Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3321
The Year 227 AH
ذِكْرُ وَفَاةِ الْمُعْتَصِمِ وَفِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ تُوُفِّيَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ الرَّشِيدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمَهْدِيُّ ( بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمَنْصُورِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ )، يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ لِثَمَانِيَ عَشْرَةَ مَضَتْ مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ، وَكَانَ بَدْءُ عِلَّتِهِ أَنَّهُ احْتَجَمَ أَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ فِي الْمُحَرَّمِ، وَاعْتَلَّ عِنْدَهَا. قَالَ زَنَامُ الزَّامِرُ: أَفَاقَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ فِي عِلَّتِهِ الَّتِي مَاتَ فِيهَا، فَرَكِبَ فِي الزُّلَالِ فِي دِجْلَةَ، وَأَنَا مَعَهُ، فَمَرَّ بِإِزَاءِ مَنَازِلِهِ، فَقَالَ: يَا زَنَامُ إِزْمُرْ لِي: يَا مَنْزِلًا لَمْ تَبْلَ أَطْلَالُهُ حَاشَا لِأَطْلَالِكَ أَنْ تَبْلَى لَمْ أَبْكِ أَطْلَالَكَ لَكِنَّنِي بَكَيْتُ عَيْشِي فِيكَ إِذْ وَلَّى وَالْعَيْشُ أَوْلَى مَا بَكَاهُ الْفَتَى لَا بُدَّ لِلْمَحْزُونِ أَنْ يَسْلَى قَالَ: فَمَا زِلْتُ أَزْمُرُ لَهُ هَذَا الصَّوْتَ، وَأُكَرِّرُهُ، وَقَدْ تَنَاوَلَ مِنْدِيلًا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَمَا زَالَ يَبْكِي فِيهِ، وَيَنْتَحِبُ، حَتَّى رَجَعَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ. وَلَمَّا احْتَضَرَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ جَعَلَ يَقُولُ: ذَهَبَتِ الْحِيَلُ، لَيْسَتْ حِيلَةٌ، حَتَّى صَمَتَ، ثُمَّ مَاتَ وَدُفِنَ بِسَامَرَّا. وَكَانَتْ خِلَافَتُهُ ثَمَانِيَ سِنِينَ وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَيَوْمَيْنِ، وَكَانَ مَوْلِدُهُ سَنَةَ تِسْعٍ وَسَبْعِينَ وَمِائَةٍ. وَقِيلَ: سَنَةَ ثَمَانِينَ وَمِائَةٍ، فِي الشَّهْرِ الثَّامِنِ، وَهُوَ مِنْ ثَامِنِ الْخُلَفَاءِ وَالثَّامِنِ مِنْ وَلَدِ الْعَبَّاسِ، وَمَاتَ عَنْ ثَمَانِيَةِ بَنِينَ وَثَمَانِي بَنَاتٍ، وَمَلَكَ ثَمَانِي سِنِينَ وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَشْهُرٍ، فَعَلَى الْقَوْلِ الْأَوَّلِ يَكُونُ عُمْرُهُ سَبْعًا وَأَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً وَشَهْرَيْنِ وَثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا، وَعَلَى الْقَوْلِ الثَّانِي يَكُونُ عُمْرُهُ سَبْعًا وَأَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً وَسَبْعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ. وَكَانَ أَبْيَضَ، أَصْهَبَ اللِّحْيَةِ، طَوِيلَهَا، مَرْبُوعًا، مُشْرَبَ اللَّوْنِ حُمْرَةً، حَسَنَ الْعَيْنَيْنِ، وَكَانَ مَوْلِدُهُ بِالْخَلْدَقَارِ. وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ الزَّيَّاتُ يَرْثِيهِ: قَدْ قُلْتُ إِذْ غَيَّبُوكَ وَاصْطَفَقَتْ عَلَيْكَ أَيْدٍ بِالتُّرْبِ وَالطِّينِ اذْهَبْ فَنِعْمَ الْحَفِيظُ كُنْتَ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا وَنَعِمَ الْمُعِينُ لِلدِّينِ لَا يَجْبُرُ اللَّهُ أُمَّةً فَقَدَتْ مِثْلَكَ إِلَّا بِمِثْلِ هَارُونِ وَكَانَتْ أُمُّهُ مَارِدَةً مِنْ مُوَلَّدَاتِ الْكُوفَةِ، وَكَانَتْ أُمُّهَا صُغَدِيَّةَ، وَكَانَ أَبُوهَا نَشَأَ بِالْبَنَدَنَيجِينَ. نسب المعتصم وألقابه وَهَذِهِ تَرْجَمَةُ الْخَلِيفَةِ الْمُعْتَصِمِ هُوَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ مُحَمَّدٌ الْمُعْتَصِمُ ابْنُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ هَارُونَ الرَّشِيدِ ابْنِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْمَهْدِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ بْنِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمَنْصُورِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ، يُقَالُ لَهُ: الْمُثَمَّنُ. لِوُجُوهٍ؛ مِنْهَا أَنَّهُ ثَامِنُ وَلَدِ الْعَبَّاسِ، وَمِنْهَا أَنَّهُ ثَامِنُ الْخُلَفَاءِ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ، وَمِنْهَا أَنَّهُ فَتَحَ ثَمَانِيَ فُتُوحَاتٍ؛ بِلَادَ بَابَكَ عَلَى يَدِ الْأَفْشِينِ وَعَمُّورِيَةَ بِنَفْسِهِ، وَالزُّطَّ بِعُجَيْفٍ، وَبَحْرَ الْبَصْرَةِ وَقَلْعَةَ الْأَجْرَافِ، وَأَعْرَابَ دِيَارِ رَبِيعَةَ، وَالشَّارَكَ، وَفَتَحَ مِصْرَ بَعْدَ عِصْيَانِهَا، وَقَتَلَ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَعْدَاءٍ: بَابَكَ، وَمَازَايَارَ، وَيَاطَسَ الرُّومِيَّ، وَالْأَفْشِينَ، وَعُجَيْفًا، وَقَارَنَ، وَقَائِدَ الرَّافِضَةِ، وَمِنْهَا أَنَّهُ أَقَامَ فِي الْخِلَافَةِ ثَمَانِيَ سِنِينَ، وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَشْهُرٍ، وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ. وَقِيلَ: وَيَوْمَيْنِ. وَأَنَّهُ وُلِدَ سَنَةَ ثَمَانِينَ وَمِائَةٍ فِي شَعْبَانَ، وَهُوَ الشَّهْرُ الثَّامِنُ، وَأَنَّهُ تُوُفِّيَ وَلَهُ مِنْ الْعُمُرِ ثَمَانِيَةٌ وَأَرْبَعُونَ سَنَةً، وَمِنْهَا أَنَّهُ خَلَّفَ ثَمَانِيَةَ بَنِينَ وَثَمَانِيَ بَنَاتٍ، وَمِنْهَا أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ بَغْدَادَ مِنَ الشَّامِ وَهُوَ خَلِيفَةٌ فِي مُسْتَهَلِّ رَمَضَانَ سَنَةَ ثَمَانِي عَشْرَةَ، وَمِائَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ اسْتِكْمَالِ ثَمَانِيَةِ أَشْهُرٍ مِنَ السَّنَةِ، بَعْدَ مَوْتِ أَخِيهِ الْمَأْمُونِ بِطَرَسُوسَ، كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ. قَالُوا: وَكَانَ أُمِّيًّا لَا يُحْسِنُ الْكِتَابَةَ، وَكَانَ سَبَبَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَتَرَدَّدُ مَعَهُ إِلَى الْكُتَّابِ غُلَامٌ، فَمَاتَ الْغُلَامُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُوهُ الرَّشِيدُ: مَا فَعَلَ غُلَامُكَ ؟ قَالَ: مَاتَ وَاسْتَرَاحَ مِنَ الْكُتَّابِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُوهُ الرَّشِيدُ: وَقَدْ بَلَغَ مِنْكَ كَرَاهَةُ الْكُتَّابِ إِلَى أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً مِنْهُ ؟ وَاللَّهِ يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْكُتَّابِ بَعْدَهَا. فَتَرَكُوهُ فَكَانَ أُمِّيًّا، وَقِيلَ: بَلْ كَانَ يَكْتُبُ كِتَابَةً ضَعِيفَةً. حديث رواه المعتصم وَقَدْ أَسْنَدَ الْخَطِيبُ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ مِنْ طَرِيقِهِ عَنْ آبَائِهِ حَدِيثَيْنِ مُنْكَرَيْنِ؛ أَحَدُهُمَا فِي ذَمِّ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ، وَمَدْحِ بَنِي الْعَبَّاسِ مِنَ الْخُلَفَاءِ، وَالثَّانِي فِي النَّهْيِ عَنِ الْحِجَامَةِ يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ. الجواب ما ترى لا ما تسمع وَذَكَرَ بِسَنَدِهِ عَنِ الْمُعْتَصِمِ أَنَّ مَلِكَ الرُّومِ كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ كِتَابًا يَتَهَدَّدُهُ فِيهِ، فَقَالَ لِلْكَاتِبِ: اكْتُبْ: قَدْ قَرَأْتُ كِتَابَكَ، وَسَمِعْتُ خِطَابَكَ، وَالْجَوَابُ مَا تَرَى لَا مَا تَسْمَعُ، " وَسَيَعْلَمُ الْكَافِرُ لِمَنْ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ ". قَالَ الْخَطِيبُ: غَزَا الْمُعْتَصِمُ بِلَادَ الرُّومِ فِي سَنَةِ ثَلَاثٍ وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، فَأَنْكَى نِكَايَةً عَظِيمَةً فِي الْعَدُوِّ، وَنَصَبَ عَلَى عَمُّورِيَةَ الْمَجَانِيقَ، وَأَقَامَ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى فَتَحَهَا وَدَخَلَهَا فَقَتَلَ فِيهَا ثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفًا، وَسَبَى مِثْلَهُمْ، وَكَانَ فِي سَبْيِهِ سِتُّونَ بِطْرِيقًا، وَطَرَحَ النَّارَ فِي عَمُّورِيَةَ مِنْ سَائِرِ نَوَاحِيهَا فَأَحْرَقَهَا وَجَاءَ بِبَابِهَا إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ وَهُوَ بَاقٍ حَتَّى الْآنَ مَنْصُوبٌ عَلَى أَحَدِ أَبْوَابِ دَارِ الْخِلَافَةِ مِمَّا يَلِي الْمَسْجِدَ الْجَامِعَ فِي الْقَصْرِ. الْأَسِنَّةُ وَالْأَسْنَانُ لَا تُؤَثِّرُ بِالْمُعْتَصِمِ وَرُوِيَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي دَاوُدَ الْقَاضِي، أَنَّهُ قَالَ: رُبَّمَا أَخْرَجَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ سَاعِدَهُ إِلَيَّ، وَقَالَ لِي: عَضَّ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بِكُلِّ مَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ. فَأَقُولُ: إِنَّهُ لَا تَطِيبُ نَفْسِي يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَيَقُولُ: إِنَّهُ لَا يَضُرُّنِي. فَأَكْدُمُ بِكُلِّ مَا أَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ فَلَا يُؤَثِّرُ ذَلِكَ فِي يَدِهِ. قَالَ: وَمَرَّ يَوْمًا فِي خِلَافَةِ أَخِيهِ بِمُخَيَّمِ الْجُنْدِ، فَإِذَا امْرَأَةٌ تَقُولُ: ابْنِي ابْنِي. فَقَالَ لَهَا: مَا شَأْنُكِ ؟ فَقَالَتْ: ابْنِي أَخَذَهُ صَاحِبُ هَذِهِ الْخَيْمَةِ. فَجَاءَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُعْتَصِمُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَطْلِقْ هَذَا الصَّبِيَّ. فَامْتَنَعَ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَبَضَ عَلَى جَسَدِهِ بِيَدِهِ، فَسُمِعَ صَوْتُ عِظَامِهِ مِنْ تَحْتِ يَدِهِ، ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَهُ فَسَقَطَ مَيِّتًا، وَأَمَرَ بِإِخْرَاجِ الصَّبِيِّ إِلَى أُمِّهِ وَلَمَّا وَلِيَ الْخِلَافَةَ كَانَ شَهْمًا فِي أَيَّامِهِ وَلَهُ هِمَّةٌ عَالِيَةٌ، وَمَهَابَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ جِدًّا، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: إِنَّمَا كَانَتْ هِمَّتُهُ فِي الْحَرْبِ، لَا فِي الْبِنَاءِ، وَلَا فِي غَيْرِهِ. مناقبه ومآثره وكلماته وَذُكِرَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي دُؤَادَ؛ لِأَنَّهُ ذَكَرَ الْمُعْتَصِمَ فَأَسْهَبَ فِي ذِكْرِهِ، وَأَكْثَرَ فِي وَصْفِهِ، وَذَكَرَ مِنْ طِيبِ أَعْرَاقِهِ، وَسِعَةِ أَخْلَاقِهِ، وَكَرِيمِ عِشْرَتِهِ، قَالَ: وَقَالَ يَوْمًا، وَنَحْنُ بِعَمُّورِيَّةَ: مَا تَقُولُ فِي الْبُسْرِ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ ؟ فَقُلْتُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، نَحْنُ بِبِلَادِ الرُّومِ، وَالْبُسْرُ بِالْعِرَاقِ، فَقَالَ: قَدْ جَاؤُوا مِنْهُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ بَغْدَادَ، وَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ تَشْتَهِيهِ، ثُمَّ أَحْضَرَهُ، فَمَدَّ يَدَهُ، فَأَخَذَ الْعِذْقَ فَارِغًا، قَالَ: وَكُنْتُ أُزَامِلُهُ كَثِيرًا فِي سَفَرِهِ ذَلِكَ. ذِكْرُ بَاقِيَ الْخَبَرِ قَالَ: وَأَخَذْتُ لِأَهْلِ الشَّاشِ مِنْهُ أَلْفَيْ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ; لِعَمَلِ نَهْرٍ كَانَ لَهُمُ انْدَفَنَ فِي صَدْرِ الْإِسْلَامِ، فَأَضَرَّ بِهِمْ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: إِنَّهُ كَانَ لَا يُبَالِي إِذَا غَضِبَ مَنْ قَتَلَ، وَمَا فَعَلَ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ لَذَّةٌ فِي تَزْيِينِ الْبِنَاءِ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ بِالنَّفَقَةِ أَسْمَحَ مِنْهُ بِهَا فِي الْحَرْبِ. قَالَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي شَيْخٍ: قَدِمَ الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ بَكَّارٍ الْعِرَاقَ هَارِبًا مِنَ الْعَلَوِيِّينَ، لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَنَالُ مِنْهُمْ، فَتَهَدَّدُوهُ، فَهَرَبَ مِنْهُمْ، وَقَدِمَ عَلَى عَمِّهِ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَشَكَا إِلَيْهِ حَالَهُ، وَخَوَّفَهُ مِنَ الْعَلَوِيِّينَ، وَسَأَلَهُ إِنْهَاءَ حَالِهِ إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ، فَلَمْ يَجِدْ عِنْدَهُ مَا أَرَادَ، وَأَنْكَرَ عَلَيْهِ حَالَهُ وَلَامَهُ. قَالَ أَحْمَدُ: فَشَكَا ذَلِكَ إِلَيَّ وَسَأَلَنِي مُخَاطَبَةَ عَمِّهِ فِي أَمْرِهِ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ وَأَنْكَرْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِعْرَاضَهُ عَنْهُ، فَقَالَ لِي: إِنَّ الزُّبَيْرَ فِيهِ جَهْلٌ وَتَسَرُّعٌ، فَأَشِرْ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَسْتَعْطِفَ الْعَلَوِيِّينَ، وَيُزِيلَ مَا فِي نُفُوسِهِمْ مِنْهُ، أَمَا رَأَيْتَ الْمَأْمُونَ وَرِفْقَهُ بِهِمْ، وَعَفْوَهُ عَنْهُمْ، وَمَيْلَهُ إِلَيْهِمْ ؟ قُلْتُ: بَلَى، فَهَذَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَاللَّهِ، عَلَى مِثْلِ ذَلِكَ، أَوْ فَوْقَهُ، وَلَا أَقْدِرُ أَذْكُرُهُمْ عِنْدَهُ بِقَبِيحٍ، فَقُلْ لَهُ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ عَنِ الَّذِي هُوَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ ذَمِّهِمْ. قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْمُصْعَبِيُّ: دَعَانِي الْمُعْتَصِمُ يَوْمًا، فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ: أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَضْرِبَ مَعَكَ بِالصَّوَالِجَةِ، فَلَعِبْنَا بِهَا سَاعَةً، ثُمَّ نَزَلَ وَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي نَمْشِي إِلَى أَنْ صَارَ إِلَى حُجْرَةِ الْحَمَّامِ، فَقَالَ: خُذْ ثِيَابِي، فَأَخَذْتُهَا، ثُمَّ أَمَرَنِي بِنَزْعِ ثِيَابِي، فَفَعَلْتُ، وَدَخَلْتُ، وَلَيْسَ مَعَنَا غُلَامٌ، فَقُمْتُ إِلَيْهِ، فَخَدَمْتُهُ، وَدَلَّكْتُهُ، وَتَوَلَّى الْمُعْتَصِمُ مِنِّي ذَلِكَ، فَاسْتَعْفَيْتُهُ، فَأَبَى عَلَيَّ، ثُمَّ خَرَجْنَا، وَمَشَى وَأَنَا مَعَهُ، حَتَّى صَارَ إِلَى مَجْلِسِهِ، فَنَامَ، وَأَمَرَنِي فَنِمْتُ حِذَاءَهُ بَعْدَ الِامْتِنَاعِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي: يَا إِسْحَاقُ إِنَّ فِي قَلْبِي أَمْرًا أَنَا مُفَكِّرٌ فِيهِ مُنْذُ مُدَّةٍ طَوِيلَةٍ، وَإِنَّمَا بَسَطْتُكَ فِي هَذَا الْوَقْتِ لِأُفْشِيَهُ إِلَيْكَ، فَقُلْتُ: قُلْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ. قَالَ: نَظَرْتُ إِلَى أَخِي الْمَأْمُونِ وَقَدِ اصْطَنَعَ أَرْبَعَةً، فَلَمْ يُفْلِحْ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ، قُلْتُ: وَمَنِ الَّذِينَ اصْطَنَعَهُمُ الْمَأْمُونُ ؟ قَالَ: طَاهِرُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ، فَقَدْ رَأَيْتَ وَسَمِعْتَ، وَابْنُهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ طَاهِرٍ، فَهُوَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي لَمْ يُرَ مِثْلُهُ، وَأَنْتَ فَأَنْتَ وَاللَّهِ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي لَا يَعْتَاضُ السُّلْطَانُ عَنْكَ أَبَدًا، وَأَخُوكَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَأَيْنَ مِثْلُ مُحَمَّدٍ ؟ وَأَنَا فَاصْطَنَعْتُ الْأَفْشِينَ، فَقَدْ رَأَيْتَ إِلَى مَا صَارَ أَمْرُهُ، وَأَشْنَاسَ فَفَشِلَ، وَإِيتَاخَ فَلَا شَيْءَ، وَوَصِيفًا فَلَا مَعْنَى فِيهِ. فَقُلْتُ: أُجِيبُ عَلَى أَمَانٍ مِنْ غَضَبِكَ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ ! قُلْتُ لَهُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، نَظَرَ أَخُوكَ إِلَى الْأُصُولِ فَاسْتَعْمَلَهَا، فَأَنْجَبْتَ، وَاسْتَعْمَلَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فُرُوعًا، فَلَمْ تُنْجِبْ إِذْ لَا أُصُولَ لَهَا ! فَقَالَ: يَا إِسْحَاقُ، لَمُقَاسَاةُ مَا مَرَّ بِي طُولَ هَذِهِ الْمُدَّةِ أَيْسَرُ عَلَيَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْجَوَابِ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي دُؤَادَ: تَصَدَّقَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ، وَوَهَبَ عَلَى يَدَيَّ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمِ. وَحُكِيَ أَنَّ الْمُعْتَصِمَ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ عَنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فِي يَوْمِ مَطَرٍ، فَبَيْنَا هُوَ يُسَيِّرُ رَحْلَهُ إِذْ رَأَى شَيْخًا مَعَهُ حِمَارٌ عَلَيْهِ حِمْلُ شَوْكٍ، وَقَدْ زَلِقَ الْحِمَارُ، وَسَقَطَ، وَالشَّيْخُ قَائِمٌ يَنْتَظِرُ مَنْ يَمُرُّ بِهِ فَيُعِينُهُ عَلَى حَمْلِهِ، فَسَأَلَهُ الْمُعْتَصِمُ عَنْ حَالِهِ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ، فَنَزَلَ عَنْ دَابَّتِهِ; لِيُخَلِّصَ الْحِمَارَ عَنِ الْوَحْلِ، وَيَرْفَعَ عَلَيْهِ حِمْلَهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الشَّيْخُ: بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي لَا تُبَلِّلْ ثِيَابَكَ وَطِيبَكَ ! فَقَالَ: لَا عَلَيْكَ، ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ خَلَّصَ الْحِمَارَ، وَجَعَلَ الشَّوْكَ عَلَيْهِ، وَغَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ، ثُمَّ رَكِبَ، فَقَالَ الشَّيْخُ: غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَكَ يَا شَابُّ ! ثُمَّ لَحِقَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ، فَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِأَرْبَعَةِ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ، وَوَكَّلَ بِهِ مَنْ يَسِيرُ مَعَهُ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ. شعر المعتصم وَمِنْ شِعْرِهِ : قَرِّبِ النَّحَّامَ وَاعْجَلْ يَا غُلَامْ وَاطْرَحِ السَّرْجَ عَلَيْهِ وَاللِّجَامْ أَعْلِمِ الْأَتْرَاكَ أَنِّي خَائِضٌ لُجَّةَ الْمَوْتِ فَمَنْ شَاءَ أَقَامْ عزم المعتصم المسير إلى أقصى الغرب وَكَانَ قَدْ عَزَمَ عَلَى الْمَسِيرِ إِلَى أَقْصَى الْغَرْبِ; لِيَمْلِكَ الْبِلَادَ الَّتِي لَمْ تَدْخُلْ فِي مُلْكِ بَنِي الْعَبَّاسِ لِاسْتِيلَاءِ الْأُمَوِيِّ عَلَيْهَا. فَرَوَى الصُّولِيُّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْخَصِيبِ قَالَ: (قَالَ لِي الْمُعْتَصِمُ: إِنَّ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ مَلَكُوا وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ مِنَّا مُلْكٌ، وَمَلَكْنَا نَحْنُ وَلَهُمْ بِالْأَنْدَلُسِ هَذَا الْأُمَوِيُّ ؟ ! فَقَدَّرَ مَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ لِمُحَارَبَتِهِ، وَشَرَعَ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَاشْتَدَّتْ عِلَّتُهُ وَمَاتَ ). وَقَالَ الصُّولِيُّ: (سَمِعْتُ الْمُغِيرَةَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ يَقُولُ: يُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ لَمْ تَجْتَمِعِ الْمُلُوكُ بِبَابِ أَحَدٍ قَطُّ اجْتِمَاعَهَا بِبَابِ الْمُعْتَصِمِ، وَلَا ظَفِرَ مَلِكٌ قَطُّ كَظَفَرِهِ، أَسَرَ مَلِكَ أَذْرَبِيجَانَ، وَمَلِكَ طَبَرَسْتَانَ، وَمَلِكَ اسْتِيشَابَ، وَمَلِكَ إِسْتَاصَحَ، وَمَلِكَ فَرْغَانَةَ، وَمَلِكَ طَخَارَسْتَانَ، وَمَلِكَ الصُّغْدِ، وَمَلِكَ كَابُلَ ). نقش خاتمه وَقَالَ الصُّولِيُّ: (وَكَانَ نَقْشُ خَاتَمِهِ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ). قَصْرُ الْمُعْتَصِمِ أَخْرَجَ الصُّولِيُّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ الْيَزِيدِيِّ قَالَ: (لَمَّا فَرَغَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ مِنْ بِنَاءِ قَصْرِهِ بِالْمَيْدَانِ وَجَلَسَ فِيهِ... دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ، فَعَمِلَ إِسْحَاقُ الْمَوْصِلِيُّ قَصِيدَةً فِيهِ مَا سَمِعَ أَحَدٌ بِمِثْلِهَا فِي حُسْنِهَا، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ افْتَتَحَهَا بِقَوْلِهِ: يَا دَارُ غَيَّرَكِ الْبِلَى وَمَحَاكِ يَا لَيْتَ شِعْرِي مَا الَّذِي أَبْلَاكِ ؟ ! فَتَطَيَّرَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ وَتَطَيَّرَ النَّاسُ، وَتَغَامَزُوا وَتَعَجَّبُوا، كَيْفَ ذَهَبَ هَذَا عَلَى إِسْحَاقَ مَعَ فَهْمِهِ وَعِلْمِهِ وَطُولِ خِدْمَتِهِ لِلْمُلُوكِ ؟ ! وَخَرَّبَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ الْقَصْرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ). وَأَخْرَجَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ قَالَ: (كَانَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ إِذَا تَكَلَّمَ... بَلَغَ مَا أَرَادَ وَزَادَ عَلَيْهِ ). وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ ثَرَدَ الطَّعَامَ، وَكَثَّرَهُ حَتَّى بَلَغَ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ فِي الْيَوْمِ. وَأَخْرَجَ عَنْ أَبِي الْعَيْنَاءِ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمُعْتَصِمَ يَقُولُ: (إِذَا نُصِرَ الْهَوَى.. بَطَلَ الرَّأْيُ ). وَأَخْرَجَ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ: (كَانَ ال?