Tarikh (al-Tabari) 350
the accounts of past peoples from the Israelites and others
ذِكْرُ وَفَاتِهِ قَدْ رُوِّينَا أَنَّ الْخَضِرَ شَرِبَ مِنْ عَيْنِ الْحَيَاةِ، وَفَاتَتْ ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ، فَزَعَمَ أَقْوَامٌ أَنَّهَا لَمَّا فَاتَتْهُ اغْتَمَّ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْحُسَّابُ: لَا تَحْزَنْ؛ إِنَّا نَرَى لَكَ مُدَّةً وَإِنَّكَ لَا تَمُوتُ إِلَّا عَلَى أَرْضٍ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ، وَسَمَاءٍ مِنْ خَشَبٍ، فَانْصَرَفَ رَاجِعًا يُرِيدُ الرُّومَ، فَأَقْبَلَ يَدْفِنُ كُنُوزَ كُلِّ أَرْضٍ بِهَا، وَيَكْتُبُ ذِكْرَ ذَلِكَ وَمَبْلَغَ مَا دَفَنَ وَمَوْضِعَهُ، وَحَمَلَ الْكِتَابَ مَعَهُ حَتَّى بَلَغَ بَابِلَ، فَرَعَفَ وَهُوَ فِي مَسِيرٍ، فَسَقَطَ عَنْ دَابَّتِهِ، فَبُسِطَ لَهُ دِرْعٌ، وَكَانَتِ الدِّرْعُ إِذْ ذَاكَ صَفَائِحَ، فَنَامَ عَلَى تِلْكَ الدِّرْعِ، فَآذَتْهُ الشَّمْسُ، فَدَعَوْا تُرْسًا فَأَظَلُّوهُ تَطَرُّفًا، فَإِذَا هُوَ مُضْطَجِعٌ عَلَى حَدِيدٍ وَفَوْقَهُ خَشَبٌ، فَقَالَ: هَذِهِ أَرْضٌ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ وَسَمَاءٌ مِنْ خَشَبٍ، فَأَيْقَنَ الْمَوْتَ. كِتَابِهِ إِلَى أُمِّهِ يُعَزِّيهَا عَنْ نَفْسِهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي بَعْضُ مَنْ قَرَأَ الْكُتُبَ: أَنَّ ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ لَمَّا رَجَعَ مِنْ مَشَارِقِ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبِهَا بَلَغَ أَرْضَ بَابِلَ، فَمَرِضَ مَرَضًا شَدِيدًا أَشْفَقَ مِنْ مَرَضِهِ أَنْ يَمُوتَ بَعْدَمَا دَوَّخَ الْبِلَادَ، وَجَمَعَ الْأَمْوَالَ، فَنَزَلَ بَابِلَ فَدَعَا كَاتِبَهُ، فَقَالَ: خَفِّفْ عَلَيَّ فِي الْمَوْتَةِ بِكِتَابٍ تَكْتُبُهُ إِلَى أُمِّي تُعَزِّيهَا بِي، وَاسْتَعِنْ بِبَعْضِ عُلَمَاءِ أَهْلِ فَارِسَ، ثُمَّ اقْرَأْهُ [عَلَيَّ] فَكَتَبَ الْكِتَابَ. بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، مِنَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِ بْنِ قَيْصَرَ رَفِيقِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بِجَسَدِهِ قَلِيلًا، وَرَفِيقِ أَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ بِرُوحِهِ طَوِيلًا، إِلَى أُمِّهِ رُوقَيَّةَ ذَاتِ الصَّفَاءِ الَّتِي لَمْ تُمَتَّعْ بِثَمَرَتِهَا فِي دَارِ الْقُرْبِ، وَهِيَ مُجَاوِرَتُهُ عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ فِي دَارِ الْبُعْدِ، يَا أُمَّتَاهُ، يَا ذَاتَ الْحِكْمَةِ أَسْأَلُكِ بِرَحْمَتِي وَوِدِّي وَوِلَادَتِكِ إِيَّايَ، هَلْ وَجَدْتِ لِشَيْءٍ قَرَارًا بَاقِيًا وَخَيَالًا دَائِمًا، أَلَمْ تَرَيْ إِلَى الشَّجَرَةِ كَيْفَ تَنْضُرُ أَغْصَانُهَا وَتَخْرُجُ ثَمَرَتُهَا وَتَلْتَفُّ أَوْرَاقُهَا ثُمَّ لَا يَلْبَثُ الْغُصْنُ أَنْ يَتَهَشَّمَ، وَالثَّمَرُ أَنْ يَتَسَاقَطَ، وَالْوَرَقُ أَنْ يَتَبَايَنَ؟! أَلَمْ تَرَيِ النَّبْتَ الْأَزْهَرَ يُصْبِحُ نَضِيرًا ثُمَّ يُمْسِي هَشِيمًا؟! أَلَمْ تَرَيْ إِلَى النَّهَارِ الْمُضِيءِ ثُمَّ يُخْلِفُهُ اللَّيْلُ الْمُظْلِمُ؟! أَلَمْ تَرَيْ إِلَى الْقَمَرِ الزَّاهِرِ لَيْلَةَ بَدْرِهِ كَيْفَ يَغْشَاهُ الْكُسُوفُ؟! أَلَمْ تَرَيْ إِلَى شُهُبِ النَّارِ الْمُوقَدَةِ مَا أَوْشَكَ مَا تُخْمَدُ؟! أَلَمْ تَرَيْ إِلَى عَذْبِ الْمِيَاهِ الصَّافِيَةِ مَا أَسْرَعَهَا إِلَى الْبُحُورِ الْمُتَغَيِّرَةِ؟! أَلَمْ تَرَيْ إِلَى هَذَا الْخَلْقِ كَيْفَ يَعِيشُ فِي الدُّنْيَا قَدِ امْتَلَأَتْ مِنْهُ الْآفَاقُ، وَاسْتَعْلَتْ بِهِ الْأَشْيَاءُ، وَوَلَهَتْ بِهِ الْأَبْصَارُ وَالْقُلُوبُ؟! إِنَّمَا هُمَا شَيْئَانِ: إِمَّا مَوْلُودٌ وَإِمَّا مَيِّتٌ، كِلَاهُمَا مَقْرُونٌ بِالْفَنَاءِ، أَلَمْ تَرَيْ أَنَّهُ قِيلَ لِهَذِهِ الدَّارِ: رَوِّحِي بِأَهْلِكِ فَإِنَّكِ لَسْتِ لَهُمْ بِدَارٍ؟! يَا وَاهِبَةَ الْمَوْتِ، وَيَا مُوَرِّثَةَ الْأَحْزَانِ، وَيَا مُفَرِّقَةً بَيْنَ الْأَحِبَّةِ، وَيَا مُخَرِّبَةَ الْعِمْرَانِ، أَلَمْ تَرَيْ إِلَى كُلِّ مَخْلُوقٍ يَجْرِي عَلَى مَا لَا يَدْرِي؟ هَلْ رَأَيْتِ يَا أُمَّاهُ مُعْطِيًا لَا يَأْخُذُ، وَمُقْرِضًا لَا يَتَقَاضَى، وَمُسْتَوْدِعًا لَا يَسْتَرِدُّ وَدِيعَتَهُ؟! يَا أُمَّاهُ إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدٌ بِالْبُكَاءِ حَقِيقًا فَلْتَبْكِ السَّمَاءُ عَلَى نُجُومِهَا، وَلْتَبْكِ الْحِيتَانُ عَلَى بُحُورِهَا وَلْيَبْكِ الْجَوُّ عَلَى طَائِرِهِ، وَلْتَبْكِ الْأَرْضُ عَلَى أَوْلَادِهَا وَالنَّبْتِ الَّذِي يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا، وَلْيَبْكِ الْإِنْسَانُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الَّتِي تَمُوتُ فِي كُلِّ سَاعَةٍ وَعِنْدَ كُلِّ طَرْفَةٍ. يَا أُمَّتَاهُ إِنَّ الْمَوْتَ لَا يُعْتِقُنِي مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنِّي كُنْتُ عَارِفًا أَنَّهُ نَازِلٌ بِي، فَلَا يُتْعِبْكِ الْحُزْنُ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تَكُونِي جَاهِلَةً بِأَنِّي مِنَ الَّذِينَ يَمُوتُونَ. يَا أُمَّتَاهُ إِنِّي كَتَبْتُ كِتَابِي هَذَا وَأَنَا أَرْجُو أَنْ تَعْتَبِرِي بِهِ، وَيَحْسُنَ مَوْقِعُهُ مِنْكِ، فَلَا تُخْلِفِي ظَنِّي وَلَا تُحْزِنِي رُوحِي، يَا أُمَّتَاهُ إِنِّي قَدْ عَلِمْتُ يَقِينًا أَنَّ الَّذِي أَذْهَبُ إِلَيْهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مَكَانِي الَّذِي أَنَا فِيهِ، وَأَطْهَرُ مِنَ الْهُمُومِ وَالْأَحْزَانِ وَالْأَسْقَامِ وَالنَّصَبِ وَالْأَمْرَاضِ، فَاغْتَبِطِي لِي بِمَذْهَبِي، وَاسْتَعِدِّي لِاتِّبَاعِي، يَا أُمَّتَاهُ إِنَّ ذِكْرِي قَدِ انْقَطَعَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا كُنْتُ أُذْكَرُ بِهِ مِنَ الْمُلْكِ وَالرَّأْيِ، فَاجْعَلِي لِي مِنْ بَعْدِي ذِكْرًا أُذْكَرُ بِهِ فِي حِلْمِكِ وَصَبْرِكِ وَالرِّضَا [بِمَا يَقُولُ الْحُكَمَاءُ، يَا أُمَّتَاهُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ سَيَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى هَذَا مِنْكِ وَهُمْ رَاضٍ وَكَارِهٌ وَمُسْتَمِعٌ وَقَائِلٌ، فَأَحْسِنِي إِلَيَّ وَإِلَى نَفْسِكِ فِي ذَلِكَ، يَا أُمَّتَاهُ السَّلَامُ فِي هَذَا الدَّارِ قَلِيلٌ زَائِلٌ فَلْيَكُنْ عَلَيْكِ] وَعَلَيْنَا فِي دَارِ الْأَزَلِ السَّلَامُ الدَّائِمُ. فَتَفَكَّرِي بِفَهْمِ وَدِيعَةِ نَفْسِكِ أَنْ تَكُونِي شِبْهَ النِّسَاءِ فِي الْجَزَعِ، كَمَا كُنْتُ لَا أَرْضَى شِبْهَ الرِّجَالِ فِي الِاسْتِكَانَةِ وَالضَّعْفِ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ ذَلِكَ يُرْضِيكِ فِيَّ. ثُمَّ مَاتَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ. ورُوِيَ عَنْ كَعْبِ الْأَحْبَارِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ: إِنَّ ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ لَمَّا حَضَرَتْهُ الْوَفَاةُ أَوْصَى أُمَّهُ ; إِذَا هُوَ مَاتَ أَنْ تَصْنَعَ طَعَامًا، وَتَجْمَعَ نِسَاءَ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَتَضَعَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ، وَتَأْذَنَ لَهُنَّ فِيهِ، إِلَّا مَنْ كَانَتْ ثَكْلَى، فَلَا تَأْكُلْ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا، فَلَمَّا فَعَلَتْ ذَلِكَ لَمْ تَضَعْ وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ يَدَهَا فِيهِ، فَقَالَتْ لَهُنَّ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ! كُلُّكُنَّ ثَكْلَى! فَقُلْنَ: أَيْ وَاللَّهِ مَا مِنَّا إِلَّا مَنْ أُثْكِلَتْ. فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ تَسْلِيَةً لِأُمِّهِ. فَلَمَّا حُمِلَ تَابُوتُهُ إِلَيْهَا تَلَفَّتَتْ بِعُظَمَاءِ أَهْلِ الْمَمْلَكَةِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُ قَالَتْ: يَا ذَا الَّذِي بَلَغَ السَّمَاءَ حِلْمُهُ، وَجَازَ أَقْطَارَ الْأَرْضِ مُلْكُهُ، وَدَانَتِ الْمُلُوكُ عَنْوَةً لَهُ، مَا لَكَ الْيَوْمَ نَائِمًا لَا تَسْتَيْقِظُ، وَسَاكِتًا لَا تَتَكَلَّمُ، مَنْ بَلَّغَكَ عَنِّي بِأَنَّكَ وَعَظْتَنِي فَاتَّعَظْتُ، وَعَزَّيْتَنِي فَتَعَزَّيْتُ، فَعَلَيْكَ السَّلَامُ حَيًّا وَمَيِّتًا. ثُمَّ أَمَرَتْ بِدَفْنِهِ. عمر ذو القرنين وَاخْتُلِفَ فِي قَدْرِ عُمُرِهِ ، فَذُكِرَ عَنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أَنَّهُ عَاشَ ثَلَاثَةَ آلَافِ سَنَةٍ. وَذَكَرَ أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي خَيْثَمَةَ أَنَّهُ عَاشَ أَلْفًا وَسِتَّمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ. فَأَمَّا مَنْ يَقُولُ: عَاشَ نَحْوًا مِنْ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً فَإِنَّمَا اشْتَبَهَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْإِسْكَنْدَرِ الْيُونَانِيِّ، وعند ابن الأثير في كتابه الكامل وَرَجَعَ إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ فَمَاتَ فِي طَرِيقِهِ بَشَهْرَزُورَ بِعِلَّةِ الْخَوَانِيقِ، وَكَانَ عُمُرُهُ سِتًّا وَثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً فِي قَوْلٍ، وَدُفِنَ فِي تَابُوتٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ مُرَصَّعٍ بِالْجَوَاهِرِ، وَطُلِيَ بِالصَّبْرِ لِئَلَّا يَتَغَيَّرَ وَحُمِلَ إِلَى أُمِّهِ بِالْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةِ. وَكَانَ مُلْكُهُ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً، وَقَتَلَ دَارَا فِي السَّنَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ مِنْ مُلْكِهِ. وَبَنَى اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ مَدِينَةً، مِنْهَا: أَصْبَهَانُ، وَهِيَ الَّتِي يُقَالُ لَهَا جَيُّ، وَمَدِينَةَ هَرَاةَ، وَمَرْوَ، وَسَمَرْقَنْدَ، وَبَنَى بِالسَّوَادِ مَدِينَةً لِرُوشَنْكَ ابْنَةِ دَارَا، وَبِأَرْضِ الْيُونَانِ مَدِينَةً، وَبِمِصْرَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةَ. فَلَمَّا مَاتَ الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ طَافَ بِهِ مَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْحُكَمَاءِ الْيُونَانِيِّينَ وَالْفُرْسِ وَالْهِنْدِ وَغَيْرِهِمْ، فَكَانَ يَجْمَعُهُمْ وَيَسْتَرِيحُ إِلَى كَلَامِهِمْ، فَوَقَفُوا عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ كَبِيرُهُمْ: لِيَتَكَلَّمْ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ بِكَلَامٍ يَكُونُ لِلْخَاصَّةِ مُعَزِّيًا وَلِلْعَامَّةِ وَاعِظًا، وَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى التَّابُوتِ، وَقَالَ: أَصْبَحَ آسِرُ الْأُسَرَاءِ أَسِيرًا. