Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3297
The Year 218 AH
ذِكْرُ مَرَضِ الْمَأْمُونِ وَوَصِيَّتِهِ وَفِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ مَرِضَ الْمَأْمُونُ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ لِثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ خَلَتْ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْآخِرَةِ. وَكَانَ سَبَبَ مَرَضِهِ مَا ذَكَرَهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ الْعَلَّافِ الْقَارِئُ قَالَ: دَعَانِي الْمَأْمُونُ يَوْمًا، فَوَجَدْتُهُ جَالِسًا عَلَى جَانِبِ الْبَذَنْدُونِ، وَالْمُعْتَصِمُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، وَهُمَا قَدْ دَلَّيَا أَرْجُلَهُمَا فِي الْمَاءِ، فَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَضَعَ رِجْلِي فِي الْمَاءِ، وَقَالَ: ذُقْهُ ! فَهَلْ رَأَيْتَ أَعْذَبَ مِنْهُ، أَوْ أَصْفَى صَفَاءً، أَوْ أَشَدَّ بَرْدًا ؟ فَفَعَلْتُ، وَقُلْتُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، مَا رَأَيْتُ مِثْلَهُ قَطُّ. فَقَالَ: أَيُّ شَيْءٍ يَطِيبُ أَنْ يُؤْكَلَ وَيُشْرَبَ عَلَيْهِ هَذَا الْمَاءُ ؟ فَقُلْتُ: أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعْلَمُ. فَقَالَ: الرُّطَبُ الْآزَاذُ. فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يَقُولُ [ هَذَا ] إِذْ سَمِعَ وَقْعَ لُجُمِ الْبَرِيدِ، فَالْتَفَتَ، فَإِذَا بِغَالُ الْبَرِيدِ عَلَيْهَا الْحَقَائِبُ فِيهَا الْأَلْطَافُ، فَقَالَ لِخَادِمٍ [ لَهُ ]: انْظُرْ إِنْ كَانَ فِي هَذِهِ الْأَلْطَافِ رُطَبُ آزَاذٍ، فَأْتِ بِهِ ! فَمَضَى وَعَادَ وَمَعَهُ سَلَّتَانِ فِيهِمَا آزَاذٌ كَأَنَّمَا جُنِيَ تِلْكَ السَّاعَةَ، فَأَظْهَرَ شُكْرًا لِلَّهِ - تَعَالَى - وَتَعَجَّبْنَا جَمِيعًا، وَأَكَلْنَا وَشَرِبْنَا مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْمَاءِ، فَمَا قَامَ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ إِلَّا وَهُوَ مَحْمُومٌ، وَكَانَتْ مَنِيَّةُ الْمَأْمُونِ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْعِلَّةِ، وَلَمْ يَزَلِ الْمُعْتَصِمُ مَرِيضًا حَتَّى دَخَلَ الْعِرَاقَ، وَبَقِيتُ أَنَا مَرِيضًا مُدَّةً. فَلَمَّا مَرِضَ الْمَأْمُونُ أَمَرَ أَنْ يُكْتَبَ إِلَى الْبِلَادِ الْكُتُبُ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمَأْمُونِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَأَخِيهِ الْخَلِيفَةِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ هَارُونَ الرَّشِيدِ، وَأَوْصَى إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ بِحَضْرَةِ ابْنِهِ الْعَبَّاسِ، وَبِحَضْرَةِ الْفُقَهَاءِ، وَالْقُضَاةِ، وَالْقُوَّادِ، وَكَانَتْ وَصِيَّتُهُ، بَعْدَ الشَّهَادَةِ، وَالْإِقْرَارِ بِالْوَحْدَانِيَّةِ، وَالْبَعْثِ، وَالْجَنَّةِ، وَالنَّارِ، وَالصَّلَاةِ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَالْأَنْبِيَاءِ -: إِنِّي مُقِرٌّ مُذْنِبٌ، أَرْجُو وَأَخَافُ، إِلَّا أَنِّي إِذَا ذَكَرْتُ عَفْوَ اللَّهِ رَجَوْتُ، وَإِذَا مُتُّ فَوَجِّهُونِي، وَغَمِّضُونِي، وَأَسْبِغُوا وَضُوئِي وَطَهُورِي، وَأَجِيدُوا كَفَنِي، ثُمَّ أَكْثِرُوا حَمْدَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَمَعْرِفَةِ حَقِّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ إِذْ جَعَلَنَا مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ الْمَرْحُومَةِ، ثُمَّ أَضْجِعُونِي عَلَى سَرِيرِي، ثُمَّ عَجِّلُوا بِي، وَلْيُصَلِّ عَلَيَّ أَقْرَبُكُمْ نَسَبًا وَأَكْبَرُكُمْ سِنًّا، وَلْيُكَبِّرْ خَمْسًا، ثُمَّ احْمِلُونِي وَابْلُغُوا بِي حُفْرَتِي، وَلْيَنْزِلْ بِي أَقْرَبُكُمْ قَرَابَةً، وَأَوَدُّكُمْ مَحَبَّةً. وَأَكْثِرُوا مِنْ حَمْدِ اللَّهِ وَذِكْرِهِ، ثُمَّ ضَعُونِي عَلَى شِقِّيَ الْأَيْمَنِ، وَاسْتَقْبِلُوا بِي الْقِبْلَةَ، ثُمَّ حُلُّوا كَفَنِي عَنْ رَأْسِي وَرِجْلِي، ثُمَّ سُدُّوا اللَّحْدَ وَاخْرُجُوا عَنِّي، وَخَلُّونِي وَعَمَلِي، وَكُلُّكُمْ لَا يُغْنِي عَنِّي شَيْئًا، وَلَا يَدْفَعُ عَنِّي مَكْرُوهًا، ثُمَّ قِفُوا بِأَجْمَعِكُمْ، فَقُولُوا خَيْرًا إِنْ عَلِمْتُمْ، وَأَمْسِكُوا عَنْ ذِكْرِ شَرٍّ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ عَرَفْتُمْ، فَإِنِّي مَأْخُوذٌ مِنْ بَيْنِكُمْ بِمَا تَقُولُونَ، وَلَا تَدَعُوا بَاكِيَةً عِنْدِي، فَإِنَّ الْمُعْوَلَ عَلَيْهِ يُعَذَّبُ، رَحِمَ اللَّهُ عَبْدًا اتَّعَظَ وَفَكَّرَ فِيمَا حَتَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ مِنَ الْفَنَاءِ، وَقَضَى عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي لَا بُدَّ مِنْهُ، فَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي تَوَحَّدَ بِالْبَقَاءِ، وَقَضَى عَلَى جَمِيعِ خَلْقِهِ الْفَنَاءَ. [ ثُمَّ ] لْيُنْظَرْ مَا كُنْتُ فِيهِ مِنْ عِزِّ الْخِلَافَةِ، هَلْ أَغْنَى عَنِّي ذَلِكَ شَيْئًا إِذْ جَاءَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ ؟ لَا وَاللَّهِ، وَلَكِنْ أُضْعِفَ عَلَيَّ بِهِ الْحِسَابُ، فَيَالَيْتَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ هَارُونَ لَمْ يَكُنْ بَشَرًا، بَلْ لَيْتَهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ خَلْقًا. يَا أَبَا إِسْحَاقَ، ادْنُ مِنِّي، وَاتَّعِظْ بِمَا تَرَى، وَخُذْ بِسِيرَةِ أَخِيكَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَالْإِسْلَامِ، وَاعْمَلْ فِي الْخِلَافَةِ إِذَا طَوَّقَكَهَا اللَّهُ عَمَلَ الْمُرِيدِ لِلَّهِ، الْخَائِفِ مِنْ عِقَابِهِ وَعَذَابِهِ، وَلَا تَغْتَرَّ بِاللَّهِ وَمُهْلَتِهِ، فَكَأَنَّ قَدْ نَزَلَ بِكَ الْمَوْتُ، وَلَا تَغْفَلْ أَمْرَ الرَّعِيَّةِ وَالْعَوَامِّ، فَإِنَّ الْمُلْكَ بِهِمْ وَبِتَعَهُّدِكَ لَهُمْ، اللَّهَ اللَّهَ فِيهِمْ، وَفِي غَيْرِهِمْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَلَا يَنْتَهِيَنَّ إِلَيْكَ أَمْرٌ فِيهِ صَلَاحٌ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ وَمَنْفَعَةٌ إِلَّا