Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3311
The Year 222 AH
ثُمَّ دَخَلَتْ سَنَةُ اثْنَتَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ ذِكْرُ مُحَارِبَةِ بَابَكَ أَيْضًا فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ وَجَّهَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ جَعْفَرًا الْخَيَّاطَ مَدَدًا لَهُ، وَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْهِ إِيتَاخَ وَمَعَهُ ثَلَاثُونَ أَلْفَ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ لِلْجُنْدِ وَلِلنَّفَقَاتِ، فَأَوْصَلَ ذَلِكَ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ وَعَادَ. وَفِيهَا كَانَتْ وَقْعَةٌ بَيْنَ أَصْحَابِ الْأَفْشِينِ وَقَائِدٍ لِبَابَكَ اسْمُهُ آذِينَ، وَكَانَ سَبَبُهَا أَنَّ الشِّتَاءَ لَمَّا انْقَضَى سَنَةَ إِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، وَجَاءَ الرَّبِيعُ، وَدَخَلَتْ سَنَةُ اثْنَتَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ، رَحَلَ الْأَفْشِينُ عِنْدَ إِمْكَانِ الزَّمَانِ، فَصَارَ إِلَى مَوْضِعٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ كَلَانُ رُوذَ، وَتَفْسِيرُهُ نَهْرٌ كَبِيرٌ، فَاحْتَفَرَ عِنْدَهُ خَنْدَقًا، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى أَبِي سَعِيدٍ لِيَرْحَلَ مِنْ بَرْزَنْدَ إِلَى طَرَفِ رُسْتَاقَ كَلَانَ رُوذَ، وَبَيْنَهُمَا قَدْرُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَمْيَالٍ، فَأَقَامَ الْأَفْشِينُ بِكَلَانَ رُوذَ خَمْسَةَ أَيَّامٍ، فَأَتَاهُ مَنْ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ قَائِدًا لِبَابَكَ اسْمُهُ آذِينُ قَدْ عَسْكَرَ بِإِزَائِهِ، وَأَنَّهُ قَدْ صَيَّرَ عِيَالَهُ فِي خَيْلٍ، ( فَقَالَ لَهُ ) بَابَكُ: لِيَجْعَلَهُمْ فِي الْحِصْنِ، فَقَالَ: لَا أَتَحَصَّنُ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ، يَعْنِي الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَاللَّهِ لَا أُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ حِصْنًا أَبَدًا. فَوَجَّهَ الْأَفْشِينُ ظُفَرَ بْنَ الْعَلَاءِ السَّعْدِيَّ فِي جَمَاعَةِ الْفُرْسَانِ وَالرَّجَّالَةِ، فَسَارُوا لَيْلَتَهُمْ فَوَصَلُوا إِلَى مَضِيقٍ لَا يَسْلُكُهُ إِلَّا الْوَاحِدُ بَعْدَ الْوَاحِدِ، وَأَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ قَادُوا دَوَابَّهُمْ، وَتَسَلَّقُوا فِي الْجَبَلِ، وَأَخَذُوا عِيَالَ آذِينَ وَبَعْضَ وَلَدِهِ. وَبَلَغَ الْخَبَرُ آذِينَ، وَكَانَ الْأَفْشِينُ قَدْ خَافَ أَنْ يُؤْخَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الطَّرِيقُ، فَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَجْعَلُوا عَلَى رَأْسِ كُلِّ جَبَلٍ رِجَالًا مَعَهُمُ الْأَعْلَامُ السُّودُ، فَإِنْ رَأَوْا شَيْئًا يَخَافُونَهُ حَرَّكُوا الْأَعْلَامَ، فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ، فَلَمَّا أَخَذُوا عِيَالَ آذِينَ وَرَجَعُوا إِلَى بَعْضِ الطَّرِيقِ قَبْلَ الْمَضِيقِ، أَتَاهُمْ آذِينُ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ، فَحَارَبُوهُمْ فَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمْ قَتْلَى، وَاسْتَنْقَذُوا بَعْضَ النِّسَاءِ، فَنَظَرَ الرِّجَالُ الْمُرَتَّبُونَ بِرُؤُوسِ الْجِبَالِ، فَحَرَّكُوا الْأَعْلَامَ، وَكَانَ آذِينُ قَدْ أَنْفَذَ مَنْ يُمْسِكُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَضِيقَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْأَفْشِينُ تَحْرِيكَ الْعَلَمِ الَّذِي بِإِزَائِهِ سَيَّرَ جَمَاعَةً مِنَ الْجُنْدِ مَعَ مُظَفَّرِ بْنِ كَيْذَرٍ، فَأَسْرَعَ نَحْوَهُمْ، وَوَجَّهَ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ بَعْدَهُمْ وَبُخَارَاخَذَاهُ، فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ رَجَّالَةُ آذِينَ الَّذِينَ عَلَى الْمَضِيقِ تَرَكُوهُ، وَقَصَدُوا أَصْحَابَهُمْ، فَنَجَا ظُفَرُ بْنُ الْعَلَاءِ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ، وَمَعَهُمْ بَعْضُ عِيَالِ آذِينَ. ذِكْرُ فَتْحِ الْبَذِّ وَأَسْرِ بَابَكَ وَفِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ فُتِحَتِ الْبَذُّ، مَدِينَةُ بَابَكَ، وَدَخَلَهَا الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَخَرَّبُوهَا، وَاسْتَبَاحُوهَا، ( وَذَلِكَ لِعَشْرٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ ). وَكَانَ سَبَبُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْأَفْشِينَ لَمَّا عَزَمَ عَلَى الدُّنُوِّ مِنَ الْبَذِّ، وَالرَّحِيلِ مِنْ كَلَانَ رُوذَ، جَعَلَ يَتَقَدَّمُ قَلِيلًا قَلِيلًا خِلَافَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُعْتَصِمُ يَأْمُرُهُ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ النَّاسَ نَوَائِبَ، يَقِفُونَ عَلَى ظُهُورِ الْخَيْلِ نِوَبًا فِي اللَّيْلِ، مَخَافَةَ الْبَيَاتِ، فَضَجَّ النَّاسُ مِنَ التَّعَبِ، وَقَالُوا: بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ الْعَدُوِّ أَرْبَعَةُ فَرَاسِخَ، وَنَحْنُ نَفْعَلُ أَفْعَالًا كَأَنَّ الْعَدُوَّ بِإِزَائِنَا، قَدِ اسْتَحْيَيْنَا مِنَ النَّاسِ، أَقْدِمْ بِنَا، فَإِمَّا لَنَا وَإِمَّا عَلَيْنَا. فَقَالَ: أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ قَوْلَكُمْ حَقٌّ، وَلَكِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَمَرَنِي بِهَذَا، فَلَمْ يَلْبَثْ أَنْ جَاءَهُ كِتَابُ الْمُعْتَصِمِ يَأْمُرُهُ أَنْ يَفْعَلَ كَمَا كَانَ يَفْعَلُ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ كَذَلِكَ أَيَّامًا، ثُمَّ انْحَدَرَ حَتَّى نَزَلَ رُوذَ الرُّوذِ، وَتَقَدَّمَ حَتَّى شَارَفَ الْمَوْضِعَ الَّذِي كَانَتْ بِهِ الْوَقْعَةُ فِي الْعَامِ الْمَاضِي، فَوَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ كُرْدُوسًا مِنَ الْخُرَّمِيَّةِ، فَلَمْ يُحَارِبْهُمْ، وَلَمْ يَزَلْ إِلَى الظُّهْرِ، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى مُعَسْكَرِهِ فَمَكَثَ يَوْمَيْنِ، ثُمَّ عَادَ فِي أَكْثَرِ مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مَعَهُمْ، وَلَمْ يُقَاتِلْهُمْ، وَأَقَامَ الْأَفْشِينُ بِرُوذِ الرُّوذِ، وَأَمَرَ الْكَوْهَبَانِيَّةَ، وَهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْأَخْبَارِ، أَنْ يَنْظُرُوا لَهُ فِي رُؤُوسِ الْجِبَالِ مَوَاضِعَ يَتَحَصَّنُ فِيهَا الرَّجَّالَةُ. فَاخْتَارُوا لَهُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَجْبُلٍ كَانَ عَلَيْهَا حُصُونٌ فَخُرِّبَتْ، فَأَخَذَ مَعَهُ الْفَعَلَةَ، وَسَارَ نَحْوَ هَذِهِ الْجِبَالِ، وَأَخَذَ مَعَهُ الْكَعْكَ وَالسَّوِيقَ، وَأَمَرَ الْفَعَلَةَ بِنَقْلِ الْحِجَارَةِ، وَسَدِّ الطَّرِيقِ إِلَى تِلْكَ الْجِبَالِ، حَتَّى صَارَتْ كَالْحُصُونِ، وَأَمَرَ بِحَفْرِ [ خَنْدَقٍ ] عَلَى كُلِّ طَرِيقٍ وَرَاءَ تِلْكَ الْحِجَارَةِ، وَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ مَسْلَكًا إِلَى الْجِبَالِ مِنْهَا إِلَّا مَسْلَكًا وَاحِدًا، فَفَرَغَ مِنَ الَّذِي أَرَادَ مِنْ حَفْرِ الْخَنَادِقِ فِي عَشْرَةِ أَيَّامٍ، وَهُوَ وَالنَّاسُ يَحْرُسُونَ الْفَعَلَةَ وَالرَّجَّالَةَ لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا. فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْهَا أَدْخَلَ الرَّجَّالَةَ إِلَيْهَا، وَأَنْفَذَ إِلَيْهِ بَابَكُ رَسُولًا وَمَعَهُ قِثَّاءُ، وَبِطِّيخٌ، وَخِيَارٌ، وَيُعْلِمُهُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ تَعِبَ وَشَقِيَ مِنْ أَكْلِ الْكَعْكِ، وَأَنَّنَا فِي عَيْشٍ رَغْدٍ، فَقَبِلَ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ، وَقَالَ: قَدْ عَرَفْتُ مَا أَرَادَ أَخِي، وَأَصْعَدَ الرَّسُولَ، فَأَرَاهُ مَا عَمِلَ، وَأَطَافَ بِهِ خَنَادِقَهُ كُلَّهَا، وَقَالَ: اذْهَبْ فَعَرِّفْهُ مَا رَأَيْتَ. وَكَانَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْخُرَّمِيَّةِ يَأْتُونَ إِلَى قُرْبِ خَنْدَقِ الْأَفْشِينِ، فَيَصِيحُونَ، فَلَمْ يَتْرُكِ الْأَفْشِينُ أَحَدًا يَخْرُجُ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْأَفْشِينَ كَمَّنَ لَهُمْ كَمِينًا، فَلَمَّا جَاؤُوا ثَارُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، فَهَرَبُوا وَلَمْ يَعُودُوا. وَعَبَّأَ الْأَفْشِينُ أَصْحَابَهُ، وَأَمَرَ كُلًّا مِنْهُمْ بِلُزُومِ مَوْضِعِهِ، وَكَانَ يَرْكَبُ، وَالنَّاسُ فِي مَوَاقِفِهِمْ، فَكَانَ يُصَلِّي الصُّبْحَ بِغَلَسٍ، ثُمَّ يَضْرِبُ الطُّبُولَ ( وَيَسِيرُ زَحْفًا، وَكَانَتْ عَلَامَتُهُ فِي الْمَسِيرِ وَالْوُقُوفِ ضَرْبَ الطُّبُولِ ): لِكَثْرَةِ النَّاسِ، وَمَسِيرِهِمْ فِي الْجِبَالِ وَالْأَوْدِيَةِ عَلَى مَصَافِّهِمْ، فَإِذَا سَارَ ضَرَبَهَا، وَإِذَا وَقَفَ أَمْسَكَ عَنْ ضَرْبِهَا، فَيَقِفُ النَّاسُ جَمِيعًا، وَيَسِيرُونَ جَمِيعًا. وَكَانَ يَسِيرُ قَلِيلًا قَلِيلًا كُلَّمَا جَاءَهُ كَوْهَبَانِيٌّ بِخَبَرٍ سَارَ، أَوْ وَقَفَ، وَكَانَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَى الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي كَانَتْ بِهِ الْوَقْعَةُ عَامَ أَوَّلَ، خَلَّفَ بُخَارَاخَذَاهُ عَلَى رَأْسِ الْعَقَبَةِ فِي أَلْفِ فَارِسٍ، وَسِتِّمِائَةِ رَاجِلٍ، يَحْفَظُونَ الطَّرِيقَ لِئَلَّا يَأْخُذَهُ الْخُرَّمِيَّةُ عَلَيْهِمْ. وَكَانَ بَابَكُ إِذَا أَحَسَّ بِمَجِيئِهِمْ وَجَّهَ جَمْعًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَيَكْمُنُونَ فِي وَادٍ ( تَحْتَ تِلْكَ الْعَقَبَةِ )، تَحْتَ بُخَارَاخَذَاهُ، وَاجْتَهَدَ الْأَفْشِينُ أَنْ يَعْرِفَ مَكَانَ كَمِينِ بَابَكَ، فَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِهِمْ، وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ ( أَنْ يَعْبُرَ الْوَادِيَ فِي كُرْدُوسٍ، وَيَأْمُرُ جَعْفَرًا الْخَيَّاطَ أَنْ يَعْبُرَ فِي كُرْدُوسٍ )، وَيَأْمُرُ أَحْمَدَ بْنَ الْخَلِيلِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ أَنْ يَعْبُرَ فِي كُرْدُوسٍ آخَرَ، فَيَصِيرُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْجَانِبِ ثَلَاثَةُ كَرَادِيسَ فِي طَرَفِ أَبْيَاتِهِمْ، وَكَانَ بَابَكُ يُخْرِجُ عَسْكَرَهُ فَيَقِفُ بِإِزَاءِ هَذِهِ الْكَرَادِيسِ، لِئَلَّا يَتَقَدَّمَ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ إِلَى بَابِ الْبَذِّ، وَكَانَ يُفَرِّقُ عَسَاكِرَهُ كَمِينًا، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ إِلَّا فِي نَفَرٍ يَسِيرٍ. وَكَانَ الْأَفْشِينُ يَجْلِسُ عَلَى تَلٍّ مُشْرِفٍ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قَصْرِ بَابَكَ، وَالنَّاسُ كَرَادِيسَ، فَمَنْ كَانَ مَعَهُ مِنْ هَذَا الْجَانِبِ مِنَ الْوَادِي نَزَلَ عَنْ دَابَّتِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْجَانِبِ مَعَ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ وَجَعْفَرٍ وَأَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْخَلِيلِ لَمْ يَنْزِلْ لِقُرْبِهِ مِنَ الْعَدُوِّ، وَكَانَ بَابَكُ وَأَصْحَابُهُ يَشْرَبُونَ الْخَمْرَ، وَيَضْرِبُونَ بِالسُّرْنائِيِّ، فَإِذَا صَلَّى الْأَفْشِينُ الظُّهْرَ رَجَعَ إِلَى خَنْدَقِهِ بِرُوذِ الرُّوذِ، فَكَانَ يَرْجِعُ أَوَّلًا أَقْرَبُهُمْ إِلَى الْعَدُّوِ، ثُمَّ الَّذِي يَلِيهِ، ثُمَّ الَّذِي يَلِيهِ، فَكَانَ آخِرُ مَنْ يَرْجِعُ بُخَارَاخَذَاهُ لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ أَبْعَدَهُمْ عَنِ الْعَدُوِّ، فَإِذَا رَجَعُوا صَاحَ بِهِمُ الْخُرَّمِيَّةُ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي بَعْضِ الْأَيَّامِ ضَجِرَتِ الْخُرَّمِيَّةُ مِنَ الْمُطَاوَلَةِ، وَانْصَرَفَ الْأَفْشِينُ كَعَادَتِهِ، وَعَادَتِ الْكَرَادِيسُ الَّتِي بِذَلِكَ الْجَانِبِ مِنَ الْوَادِي، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ إِلَّا جَعْفَرُ الْخَيَّاطُ، فَفَتَحَ الْخُرَّمِيَّةُ بَابَ الْبَذِّ، وَخَرَجَ مِنْهُمْ جَمَاعَةٌ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ جَعْفَرٍ، وَارْتَفَعَتِ الصَّيْحَةُ فِي الْعَسْكَرِ، فَتَقَدَّمَ جَعْفَرٌ بِنَفْسِهِ، فَرَدَّ أُولَئِكَ الْخُرَّمِيَّةَ إِلَى بَابِ الْبَذِّ، وَوَقَعَتِ الصَّيْحَةُ فِي الْعَسْكَرِ، فَرَجَعَ الْأَفْشِينُ فَرَأَى جَعْفَرًا وَأَصْحَابَهُ يُقَاتِلُونَ، وَخَرَجَ مِنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ جَمَاعَةٌ، وَجَلَسَ الْأَفْشِينُ فِي مَكَانِهِ، وَهُوَ يَتَلَظَّى عَلَى جَعْفَرٍ، وَيَقُولُ: أَفْسَدَ عَلَيَّ تَعْبِيَتِي. وَارْتَفَعَتِ الصَّيْحَةُ، فَكَانَ مَعَ أَبِي دُلَفٍ قَوْمٌ مِنَ الْمُتَطَوِّعَةِ، فَعَبَرُوا إِلَى جَعْفَرٍ بِغَيْرِ أَمْرِ الْأَفْشِينِ، وَتَعَلَّقُوا بِالْبَذِّ، وَأَثَّرُوا فِيهِ أَثَرًا، وَكَادُوا يَصْعَدُونَهُ، فَيَدْخُلُونَ الْبَذَّ، وَوَجَّهَ جَعْفَرٌ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ أَنْ أَمِدَّنِي بِخَمْسِ مِائَةِ رَاجِلٍ مِنَ النَّاشِبَةِ، فَإِنِّي أَرْجُو أَنْ أَدْخُلَ الْبَذَّ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى، فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ الْأَفْشِينُ: إِنَّكَ أَفْسَدْتَ عَلَيَّ أَمْرِي، فَتَخَلَّصْ قَلِيلًا قَلِيلًا، وَخَلِّصْ أَصْحَابَكَ وَانْصَرِفْ، وَارْتَفَعَتِ الصَّيْحَةُ مِنَ الْمُتَطَوِّعَةِ، حَتَّى تَعَلَّقُوا بِالْبَذِّ، وَظَنَّ الْكُمَنَاءُ الَّذِينَ لِبَابَكَ أَنَّ الْحَرْبَ قَدِ اشْتَبَكَتْ، فَوَثَبَ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ تَحْتِ بُخَارَاخَذَاهُ وَوَثَبَ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ نَاحِيَةٍ أُخْرَى، فَتَحَرَّكَتِ الْكُمَنَاءُ مِنَ الْخُرَّمِيَّةِ، وَالنَّاسُ عَلَى رُؤُوسِهِمْ، فَلَمْ يَزُلْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ، فَقَالَ الْأَفْشِينُ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي بَيَّنَ مَوَاضِعَ هَؤُلَاءِ. وَرَجَعَ جَعْفَرٌ وَأَصْحَابُهُ وَالْمُتَطَوِّعَةُ، فَجَاءَ جَعْفَرٌ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ، فَأَنْكَرَ عَلَيْهِ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَمُدَّهُ، وَجَرَى بَيْنَهُمَا نَفْرَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ، وَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُتَطَوِّعَةِ، وَمَعَهُ صَخْرَةٌ، فَقَالَ لِلْأَفْشِينِ: أَتَرُدَّنَا وَهَذَا الْحَجَرُ أَخَذْتَهُ مِنَ السُّورِ ؟ فَقَالَ: إِذَا انْصَرَفْتَ عَرَفْتَ مَنْ عَلَى طَرِيقِكَ، يَعْنِي الْكَمِينَ الَّذِي عِنْدَ بُخَارَاخَذَاهُ. وَقَالَ لِجَعْفَرٍ: لَوْ ثَارَ هَذَا الْكَمِينُ الَّذِي تَحْتَكَ كَيْفَ كُنْتَ تَرَى هَؤُلَاءِ الْمُتَطَوِّعَةَ ؟ ! ثُمَّ رَجَعَ هُوَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ عَلَى عَادَتِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى هَؤُلَاءِ الْكَمِينَ الَّذِي عِنْدَ بُخَارَاخَذَاهُ عَلِمُوا مَا كَانَ وَرَاءَهُمْ، فَإِنَّ بُخَارَاخَذَاهُ لَوْ تَحَرَّكَ نَحْوَ الْقِتَالِ، لَمَلَكُوا ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعَ، وَهَلَكَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ عَنْ آخِرِهِمْ، فَأَقَامَ الْأَفْشِينُ بِخَنْدَقِهِ أَيَّامًا، فَشَكَا الْمُتَطَوِّعَةُ إِلَيْهِ ضِيقَ الْعَلُوفَةِ، وَالزَّادِ، وَالنَّفَقَةِ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ صَبَرَ فَلْيَصْبِرْ، وَمَنْ لَمْ [ يَصْبِرْ ] فَالطَّرِيقُ وَاسِعٌ فَلْيَنْصَرِفْ، وَفِي جُنْدِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِفَايَةٌ، فَانْصَرَفَ الْمُتَطَوِّعَةُ يَقُولُونَ: لَوْ تَرَكَ الْأَفْشِينُ جَعْفَرًا وَتَرَكَنَا لَأَخَذْنَا الْبَذَّ، لَكِنَّهُ يَشْتَهِي الْمُطَاوَلَةَ، فَبَلَغَهُ ذَلِكَ وَمَا تَتَنَاوَلُهُ الْمُتَطَوِّعَةُ بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ حَتَّى قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي الْمَنَامِ، قَالَ لِي: قُلْ لِلْأَفْشِينِ ( إِنْ أَنْتَ حَارَبْتَ هَذَا وَجَدَّدْتَ فِي أَمْرِهِ، وَإِلَّا أَمَرْتُ الْجِبَالَ أَنْ تَرْجُمَكَ بِالْحِجَارَةِ، فَتَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِذَلِكَ، فَبَلَغَ الْأَفْشِينَ )، فَأَحْضَرَهُ، وَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْمَنَامِ، فَقَصَّهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ نِيَّتِي وَمَا أُرِيدُ بِهَذَا الْخَلْقِ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَوْ أَمَرَ الْجِبَالَ بِرَجْمِ أَحَدٍ لَرَجَمَ هَذَا الْكَافِرَ فَكَفَانَا مَؤُونَتَهُ. فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُتَطَوِّعَةِ: أَيُّهَا الْأَمِيرُ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا شَهَادَةً إِنْ كَانَتْ حَضَرَتْ، وَإِنَّمَا قَصَدْنَا ثَوَابَ اللَّهِ وَوَجْهَهُ، فَدَعْنَا وَحْدَنَا حَتَّى نَتَقَدَّمَ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَكُونَ بِإِذْنِكِ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَفْتَحَ عَلَيْنَا. فَقَالَ الْأَفْشِينُ: إِنِّي أَرَى نِيَّاتِكُمْ حَاضِرَةً، وَأَحْسَبُ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ يُرِيدُهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى، وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، وَقَدْ نَشَطْتُمْ وَنَشَطَ النَّاسُ، وَمَا كَانَ هَذَا رَأْيِي وَقَدْ حَدَّثَ السَّاعَةَ لِمَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْ كَلَامِكُمْ، اعْزِمُوا عَلَى بَرَكَةِ اللَّهِ أَيَّ يَوْمٍ أَرَدْتُمْ حَتَّى نُنَاهِضَهُ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ. فَخَرَجُوا مُسْتَبْشِرِينَ، فَتَأَخَّرَ مَنْ أَرَادَ الِانْصِرَافَ، وَوَعَدَ الْأَفْشِينُ النَّاسَ لِيَوْمٍ ذَكَرَهُ لَهُمْ، وَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ بِالتَّجَهُّزِ وَحَمْلِ الْمَالِ وَالزَّادِ وَالْمَاءِ، وَجَعَلَ الْمَحَامِلَ عَلَى الْبِغَالِ تَحْمِلُ الْجَرْحَى، وَزَحَفَ بِالنَّاسِ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ وَجَعَلَ بُخَارَاخَذَاهُ بِمَكَانِهِ عَلَى الْعَقَبَةِ، وَجَلَسَ الْأَفْشِينُ بِالْمَكَانِ الَّذِي كَانَ يَجْلِسُ فِيهِ، وَقَالَ لِأَبِي دُلَفٍ: قُلْ لِلْمُتَطَوِّعَةِ أَيُّ نَاحِيَةٍ أَسْهَلُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاقْتَصِرُوا عَلَيْهَا. فَقَالَ لِجَعْفَرٍ: الْعَسْكَرُ كُلُّهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ وَالنَّشَّابَةُ وَالنَّفَّاطُونَ، فَإِنْ أَرَدْتَ فَخُذْ مِنْهُمْ مَا تُرِيدُ وَاعَزِمْ عَلَى بَرَكَةِ اللَّهِ، وَتَقَدَّمْ مِنْ أَيِّ مَوْضِعٍ تُرِيدُ. فَسَارَ إِلَى الْمَوْضِعِ الَّذِي كَانَ بِهِ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ، وَقَالَ لِأَبِي سَعِيدٍ: قِفْ عِنْدِي أَنْتَ وَأَصْحَابُكَ، وَقَالَ لِجَعْفَرٍ: قِفْ أَنْتَ هَاهُنَا، لِمَكَانٍ عَيَّنَهُ لَهُ، فَإِنْ أَرَادَ جَعْفَرٌ رِجَالًا أَوْ فُرْسَانًا أَمْدَدْنَاهُ. وَتَقَدَّمَ جَعْفَرٌ وَالْمُتَطَوِّعَةُ، فَقَاتَلُوا وَتَعَلَّقُوا بِسُورِ الْبَذِّ، وَضَرَبَ جَعْفَرٌ بَابَ الْبَذِّ وَوَقَفَ عِنْدَهُ يُقَاتِلُ عَلَيْهِ، وَوَجَّهَ الْأَفْشِينُ إِلَيْهِ وَإِلَى الْمُتَطَوِّعَةِ بِالْأَمْوَالِ لِتُفَرَّقَ فِيهِمْ وَيُعْطَى مَنْ تَقَدَّمَ، وَأَمَدَّهُمْ بِالْفَعَلَةِ مَعَهُمُ الْفُؤُوسُ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِالْمِيَاهِ لِئَلَّا يَعْطَشُوا وَبِالْكَعْكِ وَالسَّوِيقِ، فَاشْتَبَكَتِ الْحَرْبُ عَلَى الْبَابِ طَوِيلًا، فَفَتَحَتِ الْخُرَّمِيَّةُ الْبَابَ، وَخَرَجُوا عَلَى أَصْحَابِ جَعْفَرٍ، فَنَحُّوهُمْ عَنِ الْبَابِ، وَشَدُّوا عَلَى الْمُتَطَوِّعَةِ مِنَ النَّاحِيَةِ الْأُخْرَى، فَطَرَحُوهُمْ عَنِ السُّورِ، وَرَمَوْهُمْ بِالصَّخْرِ، وَأَثَّرُوا فِيهِمْ، وَضَعُفُوا عَنِ الْحَرْبِ، وَأَخَذَ جَعْفَرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ نَحْوَ مِائَةِ رَجُلٍ، فَوَقَفُوا خَلْفَ تُرُسِهِمْ مُتَحَاجِزِينَ لَا يُقْدِمُ أَحَدٌ عَلَى الْآخَرِ، فَلَمْ يَزَالُوا كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى صُلِّيَتِ الظُّهْرُ فَتَحَاجَزُوا. وَبَعَثَ الْأَفْشِينُ الرَّجَّالَةَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا عِنْدَهُ نَحْوَ الْمُتَطَوِّعَةِ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَى جَعْفَرٍ بَعْضَهُمْ، خَوْفًا أَنْ يَطْمَعَ الْعَدُوُّ، فَقَالَ جَعْفَرٌ: لَسْتُ أُوتَى مِنْ قِلَّةٍ، وَلَكِنِّي لَا أَرَى لِلْحَرْبِ مَوْضِعًا يَتَقَدَّمُونَ فِيهِ، فَأَمَرَهُ بِالِانْصِرَافِ فَانْصَرَفَ. وَحَمَلَ الْأَفْشِينُ الْجَرْحَى وَمَنْ بِهِ وَهَنٌ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ، فَحُمِلُوا فِي الْمَحَامِلِ عَلَى الْبِغَالِ وَانْصَرَفُوا عَنْهُمْ، وَأَيِسَ النَّاسُ مِنَ الْفَتْحِ تِلْكَ السَّنَةَ، وَانْصَرَفَ أَكْثَرُ الْمُطَّوِّعَةِ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْأَفْشِينَ تَجَهَّزَ بَعْدَ جُمْعَتَيْنِ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ بَعَثَ الرَّجَّالَةَ النَّاشِبَةَ، وَهُمْ أَلْفُ رَجُلٍ، وَأَعْطَى كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ شَكْوَةً وَكَعْكًا، وَأَعْطَاهُمْ أَعْلَامًا غَيْرَ مُرَكَّبَةٍ وَبَعَثَ مَعَهُمْ أَدِلَّاءَ، فَسَارُوا فِي جِبَالٍ مُنْكَرَةٍ صَعْبَةٍ فِي غَيْرِ طَرِيقٍ، حَتَّى صَارُوا خَلْفَ التَّلِّ الَّذِي يَقِفُ آذِينُ عَلَيْهِ، وَهُوَ جَبَلٌ شَاهِقٌ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ لَا يَعْلَمَ بِهِمْ أَحَدٌ، حَتَّى إِذَا رَأَوْا أَعْلَامَ الْأَفْشِينِ وَصَلُوا الْغَدَاةَ وَرَأَوُا الْوَقْعَةَ رَكَّبُوا تِلْكَ الْأَعْلَامَ فِي الرِّمَاحِ وَضَرَبُوا الطُّبُولَ وَانْحَدَرُوا مِنْ فَوْقِ الْجَبَلِ، وَرَمَوْا بِالنِّشَابِ وَالصَّخْرِ عَلَى الْخُرَّمِيَّةِ، وَإِنْ هُمْ لَمْ يَرَوُا الْأَعْلَامَ لَمْ يَتَحَرَّكُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهُمْ خَبَرُهُ. فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ فَوَصَلُوا إِلَى رَأْسِ الْجَبَلِ عِنْدَ السَّحَرِ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي بَعْضِ اللَّيْلِ وَجَّهَ الْأَفْشِينُ إِلَى الْجُنْدِ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالتَّجَهُّزِ لِلْحَرْبِ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْضُ اللَّيْلِ وَجَّهَ بَشِيرًا التُّرْكِيَّ وَقُوَّادًا مِنَ الْفَرَاغِنَةِ كَانُوا مَعَهُ، فَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَسِيرُوا حَتَّى يَصِيرُوا تَحْتَ التَّلِّ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ آذِينُ، وَكَانَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ بَابَكَ يَكْمُنُ تَحْتَ ذَلِكَ الْجَبَلِ، فَسَارُوا لَيْلًا، وَلَا يَعْلَمُ بِهِمْ أَكْثَرُ أَهْلِ الْعَسْكَرِ، ثُمَّ رَكِبَ هُوَ وَالْعَسْكَرُ مَعَ السَّحَرِ، فَصَلَّى الْغَدَاةَ، وَضَرَبَ الطَّبْلَ، وَرَكِبَ فَأَتَى الْمَوْضِعَ الَّذِي كَانَ يَقِفُ فِيهِ، فَقَعَدَ عَلَى عَادَتِهِ، وَأَمَرَ بُخَارَاخَذَاهُ أَنْ يَقِفَ مَعَ جَعْفَرٍ الْخَيَّاطِ وَأَبِي سَعِيدٍ وَأَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْخَلِيلِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، وَنَزَلَ الْمَوْضِعَ الَّذِي كَانَ يَقِفُ فِيهِ، فَأَنْكَرَ النَّاسُ ذَلِكَ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَقْرُبُوا مِنَ التَّلِّ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ آذِينُ فَيُحْدِقُوا بِهِ، وَكَانَ قَبْلُ يَنْهَاهُمْ عَنْهُ. وَمَضَى النَّاسُ مَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقُوَّادِ الْأَرْبَعَةِ، ( فَكَانَ جَعْفَرٌ مِمَّا يَلِي الْبَابَ، وَإِلَى جَانِبِهِ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ، وَإِلَى جَانِبِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ بُخَارَاخَذَاهُ، وَكَانَ أَحْمَدُ مِمَّا يَلِي بُخَارَاخَذَاهُ، فَصَارُوا جَمِيعًا حَوْلَ التَّلِّ وَارْتَفَعَتِ الضَّجَّةُ ) مِنْ أَسْفَلِ الْوَادِي، فَوَثَبَ كَمِينُ بَابَكَ بِبَشِيرٍ التُّرْكِيِّ وَالْفَرَاغِنَةِ، فَحَارَبُوهُمْ وَسَمِعَ أَهْلُ الْعَسْكَرِ صَيْحَتَهُمْ، فَأَرَادُوا الْحَرَكَةَ، فَأَمَرَ الْأَفْشِينُ مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِي فِيهِمْ أَنَّ بَشِيرًا قَدْ أَثَارَ كَمِينًا، فَلَا يَتَحَرَّكَنَّ أَحَدٌ، فَسَكَنُوا، وَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الرِّجَالُ الَّذِينَ كَانَ سَيَّرَهُمْ حَتَّى صَارُوا فِي أَعْلَى الْجَبَلِ ضَجَّةَ الْعَسْكَرِ رَكَّبُوا الْأَعْلَامَ عَلَى الرِّمَاحِ، فَنَظَرَ النَّاسُ إِلَى الْأَعْلَامِ تَنْحَدِرُ مِنَ الْجَبَلِ عَلَى خَيْلِ آذِينَ، فَوَجَّهَ آذِينُ إِلَيْهِمْ بَعْضَ أَصْحَابِهِ. ( وَحَمَلَ جَعْفَرٌ وَأَصْحَابُهُ ) عَلَى آذِينَ وَأَصْحَابِهِ، حَتَّى صَعِدُوا إِلَيْهِ، فَحَمَلُوا عَلَيْهِ حَمْلَةً مُنْكَرَةً، فَانْحَدَرَ إِلَى الْوَادِي، وَحَمَلَ عَلَيْهِ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، فَإِذَا تَحْتَ دَوَابِّهِمْ آبَارٌ مَحْفُورَةٌ، فَتَسَاقَطَتِ الْفُرْسَانُ فِيهَا، فَوَجَّهَ الْأَفْشِينُ الْفَعَلَةَ يَطُمُّونَ تِلْكَ الْآبَارِ، فَفَعَلُوا، وَحَمَلَ النَّاسُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَمْلَةً شَدِيدَةً. وَكَانَ آذِينُ قَدْ جَعَلَ فَوْقَ الْجَبَلِ عَجَلًا عَلَيْهَا صَخْرٌ، فَلَمَّا حَمَلَ النَّاسُ عَلَيْهِ دَفَعَ تِلْكَ الْعَجَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَأَفْرَجَ النَّاسُ مِنْهَا حَتَّى تَدَحْرَجَتْ، ثُمَّ حَمَلَ النَّاسُ مِنْ كُلِّ وَجْهٍ، فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ بَابَكُ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ قَدْ أَحْدَقَ بِهِمْ خَرَجَ مِنْ طَرَفِ الْبَذِّ، مِمَّا يَلِي الْأَفْشِينَ، فَأَقْبَلَ نَحْوَهُ، فَقِيلَ لِلْأَفْشِينِ: إِنَّ هَذَا بَابَكُ يُرِيدُكَ، فَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِ، حَتَّى سَمِعَ كَلَامَهُ، وَكَلَامَ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَالْحَرْبُ مُشْتَبِكَةٌ فِي نَاحِيَةِ آذِينَ، فَقَالَ: أُرِيدُ الْأَمَانَ مِنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْأَفْشِينُ: قَدْ عَرَضْتُ هَذَا عَلَيْكَ، وَهُوَ لَكَ مَبْذُولٌ مَتَى شِئْتَ، فَقَالَ: قَدْ شِئْتُ الْآنَ عَلَى أَنْ تُؤَخِّرَنِي حَتَّى أَحْمِلَ عِيَالِي وَأَتَجَهَّزَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْأَفْشِينُ: أَنَا أَنْصَحُكَ، خُرُوجُكَ الْيَوْمَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ غَدٍ، قَالَ: قَدْ قَبِلْتُ هَذَا، قَالَ الْأَفْشِينُ: فَابْعَثْ بِالرَّهَائِنِ ! فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ، أَمَّا فُلَانٌ وَفُلَانٌ فَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ التَّلِّ، فَمُرْ أَصْحَابَكَ بِالتَّوَقُّفِ. فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ الْأَفْشِينِ لِيَرُدَّ النَّاسَ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّ أَعْلَامَ الْفَرَاغِنَةَ قَدْ دَخَلَتِ الْبَذَّ، وَصَعِدُوا بِهَا الْقُصُورَ، فَرَكِبَ وَصَاحَ بِالنَّاسِ، فَدَخَلَ، وَدَخَلُوا، وَصَعِدَ النَّاسُ بِالْأَعْلَامِ فَوْقَ قُصُورِ بَابَكَ، وَكَانَ قَدْ كَمَّنَ فِي قُصُورِهِ، وَهِيَ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَسِتِّمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ، فَخَرَجُوا