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: هَذَا الْمَلِكُ كَانَ يُخَبِّئُ الذَّهَبَ فَقَدْ صَارَ الذَّهَبُ يُخَبِّؤُهُ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: مَا أَزْهَدَ النَّاسَ فِي هَذَا الْجَسَدِ وَمَا أَرْغَبَهُمْ فِي التَّابُوتِ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: مِنْ أَعْجَبِ الْعَجَبِ أَنَّ الْقَوِيَّ قَدْ غُلِبَ، وَالضُّعَفَاءَ لَاهُونَ مُغْتَرُّونَ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: هَذَا الَّذِي جَعَلَ أَجَلَهُ ضَمَانًا وَجَعَلَ أَمَلَهُ عِيَانًا، هَلَّا بَاعَدْتَ مِنْ أَجَلِكَ لِتَبْلُغَ بَعْضَ أَمَلِكَ، بَلْ هَلَّا حَقَّقْتَ مِنْ أَمَلِكَ بِالِامْتِنَاعِ مِنْ فَوْتِ أَجْلِكَ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: أَيُّهَا السَّاعِي الْمُنْتَصِبُ، مَا خَذَلَكَ عِنْدَ الِاحْتِيَاجِ إِلَيْهِ، فَغُودِرَتْ عَلَيْكَ أَوْزَارُهُ، وَقَارَفْتَ آثَامَهُ، فَجَمَعْتَ لِغَيْرِكَ وَإِثْمُهُ عَلَيْكَ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: قَدْ كُنْتَ لَنَا وَاعِظًا فَمَا وَعَظْتَنَا مَوْعِظَةً أَبْلَغَ مِنْ وَفَاتِكَ، فَمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَعْقُولٌ فَلْيَعْقِلْ، وَمَنْ كَانَ مُعْتَبِرًا فَلْيَعْتَبِرْ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: رُبَّ هَائِبٍ لَكَ يَخَافُكَ مِنْ وَرَائِكَ وَهُوَ الْيَوْمَ بِحَضْرَتِكَ وَلَا يَخَافُكَ. رُبَّ حَرِيصٍ عَلَى سُكُوتِكَ إِذْ لَا تَسْكُتُ، وَهُوَ الْيَوْمَ حَرِيصٌ عَلَى كَلَامِكَ إِذْ لَا تَتَكَلَّمُ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: كَمْ أَمَاتَتْ هَذِهِ النَّفْسُ لِئَلَّا تَمُوتَ وَقَدْ مَاتَتْ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ، وَكَانَ صَاحِبَ كُتُبِ الْحِكْمَةِ: قَدْ كُنْتَ تَأْمُرُنِي أَنْ لَا أَبْعُدَ عَنْكَ فَالْيَوْمَ لَا أَقْدِرُ عَلَى الدُّنُوِّ مِنْكَ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: هَذَا يَوْمٌ عَظِيمٌ أَقْبَلَ مِنْ شَرِّهِ مَا كَانَ مُدْبِرًا، وَأَدْبَرَ مِنْ خَيْرِهِ مَا كَانَ مُقْبِلًا، فَمَنْ كَانَ بَاكِيًا عَلَى مَنْ زَالَ مُلْكُهُ فَلْيَبْكِ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: يَا عَظِيمَ السُّلْطَانِ اضْمَحَلَّ سُلْطَانُكَ كَمَا اضْمَحَلَّ ظِلُّ السَّحَابِ، وَعَفَتْ آثَارُ مَمْلَكَتِكَ كَمَا عَفَتْ آثَارُ الذُّبَابِ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: يَا مَنْ ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْأَرْضُ طُولًا وَعَرْضًا لَيْتَ شِعْرِي كَيْفَ حَالُكَ بِمَا احْتَوَى عَلَيْكَ مِنْهَا ! وَقَالَ آخَرُ: اعْجَبُوا مِمَّنْ كَانَ هَذَا سَبِيلَهُ كَيْفَ شَهَرَ نَفْسَهُ بِجَمْعِ الْأَمْوَالِ الْحُطَامِ الْبَائِدِ، وَالْهَشِيمِ النَّافِذِ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: أَيُّهَا الْجَمْعُ الْحَافِلُ، وَالْمُلْقَى الْفَاضِلُ لَا تَرْغَبُوا فِيمَا لَا يَدُومُ سُرُورُهُ، وَتَنْقَطِعُ لَذَّتُهُ، فَقَدْ بَانَ لَكُمُ الصَّلَاحُ، وَالرَّشَادُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ وَالْفَسَادِ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ انْظُرُوا إِلَى حُلْمِ النَّائِمِ كَيْفَ انْقَضَى، وَظِلِّ الْغَمَامِ كَيْفَ انْجَلَى. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: يَا مَنْ كَانَ غَضَبُهُ الْمَوْتَ هَلَّا غَضِبْتَ عَلَى الْمَوْتِ ! وَقَالَ آخَرُ: قَدْ رَأَيْتُمْ هَذَا الْمَلِكَ الَمَاضِيَ فَلْيَتَّعِظْ بِهِ هَذَا الْمَلِكُ الْبَاقِي. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: إِنَّ الَّذِي كَانَتِ الْآذَانُ تُنْصِتُ لَهُ قَدْ سَكَتَ فَلْيَتَكَلَّمِ الْآنَ كُلُّ سَاكِتٍ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: سَيَلْحَقُ بِكَ مَنْ سَرَّهُ مَوْتُكَ كَمَا لَحِقْتَ بِمَنْ سَرَّكَ مَوْتُهُ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: مَا لَكَ لَا تُقِلُّ عُضْوًا مِنْ أَعْضَائِكَ وَقَدْ كُنْتَ تَسْتَقِلُّ بِمُلْكِ الْأَرْضِ ! بَلْ مَا لَكَ لَا تَرْغَبُ عَنْ ضِيقِ الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي أَنْتَ فِيهِ وَقَدْ كُنْتَ تَرْغَبُ عَنْ رُحْبِ الْبِلَادِ ! وَقَالَ آخَرُ: إِنَّ دُنْيَا يَكُونُ هَذَا فِي آخِرِهَا فَالزُّهْدُ أَوْلَى أَنْ يَكُونَ فِي أَوَّلِهَا. وَقَالَ صَاحِبُ مَائِدَتِهِ: قَدْ فُرِشَتِ النَّمَارِقُ، وَنُضِّدَتِ النَّضَائِدُ، وَلَا أَرَى عَمِيدَ الْقَوْمِ. وَقَالَ صَاحِبُ بَيْتِ مَالِهِ: قَدْ كُنْتَ تَأْمُرُنِي بِالِادِّخَارِ فَإِلَى مَنْ أَدْفَعُ ذَخَائِرَكَ ؟ وَقَالَ آخَرُ: هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا الطَّوِيلَةُ الْعَرِيضَةُ قَدْ طَوَيْتَ مِنْهَا سَبْعَةَ أَشْبَارٍ وَلَوْ كُنْتَ بِذَلِكَ مُوقِنًا لَمْ تَحْمِلْ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ فِي الطَّلَبِ. وَقَالَتْ زَوْجَتُهُ رُوشَنْكُ: مَا كُنْتُ أَحْسَبُ أَنَّ غَالِبَ دَارَا يُغْلَبُ، فَإِنَّ الْكَلَامَ الَّذِي سَمِعْتُ مِنْكُمْ فِيهِ شَمَاتَةٌ، فَقَدْ خَلَّفَ الْكَأْسَ الَّذِي شَرِبَ مِنْهُ لِيَشْرَبَهُ الْجَمَاعَةُ. وَقَالَتْ أُمُّهُ حِينَ بَلَغَهَا مَوْتُهُ: لَئِنْ فَقَدْتُ مِنَ ابْنِي أَمْرَهُ لَمْ يُفْقَدْ مِنْ قَلْبِي ذِكْرُهُ. فَهَذَا كَلَامُ الْحُكَمَاءِ فِيهِ مَوَاعِظُ وَحِكَمٌ حَسَنَةٌ فَلِهَذَا أُثْبِتُهَا.
Translation
✧ Mention of his death It has been narrated to us that al-Khaḍir drank from the spring of life, and it passed Dhū al-Qarnayn by. Some people claimed that when it passed him by, he became grieved, so the astrologers said to him: Do not grieve; we see for you a term and that you will not die except on a ground of iron and under a sky of wood. So he departed, returning, making for al-Rūm, and he came burying the treasures of every land he was in, and writing down mention of that, the amount of what he buried, and its location, and he carried the book with him until he reached Bābil. Then he had a nosebleed while travelling, and he fell from his mount. A coat of mail was spread for him, and the coat of mail at that time consisted of plates, so he slept on that coat of mail. The sun harmed him, so they called for a shield and shaded him with it as a canopy. And there he was, lying on iron with wood above him, so he said: This is a ground of iron and a sky of wood. Thus he became certain of death. His letter to his mother consoling her about himself From ʿAbd Allāh b. Ziyād, who said: Someone who read the books told me that when Dhū al-Qarnayn returned from the easts of the earth and its wests, he reached the land of Bābil, and he fell ill with a severe illness. He feared from his illness that he would die after he had subdued the lands and gathered wealth. So he alighted at Bābil and summoned his scribe and said: Lighten death for me with a letter you write to my mother consoling her for me, and seek help from some of the learned men of the people of Fāris. Then read it to me. So he wrote the letter. In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. From al-Iskandar b. Qayṣar, companion of the people of the earth with his body for a little while, and companion of the people of heaven with his spirit for a long while, to his mother Rūqayyah, possessor of purity, who was not granted enjoyment of her fruit in the abode of nearness, while she is his neighbour after a little while in the abode of distance. O my mother, O possessor of wisdom, I ask you by my mercy, my love, and your bearing of me: have you found for anything an enduring resting place and a lasting image? Have you not seen the tree, how its branches flourish, its fruit comes forth, and its leaves intertwine, then the branch does not tarry before it is crushed, the fruit before it falls, and the leaves before they scatter?! Have you not seen the blossoming plant, how it is verdant in the morning and then becomes dry stalks by evening?! Have you not seen the shining day, how the dark night succeeds it?! Have you not seen the radiant moon on the night of its fullness, how eclipse covers it?! Have you not seen the blazing firebrands, how soon they are extinguished?! Have you not seen the sweet, clear waters, how quickly they go to the changing seas?! Have you not seen this creation, how it lives in this world when the horizons have become full of it, things have risen high with it, and eyes and hearts have become infatuated with it?! They are but two things: either one born or one dead, both of them joined to extinction. Have you not seen that it was said to this abode: Give rest to your people, for you are not an abode for them?! O giver of death, O inheritor of sorrows, O separator of loved ones, O ruiner of inhabited places, have you not seen every creature running along what it does not know? Have you seen, O my mother, a giver who does not take, a lender who does not demand repayment, and a depositor who does not reclaim his deposit?! O my mother, if anyone truly deserves weeping, then let the sky weep over its stars, let the fish weep over their seas, let the air weep over its birds, let the earth weep over its children and the plants that come forth from it, and let man weep over his own soul, which dies at every hour and at every glance. O my mother, death will not release me because I knew that it would descend upon me, so let not grief weary you, for you were not ignorant that I am among those who die. O my mother, I have written this letter of mine while I hope that you will take warning from it, and that its impression upon you will be good, so do not belie my expectation and do not sadden my spirit. O my mother, I have known with certainty that the place to which I am going is better than my place in which I am, and purer than cares, sorrows, sicknesses, toil, and diseases, so rejoice for me in my departure and prepare to follow me. O my mother, my remembrance has been cut off from this world and from what I used to be remembered by of kingship and judgement, so make for me after me a remembrance by which I am remembered in your forbearance, patience, and contentment with what the sages say. O my mother, people will look at this from you, some pleased, some averse, some listening, and some speaking, so be good to me and to yourself in that. O my mother, peace in this abode is little and fleeting, so let there be upon you and upon us in the abode of eternity the lasting peace. So reflect with understanding on the trust of your soul, that you be not like women in distress, just as I was not pleased with the likeness of men in abasement and weakness, and that did not please you in me. Then he died, may God have mercy on him. It was narrated from Kaʿb al-Aḥbār that he said to Muʿāwiyah: When death attended Dhū al-Qarnayn, he enjoined his mother that if he died, she should