Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3298
The Year 218 AH
ذِكْرُ بَعْضِ سِيرَتِهِ وَأَخْبَارِهِ وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ السَّرَخْسِيُّ: تَعَرَّضَ رَجُلٌ لِلْمَأْمُونِ بِالشَّامِ مِرَارًا، وَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، انْظُرْ لِعَرَبِ الشَّامِ كَمَا نَظَرْتَ لِعَجَمِ خُرَاسَانَ ! فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَكْثَرْتَ عَلَيَّ، وَاللَّهِ مَا أَنْزَلْتُ قَيْسًا مِنْ ظُهُورِ خُيُولِهَا إِلَّا وَأَنَا أَرَى أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَبْقَ فِي بَيْتِ مَالِي دِرْهَمٌ وَاحِدٌ - يَعْنِي فِتْنَةَ ابْنِ شَبَثٍ الْعَامِرِيِّ - وَأَمَّا الْيَمَنُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَحْبَبْتُهَا، وَلَا أَحَبَّتْنِي قَطُّ، وَأَمَّا قُضَاعَةُ فَسَادَاتُهَا تَنْتَظِرُ السُّفْيَانِيَّ، حَتَّى تَكُونَ مِنْ أَشْيَاعِهِ، وَأَمَّا رَبِيعَةُ فَسَاخِطَةٌ عَلَى رَبِّهَا مُذْ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ نَبِيَّهُ مِنْ مُضَرَ، وَلَمْ يَخْرُجِ اثْنَانِ إِلَّا وَخَرَجَ أَحَدُهُمَا شَارِيًا، اعْزُبْ، فَعَلَ اللَّهُ بِكَ. وَذَكَرَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ ( أَنَّهُ لَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَى الْمَأْمُونِ بِدِمَشْقَ قَالَ لَهُ: أَرِنِي الْكِتَابَ ) الَّذِي كَتَبَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: فَأَرَيْتُهُ. قَالَ: فَقَالَ: إِنِّي لَأَشْتَهِي أَنْ أَدْرِيَ إِيشْ هَذَا الْغِشَاءُ عَلَى هَذَا الْخَاتَمِ ؟ قَالَ: فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمُعْتَصِمُ: حِلَّ الْعَقْدَ حَتَّى تَدْرِي مَا هُوَ ! قَالَ: مَا أَشُكُّ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ عَقَدَ هَذَا الْعَقْدَ، وَمَا كُنْتُ لِأَحِلَّ عُقْدَةً عَقَدَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلْوَاثِقِ: خُذْهُ وَضَعْهُ عَلَى عَيْنَيْكَ، لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ ! وَجَعَلَ الْمَأْمُونُ يَضَعُهُ عَلَى عَيْنَيْهِ وَيَبْكِي. وَقَالَ الْعَيْشِيُّ صَاحِبُ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ: كُنْتُ مَعَ الْمَأْمُونِ بِدِمَشْقَ، وَكَانَ قَدْ قَلَّ الْمَالُ عِنْدَهُ، حَتَّى أَضَاقَ، وَشَكَا ذَلِكَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، كَأَنَّكَ بِالْمَالِ وَقَدْ وَافَاكَ بَعْدَ جُمُعَةٍ. وَكَانَ قَدْ حُمِلَ إِلَيْهِ ثَلَاثُونَ أَلْفَ أَلْفِ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ مِنْ خَرَاجِ مَا يَتَوَلَّاهُ لَهُ، فَلَمَّا وَرَدَ عَلَيْهِ الْمَالُ قَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ لِيَحْيَى بْنِ أَكْتَمَ: اخْرُجْ بِنَا نَنْظُرْ هَذَا الْمَالَ، فَخَرَجَا يَنْظُرَانِهِ، وَكَانَ قَدْ هُيِّئَ بِأَحْسَنِ هَيْئَةٍ، وَحُلِّيَتْ أَبَاعِرُهُ، فَنَظَرَ الْمَأْمُونُ إِلَى شَيْءٍ حَسَنٍ، وَاسْتَكْثَرَ ذَلِكَ وَاسْتَبْشَرَ بِهِ، وَالنَّاسُ يَنْظُرُونَ وَيَعْجَبُونَ، فَقَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ: يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ، نَنْصَرِفُ بِالْمَالِ وَأَصْحَابُنَا يَرْجِعُونَ خَائِبِينَ، إِنَّ هَذَا لَلُؤْمٌ ! ثُمَّ دَعَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ يَزْدَادَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: وَقِّعْ لِآلِ فُلَانٍ بِأَلْفِ أَلْفٍ، وَلِآلِ فُلَانٍ بِمِثْلِهَا، وَلِآلِ فُلَانٍ بِمِثْلِهَا، فَمَا زَالَ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى فَرَّقَ أَرْبَعَةً وَعِشْرِينَ أَلْفَ أَلْفٍ، وَرِجْلُهُ فِي الرِّكَابِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: ادْفَعِ الْبَاقِيَ إِلَى الْمُعَلَّى يُعْطِيهِ جُنْدَنَا. قَالَ الْعَيْشِيُّ: فَقُمْتُ نُصْبَ عَيْنَيْهِ أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِمَا، فَلَمَّا رَآنِي كَذَلِكَ قَالَ: وَقِّعْ لِهَذَا بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفًا. فَقَبَضْتُهَا. وَذُكِرَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ بِالْبَصْرَةِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي تَمِيمِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، وَكَانَ شَاعِرًا ظَرِيفًا خَبِيثًا مُنْكَرًا، وَكُنْتُ آنَسُ بِهِ، وَأَسْتَحْلِيهِ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: أَنْتَ شَاعِرٌ وَأَنْتَ ظَرِيفٌ، وَالْمَأْمُونُ أَجْوَدُ مِنَ السَّحَابِ الْحَافِلِ، فَمَا يَمْنَعُكَ مِنْهُ ؟ فَقَالَ: مَا عِنْدِي مَا يَحْمِلُنِي. فَقُلْتُ: أَنَا أُعْطِيكَ رَاحِلَةً وَنَفَقَةً. فَأَعْطَيْتُهُ رَاحِلَةً نَجِيبَةً، وَثَلَاثَمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ، فَعَمِلَ أُرْجُوزَةً لَيْسَتْ بِالطَّوِيلَةِ، ثُمَّ سَارَ إِلَى الْمَأْمُونِ. قَالَ: فَجِئْتُ إِلَيْهِ وَهُوَ بِسَلَغُوسَ. قَالَ: فَلَبِسْتُ ثِيَابِي، وَأَنَا أَرُومُ بِالْعَسْكَرِ، وَإِذَا بِكَهْلٍ عَلَى بَغْلٍ فَارِهٍ، فَتَلَقَّانِي مُوَاجَهَةً وَأَنَا أُرَدِّدُ نَشِيدَ أُرْجُوزَتِي فَقَالَ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ. فَقُلْتُ: عَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ. قَالَ: قِفْ إِنْ شِئْتَ ! فَوَقَفْتُ فَتَضَوَّعَتْ مِنْهُ رَائِحَةُ الْمِسْكِ وَالْعَنْبَرِ. فَقَالَ: مَا أَوَّلُكَ ؟ قُلْتُ: رَجُلٌ مِنْ مُضَرَ. قَالَ: وَنَحْنُ مِنْ مُضَرَ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: مَاذَا ؟ قُلْتُ: مِنْ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ. قَالَ: وَمَا بَعْدَ تَمِيمٍ ؟ قُلْتُ: مِنْ بَنِي سَعْدٍ. قَالَ: وَمَا أَقْدَمَكَ ؟ قُلْتُ: قَصَدْتُ هَذَا الْمَلِكَ الَّذِي مَا سَمِعْتُ بِمِثْلِهِ أَنْدَى رَائِحَةً، وَلَا أَوْسَعَ رَاحَةً. قَالَ: فَمَا الَّذِي قَصَدْتَهُ بِهِ ؟ قُلْتُ: شِعْرٌ طَيِّبٌ يَلَذُّ عَلَى الْأَفْوَاهِ، وَيَحْلُو فِي آذَانِ السَّامِعِينَ. قَالَ: فَأَنْشِدْنِيهِ ! فَغَضِبْتُ وَقُلْتُ: يَا رَكِيكُ، أَخْبَرْتُكَ أَنِّي قَصَدْتُ الْخَلِيفَةَ بِمَدِيحٍ تَقُولُ: أَنْشِدْنِيهِ ؟ فَتَغَافَلَ عَنْهَا وَأَلْغَى عَنْ جَوَابِهَا. فَقَالَ: فَمَا الَّذِي تَأْمُلُ مِنْهُ ؟ قُلْتُ: إِنْ كَانَ عَلَى مَا ذُكِرَ لِي، فَأَلْفُ دِينَارٍ. ( قَالَ: أَنَا أُعْطِيكَ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ )، إِنْ رَأَيْتُ الشِّعْرَ جَيْدًا، وَالْكَلَامَ عَذْبًا، وَأَضَعُ عَنْكَ الْعَنَاءَ، وَطُولَ التِّرْدَادِ حَتَّى تَصِلَ إِلَى الْخَلِيفَةِ، وَبَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَشَرَةُ آلَافِ رَامِحٍ وَنَابِلٍ. قُلْتُ: فَلِي عَلَيْكَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَفْعَلَ ! قَالَ: نَعَمْ، لَكَ اللَّهُ عَلَيَّ أَنْ أَفْعَلَ. فَأَنْشَدْتُهُ: مَأْمُونُ يَا ذَا الْمِنَنِ الشَّرِيفَهْ وَصَاحِبَ الْمَرْتَبَةِ الْمُنِيفَهْ وَقَائِدَ الْكَتِيبَةِ الْكَثِيفَهْ هَلْ لَكَ فِي أُرْجُوزَةٍ ظَرِيفَهْ أَظْرَفَ مِنْ فِقْهِ أَبِي حَنِيفَةْ لَا وَالَّذِي أَنْتَ لَهُ خَلِيفَهْ مَا ظُلِمَتْ فِي أَرْضِنَا ضَعِيفَهْ أَمِيرُنَا مُؤْنَتُهُ خَفِيفَهْ وَمَا اقْتَنَى شَيْئًا سِوَى الْوَظِيفَهْ فَالذِّئْبُ وَالنَّعْجَةُ فِي سَقِيفَهْ وَاللِّصُّ وَالتَّاجِرُ فِي قَطِيفَهْ قَالَ: فَوَاللَّهِ مَا عَدَا أَنْ بَلَغْتُ هَاهُنَا، فَإِذَا زُهَاءَ عَشَرَةِ آلَافِ فَارِسٍ، قَدْ سَدُّوا الْأُفُقَ يَقُولُونَ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ. قَالَ: فَأَخَذَتْنِي رِعْدَةٌ، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيَّ بِتِلْكَ الْحَالِ، فَقَالَ: لَا بَأْسَ عَلَيْكَ أَيْ أَخِي. قُلْتُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، جَعَلَنِي اللَّهُ فَدَاكَ، مَنْ جَعَلَ الْكَافَ مَكَانَ الْقَافِ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ ؟ قَالَ: حِمْيَرُ. قُلْتُ: لَعَنَ اللَّهُ حِمْيَرَ، وَلَعَنَ مَنِ اسْتَعْمَلَ هَذِهِ اللُّغَةَ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ. وَضَحِكَ الْمَأْمُونُ، وَقَالَ لِخَادِمٍ مَعَهُ: أَعْطِهِ مَا مَعَكَ، فَأَخْرَجَ كِيسًا فِيهِ ثَلَاثَةُ آلَافِ دِينَارٍ، فَأَخَذْتُهَا وَمَضَيْتُ. وَمَعْنَى سُؤَالِهِ عَنْ وَضْعِ الْكَافِ مَوْضِعَ الْقَافِ أَنَّهُ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَقُولَ: يَا رَقِيقُ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَكِيكُ. وَقَالَ عُمَارَةُ بْنُ عَقِيلٍ: أَنْشَدْتُ الْمَأْمُونَ قَصِيدَةً مِائَةَ بَيْتٍ، فَأَبْتَدِئُ بِصَدْرِ الْبَيْتِ، فَيُبَادِرُنِي إِلَى قَافِيَتِهِ كَمَا قَفَّيْتُهُ. فَقُلْتُ: وَاللَّهِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، مَا سَمِعَهَا مِنِّي أَحَدٌ قَطُّ. فَقَالَ: هَكَذَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي: أَمَا بَلَغَكَ أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ أَبِي رَبِيعَةَ أَنْشَدَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ قَصِيدَتَهُ الَّتِي يَقُولُ فِيهَا: تَشُطُّ غَدًا دَارُ جِيرَانِنَا، فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: وَلَلدَّارُ بَعْدَ غَدٍ أَبْعَدُ.... حَتَّى أَنْشَدَهُ الْقَصِيدَةَ يُقَفِّيهَا ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَنَا ابْنُ ذَاكَ. وَذُكِرَ أَنَّ الْمَأْمُونَ قَالَ: بَعَثْتُكَ مُرْتَادًا فَفُزْتَ بِنَظْرَةٍ وَأَغْفَلْتَنِي حَتَّى أَسَأْتُ بِكَ الظَّنَّا فَنَاجَيْتَ مَنْ أَهْوَى وَكُنْتُ مُبَاعَدًا فَيَا لَيْتَ شِعْرِي عَنْ دُنُوِّكَ مَا أَغْنَى أَرَى أَثَرًا مِنْهُ بِعَيْنَيْكَ بَيِّنًا لَقَدْ أَخَذَتْ عَيْنَاكَ مِنْ عَيْنِهِ حُسْنَا قِيلَ: وَإِنَّمَا أَخَذَ الْمَأْمُونُ هَذَا الْمَعْنَى مِنَ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ الْأَحْنَفِ، فَإِنَّهُ أَخْرَجَ هَذَا الْمَعْنَى فَقَالَ: إِنْ تَشْقَ عَيْنِي بِهَا فَقَدْ سَعِدَتْ عَيْنُ رَسُولِي وَفُزْتُ بِالْخَبَرِ وَكُلَّمَا جَاءَنِي الرَّسُولُ لَهَا رَدَّدْتُ عَمْدًا فِي عَيْنِهِ نَظَرِي خُذْ مُقْلَتِي يَا رَسُولُ عَارِيَةً فَانْظُرْ بِهَا وَاحْتَكِمْ عَلَى بَصَرِي قِيلَ: وَشَكَا الْيَزِيدِيُّ يَوْمًا إِلَى الْمَأْمُونِ دَيْنًا لَحِقَهُ، فَقَالَ: مَا عِنْدِي فِي هَذِهِ الْأَيَّامِ مَا إِنْ أَعْطَيْنَاكَ بَلَغْتَ بِهِ مَا تُرِيدُ. فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِنَّ غُرَمَائِي قَدْ أَرْهَقُونِي. قَالَ: انْظُرْ لِنَفْسِكَ أَمْرًا تَنَالُ بِهِ نَفْعًا. قَالَ: إِنَّ لَكَ نُدَمَاءَ، فِيهِمْ مَنْ إِنْ حَرَّكْتَهُ نِلْتُ بِهِ نَفْعًا. قَالَ: أَفْعَلُ. قَالَ: إِذَا حَضَرُوا عِنْدَكَ فَمُرْ فُلَانًا الْخَادِمَ يُوصِلُ رُقْعَتِي إِلَيْكَ، فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَهَا فَأَرْسِلْ إِلَيَّ: دُخُولُكَ ( فِي هَذَا الْوَقْتِ ) مُتَعَذَّرٌ، وَلَكِنِ اخْتَرْ لِنَفْسِكَ مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ. قَالَ: أَفْعَلُ. فَلَمَّا عَلِمَ الْيَزِيدِيُّ جُلُوسَ الْمَأْمُونِ مَعَ نُدَمَائِهِ، وَتَيَقَّنَ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ أَخَذَ الشَّرَابُ مِنْهُمْ، أَتَى الْبَابَ، فَدَخَلَ، فَدَفَعَ إِلَى الْخَادِمِ رُقْعَتَهُ، فَإِذَا فِيهَا: يَا خَيْرَ إِخْوَانِي وَأَصْحَابِي ! هَذَا الطُّفَيْلِيُّ عَلَى الْبَابِ خُبِّرَ أَنَّ الْقَوْمَ فِي لَذَّةٍ يَصْبُو إِلَيْهَا كُلُّ أَوَّابِ فَصَيِّرُونِي وَاحِدًا مِنْكُمْ أَوْ أَخْرِجُوا لِي بَعْضَ أَتْرَابِي فَقَرَأَهَا الْمَأْمُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَقَالُوا: مَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَدْخُلَ عَلَيْنَا عَلَى مِثْلِ هَذِهِ الْحَالِ. فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ الْمَأْمُونُ: دُخُولُكَ فِي هَذَا الْوَقْتِ مُتَعَذَّرٌ، فَاخْتَرْ لِنَفْسِكَ مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ ! فَقَالَ: مَا أُرِيدُ إِلَّا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ طَاهِرٍ. فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَأْمُونُ: قَدِ اخْتَارَكَ فَصِرْ إِلَيْهِ ! قَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَأَكُونُ شَرِيكَ الطُّفَيْلِيِّ ؟ فَقَالَ: مَا يُمْكِنُ رَدُّ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَمْرَيْنِ، فَإِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ إِلَيْهِ، وَإِلَّا فَافْتَدِ نَفْسَكَ مِنْهُ ! فَقَالَ: عَلَيَّ عَشَرَةُ آلَافٍ. قَالَ: لَا يُقْنِعُهُ. فَمَا زَالَ يَزِيدُ عَشَرَةً عَشَرَةً وَالْمَأْمُونُ يَقُولُ: لَا يُقْنِعُهُ، حَتَّى بَلَغَ مِائَةَ أَلْفٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَأْمُونُ: فَعَجِّلْهَا. فَكَتَبَ بِهَا إِلَى وَكِيلِهِ، وَوَجَّهَ مَعَهُ رَسُولًا، وَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ الْمَأْمُونُ: قَبْضُ هَذِهِ الدَّرَاهِمِ فِي هَذِهِ السَّاعَةِ أَصْلَحُ مِنْ مُنَادَمَتِهِ، وَأَنْفَعُ لَكَ. وَقَالَ عُمَارَةُ بْنُ عَقِيلٍ: قَالَ لِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي السِّمْطِ: أَعَلِمْتَ أَنَّ الْمَأْمُونَ لَا يُبْصِرُ الشِّعْرَ ؟ قُلْتُ: وَمَنْ يَكُونُ أَعْلَمَ مِنْهُ ؟ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّا لَنُنْشِدُهُ أَوَّلَ الْبَيْتِ فَيَسْبِقُنَا إِلَى آخِرِهِ. قَالَ: إِنِّي أَنْشَدْتُهُ بَيْتًا أَجَدْتُ فِيهِ، فَلَمْ يَتَحَرَّكْ لَهُ. قُلْتُ: وَمَا هُوَ ؟ قَالَ: أَضْحَى إِمَامُ الْهُدَى الْمَأْمُونُ مُشْتَغِلًا بِالدِّينِ وَالنَّاسُ بِالدُّنْيَا مَشَاغِيلُ قَالَ: فَقُلْتُ: وَاللَّهِ مَا صَنَعْتَ شَيْئًا، وَهَلْ زِدْتَ عَلَى أَنْ جَعَلْتَهُ عَجُوزًا فِي مِحْرَابِهَا، فَمَنِ الَّذِي يَقُومُ بِأَمْرِ الدُّنْيَا إِذَا تَشَاغَلَ عَنْهَا، وَهُوَ الْمُطَوَّقُ بِهَا ؟ هَلَّا قُلْتَ كَمَا قَالَ ( جَدِّي جَرِيرٌ فِي عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ: فَلَا هُوَ فِي الدُّنْيَا يُضِيعُ نَصِيبَهُ وَلَا عَرَضُ الدُّنْيَا عَنِ الدِّينِ شَاغِلُهْ فَقَالَ: الْآنَ عَلِمْتُ أَنِّي قَدْ أَخْطَأْتُ. قَالَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ: كَانَ الْمَأْمُونُ شَدِيدَ الْمَيْلِ إِلَى الْعَلَوِيِّينَ وَالْإِحْسَانِ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَخَبَرُهُ مَشْهُورٌ مَعَهُمْ، وَكَانَ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ طَبْعًا لَا تَكَلُّفًا، فَمِنْ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ تُوُفِّيَ فِي أَيَّامِهِ يَحْيَى بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ الْعَلَوِيُّ، فَحَضَرَ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَيْهِ بِنَفْسِهِ، وَرَأَى النَّاسَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْحُزْنِ وَالْكَآبَةِ مَا تَعَجَّبُوا مِنْهُ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ وَلَدًا لِزَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، وَهِيَ ابْنَةُ عَمِّ الْمَنْصُورِ، تُوُفِّيَ بَعْدَهُ، فَأَرْسَلَ لَهُ الْمَأْمُونُ كَفَنًا، وَسَيَّرَ أَخَاهُ صَالِحًا لِيُصَلِّيَ عَلَيْهِ، وَيُعَزِّيَ أُمَّهُ، فَإِنَّهَا كَانَتْ عِنْدَ الْعَبَّاسِيِّينَ بِمَنْزِلَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ، فَأَتَاهَا، وَعَزَّاهَا عَنْهُ، وَاعْتَذَرَ عَنْ تَخَلُّفِهِ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ عَلَيْهِ، فَظَهَرَ غَضَبُهَا، وَقَالَتْ لِابْنِ ابْنِهَا: تَقَدَّمْ فَصَلِّ عَلَى أَبِيكَ، وَتَمَثَّلَتْ: سَبَكْنَاهُ وَنَحْسَبُهُ لُجَيْنًا فَأَبْدَى الْكِيرُ عَنْ خَبَثِ الْحَدِيدِ ثُمَّ قَالَتْ لِصَالِحٍ: قُلْ لَهُ، يَابْنَ مَرَاجِلَ: أَمَّا لَوْ كَانَ يَحْيَى بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ لَوَضَعْتَ ذَيْلَكَ عَلَى فِيكَ وَعَدَوْتَ خَلْفَ جِنَازَتِهِ. [مَعْرِفَةُ الْمَأْمُونِ بِالطِّبِّ وَفَوَائِدِ الْأَغْذِيَةِ ] وَأَخْرَجَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَفْصٍ الْأَنْمَاطِيِّ قَالَ: (تَغَدَّيْنَا مَعَ الْمَأْمُونِ فِي يَوْمِ عِيدٍ، فَوَضَعَ عَلَى مَائِدَتِهِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ثَلَاثِمِائَةِ لَوْنٍ، قَالَ: فَكُلَّمَا وُضِعَ لَوْنٌ... نَظَرَ الْمَأْمُونُ إِلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: هَذَا نَافِعٌ لِكَذَا، ضَارٌّ لِكَذَا، فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ صَاحِبَ بَلْغَمٍ... فَلْيَجْتَنِبْ هَذَا، وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ صَاحِبَ صَفْرَاءَ... فَلْيَأْكُلْ مِنْ هَذَا، وَمَنْ غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ السَّوْدَاءُ فَلَا يَعْرِضْ لِهَذَا، وَمَنْ قَصَدَ قِلَّةَ الْغِذَاءِ فَلْيَقْتَصِرْ عَلَى هَذَا. فَقَالَ لَهُ يَحْيَى بْنُ أَكْثَمَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ; إِنْ خُضْنَا فِي الطِّبِّ... كُنْتَ جَالِينُوسَ فِي مَعْرِفَتِهِ، أَوْ فِي النُّجُومِ... كُنْتَ هِرْمَسَ فِي حِسَابِهِ، أَوْ فِي الْفِقْهِ... كُنْتَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فِي عِلْمِهِ، أَوْ ذُكِرَ السَّخَاءُ... كُنْتَ حَاتِمَ طَيِّئٍ فِي صِفَتِهِ، أَوْ صِدْقِ الْحَدِيثِ.. فَأَنْتَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ فِي لَهْجَتِهِ، أَوِ الْكَرْمِ أَنْتَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَامَةَ فِي فِعَالِهِ، أَوِ الْوَفَاءِ... فَأَنْتَ السَّمَوْأَلُ بْنُ عَادِيَاءَ فِي وَفَائِهِ، فَسُرَّ بِهَذَا الْكَلَامِ، وَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ إِنَّمَا فُضِّلَ بِعَقْلِهِ; وَلَوْلَا ذَلِكَ... لَمْ يَكُنْ لَحْمٌ، أَطْيَبَ مِنْ لَحْمٍ، وَلَا دَمٌ أَطْيَبَ مِنْ دَمٍ ).
Translation
✧ Mention of some of his conduct and reports Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-Sarakhsī said: A man confronted al-Maʾmūn in Syria repeatedly and said, “O Commander of the Faithful, look after the Arabs of Syria as you have looked after the non-Arabs of Khurasan!” He said to him, “You have said too much to me. By God, I did not bring Qays down from the backs of its horses except while I thought that not a single dirham remained in my treasury—meaning the sedition of Ibn Shabath al-ʿĀmirī. As for Yemen, by God, I have never loved it, nor has it ever loved me. As for Quḍāʿah, its chieftains are awaiting the Sufyānī so that they may be among his partisans. As for Rabīʿah, it has been angry with its Lord ever since God sent His Prophet from Muḍar. No two men go out except that one of them goes out as a rebel. Go away, may God do with you [as He wills].” Saʿīd b. Ziyād mentioned that when he entered upon al-Maʾmūn in Damascus, he said to him, “Show me the letter that the Messenger of God ﷺ wrote.” He said, “So I showed it to him.” He said, “He said, ‘I would love to know what this covering on this seal is.’” He said, “Al-Muʿtaṣim said to him, ‘Untie the knot so that you may know what it is!’ He said, ‘I do not doubt that the Prophet ﷺ tied this knot, and I would not untie a knot that the Messenger of God ﷺ tied.’ Then he said to al-Wāthiq, ‘Take it and place it on your eyes, perhaps God will heal you!’ And al-Maʾmūn kept placing it on his eyes and weeping.” Al-ʿAyshī, the companion of Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm, said: I was with al-Maʾmūn in Damascus, and money had become scarce with him until he was in straits. He complained of that to al-Muʿtaṣim, and he said to him, “O Commander of the Faithful, it is as if I can see the money arriving to you after a week.” Thirty thousand thousand dirhams had been carried to him from the land tax of what he administered for him. When the money arrived, al-Maʾmūn said to Yaḥyā b. Aktham, “Come out with us to look at this money.” So they went out to look at it. It had been arranged in the finest fashion, and its camels had been adorned. Al-Maʾmūn looked at something beautiful, deemed it much, and rejoiced at it while the people looked on and marveled. Al-Maʾmūn said, “O Abū Muḥammad, shall we depart with the money while our companions return disappointed? This is indeed stinginess!” Then he summoned Muḥammad b. Yazdād and said to him, “Assign to the family of so-and-so a thousand thousand, to the family of so-and-so the like of it, and to the family of so-and-so the like of it.” He continued in that manner until he had distributed twenty-four thousand