhīm b. al-Mahdī In this year, in Rabīʿ al-Awwal, Ibrāhīm b. al-Mahdī was seized while veiled with two women, and he was in the attire of a woman. A black guard seized him at night and said: “Where are you women from, and where are you heading at this hour?” Ibrāhīm gave him a ruby ring that was on his hand, of great value, so that he would let them go and not question them. When the guard looked at the ring, he became suspicious of them and said: “A ring of a man of consequence.” He brought them up to the commander of the guard post, who ordered them to unveil. Ibrāhīm refused, but he pulled at him, and his beard appeared. He handed him over to the keeper of the bridge, who recognized him, and took him to al-Maʾmūn’s gate and informed him of it. He ordered that he be kept under guard until the morning. On the morrow, Ibrāhīm was made to sit in al-Maʾmūn’s palace with the veil with which he had veiled himself around his neck and the wrap over his chest, so that the Banū Hāshim and the people could see him and know how he had been taken. Then he was transferred to Aḥmad b. Abī Khālid, who imprisoned him in his custody. Then he brought him out with him when he marched to Fam al-Ṣulḥ, to al-Ḥasan b. Sahl, and al-Ḥasan interceded for him—it is said his daughter Būrān did. It is said that when Ibrāhīm was taken, he was carried to the residence of Abū Isḥāq al-Muʿtaṣim, and al-Muʿtaṣim was with al-Maʾmūn. He was carried riding pillion behind Faraḥ al-Turkī. When he entered upon al-Maʾmūn, he said: “Well now, Ibrāhīm!” He replied: “O Commander of the Faithful, the avenger of blood is empowered to exact retribution, but pardon is closer to piety. One whom delusion has overtaken through the means of wretchedness stretched out for him has enabled the onslaught of time against himself. God has set you above every sinner, just as every sinner has been set below you. If you punish, it is by your right; if you pardon, it is by your grace.” He said: “Rather, I pardon, O Ibrāhīm.” So he said “Allāhu akbar” and prostrated. It is said: Rather, Ibrāhīm wrote these words to al-Maʾmūn while he was in hiding, and al-Maʾmūn wrote at the bottom of his note: “Power removes resentment, remorse is repentance, and between them is God’s pardon—Mighty and Majestic—which is the greatest thing one may ask of Him.” Then Ibrāhīm said in praise of al-Maʾmūn: O best of those whom a Yamānī she-camel has borne After the Prophet, for the despairing or the hopeful, And most dutiful of those who worshipped God upon piety In secret, and most truthful in proclaiming the truth, Honey of the branches when you are obeyed; but if you are stirred, The aloe is mixed with deadly poison. A vigilant, wary one; and when you fear not the foes, You are awake from the slumbers of the sleeper’s night. People’s hearts are filled with awe of you, While you spend the night guarding them with a humble heart. By my father and mother as ransom, and by their father, From every perplexing affair and befalling sin. How soft is the side you have settled me in As a homeland, and how fertile its abode for the grazer! For righteous deeds you were made a brother, and for piety A compassionate father to the contented poor. My soul be your ransom when my excuses stray, And I seek refuge in you with ample forbearance, Hoping for your bounty; for bounties are a trait That has raised your edifice to the lofty station. You bestowed the best that the capacity of souls Would be too narrow to bestow, of surpassing deeds, And pardoned one for whose like there was no Pardon, and who did not intercede with you through any intercessor, Except rising above punishment after Your hands had seized one humbled and submissive. You had mercy on children like the chicks of the qaṭā And on the wailing of a spinster like the bow of the archer, And you turned a bond of kinship upon me as when, after The firm bone has mended, the bone of the limping one gives way. God knows that what I say is as if it were The utmost of an oath from a devout man bowing in prayer. I never disobeyed you while the seducers were leading me By their means, except with the intention of one who obeys, Until, when the snares of my wretchedness clung To casting me into the pits of destruction, terrified, I did not know that one like my crime could be forgiven, And I stood watching which death would strike me down. Life was restored to me after its departure By the piety of the able, humble Imam. May He who granted you the best span of life keep you alive, And cast your enemy into the aorta with a cutting blade. How many a hand of yours has my soul not told me of When my hopes turned to me, Which you extended to me freely as a gift, pleasant, And I thanked a favor done by the most generous doer— Except a small thing compared to what you granted me, And it is great in my eyes, not lost. If you bestow it upon me, you will be worthy of it; And if you withhold, you are the most generous withholder. Indeed, He who apportioned the caliphate has encompassed it From the loins of Adam for the seventh Imam. The gatherer of its affair has gathered hearts upon you, And your cloak has encompassed every comprehensive good. It is mentioned that al-Maʾmūn said when this ode was recited to him: “I say as Joseph said to his brothers: ‘No reproach upon you this day; God forgives you, and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.’”
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.