prepare food and gather the women of the people of the city and place it before them and permit them to eat of it, except for any who was bereaved of a child, for she should not eat anything of it. So when she did that, not one of them put her hand in it, and she said to them: Glory be to God! Are all of you bereaved? They said: Yes, by God, there is none of us but has been bereaved of a child. And that was a consolation for his mother. Then when his coffin was carried to her, she turned to the great men of the people of the kingdom, and when she saw it, she said: O you whose forbearance reached the sky, whose dominion traversed the regions of the earth, and to whom kings submitted by force, what is with you today, sleeping and not waking, silent and not speaking? Who conveyed to you from me that you admonished me and I took admonition, and you consoled me and I was consoled? Peace be upon you, living and dead. Then she ordered his burial. The age of Dhū al-Qarnayn. There was disagreement about the extent of his age. It was mentioned from the People of the Book that he lived three thousand years. Abū Bakr b. Abī Khaythamah mentioned that he lived one thousand six hundred years. As for those who say he lived about forty years, they were confused with al-Iskandar the Greek. According to Ibn al-Athīr in his book al-Kāmil: He returned to al-ʿIrāq and died on his way at Shahrazūr of quinsy, and his age was thirty-six years according to one view. He was buried in a coffin of gold studded with jewels, and it was smeared with aloes so that he would not change, and it was carried to his mother at al-Iskandariyyah. His reign was fourteen years, and he killed Dārā in the third year of his reign. He built twelve cities, among them: Iṣbahān, which is called Jayy, the city of Harāt, Marw, Samarqand, and he built in al-Sawād a city for Rawshank, daughter of Dārā, and in the land of al-Yūnān a city, and in Egypt al-Iskandariyyah. When al-Iskandar died, the sages who were with him from the Greeks, Persians, Indians, and others circumambulated him; he used to gather them and find rest in their speech. They stood around him, and their eldest said: Let each one of you speak words that console the elite and admonish the common people. He placed his hand on the coffin and said: The captor of captives has become a captive. Another said: This king used to hide gold, and now gold hides him. Another said: How abstinent people are toward this body, and how desirous they are of the coffin. Another said: Among the most wondrous of wonders is that the strong one has been overcome, while the weak are heedless and deluded. Another said: This is the one who made his term a guarantee and made his hope something seen. Would that you had distanced yourself from your term to attain some of your hope; rather, would that you had realized your hope by preventing the passing of your term. Another said: O you who strove and stood erect, what failed you at the time of need, so its burdens were left upon you, and you committed its sins. You gathered for others while its sin is upon you. Another said: You were an admonisher to us, and you did not admonish us with any admonition more eloquent than your death. So let whoever has