Tarikh (al-Tabari) 344
the accounts of past peoples from the Israelites and others
ذِكْرُ طَرَفٍ مِنْ أَخْبَارِهِ رَوَى أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ بْنُ الْمُنَادَى بِإِسْنَادٍ لَهُ عَنْ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ ذَكَرَ ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ، فَقَالَ: "إِنَّ أَوَّلَ أَمْرِهِ أَنَّهُ كَانَ غُلَامًا مِنَ الرُّومِ أُعْطِيَ مُلْكًا حَتَّى أَتَى أَرْضَ مِصْرَ، فَابْتَنَى عِنْدَهَا مَدِينَةً يُقَالُ لَهَا الْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ، فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ بِنَائِهَا أَتَاهُ مَلَكٌ فَعَرَجَ بِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ: انْظُرْ مَا تَحْتَكَ، قَالَ: مَا أَرَى مَدِينَتِي وَأَرَى مَدَائِنَ مَعَهَا، ثُمَّ عَرَجَ بِهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: انْظُرْ، فَقَالَ: قَدِ اخْتَلَطَتِ الْمَدَائِنُ، ثُمَّ زَادَ فَقَالَ لَهُ: انْظُرْ، فَقَالَ: أَرَى مَدِينَتِي وَحْدَهَا لَا أَرَى غَيْرَهَا، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلَكُ: إِنَّمَا تِلْكَ الْأَرْضُ كُلُّهَا، وَهَذَا السَّوَادُ الَّذِي تَرَى مُحِيطًا بِهِ الْبَحْرُ، وَإِنَّمَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُرِيَكَ الْأَرْضَ وَقَدْ جَعَلَ لَكَ سُلْطَانًا فِيهَا، فَسِرْ فِي الْأَرْضِ عَلِّمِ الْجَاهِلَ وَثَبِّتِ الْعَالِمَ. [فَسَارَ] حَتَّى بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ ثُمَّ أَتَى السَّدَّيْنِ، وَهُمَا جَبَلَانِ لَيِّنَانِ يَنْزِلُ عَنْهُمَا كُلُّ شَيْءٍ كما قال تَعَالَى: ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِنْ دُونِهِمَا قَوْمًا لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلًا يَعْنِي غُتْمًا. فَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ التُّرْكُ، أَبْنَاءُ عَمِّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ فَذَكَرُوا لَهُ أَنَّ هَاتَيْنِ الْقَبِيلَتَيْنِ قَدْ تَعَدَّوْا عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَفْسَدُوا فِي بِلَادِهِمْ، وَقَطَعُوا السُّبُلَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَبَذَلُوا لَهُ حِمْلًا وَهُوَ الْخَرَاجُ عَلَى أَنْ يُقِيمَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ حَاجِزًا يَمْنَعُهُمْ مِنَ الْوُصُولِ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَامْتَنَعَ مِنْ أَخْذِ الْخَرَاجِ ; اكْتِفَاءً بِمَا أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ الْجَزِيلَةِ قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيْرٌ ثُمَّ طَلَبَ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يَجْمَعُوا لَهُ رِجَالًا وَآلَاتٍ لِيَبْنِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا، وَهُوَ الرَّدْمُ بَيْنَ الْجَبَلَيْنِ، وَكَانُوا لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ الْخُرُوجَ إِلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا مِنْ بَيْنِهِمَا، وَبَقِيَّةُ ذَلِكَ بِحَارٌ مُغْرِقَةٌ، وَجِبَالٌ شَاهِقَةٌ، فَبَنَاهُ ثُمَّ سَارَ فَوَجَدَ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ يُقَاتِلُونَ قَوْمًا وُجُوهُهُمْ كَوُجُوهِ الْكِلَابِ، ثُمَّ قَطَعَهُمْ، فَوَجَدَ أُمَّةً قِصَارًا يُقَاتِلُونَ الَّذِينَ وُجُوهُهُمْ كَوُجُوهِ الْكِلَابِ، ثُمَّ مَضَى فَوَجَدَ أُمَّةً مِنَ الْغَرَانِيقِ يُقَاتِلُونَ الْقَوْمَ الْقِصَارَ، ثُمَّ مَضَى فَوَجَدَ أُمَّةً مِنَ الْحَيَّاتِ تَلْتَقِمُ الْحَيَّةُ مِنْهَا الصَّخْرَةَ الْعَظِيمَةَ، ثُمَّ أَفْضَى إِلَى الْبَحْرِ الْمُدِيرِ بِالْأَرْضِ". قال ابن الأثير في كتابه الكامل وعنده أن ذا القرنين هو الإسكندر كَانَ فَيْلُفُوسُ أَبُو الْإِسْكَنْدَرِ الْيُونَانِيِّ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَلْدَةٍ يُقَالُ لَهَا مَقْدُونِيَّةُ، كَانَ مَلِكًا عَلَيْهَا وَعَلَى بِلَادٍ أُخْرَى، فَصَالَحَ دَارَا عَلَى خَرَاجٍ يَحْمِلُهُ إِلَيْهِ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ. فَلَمَّا هَلَكَ فَيْلُفُوسَ مَلَكَ بَعْدَهُ ابْنُهُ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ وَاسْتَوْلَى عَلَى بِلَادِ الرُّومِ أَجْمَعَ، فَقَوِيَ عَلَى دَارَا فَلَمْ يَحْمِلْ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْخَرَاجِ شَيْئًا وَكَانَ الْخَرَاجُ الَّذِي يَحْمِلُهُ بَيْضًا مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فَسَخِطَ عَلَيْهِ دَارَا وَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ يُؤَنِّبُهُ بِسُوءِ صَنِيعِهِ فِي تَرْكِ حَمْلِ الْخَرَاجِ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ بِصَوْلَجَانٍ وَكُرَةٍ وَقَفِيزٍ مِنْ سِمْسِمٍ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ: إِنَّهُ صَبِيٌّ، وَإِنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي لَهُ أَنْ يَلْعَبَ بِالصَّوْلَجَانِ، وَالْكُرَةِ، وَيَتْرُكَ الْمُلْكَ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ وَاسْتَعْصَى عَلَيْهِ بَعَثَ مَنْ يَأْتِيهِ بِهِ فِي وَثَاقٍ، وَإِنَّ عِدَّةَ جُنُودِهِ كَعِدَّةِ حَبِّ السِّمْسِمِ الَّذِي بَعَثَ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ. فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ: إِنَّهُ قَدْ فَهِمَ مَا كَتَبَ بِهِ، وَقَدْ نَظَرَ إِلَى مَا ذَكَرَ فِي كِتَابِهِ مِنْ إِرْسَالِهِ الصَّوْلَجَانَ، وَالْكُرَةَ، وَتَيَمَّنَ بِهِ لِإِلْقَاءِ الْمُلْقِي الْكُرَةَ إِلَى الصَّوْلَجَانِ وَاحْتِرَازِهِ إِيَّاهَا، وَشَبَّهَ الْأَرْضَ بِالْكُرَةِ، وَأَنَّهُ يَجُرُّ مُلْكَ دَارَا إِلَى مُلْكِهِ، وَتَيَمُّنُهُ بِالسِّمْسِمِ الَّذِي بَعَثَ كَتَيَمُّنِهِ بِالصَّوْلَجَانِ، وَالْكُرَةِ لِدَسَمِهِ وَبُعْدِهِ مِنَ الْمَرَارَةِ وَالْحَرَافَةِ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ بِصُرَّةٍ فِيهَا خَرْدَلٌ، وَأَعْلَمَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ أَنَّ مَا بُعِثَ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ قَلِيلٌ وَلَكِنَّهُ مُرٌّ حَرِّيفٌ، وَأَنَّ جُنُودَهُ مِثْلَهُ. فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ كِتَابُهُ إِلَى دَارَا تَأَهَّبَ لِمُحَارَبَتِهِ. وَقَدْ زَعَمَ بَعْضُ الْعُلَمَاءِ بِأَخْبَارِ الْأَوَّلِينَ أَنَّ الْإِسْكَنْدَرَ الَّذِي حَارَبَ دَارَا بْنَ دَارَا هُوَ أَخُو دَارَا الْأَصْغَرُ الَّذِي حَارَبَهُ، وَأَنَّ أَبَاهُ دَارَا الْأَكْبَرَ كَانَ تَزَوَّجَ أُمَّ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِ، وَهِيَ ابْنَةُ مَلِكِ الرُّومِ، فَلَمَّا حُمِلَتْ إِلَيْهِ وَجَدَ نَتَنَ رِيحَهَا وَسَهَكَهَا، فَأَمَرَ أَنْ يُحْتَالَ لِذَلِكَ مِنْهَا، فَاجْتَمَعَ رَأْيُ أَهْلِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ فِي مُدَاوَاتِهَا عَلَى شَجَرَةٍ يُقَالُ لَهَا بِالْفَارِسِيَّةِ سَنْدَرُ، فَغُسِلَتْ بِمَائِهَا فَأَذْهَبَ ذَلِكَ كَثِيرًا مِنْ نَتَنِهَا وَلَمْ يَذْهَبْ كُلُّهُ، وَانْتَهَتْ نَفْسُهُ عَنْهَا، فَرَدَّهَا إِلَى أَهْلِهَا، وَقَدْ عَلِقَتْ مِنْهُ فَوَلَدَتْ عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا غُلَامًا فَسَمَّتْهُ بِاسْمِ الشَّجَرَةِ الَّتِي غُسِلَتْ بِمَائِهَا مُضَافًا إِلَى اسْمِهَا. وَقَدْ هَلَكَ أَبُوهَا وَمَلَكَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ بَعْدَهُ، فَمَنَعَ الْخَرَاجَ الَّذِي كَانَ يُؤَدِّيهِ جَدُّهُ إِلَى دَارَا، فَأَرْسَلَ يَطْلُبُهُ، وَكَانَ بَيْضًا مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، فَأَجَابَهُ إِنِّي قَدْ ذَبَحْتُ الدَّجَاجَةَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تَبِيضُ ذَلِكَ الْبَيْضَ وَأَكَلْتُ لَحْمَهَا، فَإِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَادَعْنَاكَ، وَإِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ نَاجَزْنَاكَ. ثُمَّ خَافَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ مِنَ الْحَرْبِ فَطَلَبَ الصُّلْحَ، فَاسْتَشَارَ دَارَا أَصْحَابَهُ، فَأَشَارُوا عَلَيْهِ بِالْحَرْبِ لِفَسَادِ قُلُوبِهِمْ عَلَيْهِ، فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ نَاجَزَهُ دَارَا الْقِتَالَ، فَكَتَبَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ إِلَى حَاجِبَيْ دَارَا وَحَكَّمَهُمَا عَلَى الْفَتْكِ بِدَارَا، فَاحْتَكَمَا شَيْئًا، وَلَمْ يَشْتَرِطَا أَنْفُسَهُمَا. فَلَمَّا الْتَقَيَا لِلْحَرْبِ طَعَنَ دَارَا حَاجِبَاهُ فِي الْوَقْعَةِ، وَكَانَتِ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَهُمَا سَنَةً، فَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُ دَارَا وَلَحِقَهُ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ وَهُوَ بِآخِرِ رَمَقٍ. وَقِيلَ: بَلْ فَتَكَ بِهِ رَجُلَانِ مِنْ حَرَسِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ هَمَذَانَ حُبًّا لِلرَّاحَةِ مِنْ ظُلْمِهِ، وَكَانَ فَتْكُهُمَا بِهِ لَمَّا رَأَيَا عَسْكَرَهُ قَدِ انْهَزَمَ عَنْهُ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ ذَلِكَ بِأَمْرِ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِ، وَكَانَ قَدْ أَمَرَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِي عِنْدَ هَزِيمَةِ عَسْكَرِ دَارَا أَنْ يُؤْسَرَ دَارَا وَلَا يُقْتَلَ، فَأُخْبِرَ بِقَتْلِهِ، فَنَزَلَ إِلَيْهِ وَمَسَحَ التُّرَابَ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ وَجَعَلَ رَأْسَهُ فِي حِجْرِهِ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّمَا قَتَلَكَ أَصْحَابُكَ وَإِنَّنِي لَمْ أَهُمَّ بِقَتْلِكَ قَطُّ، وَلَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَرْغَبُ بِكَ يَا شَرِيفَ الْأَشْرَافِ وَيَا مَلِكَ الْمُلُوكِ وَحُرَّ الْأَحْرَارِ عَنْ هَذَا الْمَصْرَعِ، فَأَوْصِ بِمَا أَحْبَبْتَ، فَأَوْصَاهُ دَارَا أَنْ يَتَزَوَّجَ ابْنَتَهُ رُوشَنْكَ وَيَرْعَى حَقَّهَا وَيُعَظِّمَ قَدْرَهَا، وَيَسْتَبْقِيَ أَحْرَارَ فَارِسَ وَيَأْخُذَ لَهُ بِثَأْرِهِ مِمَّنْ قَتَلَهُ. فَفَعَلَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ ذَلِكَ أَجْمَعَ وَقَتَلَ حَاجِبَيْ دَارَا، وَقَالَ لَهُمَا: إِنَّكُمَا لَمْ تَشْتَرِطَا نُفُوسَكُمَا، فَقَتَلَهُمَا بَعْدَ أَنْ وَفَى لَهُمَا بِمَا ضَمِنَ لَهُمَا، وَقَالَ: لَيْسَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُسْتَبْقَى قَاتِلُ الْمُلُوكِ إِلَّا بِذِمَّةٍ لَا تُخْفَرُ. وَكَانَ الْتِقَاؤُهُمَا بِنَاحِيَةِ خُرَاسَانَ مِمَّا يَلِي الْخَزَرَ، وَقِيلَ بِبِلَادِ الْجَزِيرَةِ عِنْدَ دَارَا. وَكَانَ مُلْكُ الرُّومِ قَبْلَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِ مُتَفَرِّقًا فَاجْتَمَعَ، وَمُلْكُ فَارِسَ مُجْتَمِعًا فَتَفَرَّقَ. وَحَمَلَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ كُتُبًا، وَعُلُومًا لِأَهْلِ فَارِسَ مِنْ عُلُومٍ، وَنُجُومٍ، وَحِكْمَةٍ، وَنَقَلَهُ إِلَى الرُّومِيَّةِ فَجَمَعَ بَعْدَ هُلْكِ دَارَا مُلْكَ دَارَا فَمَلَكَ الْعِرَاقَ، وَالشَّامَ، وَالرُّومَ، وَمِصْرَ، وَالْجَزِيرَةَ، وَعَرَضَ جُنْدَهُ فَوَجَدَهُمْ عَلَى مَا قِيلَ أَلْفَ أَلْفٍ وَأَرْبَعَمِائَةِ أَلْفِ رَجُلٍ، مِنْهُمْ مِنْ جُنْدِهِ ثَمَانِمِائَةِ أَلْفِ رَجُلٍ، وَمِنْ جُنْدِ دَارَا سِتُّمِائَةِ أَلْفِ رَجُلٍ، وَتَقَدَّمَ بِهَدْمِ حُصُونِ فَارِسَ وَبُيُوتِ النِّيرَانِ وَقَتَلَ الْهَرَابِذَةَ، وَأَحْرَقَ كُتُبَهُمْ، وَاسْتَعْمَلَ عَلَى مَمْلَكَةِ فَارِسَ رِجَالًا، وَسَارَ قُدُمًا إِلَى أَرْضِ الْهِنْدِ، فَقَتَلَ مَلِكَهَا، وَفَتَحَ مُدَنَهَا، وَخَرَّبَ بُيُوتَ الْأَصْنَامِ، وَأَحْرَقَ كُتُبَ عُلُومِهِمْ، ثُمَّ سَارَ مِنْهَا إِلَى الصِّينِ، فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ إِلَيْهَا أَتَاهُ حَاجِبُهُ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَقَالَ: هَذَا رَسُولُ مَلِكِ الصِّينِ، فَأَحْضَرَهُ فَسَلَّمَ وَطَلَبَ الْخَلْوَةَ، فَفَتَّشُوهُ فَلَمْ يَرَوْا مَعَهُ شَيْئًا، فَخَرَجَ مَنْ كَانَ عِنْدَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا مَلِكُ الصِّينِ جِئْتُ أَسْأَلُكَ عَنِ الَّذِي تُرِيدُهُ، فَإِنْ كَانَ مِمَّا يُمْكِنُ عَمَلُهُ عَمِلْتُهُ وَتَرَكْتَ الْحَرْبَ. فَقَالَ لَهُ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ: مَا الَّذِي آمَنَكَ مِنِّي ؟ قَالَ: عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ عَاقِلٌ حَكِيمٌ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ عَدَاوَةٌ وَلَا ذَحْلٌ، وَأَنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ إِنْ قَتَلْتَنِي لَمْ يَكُنْ قَتْلِي سَبَبًا لِتَسْلِيمِ أَهْلِ الصِّينِ مُلْكِي إِلَيْكَ، ثُمَّ إِنَّكَ تُنْسَبُ إِلَى الْغَدْرِ. فَعَلِمَ أَنَّهُ عَاقِلٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ: أُرِيدُ مِنْكَ ارْتِفَاعَ مُلْكِكَ لِثَلَاثِ سِنِينَ عَاجِلًا وَنِصْفَ الِارْتِفَاعِ لِكُلِّ سَنَةٍ. قَالَ: قَدْ أَجَبْتُكَ وَلَكِنِ اسْأَلْنِي كَيْفَ حَالِي، قَالَ: كَيْفَ حَالُكَ ؟ قَالَ: أَكُونُ أَوَّلَ قَتِيلٍ لِمُحَارِبٍ وَأَوَّلَ أَكْلَةٍ لِمُفْتَرِسٍ. قَالَ: فَإِنْ قَنِعْتُ مِنْكَ بِارْتِفَاعِ سَنَتَيْنِ ؟ قَالَ: يَكُونُ حَالِي أَصْلَحَ قَلِيلًا. قَالَ: فَإِنْ قَنِعْتُ مِنْكَ بِارْتِفَاعِ سَنَةٍ ؟ قَالَ: يَبْقَى مُلْكِي وَتَذْهَبُ لَذَّاتِي. قَالَ: وَأَنَا أَتْرُكُ لَكَ مَا مَضَى وَآخَذُ الثُّلُثَ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ فَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ حَالُكَ قَالَ: يَكُونُ السُّدُسُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَمَصَالِحِ الْبِلَادِ، وَالسُّدُسُ لِي، وَالثُّلُثُ لِلْعَسْكَرِ، وَالثُّلُثُ لَكَ. قَالَ: قَدْ قَنِعْتُ مِنْكَ بِذَلِكَ. فَشَكَرَهُ وَعَادَ، وَسَمِعَ الْعَسْكَرُ بِذَلِكَ فَفَرِحُوا بِالصُّلْحِ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ خَرَجَ مَلِكُ الصِّينِ بِعَسْكَرٍ عَظِيمٍ أَحَاطَ بِعَسْكَرِ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِ، فَرَكِبَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ وَالنَّاسُ، فَظَهَرَ مَلِكُ الصِّينِ عَلَى الْفِيلِ وَعَلَى رَأْسِهِ التَّاجُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ: أَغَدَرْتَ ؟ قَالَ: لَا وَلَكِنِّي أَرَدْتُ أَنْ تَعْلَمَ أَنِّي لَمْ أُطِعْكَ مِنْ ضَعْفٍ وَلَكِنِّي لَمَّا رَأَيْتُ الْعَالَمَ الْعُلْوِيَّ مُقْبِلًا عَلَيْكَ أَرَدْتُ طَاعَتَهُ بِطَاعَتِكَ، وَالْقُرْبَ مِنْهُ بِالْقُرْبِ مِنْكَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ: لَا يُسَامُ مِثْلُكَ الْجِزْيَةَ، فَمَا رَأَيْتُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ مَنْ يَسْتَحِقُّ الْفَضْلَ وَالْوَصْفَ بِالْعَقْلِ غَيْرَكَ، وَقَدْ أَعْفَيْتُكَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ مَا أَرَدْتُهُ مِنْكَ وَأَنَا مُنْصَرِفٌ عَنْكَ. فَقَالَ لَهُ مَلِكُ الصِّينِ: فَلَسْتَ تَخْسَرُ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ بِضِعْفِ مَا كَانَ قَرَّرَهُ، وَسَارَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ عَنْهُ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ وَدَانَتْ لَهُ عَامَّةُ الْأَرَضِينَ فِي الشَّرْقِ وَالْغَرْبِ وَمَلَكَ التُّبَّتَ وَغَيْرَهَا. وعند ابن الأثير في كتابه الكامل وعنده أن ذا القرنين هو الإسكندر وَمِنْ حِيَلِ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِ فِي حُرُوبِهِ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا حَارَبَ دَارَا خَرَجَ إِلَى بَيْنَ الصَّفَّيْنِ وَأَمَرَ مُنَادِيًا فَنَادَى: يَا مَعْشَرَ الْفُرْسِ، قَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ مَا كَتَبْتُمْ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا كَتَبْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ مِنَ الْأَمَانِ، فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ عَلَى الْوَفَاءِ فَلْيَعْتَزِلْ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَى مِنَّا الْوَفَاءَ. فَاتَّهَمَتِ الْفُرْسُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا وَاضْطَرَبُوا. وَمِنْ حِيَلِهِ أَنَّهُ تَلَقَّاهُ مَلِكُ الْهِنْدِ بِالْفِيَلَةِ، فَنَفَرَتْ خَيْلُ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْهَا، فَعَادَ عَنْهُ وَأَمَرَ بِاتِّخَاذِ فِيَلَةٍ مِنْ نُحَاسٍ وَأَلْبَسَهَا السِّلَاحَ وَجَعَلَهَا مَعَ الْخَيْلِ حَتَّى أَلِفَتْهَا، ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَى الْهِنْدِ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ مَلِكُ الْهِنْدِ، فَأَمَرَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرَ بِتِلْكَ الْفِيَلَةِ فَمُلِئَتْ بُطُونُهَا مِنَ النِّفْطِ وَالْكِبْرِيتِ، وَجَرَتْ عَلَى الْعَجَلِ فِي وَسَطِ الْمَعْرَكَةِ وَمَعَهَا جَمْعٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَلَمَّا نَشِبَتِ الْحَرْبُ أَمَرَ بِإِشْعَالِ النَّارِ فِي تِلْكَ الْفِيَلَةِ، فَلَمَّا حَمِيَتِ انْكَشَفَ أَصْحَابُهُ عَنْهَا وَغَشِيَتْهَا فِيَلَةُ الْهِنْدِ، فَضَرَبَتْهَا بِخَرَاطِيمِهَا فَاحْتَرَقَتْ وَوَلَّتْ هَارِبَةً رَاجِعَةً إِلَى الْهِنْدِ، فَانْهَزَمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا. وَمِنْ حِيَلِهِ أَنَّهُ أَنْزَلَ عَلَى مَدِينَةٍ حَصِينَةٍ وَكَانَ بِهَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ الْأَقْوَاتِ وَبِهَا عُيُونُ مَاءٍ، فَعَادَ عَنْهَا فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهَا قَوْمًا عَلَى هَيْئَةِ التُّجَّارِ وَمَعَهُمْ أَمْتِعَةٌ يَبِيعُونَهَا وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِمُشْتَرَى الطَّعَامِ وَالْمَغَالَاتِ فِي ثَمَنِهَا، فَإِذَا صَارَ عِنْدَهُمْ أَحْرَقُوهُ وَهَرَبُوا، فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ وَهَرَبُوا إِلَيْهِ فَأَنْفَذَ السَّرَايَا إِلَى سَوَادِ تِلْكَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْغَارَةِ مَرَّةً بَعْدَ أُخْرَى، فَهَرَبُوا وَدَخَلُوا الْبَلَدَ لِيَحْتَمُوا بِهِ، فَسَارَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَلَمْ يَمْتَنِعُوا عَلَيْهِ. وَكَتَبَ إِلَى أَرِسْطَا طَالِيسَ يَذْكُرُ لَهُ أَنَّهُ مِنْ خَاصَّةِ الرُّومِ جَمَاعَةٌ لَهُمْ هِمَمٌ بَعِيدَةٌ وَنُفُوسٌ كَبِيرَةٌ وَشُجَاعَةٌ، وَأَنَّهُ يَخَافُهُمْ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَيَكْرَهُ قَتْلَهُمْ بِالظِّنَّةِ. فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ أَرِسْطَا طَالِيسُ: فَهِمْتُ كِتَابَكَ، فَإِنَّ مَا ذَكَرْتَ مِنْ بُعْدِ هِمَمِهِمْ فَإِنَّ الْوَفَاءَ مِنْ بُعْدِ الْهِمَّةِ وَكِبَرِ النَّفْسِ، وَالْغَدْرَ مِنْ دَنَاءَةِ النَّفْسِ وَخِسَّتِهَا، وَأَمَّا شَجَاعَتُهُمْ وَنَقْصُ عُقُولِهِمْ، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هَذِهِ حَالَهُ فَرَفِّهْهُ فِي مَعِيشَتِهِ وَاخْصُصْهُ بِحِسَانِ النِّسَاءِ، فَإِنَّ رَفَاهِيَةَ الْعَيْشِ تُمِيتُ الشَّجَاعَةَ، وَتُحَبِّبُ السَّلَامَةَ، وَإِيَّاكَ وَالْقَتْلَ فَإِنَّهُ ذِلَّةٌ لَا تُسْتَقَالُ وَذَنْبٌ لَا يُغْفَرُ، وَعَاقِبْ بِدُونِ الْقَتْلِ تَكُنْ قَادِرًا عَلَى الْعَفْوِ، فَمَا أَحْسَنَ الْعَفْوَ مِنَ الْقَادِرِ، وَلْيَحْسُنْ خُلُقُكَ تَخْلُصْ لَكَ النِّيَّاتُ بِالْمَحَبَّةِ، وَلَا تُؤْثِرْ نَفْسَكَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِكَ، فَلَيْسَ مَعَ الِاسْتِئْثَارِ مَحَبَّةٌ، وَلَا مَعَ الْمُؤَاسَاةِ بُغْضَةٌ. وَكَتَبَ إِلَى أَرِسْطَا طَالِيسَ أَيْضًا لَمَّا مَلَكَ بِلَادَ فَارِسَ يَذْكُرُ أَنَّهُ رَأَى