Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3296
The Year 218 AH
وَفِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ: [كِتَابُهُ إِلَى إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِامْتِحَانِ الْقُضَاةِ] كَتَبَ الْمَأْمُونُ إِلَى إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي امْتِحَانِ الْقُضَاةِ، وَأَمَرَ بِإِشْخَاصِ جَمَاعَةٍ مِنْهُمْ إِلَيْهِ بِالرِّقَّةِ، وَكَانَ هَذَا أَوَّلَ كِتَابٍ كُتِبَ فِي ذَلِكَ، وَنُسْخَةُ كِتَابِهِ إِلَيْهِ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ حَقَّ اللَّهِ عَلَى أَئِمَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَخُلَفَائِهِمُ الِاجْتِهَادُ فِي إِقَامَةِ دِينِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي اسْتَحْفَظَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَوَارِيثُ النُّبُوَّةِ الَّتِي وَرَّثَهُمْ، وَأَثَرُ الْعِلْمِ الَّذِي اسْتَوْدَعَهُمْ، وَالْعَمَلُ بِالْحَقِّ فِي رَعِيَّتِهِمْ وَالتَّشْمِيرُ لِطَاعَةِ اللَّهِ فِيهِمْ، وَاللَّهُ يَسْأَلُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْ يُوَفِّقَهُ لِعَزِيمَةِ الرُّشْدِ وَصَرِيمَتِهِ، وَالْإِقْسَاطِ فِيمَا وَلَّاهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ بِرَحْمَتِهِ وَمِنَّتِهِ، وَقَدْ عَرَفَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنَّ السَّوَادَ الْأَعْظَمَ مِنْ حَشْوِ الرَّعِيَّةِ وَسَفَلَةِ الْعَامَّةِ مِمَّنْ لَا نَظَرَ لَهُ وَلَا رَوِيَّةَ وَلَا اسْتِدْلَالَ لَهُ بِدَلَالَةِ اللَّهِ وَهِدَايَتِهِ وَلَا اسْتَضَاءَ بِنُورِ الْعِلْمِ وَبُرْهَانِهِ فِي جَمِيعِ الْأَقْطَارِ وَالْآفَاقِ، أَهْلُ جَهَالَةٍ بِاللَّهِ، وَعَمًى عَنْهُ، وَضَلَالَةٍ عَنْ حَقِيقَةِ دِينِهِ وَتَوْحِيدِهِ وَالْإِيمَانِ بِهِ، وَنُكُوبٍ عَنْ وَاضِحَاتِ أَعْلَامِهِ، وَوَاجِبِ سَبِيلِهِ، وَقُصُورٍ أَنْ يَقْدُرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ، وَيَعْرِفُونَهُ كُنْهَ مَعْرِفَتِهِ، وَيُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ خَلْقِهِ، لِضَعْفِ آرَائِهِمْ، وَنَقْصِ عُقُولِهِمْ أَوْ جَفَائِهِمْ عَنِ التَّفْكِيرِ وَالتَّذْكِيرِ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُمْ سَاوَوْا بَيْنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَبَيْنَ مَا أَنْزَلَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، فَأَطْبَقُوا مُجْتَمِعِينَ، وَاتَّفَقُوا غَيْرَ مُتَعَاجِمِينَ، عَلَى أَنَّهُ قَدِيمٌ أَوَّلُ لَمْ يَخْلُقْهُ اللَّهُ وَيُحْدِثْهُ وَيَخْتَرِعْهُ، وَقَدْ قَالَ تَعَالَى فِي مُحْكَمِ كِتَابِهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ لِمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ شِفَاءً، وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَحْمَةً وَهُدًى: إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا فَكُلُّ مَا جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ فَقَدْ خَلَقَهُ. وَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ، وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ. وَقَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: كَذَلِكَ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنْبَاءِ مَا قَدْ سَبَقَ فَأَخْبَرَ أَنَّهُ قَصَصٌ لِأُمُورٍ تَلَا بِهِ مُتَقَدِّمَهَا. وَقَالَ: الر كِتَابٌ أُحْكِمَتْ آيَاتُهُ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ مِنْ لَدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ وَكُلُّ مُحْكَمٍ مُفَصَّلٌ فَلَهُ مُحْكِمٌ وَمُفَصِّلٌ، وَاللَّهُ مُحْكِمٌ كِتَابَهُ وَمُفَصِّلُهُ فَهُوَ خَالِقُهُ وَمُبْتَدِعُهُ. ثُمَّ هَمَّ الَّذِينَ جَادَلُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ [لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّ] فَدَعَوْا إِلَى قَوْلِهِمْ وَنَسَبُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ إِلَى السُّنَّةِ فِي كُلِّ فَصْلٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ قِصَصٌ مِنْ تِلَاوَتِهِ، وَمُبْطِلٌ قَوْلَهُمْ، وَمُكَذِّبٌ دَعْوَاهُمْ، ثُمَّ أَظْهَرُوا مَعَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ الْحَقِّ وَالدِّينِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ، وَأَنَّ مَنْ سِوَاهُمْ أَهْلُ الْبَاطِلِ وَالْكُفْرِ وَالْفُرْقَةِ، فَاسْتَطَالُوا بِذَلِكَ وَغَرُّوا الْجُهَّالَ، حَتَّى مَالَ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ السَّمْتِ الْكَاذِبِ، وَالتَّخَشُّعِ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ، وَالتَّعَسُّفِ لِغَيْرِ الدِّينِ إِلَى مُوَافَقَتِهِمْ عَلَيْهِ، وَمُوَاطَأَتِهِمْ عَلَى آرَائِهِمْ تَزَيُّنًا بِذَلِكَ عِنْدَهُمْ وَتَصَنُّعًا لِلرِّئَاسَةِ وَالْعَدَالَةِ فِيهِمْ، فَتَرَكُوا الْحَقَّ إِلَى الْبَاطِلِ، وَاتَّخَذُوا دِينَ اللَّهِ وَلِيجَةً إِلَى ضَلَالَتِهِمْ. وَقَدْ أَخَذَ [اللَّهُ] عَلَيْهِمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَلَّا يَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْحَقَّ؛ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ أَصَمَّهُمُ اللَّهُ وَأَعْمَى أَبْصَارِهِمْ أَفَلا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَى قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا. فَرَأَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنَّ أُولَئِكَ شَرُّ الْأُمَّةِ، وَرُءُوسُ الضَّلَالَةِ، الْمَنْقُوصُونَ مِنَ التَّوْحِيدِ حَظًّا، وَالْمَبْخُوسُونَ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ نَصِيبًا، وَأَوْعِيَةُ الْجَهَالَةِ، وَأَعْلَامُ الْكَذِبِ، وَلِسَانُ إِبْلِيسِ النَّاطِقِ فِي أَوْلِيَائِهِ. فَاجْمَعْ مَنْ بِحَضْرَتِكَ مِنَ الْقُضَاةِ، وَاقْرَأْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَابَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ هَذَا إِلَيْكَ، وَابْدَأْ بِامْتِحَانِهِمْ فِيمَا يَقُولُونَ، وَاكْشِفْهُمْ عَمَّا يَعْتَقِدُونَ فِي خَلْقِ اللَّهِ وَإِحْدَاثِهِ، وَأَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ مُسْتَعِينٍ فِي عَمَلِهِ، وَلَا وَاثِقٍ فِيمَا قَلَّدَهُ اللَّهُ، وَاسْتَحْفَظَهُ مِنْ أُمُورِ رَعِيَّتِهِ بِمَنْ لَا يُوثَقُ بِدِينِهِ، وَخُلُوصِ تَوْحِيدِهِ وَيَقِينِهِ، فَإِذَا أَقَرُّوا بِذَلِكَ وَوَافَقُوا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ [فِيهِ]، وَكَانُوا عَلَى سَبِيلِ الْهُدَى، فَمُرْهُمْ بِمُسَاءَلَةِ مَنْ يَحْضُرُهُمْ مِنَ الشُّهُودِ عَنْ عِلْمِهِمْ فِي الْقُرْآنِ، وَتَرْكِ إِثْبَاتِ شَهَادَةِ مَنْ لَمْ يُقِرَّ أَنَّهُ مَخْلُوقٌ مُحْدَثٌ وَالِامْتِنَاعُ مِنْ تَوْقِيعِهَا عِنْدَهُ، وَاكْتُبْ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِمَا يَأْتِيكَ مِنْ قُضَاةِ عَمَلِكَ فِي مَسْأَلَتِهِمْ، وَالْأَمْرِ لَهُمْ بِمِثْلِ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ تَفَقَّدْ أَحْوَالَهُمْ حَتَّى لَا تَنْفُذَ أَحْكَامُ اللَّهِ إِلَّا بِشَهَادَةِ أَهْلِ الْبَصَائِرِ فِي الدِّينِ وَالْإِخْلَاصِ فِي التَّوْحِيدِ، وَاكْتُبْ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِمَا يَكُونُ مِنْكَ فِي ذَلِكَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ. وَكُتُبِ فِي شَهْرِ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ سَنَةَ ثَمَانَ عَشْرَةَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ. وَكَتَبَ الْمَأْمُونُ إِلَى إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي إِشْخَاصِ سَبْعَةِ نَفَرٍ، مِنْهُمْ: مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ كَاتِبُ الْوَاقِدِيِّ، وَأَبُو مُسْلِمٍ مُسْتَمْلِي يَزِيدِ بْنِ هَارُونَ، وَيَحْيَى بْنِ مَعِينٍ، أَوْ زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ، وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ، وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، وَأَحْمَدُ الدَّوْرَقِيُّ، فَاشْخَصُوا إِلَيْهِ، فَامْتَحَنَهُمْ وَسَأَلَهُمْ [جَمِيعًا] عَنْ خَلْقِ الْقُرْآنِ، فَأَجَابُوا جَمِيعًا أَنَّ الْقُرْآنَ مَخْلُوقٌ، فَأَشْخَصَهُمْ إِلَى مَدِينَةِ السَّلَامِ، وَأَحْضَرَهُمْ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ دَارَهُ، فَشُهِرَ أَمْرُهُمْ وَقَوْلُهُمْ بِحَضْرَةِ الْفُقَهَاءِ وَالْمَشَايِخِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَدِيثِ، وَأَقَرُّوا بِمِثْلِ مَا أَجَابُوا بِهِ الْمَأْمُونَ، فَخَلَّى سَبِيلَهُمْ، وَذَلِكَ بِأَمْرِ الْمَأْمُونِ. ثُمَّ كَتَبَ الْمَأْمُونُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ لِإِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ حَقَّ اللَّهِ عَلَى خُلَفَائِهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ، وَأُمَنَائِهِ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ، الَّذِينَ ارْتَضَاهُمْ لِإِقَامَةِ دِينِهِ، وَحَمْلِهِمْ رِعَايَةَ خَلْقِهِ وَإِمْضَاءَ حُكْمِهِ وَسُنَنِهِ، الِائْتِمَامُ بِعَدْلِهِ فِي بَرِيَّتِهِ أَنْ يُجْهِدُوا لِلَّهِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ، وَيَنْصَحُوا لَهُ فِيمَا اسْتَحْفَظَهُمْ وَقَلَّدَهُمْ، وَيَدُلُّوا عَلَيْهِ - تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى - بِفَضْلِ الْعِلْمِ الَّذِي أَوْدَعَهُمْ، وَالْمَعْرِفَةِ الَّتِي جَعَلَهَا فِيهِمْ، وَيُهْدُوا إِلَيْهِ مَنْ زَاغَ عَنْهُ، وَيَرُدُّوا مَنْ أَدْبَرَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ، وَمَا تَوْفِيقُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ وَحَسْبُهُ اللَّهُ، وَكَفَى، وَمِمَّا تَبَيَّنَهُ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِرَوِيَّتِهِ، وَطَالَعَهُ بِفِكْرِهِ، فَتَبَيَّنَ عَظِيمُ خَطَرِهِ، وَجَلِيلُ مَا يَرْجِعُ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ ضَرَرِهِ مَا يَنَالُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ، فَقَدْ تَزَيَّنَ فِي عُقُولِ أَقْوَامٍ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِمَخْلُوقٍ، فَضَاهَوْا قَوْلَ النَّصَارَى فِي عِيسَى أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِمَخْلُوقٍ، وَاللَّهُ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ: إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا وَتَأْوِيلُ ذَلِكَ: إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُ، كَمَا قَالَ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا. وَقَالَ: وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا وَجَعَلْنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ. وَقَالَ: فِي لَوْحٍ مَحْفُوظٍ فَدَلَّ عَلَى إِحَاطَةِ اللَّوْحِ بِالْقُرْآنِ، وَلَا يُحَاطُ إِلَّا بِمَخْلُوقٍ. وَقَالَ: مَا يَأْتِيهِمْ مِنْ ذِكْرٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ مُحْدَثٍ. وَقَالَ: لا يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ فَجَعَلَ لَهُ أَوَّلًا وَآخِرًا، فَدَلَّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ مَحْدُودٌ مَخْلُوقٌ. وَقَدْ عَظُمَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْجَهَلَةُ بِقَوْلِهِمْ فِي الْقُرْآنِ الثَّلْمُ فِي دِينِهِمْ، وَسَهَّلُوا السَّبِيلَ لِعَدُوِّ الْإِسْلَامِ، وَاعْتَرَفُوا بِالتَّبْدِيلِ وَالْإِلْحَادِ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ، حَتَّى وَصَفُوا خَلْقَ اللَّهِ وَأَفْعَالَهُ بِالصِّفَةِ الَّتِي هِيَ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَحْدَهُ، وَشَبَّهُوهُ بِهِ وَالِاشْتِبَاهُ أَوْلَى بِخَلْقِهِ، وَلَيْسَ يَرَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لِمَنْ قَالَ بِهَذِهِ الْمَقَالَةِ حَظًّا فِي الدِّينِ، وَلَا نَصِيبًا مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ [وَالْيَقِينِ] وَلَا يَرَى أَنْ يَحُلَّ أَحَدًا مِنْهُمْ مَحَلَّ الثِّقَةِ فِي أَمَانَةٍ، وَلَا عَدَالَةٍ وَلَا شَهَادَةٍ، وَلَا تَوْلِيَةٍ لِشَيْءٍ مِنْ أَمْرِ الرَّعِيَّةِ، وَإِنْ ظَهَرَ قَصْدُ بَعْضِهِمْ، وَعُرِفَ بِالسَّدَادِ مُسَدِّدٌ فِيهِمْ، فَإِنَّ الْفُرُوعَ مَرْدُودَةٌ إِلَى أُصُولِهَا، وَمَحْمُولَةٌ فِي الْحَمْدِ وَالذَّمِّ عَلَيْهَا، وَمَنْ كَانَ جَاهِلًا بِأَمْرِ دِينِهِ الَّذِي أَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنْ وَحْدَانِيَّتِهِ فَهُوَ بِمَا سِوَاهُ أَعْظَمُ جَهْلًا، وَعَنِ الرُّشْدِ فِي غَيْرِهِ أَعْمَى وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا. فَاقْرَأْ عَلَى جَعْفَرِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَعَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ الْقَاضِي كِتَابَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَيْكَ، وَأَنْصِصْهُمَا عَنْ عِلْمِهِمَا فِي الْقُرْآنِ، وَأَعْلِمْهُمَا أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَا يَسْتَعِينُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِنْ أُمُورِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَّا بِمَنْ وَثِقَ بِإِخْلَاصِهِ وَتَوْحِيدِهِ، وَأَنَّهُ لَا تَوْحِيدَ لِمَنْ لَا يُقِرُّ بِأَنَّ الْقُرْآنَ مَخْلُوقٌ فَإِنْ قَالَا بِقَوْلِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِمَا فِي امْتِحَانِ مَنْ يَحْضُرُ مَجَالِسَهُمَا بِالشَّهَادَاتِ عَلَى الْحُقُوقِ، وَنَصُّهُمْ عَنْ قَوْلِهِمْ فِي الْقُرْآنِ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّهُ مَخْلُوقٌ أَبْطَلَا شَهَادَتَهُ، وَلَمْ يَقْطَعَا حُكْمًا بِقَوْلِهِ، وَإِنْ ثَبَتَ عَفَافُهُ فِي أَمْرِهِ. وَافْعَلْ [ذَلِكَ] بِمَنْ فِي سَائِرِ عَمَلِكَ مِنَ الْقُضَاةِ، وَأَشْرِفْ عَلَيْهِمْ إِشْرَافًا يَمْنَعِ الْمُرْتَابَ مِنْ إِغْفَالِ دِينِهِ وَاكْتُبْ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِمَا يَكُونُ مِنْكَ فِي ذَلِكَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ. فَأَحْضَرَ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ جَمَاعَةً مِنَ الْفُقَهَاءِ وَالْحُكَمَاءِ وَالْمُحْدَثِينَ، وَأَحْضَرَ أَبَا حَسَّانَ الزِّيَادِيَّ وَبِشْرَ بْنَ الْوَلِيدِ الْكِنْدِيَّ، وَعَلِيَّ بْنَ [أَبِي] مُقَاتِلٍ، وَالْفَضْلَ بْنَ غَانِمٍ، وَالذَّيَّالَ بْنَ الْهَيْثَمِ، وَسَجَّادَةَ، وَالْقَوَارِيرِيَّ، وَالْإِمَامَ أَحْمَدَ بْنَ حَنْبَلٍ، وَقُتَيْبَةَ، وَسَعْدَوَيْهِ الْوَاسِطِيَّ، وَعَلِيَّ بْنَ الْجَعْدِ، وَإِسْحَاقَ بْنَ أَبِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَابْنَ عُلَيَّةَ، وَيَحْيَى بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْعُمَرِيَّ، وَأَبَا نَصْرٍ التَّمَّارَ، وَأَبَا مُعَمَّرٍ الْقَطِيعِيَّ، وَمُحَمَّدَ بْنَ حَاتِمِ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ، وَمُحَمَّدَ بْنَ نُوحٍ فِي آخَرِينَ، فَأُدْخِلُوا جَمِيعًا عَلَى إِسْحَاقَ، فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَابَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَرَّتَيْنِ حَتَّى فَهِمُوهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِبِشْرِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ: مَا تَقُولُ فِي الْقُرْآنِ؟ فَقَالَ: أَقُولُ: الْقُرْآنُ كَلَامُ اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ: لَمْ أَسْأَلْكَ عَنْ هَذَا، أَمَخْلُوقٌ هُوَ؟ قَالَ: اللَّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ. قَالَ: الْقُرْآنُ شَيْءٌ؟ قَالَ: هُوَ شَيْءٌ. قَالَ: فَمَخْلُوقٌ؟ قَالَ: لَيْسَ بِخَالِقٍ. قَالَ: مَا أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ هَذَا، أَمَخْلُوقٌ هُوَ؟ قَالَ: مَا أُحْسِنُ غَيْرَ مَا قُلْتُ لَكَ. فَأَخَذَ إِسْحَاقُ رُقْعَةً كَانَتْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَيْهِ: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، لَمْ يَكُنْ قَبْلَهُ شَيْءٌ وَلَا بَعْدَهُ شَيْءٌ، وَلَا يُشْبِهُهُ [شَيْءٌ] مِنْ خَلْقِهِ فِي مَعْنًى مِنَ الْمَعَانِي، وَلَا وَجْهَ مِنَ الْوُجُوهِ، فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ. فَقَالَ لِلْكَاتِبِ: اكْتُبْ مَا قَالَ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لَعَلِيِّ بْنِ [أَبِي] مُقَاتِلٍ: مَا تَقُولُ يَا عَلِيُّ؟ فَقَالَ: قَدْ أَسْمَعْتُ كَلَامِي لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي هَذَا غَيْرَ مَرَّةٍ، فَامْتَحَنَهُ بِالرُّقْعَةِ فَأَقَرَّ بِمَا فِيهَا، فَقَالَ لَهُ: الْقُرْآنُ مَخْلُوقٌ؟ فَقَالَ: الْقُرْآنُ كَلَامُ اللَّهِ. قَالَ: لَمْ أَسْأَلْكَ عَنْ هَذَا. قَالَ: هُوَ كَلَامُ اللَّهِ، وَإِنَّ أَمْرَنَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِشَيْءٍ سَمِعْنَاهُ وَأَطَعْنَا. فَقَالَ لِلْكَاتِبِ: اكْتُبْ مَقَالَتَهُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلذَّيَّالِ نَحْوًا مِنْ مَقَالَتِهِ لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ [أَبِي] مُقَاتِلٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لِأَبِي حَسَّانَ الزِّيَادِيِّ: مَا عِنْدَكَ؟ وَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الرُّقْعَةَ، فَأَقَرَّ بِمَا فِيهَا، فَقَالَ لَهُ: الْقُرْآنُ مَخْلُوقٌ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ: الْقُرْآنُ كَلَامُ اللَّهِ، وَاللَّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَمَا دُونَ اللَّهِ مَخْلُوقٌ، وَإِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِمَامُنَا، وَقَدْ سَمِعَ مَا لَمْ نَسْمَعْ، وَإِنْ أَمَرَنَا ائْتَمَرْنَا، وَإِنْ دَعَانَا أَجَبْنَا. فَقَالَ لَهُ: الْقُرْآنُ مَخْلُوقٌ [هُوَ] ؟ فَأَعَادَ أَبُو حَسَّانَ مَقَالَتَهُ، وَقَالَ: مُرْنِي آتَمِرْ. فَقَالَ: مَا أَمَرَنِي أَنْ آمُرَكُمْ، وَإِنَّمَا أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَمْتَحِنَكُمْ. ثُمَّ دَعَا أَحْمَدَ بْنَ حَنْبَلٍ، فَقَالَ [لَهُ:] مَا تَقُولُ [فِي الْقُرْآنِ] ؟ قَالَ: الْقُرْآنُ كَلَامُ اللَّهِ. قَالَ: مَخْلُوقٌ هُوَ؟ قَالَ: هُوَ كَلَامُ اللَّهِ [لَا أَزِيدُ]. فَامْتَحَنَهُ بِمَا فِي الرُّقْعَةِ، فَلَمَّا أَتَى عَلَى لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ. قَالَ أَحْمَدُ: لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ. ثُمَّ امْتَحَنَ الْبَاقِينَ، وَكَتَبَ مَقَالَتَهُمْ، وَبَعَثَ [بِهَا] إِلَى الْمَأْمُونِ، فَمَكَثَ الْقَوْمُ تِسْعَةَ أَيَّامٍ، ثُمَّ وَرَدَ كِتَابُ الْمَأْمُونِ فِي جَوَابِ الْبَاقِينَ، وَكُتِبَتْ مَقَالَاتُهُمْ فِي جَوَابِ مَا كَتَبَهُ إِسْحَاقُ، وَكَانَ فِي الْكِتَابِ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَقَدْ بَلَغَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ جَوَابُ كِتَابِهِ الَّذِي كَانَ كَتَبَ إِلَيْكَ، فِيمَا ذَهَبَ إِلَيْهِ مُتَصَنِّعَةُ أَهْلِ الْقِبْلَةِ، وَمُلْتَمِسُو الرِّئَاسَةِ فِيمَا لَيْسُوا لَهُ بِأَهْلٍ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ، وَمَسْأَلَتُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ عَنِ اعْتِقَادِهِمْ، وَأَمْرُكَ مَنْ لَمْ يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّهُ مَخْلُوقٌ بِالْإِمْسَاكِ عَنِ التَّحْدِيثِ وَالْفَتْوَى، وَبَثِّ الْكُتُبِ إِلَى الْقُضَاةِ فِي نَوَاحِي عَمَلِكَ بِالْقُدُومِ عَلَيْكَ لِتَمْتَحِنَهُمْ: فَأَمَّا بِشْرُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ، فَأَنْصِصْهُ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ، فَإِنْ تَابَ مِنْهَا فَأَمْسِكْ عَنْهُ، وَإِنْ دُفِعَ عَنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ الْقُرْآنُ مَخْلُوقًا فَاضْرِبْ عُنُقَهُ، وَابْعَثْ بِرَأْسِهِ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. وَأَمَّا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي مُقَاتِلٍ، فَقُلْ لَهُ: أَلَسْتَ الْمُكَلِّمَ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِمَا كَلَّمْتَهُ بِهِ مِنْ قَوْلِكَ لَهُ: أَنْتَ تُحَلِّلُ وَتُحَرِّمُ. وَأَمَّا الذَّيَّالُ، فَأَعْلِمْهُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ فِي الطَّعَامِ الَّذِي كَانَ يَسْرِقُهُ بِالْأَنْبَارِ مَا يَشْغَلُهُ عَنْ [غَيْرِهِ]. وَأَمَّا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ وَ [قَوْلُهُ] إِنَّهُ لَا يُحْسِنُ الْجَوَابَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ فَسَيُحْسِنُهُ إِذَا أَخَذَهُ التَّأْدِيبُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ كَانَ السَّيْفُ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ذَلِكَ. وَأَمَّا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ: فَأَعْلِمْهُ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ عَرَفَ مَقَالَتَهُ، وَاسْتَدَلَّ عَلَى آفَتِهِ. وَأَمَّا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ غَانِمٍ، فَأَعْلِمْهُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَا كَانَ فِيهِ بِمِصْرَ، وَمَا اكْتَسَبَ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ. وَأَمَّا الزِّيَادِيُّ، فَأَعْلِمْهُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ مُنْتَحِلًا، وَلَا أَوَّلَ دُعِيَ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ خُولِفَ فِيهِ حُكْمُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَكَانَ جَدِيرًا أَنْ يَسْلُكَ مَسْلَكَهُ. وَأَمَّا أَبُو نَصْرٍ التَّمَّارُ، فَإِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ شَبَّهَ خَسَاسَةَ عَقْلِهِ بِخَسَاسَةِ مَتْجَرِهِ. وَجَعَلَ يَذْكُرُ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ عَيْبًا، وَقَالَ: مَنْ لَمْ يَرْجِعْ عَنْ شِرْكِهِ مِمَّنْ سُمِّيَتْ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَمْ يَقُلِ الْقُرْآنُ مَخْلُوقٌ فَاحْمِلْهُمْ جَمِيعًا مُوَثَّقِينَ إِلَى عَسْكَرِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لِيَنُصَّهُمْ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَرْجِعُوا احْمِلْهُمْ عَلَى السَّيْفِ. فَأَجَابَ الْقَوْمُ كُلُّهُمْ إِلَّا أَرْبَعَةً: أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، وَسَجَّادَةُ، وَالْقَوَارِيرِيُّ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ نُوحٍ، فَأَمَرَ بِهِمْ إِسْحَاقُ فَشُدُّوا فِي الْحَدِيدِ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ دَعَاهُمْ، فَأَعَادَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمِحْنَةَ، فَأَجَابَهُ سَجَّادَةُ، فَأَمَرَ بِإِطْلَاقِهِ، وَأَصَرَّ الْآخَرُونَ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ غَدٍ دَعَاهُمْ، فَأَجَابَ الْقَوَارِيرِيُّ فَأَطْلَقَهُ، وَأَمَرَ أَحْمَدَ بْنَ حَنْبَلٍ، وَمُحَمَّدَ بْنَ نُوحٍ، فَشُدَّا جَمِيعًا فِي الْحَدِيدِ، وَوُجِّهَا إِلَى طَرْسُوسَ، وَكَتَبَ مَعَهُمَا كِتَابًا بِإِشْخَاصِهِمَا، فَلَمَّا صَارَا إِلَى الرِّقَّةِ تَلَقَّتْهُمْ وَفَاةُ الْمَأْمُونِ، فَرُدُّوا إِلَى إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِمَدِينَةِ السَّلَامِ، فَأَمَرَهُمْ إِسْحَاقُ بِلُزُومِ مَنَازِلِهِمْ، ثُمَّ رَخَّصَ لَهُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْخُرُوجِ. وَكَانَ الْمَأْمُونُ قَدْ أَمَرَ ابْنَهُ الْعَبَّاسَ وَإِسْحَاقَ بْنَ طَاهِرٍ أَنَّهُ إِنْ حَدَثَ بِهِ حَدَثُ الْمَوْتِ فِي مَرَضِهِ فَالْخَلِيفَةُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ بْنُ الرَّشِيدِ، فَكَتَبَ بِذَلِكَ، فَكَتَبَ أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ فِي عَشِيَّةِ إِصَابَةِ الْمَأْمُونِ إِلَى الْعُمَّالِ: مِنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ أَخِي أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْخَلِيفَةِ بَعْدَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مُحَمَّدٍ. وَصَلَّى يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ لِإِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً بَقِيَتْ مِنْ رَجَبٍ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ مُعَاذٍ فِي مَسْجِدِ دِمَشْقَ فَقَالَ فِي خُطْبَتِهِ بَعْدَ دُعَائِهِ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ: وَأَصْلَحَ الْأَمِيرُ أَخَا أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْخَلِيفَةَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ أَبَا إِسْحَاقَ الرَّشِيدَ.
Translation
✧ And in this year: [His letter to Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm concerning the testing of the judges] Al-Maʾmūn wrote to Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm concerning the testing of the judges, and he ordered that a group of them be brought to him at al-Raqqah. This was the first letter written on that matter. The copy of his letter to him reads: Now then, the right of God upon the imams of the Muslims and their caliphs is to strive in establishing the religion of God, which He entrusted to them, and the inheritance of prophethood, which He bequeathed to them, and the trace of knowledge, which He deposited with them, and to act with truth toward their subjects, and to exert themselves for obedience to God among them. God asks the Commander of the Faithful to grant him success in firm resolve and determination, and equity toward what God has placed under his authority among the subjects by His mercy and grace. The Commander of the Faithful has come to know that the great mass of the common people and the lowly rabble, in all regions and horizons, who have neither insight, nor deliberation, nor reasoning by God's guidance and direction, nor illumination by the light of knowledge and its proof, are people ignorant of God, blind to Him, astray from the truth of His religion, His oneness, and faith in Him; deviating from the clear signs of His guidance and the obligatory path; and falling short of esteeming God as He deserves, knowing Him as He truly is, and distinguishing between Him and His creation, because of the weakness of their opinions and the deficiency of their intellects, or their coarseness toward reflection and remembrance. That is because they equated God, mighty and glorious, with what He revealed of the Qurʾān. They agreed unanimously, in concord and without dissent, that the Qurʾān is eternal and pre-existent, not created, originated, or invented by God. Yet God, exalted, said in the clear parts of His Book, which He made a healing for what is in the breasts, and a mercy and guidance for the believers: "Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qurʾān." So everything that God has made, He has created. And He said: "Praise be to God, who created the heavens and the earth and made the darkness and the light." And He, mighty and glorious, said: "Thus We relate to you of the tidings of what has preceded." So He informed that it is a relating of matters whose earlier occurrence He followed. And He said: "Alif Lām Rāʾ. A Book whose verses are perfected and then detailed from One Wise and Aware." And every perfected, detailed thing has One who perfected and detailed it. God is the One who perfected and detailed His Book; therefore He is its Creator and Originator. Then those who disputed with falsehood [to refute thereby the truth] set out and called to their doctrine, and attributed themselves to the Sunnah. Yet in every chapter of the Book of God there are narratives from His recitation that invalidate their doctrine and belie their claim. Then, despite that, they presented themselves as the people of truth, religion, and the community, and claimed that all others