Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3425
The Year 255 AH
أَوَّلِ خُرُوجِ صَاحِبِ الزَّنْجِ وَفِي شَوَّالٍ خَرَجَ فِي فُرَاتِ الْبَصْرَةِ رَجُلٌ، وَزَعَمَ أَنَّهُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ [ بْنِ عَلِيِّ ] بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَجَمَعَ الزَّنْجَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَسْكُنُونَ السِّبَاخَ، وَعَبَرَ دِجْلَةَ، فَنَزَلَ الدِّينَارِيَّ. قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ: وَكَانَ اسْمُهُ، فِيمَا ذُكِرَ، عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحِيمِ، وَنَسَبُهُ فِي عَبْدِ الْقَيْسِ، وَأُمُّهُ ابْنَةُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رَحِيبِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ ( مِنْ بَنِي أَسَدِ بْنِ خُزَيْمَةَ مِنْ قُرَى الرَّيِّ، وَكَانَ يَقُولُ: جَدِّي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَكِيمٍ ) مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ أَحَدُ الْخَارِجِينَ عَلَى هِشَامِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ مَعَ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ، فَلَمَّا قُتِلَ زَيْدٌ هَرَبَ فَلَحِقَ بِالرَّيِّ، فَجَاءَ إِلَى قَرْيَةِ وَرْزَنِينَ وَأَقَامَ بِهَا. وَإِنَّ أَبَا أَبِيهِ عَبْدَ الرَّحِيمِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ عَبْدِ الْقَيْسِ، كَانَ مَوْلِدُهُ بِالطَّالَقَانِ، وَقَدِمَ الْعِرَاقَ، وَاشْتَرَى جَارِيَةً سِنْدِيَّةً، وَأَوْلَدَهَا مُحَمَّدًا أَبَاهُ، وَكَانَ مُتَّصِلًا قَبْلُ بِجَمَاعَةٍ مِنْ حَاشِيَةِ الْمُنْتَصِرِ، مِنْهُمْ غَانِمٌ الشَّطْرَنْجِيُّ، وَسَعِيدٌ الصَّغِيرُ، وَكَانَ مَعَاشُهُ مِنْهُمْ وَمِنْ أَصْحَابِ السُّلْطَانِ، وَكَانَ يَمْدَحُهُمْ وَيَسْتَمِيحُهُمْ بِشِعْرِهِ، ( مِنْهُمْ، وَمِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ ). ذهاب صاحب الزنج إلى البحرين ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ شَخَصَ مِنْ سَامَرَّا سَنَةَ تِسْعٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ إِلَى الْبَحْرَيْنِ، فَادَّعَى بِهَا أَنَّهُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَدَعَا النَّاسَ بِهَجَرَ إِلَى طَاعَتِهِ، فَاتَّبَعَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا وَمِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ، فَجَرَى بَيْنَ الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ عَصَبِيَّةٌ قُتِلَ فِيهَا جَمَاعَةٌ. وَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْبَحْرَيْنِ قَدْ أَحَلُّوهُ بِمَحَلِّ نَبِيٍّ، وَجَبَى الْخَرَاجَ، وَنَفَذَ فِيهِمْ حُكْمُهُ، وَقَاتَلُوا أَصْحَابَ السُّلْطَانِ بِسَبَبِهِ، فَوَتَرَ مِنْهُمْ جَمَاعَةً، فَتَنَكَّرُوا لَهُ، فَانْتَقَلَ عَنْهُمْ إِلَى الْأَحْسَاءِ، وَنَزَلَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنْ بَنِي سَعْدِ بْنِ تَمِيمٍ، يُقَالُ لَهُمْ: بَنُو الشَّمَّاسِ، وَأَقَامَ فِيهِمْ، وَفِي صُحْبَتِهِ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ مِنْهُمْ: يَحْيَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَزْرَقُ الْبَحْرَانِيُّ، وَسُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ جَامِعٍ، وَهُوَ قَائِدُ جَيْشِهِ. وَكَانَ يَنْتَقِلُ بِالْبَادِيَةِ، فَذُكِرَ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: أُوتِيتُ فِي تِلْكَ الْأَيَّامِ بِالْبَادِيَةِ آيَاتٍ مِنْ آيَاتِ إِمَامَتِي ظَاهِرَةً لِلنَّاسِ، مِنْهَا أَنِّي لُقِّنتُ سُوَرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، فَجَرَى بِهَا لِسَانِي فِي سَاعَةٍ، وَحَفِظْتُهَا فِي دَفْعَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، مِنْهَا: سُبْحَانَ، وَالْكَهْفُ، وَصَادْ، وَمِنْهَا أَنِّي فَكَّرْتُ فِي الْمَوْضِعِ الَّذِي أَقْصِدُهُ حَيْثُ أَتَيْتُ فِي الْبِلَادِ، فَأَظَلَّتْنِي غَمَامَةٌ، وَخُوطِبْتُ مِنْهَا، فَقِيلَ لِي: اقْصِدِ الْبَصْرَةَ. وَقِيلَ عَنْهُ إِنَّهُ قَالَ لِأَهْلِ الْبَادِيَةِ: إِنَّهُ يَحْيَا بِهِ عُمَرُ الْعَلَوِيُّ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الْمَقْتُولُ بِنَاحِيَةِ الْكُوفَةِ، فَخَدَعَ أَهْلَهَا، فَأَتَاهُ مِنْهُمْ جَمَاعَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ، فَزَحَفَ بِهِمْ إِلَى الرُّومِ، مِنَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ، كَانَتْ وَقْعَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ، وَكَانَتِ الْهَزِيمَةُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ، قُتِّلُوا قَتْلًا كَثِيرًا، فَتَفَرَّقَتِ الْعَرَبُ عَنْهُ. فَلَمَّا تَفَرَّقَتْ عَنْهُ سَارَ فَنَزَلَ الْبَصْرَةَ فِي بَنِي ضُبَيْعَةَ، فَاتَّبَعَهُ مِنْهُمْ جَمَاعَةٌ ( كَبِيرَةٌ ) مِنْهُمْ: عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبَانٍ الْمُهَلَّبِيُّ، وَكَانَ قُدُومُهُ الْبَصْرَةَ سَنَةَ أَرْبَعٍ وَخَمْسِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَجَاءٍ الْحَضَارِيُّ عَامِلُهَا، وَوَافَقَ ذَلِكَ فِتْنَةَ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ بِالْبِلَالِيَّةِ، وَالسَّعْدِيَّةِ. وَطَمَعَ فِي إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ أَنْ تَمِيلَ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ يَدْعُوهُمْ، فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَلَدِ، وَطَلَبَهُ ابْنُ رَجَاءٍ، فَهَرَبَ، فَحَبَسَ جَمَاعَةً مِمَّنْ كَانُوا يَمِيلُونَ إِلَيْهِ، مِنْهُمْ: ابْنُهُ، وَزَوْجَتُهُ، وَابْنَةٌ لَهُ، وَجَارِيَةٌ حَامِلٌ مِنْهُ. وَسَارَ يُرِيدُ بَغْدَاذَ، وَمَعَهُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلْمٍ، وَيَحْيَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَسُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ جَامِعٍ، وَمُرْقُسُ الْقُرَيْعِيُّ، فَلَمَّا صَارَ بِالْبَطِيحَةِ نَذَرَ بِهِمْ ( رَجُلٌ كَانَ يَلِي أَمْرَهَا، اسْمُهُ عُمَيْرُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، فَحَمَلَهُمْ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ عَامِلِ وَاسِطَ، فَخَلُصَ مِنْهُ ) هُوَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ، فَدَخَلَ بَغْدَاذَ، فَأَقَامَ بِهَا حَوْلًا، فَانْتَسَبَ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ زَيْدٍ، فَزَعَمَ بِهَا أَنَّهُ ظَهَرَ لَهُ آيَاتٌ عَرَفَ بِهَا مَا فِي ضَمَائِرِ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَمَا يَفْعَلُ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ، فَاسْتَمَالَ جَمَاعَةً مِنْ أَهْلِ بَغْدَاذَ مِنْهُمْ: جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الصُّوحَانِيُّ مِنْ وَلَدِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ صُوحَانَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ، وَمُشْرِقٌ، وَرَقِيقٌ، غُلَامَا يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، فَسَمَّى مُشْرِقًا حَمْزَةَ، وَكَنَّاهُ أَبَا أَحْمَدَ، وَسَمَّى رَفِيقًا جَعْفَرًا، وَكَنَّاهُ أَبَا الْفَضْلِ. وَعُزِلَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَجَاءٍ عَنِ الْبَصْرَةِ، فَوَثَبَ رُؤَسَاءُ الْبِلَالِيَّةِ، وَالسَّعْدِيَّةِ، فَأَخْرَجُوا مَنْ فِي الْحُبُوسِ، فَخَلَصَ أَهْلُهُ فِيهِمْ، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَهُ خَلَاصُ أَهْلِهِ رَجَعَ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ، وَكَانَ رُجُوعُهُ فِي رَمَضَانَ سَنَةَ خَمْسٍ وَخَمْسِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، وَمَعَهُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبَانٍ، وَيَحْيَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَسُلَيْمَانُ، وَمَشْرِقٌ، وَرَقِيقٌ، فَوَافَوُا الْبَصْرَةَ، فَنَزَلَ بِقَصْرِ الْقُرَشِيِّ عَلَى نَهْرٍ يُعْرَفُ بِعَمُودِ ابْنِ الْمُنَجِّمِ، وَأَظْهَرَ أَنَّهُ وَكِيلٌ لِوَلَدِ الْوَاثِقِ فِي بَيْعِ السَّبَخِ، فَأَقَامَ هُنَالِكَ. وَذَكَرَ رَيْحَانُ أَحَدُ غِلْمَانِ السُّورَجِيِّينَ، وَهُوَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ صَحِبَهُ مِنْهُمْ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ: كُنْتُ مُوَكَّلًا بِغِلْمَانِ مَوْلَايَ أَنْقُلُ لَهُمُ الدَّقِيقَ، فَأَخَذَنِي أَصْحَابُهُ، فَسَارُوا بِي إِلَيْهِ، وَأَمَرُونِي أَنْ أُسَلِّمَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْإِمْرَةِ، فَفَعَلْتُ، فَسَأَلَنِي عَنِ الْمَوْضِعِ الَّذِي جِئْتُ مِنْهُ، فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ، وَسَأَلَنِي عَنْ أَخْبَارِ الْبَصْرَةِ، فَقُلْتُ: لَا عِلْمَ لِي ; وَسَأَلَنِي عَنْ غِلْمَانِ السُّرْجِيِّينَ، وَعَنْ أَحْوَالِهِمْ، وَمَا يَجْرِي لَهُمْ، فَأَعْلَمْتُهُ، فَدَعَانِي إِلَى مَا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَجَبْتُهُ، فَقَالَ: احْتَلْ فِيمَنْ قَدَرْتَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْغِلْمَانِ، وَأَقْبِلْ بِهِمْ إِلَيَّ، وَوَعَدَنِي أَنْ يَقُودَنِي عَلَى مَنْ آتِيهِ بِهِ، وَاسْتَحْلَفَنِي أَنْ لَا أُعْلِمَ أَحَدًا بِمَوْضِعِهِ، وَأَنْ أَرْجِعَ إِلَيْهِ، وَخَلَّى سَبِيلِي. وَعُدْتُ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْغَدَاةِ، وَقَدْ أَتَاهُ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ غِلْمَانِ الدَّبَّاسِينَ، فَكَتَبَ فِي حَرِيرَةٍ: " إِنَّ اللَّهَ اشْتَرَى مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ الْآيَةَ ; وَجَعَلَهَا فِي رَأْسِ مُرْدِيٍّ، وَمَا زَالَ يَدْعُو غِلْمَانَ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَيُقْبِلُونَ إِلَيْهِ لِلْخَلَاصِ مِنَ الرِّقِّ وَالتَّعَبِ، فَاجْتَمَعَ عِنْدَهُ مِنْهُمْ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَخَطَبَهُمْ، وَوَعَدَهُمْ أَنْ يَقُودَهُمْ وَيُمَلِّكَهُمُ الْأَمْوَالَ، وَحَلَفَ لَهُمْ بِالْأَيْمَانِ أَنْ لَا يَغْدِرَ بِهِمْ، وَلَا يَخْذُلَهُمْ، وَلَا يَدَعُ شَيْئًا مِنَ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا أَتَى بِهِ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَأَتَاهُ مَوَالِيهِمْ، وَبَذَلُوا لَهُ عَلَى كُلِّ عَبْدٍ خَمْسَةَ دَنَانِيرَ لِيُسْلِمَ إِلَيْهِ عَبْدَهُ، فَبَطَحَ أَصْحَابَهُمْ، وَأَمَرَ كُلَّ مَنْ عِنْدَهُ مِنَ الْعَبِيدِ، فَضَرَبُوا مَوَالِيَهُمْ، أَوْ وَكِيلَهُمْ، كُلَّ سَيِّدٍ خَمْسَمِائَةِ سَوْطٍ، ثُمَّ أَطْلَقَهُمْ فَمَضَوْا نَحْوَ الْبَصْرَةِ. ثُمَّ رَكِبَ فِي سُفُنٍ هُنَاكَ، فَعَبَرَ دُجَيْلًا إِلَى نَهْرِ مَيْمُونٍ، فَأَقَامَ هُنَاكَ، وَلَمْ يَزَلْ هَذَا دَأْبُهُ يَتَجَمَّعُ إِلَيْهِ السُّودَانُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْفِطْرِ، فَخَطَبَهُمْ، وَصَلَّى بِهِمْ، وَذَكَّرَهُمْ مَا كَانُوا فِيهِ مِنَ الشَّقَاءِ وَسُوءِ الْحَالِ، وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى أَبْعَدَهُمْ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَأَنَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ أَقْدَارَهُمْ، وَيُمَلِّكَهُمُ الْعَبِيدَ وَالْأَمْوَالَ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ يَوْمَيْنِ رَأَى أَصْحَابُهُ الْحُمَيْرِيَّ، فَقَاتَلُوهُ حَتَّى أَخْرَجُوهُ مِنْ دِجْلَةَ، وَاسْتَأْمَنَ إِلَى صَاحِبِ الزَّنْجِ رَجُلٌ ( مِنْ رُؤَسَاءِ الزَّنْجِ ) يُكَنَّى بِأَبِي صَالِحٍ، وَيُعْرَفُ بِالْقَصِيرِ، فِي ثَلَاثِمِائَةٍ مِنَ الزَّنْجِ، فَلَمَّا كَثُرُوا جَعَلَ الْقُوَّادَ فِيهِمْ مِنْهُمْ، وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: كُلُّ مَنْ أَتَى مِنْكُمْ بِرَجُلٍ فَهُوَ مَضْمُومٌ إِلَيْهِ. وَكَانَ ابْنُ عَوْنٍ قَدْ نُقِلَ مِنْ وَاسِطَ إِلَى وِلَايَةِ الْأُبُلَّةِ وَكُوَرِ دِجْلَةَ. مسير قائد الزنج إلى المحمدية وَسَارَ قَائِدُ الزَّنْجِ إِلَى الْمُحَمَّدِيَّةِ، فَلَمَّا نَزَلَهَا وَافَاهُ أَصْحَابُ ابْنِ أَبِي عَوْنٍ، فَصَاحَ الزَّنْجُ: السِّلَاحَ، وَقَامُوا، وَكَانَ فِيهِمْ فَتْحٌ الْحَجَّامُ، فَقَامَ وَأَخَذَ طَبَقًا كَانَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَلَقِيَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ السُّورَجِيِّينَ يُقَالُ لَهُ بُلْبُلٌ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ فَتْحٌ حَمَلَ عَلَيْهِ، وَحَذَفَهُ بِالطَّبَقِ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ، فَرَمَى سِلَاحَهُ وَوَلَّى هَارِبًا، وَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُهُ، وَكَانُوا أَرْبَعَةَ آلَافٍ، وَقُتِلَ مِنْهُمْ جَمَاعَةً، وَمَاتَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَطَشًا، وَأَسَرَ مِنْهُمْ، وَأَمَرَ بِضَرْبِ أَعْنَاقِهِمْ. ثُمَّ سَارَ إِلَى الْقَادِسِيَّةِ، فَنَهَبَهَا أَصْحَابُهُ بِأَمْرِهِ، وَمَا زَالَ يَتَرَدَّدُ إِلَى أَنْهَارِ الْبَصْرَةِ، فَوَجَدَ بَعْضُ السُّودَانِ دَارًا لِبَعْضِ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ، فِيهَا سِلَاحٌ بِالسَّيْبِ، فَانْتَهَبُوهُ، فَصَارَ مَعَهُمْ مَا يُقَاتِلُونَ بِهِ، فَأَتَاهُ، وَهُوَ بِالسَّبَبِ، جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ يُقَاتِلُونَهُ، فَوَجَّهَ يَحْيَى بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ فِي خَمْسِمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ، فَلَقَوُا الْبَصْرِيِّينَ، فَانْهَزَمَ الْبَصْرِيُّونَ مِنْهُمْ، وَأَخَذُوا سِلَاحَهُمْ، ثُمَّ قَاتَلَ طَائِفَةً أُخْرَى عِنْدَ قَرْيَةٍ تُعْرَفُ بِقَرْيَةِ الْيَهُودِ، فَهَزَمَهُمْ أَيْضًا، وَأَثْبَتَ أَصْحَابَهُ فِي الصَّحْرَاءِ. ثُمَّ أَسْرَى إِلَى الْجَعْفَرِيَّةِ، فَوَضَعَ فِي أَهْلِهَا السَّيْفَ، فَقَتَلَ أَكْثَرَهُمْ، وَأَتَى مِنْهُمْ بِأَسْرَى فَأَطْلَقَهُمْ، وَلَقِيَ جَيْشًا كَبِيرًا لِلْبَصْرِيِّينَ مَعَ رَئِيسٍ اسْمُهُ عُقَيْلٌ، فَهَزَمَهُمْ، وَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمْ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا، وَكَانَ مَعَهُمْ سُفُنٌ، فَهَبَّتْ عَلَيْهَا رِيحٌ فَأَلْقَتْهَا إِلَى الشَّطِّ، فَنَزَلَ الزَّنْجُ وَقَتَلُوا مَنْ وَجَدُوا فِيهَا، وَغَنِمُوا مَا فِيهَا، وَكَانَ مَعَ الرَّئِيسِ ( سُفُنٌ فَرَكِبَهَا وَنَجَا، فَأَنْفَذَ صَاحِبُ الزَّنْجِ فَأَخَذَهَا وَنَهَبَ مَا فِيهَا، ثُمَّ نَهَبَ ) الْقَرْيَةَ الْمَعْرُوفَةَ بِالْمُهَلَّبِيَّةِ وَأَحْرَقَهَا، وَأَفْسَدَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَعَاثَ. ثُمَّ لَقِيَهُ قَائِدٌ مِنْ قُوَّادِ الْأَتْرَاكِ يُقَالُ لَهُ: أَبُو هِلَالٍ فِي أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافِ مُقَاتِلٍ عَلَى نَهْرِ الرَّيَّانِ، فَاقْتَتَلُوا، وَحَمَلَ السُّودَانُ عَلَيْهِ حَمْلَةً صَادِقَةً، فَقَتَلُوا صَاحِبَ عَلَمِهِ، فَانْهَزَمَ هُوَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ، وَتَبِعَهُمُ السُّودَانُ، فَقَتَلُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي هِلَالٍ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَلْفٍ وَخَمْسِمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ، وَأَخَذُوا مِنْهُمْ أَسْرَى فَأَمَرَ بِقَتْلِهِمْ. ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَتَاهُ مَنْ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ الزَّيْنَبِيَّ قَدْ أَعَدَّ لَهُ الْخُيُولَ، وَالْمُتَطَوِّعَةَ، وَالْبِلَالِيَّةَ، وَالسَّعْدِيَّةَ، وَهُمْ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، وَقَدْ أَعَدُّوا الْحِبَالَ لِيُكَتَّفَ مَنْ يَأْخُذُونَهُ مِنَ السُّودَانِ، وَالْمُقَدَّمُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَبُو مَنْصُورٍ، وَأَخَذَ مَوَالِيَ الْهَاشِمِيِّينَ، فَأَرْسَلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبَانٍ فِي مِائَةِ أَسْوَدَ لِيَأْتِيَهُ بِخَبَرِهِمْ، فَلَقِيَ طَائِفَةً مِنْهُمْ، فَهَزَمَهُمْ، وَصَارَ مَنْ مَعَهُمْ مِنَ الْعَبِيدِ إِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبَانٍ. وَأَرْسَلَ طَائِفَةً أُخْرَى مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَأَتَوْا إِلَى مَوْضِعٍ فِيهِ أَلْفٌ وَتِسْعُمِائَةِ سَفِينَةٍ، وَمَعَهَا مَنْ يَحُفُّهَا، فَلَمَّا رَأَوُا الزَّنْجَ هَرَبُوا عَنْهَا، فَأَخَذَ الزَّنْجُ السُّفُنَ وَأَتَوْا بِهَا إِلَى صَاحِبِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا أَتَوْهُ قَعَدَ عَلَى نَشَزٍ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ. وَكَانَ فِي السُّفُنِ قَوْمٌ حُجَّاجٌ أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَسْلُكُوا طَرِيقَ الْبَصْرَةِ، فَنَاظَرَهُمْ، فَصَدَّقُوهُ عَلَى قَوْلِهِ، وَقَالُوا لَهُ: لَوْ كَانَ مَعَنَا فَضْلُ نَفَقَةٍ لَأَقَمْنَا مَعَكَ، فَأَطْلَقَهُمْ، وَأَرْسَلَ طَلِيعَةً تَأْتِيهِ بِخَبَرِ ذَلِكَ الْعَسْكَرِ، فَأَتَاهُ خَبَرُهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ أَتَوْهُ فِي خَلْقٍ كَثِيرٍ، فَأَمَرَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ سَالِمٍ، وَعَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبَانٍ أَنْ يَقْعُدَا لَهُمْ بِالنَّخْلِ، وَقَعَدَ هُوَ عَلَى جَبَلٍ مُشْرِفٍ، فَلَمْ يَلْبَثْ أَنْ طَلَعَتِ الْأَعْلَامُ وَالرِّجَالُ، فَأَمَرَ الزَّنْجَ فَكَبَّرُوا، وَحَمَلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، وَحَمَلَتِ الْخُيُولُ، فَتَرَاجَعَ الزَّنْجُ حَتَّى بَلَغُوا الْجَبَلَ الَّذِي هُوَ عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ حَمَلُوا، فَثَبَتُوا لَهُمْ، وَقُتِلَ مِنَ الزَّنْجِ فَتْحٌ الْحَجَّامُ، وَصَدَقَ الزَّنْجُ الْحَمْلَةَ، فَأَخَذُوهُمْ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ، وَخَرَجَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَالِمٍ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبَانٍ، وَحَمَلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَتَلُوا مِنْهُمْ، وَانْهَزَمَ النَّاسُ، وَذَهَبُوا كُلَّ مَذْهَبٍ، وَتَبِعَهَمُ السُّودَانُ إِلَى نَهْرِ بَيَانٍ، فَوَقَعُوا فِي الْوَحْلِ، فَقَتَلَهُمُ السُّودَانُ، وَغَرِقَ كَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ. وَأَتَى الْخَبَرُ إِلَى الزُّنُوجِ بِأَنَّ لَهُمْ كَمِينًا، فَسَارُوا إِلَيْهِ، فَإِذَا الْكَمِينُ فِي ( أَكْثَرِ مِنْ ) أَلْفٍ مِنَ الْمَغَارِبَةِ، فَقَاتَلَهُمْ قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا، ثُمَّ حَمَلَ السُّودَانُ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَقَتَلُوهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ وَأَخَذُوا سِلَاحَهُمْ. ثُمَّ وَجَّهَ أَصْحَابَهُ فَرَأَوْا مِائَتَيْ سَفِينَةٍ فِيهَا دَقِيقٌ فَأَخَذُوهُ، وَمَتَاعًا فَنَهَبُوهُ، وَنَهَبَ الْمُعَلَّى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ ثُمَّ سَارَ، فَرَأَى مَسْلَحَةَ الزَّيْنَبِيَّ فَقَاتَلُوهُ، فَقَاتَلَهُمْ، فَقَتَلَهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ، فَكَانُوا مِائَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ سَارَ فَنَهَبَ قَرْيَةَ مَيْزَرَانَ، وَرَأَى فِيهَا جَمْعًا مِنَ الزَّنْجِ فَفَرَّقَهُمْ عَلَى قُوَّادِهِ ; ثُمَّ سَارَ، فَلَقِيَهُ سِتُّمِائَةِ فَارِسٍ مَعَ سُلَيْمَانَ ابْنِ أَخِي الزَّيْنَبِيِّ، وَلَمْ يُقَاتِلْهُ، فَأَرْسَلَ مَنْ يَنْهَبُ، فَأَتَوْهُ بِغَنَمٍ وَبَقَرٍ، فَذَبَحُوا وَأَكَلُوا، وَفَرَّقَ أَصْحَابَهُ فِي انْتِهَابِ مَا هُنَاكَ. مسير قائد الزنج إلى البصرة ثُمَّ إِنَّ صَاحِبَ الزَّنْجِ سَارَ يُرِيدُ الْبَصْرَةَ، حَتَّى إِذَا قَابَلَ النَّهْرَ الْمَعْرُوفَ بِالرِّيَاحِيِّ أَتَاهُ قَوْمٌ مِنَ السُّودَانِ فَأَعْلَمُوهُ أَنَّهُمْ رَأَوْا فِي الرِّيَاحِيِّ بَارِقَةً، فَلَمْ يَلْبَثْ إِلَّا يَسِيرًا حَتَّى نَادَى السُّودَانُ: السِّلَاحَ السِّلَاحَ، وَأَمَرَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبَانٍ بِالْعُبُورِ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَعَبَرَ فِي ثَلَاثِمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنِ احْتَجْتَ إِلَى مَدَدٍ فَاسْتَمِدَّنِي، فَلَمَّا مَضَى عَلِيٌّ صَاحَ الزَّنْجُ: السِّلَاحَ السِّلَاحَ، لِحَرَكَةٍ رَأَوْهَا فِي جِهَةٍ أُخْرَى، فَوَجَّهَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ سَالِمٍ، ( فَرَأَى جَمْعًا، فَقَاتَلَهُمْ ) مِنْ وَقْتِ الظُّهْرِ إِلَى آخِرِ وَقْتِ الْعَصْرِ، ثُمَّ حَمَلَ الزُّنُوجُ حَمْلَةً صَادِقَةً، فَهَزَمُوهُمْ، وَقَتَلُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ وَالْأَعْرَابِ زُهَاءَ خَمْسِمِائَةٍ، وَرَجَعُوا إِلَى صَاحِبِهِمْ. ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبَانٍ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ، وَقَدْ هَزَمُوا مَنْ بِإِزَائِهِمْ، وَقَتَلُوا مِنْهُمْ، وَمَعَهُ رَأْسُ ابْنِ أَبِي اللَّيْثِ الْبِلَالِيِّ الْقَوَارِيرِيِّ مِنْ أَعْيَانِ الْبِلَالِيَّةِ، ثُمَّ سَارَ مِنَ الْغَدِ عَنْ ذَلِكَ الْمَكَانِ، وَنَهَى أَصْحَابَهُ عَنْ دُخُولِ الْبَصْرَةِ، فَتَسَرَّعَ بَعْضُهُمْ، فَلَقِيَهُمْ أَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ فِي جَمْعٍ عَظِيمٍ، وَانْتَهَى الْخَبَرُ إِلَيْهِ، فَوَجَّهَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ سَالِمٍ، ( وَعَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبَانٍ )، وَمُشْرِقًا، وَخَلْقًا كَثِيرًا، وَجَاءَ هُوَ يُسَايِرُهُمْ فَلَقُوا الْبَصْرِيِّينَ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ لِيَتَأَخَّرُوا عَنِ الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ، فَتَرَاجَعُوا، فَأَكَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ أَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ فَانْهَزَمُوا، وَذَلِكَ عِنْدَ الْعَصْرِ، وَوَقَعَ الزُّنُوجُ فِي نَهْرٍ كَبِيرٍ، وَنَهْرِ شَيْطَانٍ، وَقُتِلَ مِنْهُمْ جَمَاعَةٌ، وَغَرِقَ جَمَاعَةٌ، وَتَفَرَّقَ الْبَاقُونَ، وَتَخَلَّفَ صَاحِبُهُمْ عَنْهُمْ، وَبَقِيَ فِي نَفَرٍ يَسِيرٍ، فَنَجَّاهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى. ثُمَّ لَقِيَهُمْ وَهُمْ مُتَحَيِّرُونَ لِفَقْدِهِ، وَسَأَلَ عَنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَإِذَا لَيْسَ مَعَهُ إِلَّا خَمْسُمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ، فَأَمَرَ بِالنَّفْخِ فِي الْبُوقِ الَّذِي يَجْتَمِعُونَ لِصَوْتِهِ، فَلَمْ يَأْتِهِ أَحَدٌ، وَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ قَدِ انْتَهَبُوا السُّفُنَ الَّذِي كَانَتْ لِلزُّنُوجِ، وَبِهَا مَتَاعُهُمْ، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ رَأَى أَصْحَابَهُ فِي أَلْفِ رَجُلٍ، وَأَرْسَلَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ سَالِمٍ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ يَعِظُهُمْ، وَيُعْلِمُهُمْ مَا الَّذِي دَعَاهُ إِلَى الْخُرُوجِ، فَقَتَلُوهُ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ الِاثْنَيْنِ لِأَرْبَعٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ ذِي الْقِعْدَةِ جَمَعَ أَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ وَحَشَدُوا لَمَّا رَأَوْا مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ عَلَيْهِ، وَانْتُدِبَ لِذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ يُعْرَفُ بِحِمَارٍ السَّاجِيِّ، وَكَانَ مِنْ غُزَاةِ الْبَحْرِ، وَلَهُ عِلْمٌ فِي رُكُوبِ السُّفُنِ، فَجَمَعَ الْمُتَطَوِّعَةَ، وَرُمَاةَ الْأَهْدَافِ، وَأَهْلَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْجَامِعِ، وَمَنْ خَفَّ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْبِلَالِيَّةِ وَالسَّعْدِيَّةِ، وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ النَّظَرَ مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ، وَشَحَنَ ثَلَاثَةَ مَرَاكِبَ، وَشَذَوَاتٍ مُقَابَلَةً، ( وَجَعَلُوا يَزْدَحِمُونَ )، وَمَضَى جُمْهُورُ النَّاسِ رَجَّالَةً، مِنْهُمْ مَنْ مَعَهُ سِلَاحٌ، وَمِنْهُ نَظَّارَةٌ، فَدَخَلَتِ الْمَرَاكِبُ فِي الْمَدِّ، وَالرَّجَّالَةُ عَلَى شَاطِئِ النَّهْرِ. فَلَمَّا عَلِمَ صَاحِبُ الزَّنْجِ بِذَلِكَ وَجَّهَ طَائِفَةً مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ مَعَ زُرَيْقٍ الْأَصْبَهَانِيِّ، فِي شَرْقِيِّ النَّهْرِ، كَمِينًا، وَطَائِفَةً مَعَ شِبْلٍ، وَحُسَيْنٍ الْحَمَّامِيِّ، فِي غَرْبِيِّهِ كَمِينًا، وَأَمَرَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبَانٍ أَنْ يَلْقَى أَهْلَ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَأَنْ يَسْتَتِرَ هُوَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ بِتِرَاسِهِمْ، وَلَا يُقَاتِلَ حَتَّى تَظْهَرَ أَصْحَابُهُ، وَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَى الْكَمِينَيْنِ، إِذْ جَاوَزَهُمْ أَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا، وَيَصِيحُوا بِالنَّاسِ، وَبَقِيَ هُوَ فِي نَفَرٍ يَسِيرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَقَدْ هَالَهُ مَا رَأَى مِنْ كَثْرَةِ الْجَمْعِ، فَسَارَ أَصْحَابُهُ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَظَهَرَ الْكَمِينَانِ مِنْ جَانِبَيِ النَّهْرِ وَمِنْ وَرَاءِ السُّفُنِ، وَالرَّجَّالَةِ، فَضَرَبُوا مَنْ وَلَّى مِنَ الرَّجَّالَةِ وَالنَّظَّارَةِ، فَغَرِقَتْ طَائِفَةٌ، وَقُتِلَتْ طَائِفَةٌ، وَهَرَبَ الْبَاقُونَ إِلَى الشَّطِّ، فَأَدْرَكَهُمُ السَّيْفُ، فَمَنْ ثَبَتَ قُتِلَ، وَمَنْ أَلْقَى نَفْسَهُ فِي الْمَاءِ غَرِقَ، فَهَلَكَ أَكْثَرُ ذَلِكَ الْجَمْعِ، فَلَمْ يَنْجُ إِلَّا الشَّرِيدُ، وَكَثُرَ الْمَفْقُودُونَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَعَلَا الْعَوِيلُ مِنْ نِسَائِهِمْ، وَهَذَا يَوْمُ الْبَيْدَاءِ الَّذِي أَعْظَمَهُ النَّاسُ. وَكَانَ فِيمَنْ قُتِلَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ وَغَيْرِهِمْ فِي خَلْقٍ كَثِيرٍ لَا يُحْصَى، وَجُمِعَتْ لِلْخَبِيثِ الرُّءُوسُ، فَأَتَاهُ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ الْمَقْتُولِينَ، فَأَعْطَاهُمْ مَا عَرَفُوا، وَجَمَعَ الرُّءُوسَ الَّتِي لَمْ تُطْلَبْ، وَجَعَلَهَا فِي خَزِينَةٍ، فَأَطْلَقَهَا فَوَافَتِ الْبَصْرَةَ، فَجَاءَ النَّاسُ وَأَخَذُوا كُلَّ مَا عَرَفُوهُ مِنْهَا، وَقَوِيَ بَعْدَ هَذَا الْيَوْمِ، وَتَمَكَّنَ الرُّعْبُ فِي قُلُوبِ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ مِنْهُ، وَأَمْسَكُوا عَنْ حَرْبِهِ. وَكَتَبَ النَّاسُ إِلَى الْخَلِيفَةِ بِخَبَرِ مَا كَانَ، فَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْهِ جُعْلَانُ التُّرْكِيُّ مَدَدًا، وَأَمَرَ أَبَا الْأَحْوَصِ الْبَاهِلِيَّ بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَى الْأُبُلَّةِ وَالِيًا، وَأَمَدَّهُ بِقَائِدٍ مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ يُقَالُ لَهُ جُرَيْجٌ. وَأَمَّا الْخَبِيثُ صَاحِبُ الزَّنْجِ فَإِنَّهُ انْصَرَفَ بِأَصْحَابِهِ إِلَى سَبْخَةٍ فِي آخِرِ النَّهَارِ، وَهِيَ سَبْخَةُ أَبِي قُرَّةَ، وَبَثَّ أَصْحَابَهُ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالًا لِلْغَارَةِ وَالنَّهْبِ، فَهَذَا مَا كَانَ مِنْهُ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ.
Translation
✧ The First Emergence of the Master of the Zanj In Shawwāl, a man emerged in the Furāt of al-Baṣrah, claiming to be ʿAlī b. Muḥammad b. Aḥmad [b. ʿAlī] b. ʿĪsā b. Zayd b. ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib ﷺ. He gathered the Zanj who were dwelling in the salt marshes, crossed the Tigris, and encamped at al-Dīnārī. Abū Jaʿfar said: His name, as has been mentioned, was ʿAlī b. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Raḥīm, and his lineage was in ʿAbd al-Qays. His mother was the daughter of ʿAlī b. Raḥīb b. Muḥammad b. Ḥakīm, from Banū Asad b. Khuzaymah, from the villages of al-Rayy. He used to say: "My grandfather Muḥammad b. Ḥakīm was from the people of al-Kūfah, one of those who revolted against Hishām b. ʿAbd al-Malik along with Zayd b. ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn. When Zayd was killed, he fled and went to al-Rayy, where he came to the village of Warzanīn and settled there." His father's father, ʿAbd al-Raḥīm, was a man from ʿAbd al-Qays, born in al-Ṭālaqān. He came to Iraq, bought a Sindī slave woman, and she bore him Muḥammad, his father. He had previously been connected with a group of the entourage of al-Muntaṣir, including Ghānim al-Shaṭranjī and Saʿīd al-Ṣaghīr. His livelihood came from them and from the companions of the sultan; he would praise them and solicit their gifts with his poetry, from them and from others. The Departure of the Master of the Zanj to al-Baḥrayn Then he departed from Sāmarrā in the year 249 AH to al-Baḥrayn. There he claimed to be ʿAlī b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Muḥammad b. al-Faḍl b. al-Ḥasan b. ʿUbayd Allāh b. al-ʿAbbās b. ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib. He called the people in Hajar to obey him, and a large group from its inhabitants and others followed him. Then a factional dispute occurred between the two parties, in which a group was killed. The people of al-Baḥrayn had placed him in the position of a prophet. He collected the land tax, and his authority was executed among them. They fought the companions of the sultan on his account, and he killed a group of them, so they turned against him. He then moved from them to al-Aḥsāʾ and stayed with a people of Banū Saʿd b. Tamīm called Banū al-Shammās. He remained among them, and in his company were a group from al-Baḥrayn, including Yaḥyā b. Muḥammad al-Azraq al-Baḥrānī and Sulaymān b. Jāmiʿ, who was the commander of his army. He used to roam the desert. It is reported that he said: "During those days in the desert, I was given signs of my imamate that were manifest to the people. Among them was that I was taught sūrahs of the Qurʾān, and my tongue recited them in an hour, and I memorized them at once. Among them were Subḥān, al-Kahf, and Ṣād. And among them was that I thought about the place