بِإِيرَانِ شَهْرَ رِجَالًا ذَوِي رَأْيٍ، وَصَرَامَةٍ، وَشَجَاعَةٍ، وَجَمَالٍ، وَأَنْسَابٍ رَفِيعَةٍ، وَأَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا مَلَكَهُمْ بِالْحَظِّ وَالْإِنْفَاقِ، وَأَنَّهُ لَا يَأْمَنُ - إِنْ سَافَرَ عَنْهُمْ فَأَفْرَغَهُمْ - وُثُوبَهُمْ وَأَنَّهُ لَا يُكْفَى شَرَّهُمْ بِبَوَارِهِمْ. فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ: قَدْ فَهِمْتُ كِتَابَكَ فِي رِجَالِ فَارِسَ، فَأَمَّا قَتْلُهُمْ فَهُوَ مِنَ الْفَسَادِ وَالْبَغْيِ الَّذِي لَا يُؤْمَنُ عَاقِبَتُهُ، وَلَوْ قَتَلْتَهُمْ لَأَنَبْتَ أَهْلَ الْبَلَدِ أَمْثَالَهُمْ وَصَارَ جَمِيعُ أَهْلِ الْبَلَدِ أَعْدَاءَكَ بِالطَّبْعِ وَأَعْدَاءَ عَقِبِكَ لِأَنَّكَ تَكُونُ قَدْ وَتَرْتَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حَرْبٍ، وَأَمَّا إِخْرَاجُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ مِنْ عَسْكَرِكَ فَمُخَاطَرَةٌ بِنَفْسِكَ وَأَصْحَابِكَ، وَلَكِنِّي أُشِيرُ عَلَيْكَ بِرَأْيٍ هُوَ أَبْلَغُ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ، وَهُوَ أَنْ تَسْتَدْعِيَ مِنْهُمْ أَوْلَادَ الْمُلُوكِ وَمَنْ يَصْلُحُ لِلْمُلْكِ فَتُقَلِّدَهُمُ الْبُلْدَانَ وَتَجْعَلَ كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ مَلِكًا بِرَأْسِهِ فَتَتَفَرَّقَ كَلِمَتُهُمْ وَيَقَعَ بَأْسُهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ وَيَجْتَمِعُونَ عَلَى الطَّاعَةِ وَالْمَحَبَّةِ لَكَ وَيَرَوْنَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ صَنِيعَتَكَ. فَفَعَلَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ ذَلِكَ، فَهُمْ مُلُوكُ الطَّوَائِفِ، وَقِيلَ فِي مُلُوكِ الطَّوَائِفِ غَيْرُ هَذَا السَّبَبِ
Translation
✧ Mention of a portion of his accounts Abū al-Ḥusayn b. al-Munādī narrated with a chain of transmission he had from ʿUtbah b. ʿĀmir al-Juhanī that the Prophet ﷺ mentioned Dhū al-Qarnayn and said: "The first of his affair was that he was a youth from the Romans who was given dominion until he came to the land of Egypt, and he built near it a city called Alexandria. When he had finished building it, an angel came to him and ascended with him, and said to him: 'Look at what is beneath you.' He said: 'I see my city and I see other cities with it.' Then he ascended with him further and said to him: 'Look.' He said: 'The cities have become mixed together.' Then he increased further and said to him: 'Look.' He said: 'I see my city alone; I do not see anything other than it.' The angel said to him: 'That is the whole earth, and this blackness that you see is the sea surrounding it. Allah only wished to show you the earth and that He has granted you authority in it. So travel through the earth, teach the ignorant, and strengthen the learned.' [So he traveled] until he reached the setting place of the sun, then he came to the two barriers, which are two soft mountains from which everything slides down, as Allah the Exalted said: Then he followed a way until, when he reached between the two barriers, he found before them a people who could hardly understand speech (Q 18:93), meaning they were barbarous in tongue. It is said that they are the Turks, cousins of Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj. They mentioned to him that these two tribes had transgressed against them and wrought corruption in their lands and cut off the roads against them, and they offered him a tribute, which is the land tax, provided that he set up between them and those tribes a barrier preventing them from reaching them. He refused to take the land tax, being content with the abundant wealth Allah had given him. He said: That wherein my Lord has established me is better. Then he asked them to gather for him men and tools in order to build between them and those tribes a dam, which is the barrier between the two mountains. They could only come out to them from between the two mountains, and the rest of that area is drowning seas and towering mountains. So he built it, then traveled on and found Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj fighting a people whose faces were like the faces of dogs. Then he passed them by and found a short-statured nation fighting those whose faces were like the faces of dogs. Then he went on and found a nation of cranes fighting the short people. Then he went on and found a nation of serpents, one of whose serpents swallows a great rock. Then he came out to the sea that encircles the earth." Ibn