عَلَى النَّاسِ، فَقَاتَلُوهُمْ، وَمَرَّ بَابَكُ، حَتَّى دَخَلَ الْوَادِي الَّذِي يَلِي هَشْتَادْسِرَ، وَاشْتَغَلَ الْأَفْشِينُ وَمِنْ مَعَهُ بِالْحَرْبِ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الْقُصُورِ، فَأَحْضَرَ النَّفَّاطِينَ فَأَحْرَقُوهَا، وَهَدَمَ النَّاسُ الْقُصُورَ، فَقَتَلُوا الْخُرَّمِيَّةَ عَنْ آخِرِهِمْ، وَأَخَذَ الْأَفْشِينُ أَوْلَادَ بَابَكَ وَعِيَالِهِ، وَبَقِيَ هُنَاكَ حَتَّى أَدْرَكَهُ الْمَسَاءُ، فَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ بِالِانْصِرَافِ، فَرَجَعُوا إِلَى الْخَنْدَقِ بِرَوْذِ الرَّوْذِ. وَأَمَّا بَابَكُ فَإِنَّهُ سَارَ فِيمَنْ مَعَهُ، وَكَانُوا قَدْ عَادُوا إِلَى الْبَذِّ، بَعْدَ رُجُوعِ الْأَفْشِينِ، فَأَخَذُوا مَا أَمْكَنَهُمْ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَالْأَمْوَالِ، وَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ رَجَعَ الْأَفْشِينُ إِلَى الْبَذِّ، وَأَمَرَ بِهَدْمِ الْقُصُورِ وَإِحْرَاقِهَا، فَفَعَلُوا، فَلَمْ يَدَعْ مِنْهَا بَيْتًا، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى مُلُوكِ أَرْمِينِيَّةَ وَبَطَارِقَتِهِمْ، يُعْلِمُهُمْ أَنَّ بَابَكَ قَدْ هَرَبَ وَعِدَّةٌ مَعَهُ، وَهُوَ مَارٌّ بِكُمْ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِحِفْظِ نَوَاحِيهِمْ، وَلَا يَمُرُّ بِهِمْ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا أَخَذُوهُ، حَتَّى يَعْرِفُوهُ. وَجَاءَتْ جَوَاسِيسُ الْأَفْشِينِ إِلَيْهِ فَأَعْلَمُوهُ بِمَوْضِعِ بَابَكَ، وَكَانَ فِي وَادٍ كَثِيرِ الشَّجَرِ وَالْعُشْبِ، طَرَفُهُ بِأَذْرَبِيجَانَ، وَطَرَفُهُ الْآخَرُ بِأَرْمِينِيَّةَ، وَلَمْ يُمْكِنْ لِلْخَيْلِ نُزُولُهُ، وَلَا يُرَى مَنْ يَسْتَخْفِي فِيهِ لِكَثْرَةِ شَجَرِهِ وَمِيَاهِهِ، وَيُسَمَّى هَذَا الْوَادِي غَيْضَةً، فَوَجَّهَ الْأَفْشِينُ إِلَى كُلِّ مَوْضِعٍ فِيهِ طَرِيقٌ إِلَى الْوَادِي جَمَاعَةً مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ، وَكَانُوا خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ جَمَاعَةً. وَوَرَدَ كِتَابُ الْمُعْتَصِمِ، فِيهِ أَمَانُ بَابَكَ، فَدَعَا الْأَفْشِينُ مَنْ كَانَ اسْتَأْمَنَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَأَعْلَمَهُمْ ذَلِكَ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَيْهِ بِالْكِتَابِ، وَفِيهِمُ ابْنُهُ، فَلَمْ يَجْسُرْ [ عَلَى ذَلِكَ ] أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ خَوْفًا مِنْهُ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّهُ يَفْرَحُ بِهَذَا الْأَمَانِ، فَقَالُوا: نَحْنُ أَعْرَفُ بِهِ مِنْكَ، فَقَامَ رَجُلَانِ فَقَالَا: اضْمَنْ لَنَا أَنَّكَ تُجْرِي عَلَى عِيَالِنَا، فَضِمْنَ لَهُمَا، فَسَارَا بِالْكِتَابِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَيَاهُ أَعْلَمَاهُ مَا قَدِمَا لَهُ، فَقَتَلَ أَحَدَهُمَا وَأَمَرَ الْآخَرَ أَنْ يَعُودَ بِالْكِتَابِ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ. وَكَانَ ابْنُهُ قَدْ كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ مَعَهُمَا كِتَابًا، فَقَالَ لِذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ: قُلْ لِابْنِ الْفَاعِلَةِ: لَوْ كُنْتَ ابْنِي لَلَحِقْتَ بِي، وَلَكِنَّكَ لَسْتَ ابْنِي، وَلَأَنْ تَعِيشَ يَوْمًا وَاحِدًا وَأَنْتَ رَئِيسٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَعِيشَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً عَبْدًا ذَلِيلًا ! وَقَعَدَ فِي مَوْضِعِهِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ فِي تِلْكَ الْغَيْضَةِ حَتَّى فَنِيَ زَادُهُ، وَخَرَجَ مِنْ بَعْضِ تِلْكَ الطُّرُقِ، وَكَانَ مَنْ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْجُنْدِ، قَدْ تَنَحَّوْا قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ، وَتَرَكُوا عَلَيْهِ أَرْبَعَةَ نَفَرٍ يَحْرُسُونَهُ. فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ، نِصْفَ النَّهَارِ، إِذْ خَرَجَ بَابَكُ وَأَصْحَابُهُ، فَلَمْ يَرَ الْعَسْكَرَ، وَلَا أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَحْرُسُونَ الْمَكَانَ، فَظَنَّ أَنْ لَيْسَ هُنَاكَ أَحَدٌ، فَخَرَجَ هُوَ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَخُوهُ، وَمُعَاوِيَةُ، وَأُمُّهُ، وَامْرَأَةٌ أُخْرَى، وَسَارُوا يُرِيدُونَ أَرْمِينِيَّةَ، فَرَآهُمُ الْحُرَّاسُ، فَأَرْسَلُوا إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِمْ: إِنَّنَا قَدْ رَأَيْنَا فُرْسَانًا لَا نَدْرِي مَنْ هُمْ، وَكَانَ أَبُو السَّاجِ هُوَ الْمُقَدَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَرَكِبَ النَّاسُ وَسَارُوا نَحْوَهُمْ، فَرَأَوْا بَابَكَ وَأَصْحَابَهُ قَدْ نَزَلُوا عَلَى مَاءٍ يَتَغَدَّوْنَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْعَسَاكِرَ رَكِبَ هُوَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ، فَنَجَا هُوَ، وَأَخَذَ مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَأُمَّ بَابَكَ، وَالْمَرْأَةَ الْأُخْرَى، فَأَرْسَلَهُمْ أَبُو السَّاجِ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ. وَسَارَ بَابَكُ فِي جِبَالِ أَرْمِينِيَّةَ مُسْتَخْفِيًا، فَاحْتَاجَ إِلَى طَعَامٍ، وَكَانَ بِطَارِقَةُ أَرْمِينِيَّةَ قَدْ تَحَفَّظُوا بِنَوَاحِيهِمْ، وَأَوْصَوْا أَنْ لَا يَجْتَازَ بِهِمْ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا أَخَذُوهُ حَتَّى يَعْرِفُوهُ، وَأَصَابَ بَابَكَ الْجُوعُ، فَرَأَى حَرَّاثًا فِي بَعْضِ الْأَوْدِيَةِ، فَقَالَ لِغُلَامِهِ: انْزِلْ إِلَى هَذَا الْحَرَّاثِ، وَخُذْ مَعَكَ دَنَانِيرَ وَدَرَاهِمَ، فَإِنْ كَانَ مَعَهُ خُبْزٌ فَاشْتَرِ مِنْهُ. وَكَانَ لِلْحَرَّاثِ شَرِيكٌ قَدْ ذَهَبَ لِحَاجَةٍ، فَنَزَلَ الْغُلَامُ إِلَى الْحَرَّاثِ لِيَأْخُذَ مِنْهُ الطَّعَامَ، فَرَآهُ رَفِيقُ الْحَرَّاثِ، فَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ يَأْخُذُ مَا مَعَهُ غَصْبًا، فَعَدَا إِلَى الْمُسَلَّحَةِ، وَأَعْلَمَهُمْ أَنَّ رَجُلًا عَلَيْهِ سَيْفٌ وَسِلَاحٌ قَدْ أَخَذَ خُبْزَ شَرِيكِهِ، فَرَكِبَ صَاحِبُ الْمُسَلَّحَةِ، وَكَانَ فِي جِبَالِ ابْنِ سَنْبَاطَ، فَوَجَّهَ إِلَى سَهْلِ بْنِ سُنْبَاطَ بِالْخَبَرِ، فَرَكِبَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ فَوَافَى الْحَرَّاثَ وَالْغُلَامُ عِنْدَهُ، فَسَأَلَ عَنْهُ فَأَخْبَرَهُ الْحَرَّاثُ خَبَرَهُ، فَأَخْبَرَ الْغُلَامُ عَنْ مَوْلَاهُ، وَدَلَّهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى وَجْهَ بَابَكَ عَرَفَهُ ( فَتَرَجَّلَ لَهُ )، وَأَخَذَ يَدَهُ فَقَبَّلَهَا، وَقَالَ: أَيْنَ تُرِيدُ ؟ قَالَ: بِلَادَ الرُّومِ، قَالَ: لَا تَجِدُ أَحَدًا أَعْرَفُ بِحَقِّكَ مِنِّي، وَلَيْسَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ السُّلْطَانِ عَمَلٌ، وَكُلُّ مَنْ هَاهُنَا مِنَ الْبَطَارِقَةِ إِنَّمَا هُمْ أَهْلُ بَيْتِكَ، قَدْ صَارَ لَكَ مِنْهُمْ أَوْلَادٌ؛ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ بَابَكَ كَانَ إِذَا عَلِمَ أَنَّ عِنْدَ بَعْضِهِمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ امْرَأَةً جَمِيلَةً طَلَبَهَا، فَإِنْ بَعَثَ بِهَا إِلَيْهِ، وَإِلَّا أَسْرَى إِلَيْهِ، فَأَخَذَهَا، وَنَهَبَ مَالَهُ وَعَادَ، فَخَدَعَهُ ابْنُ سُنْبَاطَ، حَتَّى صَارَ إِلَى حِصْنِهِ. وَأَرْسَلَ بَابَكُ أَخَاهُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ إِلَى حِصْنِ اصْطِفَانُوسَ، فَأَرْسَلَ ابْنَ سَنْبَاطَ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ يُعْلِمُهُ بِذَلِكَ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ الْأَفْشِينُ يَعِدُهُ وَيُمَنِّيهِ، وَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْهِ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ وبورمارهَ، وَأَمَرَهُمَا بِطَاعَتِهِ، وَأَمَرَهُمَا ابْنُ سُنْبَاطَ بِالْمَقَامِ فِي مَكَانٍ سَمَّاهُ، وَقَالَ: لَا تَبْرَحَا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكُمَا رَسُولِي، فَيَكُونُ الْعَمَلُ بِمَا يَقُولُ لَكُمَا. ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ قَالَ لِبَابَكَ: قَدْ ضَجِرْتَ مِنْ هَذَا الْحِصْنِ، فَلَوْ نَزَلْتَ إِلَى الصَّيْدِ، فَفَعَلَ، فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ مِنِ الْحِصْنِ أَرْسَلَ ابْنُ سُنْبَاطَ إِلَى أَبِي سَعِيدٍ وبورماره، فَأَمَرَهُمَا أَنْ يُوَافِيَاهُ: أَحَدُهُمَا مِنْ جَانِبِ وَادٍ هُنَاكَ، وَالثَّانِي مِنَ الْجَانِبِ الْآخَرِ، فَفَعَلَا، فَلَمْ يُحِبَّ أَنْ يَدْفَعَهُ إِلَيْهِمَا. فَبَيْنَمَا بَابَكُ وَابْنُ سُنْبَاطَ يَتَصَيَّدَانِ إِذْ خَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَبُو سَعِيدٍ وبورمارهُ فِي أَصْحَابِهِمَا، وَعَلَى بَابَكَ دُرَّاعَةٌ بَيْضَاءُ، فَأَخَذَهُمَا، وَأَمَرُوا بَابَكَ بِالنُّزُولِ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ أَنْتُمْ ؟ فَقَالَ: أَنَا أَبُو سَعِيدٍ، وَهَذَا فُلَانٌ، فَنَزَلَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِابْنِ سُنْبَاطَ مِنَ الْكَلَامِ الْقَبِيحِ، وَشَتَمَهُ، وَقَالَ: إِنَّمَا بِعْتَنِي لِلْيَهُودِ بِشَيْءٍ يَسِيرٍ، لَوْ أَرَدْتَ الْمَالَ لَأَعْطَيْتُكَ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يُعْطِيكَ هَؤُلَاءِ، فَأَرْكَبَهُ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ، وَسَارُوا بِهِ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ، فَلَمَّا قَرُبَ مِنَ الْعَسْكَرِ صَعِدَ الْأَفْشِينُ، وَجَلَسَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ، وَصَفَّ عَسْكَرَهُ صَفَّيْنِ، وَأَمَرَ بِإِنْزَالِ بَابَكَ عَنْ دَابَّتِهِ، وَمَشَى بَيْنَ الصَّفَّيْنِ، وَأَدْخَلَهُ الْأَفْشِينُ بَيْتًا، وَوَكَّلَ بِهِ مَنْ يَحْفَظُهُ، وَسَيَّرَ مَعَهُ سَهْلَ بْنَ سُنْبَاطَ وَابْنَهُ مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَأَمَرَ لَهُ الْأَفْشِينُ بِمِائَةِ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، وَأَمَرَ لِسَهْلٍ بِأَلْفِ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، وَمِنْطَقَةٍ مُغْرَقَةٍ بِالْجَوَاهِرِ وَتَاجِ الْبَطْرَقَةِ. وَأَرْسَلَ الْأَفْشِينُ إِلَى عِيسَى بْنِ يُونُسَ بْنِ اصْطِفَانُوسَ يَطْلُبُ مِنْهُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ أَخَا بَابَكَ فَأَنْفَذَهُ إِلَيْهِ، فَحَبَسَهُ مَعَ أَخِيهِ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ بِذَلِكَ، فَأَمَرَهُ بِالْقُدُومِ بِهِمَا عَلَيْهِ. وَكَانَ وُصُولُ بَابَكَ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ بِبَرْزَنْدَ لِعَشْرٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ شَوَّالَ. وَكَانَ الْأَفْشِينُ قَدْ أَخَذَ نِسَاءً كَثِيرَةً وَصِبْيَانًا كَثِيرًا، ذَكَرُوا أَنَّ بَابَكَ أَسَرَهُمْ، وَأَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَارٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ وَالدَّهَّاقِينَ، فَأَمَرَ بِهِمْ فَجُعِلُوا فِي حَظِيرَةٍ كَبِيرَةٍ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَكْتُبُوا إِلَى أَوْلِيَائِهِمْ، فَكُلُّ مَنْ جَاءَ يَعْرِفُ امْرَأَةً، أَوْ صَبِيًّا، أَوْ جَارِيَةً، وَأَقَامَ شَاهِدَيْنِ أَخَذَهُ، فَأَخَذَ النَّاسُ مِنْهُمْ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا، وَبَقِيَ كَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ. ذِكْرُ اسْتِيلَاءِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَلَى طُلَيْطِلَةَ قَدْ ذَكَرْنَا عِصْيَانَ أَهْلِ طُلَيْطِلَةَ عَلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ الْأُمَوِيِّ، صَاحِبِ الْأَنْدَلُسِ، وَإِنْفَاذَ الْجُيُوشِ إِلَى مُحَاصَرَتِهَا مَرَّةً بَعْدَ مَرَّةٍ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ سَنَةَ إِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ خَرَجَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا إِلَى قَلْعَةِ رَبَاحٍ، وَبِهَا عَسْكَرٌ لِعَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، فَاجْتَمَعُوا كُلُّهُمْ عَلَى حَصْرِ طُلَيْطِلَةَ، وَضَيَّقُوا عَلَيْهَا، وَعَلَى أَهْلِهَا، وَقَطَعُوا عَنْهُمْ بَاقِيَ مَرَافِقِهَا، وَاشْتَدُّوا فِي مُحَاصَرَتِهِمْ، فَبَقُوا كَذَلِكَ إِلَى أَنْ دَخَلَتْ سَنَةُ اثْنَتَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ. فَسَيَّرَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ أَخَاهُ الْوَلِيدَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ إِلَيْهَا أَيْضًا، فَرَأَى أَهْلَهَا وَقَدْ بَلَغَ بِهِمُ الْجَهْدُ كُلَّ مَبْلَغٍ، وَاشْتَدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ طُولُ الْحِصَارِ، وَضَعُفُوا عَنِ الْقِتَالِ وَالدَّفْعِ، فَاقْتَحَمَهَا قَهْرًا وَعَنْوَةً يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ لِثَمَانٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ رَجَبٍ، وَأَمَرَ بِتَجْدِيدِ الْقَصْرِ الَّذِي عَلَى بَابِ الْحِصْنِ الَّذِي كَانَ هُدِمَ أَيَّامَ الْحَكَمِ، وَأَقَامَ بِهَا إِلَى آخِرِ شَعْبَانَ مِنْ سَنَةِ ثَلَاثٍ وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّتْ قَوَاعِدُ أَهْلِهَا وَسَكَنُوا. ذِكْرُ عِدَّةِ حَوَادِثَ وَحَجَّ بِالنَّاسِ هَذِهِ السَّنَةَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ. وَفِيهَا ظَهَرَ عَنْ يَسَارِ الْقِبْلَةِ كَوْكَبٌ، فَبَقِيَ يُرَى نَحْوًا مِنْ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً، وَلَهُ شِبْهُ الذَّنَبِ، وَكَانَ أَوَّلُ مَا طَلَعَ نَحْوَ الْمَغْرِبِ، ثُمَّ رُئِيَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ نَحْوَ الْمَشْرِقِ، وَكَانَ طَوِيلًا جِدًّا، فَهَالَ النَّاسَ ذَلِكَ، وَعَظُمَ عَلَيْهِمْ. ذَكَرَهُ ابْنُ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ فِي تَارِيخِهِ، وَهُوَ مِنَ الثِّقَاتِ الْأَثْبَاتِ. وَظَهَرَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ مِنَ الْفَأْرِ مَا لَمْ يُحِطْ بِهِ الْإِحْصَاءُ، وَأَتَى عَلَى غَلَّاتِ النَّاسِ، ثُمَّ تَفَانَى بِوُقُوعِ الْمَوْتِ فِيهِ.
Translation
✧ Then the year two hundred and twenty-two began. Account of the fighting against Bābak again In this year, al-Muʿtaṣim sent Jaʿfar al-Khayyāṭ to al-Afshīn as reinforcements, and he sent Itākh to him with thirty thousand thousand dirhams for the troops and expenses. He delivered that to al-Afshīn and returned. In it there was a battle between al-Afshīn's men and a commander of Bābak named Ādhīn. The reason was that when winter ended in the year two hundred and twenty-one, spring came, and the year two hundred and twenty-two began, al-Afshīn set out when the weather permitted. He went to a place called Kalāndhurūdh, which means "a great river." He dug a trench there and wrote to Abū Saʿīd to move from Barzand to the edge of the district of Kalāndhurūdh, the distance between them being about three miles. Al-Afshīn stayed at Kalāndhurūdh for five days. Then someone came to him and informed him that a commander of Bābak named Ādhīn had encamped opposite him, and that he had placed his family in the cavalry. Bābak told him to put them in the fortress, but he said: "I will not fortify myself against the Jews," meaning the Muslims. "By God, I will never put them in a fortress." Al-Afshīn dispatched Ẓufar b. al-ʿAlāʾ al-Saʿdī with a body of cavalry and infantry. They traveled by night and reached a narrow pass through which only one person could pass at a time. Most of the men led their mounts and climbed the mountain, and they seized Ādhīn's family and some of his children. The news reached Ādhīn. Al-Afshīn had feared that the road might be seized against them, so he ordered them to post men on the summit of every mountain with black banners. If they saw anything they feared, they were to wave the banners. They did that. When they seized Ādhīn's family and returned along part of the road before the pass, Ādhīn came against them with his companions. They fought them, killing some of them and rescuing some of the women. The men posted on the mountaintops looked and waved the banners. Ādhīn had sent men to hold the pass against them. When al-Afshīn saw the waving of the banner opposite him, he dispatched a body of troops with Muẓaffar b. Kaydhar, and they hurried toward them. He sent Abū Saʿīd after them, along with Bukhārākhudhāh. When Ādhīn's infantry at the pass saw them, they abandoned it and headed for their comrades. Thus Ẓufar b. al-ʿAlāʾ and those with him escaped, taking some of Ādhīn's family with them. Account of the conquest of al-Badhdh and the capture of Bābak In this year al-Badhdh, Bābak's city, was conquered. The Muslims entered it, destroyed it, and plundered it, and that was on the tenth remaining night of Ramaḍān. The reason was that when al-Afshīn resolved to draw near to al-Badhdh and depart from Kalāndhurūdh, he began to advance little by little, contrary to his previous practice. Al-Muʿtaṣim wrote to him ordering him to have the men take turns standing watch on horseback at night for fear of a night attack. The people complained of exhaustion and said: "Between us and the enemy are four parasangs, and we are acting as if the enemy were facing us. We are ashamed before the people. Advance with us, and then it will be either for us or against us." He said: "I know that what you say is true, but the Commander of the Faithful ordered me to do this." It was not long before a letter came from al-Muʿtaṣim ordering him to do as he had been doing. He continued that for several days, then descended until he camped at Rūdh al-Rūdh. He advanced