مُعْتَصِمُ يَقُولُ: مَنْ طَلَبَ الْحَقِّ بِمَالِهِ وَعَلَيْهِ... أَدْرَكَهُ ). الْمُعْتَصِمُ وَغُلَامُهُ عَجِيبٌ وَأَخْرَجَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُمَرَ الرُّومِيِّ، قَالَ: (كَانَ لِلْمُعْتَصِمِ غُلَامٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ: عَجِيبٌ، لَمْ يَرَ النَّاسُ مِثْلَهُ قَطُّ، وَكَانَ مَشْغُوفًا بِهِ، فَعَمِلَ فِيهِ أَبْيَاتًا، ثُمَّ دَعَانِي، وَقَالَ: قَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنِّي دُونَ إِخْوَتِي فِي الْأَدَبِ; لِحُبِّ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لِي، وَمَيْلِي إِلَى اللَّعِبِ وَأَنَا حَدَثٌ، فَلَمْ أَنَلْ مَا نَالُوا، وَقَدْ عَمِلْتُ فِي عَجِيبٍ أَبْيَاتًا، فَإِنْ كَانَتْ حَسَنَةً وَإِلَّا فَاصْدُقْنِي، حَتَّى أَكْتُمَهَا، ثُمَّ أَنْشَدَ شِعْرًا. لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ عَجِيبًا يَحْكِي الْغَزَالَ الرَّبِيبَا الْوَجْهُ مِنْهُ كَبَدْرٍ وَالْقَدُّ يَحْكِي الْقَضِيبَا وَإِنْ تَنَاوَلَ سَيْفًا رَأَيْتَ لَيْثًا حَرِيبَا وَإِنْ رَمَى بِسِهَامٍ كَانَ الْمُجِيدَ الْمُصِيبَا طَبِيبُ مَا بِي مِنَ الْحُبِّ فَلَا عَدِمْتُ الطَّبِيبَا إِنِّي هَوَيْتُ عَجِيبًا هَوًى أُرَاهُ عَجِيبَا فَحَلَفْتُ لَهُ بِأَيْمَانِ الْبَيْعَةِ; إِنَّهُ شِعْرٌ مَلِيحٌ مِنْ أَشْعَارِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الَّذِينَ لَيْسُوا بِشُعَرَاءَ، فَطَابَتْ نَفْسُهُ، وَأَمَرَ لِي بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ ). فِينَا مَنْ يَقُولُ خَيْرًا مِنْهُ فِيكَ وَأَخْرَجَ الصُّولِيُّ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ الْيَزِيدِيِّ قَالَ: وَجَّهَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ إِلَى الشُّعَرَاءِ بِبَابِهِ: مَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ يُحْسِنُ أَنْ يَقُولَ فِينَا كَمَا قَالَ مَنْصُورٌ النَّمِرِيُّ فِي الرَّشِيدِ . إِنَّ الْمَكَارِمَ وَالْمَعْرُوفَ أَوْدِيَةٌ أَحَلَّكَ اللَّهُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ تَجْتَمِعُ مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِأَمِينِ اللَّهِ مُعْتَصِمًا فَلَيْسَ بِالصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ يَنْتَفِعُ إِنْ أَخْلَفَ الْقَطْرُ لَمْ تَخْلَفْ فَوَاضِلُهُ أَوْ ضَاقَ أَمْرٌ ذَكَرْنَاهُ فَيَتَّسِعُ فَقَالَ أَبُو وُهَيْبٍ: فِينَا مَنْ يَقُولُ خَيْرًا مِنْهُ فِيكَ، وَقَالَ: ثَلَاثَةٌ تُشْرِقُ الدُّنْيَا بِبَهْجَتِهَا: شَمْسُ الضُّحَى وَأَبُو إِسْحَاقَ وَالْقَمَرُ تُحْكَى أَفَاعِيلُهُ فِي كُلِّ نَائِبَةٍ اللَّيْثُ وَالْغَيْثُ وَالصَّمْصَامَةُ الذَّكَرُ رثاء وزيره محمد بن عبد الملك وَلَمَّا... مَاتَ رَثَاهُ وَزِيرُهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ، جَامِعًا بَيْنَ الْعَزَاءِ وَالْهَنَاءِ، فَقَالَ: قَدْ قُلْتُ إِذْ غَيَّبُوكَ وَاصْطَفَقَتْ عَلَيْكَ أَيْدٍ بِالتُّرْبِ وَالطِّينِ اذْهَبْ فَنِعْمَ الْحَفِيظُ كُنْتَ عَلَى الدُّ نْيَا وَنِعْمَ الظَّهِيرُ لِلدِّينِ مَا يَجْبُرُ اللَّهُ أُمَّةً فَقَدَتْ مِثْلَكَ إِلَّا بِمِثْلِ هَارُونَ
Translation
✧ Mention of the death of al-Muʿtaṣim In this year al-Muʿtaṣim Abū Isḥāq Muḥammad b. Hārūn al-Rashīd b. Muḥammad al-Mahdī (b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Manṣūr b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. ʿAbd Allāh b. al-ʿAbbās) died, on Thursday, eighteen nights having passed of Rabīʿ al-Awwal. The onset of his illness was that he was cupped on the first day of Muḥarram and fell ill at that time. Zanām the flutist said: Al-Muʿtaṣim recovered consciousness during the illness in which he died, then rode in the zallāl boat on the Tigris while I was with him. He passed opposite his residences and said, “O Zanām, play for me: Yā manzilan lam tabla aṭlāluhu ḥāshā li-aṭlālika an tablā Lam abki aṭlālaka lākinnanī bakaytu ʿayshī fīki idh wallā Wa-l-ʿayshu awlā mā bakāhu al-fatā lā budda li-l-maḥzūni an yaslā He said: I kept playing this tune for him and repeating it, and he had taken a kerchief that was before him, and he kept weeping into it and sobbing until he returned to his residence. When al-Muʿtaṣim was dying he kept saying, “The stratagems are gone; there is no stratagem,” until he fell silent, then died and was buried at Sāmarrā. His caliphate lasted eight years, eight months, and two days. He was born in the year 179. It is also said: in the year 180, in the eighth month. He was the eighth of the caliphs and the eighth of the descendants of al-ʿAbbās. He died leaving eight sons and eight daughters. He ruled eight years and eight months. According to the first statement, his age would be forty-seven years, two months, and eighteen days; according to the second statement, his age would be forty-seven years and seven months. He was fair-skinned, with a reddish-brown beard, long-bearded, of medium build, with a ruddy complexion and fine eyes. He was born at al-Khuldqār. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Malik al-Zayyāt said in mourning him: Qad qultu idh ghayyabūka wa-ṣṭafaqat ʿalayka aydin bi-l-turbi wa-l-ṭīni Idhhab fa-niʿma al-ḥafīẓu kunta ʿalā al-dunyā wa-niʿma al-muʿīnu li-l-dīni Lā yajburu Allāhu ummatan faqadat mithlaka illā bi-mithli Hārūni His mother was Mārida, one of the slave-women born in al-Kūfa; her mother was Sogdian, and her father had grown up in al-Bandanījīn. Genealogy of al-Muʿtaṣim and his titles This is the biography of Caliph al-Muʿtaṣim. He is the Commander of the Faithful, Abū Isḥāq Muḥammad al-Muʿtaṣim, son of the Commander of the Faithful Hārūn al-Rashīd, son of the Commander of the Faithful al-Mahdī Muḥammad, son of the Commander of the Faithful Abū Jaʿfar ʿAbd Allāh al-Manṣūr, son of Muḥammad, son of ʿAlī, son of ʿAbd Allāh, son of al-ʿAbbās. He was called al-Muthamman (“the octuple”) for several reasons: among them, that he was the eighth of the descendants of al-ʿAbbās; among them, that he was the eighth caliph of his progeny; among them, that he achieved eight conquests: the land of Bābak by the hand of al-Afshīn, and ʿAmmūriyya in person, and the Zutt by ʿUjayf, and the sea of al-Baṣra and the fortress of al-Ajrāf, and the Arabs of Diyār Rabīʿa, and al-Shārak, and he conquered Egypt after its rebellion; and he killed eight enemies: Bābak, Māzāyār, Yāṭas the Byzantine, al-Afshīn, ʿUjayf, Qāran, the leader of the Rāfiḍa; and among them, that he remained in the caliphate eight years, eight months, and eight days—though it is also said: and two days; and that he was born in the year 180 in Shaʿbān, which is the eighth month; and that he died at the age of forty-eight; and among them, that he left eight sons and eight daughters; and among them, that he entered Baghdad from Syria as caliph at the beginning of Ramaḍān in the year 218, after eight full months of the year had passed, following the death of his brother al-Maʾmūn at Ṭarsūs, as has preceded. They said: He was unlettered, not writing well. The reason for that was that a slave boy used to accompany him to the school. The boy died, and his father al-Rashīd said to him, “What happened to your slave boy?” He said, “He died and found rest from the school.” His father al-Rashīd said, “Has your hatred of the school reached the point that you consider death a rest from it? By God, my son, you shall not go to the school after this.” So they left him, and he remained unlettered. It is also said: rather, he wrote a weak hand. A hadith narrated by al-Muʿtaṣim Al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī cited through his chain from his forefathers two objectionable hadiths: one in condemnation of the Umayyads and praise of the Abbasids among the caliphs, and the second prohibiting cupping on Thursday. The answer is what you see, not what you hear He mentioned with his chain from al-Muʿtaṣim that the king of Byzantium wrote him a letter threatening him. He said to the scribe: “Write: I have read your letter and heard your address. The answer is what you see, not what you hear. ‘And the disbeliever will know for whom is the final abode.’” Al-Khaṭīb said: Al-Muʿtaṣim raided Byzantine territory in the year 223 and inflicted great damage on the enemy. He set up mangonels against ʿAmmūriyya and besieged it until he conquered it and entered it. He killed thirty thousand in it and captured the like. Among his captives were sixty patricians. He set fire to ʿAmmūriyya from all its sides and burned it. He brought its gate to Iraq, and it remains to this day erected on one of the gates of the caliphal palace facing the congregational mosque in the palace. Spearheads and teeth do not affect al-Muʿtaṣim It is related from Aḥmad b. Abī Dāwūd al-Qāḍī that he said: Al-Muʿtaṣim would sometimes extend his forearm to me and say, “Bite, O Abū ʿAbd Allāh, with all your might.” I would say, “I cannot bring myself to do it, O Commander of the Faithful.” He would say, “It does not harm me.” So I would bite with all my might, and it left no mark on his hand. He said: One day during his brother’s caliphate he passed by the soldiers’ camp, and there was a woman saying, “My son! My son!” He said to her, “What is your affair?” She said, “My son was taken by the owner of this tent.” Al-Muʿtaṣim went to him and said, “Release this boy.” He refused. So he seized his body with his hand, and the sound of his bones was heard beneath his hand. Then he released him, and he fell dead. He ordered the boy to be brought out to his mother. When he assumed the caliphate he was energetic in his days, with lofty ambition and very great awe. Some said: His ambition was only in war, not in building or anything else. His virtues, achievements, and sayings It is mentioned from Aḥmad b. Abī Duʾād, because he mentioned al-Muʿtaṣim and spoke at length in his mention, and was profuse in describing him, and mentioned the excellence of his lineage, the breadth of his character, and his gracious companionship. He said: One day, while we were at ʿAmmūriyya, he said, “What do you say about unripe dates, O ʿAbd Allāh?” I said, “O Commander of the Faithful, we are in Byzantine territory, and unripe dates are in Iraq.” He said, “They have brought some of it from Baghdad, and I knew that you crave it.” Then he produced it, and he stretched