I intended to go to when I came to the lands, and a cloud overshadowed me, and I was addressed from it, and it was said to me: 'Make for al-Baṣrah.'" It is also reported that he said to the people of the desert that through him ʿUmar al-ʿAlawī Abū al-Ḥasan, who was killed in the region of al-Kūfah, would be brought back to life. Thus he deceived its people, and a large group of them came to him. He marched with them to al-Rūm, from al-Baḥrayn. There was a great battle, and defeat fell upon him and his companions; many were killed, and the Arabs dispersed from him. When they dispersed from him, he traveled and settled in al-Baṣrah among Banū Ḍubayʿah. A large group of them followed him, including ʿAlī b. Abān al-Muhallabī. His arrival in al-Baṣrah was in the year 254 AH, when Muḥammad b. Rajāʾ al-Ḥaḍārī was its governor. This coincided with the strife of the people of al-Baṣrah between the Bilāliyyah and the Saʿdiyyah. He hoped that one of the two factions would incline to him, so he sent to them calling them, but no one from the people of the town answered him. Ibn Rajāʾ sought him, and he fled. He imprisoned a group of those who inclined to him, including his son, his wife, a daughter of his, and a slave woman pregnant from him. He set out wanting Baghdād, and with him from his companions were Muḥammad b. Salm, Yaḥyā b. Muḥammad, Sulaymān b. Jāmiʿ, and Murqus al-Qurayʿī. When he reached al-Baṭīḥah, a man who was in charge of it, named ʿUmayr b. ʿAmmār, was alerted to them and took them to Muḥammad b. ʿAwf, the governor of Wāsiṭ, but he and his companions escaped from him. He entered Baghdād and stayed there for a year. There he claimed descent from Muḥammad b. Aḥmad b. ʿĪsā b. Zayd, and asserted that signs had appeared to him by which he knew what was in the hearts of his companions and what each of them did. He won over a group from the people of Baghdād, including Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad al-Ṣūḥānī from the descendants of Yazīd b. Ṣūḥān, Muḥammad b. al-Qāsim, and Mushriq and Rafīq, the two slaves of Yaḥyā b. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān. He named Mushriq Ḥamzah and gave him the kunyah Abū Aḥmad, and he named Rafīq Jaʿfar and gave him the kunyah Abū al-Faḍl. Muḥammad b. Rajāʾ was dismissed from al-Baṣrah, and the leaders of the Bilāliyyah and the Saʿdiyyah rose up and released those in the prisons, and his family was freed among them. When he learned of his family's release, he returned to al-Baṣrah. His return was in Ramaḍān of the year 255 AH, and with him were ʿAlī b. Abān, Yaḥyā b. Muḥammad, Sulaymān, Mushriq, and Rafīq. They arrived at al-Baṣrah, and he encamped at Qaṣr al-Qurashī on a canal known as ʿAmūd Ibn al-Munajjim. He claimed to be an agent for the son of al-Wāthiq in selling the salt marsh, and he stayed there. Rayḥān, one of the slaves of the Sūrajīs, who was the first of them to accompany him, reported that he said: "I was in charge of the slaves of my master, carrying flour to them. His companions seized me and took me to him. They ordered me to greet him with the title of emir, and I did so. He asked me about the place I had come from, and I told him. He asked me about the news of al-Baṣrah, and I said: 'I have no knowledge.' He asked me about the slaves of the Sūrajīs, their conditions, and what happened to them, and I informed him. He called me to what he was upon, and I accepted. He said: 'Use stratagem with those slaves you can, and bring them to me.' He promised me that he would make me a commander over those I brought to him. He made me swear not to inform anyone of his location and to return to him, and he let me go. I returned to him in the morning, and a group of the slaves of the Dabbāsīn had already come to him. He wrote on a piece of silk: 'Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise' — the verse — and he placed it on the head of a pole. He kept calling the slaves of the people of al-Baṣrah, and they came to him seeking deliverance from slavery and toil. A great number of them gathered with him. He addressed them and promised to lead them and give them possession of wealth, and he swore oaths to them that he would not betray them, would not abandon them, and would not omit any kindness toward them. Their masters came to him and offered him five dinars for each slave, so that he would hand over his slave to him. He had their companions thrown to the ground and ordered every slave with him to strike their masters or their agents — each master five hundred lashes. Then he released them, and they went toward al-Baṣrah. Then he rode in boats there and crossed the Dujayl to the canal of Maymūn and stayed there. This remained his practice — the Blacks gathering to him — until the day of the festival. He addressed them, led them in prayer, and reminded them of the misery and bad condition they had been in, and that Allah the Exalted had removed them from that, and that he wished to raise their status and give them possession of slaves and wealth. Two days later, his companions saw al-Ḥumayrī, and they fought him until they expelled him from the Tigris. A man from the leaders of the Zanj, called by the kunyah Abū Ṣāliḥ and known as al-Qaṣīr, sought amnesty from the Master of the Zanj with three hundred Zanj. When they became numerous, he appointed commanders from among them and said to