قَدَّمْتَهُ، وَآثَرْتَهُ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ مِنْ هَوَاكَ. وَخُذْ مِنْ أَقْوِيَائِهِمْ لِضُعَفَائِهِمْ، وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي شَيْءٍ، وَأَنْصِفْ بَعْضَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ بِالْحَقِّ بَيْنَهُمْ، وَقَرِّبْهُمْ، وَتَأَنَّ بِهِمْ، وَعَجِّلِ الرِّحْلَةَ عَنِّي، وَالْقُدُومَ إِلَى دَارِ مُلْكِكَ بِالْعِرَاقِ، وَانْظُرْ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ الَّذِينَ أَنْتَ بِسَاحَتِهِمْ، فَلَا تَغْفَلْ عَنْهُمْ فِي كُلِّ وَقْتٍ، وَالْخُرَّمِيَّةُ فَأَغْزِهِمْ ذَا حَزَامَةٍ وَصَرَامَةٍ وَجَلَدٍ، وَاكْنُفْهُ بِالْأَمْوَالِ وَالْجُنُودِ، فَإِنْ طَالَتْ مُدَّتُهُمْ فَتَجَرَّدْ لَهُمْ بِمَنْ مَعَكَ [ مِنْ ] أَنْصَارِكَ وَأَوْلِيَائِكَ، وَاعْمَلْ فِي ذَلِكَ عَمَلَ مُقَدِّمِ النِّيَّةِ فِيهِ، رَاجِيًا ثَوَابَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ. ثُمَّ دَعَا الْمُعْتَصِمَ، بَعْدَ سَاعَةٍ، حِينَ اشْتَدَّ الْوَجَعُ، وَأَحَسَّ بِمَجِيءِ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ: يَا أَبَا إِسْحَاقَ ! عَلَيْهِ عَهْدُ اللَّهِ وَمِيثَاقُهُ، وَذِمَّةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَتَقُومَنَّ بِحَقِّ اللَّهِ فِي عِبَادِهِ، وَلَتُؤْثِرَنَّ طَاعَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَى مَعْصِيَتِهِ إِذْ أَنَا نَقَلْتُهَا مِنْ غَيْرِكَ إِلَيْكَ. قَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ نَعَمْ ! قَالَ: هَؤُلَاءِ بَنُو عَمِّكَ مِنْ وَلَدِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيٍّ - صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ - فَأَحْسِنْ صُحْبَتَهُمْ، وَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ، وَاقْبَلْ مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ، وَلَا تَغْفَلْ صِلَاتِهُمْ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ عِنْدَ مَحَلِّهَا، فَإِنَّ حُقُوقَهُمْ تَجِبُ مِنْ وُجُوهٍ شَتَّى، اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ، وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ، اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْمَلُوا لَهُ، وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ فِي أُمُورِكُمْ كُلِّهَا، أَسْتَوْدِعُكُمُ اللَّهَ وَنَفْسِي، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ مَا سَلَفَ مِنِّي إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا، فَإِنَّهُ لَيَعْلَمُ كَيْفَ نَدَمِي عَلَى ذُنُوبِي، فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ مِنْ عَظِيمِهَا، وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ، وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ، حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ، وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيِّ الْهُدَى وَالرَّحْمَةِ.
