Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3444
The Year 257 AH
أَخْذِ الزَّنْجِ الْبَصْرَةَ وَتَخْرِيبِهَا لَمَّا سَارَ سَعِيدٌ عَنِ الْبَصْرَةِ ضَمَّ السُّلْطَانُ عَمَلَهُ إِلَى مَنْصُورِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْخَيَّاطِ، وَكَانَ مِنْهُ مَا ذَكَرْنَا، وَلَمْ يَعُدْ مَنْصُورٌ لِقِتَالِهِ، وَاقْتَصَرَ عَلَى تَخْفِيرِ الْقَيْرَوَانَاتِ وَالسُّفُنِ، فَامْتَنَعَ أَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ، فَعَظُمَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى الْعَلَوِيِّ، فَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبَانٍ بِالْمَقَامِ بِالْخَيْزُرَانِيَّةِ لِيَشْغَلَ مَنْصُورًا عَنْ تَسْيِيرِ الْقَيْرَوَانَاتِ، فَكَانَ بِنَوَاحِي جَيٍّ، وَالْخَيْزُرَانِيَّةِ، وَشَغَلَ مَنْصُورًا، فَعَادَ أَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ إِلَى الضِّيقِ، وَأَلَحَّ أَصْحَابُ الْخَبِيثِ عَلَيْهِمْ بِالْحَرْبِ صَبَاحًا وَمَسَاءً. فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي شَوَّالٍ أَزْمَعَ الْخَبِيثُ عَلَى جَمْعِ أَصْحَابِهِ لِدُخُولِ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَالْجِدِّ فِي إِخْرَابِهَا لِضَعْفِ أَهْلِهِ وَتَفَرُّقِهِمْ، وَخَرَابِ مَا حَوْلَهُمْ مِنَ الْقُرَى، ثُمَّ أَمَرَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ يَزِيدَ الدَّارِمِيَّ، وَهُوَ أَحَدُ مَنْ صَحِبَهُ بِالْبَحْرَيْنِ، أَنْ يَخْرُجَ إِلَى الْأَعْرَابِ لِيَجْمَعَهُمْ، فَأَتَاهُ مِنْهُمْ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَأَنَاخُوا بِالْقِنْدَلِ، وَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْهِمُ الْعَلَوِيُّ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ مُوسَى الشَّعْرَانِيَّ، وَأَمَرَهَمْ بِتَطَرُّقِ الْبَصْرَةِ وَالْإِيقَاعِ بِهَا لِيَتَمَرَّنَ الْأَعْرَابُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ أَنْهَضَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبَانٍ، وَضَمَّ إِلَيْهِ طَائِفَةً مِنَ الْأَعْرَابِ، وَأَمَرَ بِإِتْيَانِ الْبَصْرَةِ مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ بَنِي سَعِيدٍ، وَأَمَرَ يَحْيَى بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَحْرَانِيَّ بِإِتْيَانِهَا مِمَّا يَلِي نَهْرَ عُدَيٍّ، وَضُمَّ إِلَيْهِ سَائِرُ الْأَعْرَابِ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ وَاقَعَ أَهْلَ الْبَصْرَةِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبَانٍ، وَبُفْرَاجُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِالْبَصْرَةِ، فِي جَمَاعَةٍ مِنَ الْجُنْدِ، فَأَقَامَ يُقَاتِلُهُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَمَالَ النَّاسُ نَحْوَهُ. وَأَقْبَلَ يَحْيَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ فِيمَنْ مَعَهُ نَحْوَ الْجِسْرِ، فَدَخَلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبَانٍ وَقْتَ صَلَاةِ الْجُمُعَةَ لِثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ بَقِيَتْ مِنْ شَوَّالٍ، فَأَقَامَ يَقْتُلُ وَيَحْرِقُ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ، وَلَيْلَةَ السَّبْتِ، وَيَوْمَ السَّبْتِ، وَغَادَى يَحْيَى الْبَصْرَةَ يَوْمَ الْأَحَدِ، فَتَلَقَّاهُ بُفْرَاجُ وَبَرِّيَّةُ فِي جَمْعٍ فَرَدُّوهُ، فَرَجَعَ يَوْمَهُ ذَلِكَ. ثُمَّ غَادَاهُمُ الْيَوْمَ الْآخَرَ، فَدَخَلَ وَقَدْ تَفَرَّقَ الْجُنْدُ، وَهَرَبَ بَرِّيَّةُ، وَانْحَازَ بُفْرَاجُ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ، وَلَقِيَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الْمُهَلَّبِيُّ، فَاسْتَأْمَنَهُ لِأَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ، فَأَمَّنَهُمْ، فَنَادَى مُنَادِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ: مَنْ أَرَادَ الْأَمَانَ فَلْيَحْضُرْ دَارَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، فَحَضَرَ أَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ قَاطِبَةً، حَتَّى ( مَلَئُوا الرِّحَابَ ) فَرَأَى أَنَّهُ قَدْ أَصَابَ فُرْصَةً فَغَدَرَ بِهِمْ وَأَمَرَ بِقَتْلِهِمْ، فَلَمْ يَفْلِتْ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا الشَّاذُّ، كَانَتِ الزِّنْجُ تُحِيطُ بِالْجَمَاعَةِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: كِيلُوا - وَهِيَ الْإِشَارَةُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِذَا أَرَادُوا قَتْلَ أَحَدٍ - فَيَحْمِلُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِالسُّيُوفِ فَلَا تَسْمَعُ إِلَّا تَشَهُّدَ أُولَئِكَ وَضَجِيجَهُمْ عِنْدَ الْقَتْلِ، فَإِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، وَهَكَذَا كُلُّ مَحَلَّةٍ مِنْ مَحَالِّ الْبَصْرَةِ فِي عِدَّةِ أَيَّامٍ، وَهَرَبَ النَّاسُ مِنْهُمْ كُلَّ مَهْرَبٍ، وَحَرَقُوا الْكَلَأَ مِنَ الْجَبَلِ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ، فَحَرَقَتِ النَّارُ مَا وَجَدَتْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ; مِنْ إِنْسَانٍ أَوْ بَهِيمَةٍ أَوْ أَثَاثٍ أَوْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ، وَأَحْرَقُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْجَامِعَ أَيْضًا، وَقَدْ قُتِلَ فِي هَؤُلَاءِ جَمَاعَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ مِنَ الْأَعْيَانِ وَالْأُدَبَاءِ وَالْفُضَلَاءِ وَالْمُحَدِّثِينَ وَالْعُلَمَاءِ، فَإِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ. وَكَانَ هَذَا الْخَبِيثُ قَدْ أَوْقَعَ بِأَهْلِ فَارِسَ وَقْعَةً عَظِيمَةً، ثُمَّ بَلَغَهُ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْبَصْرَةِ قَدْ جَاءَهُمْ مِنَ الْمِيرَةِ شَيْءٌ كَثِيرٌ وَقَدِ اتَّسَعُوا بَعْدَ الضِّيقِ فَحَسَدَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، فَرَوَى ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ عَنْ مَنْ سَمِعَهُ يَقُولُ: دَعَوْتُ اللَّهَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ فَخُوطِبْتُ فَقِيلَ لِي: إِنَّمَا أَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ خُبْزَةٌ تَأْكُلُهَا مِنْ جَوَانِبِهَا، فَإِذَا انْكَسَرَ نِصْفُ الرَّغِيفِ خَرِبَتِ الْبَصْرَةُ. فَأَوَّلْتُ ذَلِكَ بِانْكِسَافِ الْقَمَرِ . وَقَدْ كَانَ هَذَا شَائِعًا فِي أَصْحَابِهِ حَتَّى وَقَعَ الْأَمْرُ طِبْقَ ذَلِكَ، وَلَا شَكَّ أَنَّ هَذَا كَانَ مَعَهُ شَيْطَانٌ يُخَاطِبُهُ، كَمَا كَانَ يَأْتِي شَيْطَانُ مُسَيْلِمَةَ إِلَى مُسَيْلِمَةَ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَلَمَّا أَوْقَعَ أَصْحَابُهُ مِنَ الزَّنْجِ وَغَيْرِهِمْ مَا أَوْقَعُوا بِأَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ قَالَ لِمَنْ مَعَهُ: إِنِّي صَبِيحَةَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ دَعَوْتُ اللَّهَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ فَرُفِعَتْ لِي بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَرَأَيْتُ أَهْلَهَا يُقَتَّلُونَ، وَرَأَيْتُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تُقَاتِلُ مَعَ أَصْحَابِي، وَإِنِّي لَمَنْصُورٌ عَلَى النَّاسِ، وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ تُقَاتِلُ مَعِي، وَتُثَبِّتُ جُيُوشِي، وَتُؤَيِّدُنِي فِي حُرُوبِي. وَلَمَّا صَارَ إِلَيْهِ الْعَلَوِيَّةُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا بِالْبَصْرَةِ انْتَسَبَ حِينَئِذٍ إِلَى يَحْيَى بْنِ زَيْدٍ، وَهُوَ كَاذِبٌ فِي ذَلِكَ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ ; لِأَنَّ يَحْيَى بْنَ زَيْدٍ لَمْ يُعْقِبْ إِلَّا بِنْتًا مَاتَتْ، وَهِيَ تَرْضَعُ، فَقَبَّحَ اللَّهُ هَذَا اللَّعِينَ، مَا أَكْذَبَهُ وَأَفْجَرَهُ وَأَغْدَرَهُ!