them: 'Whoever of you brings a man, that man is attached to him.' Ibn ʿAwn had been transferred from Wāsiṭ to the governorship of al-Ubullah and the districts of the Tigris. The March of the Zanj Commander to al-Muḥammadiyyah The commander of the Zanj marched to al-Muḥammadiyyah. When he encamped there, the companions of Ibn Abī ʿAwn confronted him. The Zanj shouted: 'To arms!' and stood up. Among them was Fatḥ al-Ḥajjām, who stood up, took a tray that was before him, and met a man from the Sūrajīs called Bulbul. When Fatḥ saw him, he charged at him and threw the tray he had in his hand at him. The man threw down his weapon and fled, and his companions were routed. They were four thousand, and a group of them was killed, some died of thirst, and some were taken captive. He ordered their necks to be struck. Then he marched to al-Qādisiyyah, and his companions plundered it by his order. He kept going back and forth to the canals of al-Baṣrah. Some of the Blacks found a house belonging to one of Banū Hāshim in which there were weapons left unguarded, and they plundered them. Thus they obtained what they could fight with. A group from the people of al-Baṣrah came to fight him while he was at al-Sabab. He sent Yaḥyā b. Muḥammad with five hundred men, and they met the Baṣrans, who were routed by them and their weapons taken. Then he fought another group near a village known as the Village of the Jews, and he routed them as well, and he established his companions in the open desert. Then he traveled by night to al-Jaʿfariyyah, put its people to the sword, killed most of them, and brought captives from them, whom he released. He met a large army of the Baṣrans under a leader named ʿUqayl, and he routed them and killed a great number of them. They had boats with them, and a wind blew against them and cast them to the shore. The Zanj descended and killed those they found in them and took booty from what was in them. The leader had boats, and he boarded them and escaped. The Master of the Zanj sent and seized them and plundered what was in them. Then he plundered the village known as al-Muhallabiyyah and burned it, and he worked corruption in the land and ravaged it. Then a commander of the Turkish commanders called Abū Hilāl met him with four thousand fighters at the canal of al-Rayyān. They fought, and the Blacks made a true charge against him and killed the bearer of his standard. He and his companions were routed, and the Blacks pursued them and killed more than one thousand five hundred men of Abū Hilāl's companions. They took captives from them, and he ordered them to be killed. Then someone came to him and informed him that al-Zaynabī had prepared for him horses, volunteers, the Bilāliyyah, and the Saʿdiyyah — a great multitude — and they had prepared ropes to bind those of the Blacks they captured. Their leader was Abū Manṣūr, and he took the clients of the Hāshimites. ʿAlī b. Abān was sent with one hundred Blacks to bring him news of them. He met a group of them and routed them, and the slaves who were with them went over to ʿAlī b. Abān. He sent another group of his companions, and they came to a place where there were one thousand nine hundred boats, along with those who guarded them. When they saw the Zanj, they fled from them. The Zanj took the boats and brought them to their master. When they came to him, he sat on a piece of raised ground. In the boats were pilgrims who wanted to travel by the road of al-Baṣrah. He talked with them, and they believed what he said, and they said to him: 'If we had extra provisions, we would stay with you.' He released them. He sent out scouts to bring him news of that army, and word came to him that they were coming against him in a great multitude. He ordered Muḥammad b. Sālim and ʿAlī b. Abān to lie in wait for them among the palm trees, and he himself sat on a hill overlooking. It was not long before the banners and men appeared. He ordered the Zanj, and they shouted 'Allāhu akbar' and charged them. The horsemen charged, and the Zanj fell back until they reached the hill on which he was. Then they charged and stood firm against them. Fatḥ al-Ḥajjām was killed among the Zanj, and the Zanj made a true charge, driving them before them. Muḥammad b. Sālim and ʿAlī b. Abān came out and charged them, killing some of them. The people were routed and fled in every direction. The Blacks pursued them to the canal of Bayān, where they fell into the mud. The Blacks killed them, and many of them drowned. News came to the Zanj that there was an ambush, so they marched to it. The ambush consisted of more than a thousand Maghribīs. They fought them fiercely, then the Blacks charged them and killed them all and took their weapons. Then he sent his companions, and they saw two hundred boats containing flour, which they seized, and goods, which they plundered. Al-Muʿallā b. Ayyūb plundered. Then he marched and saw the outpost of al-Zaynabī, and they fought him. He fought them and killed them all — they were two hundred. Then he marched and plundered the village of Mayzarān. He saw in it a group of Zanj and distributed them among his commanders. Then he marched, and six hundred horsemen met him under Sulaymān, the nephew of al-Zaynabī, but he did not fight him. He sent men to plunder, and they brought him sheep and cattle. They slaughtered and ate, and he