Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3293
The Year 217 AH
ذِكْرُ مَنْ تُوُفِّيَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ مِنَ الْأَكَابِرِ 1228 - إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ تَيِّمٍ، أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ مَوْلَى شُرَحْبِيلَ بْنِ حَسَنَةَ. كَانَ كَاتِبًا فِي دِيوَانِ الْخَرَاجِ، ثُمَّ وَلِيَ خَرَاجَ مِصْرَ، تُوُفِّيَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ. 1229 - إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ بْنِ صُبَيْحٍ، مَوْلَى بَنِي تَمِيمٍ. وَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَرُّورُوذَ، سَكَنَ الْكُوفَةَ، وَوَلِيَ قَضَاءَ مِصْرَ، وَعُزِلَ سَنَةَ [إِحْدَى] عَشْرَةَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ. وَرُوِيَ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ الْعِيزَارِ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ بِخَلْقِ الْقُرْآنِ. وَتُوُفِّيَ بِمِصْرَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ. 1230 - الْخَلِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي نَافِعٍ الْمُزَنِيُّ الْمَوْصِلِيُّ نَزَلَ بَغْدَادَ. قَالَ أَبُو الْفَرَجِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ الْمَوْصِلِيُّ - فِي كِتَابِهِ - قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَنْصُورٍ الْمُظَفَّرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الطُّوسِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا] أَبُو زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ يَزِيدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِيَاسٍ الْأَزْدِيُّ فِي الطَّبَقَةِ [الرَّابِعَةِ] مِنْ عُلَمَاءِ أَهْلِ الْمَوْصِلِ، قَالَ: وَمِنْهُمُ الْخَلِيلُ بْنُ [أَبِي] نَافِعٍ الْمُزَنِيُّ، كَانَ مِنَ الْعُبَّادِ، وَكَتَبَ الْحَدِيثَ، وَاخْتَارَ الصَّمْتَ وَالْعُزْلَةَ، وَكَانَ قَدِ اتَّخَذَ لَوْحًا يَكْتُبُ فِيهِ كُلَّ مَا يَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ، وَيُحْصِيهِ فِي آخِرِ النَّهَارِ فَيَجِدُهُ بِضْعَ عَشْرَةَ كَلِمَةً. وَتُوُفِّيَ بِبَغْدَادَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ. 1231 - دَاوُدُ بْنُ مِهْرَانَ، أَبُو سُلَيْمَانَ الدَّبَّاغُ. سَمِعَ عَبْدَ الْعَزِيزِ بْنَ أَبِي رَوَّادٍ، وَسُفْيَانَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ. رَوَى عَنْهُ عَبَّاسٌ الدُّورِيُّ. وَقَالَ يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ شَيْبَةَ: كَانَ شَيْخًا صَدُوقًا ثِقَةً. تُوُفِّيَ فِي شَوَّالَ هَذِهِ السَّنَةَ. 1232 - سُرَيْجُ بْنُ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ، أَبُو الْحَسَنِ اللُّؤْلُؤِيُّ. خُرَاسَانِيُّ الْأَصْلِ، بَغْدَادِيُّ الدَّارِ. سَمِعَ حَمَّادَ بْنَ سَلَمَةَ، وَفُلَيْحَ بْنَ سُلَيْمَانَ. وَصَالِحًا الْمُرِّيَّ، وَسُفْيَانَ بْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ. وَرَوَى عَنْهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، وَأَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ، وَالدُّورِيُّ، وَأَبُو زُرْعَةَ، وَأَبُو حَاتِمٍ. وَكَانَ ثِقَةً، وَكَانَ مَنْزِلُهُ بِعَسْكَرِ الْمَهْدِيِّ. وَتُوُفِّيَ فِي يَوْمِ الْأَضْحَى مِنْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ. 1233 - عَمْرُو بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ صَوْلٍ، أَبُو الْفَضْلِ. كَانَ أَحَدَ كُتَّابِ الْمَأْمُونِ، وَكَانَ لَهُ مَنْزِلَانِ بِبَغْدَادَ، أَحَدُهُمَا بِحَضْرَةِ طَاقٍ الْحَرَّانِيِّ - وَالْحَرَّانِيُّ هُوَ: إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ ذِكْوَانَ - وَمَنْزِلٌ آخَرُ فَوْقَ الْجِسْرِ، وَهُوَ الْمَعْرُوفُ بِسَابَاطِ عَمْرِو بْنِ مَسْعَدَةَ. تُوُفِّيَ بِأَذَنَةَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ، وَرُفِعَ إِلَى الْمَأْمُونِ أَنَّهُ خَلَّفَ ثَمَانِينَ أَلْفَ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، فَوَقَعَ: "هَذَا قَلِيلٌ لِمَنِ اتَّصَلَ بِنَا وَطَالَتْ خِدْمَتُهُ لَنَا، فَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ لِوَلَدِهِ فِيهِ". وَلِعَمْرِو بْنِ مَسْعَدَةَ حِكَايَاتٌ ظَرِيفَةٌ: عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْمُحْسِنِ التَّنُوخِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ: أَنَّ عَمْرَو بْنَ مَسْعَدَةَ قَالَ: كُنْتُ مَعَ الْمَأْمُونِ عِنْدَ قُدُومِهِ مِنْ بِلَادِ الرُّومِ، حَتَّى إِذَا نَزَلَ الرِّقَّةَ قَالَ: يَا عَمْرُو، أَوَمَا تَرَى الرَّخْجِيَّ قَدِ احْتَوَى عَلَى الْأَهْوَارِ، وَجَمَعَ الْأَمْوَالَ وَطَمِعَ فِيهَا، وَكُتُبِي تَصِلُ إِلَيْهِ فِي حَمْلِهَا، وَهُوَ يَتَعَلَّلُ وَيَتَرَبَّصُ بِي الدَّوَائِرَ؟! فَقُلْتُ: أَنَا أَكْفِي أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ هَذَا، وَأُنْقِذُ مَنْ يَضْطَرُّهُ إِلَى حَمْلِ مَا عَلَيْهِ. فَقَالَ: مَا يُقْنِعُنِي هَذَا. قُلْتُ: فَيَأْمُرُ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِأَمْرِهِ. قَالَ: تَخْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ بِنَفْسِكَ حَتَّى تُصَفِّدَهُ بِالْحَدِيدِ وَتَحْمِلَهُ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ، وَتَقْبِضَ عَلَى جَمِيعِ مَا فِي يَدَيْهِ مِنْ أَمْوَالِنَا، وَتَنْظُرَ فِي الْعَمَلِ، وَتُرَتِّبَ فِيهِ عُمَّالًا. فَقُلْتُ: السَّمْعُ وَالطَّاعَةُ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ، دَخَلْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَاسْتَعْجَلَنِي، فَانْحَدَرْتُ فِي زُلَالٍ أُرِيدُ الْبَصْرَةَ، وَاسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ الثَّلْجِ لِشِدَّةِ الْحَرِّ، فَلَمَّا صِرْتُ بَيْنَ جَرْجَرَايَا وَجَيْلٍ سَمِعْتُ صَائِحًا مِنَ الشَّاطِئِ يَصِيحُ: يَا مَلَّاحُ، فَرَفَعْتُ سُجُفَ الزُّلَالِ، فَإِذَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرُ السِّنِّ، حَاسِرٌ، حَافِي الْقَدَمَيْنِ، خَلِقُ الْقَمِيصِ. فَقُلْتُ لِلْغُلَامِ: أَجِبْهُ، فَأَجَابَهُ، فَقَالَ: يَا غُلَامُ، أَنَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرُ السِّنِّ، عَلَى هَذِهِ الصُّورَةِ الَّتِي تَرَى، وَقَدْ أَحْرَقَتْنِي الشَّمْسُ وَكَادَتْ تُتْلِفُنِي، وَأُرِيدُ جَيْلَ، فَاحْمِلُونِي مَعَكُمْ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْجُرُكُمْ. فَشَتَمَهُ الْمَلَّاحُ وَانْتَهَرَهُ، فَأَدْرَكَتْنِي عَلَيْهِ رِقَّةٌ، فَقُلْتُ لِلْغُلَامِ: خُذُوهُ مَعَنَا. فَحَمَلْنَاهُ، فَتَقَدَّمْتُ بِدَفْعِ قَمِيصٍ وَمِنْدِيلٍ إِلَيْهِ [فَغَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ وَاسْتَرَاحَ]، وَحَضَرَ وَقْتُ الْغَدَاءِ. فَقُلْتُ لِلْغُلَامِ: هَاتِهِ يَأْكُلْ مَعَنَا. فَجَاءَ فَأَكَلَ مَعَنَا أَكْلَ أَدِيبٍ، إِلَّا أَنَّ الْجُوعَ قَدْ بِينَ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا أَكَلَ قُلْتُ: يَا شَيْخُ، أَيُّ شَيْءٍ صِنَاعَتُكَ؟ قَالَ: حَائِكٌ، فَتَنَاوَمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَدَّدْتُ رِجْلِي. فَقَالَ: وَأَنْتَ أَعَزَّكَ اللَّهُ؟ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ صِنَاعَتُكَ؟ فَأَكْبَرْتُ ذَلِكَ وَقُلْتُ: أَنَا جَنَيْتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي، أَتُرَاهُ لَا يَرَى زُلَالِي وَغِلْمَانِي وَنِعْمَتِي، وَأَنَّ مِثْلِي لَا يُقَالُ لَهُ هَذَا؟! ثُمَّ قُلْتُ: لَيْسَ إِلَّا الزُّهْدَ بِهَذَا، فَقُلْتُ: كَاتِبٌ. فَقَالَ [لِي] أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ، إِنَّ الْكُتَّابَ خَمْسَةٌ، فَأَيُّهُمْ أَنْتَ؟ فَسَمِعْتُ كَلِمَةً أَكْبَرْتُهَا، وَكُنْتُ مُتَّكِئًا فَجَلَسْتُ، ثُمَّ قُلْتُ: فَصْلُ الْخَمْسَةِ. قَالَ: نَعَمْ، كَاتِبُ خَرَاجٍ: يَحْتَاجُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَالِمًا بِالشُّرُوطِ، وَالطُّسُوقِ، وَالْحِسَابِ، وَالْمِسَاحَةِ، [وَالْبُثُوقِ]، وَالْفُتُوقِ، وَالرُّتُوقِ. وَكَاتِبُ أَحْكَامٍ: يَحْتَاجُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَالِمًا بِالْحَلَالِ وَالْحَرَامِ، وَالِاخْتِلَافِ، وَالْأُصُولُ، وَالْفُرُوعِ. وَكَاتِبُ مَعُونَةٍ: يَحْتَاجُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَالِمًا بِالْقِصَاصِ، وَالْحُدُودِ، وَالْجِرَاحَاتِ. وَكَاتِبُ جَيْشٍ: يَحْتَاجُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَالِمًا بِحُلِيِّ الرِّجَالِ، وَسِمَاتِ الدَّوَابِّ، وَمُدَارَاةِ الْأَوْلِيَاءِ، وَشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ بِالنَّسَبِ، وَالْحِسَابِ. وَكَاتِبُ رَسَائِلَ: يَحْتَاجُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَالِمًا بِالصُّدُورِ وَالْفُصُولِ، وَالْإِطَالَةِ، وَالْإِيجَازِ، وَحُسْنِ الْخَطِّ، وَالْبَلَاغَةِ. قُلْتُ لَهُ: فَإِنِّي كَاتِبُ رَسَائِلَ. فَقَالَ: أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ، لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ إِخْوَانِكَ تَزَوَّجَتْ أُمُّهُ، وَأَرَدْتَ [أَنْ] تُكَاتِبَهُ مُهَنِّئًا لَهُ، كَيْفَ تُكَاتِبُهُ؟ فَفَكَّرْتُ فِي الْحَالِ فَلَمْ يَخْطُرْ بِبَالِي شَيْءٌ، فَقُلْتُ: اعْفِنِي. فَقَالَ: قَدْ فَعَلْتُ. فَقُلْتُ: مَا أَرَى لِلتَّهْنِئَةِ وَجْهًا، قَالَ: فَتَكْتُبُ إِلَيْهِ تَعْزِيَةً. فَفَكَّرْتُ، فَلَمْ يَخْطُرْ بِبَالِي [أَيْضًا] شَيْءٌ، فَقُلْتُ: اعْفِنِي. قَالَ: قَدْ فَعَلْتُ، وَلَكِنْ [لَسْتَ] بِكَاتِبِ رَسَائِلَ. قُلْتُ: فَأَنَا كَاتِبُ خَرَاجٍ. قَالَ: لَوْ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَّاكَ نَاحِيَةً، وَأَمَرَكَ فِيهَا بِالْعَدْلِ وَاسْتِيفَاءِ حَقِّ السُّلْطَانِ، فَتَظَلَّمَ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ مِسَاحَتِكَ، وَأَحْضَرْتَهُمْ لِلنَّظَرِ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ رَعِيَّتِكَ، فَحَلَفَ الْمَسَّاحُ بِاللَّهِ لَقَدْ أَنْصَفُوا، وَحَلَفَتِ الرَّعِيَّةُ بِاللَّهِ لَقَدْ ظَلَمُوا، فَقَالَتِ الرَّعِيَّةُ: قِفْ مَعَنَا عَلَى مَسْحِهِ، فَخَرَجَتْ لِتَقِفَ، فَوَقَفُوكَ عَلَى قِرَاحِ [كَذَا وَكَذَا - لِشَيْءٍ وَصَفَهُ - كَيْفَ تَكْتُبُ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا أَدْرِي، قَالَ: فَلَسْتَ بِكَاتِبِ خَرَاجٍ] فَمَا زَالَ يَذْكُرُ فِي حَقِّ كُلِّ كَاتِبٍ حَالَهُ، فَلَا أَعْلَمُهَا إِلَى أَنْ قُلْتُ: فَاشْرَحْ أَنْتَ. فَشَرَحَ الْكُلَّ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا شَيْخُ، أَلَيْسَ زَعَمْتَ أَنَّكَ حَائِكٌ؟! فَقَالَ: أَنَا حَائِكُ كَلَامٍ وَلَسْتُ بِحَائِكِ نِسَاجَةٍ، ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَ يَقُولُ: مَا مَرَّ شَرٌّ وَلَا نَعِيمٌ إِلَّا وَلِي فِيهِمَا نَصِيبُ قَدْ ذُقْتُ حُلْوًا وَذُقْتُ مُرًّا كَذَاكَ عَيْشُ الْفَتَى ضُرُوبُ نَوَائِبُ الدَّهْرِ أَدَّبَتْنِي وَإِنَّمَا يُوعَظُ الْأَدِيبُ فَقُلْتُ: فَمَا الَّذِي أَرَى بِكَ مِنْ سُوءِ الْحَالِ؟ فَقَالَ: أَنَا رَجُلٌ دَامَتْ عُطْلَتِي، فَخَرَجْتُ أَطْلُبُ الْبَصْرَةَ فَقُطِعَ عَلَيَّ الطَّرِيقُ، فَتُرِكْتُ كَمَا تَرَى، [فَمَشَيْتُ عَلَى وَجْهِي] فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُ الزُّلَالَ، اسْتَغَثْتُ بِكَ. قُلْتُ: فَإِنِّي قَدْ خَرَجْتُ إِلَى تَصَرُّفٍ جَلِيلٍ أَحْتَاجُ فِيهِ إِلَى جَمَاعَةٍ مِثْلِكَ، وَقَدْ أَمَرْتُ لَكَ عَاجِلًا بِخُلْعَةٍ حَسَنَةٍ وَخَمْسَةِ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ تُصْلِحُ بِهَا مِنْ أَمْرِكَ، وَتُنْفِذُ مِنْهَا إِلَى عِيَالِكَ، وَتَصِيرُ مَعِي إِلَى عَمَلِي فَأُوَلِّيكَ أَجَلَهُ. قَالَ: أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ جَزَاءَكَ، إِذًا تَجِدُنِي بِحَيْثُ مَا يَسُرُّكَ، فَانْحَدَرَ مَعِي فَجَعَلْتُهُ الْمُنَاظِرَ لِلرَّخْجِيِّ وَالْمُحَاسِبَ لَهُ، فَقَامَ بِذَلِكَ أَحْسَنَ قِيَامٍ، فَحَسُنَتْ حَالُهُ مَعِي، وَعَادَتْ نِعْمَتُهُ. عَنْ أَبِي الْقَاسِمِ التَّنُوخِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَشْيَاخٍ لَهُ: أَنَّ عَمْرَو بْنَ مَسْعَدَةَ كَانَ مُصْعَدًا مِنْ وَاسِطٍ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ، وَهُوَ فِي زُلَالٍ، فَنَادَاهُ رَجُلٌ: يَا صَاحِبَ الزُّلَالِ بِنِعْمَةِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ أَلَا نَظَرْتَ إِلَيَّ فَكَشَفْتَ سُجُفَ الزُّلَالِ؟ فَإِذَا شَيْخٌ ضَعِيفٌ حَاسِرٌ، فَقَالَ: قَدْ تَرَى مَا أَنَا فِيهِ، وَلَسْتُ أَجِدُ مَنْ يَحْمِلُنِي، فَابْتَغِ الْأَجْرَ فِيَّ، وَتَقَدَّمْ إِلَى مَلَّاحِيكَ يَطْرَحُونِي بَيْنَ مَجَاذِيفِهِمْ إِلَى أَنْ أَبْلُغَ بَلَدًا يَطْرَحُونِي فِيهِ. فَقَالَ عَمْرُو بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ: خُذُوهُ، فَأَخَذُوهُ، وَقَدْ كَادَ يَمُوتُ مِنَ الشَّمْسِ وَالْمَشْيِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا شَيْخُ، مَا قَضِيَّتُكَ، وَمَا قِصَّتُكَ؟ قَالَ: قِصَّةٌ طَوِيلَةٌ. وَبَكَى، قَالَ: فَسَكَّنْتُهُ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ: حَدِّثْنِي. فَقَالَ: أَنَا رَجُلٌ كَانَتْ لِلَّهِ [عَزَّ وَجَلَّ] عَلَيَّ نِعْمَةٌ، وَكُنْتُ صَيْرَفِيًّا، فَابْتَعْتُ جَارِيَةً بِخَمْسِمِائِةِ دِينَارٍ، فَشُغِفْتُ بِهَا، وَكُنْتُ لَا أَقْدِرُ أُفَارِقُهَا سَاعَةً، فَإِذَا خَرَجْتُ إِلَى الدُّكَّانِ أَخَذَنِي الْهَيَمَانُ حَتَّى أَعُودَ إِلَيْهَا، فَدَامَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيَّ حَتَّى تَعَطَّلَ كَسْبِي، وَأَنْفَقْتُ مِنْ رَأْسِ الْمَالِ، حَتَّى لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهُ قَلِيلٌ وَلَا كَثِيرٌ، وَحَمَلَتِ الْجَارِيَةُ، فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَنْقُضُ دَارِي وَأَبِيعُ الْأَنْقَاضَ، حَتَّى فَرَغْتُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ لِي حِيلَةٌ، فَأَخَذَهَا الطَّلْقُ، فَقَالَتْ: يَا هَذَا، أَمُوتُ، فَاحْتَلْ لِي بِمَا تَبْتَاعُ بِهِ عَسَلًا وَدَقِيقًا وَسَرْجًا وَإِلَّا مُتُّ. فَبَكَيْتُ وَجَزِعْتُ، وَخَرَجْتُ عَلَى وَجْهِي، وَجِئْتُ لِأُغْرِقَ نَفْسِي فِي دِجْلَةَ، فَخِفْتُ الْعِقَابَ، فَخَرَجْتُ عَلَى وَجْهِي إِلَى النَّهْرَوَانِ، وَمَا زِلْتُ أَمْشِي مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ إِلَى قَرْيَةٍ، حَتَّى بَلَغْتُ خُرَاسَانَ، فَصَادَفْتُ مَنْ عَرَفَنِي وَتَصَرَّفْتُ فِي صِنَاعَتِي، وَرَزَقَنِي اللَّهُ مَالًا عَظِيمًا، وَكَتَبْتُ سِتَّةً وَسِتِّينَ كِتَابًا لِأَعْرِفَ خَبَرَ مَنْزِلِي فَلَمْ يَعُدْ لِي جَوَابٌ، فَلَمْ أَشُكَّ أَنَّ الْجَارِيَةَ مَاتَتْ، وَتَرَاخَتِ السُّنُونَ، حَتَّى حَصَلَ مَعِي مَا قِيمَتُهُ عِشْرُونَ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ، فَقُلْتُ: قَدْ صَارَتْ لِي نِعْمَةٌ، فَلَوْ رَجَعْتُ إِلَى وَطَنِي، فَابْتَعْتُ بِالْمَالِ كُلِّهِ مَتَاعًا مِنْ خُرَاسَانَ، وَأَقْبَلْتُ أُرِيدُ الْعِرَاقَ، فَخَرَجَ عَلَى الْقَافِلَةِ اللُّصُوصُ فَأَخَذُوا مَا فِيهَا وَنَجَوْتُ بِثِيَابِي، وَعُدْتُ فَقِيرًا كَمَا خَرَجْتُ مِنْ بَغْدَادَ، فَدَخَلْتُ الْأَهْوَازَ مُتَحَيِّرًا، فَكَشَفْتُ خَبَرِي لِبَعْضِ أَهْلِهَا، فَأَعْطَانِي مَا كَمَّلْتُ بِهِ إِلَى وَاسِطٍ، وَفَقَدْتُ نَفَقَتِي، فَمَشَيْتُ إِلَى هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ، وَقَدْ كِدْتُ أَتْلَفُ، فَاسْتَغَثْتُ بِكَ، وَلِي مُذْ فَارَقْتُ بَغْدَادَ ثَمَانٌ وَعِشْرُونَ سَنَةً. قَالَ: فَعَجِبْتُ مِنْ مَحَبَّتِهِ، وَرَقَقْتُ لَهُ، وَقُلْتُ: إِذَا صِرْنَا إِلَى بَغْدَادَ فَصِرْ إِلَيَّ، فَإِنِّي أَتَقَدَّمُ بِتَصْرِيفِكَ فِيمَا يَصْلُحُ لِمِثْلِكَ، فَدَعَى لِي وَدَخَلْنَا [إِلَى] بَغْدَادَ، وَمَضَتْ مُدَّةٌ فَنَسِيَتُهُ فِيهَا، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا يَوْمًا قَدْ رَكِبْتُ أُرِيدُ دَارَ الْمَأْمُونِ، إِذَا أَنَا بِالشَّيْخِ عَلَى بَابِي رَاكِبًا بَغْلًا فَارِهًا بِمَرْكَبٍ ثَقِيلٍ، وَغُلَامٍ أَسْوَدَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَثِيَابٍ رَفِيعَةٍ، فَرَحَّبْتُ بِهِ، فَقُلْتُ: مَا الْخَبَرُ؟ قَالَ: طَوِيلٌ. قُلْتُ: عُدْ إِلَيَّ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ جَاءَنِي. فَقُلْتُ: عَرِّفْنِي خَبَرَكَ، فَقَدْ سُرِرْتُ بِحُسْنِ حَالِكَ. فَقَالَ: إِنِّي لَمَّا صَعِدْتُ مِنْ زُلَالِكَ قَصَدْتُ دَارِي، فَوَجَدْتُ حَائِطَهَا الَّذِي عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ كَمَا خَلَّفْتُهُ، غَيْرَ أَنَّ بَابَ الدَّارِ مَجْلُوٌّ نَظِيفٌ، وَعَلَيْهِ بَوَّابٌ وَبِغَالٌ مَعَ شَاكِرِيهِ، فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ! مَاتَتْ جَارِيَتِي، وَتَمَلَّكَ الدَّارَ بَعْضُ الْجِيرَانِ، فَبَاعَهَا عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ السُّلْطَانِ، ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمْتُ إِلَى بَقَّالٍ كُنْتُ أَعْرِفُهُ فِي الْمَحَلَّةِ، فَإِذَا فِي دُكَّانِهِ غُلَامٌ حَدَثٌ، فَقُلْتُ: مَنْ تَكُونُ مِنْ فُلَانٍ الْبَقَّالِ؟ قَالَ: ابْنُهُ. قُلْتُ: وَمَتَى مَاتَ أَبُوكَ؟ قَالَ: مُذْ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً. قُلْتُ: لِمَنْ هَذِهِ الدَّارُ؟ قَالَ: لِابْنِ دَايَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَهُوَ الْآنَ جَهْبَذُهُ وَصَاحِبُ بَيْتِ مَالِهِ. قُلْتُ: بِمَنْ يُعْرَفُ؟ قَالَ: بِابْنِ فُلَانٍ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ. فَأَسْمَانِي قُلْتُ: هَذِهِ الدَّارُ مَنْ بَاعَهَا عَلَيْهِ؟ قَالَ: هَذِهِ دَارُ أَبِيهِ. قُلْتُ: فَهَلْ يَعِيشُ أَبُوهُ؟ قَالَ: لَا. قُلْتُ: أَفَتَعْرِفُ مِنْ حَدِيثِهِمْ شَيْئًا؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي أَنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ كَانَ صَيْرَفِيًّا جَلِيلًا فَافْتَقَرَ، وَأَنَّ أُمَّ هَذَا الصَّبِيِّ ضَرَبَهَا الطَّلْقُ، فَخَرَجَ أَبُوهُ يَطْلُبُ لَهَا شَيْئًا، فَفُقِدَ وَهَلَكَ، قَالَ لِي أَبِي: فَجَاءَنِي رَسُولُ أُمِّ هَذَا تَسْتَغِيثُ بِي، فَقُمْتُ لَهَا بِحَوَائِجِ الْوِلَادَةِ، وَدَفَعْتُ إِلَيْهَا عَشَرَةَ دَرَاهِمَ فَأَنْفَقْتُهَا، حَتَّى قِيلَ: [قَدْ] وُلِدَ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ [الرَّشِيدِ] مَوْلُودٌ ذَكَرٌ، وَقَدْ عَرَضَ عَلَيْهِ [جَمِيعَ] الدَّايَاتِ فَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ لِثَدْيِ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُنَّ، وَقَدْ طَلَبَ لَهُ الْحَرَائِرَ فَجَاءُوا بِغَيْرِ وَاحِدَةٍ، فَمَا أَخَذَ ثَدْيَ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ، وَهَمَّ فِي طَلَبِ مُرْضِعٍ، فَأَرْشَدْتُ الَّذِي طَلَبَ الدَّايَةَ إِلَى أُمِّ هَذَا، فَحُمِلَتْ إِلَى دَارِ أُمِّ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الرَّشِيدِ، فَحِينَ وَضَعَ فَمَ الصَّبِيِّ عَلَى ثَدْيِهَا قَبَّلَهُ فَأَرْضَعَتْهُ، وَكَانَ الصَّبِيُّ الْمَأْمُونُ، وَصَارَتْ عِنْدَهُمْ فِي حَالَةٍ جَلِيلَةٍ، وَوَصَلَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْهُمْ خَيْرٌ عَظِيمٌ، ثُمَّ خَرَجَ الْمَأْمُونُ إِلَى خُرَاسَانَ، فَخَرَجَتْ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةُ وَابْنُهَا هَذَا مَعَهُ، وَلَمْ نَعْرِفْ مِنْ أَخْبَارِهِمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِنْ قَرِيبٍ، لَمَّا عَادَ الْمَأْمُونُ وَعَادَتْ حَاشِيَتُهُ، رَأَيْنَا هَذَا قَدْ جَاءَ رَجُلًا وَأَنَا لَمْ أَكُنْ رَأَيْتُ هَذَا قَطُّ قَبْلَ هَذَا، فَقِيلَ: هَذَا ابْنُ فُلَانٍ الصَّيْرَفِيُّ وَابْنُ دَايَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَبَنَى هَذِهِ الدَّارَ وَسِوَاهَا، قُلْتُ: أَفَعِنْدَكَ عِلْمٌ مَنْ أُمُّهُ؟ أَحَيَّةٌ هِيَ أَمْ مَيِّتَةٌ؟ قَالَ: حَيَّةٌ تَمْضِي إِلَى دَارِ الْخَلِيفَةِ أَيَّامًا وَتَكُونُ عِنْدَ ابْنِهَا أَيَّامًا [وَهِيَ الْآنَ هَا هُنَا]. فَحَمِدْتُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْحَالَةِ، وَجِئْتُ فَدَخَلْتُ الدَّارَ مَعَ النَّاسِ، فَرَأَيْتُ الصَّحْنَ فِي نِهَايَةِ الْعِمَارَةِ وَالْحُسْنِ، وَفِيهِ مَجْلِسٌ كَبِيرٌ مَفْرُوشٌ [بِفَرْشٍ فَاخِرٍ]، وَفِي صَدْرِهِ شَابٌّ وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ كِتَابٌ وَجَهَابِذَةٌ وَحِسَابٌ، وَفِي صِفَافِ الدَّارِ جَهَابِذَةٌ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمُ الْأَمْوَالُ وَالتُّخُوتُ وَالشَّوَاهِينُ يَقْضُونَ وَيَقْبِضُونَ وَبَصُرْتُ بِالْفَتَى فَرَأَيْتُ شَبَهِي فِيهِ، فَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُ ابْنِي، فَجَلَسْتُ فِي غِمَارِ النَّاسِ إِلَى أَنْ لَمْ يَبْقَ فِي الْمَجْلِسِ غَيْرِي، فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ: يَا شَيْخُ، هَلْ مِنْ حَاجَةٍ تَقُولُهَا؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ وَلَكِنَّهَا أَمْرٌ لَا يَجُوزُ [أَنْ] يَسْمَعَهُ غَيْرُكَ. فَأَوْمَا إِلَى غِلْمَانٍ كَانُوا قِيَامًا حَوْلَهُ فَانْصَرَفُوا، وَقَالَ: قُلْ قُلْتُ: أَنَا أَبُوكَ. فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ ذَلِكَ تَغَيَّرَ وَجْهُهُ وَلَمْ يُكَلِّمْنِي بِحَرْفٍ، وَوَثَبَ مُسْرِعًا وَتَرَكَنِي فِي مَكَانِي، فَلَمْ أَشْعُرْ إِلَّا بِخَادِمٍ قَدْ جَاءَنِي فَقَالَ لِي: قُمْ يَا سَيِّدِي، فَقُمْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَهُ إِلَى أَنْ بَلَغْنَا إِلَى سِتَارَةٍ مَنْصُوبَةٍ فِي دَارٍ لَطِيفَةٍ وَكُرْسِيٌّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا وَالْفَتَى جَالِسٌ خَلْفَ السِّتَارَةِ عَلَى كُرْسِيٍّ آخَرَ، فَقَالَ: اجْلِسْ أَيُّهَا الشَّيْخُ. فَجَلَسْتُ عَلَى الْكُرْسِيِّ، وَدَخَلَ الْخَادِمُ، فَإِذَا بِحَرَكَةٍ خَلْفَ السِّتَارَةِ، فَقُلْتُ: أَظُنُّكَ تُرِيدُ تَخْتَبِرُ صِدْقَ قَوْلِي مِنْ جِهَةِ فُلَانَةَ. وَذَكَرْتُ اسْمَ جَارِيَتِي أُمِّهِ، فَإِذَا بِالسِّتَارَةِ قَدْ هُتِكَتْ وَالْجَارِيَةُ قَدْ خَرَجَتْ إِلَيَّ فَجَعَلَتْ تُقَبِّلُنِي وَتَبْكِي وَتَقُولُ: مَوْلَايَ وَاللَّهِ. قَالَ: فَرَأَيْتُ الصَّبِيَّ قَدْ تَسَوَّرَ وَبُهِتَ وَتَحَيَّرَ، فَقُلْتُ لِلْجَارِيَةِ: وَيْحَكَ مَا خَبَرُكَ؟ قَالَتْ: دَعْ خَبَرِي، فَفِي مُشَاهَدَتِكَ لِمَا تَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ كِفَايَةً إِلَى أَنْ أُخْبِرَكَ، وَقُلْ لِي مَا كَانَ مِنْ خَبَرِكَ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ: فَقَصَصْتُ عَلَيْهَا خَبَرِي مِنْ يَوْمِ خُرُوجِي إِلَى يَوْمِ ذَلِكَ، وَقِصَّةُ مَا كَانَ قَصَّهُ عَلَيَّ ابْنُ الْبَقَّالِ وَأَشْرَحُ [كَلَّ] ذَلِكَ بِحَضْرَةٍ مِنَ الْفَتَى وَمَسْمَعٍ مِنْهُ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَوْفَى الْكَلَامَ خَرَجَ وَتَرَكَنِي فِي مَكَانِي، فَإِذَا بِالْخَادِمِ، فَقَالَ: تَعَالَ يَا مَوْلَايَ يَسْأَلُكَ وَلَدُكَ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ إِلَيْهِ. قَالَ: فَخَرَجْتُ، فَلَمَّا رَآنِي مِنْ بَعْدُ قَامَ قَائِمًا عَلَى رِجْلَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: الْمَعْذِرَةُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَإِلَيْكَ يَا أَبَتِ مِنْ تَقْصِيرِي فِي حَقِّكَ، فَإِنَّهُ فَاجَأَنِي مَا لَمْ أَكُنْ أَظُنُّ مِثْلَهُ يَكُونُ، وَالْآنَ فَهَذِهِ النِّعْمَةُ لَكَ، وَأَنَا [وَلَدُكَ] وَأَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُجْهِدُ بِي مُنْذُ دَهْرٍ طَوِيلٍ أَنْ أَدَعَ الْجَهْبَذَةَ، وَأَتَوَفَّرَ عَلَى خِدْمَتِهِ، فَلَمْ أَفْعَلْ طَلَبًا لِلتَّمَسُّكِ بِصِنَاعَتِي، وَالْآنَ فَأَنَا أَسْأَلُهُ أَنْ يَرُدَّ إِلَيْكَ عَمَلِي وَأَخْدِمَهُ أَنَا فِي غَيْرِهِ، قُمْ عَاجِلًا فَأَصْلِحْ أَمْرَكَ فَأُدْخِلْتُ [إِلَى] الْحَمَّامِ وَتَنَظَّفْتُ وَجَاءَنِي بِخُلْعَةٍ فَلَبِسْتُهَا، وَخَرَجْتُ إِلَى حُجْرَةِ وَالِدَيْهِ فَجَلَسْتُ فِيهَا، ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَدْخَلَنِي عَلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَحَدَّثَهُ حَدِيثِي، فَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِخُلْعَةٍ فَهِيَ هَذِهِ، وَرَدَّ إِلَيَّ الْعَمَلَ الَّذِي كَانَ إِلَى ابْنِي، وَأَجْرَى لِي مِنَ الرِّزْقِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، وَقَلَّدَنِي أَعْمَالًا هِيَ أَجَلُّ مَنْ عَمِلَهُ، فَجِئْتُكَ أَشْكُرُكَ عَلَى مَا عَامَلَتْنِي بِهِ مِنَ الْجَمِيلِ، وَأُعَرِّفُكَ تَجَدُّدَ النِّعْمَةِ. قَالَ عَمْرٌو: فَلَمَّا أَسْمَى لِي الْفَتَى عَرَفْتُهُ، وَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُ ابْنُ دَايَةَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ.
Translation
✧ Mention of the notables who died in this year 1228 - Ibrāhīm b. Taym, Abū Isḥāq, mawlā of Shuraḥbīl b. Ḥasanah. He was a scribe in the land-tax bureau, then he was in charge of the land tax of Egypt. He died in this year. 1229 - Ibrāhīm b. al-Jarrāḥ b. Ṣubayḥ, mawlā of Banū Tamīm. He was from the people of Marrūrūdh. He lived in al-Kūfah, and he was in charge of the judiciary of Egypt; he was dismissed in the year 211 AH. It was related from Yaḥyā b. ʿUqbah b. al-ʿAyzār that he used to say that the Qurʾān was created. He died in Egypt in this year. 1230 - Al-Khalīl b. Abī Nāfiʿ al-Muzanī al-Mawṣilī He settled in Baghdād. Abū al-Faraj Muḥammad b. Idrīs al-Mawṣilī said—in his book—: Abū Manṣūr al-Muẓaffar b. Muḥammad al-Ṭūsī narrated to us: Abū Zakariyyā b. Yazīd b. Muḥammad b. Iyās al-Azdī narrated to us in the fourth ṭabaqah of the scholars of the people of al-Mawṣil. He said: Among them was al-Khalīl b. Abī Nāfiʿ al-Muzanī. He was one of the devout worshippers. He wrote down ḥadīth and chose silence and seclusion. He had taken a tablet on which he would write everything he said, and at the end of the day he would count it, and he would find it to be a few more than ten words. He died in Baghdād in this year. 1231 - Dāwūd b. Mihrān, Abū Sulaymān al-Dabbāgh. He heard ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Abī Rawwād and Sufyān b. ʿAbd Allāh. ʿAbbās al-Dūrī related from him. Yaʿqūb b. Shaybah said: He was an honest, trustworthy shaykh. He died in Shawwāl of this year. 1232 - Surayj b. al-Nuʿmān b. Marwān, Abū al-Ḥasan al-Luʾluʾī. Of Khurāsānī origin, Baghdādī residence. He heard Ḥammād b. Salamah, Fulayḥ b. Sulaymān, Ṣāliḥ al-Murrī, and Sufyān b. ʿUyaynah. Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, Abū Khaythamah, al-Dūrī, Abū Zurʿah, and Abū Ḥātim related from him. He was trustworthy. His house was in ʿAskar al-Mahdī. He died on the Day of Sacrifice of this year. 1233 - ʿAmr b. Masʿadah b. Saʿīd b. Ṣawl, Abū al-Faḍl. He was one of al-Maʾmūn's secretaries. He had two residences in Baghdād: one of them in the presence of Ṭāq al-Ḥarrānī—and al-Ḥarrānī is Ibrāhīm b. Dhakwān—and another residence above the bridge, which is known as the Sābāṭ of ʿAmr b. Masʿadah. He died in Adhanah in this year. It was reported to al-Maʾmūn that he had left eighty million dirhams, so he wrote: "This is little for one who attached himself to us and whose service to us was long; may God bless his children in it." And ʿAmr b. Masʿadah has witty anecdotes: From ʿAlī b. al-Muḥsin al-Tanūkhī, from his father: that ʿAmr b. Masʿadah said: I was with al-Maʾmūn when he returned from the land of the Byzantines, until when he stopped at al-Raqqah he said: O ʿAmr, do you not see that al-Rakhjī has taken over the marshes, collected the funds, and