Translation
✧ The Zanj's seizure and destruction of Basra When Saʿīd departed from Basra, the sultan attached his jurisdiction to Manṣūr b. Jaʿfar al-Khayyāṭ, and from him came what we have mentioned. Manṣūr did not resume fighting him, but limited himself to guarding the caravans and ships. The people of Basra objected, and this weighed heavily on the ʿAlawī, so he ordered ʿAlī b. Abān to remain at al-Khayzurāniyya in order to occupy Manṣūr and prevent him from dispatching the caravans. He was in the vicinity of Jayy and al-Khayzurāniyya and kept Manṣūr occupied, so the people of Basra returned to straitened circumstances, and the companions of the wicked one pressed them with war morning and evening. When Shawwāl came, the wicked one resolved to gather his companions in order to enter Basra and strive to destroy it, because of the weakness of its people, their disunity, and the ruin of the villages around them. Then he ordered Muḥammad b. Yazīd al-Dārimī, one of those who had accompanied him in al-Baḥrayn, to go out to the Bedouins to gather them. A great number of them came to him, and they camped at al-Qindal. The ʿAlawī sent Sulaymān b. Mūsā al-Shaʿrānī to them and ordered them to raid Basra and attack it, so that the Bedouins might become accustomed to that. Then he dispatched ʿAlī b. Abān, attached to him a band of Bedouins, and ordered him to come to Basra from the direction of Banū Saʿīd. He ordered Yaḥyā b. Muḥammad al-Baḥrānī to come to it from the side of Nahr ʿUdayy, and attached to him the rest of the Bedouins. The first to engage the people of Basra was ʿAlī b. Abān. Bufrāj was then in Basra with a group of troops, and he continued fighting them for two days while the people inclined toward him. Yaḥyā b. Muḥammad advanced with those with him toward the bridge. ʿAlī b. Abān entered at the time of the Friday prayer, when thirteen nights remained of Shawwāl. He continued killing and burning on Friday, Friday night, and Saturday. Yaḥyā attacked Basra on Sunday, and Bufrāj and Barriyya met him with a force and repelled him, so he withdrew that day. Then he attacked them the next day and entered after the troops had dispersed. Barriyya fled, and Bufrāj and those with him withdrew. Ibrāhīm b. Yaḥyā al-Muhallabī met him and sought a guarantee of safety for the people of Basra, and he granted them safety. Ibrāhīm's crier called out: "Whoever wants safety, let him come to the house of Ibrāhīm." The people of Basra came in their entirety, until they filled the courtyards. He saw that he had seized an opportunity, so he betrayed them and ordered their killing. None of them escaped except a few. The Zanj would surround a group of the people of Basra, then some would say to others: "Measure out!"—their signal to one another when they intended to kill someone. Then they would fall upon them with swords, and you would hear nothing but the professions of faith of those people and their cries at the moment of killing. Verily we belong to God and to Him we return. And so it was in every quarter of Basra over several days. The people fled from them in every direction. They burned the pasture from one mountain to the other, and the fire burned whatever it found—human, beast, furnishings, or otherwise. They also burned the congregational mosque. Among those killed were many notables, men of letters, virtuous men, traditionists, and scholars. Verily we belong to God and to Him we return. This wicked one had inflicted a great calamity upon the people of Fārs. Then he learned that the people of Basra had received abundant provisions and had become well-off after the hardship, so he envied them for that. Ibn Jarīr relates from someone who heard him say: "I prayed to God against the people of Basra, and I was addressed, and it was said to me: 'The people of Basra are a loaf of bread that you eat from its edges; when half the loaf is broken, Basra will be destroyed.' I interpreted that as the eclipse of the moon." This had been widespread among his companions until the event occurred exactly as he said. There is no doubt that a devil was with him, addressing him, just as the devil of Musaylima used to come to Musaylima. And God knows best. When his companions of the Zanj and others inflicted upon the people of Basra what they inflicted, he said to those with him: "On the morning of that day, I prayed to God against the people of Basra, and it was raised up for me between heaven and earth, and I saw its people being killed, and I saw the angels fighting with my companions. I am victorious over the people, and the angels fight with me, steady my armies, and support me in my wars." When the ʿAlawīs who had been in Basra came to him, he then claimed descent from Yaḥyā b. Zayd, but he was lying in that by consensus, because Yaḥyā b. Zayd left no offspring except a daughter who died while still nursing. May God disfigure this accursed one—how lying, wicked, and treacherous he was!
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