al-Athīr said in his book al-Kāmil, holding the view that Dhū al-Qarnayn is Alexander: Faylafūs, the father of Alexander the Greek, was from a town called Macedonia. He was king over it and over other lands, and he made peace with Dārā on the condition of a tribute that he would bring to him each year. When Faylafūs perished, his son Alexander ruled after him and took possession of all the lands of the Romans. He became strong against Dārā and did not carry anything of the tribute to him. The tribute he used to carry was eggs of gold. Dārā became angry with him and wrote to him, rebuking him for his evil deed in abandoning the carrying of the tribute, and sent him a polo stick, a ball, and a measure of sesame, and wrote to him: "He is a boy, and it behooves him to play with the polo stick and the ball and leave kingship. If he does not do that and disobeys him, he will send someone to bring him in bonds, and the number of his soldiers is like the number of sesame seeds that he sent to him." Alexander wrote to him: "He has understood what he wrote, and he has looked at what he mentioned in his letter of sending the polo stick and the ball, and took it as a good omen because the one who throws the ball at the stick guards it, and he likened the earth to the ball, and that he will draw Dārā's dominion into his own dominion. And he takes the sesame he sent as a good omen, just as he did with the polo stick and the ball, because of its richness and its remoteness from bitterness and pungency." And he sent to him a purse containing mustard, informing him in that that what was sent to him is little but bitter and pungent, and that his soldiers are like it. When his letter reached Dārā, he prepared to fight him. Some scholars of the accounts of the ancients have claimed that the Alexander who fought Dārā b. Dārā is the brother of Dārā the Younger whom he fought, and that his father Dārā the Elder had married Alexander's mother, who was the daughter of the king of the Romans. When she was brought to him, he found her odor and rank smell offensive, so he ordered that a remedy be sought for that from her. The opinion of the people of knowledge in treating her settled on a tree called in Persian sandar, and she was washed with its water, and that removed much of her odor but not all of it. He turned away from her, so he returned her to her family, and she had conceived from him, and she gave birth among her family to a boy, so she named him after the name of the tree with whose water she was washed, in addition to its name. Her father had perished and Alexander ruled after him, so he withheld the tribute that his grandfather used to pay to Dārā, which was eggs of gold. Dārā sent to demand it, and he answered him: "I have slaughtered the hen that used to lay that egg and eaten its meat. If you wish, we will make peace with you, and if you wish, we will fight you at once." Then Alexander feared the war and sought peace. Dārā consulted his companions, and they advised him to fight because their hearts were corrupt toward him. Thereupon Dārā engaged him in battle. Alexander wrote to Dārā's two chamberlains and granted them authority over the assassination of Dārā. They stipulated something but did not stipulate safety for themselves. When the two armies met in battle, Dārā's two chamberlains stabbed him in the encounter, and the war between them lasted a year. Dārā's companions were defeated, and Alexander reached him while he was at his last breath. It is said: rather, two men of his guard from the people of Hamadhān assassinated him out of desire for relief from his oppression. Their assassination of him occurred when they saw his army defeated from around him, and that was not by Alexander's command. Alexander had ordered a crier to proclaim, when Dārā's army was routed, that Dārā should be taken captive and not killed. He was informed of his killing, so he dismounted to him, wiped the dust from his face, placed his head in his lap, and said to him: "It was your companions who killed you. I never intended to kill you. I had desired for you, O noble of nobles, O king of kings, O free of the free, a better fate than this fall. So make whatever bequest you wish." Dārā bequeathed to him that he marry his daughter Rūshanak, safeguard her right, honor her status, preserve