coveted them, while my letters reach him demanding their transport, and he makes excuses and waits for turns of fortune against me? I said: I will spare the Commander of the Faithful this, and I will send someone who will compel him to transport what is upon him. He said: This does not satisfy me. I said: Then let the Commander of the Faithful issue his command. He said: Go out to him yourself until you bind him in iron and carry him to Baghdād, and seize all of our funds in his hands, look into the work, and appoint officials over it. I said: Hearing and obedience. When the next day came, I entered upon him and he urged me to hasten, so I went down in a riverboat heading for al-Baṣrah. I took a lot of ice because of the intense heat. When I was between Jarjarāyā and Jīl, I heard someone shouting from the bank: "O boatman!" So I lifted the curtains of the boat, and there was a very old shaykh, bareheaded, barefoot, with a worn-out shirt. I said to the servant: Answer him. So he answered him, and he said: O young man, I am a very old shaykh, in the state that you see. The sun has burned me and nearly destroyed me. I want Jīl, so carry me with you; God will reward you. The boatman cursed him and shouted at him, but I felt compassion for him, so I said to the servant: Take him with us. So we carried him. I proceeded to give him a shirt and a kerchief, and he washed his face and rested. When lunchtime came, I said to the servant: Bring it so he may eat with us. He came and ate with us with the eating of a well-mannered man, except that hunger was evident on him. When he had eaten, I said: O shaykh, what is your trade? He said: A weaver. So I pretended to sleep, and I stretched out my leg. He said: And you, may God honor you—what is your trade? I found that enormous and said: I have wronged myself. Does he not see my boat, my servants, and my wealth, and that someone like me should not be asked this? Then I said: There is nothing but to be ascetic about this, so I said: A secretary. He said to me: May God set you right, secretaries are five; which of them are you? I heard a statement I found enormous, and I had been reclining, so I sat up, then I said: Distinguish the five. He said: Yes. A land-tax secretary needs to be knowledgeable in conditions, taxes, arithmetic, surveying, breaches, openings, and repairs. A secretary of judgments needs to be knowledgeable in the lawful and the unlawful, differences, principles, and branches. A secretary of the police needs to be knowledgeable in retaliation, prescribed punishments, and injuries. A secretary of the army needs to be knowledgeable in the ornaments of men, the marks of animals, the management of governors, and something of knowledge of genealogy and arithmetic. A secretary of letters needs to be knowledgeable in beginnings and sections, length and brevity, good handwriting, and eloquence. I said to him: Then I am a secretary of letters. He said: May God set you right, if a man among your brothers—his mother remarried—and you wanted to write to him congratulating him, how would you write? I thought for a moment, but nothing came to mind, so I said: Excuse me. He said: I have done so. I said: I see no way to congratulate. He said: Then you write to him condolences. I thought, but nothing came to mind either, so I said: Excuse me. He said: I have done so, but you are not a secretary of letters. I said: Then I am a land-tax secretary. He said: If the Commander of the Faithful appointed you over a district and commanded you to be just and to collect the ruler's due, and some of them complained about your survey, and you brought them for judgment between them and your subjects, and the surveyor swore by God that they had been fair, and the subjects swore by God that they had been wronged, and the subjects said: Stand with us against his survey, and you went out to stand, and they stopped you at a field of such-and-such—for something he described—how would you write? I said: I do not know. He said: Then you are not a land-tax secretary. He continued to mention for every secretary his proper case, and I did not know them, until I said: Then explain yourself. So he explained all of it. I said: O shaykh, did you not claim that you were a weaver? He said: I am a weaver of words, not a weaver of fabric. Then he began to recite: No evil or delight ever passed but I had a share in both; I have tasted sweet and tasted bitter. Thus is the life of a young man varied; the vicissitudes of time have disciplined me, and only the cultivated man is admonished. I said: Then what is this bad state I see in you? He said: I am a man whose unemployment has lasted. I went out seeking al-Baṣrah, and the road was cut off on me, so I was left as you see. I walked on my face. When I saw the boat, I called out to you for help. I said: I have set out for a great task in which I need a group like you, and