thousand, with his foot in the stirrup. Then he said, “Hand over the remainder to al-Muʿallā so that he may give it to our troops.” Al-ʿAyshī said: I stood before his eyes looking at the two of them. When he saw me doing that, he said, “Assign to this man fifty thousand.” So I received it. It was mentioned from Muḥammad b. Ayyūb b. Jaʿfar b. Sulaymān that in Basra there was a man of Banū Tamīm b. Saʿd who was a witty, wicked, and disagreeable poet. I used to enjoy his company and find him delightful. I said to him, “You are a poet and you are witty, and al-Maʾmūn is more generous than the laden rain cloud. What prevents you from going to him?” He said, “I do not have what would carry me.” I said, “I will give you a riding camel and provisions.” So I gave him a noble riding camel and three hundred dirhams. He composed a rajaz poem that was not long and then set out to al-Maʾmūn. He said: I came to him while he was at Salaghūs. He said: I put on my clothes while I was making my way through the army, and behold, a middle-aged man on a fine mule met me face to face while I was repeating the verses of my rajaz poem. He said, “Peace be upon you.” I said, “And upon you be peace and the mercy of God and His blessings.” He said, “Stop if you wish!” So I stopped, and the scent of musk and ambergris wafted from him. He said, “What is your origin?” I said, “A man of Muḍar.” He said, “We too are of Muḍar.” Then he said, “What next?” I said, “Of Banū Tamīm.” He said, “And what after Tamīm?” I said, “Of Banū Saʿd.” He said, “And what brought you here?” I said, “I came intending this king, than whom I have heard of none with a more fragrant scent or a more generous hand.” He said, “And with what have you come to him?” I said, “Good poetry that delights on the lips and is sweet in the ears of listeners.” He said, “Then recite it to me!” So I became angry and said, “O rickety one, I told you that I came to the caliph with praise, and you say, ‘Recite it to me’?” He pretended not to notice it and ignored answering it. He said, “And what do you hope from him?” I said, “If he is as I have been told, then a thousand dinars.” He said, “I will give you a thousand dinars if I see the poetry is good and the speech is sweet, and I will spare you the trouble and the long waiting until you reach the caliph, while between you and him are ten thousand lancers and archers.” I said, “Then you owe God that you will do it!” He said, “Yes, you have God’s promise that I will do it.” So I recited to him: Maʾmūn, O you of noble favors, and holder of the lofty rank, and leader of the dense battalion, would you like a witty rajaz poem, more charming than the jurisprudence of Abū Ḥanīfah? No, by the One whose vicegerent you are, no weak woman has been wronged in our land. Our emir’s provisions are light, and he has acquired nothing but his stipend. So the wolf and the ewe are in one shelter, and the thief and the merchant are in one cloak. He said: By God, no sooner had I reached this point than there appeared about ten thousand horsemen who filled the horizon, saying, “Peace be upon you, O Commander of the Faithful, and the mercy of God and His blessings.” He said: I was seized with trembling. He looked at me in that state and said, “No harm upon you, my brother.” I said, “O Commander of the Faithful, may God make me your ransom, who among the Arabs puts the kāf in place of the qāf?” He said, “Ḥimyar.” I said, “May God curse Ḥimyar, and may He curse whoever uses this language after today.” Al-Maʾmūn laughed and said to a servant with him, “Give him what you have.” He brought out a purse containing three thousand dinars, and I took