were people of falsehood, unbelief, and division. So they grew arrogant in that and deceived the ignorant, until a people of false piety, feigned humility not for God, and violence not for the religion inclined to agreeing with them and conforming to their opinions, seeking thereby adornment in their eyes and affectation for leadership and respectability among them. Thus they abandoned truth for falsehood and took the religion of God as a cover for their error. God has taken a covenant from them in the Book that they should not say about God except the truth. Those are the ones whom God has made deaf and blinded their sight. Do they not reflect upon the Qurʾān, or are there locks upon their hearts? The Commander of the Faithful deems those to be the worst of the community, the heads of error, who are deficient in the share of tawḥīd, deprived of a portion of faith, vessels of ignorance, banners of falsehood, and the speaking tongue of Iblīs among his friends. Therefore gather the judges who are in your presence, read to them this letter of the Commander of the Faithful addressed to you, begin by testing them regarding what they say, examine them about what they believe concerning God's creation and origination, and inform them that the Commander of the Faithful will not seek assistance in his work, nor trust in what God has entrusted and committed to him of the affairs of the subjects, anyone whose religion, sincerity of tawḥīd, and certainty are not worthy of trust. If they acknowledge that and agree with the Commander of the Faithful regarding it, and are on the path of guidance, then order them to question the witnesses who attend their sessions about their knowledge concerning the Qurʾān, and to refrain from accepting the testimony of anyone who does not acknowledge that it is created and originated, and to refuse to endorse his testimony. Write to the Commander of the Faithful with what you receive from the judges of your jurisdiction concerning your questioning of them, and order them to do likewise. Then inspect their conditions so that no rulings of God are executed except through the testimony of people of insight in religion and sincerity in tawḥīd. Write to the Commander of the Faithful about what you do in that matter, God willing. It was written in the month of Rabīʿ al-Awwal, year two hundred and eighteen. Al-Maʾmūn wrote to Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm ordering that seven individuals be brought to him, among them: Muḥammad b. Saʿd, the scribe of al-Wāqidī; Abū Muslim, the mustamlī of Yazīd b. Hārūn; Yaḥyā b. Maʿīn — or Zuhayr b. Ḥarb Abū Khaythamah; Ismāʿīl b. Dāwūd; Ismāʿīl b. Masʿūd; and Aḥmad al-Dawraqī. So they were brought to him. He tested them and asked them all about the createdness of the Qurʾān. They all answered that the Qurʾān is created. So he sent them to Madīnat al-Salām. Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm had them brought to his house, and their affair and statement were made public in the presence of the jurists and shaykhs of the people of ḥadīth. They affirmed the same as they had answered al-Maʾmūn, so he released them, by al-Maʾmūn's order. Then al-Maʾmūn wrote after that to Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm: Now then, the right of God upon His caliphs on His earth, and His trustees over His servants, whom He chose to establish His religion, and whom He burdened with the care of His creation and the execution of His ruling and His ways, is to follow His justice among His creatures, to exert themselves for God, to be sincere to Him in what He entrusted and committed to them, and to point to Him — blessed and exalted — through the excellence of the knowledge He deposited in them and the understanding He placed in them; to guide to Him those who have deviated from Him, and to turn back those who have turned away from His command. The Commander of the Faithful's success is only through God alone; God suffices him, and enough is He. Among what the Commander of the Faithful has discerned by his deliberation, and examined by his thought, and found to be of tremendous danger and great harm to the religion, is what the Muslims suffer from the statements about the Qurʾān. It has become adorned in the minds of some people that it is not created. Thus they rival the saying of the Christians about Jesus, that he is not created. But God, exalted, says: "We have made it an Arabic Qurʾān." The interpretation of that is: We created it, just as He said: "and made from it its mate." And He said: "And We made the night a garment, and made the day for livelihood, and made from water every living thing." And He said: "in a preserved tablet." So He indicated that the tablet encompasses the Qurʾān, and nothing is encompassed except a created thing. And He said: "No reminder comes to them from their Lord newly" — that is, newly originated. And He said: "Falsehood does