I have immediately ordered for you a fine robe and five thousand dirhams with which you may set your affairs right, send some to your family, and come with me to my work, and I will appoint you over its most important part. He said: May God reward you well; then you will find me wherever pleases you. So he went down with me, and I made him the auditor of al-Rakhjī and his accountant. He performed that in the best manner, his state with me became good, and his blessing returned. From Abū al-Qāsim al-Tanūkhī, from his father, from his shaykhs: that ʿAmr b. Masʿadah was traveling upstream from Wāsiṭ to Baghdād in intense heat, and he was in a riverboat. A man called out to him: O owner of the boat, by God's blessing upon you, will you not look at me and uncover the curtains of the boat? And there was a weak shaykh, bareheaded. He said: You see what I am in, and I find no one to carry me. Seek reward in me, and instruct your boatmen to put me among their oarsmen until I reach a town where they can put me. ʿAmr b. Masʿadah said: Take him. So they took him, and he had nearly died from the sun and walking. He said to him: O shaykh, what is your affair, and what is your story? He said: It is a long story. And he wept. He said: I calmed him, then I said: Tell me. He said: I am a man upon whom God, mighty and glorious, had bestowed a blessing. I was a money changer. I bought a slave girl for five hundred dinars, and I became infatuated with her. I could not bear to be away from her for an hour. Whenever I went out to the shop, love-sickness seized me until I returned to her. This continued until my earnings stopped, and I spent from the capital until none of it, little or much, remained. The slave girl became pregnant, and I began demolishing my house and selling the debris, until that was finished, and no trick remained to me. Then labor seized her, and she said: O you, I am dying. Find a way to buy honey, flour, and oil for me, or I will die. I wept and grieved, and I went out on my face, and I came to drown myself in the Tigris, but I feared punishment, so I went out on my face toward al-Nahrawān. I kept walking from village to village until I reached Khurāsān. There I met someone who knew me, and I practiced my trade, and God provided me with great wealth. I wrote sixty-six letters to learn news of my household, but no answer came back to me. I did not doubt that the slave girl had died. Years passed, until I had with me what was worth twenty thousand dinars. I said: I have now a blessing, so if I returned to my homeland, I would buy with all the money goods from Khurāsān. I set out for Iraq. Thieves fell upon the caravan and took everything in it, and I escaped with my clothes. I returned poor as when I left Baghdād. I entered al-Ahwāz bewildered, and I revealed my story to some of its people. One of them gave me enough to complete my journey to Wāsiṭ, and I lost my money, so I walked to this place, and I had nearly perished. I called out to you for help. It has been twenty-eight years since I left Baghdād. He said: I marveled at his love, and I felt compassion for him, and I said: When we reach Baghdād, come to me, for I will arrange for you what is suitable for someone like you. He prayed for me, and we entered Baghdād. A period passed in which I forgot him. One day, while I was riding to the palace of al-Maʾmūn, suddenly the shaykh was at my door, riding a splendid mule with a heavy saddle, a black slave before him, and fine clothes. I welcomed him and said: What is the news? He said: It is long. I said: Come back to me. The next day he came to me. I said: Tell me your news, for I am pleased with your good state. He said: When I left your boat, I headed for my house. I found the wall facing the street as I had left it, except that the door of the house was polished and clean, with a doorkeeper and mules with their grooms. I said: We belong to God! My slave girl has died, and some neighbor took possession of the house and sold it to a man of the ruler's entourage. Then I went to a grocer I knew in the quarter, and in his shop was a young lad. I said: Who are you to so-and-so the grocer? He said: His son. I said: When did your father die? He said: Twenty years ago. I said: To whom does this house belong? He said: To the son of the nurse of the Commander of the Faithful, and he is now his treasurer and keeper of his treasury. I said: By what name is he known? He said: By the son of so-and-so the money changer. He named me. I said: This house—who sold it to him? He said: It is his father's house. I said: Does his father live? He said: No. I said: Do you know anything of their story? He said: Yes. My father told me that this man was a great money changer and became poor, and that the mother of this boy went into labor. His father went out to seek something for her, and he disappeared and perished. My father said to