until he overlooked the place where the battle had been the previous year. He found there a squadron of Khurramiyya, but he did not fight them. He remained until noon, then returned to his camp and stayed for two days. Then he returned with more than those who had been with them, but he did not fight them. Al-Afshīn stayed at Rūdh al-Rūdh and ordered the kawhabāniyya, who are the intelligence men, to look for places on the mountaintops where infantry could take refuge. They selected for him three mountains on which there had been fortresses that had been destroyed. He took workmen with him and marched toward these mountains. He took with him biscuit and parched barley, and ordered the workmen to carry stones and block the roads to those mountains until they became like fortresses. He ordered the digging of a trench on every road behind those stones, and he left no path to the mountains except one. He finished the digging of the trenches in ten days, while he and the men guarded the workmen and infantry night and day. When he finished, he brought the infantry into them. Bābak sent a messenger to him with cucumbers, melons, and small cucumbers, informing him that he had become weary and suffered from eating biscuit, while they were living in comfort. He accepted that from him and said: "I know what my brother wants." He took the messenger up and showed him what he had done, making him go around all his trenches, and said: "Go and tell him what you have seen." A group of Khurramiyya used to come near al-Afshīn's trench and shout. Al-Afshīn did not allow anyone to go out to them. They did that for three days. Then al-Afshīn set an ambush for them. When they came, they rose against them, and they fled and did not return. Al-Afshīn drew up his men and ordered each of them to keep to his position. He used to ride while the men were at their posts. He would pray the dawn prayer while it was still dark, then beat the drums and advance slowly. His signal for marching and halting was the beating of drums, because of the large number of men and their movement through mountains and valleys in their battle lines. When he marched, he beat them; when he halted, he stopped beating them, and the men all halted together and marched together. He advanced little by little. Whenever a kawhabānī came to him with news, he either marched or halted. When he wanted to advance to the place where the battle had been the previous year, he left Bukhārākhudhāh at the top of the mountain pass with a thousand cavalry and six hundred infantry to guard the road so that the Khurramiyya would not seize it against them. Whenever Bābak sensed their coming, he sent a group of his men to lie in ambush in a valley beneath that pass, below Bukhārākhudhāh. Al-Afshīn tried hard to learn the location of Bābak's ambush, but he did not know where they were. He used to order Abū Saʿīd to cross the valley in a squadron, order Jaʿfar al-Khayyāṭ to cross in a squadron, and order Aḥmad b. al-Khalīl b. Hishām to cross in another squadron. Thus three squadrons would be on that side at the edge of their tents. Bābak used to bring out his army and stand opposite these squadrons so that no one of them could advance toward the gate of al-Badhdh. He distributed his forces as ambushes, and he remained with only a small number. Al-Afshīn used to sit on a hill overlooking Bābak's palace while the men were in squadrons. Those with him on this side of the valley dismounted, while those on that side with Abū Saʿīd, Jaʿfar, and Aḥmad b. al-Khalīl did not dismount because of their nearness to the enemy. Bābak and his companions used to drink wine and play the surnāy. When al-Afshīn prayed the noon prayer, he returned to his trench at Rūdh al-Rūdh. The first to return were those closest to the enemy, then the next, then the next. The last to return was Bukhārākhudhāh because he was farthest from the enemy. When they returned, the Khurramiyya shouted at them. One day, the Khurramiyya grew weary of the prolonged standoff. Al-Afshīn withdrew as usual, and the squadrons on that side of the valley returned. Only Jaʿfar al-Khayyāṭ remained. The Khurramiyya opened the gate of al-Badhdh, and a group of them came out against Jaʿfar's men. The cry rose in the camp. Jaʿfar advanced in person and drove those Khurramiyya back to the gate of al-Badhdh. The cry rose in the camp, and al-Afshīn returned. He saw Jaʿfar and his men fighting. Groups from both sides came out. Al-Afshīn sat in his place, burning with anger at Jaʿfar and saying: "He has spoiled my formation for me." The cry rose. With Abū Dulaf there were men from the volunteers. They crossed over to Jaʿfar without al-Afshīn's order and clung to al-Badhdh, making an impression on it. They almost climbed it and entered al-Badhdh. Jaʿfar sent to al-Afshīn: "Reinforce me with five hundred archer infantry, for I hope to enter al-Badhdh, if God Almighty wills." Al-Afshīn sent back to him: "You have spoiled my affair for me. Withdraw little by little, extricate your men, and depart." The cry rose from the volunteers until they clung to al-Badhdh. The ambushers of Bābak thought that the battle had become engaged. Some of them leaped up from below Bukhārākhudhāh, and some leaped up from another direction. The Khurramiyya ambushers stirred while the men were above them, but none of them moved from his place. Al-Afshīn said: "Praise be to God who has revealed the positions of these men." Jaʿfar and his men and the volunteers returned. Jaʿfar came to al-Afshīn and reproached him for not reinforcing him. A strong estrangement arose between them. A man from the volunteers came with a rock and said to al-Afshīn: "Will you turn us back when this stone was taken from the wall?" He replied: "When you withdraw, you will know who is on your road," meaning the ambush near Bukhārākhudhāh. And he said to Jaʿfar: "If that ambush beneath you had risen, how do you think these volunteers would have fared?" Then he and his men returned as usual. When those ambushers near Bukhārākhudhāh saw them, they realized what had been behind them. For if Bukhārākhudhāh had moved toward battle, they would have taken that position, and the Muslims would have perished to the last man. Al-Afshīn stayed in his trench for several days. The volunteers complained to him of the scarcity of fodder, provisions, and money. He said: "Whoever can be patient, let him be patient; whoever cannot, the road is wide, so let him depart. In the troops of the Commander of the Faithful there is sufficiency." The volunteers departed, saying: "If al-Afshīn had left Jaʿfar alone and left us alone, we would have taken al-Badhdh, but he desires to prolong matters." That reached him, along with what the volunteers said with their tongues. One of them even said: "I saw the Messenger of God ﷺ in a dream. He said to me: 'Tell al-Afshīn: If you fight this man and are diligent in his affair, well and good; otherwise I will command the mountains to stone you.'" People talked about that, and it reached al-Afshīn. He summoned him and asked him about the dream, and he related it to him. He said: "God knows my intention and what I desire for these creatures. If God commanded the mountains to stone anyone, He would stone this infidel and spare us the trouble." A man from the volunteers said: "O commander, do not deprive us of martyrdom if it is at hand. We seek only God's reward and His countenance. Let us go alone and advance, with your permission, so that perhaps God may grant us victory." Al-Afshīn said: "I see that your intentions are present. I think this matter is something God Almighty desires, and it is good, if God wills. You and the people have become eager, and this was not my opinion, but it has just changed because of what I have heard from your words. Resolve, with God's blessing, on whatever day you wish, and we will attack him. There is no might and no power except with God, the Most High, the Most Great." They went out rejoicing. Those who had