not come to it from before it or from behind it." So He assigned to it a front and a back, indicating that it is bounded and created. These ignorant ones have magnified, by their saying about the Qurʾān, the breach in their religion, made the path easy for the enemy of Islam, and confessed alteration and deviation against themselves, until they described God's creation and His acts with the attribute that belongs to God, mighty and glorious, alone, and likened Him to it. Yet resemblance is more fitting for His creation. The Commander of the Faithful sees no share in religion for anyone who holds this doctrine, and no portion of faith and certainty. He does not deem it permissible for any of them to occupy the position of trust in any guardianship, or uprightness, or witness, or appointment to any of the affairs of the subjects, even if some of them display rectitude and are known for integrity among them. For branches are referred back to their roots, and are borne upon them in praise and blame. Whoever is ignorant of the matter of his religion, which God commanded him, concerning His oneness, is even more ignorant of everything else, and blinder to right guidance in other matters, and more astray in path. So read to Jaʿfar b. ʿĪsā and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Isḥāq the judge the letter of the Commander of the Faithful addressed to you. Question them explicitly about their knowledge concerning the Qurʾān, and inform them that the Commander of the Faithful will not seek assistance in any of the affairs of the Muslims except through one whose sincerity and tawḥīd he trusts, and that there is no tawḥīd for one who does not acknowledge that the Qurʾān is created. If they assert the doctrine of the Commander of the Faithful in that matter, then instruct them to test those who attend their sessions with testimonies concerning rights, and to interrogate them about their statement regarding the Qurʾān. Whoever among them does not say that it is created, let them invalidate his testimony and not issue any ruling based on his word, even if his chastity in his affair is established. Do the same with the judges in the rest of your jurisdiction, and supervise them with a supervision that prevents the waverer from neglecting his religion. Write to the Commander of the Faithful about what you do in that matter, God willing. So Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm convened a group of jurists, judges, and traditionists. He summoned Abū Ḥassān al-Ziyādī, Bishr b. al-Walīd al-Kindī, ʿAlī b. Abī Muqātil, al-Faḍl b. Ghānim, al-Dhayyāl b. al-Haytham, Sajjādah, al-Qawārīrī, Imam Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, Qutaybah, Saʿdawayh al-Wāsiṭī, ʿAlī b. al-Jaʿd, Isḥāq b. Abī Isrāʾīl, Ibn ʿUlayyah, Yaḥyā b. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-ʿUmarī, Abū Naṣr al-Tammār, Abū Muʿammar al-Qaṭīʿī, Muḥammad b. Ḥātim b. Maymūn, Muḥammad b. Nūḥ, and others. They were all brought before Isḥāq. He read to them the letter of the Commander of the Faithful twice, so that they understood it. Then he said to Bishr b. al-Walīd: "What do you say about the Qurʾān?" He said: "I say: The Qurʾān is the speech of God." He said: "I did not ask you about this. Is it created?" He said: "God is the Creator of everything." He said: "Is the Qurʾān a thing?" He said: "It is a thing." He said: "Then is it created?" He said: "It is not a creator." He said: "I am not asking you about this. Is it created?" He said: "I cannot do better than what I have told you." So Isḥāq took a note that was before him and read it to him: "I bear witness that there is no god but God; there was nothing before Him and nothing after Him, and nothing of His creation resembles Him in any meaning or in any respect." Bishr said: "Yes." So Isḥāq said to the scribe: "Write down what he said." Then he said to ʿAlī b. Abī Muqātil: "What do you say, O ʿAlī?" He said: "I have made my statement heard to the Commander of the Faithful on this matter more than once." So Isḥāq tested him with the note, and he affirmed what was in it. Then he said to him: "Is the Qurʾān created?" He said: "The Qurʾān is the speech of God." Isḥāq said: "I did not ask you about this." He said: "It is the speech of God. If the Commander of the Faithful commands us with something, we hear and obey." So Isḥāq said to the scribe: "Write down his statement." Then he said to al-Dhayyāl something similar to what he had said to ʿAlī b. Abī Muqātil, and al-Dhayyāl answered him the same. Then he said to Abū Ḥassān al-Ziyādī: "What do you have?" And he read the note to him, and he affirmed what was in it. Then he said to him: "Is the Qurʾān created?" He said: "The Qurʾān is the speech of God, and God is the Creator of everything. Whatever is other than God is created. The Commander of the Faithful is our imam, and he has heard what we have not heard. If he commands us, we obey; if he