out his hand and took an empty bunch. He said: I often traveled in his company on that journey. Mention of the rest of the account. He said: I obtained from him for the people of al-Shāsh two million dirhams for the construction of a canal of theirs that had been buried in the early days of Islam and had harmed them. Another said: When he was angry he did not care whom he killed or what he did. He had no pleasure in adorning buildings, and no one was more generous with expenditure in war than he. Aḥmad b. Sulaymān b. Abī Shaykh said: Al-Zubayr b. Bakkār came to Iraq fleeing from the ʿAlids because he used to disparage them, and they threatened him, so he fled from them. He came to his paternal uncle Muṣʿab b. ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Zubayr and complained of his situation, and told him of his fear of the ʿAlids, and asked him to convey his situation to al-Muʿtaṣim. He found no satisfaction with him, and disapproved of his situation and blamed him. Aḥmad said: So he complained of that to me and asked me to speak to his uncle about his matter. I spoke to him about it and criticized him for turning away from him. He said to me, “Al-Zubayr has ignorance and hastiness in him. Advise him to win over the ʿAlids and remove what is in their hearts against him. Have you not seen al-Maʾmūn and his gentleness with them, his pardon of them, and his inclination toward them?” I said, “Yes. This Commander of the Faithful, by God, is on the like of that or above it. I am not able to mention them to him with anything bad. So tell him that, so that he may turn away from the disparagement of them that he is upon.” Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm al-Muṣʿabī said: One day al-Muʿtaṣim summoned me. I entered upon him and he said, “I would like to play polo with you.” We played for a while, then he dismounted and took my hand, and we walked until he came to the chamber of the bathhouse. He said, “Take my clothes,” and I took them. Then he ordered me to remove my clothes, and I did so, and I entered, and there was no servant with us. I rose to serve him and rubbed him, and al-Muʿtaṣim undertook the same for me. I asked to be excused, but he refused. Then we left, and he walked while I was with him until he came to his sitting place, and he slept, and he ordered me, so I slept facing him after initially refusing. Then he said to me, “O Isḥāq, there is a matter in my heart that I have been pondering for a long time. I have only made you at ease at this time to divulge it to you.” I said, “Speak, O Commander of the Faithful, for I am only your servant and the son of your servant.” He said: I considered my brother al-Maʾmūn; he cultivated four men, and not one of them prospered. I said, “Who are those whom al-Maʾmūn cultivated?” He said, “Ṭāhir b. al-Ḥusayn—you have seen and heard; his son ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṭāhir—he is the man whose like has never been seen; and you—for you, by God, are the man for whom the sultan can never find a substitute; and your brother Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm—and where is the like of Muḥammad? As for me, I cultivated al-Afshīn, and you have seen what became of his affair; and Ashnās, and he failed; and Ītākh, and he is nothing; and Waṣīf, and there is no substance in him.” I said, “Shall I answer with a guarantee of safety from your anger?” He said, “Yes.” I said to him, “O Commander of the Faithful, your brother looked at the roots and employed them, and they produced excellent results; but the Commander of the Faithful employed branches, and they did not produce, for they have no roots.” He said, “O Isḥāq, the enduring of what I have suffered throughout this long period is easier for me than this answer.” Ibn Abī Duʾād said: Al-Muʿtaṣim gave alms and bestowed through my hands one hundred million dirhams. It is told that al-Muʿtaṣim was once separated from his companions on a rainy day. While he was driving his mount, he saw an old man with a donkey carrying a load of thorns. The donkey had slipped and fallen, and the old man was standing waiting for someone to pass by and help him with his load. Al-Muʿtaṣim asked him about his situation, and he told him. He dismounted from his animal to free the donkey from the mud and lift the load onto it. The old man said to him, “May my father and mother be your ransom! Do not wet your clothes and your perfume!” He said, “No matter.” Then he freed the donkey, put the thorns on it, washed his hands, and remounted. The old man said, “May God forgive you, young man!” Then his companions caught up with him, and he ordered four thousand