Translation
✧ Mention of al-Maʾmūn’s illness and his testament In this year, al-Maʾmūn fell ill with the illness of which he died, on the thirteenth night of Jumādā al-Ākhirah. The cause of his illness was what Saʿd b. al-ʿAllāf al-Qāriʾ mentioned. He said: One day al-Maʾmūn summoned me, and I found him sitting on the bank of the Badhandūn, with al-Muʿtaṣim on his right, and they had both dangled their legs into the water. He ordered me to put my leg into the water and said: Taste it! Have you ever seen anything sweeter than it, or clearer in clarity, or colder? So I did so and said: O Commander of the Faithful, I have never seen anything like it. He said: What thing would be good to eat and drink upon this water? I said: The Commander of the Faithful knows best. He said: Fresh ripe dates of the āzād kind. While he was saying this, he heard the sound of the bridles of the postal mounts. He turned, and there were the postal mules with saddlebags containing gifts. He said to a servant of his: See if there are any āzād dates among these gifts, and bring them! The servant went and returned with two baskets containing āzād dates, as though they had been picked that very hour. Al-Maʾmūn expressed gratitude to God—Exalted is He—and we all marveled. We ate and drank from that water, and not one of us rose except that he was feverish. Al-Maʾmūn’s death came from that ailment, and al-Muʿtaṣim remained ill until he entered Iraq, while I remained ill for a time. When al-Maʾmūn fell ill, he ordered that letters be written to the provinces from ʿAbd Allāh al-Maʾmūn, Commander of the Faithful, and his brother, the caliph after him, Abū Isḥāq b. Hārūn al-Rashīd. He made his testament to al-Muʿtaṣim in the presence of his son al-ʿAbbās, and in the presence of the jurists, judges, and commanders. His testament, after the profession of faith and the acknowledgment of the oneness of God, the resurrection, Paradise, Hell, and blessing upon the Prophet ﷺ and the prophets, was: I am a confessing sinner, hoping and fearing; yet when I remember God’s pardon, I hope, and when I die, turn me, close my eyes, complete my ablution and purification, make my shroud excellent, and then give abundant praise to God for Islam and for the knowledge of His right upon you in Muḥammad ﷺ, since He made us part of his community that is shown mercy. Then lay me on my bier, then hasten with me, and let the nearest of you in kinship and the oldest of you in age pray over me, and let him say the takbīr five times. Then carry me and convey me to my grave, and let the nearest of you in kinship and the dearest of you in love descend with me. And give abundant praise to God and remembrance of Him. Then place me on my right side, and face me toward the qiblah. Then loosen my shroud from my head and my feet. Then close up the niche in the grave and leave me. Leave me alone with my deeds, for none of you can avail me anything or ward off from me anything disliked. Then stand all of you together and speak good of me if you know it, and refrain from mentioning evil if you have known it, for I will be taken from among you by what you say. Do not let any wailing woman remain near me, for the one who is wailed over is punished. May God have mercy on a servant who takes admonition and reflects upon what God has decreed for His creation of annihilation and has ordained for them of death, which is inevitable. Praise be to God, who alone remains, and who has decreed annihilation for all His creation. Then let it be considered what I was in of the glory of the caliphate—did that avail me anything when God’s command came? No, by God, but rather the reckoning was multiplied for me by it. Would that ʿAbd Allāh b. Hārūn had not been a human being, or rather would that he had not been a created being. O Abū Isḥāq, draw near to me and take admonition from what you see. Follow the conduct of your brother in the Qurʾān and Islam, and act in the caliphate, if God places it around your neck, as one who desires God and fears His punishment and torment. Do not be deceived by God and His respite, for it is as though death has already descended upon you. Do not neglect the affairs of the subjects and the common people, for kingship is through them and through your care for them. Fear God, fear God regarding them and regarding the other Muslims. Let no matter come to you in which there is benefit for the Muslims and advantage except that you give it precedence and prefer it over other things out of your own desire. Take from their strong for their weak, and do not burden them in anything. Deal justly among them by the truth between them, draw them near, and be gentle with them. Hasten the departure from me and the arrival at the seat of your kingdom in Iraq. Consider these people in whose midst you are, and do not neglect them at any time. As for the Khurramiyyah, raid them with one who has firmness, resoluteness, and endurance, and support him with funds and troops. If their affair lasts long, then go forth against them yourself with those of your supporters and allies who are with you, and act in that as one who puts forward his intention in it, hoping for God’s reward for it. Then, after a while, when the pain intensified and he sensed the coming of God’s command, he called al-Muʿtaṣim and said: O Abū Isḥāq! Upon you is God’s covenant and pact, and the protection of the Messenger of God ﷺ, that you will uphold God’s right among His servants and prefer obedience to God over disobedience to Him, since I have transferred it to you from another. He said: O God, yes! He said: These are your paternal uncles’ sons from the offspring of the Commander of the Faithful ʿAlī—God’s blessings be upon him—so be good in your companionship with them, overlook their wrongdoer, accept from their doer of good, and do not neglect their grants every year at their proper time, for their rights are obligatory from various aspects. Fear God, your Lord, with His true fear, and do not die except as Muslims. Fear God and act for Him, and fear God in all your affairs. I entrust you and myself to God, and I ask God’s forgiveness for what has passed from me. Truly He is ever Forgiving. He knows how great my remorse is for my sins, so in Him I have trusted regarding their enormity, and to Him I turn. There is no strength except in God. God is sufficient for me, and excellent is the Trustee. May God bless Muḥammad, the Prophet of guidance and mercy.
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