calls us, we answer." So Isḥāq said to him: "Is the Qurʾān created?" Abū Ḥassān repeated his statement, and said: "Command me and I will obey." Isḥāq said: "He did not command me to command you; he only commanded me to test you." Then he called Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal and said to him: "What do you say about the Qurʾān?" He said: "The Qurʾān is the speech of God." He said: "Is it created?" He said: "It is the speech of God; I will not add more." Then he tested him with what was in the note. When he came to "There is nothing like unto Him," Aḥmad said: "There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing." Then he tested the rest, wrote down their statements, and sent them to al-Maʾmūn. The people remained for nine days. Then al-Maʾmūn's letter arrived in response concerning the rest, and their statements were written in answer to what Isḥāq had written. In the letter it said: Now then, the Commander of the Faithful has received the answer to his letter that he had sent to you, concerning what the pretenders among the people of the qiblah and the seekers of leadership — though unworthy of it — have gone to regarding the statement about the Qurʾān, and your questioning them about their beliefs, and your order that those among them who do not say that it is created be restrained from transmitting ḥadīth and issuing legal opinions, and that letters be sent to the judges in the districts of your jurisdiction to come to you so that you may test them: As for Bishr b. al-Walīd, question him explicitly about his statement concerning the Qurʾān. If he repents of it, hold back from him. If he refuses to say that the Qurʾān is created, strike his neck and send his head to the Commander of the Faithful. As for ʿAlī b. Abī Muqātil, say to him: "Are you not the one who spoke to the Commander of the Faithful saying, 'You make lawful and you make unlawful'?" As for al-Dhayyāl, inform him that the food he used to steal at al-Anbār was enough to occupy him from anything else. As for Aḥmad b. Zayd, and his claim that he is not good at answering about the Qurʾān — he will be good at it when discipline takes hold of him. If he does not, the sword will be behind that. As for Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, inform him that the Commander of the Faithful has come to know his statement, and has inferred his defect. As for al-Faḍl b. Ghānim, inform him that what he was doing in Egypt, and the wealth he acquired, has not been hidden from the Commander of the Faithful. As for al-Ziyādī, inform him that he was an adherent of a false sect, and no one in Islam was first called to something and opposed in it except by contradicting the ruling of the Messenger of God ﷺ, and he was worthy to follow his path. As for Abū Naṣr al-Tammār, the Commander of the Faithful likens the vileness of his intellect to the vileness of his trade. He went on to mention a fault for each one of them, and said: "Whoever among those named to the Commander of the Faithful does not repent of his polytheism and does not say that the Qurʾān is created, send them all bound in chains to the encampment of the Commander of the Faithful, so that the Commander of the Faithful may question them explicitly. If they do not recant, put them to the sword." So all the people answered, except four: Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, Sajjādah, al-Qawārīrī, and Muḥammad b. Nūḥ. Isḥāq ordered that they be bound in irons. The next day he summoned them and repeated the test. Sajjādah answered, so he ordered his release. The others persisted. The day after that he summoned them, and al-Qawārīrī answered, so he released him. He ordered that Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal and Muḥammad b. Nūḥ both be bound in irons, and they were sent toward Ṭarsūs. A letter was written to accompany them ordering their transport. When they reached al-Raqqah, the death of al-Maʾmūn met them, so they were returned to Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm in Madīnat al-Salām. Isḥāq ordered them to remain in their homes. Later, he permitted them to go out. Al-Maʾmūn had commanded his son al-ʿAbbās and Isḥāq b. Ṭāhir that if the event of death should occur to him during his illness, the caliph after him would be Abū Isḥāq b. al-Rashīd. So he wrote that. Then Abū Isḥāq wrote on the evening of al-Maʾmūn's affliction to the governors: "From Abū Isḥāq, the brother of the Commander of the Faithful and the caliph after the Commander of the Faithful Muḥammad." On Friday, when eleven nights remained of Rajab, Isḥāq b. Yaḥyā b. Muʿādh led the prayer in the mosque of Damascus. In his sermon, after his supplication for the Commander of the Faithful, he said: "And may the amīr, the brother of the Commander of the Faithful and the caliph after him, Abū Isḥāq al-Rashīd, be made righteous."
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