the free men of Persia, and avenge him against whoever killed him. Alexander did all of that, and he killed Dārā's two chamberlains, saying to them: "You did not stipulate safety for yourselves," and he killed them after fulfilling what he had guaranteed them, and said: "It is not fitting that a killer of kings be spared except with a covenant that must not be violated." Their meeting took place in the region of Khurāsān adjoining the Khazar, and it is said in the lands of al-Jazīrah near Dārā. The dominion of the Romans before Alexander was divided, and it became united, while the dominion of Persia was united and it became divided. Alexander carried books and sciences of the people of Persia, among sciences, astronomy, and wisdom, and transferred them to the Roman lands. After the perishing of Dārā, he gathered Dārā's dominion and ruled Iraq, Syria, Rome, Egypt, and al-Jazīrah. He reviewed his army and found them, as it is said, one million four hundred thousand men. Of his own army there were eight hundred thousand men, and of Dārā's army six hundred thousand men. He proceeded to demolish the fortresses of Persia and the fire temples, killed the hērbads, burned their books, appointed men over the kingdom of Persia, and marched forward to the land of India. He killed its king, conquered its cities, destroyed the idol temples, and burned their books of learning. Then he marched from there to China. When he reached it, his chamberlain came to him at night and said: "This is the messenger of the king of China." He brought him in, and he greeted and asked for privacy. They searched him and saw nothing with him. Those who were with Alexander went out, and he said: "I am the king of China. I have come to ask you about what you want. If it is among what can be done, I will do it and you will leave off war." Alexander said to him: "What has made you feel safe from me?" He said: "I know that you are intelligent and wise, and there is no enmity or blood-feud between me and you, and you know that if you kill me, my killing will not be a cause for the people of China to surrender my kingdom to you, and then you would be attributed with treachery." He knew that he was intelligent, so he said to him: "I want from you the revenue of your kingdom for three years immediately, and half the revenue for every year." He said: "I have answered you, but ask me how my condition will be." He said: "How will your condition be?" He said: "I will be the first slain by a warrior and the first eaten by a predator." He said: "What if I am content with the revenue of two years from you?" He said: "My condition will be a little better." He said: "What if I am content with the revenue of one year from you?" He said: "My kingdom will remain and my pleasures will depart." He said: "And I will leave you what is past and take one third every year; how will your condition be?" He said: "One sixth will be for the poor and the needy and the welfare of the lands, one sixth for me, one third for the army, and one third for you." He said: "I am content with that from you." He thanked him and returned, and the army heard of that and rejoiced at the peace. On the next day, the king of China came out with a great army that surrounded Alexander's army. Alexander and the people mounted, and the king of China appeared on an elephant with the crown on his head. Alexander said to him: "Have you acted treacherously?" He said: "No, but I wanted you to know that I did not obey you out of weakness. Rather, when I saw the celestial world favoring you, I wanted to obey it by obeying you, and to draw near to it by drawing near to you." Alexander said to him: "A man like you should not be subjected to tribute. I have not seen between me and you anyone who deserves excellence and description with intelligence other than you. I have exempted you from all that I wanted from you, and I am turning away from you." The king of China said to him: "You will not lose." And he sent him double what he had stipulated, and Alexander departed from him that very day, and the generality of the lands in the east and the west submitted to him, and he ruled Tibet and other lands. And in Ibn al-Athīr's book al-Kāmil, holding the view that Dhū al-Qarnayn is Alexander: Among Alexander's stratagems in his wars was that when he