intended to depart stayed. Al-Afshīn promised the people a day he named for them and ordered them to prepare and to carry money, provisions, and water. He placed litters on mules to carry the wounded. He advanced with the people that day. He left Bukhārākhudhāh in his place at the pass. Al-Afshīn sat in the place where he used to sit and said to Abū Dulaf: "Tell the volunteers which direction is easiest for you, and confine yourselves to it." He said to Jaʿfar: "The whole army is before you, along with the archers and the naphtha throwers. If you wish, take from them what you want, and resolve with God's blessing, and advance from whatever place you wish." He marched to the place where he had been that day and said to Abū Saʿīd: "Stand by me, you and your men." He said to Jaʿfar: "Stand here," at a place he designated for him, "and if Jaʿfar needs infantry or cavalry, we will reinforce him." Jaʿfar and the volunteers advanced and fought. They clung to the wall of al-Badhdh. Jaʿfar struck at the gate of al-Badhdh and stood there fighting over it. Al-Afshīn sent money to him and to the volunteers to be distributed among them, giving to those who advanced. He reinforced them with workmen carrying axes, and he sent them water so they would not thirst, and biscuit and parched barley. The battle became joined at the gate for a long time. The Khurramiyya opened the gate and came out against Jaʿfar's men, driving them away from the gate. They pressed hard on the volunteers from the other side and threw them off the wall, pelting them with rocks and inflicting casualties. They weakened in the fighting. Jaʿfar took about a hundred of his men and stood behind their shields, holding back from one another, neither side advancing against the other. They remained like that until the noon prayer was prayed, and then they separated. Al-Afshīn sent the infantry he had toward the volunteers, and he sent some of them to Jaʿfar, fearing that the enemy might become emboldened. Jaʿfar said: "I am not being brought low by lack of numbers, but I see no place for battle in which they can advance." He ordered him to withdraw, and he withdrew. Al-Afshīn carried the wounded and those who were weak from the stones, and they were carried in litters on mules. They withdrew from them, and the people despaired of victory that year. Most of the volunteers departed. Then al-Afshīn prepared after two weeks. In the middle of the night, he sent the archer infantry, a thousand men. He gave each of them a water skin and biscuit, and he gave them banners not yet mounted, and he sent guides with them. They traveled through rugged, difficult mountains, off the road, until they came behind the hill on which Ādhīn stood, a lofty mountain. He ordered them not to let anyone know of them. When they saw al-Afshīn's banners reach them in the morning and saw the battle, they were to mount those banners on spears, beat the drums, and descend from the top of the mountain, shooting arrows and hurling rocks at the Khurramiyya. If they did not see the banners, they were not to move until his news came to them. They did that, reaching the top of the mountain at dawn. During part of the night, al-Afshīn sent to the troops and ordered them to prepare for battle. When part of the night had passed, he dispatched Bashīr al-Turkī and commanders from the Farāghina who were with him, and ordered them to march until they came beneath the hill on which Ādhīn was, for he knew that Bābak was lying in ambush beneath that mountain. They marched by night, unknown to most of the army. Then he himself rode with the army at dawn, prayed the morning prayer, beat the drum, mounted, and came to the place where he used to stand, and sat as was his custom. He ordered Bukhārākhudhāh to stand with Jaʿfar al-Khayyāṭ, Abū Saʿīd, and Aḥmad b. al-Khalīl b. Hishām, and he dismounted at the place where he used to stand. The people disapproved of that, and he ordered them to draw near the hill on which Ādhīn was and surround it, whereas previously he had forbidden them from that. The people went with these four commanders. Jaʿfar was on the side facing the gate, beside him Abū Saʿīd, beside Abū Saʿīd Bukhārākhudhāh, and Aḥmad was beside Bukhārākhudhāh. Thus they all came to be around the hill, and the clamour rose from the lower part of the wadi. Bābak's ambush sprang upon Bashīr al-Turkī and the Farāghina and fought them. The army heard their shouts and wanted to move, but al-Afshīn ordered a crier to announce among them that Bashīr had stirred up an ambush and no one was to move, so they remained still. When the men whom he had sent until they reached the top of the mountain heard the army's clamour, they fixed the banners on their lances. The people saw the banners descending from the mountain against Ādhīn's cavalry, and Ādhīn sent some of his companions against them. Jaʿfar and his companions charged Ādhīn and his companions until they climbed up to him, and they made a fierce charge upon him, so he descended into the wadi. A group of Abū Saʿīd's companions charged him, but beneath their mounts there were dug pits, and the horsemen fell into them. Al-Afshīn sent labourers who filled in those pits, and they did so, and the people made a severe charge upon them. Ādhīn had placed carts with rocks on top of the mountain, and when the people charged him, he pushed those carts down upon them, so the people parted from them until they rolled down. Then the people charged from every side. When Bābak saw that his companions were surrounded, he came out from the side of al-Badhdh facing al-Afshīn and headed towards him. It was said to al-Afshīn, 'This is Bābak, he wants you.' So he advanced towards him until he heard his speech and that of his companions, while the battle was engaged on Ādhīn's side. He said, 'I want amnesty from the Commander of the Faithful.' Al-Afshīn said to him, 'I had offered this to you, and it is granted to you whenever you wish.' He said, 'I wish it now, on condition that you delay me until I carry my family and prepare myself.' Al-Afshīn said to him, 'I advise you sincerely: your coming out today is better than tomorrow.' He said, 'I accept this.' Al-Afshīn said, 'Then send the hostages!' He said, 'Yes. As for so-and-so and so-and-so, they are on that hill, so order your companions to halt.' The messenger of al-Afshīn came to turn the people back, but it was said to him, 'The banners of the Farāghina have entered al-Badhdh and they have climbed the palaces with them.' So he mounted and shouted to the people, and he entered and they entered. The people climbed with the banners atop Bābak's palaces. He had hidden in his palaces six hundred and forty men, and they came out against the people and fought them. Bābak passed on until he entered the wadi adjacent to Hashtādsar. Al-Afshīn and those with him were occupied fighting at the gates of the palaces. He brought the naphtha-throwers and burned them, and the people demolished the palaces and killed the Khurramiyya to the last man. Al-Afshīn took Bābak's children and family, and remained there until evening overtook him, then ordered the people to withdraw, so they returned to the trench at Barwand. As for Bābak, he went with those with him, and they returned to al-Badhdh after al-Afshīn's withdrawal, and took what they could of food and wealth. The next day, al-Afshīn returned to al-Badhdh and ordered the palaces to be demolished and burned, and they did so, leaving not a single house. He wrote to the kings of Armenia and their patricians, informing them that Bābak had fled with a number of men, and that he was passing by them, and ordered them to guard their districts, and that no one should pass by them without being seized until they identified him. Al-Afshīn's spies came to him and informed him of Bābak's location. He was in a wadi full of trees and grass, one end of which was in Azerbaijan and the other in Armenia, where horses could not descend, and no one hiding there could