dispersed his companions to plunder what was there. The March of the Zanj Commander to al-Baṣrah Then the Master of the Zanj marched toward al-Baṣrah. When he faced the canal known as al-Riyāḥī, a group of the Blacks came to him and informed him that they had seen a flash of weapons in al-Riyāḥī. It was not long before the Blacks shouted: 'To arms! To arms!' He ordered ʿAlī b. Abān to cross over to them, and he crossed with three hundred men. He said to him: 'If you need reinforcements, ask me.' When ʿAlī had gone, the Zanj shouted: 'To arms! To arms!' because of a movement they saw in another direction. He sent Muḥammad b. Sālim, who saw a gathering and fought them from the time of ẓuhr until the end of the time of ʿaṣr. Then the Zanj made a true charge and routed them, killing about five hundred of the people of al-Baṣrah and the Bedouins. They returned to their master. Then ʿAlī b. Abān came with his companions, having routed those facing them and killed some of them. With him was the head of Ibn Abī al-Layth al-Bilālī al-Qawārīrī, one of the notables of the Bilāliyyah. Then he marched on the next day from that place and forbade his companions from entering al-Baṣrah. Some of them rushed ahead, and the people of al-Baṣrah met them in a great gathering. The news reached him, and he sent Muḥammad b. Sālim, ʿAlī b. Abān, Mushriq, and a great number. He himself came alongside them. They met the Baṣrans, and he sent to his companions to withdraw from the place where they were. They fell back, and the people of al-Baṣrah pressed upon them, routing them. This was at the time of ʿaṣr. The Zanj fell into a large canal and the canal of Shayṭān. A group of them was killed, a group drowned, and the rest scattered. Their master was separated from them and remained with a small band, but Allah the Exalted saved him. Then he met them while they were bewildered at losing him, and he asked about his companions, and there were with him only five hundred men. He ordered the blowing of the trumpet at whose sound they assemble, but no one came to him. The people of al-Baṣrah had plundered the ships belonging to the Zanj, which contained their goods. When morning came, he saw his companions in a thousand men, and he sent Muḥammad b. Sālim to the people of al-Baṣrah to admonish them and inform them of what had called him to come out, but they killed him. When Monday came, four nights having passed of Dhū al-Qaʿdah, the people of al-Baṣrah gathered and mobilized when they saw the Zanj's appearance against him. A man known as Ḥimār al-Sājiyy volunteered for that; he was one of the sea raiders and had knowledge of sailing ships. He gathered the volunteers, the target archers, the people of the congregational mosque, and those of the Bilāliyyah and Saʿdiyyah who were light with him, and those who loved to watch besides them. He loaded three ships and facing shadhawāt, and they crowded together. The majority of the people went on foot; some had weapons, and some were spectators. The ships entered with the tide, and the footmen were on the riverbank. When the leader of the Zanj learned of that, he dispatched a party of his companions with Zurayq al-Aṣbahānī to the east of the river as an ambush, and a party with Shibl and Ḥusayn al-Ḥammāmī to its west as an ambush. He ordered ʿAlī b. Abān to meet the people of al-Baṣrah, and to conceal himself and those with him with their shields, and not to fight until his companions appeared. He instructed the two ambushes that when the people of al-Baṣrah passed them, they should come out and shout at the people. He himself remained with a small band of his companions, dismayed at the multitude of the crowd he saw. His companions advanced against them, and the two ambushes emerged from both sides of the river and from behind the ships and the footmen. They struck down those who turned back from the footmen and spectators. Some drowned, some were killed, and the rest fled to the bank, where the sword caught them. Whoever stood firm was killed, and whoever threw himself into the water drowned. Most of that crowd perished; none escaped except the scattered remnant. Many of the people of al-Baṣrah went missing, and wailing rose from their women. This is the Day of al-Bayḍāʾ, which the people regarded as great. Among those killed were a group of Banū Hāshim and others in a multitude beyond count. The heads were collected for the villain, and a group of the guardians of the slain came to him, and he gave them those they recognized. He gathered the heads that were not claimed and put them in a storeroom, then released them, and they arrived at al-Baṣrah. The people came and took all they recognized of them. After that day, he grew strong, and terror of him took hold in the hearts of the people of al-Baṣrah, and they refrained from fighting him. The people wrote to the caliph with news of what had happened, and he sent Juʿlān al-Turkī to him as reinforcement. He ordered Abū al-Aḥwaṣ al-Bāhilī to go to al-Ubullah as governor and reinforced him with a Turkish commander called Jurayj. As for the villain, the leader of the Zanj, he departed with his companions at the end of the day to a salt marsh, the salt marsh of Abū Qurrah. He dispatched his companions right and left for raiding and plunder. This is what happened in this year.
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