me: The messenger of the mother of this one came to me seeking help. I attended to the needs of childbirth and gave her ten dirhams, which she spent. Then it was said: A male child has been born to the Commander of the Faithful al-Rashīd. He presented all the wet nurses to him, but he would not accept the breast of any of them. He sought free women for him, and they brought more than one, but he would not take the breast of any of them. He was about to seek a wet nurse, so I directed the one seeking the wet nurse to the mother of this one. She was carried to the house of the mother of the Commander of the Faithful al-Rashīd. When the child's mouth was placed on her breast, he accepted it, and she suckled him. The child was al-Maʾmūn. She became in a noble state among them, and great good reached her from them. Then al-Maʾmūn went out to Khurāsān, and this woman and her son went out with him. We knew nothing of their news until recently. When al-Maʾmūn returned and his entourage returned, we saw this one had come as a man, and I had never seen him before. It was said: This is the son of so-and-so the money changer and the son of the nurse of the Commander of the Faithful. He built this house and others. I said: Do you know anything of who his mother is? Is she alive or dead? He said: Alive. She goes to the caliph's palace on some days and stays with her son on other days, and she is here now. I praised God, mighty and glorious, for this state. I came and entered the house with the people. I saw the courtyard in the utmost of construction and beauty. In it was a large assembly furnished with sumptuous furnishings. At its head was a young man with a book before him, treasurers and accounts. Along the sides of the house were treasurers with funds, chests, and scales before them, deciding and receiving. I looked at the young man and saw my resemblance in him, and I knew he was my son. I sat among the crowd until no one remained in the assembly but me. He turned to me and said: O shaykh, do you have a need to state? I said: Yes, but it is a matter that no one but you should hear. He gestured to the servants standing around him, and they withdrew. He said: Speak. I said: I am your father. When he heard that, his face changed, and he did not speak a single letter to me. He jumped up quickly and left me in my place. Before I knew it, a servant came to me and said: Rise, my master. I rose and walked with him until we reached a curtain set up in a small apartment with a chair before it. The young man was sitting behind the curtain on another chair. He said: Sit, O shaykh. I sat on the chair, and the servant entered. Then there was movement behind the curtain. I said: I think you want to test the truth of my words concerning so-and-so. I mentioned the name of my slave girl, his mother. Suddenly the curtain was torn, and the slave girl came out to me, kissing me and weeping, saying: My master, by God. I saw the boy climb over and he was stunned and bewildered. I said to the slave girl, "Woe to you, what is your story?" She said, "Let my story be; in your witnessing what God has graciously bestowed there is sufficiency until I inform you. But tell me what your story is." He said: So I related to her my story from the day of my departure until that day, and the story that Ibn al-Baqqāl had related to me, and I explained all of that in the presence of the youth and within his hearing. When he had heard the entire account, he went out and left me in my place. Then the servant came and said, "Come, my master, your son asks you to come out to him." He said: So I went out. When he saw me from afar, he stood upright on his feet and said, "I seek pardon from God and from you, O father, for my shortcomings toward you. I was taken unawares by what I never imagined could happen. Now this blessing is yours, and I am your son. The Commander of the Faithful has long urged me to abandon the money-changing profession and devote myself to his service, but I refused, seeking to hold to my craft. Now I ask him to restore to you my office while I serve him in something else. Rise quickly and set your affairs in order." So I was taken to the bath, I cleansed myself, and he brought me a robe of honor which I put on. I went out to the chamber of his parents and sat there. Then he brought me before the Commander of the Faithful and told him my story. He ordered for him a robe of honor—this one—and restored to me the office that had been my son's. He granted me such-and-such a stipend and entrusted me with offices nobler than those he had held. I have come to thank you for the kindness you showed me and to inform you of the renewal of the blessing. ʿAmr said: When he named the youth to me, I recognized him and knew that he was Ibn Dāyah, the son of the nursing mother of the Commander of the Faithful.
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