it and went on my way. The meaning of his question about putting the kāf in place of the qāf is that he had wanted to say “O raqīq” but he said “O rakīk.” ʿUmārah b. ʿAqīl said: I recited to al-Maʾmūn a poem of one hundred verses. I would begin with the first hemistich, and he would race me to its rhyme as I had rhymed it. I said, “By God, O Commander of the Faithful, no one has ever heard it from me.” He said, “Thus it should be.” Then he said to me, “Has it not reached you that ʿUmar b. Abī Rabīʿah recited to ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās his poem in which he says: ‘Tomorrow the abode of our neighbors will be far,’ and Ibn ʿAbbās said, ‘And after tomorrow the abode will be farther…’ until he recited the whole poem with Ibn ʿAbbās supplying its rhymes. Then he said, ‘I am the son of that one.’” It was mentioned that al-Maʾmūn said: I sent you as a scout, and you won a glance, and you neglected me until I thought ill of you. You whispered with the one I love while I was far away, so would that I knew what your nearness availed. I see a clear trace of him in your eyes; your eyes have taken beauty from his eye. It was said: Al-Maʾmūn took this meaning from al-ʿAbbās b. al-Aḥnaf, for he had expressed this meaning, saying: If my eye suffers for her, then the eye of my messenger has been fortunate, and I have won the news. Whenever her messenger comes to me, I deliberately return my gaze to his eye. Take my eyeball, O messenger, as a loan, and look with it, and rule over my sight. It was said: One day al-Yazīdī complained to al-Maʾmūn about a debt that had befallen him. He said, “I have nothing these days that, if we gave it to you, would enable you to attain what you want.” He said, “O Commander of the Faithful, my creditors have oppressed me.” He said, “Look for some matter for yourself by which you may gain benefit.” He said, “You have boon companions, among whom there is one who, if you set him in motion, I would gain benefit through him.” He said, “I will do it.” He said, “When they are present with you, order so-and-so the servant to deliver my note to you. When you read it, send to me: ‘Your entering at this time is impossible, but choose for yourself whom you love.’” He said, “I will do it.” When al-Yazīdī learned that al-Maʾmūn was sitting with his boon companions and was certain that drink had taken hold of them, he came to the door, entered, and handed his note to the servant. In it was: O best of my brothers and companions! This party-crasher is at the door. He has been told that the people are in pleasure to which every oft-returning one aspires. So make me one of you, or bring out to me some of my peers. Al-Maʾmūn read it to them, and they said, “It is not appropriate for him to enter upon us in such a state.” So al-Maʾmūn sent to him: “Your entering at this time is impossible, so choose for yourself whom you love!” He said, “I want none but ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṭāhir.” Al-Maʾmūn said to him, “He has chosen you, so go to him!” He said, “O Commander of the Faithful, shall I be a partner of a party-crasher?” He said, “It is not possible to refuse Abū Muḥammad in two matters. If you like, go out to him; otherwise, ransom yourself from him!” He said, “I owe ten thousand.” He said, “That will not satisfy him.” He kept increasing by ten thousand at a time while al-Maʾmūn said, “That will not satisfy him,” until it reached one hundred thousand. Al-Maʾmūn said to him, “Then hasten it.” So he wrote it to his agent and sent a messenger with him, and al-Maʾmūn sent to him: “Receiving these dirhams at this hour is better than his