Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3373
The Year 248 AH
مَوْتِ الْمُنْتَصِرِ فِي سَنَةُ ثَمَانٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ تُوُفِّيَ الْمُنْتَصِرُ فِي يَوْمِ الْأَحَدِ لِخَمْسٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْآخِرِ، وَقِيلَ: يَوْمَ السَّبْتَ، ( وَكُنْيَتُهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَقِيلَ: كُنْيَتُهُ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ، وَقِيلَ: أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ). وَكَانَتْ عِلَّتُهُ الذَّبْحَةُ فِي حَلْقِهِ أَخَذَتْهُ يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ، ( لِخَمْسٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ ). وَقِيلَ: كَانَتْ عِلَّتُهُ مِنْ وَرَمٍ فِي مَعِدَتِهِ، ثُمَّ صَعِدَ إِلَى فُؤَادِهِ فَمَاتَ، وَكَانَتْ عِلَّتُهُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ وَجَدَ حَرَارَةً، فَدَعَا بَعْضَ أَطِبَّائِهِ، فَفَصَدَهُ بِمِبْضَعٍ مَسْمُومٍ، فَمَاتَ مِنْهُ، وَانْصَرَفَ الطَّبِيبُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ وَقَدْ وَجَدَ حَرَارَةً، فَدَعَا تِلْمِيذًا لِيَفْصِدَهُ، وَوَضَعَ مَبَاضِعَهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ لِيَسْتَخِيرَ أَجْوَدَهَا، فَاخْتَارَ ذَلِكَ الْمِبْضَعَ الْمَسْمُومَ، وَقَدْ نَسِيَهُ الطَّبِيبُ، فَفَصَدَهُ بِهِ، فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ إِلَيْهِ نَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ فَعَرَفَهُ، فَأَيْقَنَ بِالْهَلَاكِ، وَوَصَّى مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ كَانَ قَدْ وَجَدَ فِي رَأْسِهِ عِلَّةً، فَقَطَرَ ابْنُ الطَّيْفُورِيِّ فِي أُذُنِهِ دُهْنًا، فَوَرِمَ رَأْسُهُ، فَمَاتَ. وَقِيلَ: بَلْ سَمَّهُ ابْنُ الطَّيْفُورِيِّ فِي مَحَاجِمهِ فَمَاتَ. وَقِيلَ: كَانَ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ حِينَ أَفَضْتِ الْخِلَافَةُ إِلَيْهِ إِلَى أَنْ مَاتَ يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّمَا مُدَّةُ حَيَّاتِهِ سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ، مُدَّةَ شِيرَوَيْهِ بْنِ كِسْرَى، قَاتِلِ أَبِيهِ، يَقُولُهُ الْخَاصَّةُ وَالْعَامَّةُ. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ جَلَسَ لِلَّهْوِ، فَرَأَى فِي بَعْضِ الْبُسُطِ دَائِرَةً فِيهَا فَارِسٌ وَعَلَيْهِ تَاجٌ، وَحَوْلَهُ كِتَابَةٌ فَارِسِيَّةٌ، فَطَلَبَ مَنْ يَقْرَأُ ذَلِكَ، فَأُحْضِرَ رَجُلٌ، فَنَظَرَهُ فَقَطَّبَ، فَقَالَ: (مَا هَذِهِ ؟ قَالَ: لَا مَعْنَى لَهَا، فَأَلَحَّ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا شِيرَوَيْهِ بْنُ كِسْرَى بْنِ هُرْمُزَ، قَتَلْتُ أَبِي لَمْ أُمَتَّعْ بِالْمُلْكِ إِلَّا سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ، فَتَغَيَّرَ وَجْهُ الْمُنْتَصِرِ ). وَفِي «لَطَائِفِ الْمَعَارِفِ» لِلثَّعَالِبِيِّ: (أَعْرَقُ الْخُلَفَاءِ فِي الْخِلَافَةِ: الْمُنْتَصِرُ ; فَإِنَّهُ هُوَ وَآبَاءَهُ الْخَمْسَةَ خُلَفَاءُ، وَكَذَلِكَ أَخَوَاهُ الْمُعْتَزُّ وَالْمُعْتَمِدُ ). قُلْتُ: أَعْرَقُ مِنْهُ: الْمُسْتَعْصِمُ الَّذِي قَتَلَهُ التَّتَارُ، فَإِنَّ آبَاءَهُ الثَّمَانِيَةَ خُلَفَاءُ. وَقِيلَ: كَانَ الْمُنْتَصِرُ رَأَى فِي مَنَامِهِ كَأَنَّهُ يَصْعَدُ سُلَّمًا، فَبَلَغَ إِلَى آخَرِ خَمْسٍ وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً، فَقَصَّهَا عَلَى بَعْضِ الْمُعَبِّرِينَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: هَذِهِ خَمْسٌ وَعِشْرُونَ سَنَةً تَلِي فِيهَا الْخِلَافَةَ. وَإِذَا هِيَ مُدَّةُ عُمْرِهِ، قَدِ اسْتَكْمَلَهَا فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ. وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: دَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ يَوْمًا فَإِذَا هُوَ يَبْكِي وَيَنْتَحِبُ شَدِيدًا، فَسَأَلَهُ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ بُكَائِهِ، فَقَالَ: رَأَيْتُ أَبِي الْمُتَوَكِّلَ فِي مَنَامِي هَذَا وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: وَيْلَكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ قَتَلْتَنِي وَظَلَمْتَنِي وَغَصَبْتَنِي خِلَافَتِي، وَاللَّهِ لَا مُتِّعْتَ بِهَا بَعْدِي إِلَّا أَيَّامًا يَسِيرَةً ثُمَّ مَصِيرُكَ إِلَى النَّارِ. قَالَ: فَمَا أَمْلِكُ عَيْنِي وَلَا جَزَعِي. فَقَالَ لَهُ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ مِنَ الْغَرَّارِينَ الَّذِينَ يَغُرُّونَ النَّاسَ وَيَفْتِنُونَهُمْ: هَذِهِ رُؤْيَا وَهِيَ تَصْدُقُ وَتَكْذِبُ، فَقُمْ بِنَا إِلَى الشَّرَابِ ; لِيَذْهَبَ هَمُّكَ وَحُزْنُكَ. فَأَمَرَ بِالشَّرَابِ فَأُحْضِرَ وَجَاءَ نُدَمَاؤُهُ، فَأَخَذَ فِي الْخَمْرِ وَهُوَ مُنْكَسِرُ الْهِمَّةِ، وَمَا زَالَ كَذَلِكَ مَكْسُورًا حَتَّى مَاتَ. وقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: وَذَكَرَ أَنَّ الْمُنْتَصِرَ كَانَ شَاوَرَ فِي قَتْلِ أَبِيهِ جَمَاعَةً مِنَ الْفُقَهَاءِ، وَأَعْلَمَهُمْ بِمَذَاهِبِهِ، وَحَكَى عَنْهُ أُمُورًا قَبِيحَةً كَرِهْتُ ذِكْرَهَا، فَأَشَارُوا بِقَتْلِهِ، فَكَانَ كَمَا ذَكَرْنَا بَعْضَهُ. وَكَانَ عُمْرُهُ خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِينَ سَنَةً وَسِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ، وَقِيلَ: أَرْبَعًا وَعِشْرِينَ سَنَةً، وَكَانَتْ خِلَافَتُهُ سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَيَوْمَيْنِ، وَقِيلَ: كَانَتْ سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ سَوَاءً. وَكَانَتْ وَفَاتُهُ بِسَامَرَّا، فَلَمَّا حَضَرَتْهُ الْوَفَاةُ أَنْشَدَ: وَمَا فَرِحَتْ نَفْسِي بِدُنْيَا أَخَذْتُهَا وَلَكِنْ إِلَى الرَّبِّ الْكَرِيمِ أَصِيرُ وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُعْتَصِمِ بِسَامَرَّا، وَبِهَا كَانَ مَوْلِدُهُ. وَكَانَ أَعْيَنَ، أَقْنَى، قَصِيرًا، مَهِيبًا. وَهُوَ أَوَّلُ خَلِيفَةٍ مِنْ بَنِي الْعَبَّاسِ عُرِفَ قَبَرُهُ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ أُمَّهُ طَلَبَتْ إِظْهَارَ قَبْرِهِ. وَكَانَتْ أُمُّهُ أُمَّ وَلَدٍ رُومِيَّةً. وَذَكَرَ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ أَنَّ أُمَّ الْخَلِيفَةِ دَخَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ، وَهُوَ فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ، فَقَالَتْ لَهُ: كَيْفَ حَالُكَ ؟ فَقَالَ: ذَهَبَتْ مِنِّي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةُ. وَلَمَّا احْتُضِرَ قَالَ: (يَا أُمَّاهُ; ذَهَبَتْ مِنِّي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةُ، عَاجَلْتُ أَبِي فَعُوجِلْتُ ).