dirhams for the old man and assigned someone to go with him to his house. Poetry of al-Muʿtaṣim Among his poetry: Qarribi al-naḥḥāma wa-ʿjal yā ghulām wa-ṭraḥi al-sarja ʿalayhi wa-l-lijām Aʿlimi al-atrāka annī khāʾiḍun lujjata al-mawti fa-man shāʾa aqām Al-Muʿtaṣim’s resolve to march to the farthest west He had resolved to march to the farthest west to take possession of the lands that had not entered the dominion of the Abbasids because of the Umayyad’s seizure of them. Al-Ṣūlī related from Aḥmad b. al-Khaṣīb that he said: Al-Muʿtaṣim said to me, “The Umayyads ruled when none of us had any dominion, and we rule now, while they have in al-Andalus this Umayyad?!” He estimated what would be needed for war against him and began that, but his illness intensified and he died. Al-Ṣūlī said: I heard al-Mughīra b. Muḥammad say: It is said that kings never gathered at anyone’s gate as they gathered at the gate of al-Muʿtaṣim, and no king ever attained such victories as his. He captured the king of Azerbaijan, the king of Ṭabaristān, the king of Istīshāb, the king of Istāṣaḥ, the king of Farghāna, the king of Ṭukhāristān, the king of al-Ṣughd, and the king of Kābul. Inscription of his seal Al-Ṣūlī said: The inscription of his seal was: “Praise be to God, the like of whom there is nothing.” The palace of al-Muʿtaṣim Al-Ṣūlī cited from Aḥmad al-Yazīdī that he said: When al-Muʿtaṣim finished building his palace at al-Maydān and sat in it, the people entered upon him, and Isḥāq al-Mawṣilī composed an ode such as no one had heard its like for excellence, except that he opened it with the words: Yā dāru ghayyaraki al-bilā wa-maḥāki yā layta shiʿrī mā alladhī ablāki?! Al-Muʿtaṣim took it as a bad omen, and the people did too. They winked at one another and marveled how this had escaped Isḥāq despite his understanding, knowledge, and long service to kings. Al-Muʿtaṣim later demolished the palace. He cited from Ibrāhīm b. al-ʿAbbās that he said: When al-Muʿtaṣim spoke, he achieved what he intended and more. He was the first to make tharīd and increase it until it reached a thousand dinars a day. He cited from Abū al-ʿAynāʾ that he said: I heard al-Muʿtaṣim say: “When passion is victorious, judgment is nullified.” He cited from Isḥāq that he said: Al-Muʿtaṣim used to say: “Whoever seeks the truth with his wealth and upon it attains it.” Al-Muʿtaṣim and his servant ʿAjīb He cited from Muḥammad b. ʿUmar al-Rūmī that he said: Al-Muʿtaṣim had a servant called ʿAjīb, the like of whom people had never seen, and he was infatuated with him. He composed some verses about him, then summoned me and said, “I know that I fall short of my brothers in learning because of the Commander of the Faithful’s love for me and my inclination to play while I was young, so I did not attain what they attained. I have composed some verses about ʿAjīb; if they are good, so be it; otherwise, tell me the truth so that I may conceal them.” Then he recited poetry: Laqad raʾaytu ʿAjīban yaḥkī al-ghazāla al-rabībā Al-wajhu minhu ka-badrin wa-l-qaddu yaḥkī al-qaḍībā Wa-in tanāwala sayfan raʾayta laythan ḥarībā Wa-in ramā bi-sihāmin kāna al-mujīda al-muṣībā Ṭabību mā bī mina al-ḥubbi fa-lā ʿadimtu al-ṭabībā Innī hawaytu ʿAjīban hawan urāhu ʿajībā I swore to him by the oaths of allegiance that it was fine poetry, among the poems of caliphs who are not poets. He was pleased and ordered fifty thousand dirhams for me. Among us is one who says better than him about you Al-Ṣūlī cited from al-Faḍl al-Yazīdī that he said: Al-Muʿtaṣim sent to the poets at his gate: “Whoever among you can say about us what Manṣūr al-Namirī said about al-Rashīd”: Inna al-makārima wa-l-maʿrūfa awdiyatun aḥallaka Allāhu minhā ḥaythu tajtamiʿu Man lam yakun bi-amīni Allāhi muʿtaṣiman fa-laysa bi-l-ṣalawāti al-khamsi yantafiʿu In akhlafa al-qaṭru lam takhluf fawāḍiluhu aw ḍāqa amrun dhakarnāhu fa-yattasiʿu Abū Wuhayb said: Among us is one who says better than him about you. And he said: Three things make the world shine with their splendor: the morning sun, Abu Ishaq, and the moon. His deeds are recounted in every calamity: the lion, the abundant rain, and the sharp, renowned sword. Elegy by his vizier Muhammad b. ʿAbd al-Malik And when... he died, his vizier Muhammad b. ʿAbd al-Malik mourned him, combining consolation and congratulation, saying: I said, when they buried you, and hands vied over you with earth and clay: Go, for what an excellent guardian you were over this world, and what an excellent supporter of the faith! God will not console a community that has lost someone like you except with someone like Harun.
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