be seen because of the density of its trees and waters. This wadi was called Ghayḍa. Al-Afshīn sent to every place with a path into the wadi a group of his companions to guard it, and they were fifteen groups. Al-Muʿtaṣim's letter arrived containing Bābak's amnesty. Al-Afshīn summoned those of Bābak's companions who had sought amnesty with him, informed them of that, and ordered them to go to him with the letter, among them his son. None of them dared to do so out of fear of him. He said, 'He will rejoice at this amnesty.' They said, 'We know him better than you.' Two men stood up and said, 'Guarantee us that you will provide for our families.' He did so, and they set out with the letter. When they saw him, they told him why they had come, and he killed one of them and ordered the other to return with the letter to al-Afshīn. His son had written him a letter to send with them. He said to that man, 'Say to the son of the whore: if you were my son, you would have joined me, but you are not my son. To live one day as a chief is better than to live forty years as a lowly slave!' He remained in his place and stayed in that thicket until his provisions ran out. He came out by one of those paths, and the troops who had been on it had withdrawn to a place near him, leaving four men to guard it. One day at midday, Bābak and his companions came out and did not see the army or those guarding the place, so he thought no one was there. He went out with his brother ʿAbd Allāh, Muʿāwiya, his mother, and another woman, heading for Armenia. The guards saw them and sent to their companions: 'We have seen horsemen, we do not know who they are.' Abū al-Sāj was their commander. The people mounted and went towards them, and saw Bābak and his companions had dismounted at a spring to eat their midday meal. When he saw the troops, he and those with him mounted and he escaped. They captured Muʿāwiya, Bābak's mother, and the other woman, and Abū al-Sāj sent them to al-Afshīn. Bābak went into the mountains of Armenia in hiding. He needed food. The patricians of Armenia had been guarding their districts and had instructed that no one should pass by them without being seized until they identified him. Bābak suffered hunger and saw a ploughman in one of the wadis. He said to his servant, 'Go down to this ploughman. Take dinars and dirhams with you, and if he has bread, buy some from him.' The ploughman had a partner who had gone on an errand. The servant went down to the ploughman to take food from him. The ploughman's companion saw him, thought he was taking what he had by force, ran to the garrison, and informed them that a man with a sword and weapons had taken his partner's bread. The commander of the garrison, who was in the mountains of Ibn Sunbāṭ, mounted and sent word to Sahl b. Sunbāṭ. He rode with a group and came to the ploughman while the servant was with him. He asked about him, and the ploughman told him his story. The servant told about his master and pointed him out. When he saw Bābak's face, he recognized him, so he dismounted for him, took his hand and kissed it, and said, 'Where do you want to go?' He said, 'To the land of the Byzantines.' He said, 'You will find no one who knows your rights better than I. There is no quarrel between me and the government, and everyone here among the patricians is of your household, and you have had children by their women.' For Bābak, when he knew that one of them had a beautiful wife, would demand her. If he sent her to him, fine; otherwise he would raid him, take her, plunder his wealth, and return. So Ibn Sunbāṭ deceived him until he came to his fortress. Bābak sent his brother ʿAbd Allāh to the fortress of Iṣṭifānūs. Ibn Sunbāṭ sent to al-Afshīn informing him of that. Al-Afshīn wrote back promising and encouraging him, and sent him Abū Saʿīd and Būrmārah, ordering them to obey him. Ibn Sunbāṭ ordered them to stay in a place he specified, saying, 'Do not leave until my messenger comes to you, then act according to what he tells you.' Then he said to Bābak, 'You are weary of this fortress, so let us go down to hunt.' He did so. When he came down from the fortress, Ibn Sunbāṭ sent to Abū Saʿīd and Būrmārah, ordering them to meet him: one from one side of a wadi there, and the other from the other side. They did so, but he did not want to hand him over to them. While Bābak and Ibn Sunbāṭ were hunting, Abū Saʿīd and Būrmārah came upon them with their companions. Bābak was wearing a white durrāʿa. They seized them and ordered Bābak to dismount. He said, 'Who are you?' He said, 'I am Abū Saʿīd, and this is so-and-so.' So he dismounted, then spoke ugly words to Ibn Sunbāṭ, reviled him, and said, 'You sold me to the Jews for a paltry sum! If you had wanted wealth, I would have given you more than these will give you.' Abū Saʿīd mounted him and they travelled with him to al-Afshīn. When he drew near the army, al-Afshīn climbed up and sat watching him, arranging his army in two lines. He ordered Bābak to be dismounted from his mount, and he walked between the two lines. Al-Afshīn had him brought into a house and assigned guards to watch him. He sent with him Sahl b. Sunbāṭ and his son Muʿāwiya. Al-Afshīn ordered one hundred thousand dirhams for him, and for Sahl one million dirhams, a belt studded with jewels, and the crown of the patricians. Al-Afshīn sent to ʿĪsā b. Yūnus b. Iṣṭifānūs demanding Bābak's brother ʿAbd Allāh. He sent him to him, and he imprisoned him with his brother. He wrote to al-Muʿtaṣim of that, and he ordered him to bring them to him. Bābak's arrival before al-Afshīn at Barzand was on the tenth of Shawwāl. Al-Afshīn had captured many women and children, who mentioned that Bābak had taken them captive and that they were freeborn Arabs and dihqāns. He ordered them placed in a large enclosure and told them to write to their relatives. Everyone who came and identified a woman, a child, or a slave-girl, and brought two witnesses, took him or her. The people took a great many of them, and many remained. Mention of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān's capture of Toledo We have mentioned the rebellion of the people of Toledo against ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. al-Ḥakam b. Hishām al-Umawī, lord of al-Andalus, and the sending of armies to besiege it time after time. In the year 221, a group of its people went out to Qalʿat Rabāḥ, where there was an army of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān. They all joined together to besiege Toledo, and they pressed hard upon it and its people, cutting off the rest of their supplies, and intensified the siege. They remained thus until the year 222 began. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān sent his brother al-Walīd b. al-Ḥakam to it as well. He saw that its people had reached the utmost hardship, that the length of the siege had become severe upon them, and that they had become too weak to fight or defend. So he stormed it by force and violence on Saturday, the eighth of Rajab. He ordered the rebuilding of the castle at the gate of the fortress that had been demolished in the days of al-Ḥakam, and he remained there until the end of Shaʿbān of the year 223, until the affairs of its people were settled and they became quiet. Mention of several events Muḥammad b. Dāwūd led the people in pilgrimage this year. In this year a star appeared to the left of the qibla. It remained visible for about forty nights, with something like a tail. It first rose towards the west, then later was seen towards the east. It was very long, and the people were terrified by it, and it weighed heavily upon them. Ibn Abī Usāma mentioned it in his history, and he is among the reliable and trustworthy authorities. In this year, mice appeared in numbers beyond counting, and they consumed the people's crops, then died off when death fell among them.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording. Ask what scholars say about its grade