fought Dārā, he went out between the two ranks and ordered a crier to proclaim: "O company of the Persians, you know what you wrote to us and what we wrote to you of safety. Whoever among you remains true to it, let him withdraw, for he will see faithfulness from us." The Persians suspected one another and fell into confusion. Among his stratagems was that the king of India met him with elephants, and the horses of his companions shied away from them. He turned away from him and ordered the making of elephants of brass, dressed them in armor, and placed them with the horses until they became accustomed to them. Then he returned to India, and the king of India came out to him. Alexander ordered those elephants, and their bellies were filled with naphtha and sulfur, and they moved on wheels in the middle of the battle, accompanied by a group of his companions. When the battle became fierce, he ordered fire to be lit in those elephants. When they became hot, his companions withdrew from them, and the elephants of India mingled with them, striking them with their trunks, and they caught fire and turned fleeing back to the Indians, who were routed before them. Among his stratagems was that he encamped against a fortified city that had abundant provisions and springs of water. He turned away from it, then sent to it people in the guise of merchants carrying goods to sell, and ordered them to buy food and to pay high prices for it. When it came into their possession, they burned it and fled. They did that and fled to him, and he dispatched raiding parties to the surrounding area of that city, ordering them to raid time after time. The people fled and entered the city to seek protection in it. Alexander marched against them, and they did not resist him. He wrote to Aristotle mentioning to him that among the elite of the Romans there was a group with far-reaching aspirations, great souls, and courage, and that he feared them for himself and disliked killing them on suspicion. Aristotle wrote to him: "I have understood your letter. As for what you mentioned of their far-reaching aspirations, faithfulness comes from far-reaching aspiration and greatness of soul, while treachery comes from baseness and meanness of soul. As for their courage and deficiency of intellect, whoever is in this condition, give him ease in his livelihood and single him out with beautiful women, for ease of living kills courage and makes one love safety. Beware of killing, for it is a humiliation that cannot be rescinded and a sin that is not forgiven. Punish with less than killing so that you may be able to pardon. How excellent is pardon from one who is able. Let your character be good so that intentions become sincere to you through love. Do not prefer yourself over your companions, for with selfishness there is no love, and with sharing there is no hatred." He also wrote to Aristotle when he had ruled the lands of Persia, mentioning that he had seen in Iran Shahr men of judgment, firmness, courage, beauty, and noble lineages, and that he had only ruled them by fortune and expenditure, and that he did not feel safe if he traveled away from them and left them, from their leaping upon him, and that their evil would not be averted by destroying them. He wrote to him: "I have understood your letter about the men of Persia. As for killing them, it is of the corruption and transgression whose outcome is not safe. If you killed them, you would produce from the people of the land their likes, and all the people of the land would become your enemies by nature and the enemies of your posterity, because you would have wronged them without war. As for expelling them from your army, that is a risk to yourself and your companions. But I counsel you with an opinion more effective than killing, which is to summon from among them the sons of kings and those fit for kingship, entrust them with the lands, and make each one of them a king in his own right, so that their unity will be divided and their might will fall among themselves, and they will gather upon obedience and love for you and consider themselves your creatures." Alexander did that, and they are the kings of the factions. Other reasons are also mentioned for the kings of the factions.
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