companionship and more beneficial for you.” ʿUmārah b. ʿAqīl said: ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī al-Simṭ said to me, “Do you know that al-Maʾmūn does not discern poetry?” I said, “And who could be more learned than he? By God, we recite to him the first hemistich, and he races us to its end.” He said, “I recited to him a verse in which I excelled, but he did not stir for it.” I said, “And what is it?” He said: The imam of guidance, al-Maʾmūn, has become occupied with religion while the people are occupied with the world. He said: I said, “By God, you have done nothing. Did you do anything but make him an old woman in her prayer niche? Who will manage the affairs of the world if he is distracted from it, when he is the one charged with it? Why did you not say as my grandfather Jarīr said concerning ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. al-Walīd: He neither neglects his share in this world, nor does the world’s display distract him from religion.” He said, “Now I know that I have erred.” Abū al-ʿAbbās Aḥmad b. ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAmmār said: Al-Maʾmūn was strongly inclined toward the ʿAlids and toward benevolence to them, and his conduct with them is well known. He did that by nature, not affectation. Among that is that in his days Yaḥyā b. al-Ḥusayn b. Zayd b. ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn al-ʿAlawī died. He attended the funeral prayer over him in person, and the people saw in him such grief and dejection that they marveled at it. Then a son of Zaynab bt. Sulaymān b. ʿAlī b. ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās—she being the cousin of al-Manṣūr—died after him. Al-Maʾmūn sent a shroud for him and dispatched his brother Ṣāliḥ to pray over him and to console his mother, for she held a great position among the Abbasids. He came to her, consoled her, and apologized for his absence from the funeral prayer. Her anger appeared, and she said to her grandson, “Step forward and pray over your father,” and she quoted: We smelted him and thought him pure silver, but the bellows revealed the dross of iron. Then she said to Ṣāliḥ, “Tell him, O son of Marājil: If it had been Yaḥyā b. al-Ḥusayn b. Zayd, you would have placed your train over your mouth and run behind his bier.” [Al-Maʾmūn’s knowledge of medicine and the benefits of foods] It is reported from Muḥammad b. Ḥafṣ al-Anmāṭī that he said: We lunched with al-Maʾmūn on a feast day, and more than three hundred dishes were placed on his table. He said: Every time a dish was placed, al-Maʾmūn looked at it and said, “This is beneficial for such-and-such, harmful for such-and-such. Whoever of you has phlegm should avoid this; whoever of you has yellow bile should eat of this; whoever is dominated by black bile should not approach this; and whoever aims at reducing nourishment should limit himself to this.” Yaḥyā b. Aktham said to him, “O Commander of the Faithful, if we delve into medicine, you are Galen in its knowledge; or into the stars, you are Hermes in their calculation; or into jurisprudence, you are ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib in its knowledge; or if generosity is mentioned, you are Ḥātim al-Ṭāʾī in its description; or truthfulness of speech, you are Abū Dharr in his manner; or nobility, you are Kaʿb b. Māmah in his deeds; or fidelity, you are al-Samawʾal b. ʿĀdiyāʾ in his fidelity.” He was delighted by this speech and said, “Man is distinguished only by his intellect. Were it not for that, no flesh would be better than flesh, nor blood better than blood.”
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