Translation
✧ The Death of al-Muntaṣir In the year two hundred and forty-eight, al-Muntaṣir died on Sunday, when five nights had passed of Rabīʿ al-Ākhir; it is also said: on Saturday. His kunyah was Abū Jaʿfar Aḥmad b. al-Mutawakkil ʿalā Allāh; it is also said his kunyah was Abū al-ʿAbbās; and it is said: Abū ʿAbd Allāh. His ailment was a quinsy in his throat that seized him on Thursday, when five nights remained of the month of Rabīʿ al-Awwal. It is also said his ailment was from a swelling in his stomach, then it rose to his heart and he died; his illness lasted three days. It is also said that he felt a fever, so he summoned one of his physicians, who bled him with a poisoned lancet, and he died from it. The physician returned to his house and felt a fever, so he summoned a pupil to bleed him and placed his lancets before him to choose the best among them. He selected that poisoned lancet, which the physician had forgotten, and bled himself with it. When he had finished, he looked at it and recognized it, and he was certain of perishing, and he made his testament immediately. It is also said that he had an ailment in his head, and Ibn al-Ṭayfūrī dropped oil into his ear, and his head swelled, and he died. It is said: rather, Ibn al-Ṭayfūrī poisoned him in his cupping glasses, and he died. It is said that many of the people, from the time the caliphate passed to him until he died, used to say: The length of his life is only six months, the span of Shīrawayh b. Kisrā, the killer of his father; both the elite and the common people said this. It is said that he sat for entertainment and saw on one of the carpets a circle containing a horseman wearing a crown, and around it a Persian inscription. He sought someone to read it, and a man was brought. He looked at it and frowned. He asked, “What is this?” The man said, “It has no meaning.” But he insisted, so the man said: “I am Shīrawayh b. Kisrā b. Hurmuz; I killed my father and did not enjoy the kingship except for six months.” Al-Muntaṣir’s face changed. In “Laṭāʾif al-Maʿārif” by al-Thaʿālibī: “The most deeply rooted of the caliphs in the caliphate is al-Muntaṣir, for he and his five forefathers were caliphs, and likewise his two brothers al-Muʿtazz and al-Muʿtamid.” I say: More deeply rooted than him is al-Mustaʿṣim, whom the Tatars killed, for his eight forefathers were caliphs. It is said that al-Muntaṣir saw in a dream as if he were climbing a ladder, and he reached the last of twenty-five rungs. He related it to one of the interpreters, who said to him: “These are twenty-five years during which you will hold the caliphate,” and that is the length of his life, which he completed in this year. One of them said: We entered upon him one day, and he was weeping and sobbing violently. One of his companions asked him about his weeping, and he said: “I saw my father al-Mutawakkil in this dream of mine, saying: Woe to you, O Muḥammad! You killed me, wronged me, and usurped my caliphate. By God, you will not enjoy it after me except for a few days, then your destiny is to the Fire.” He said: “I cannot control my eyes or my anguish.” One of his companions among the deceivers who delude people and tempt them said to him: “This is a vision, and it may be true or false. Rise with us to drink, so that your grief and sorrow may depart.” So he ordered wine, and it was brought, and his drinking companions came. He began to drink while broken in spirit, and he remained thus, broken-hearted, until he died. One of them said: He mentioned that al-Muntaṣir had consulted a group of jurists about killing his father, informed them of his ways, and related from him ugly matters that I disliked to mention, and they advised killing him. It was as we have related in part. His age was twenty-five years and six months; it is also said: twenty-four years. His caliphate was six months and two days; it is also said: it was exactly six months. His death took place in Sāmarrā. When death came upon him, he recited: My soul did not rejoice in a world I acquired, but to the Generous Lord I shall return. Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. al-Muʿtaṣim prayed over him in Sāmarrā, where he was born. He was wide-eyed, aquiline-nosed, short, and awe-inspiring. He was the first caliph of the Banū al-ʿAbbās whose grave was known, because his mother requested that his grave be made public. His mother was an umm walad of Byzantine origin. Ibn Jarīr mentioned that the caliph’s mother entered upon him during the illness in which he died and said to him: “How are you?” He said: “The world and the hereafter have slipped away from me.” When he was on his deathbed, he said: “O mother, the world and the hereafter have slipped away from me. I hastened against my father, so I was hastened against.”
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