reason take heed, and let whoever takes warning take warning. Another said: Many a one who feared you from behind you, and today he is in your presence and does not fear you. Many a one who was eager for your silence when you would not be silent, and today he is eager for your speech when you will not speak. Another said: How many times this soul caused death so that it would not die, and it has died. Another said, and he was the keeper of the books of wisdom: You used to command me not to be far from you, and today I cannot come near you. Another said: This is a great day; of its evil, what had turned away has come, and of its good, what had come has turned away. So let whoever weeps for one whose dominion has passed weep. Another said: O great one of authority, your authority has vanished as the shadow of the cloud vanishes, and the traces of your kingdom have been effaced as the traces of flies are effaced. Another said: O you for whom the earth was too narrow in length and breadth, would that I knew how you are with what of it has enclosed you! Another said: Marvel at the one whose way this was, how he exposed himself by gathering perishable, crumbling wealth and passing dry stalks. Another said: O gathered assembly and excellent gathering, do not desire what whose joy does not last and whose pleasure is cut off, for rightness and guidance have become clear to you from error and corruption. Another said: Look at the dream of the sleeper, how it has ended, and the shadow of the clouds, how it has cleared away. Another said: O you whose anger was death, would that you had been angry at death! Another said: You have seen this king who has passed, so let this remaining king take warning from him. Another said: The one to whom ears listened has fallen silent, so let every silent one now speak. Another said: Those whom your death pleased will join you, just as you joined those whose death pleased you. Another said: What is with you that you cannot move a single limb of your limbs, when you used to carry the dominion of the earth alone! Rather, what is with you that you do not turn away from the narrowness of the place in which you are, when you used to turn away from the vastness of the lands! Another said: A world whose end is this—abstinence is more fitting at its beginning. The keeper of his table said: The cushions have been spread and the couches arranged, but I do not see the chief of the people. The keeper of his treasury said: You used to command me to store up, so to whom shall I hand over your treasures? Another said: This long and wide world, you have folded from it seven spans. Had you been certain of that, you would not have burdened yourself in seeking. His wife Rawshank said: I did not think that the conqueror of Dārā would be conquered. The speech I have heard from you about him is gloating, but he has left the cup from which he drank for the company to drink. His mother said when news of his death reached her: If I have lost my son’s command, his remembrance is not lost from my heart. So this is the speech of the sages about him; it contains good admonitions and wise sayings, and for this reason I have recorded them.
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