Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3620
The beginning of the Qarmatians' affair in Bahrayn
ذِكْرُ عِدَّةِ حَوَادِثَ ( وَفِي سنة ست وثمانين ومائتين سَارَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ مِنْ آمِدَ بَعْدَ أَنْ مَلَكَهَا، كَمَا ذَكَرْنَاهُ، إِلَى الرَّقَّةِ، فَوَلَّى ابْنَهُ عَلِيًّا الْمُكْتَفِيَ قِنَّسْرِينَ، وَالْعَوَاصِمَ، وَالْجَزِيرَةَ، وَكَاتِبَهُ النَّصْرَانِيَّ، وَاسْمُهُ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، فَكَانَ يَنْظُرُ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ، فَقَالَ الْخَلِيعُ فِي ذَلِكَ: حُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو عَدُوُّ الْقُرْآنِ يَصْنَعُ فِي الْعُرْبِ مَا يَصْنَعُ يَقُومُ لِهَيْبَتِهِ الْمُسْلِمُونَ صُفُوفًا لِفَرْدٍ إِذَا يَطْلَعُ فَإِنْ قِيلَ قَدْ أَقْبَلَ الْجَاثِلِيقُ تَحَفَّى لَهُ وَمَشَى يَظْلَعُ ووَصَلَ كِتَابُ هَارُونَ بْنِ خُمَارَوَيْهِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ طُولُونَ مِنْ مِصْرَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ وَهُوَ مُخَيِّمٌ بِآمِدَ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ إِلَيْهِ قِنِّسْرِينَ وَالْعَوَاصِمَ عَلَى أَنْ يُقِرَّهُ عَلَى إِمْرَةِ الدِّيَارِ الْمِصْرِيَّةِ فَأَجَابَهُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ تَرَحَّلَ عَنْ آمِدَ قَاصِدًا الْعِرَاقَ وَأَمَرَ بِهَدْمِ سُورِ آمِدَ فَهَدَمَ الْبَعْضَ وَلَمْ يَقْدِرْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ ابْنُ الْمُعْتَزِّ يُهَنِّئُهُ بِفَتْحِ آمِدَ: اسْلَمْ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَدُمْ فِي غِبْطَةٍ وَلْيَهْنِكَ النَّصْرُ فَلَرُبَّ حَادِثَةٍ نَهَضْتَ لَهَا مُتَقَدِّمًا فَتَأَخَّرَ الدَّهْرُ لَيْثٌ فَرَائِسُهُ اللُّيُوثُ فَمَا يَبْيَضُّ مِنْ دَمِهَا لَهُ ظُفْرُ وَلَمَّا رَجَعَ الْخَلِيفَةُ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ جَاءَتْهُ هَدِيَّةُ عَمْرِو بْنِ اللَّيْثِ مِنْ نَيْسَابُورَ فَكَانَ وُصُولُهَا بَغْدَادَ يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ لِثَمَانٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْآخِرَةِ وَكَانَ مَبْلَغُهَا مَا قِيمَتُهُ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافِ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ خَارِجًا عَنْ دَوَابَّ وَسُرُوجٍ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ. وَحَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصُّولِيُّ: أَنَّهُ كَانَ مَعَ الْمُعْتَضِدِ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَصِيحٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ شُعْلَةُ بْنُ شِهَابٍ الْيَشْكُرِيُّ، وَكَانَ يَأْنَسُ بِهِ، فَأَرْسَلَهُ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ شَيْخٍ لِيُرَغِّبَهُ فِي الطَّاعَةِ وَيُحَذِّرَهُ الْعِصْيَانَ، قَالَ: فَصِرْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَخَاطَبْتُهُ فَلَمْ يُجِبْنِي، فَوُجِّهْتُ إِلَى عَمَّتِهِ فَصِرْتُ إِلَيْهَا، فَقَالَتْ: يَا أَبَا [ شِهَابٍ ] كَيْفَ خَلَّفْتَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ؟ فَقُلْتُ: خَلَّفْتُهُ أَمَّارًا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ فَعَّالًا لِلْخَيْرِ. فَقَالَتْ: أَهْلُ ذَلِكَ وَمُسْتَحَقِّهُ، وَكَيْفَ لَا يَكُونُ كَذَلِكَ وَهُوَ ظِلُّ اللَّهِ [ تَعَالَى ] الْمَمْدُودُ عَلَى بِلَادِهِ، [ وَخَلِيفَتُهُ الْمُؤْتَمَنُ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ ]، فَكَيْفَ رَأَيْتَ صَاحِبَنَا؟ قُلْتُ: رَأَيْتُ غُلَامًا حَدَثًا مُعْجَبًا قَدِ اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِ السُّفَهَاءُ وَاسْتَبَدَّ بِآرَائِهِمْ يُزَخْرِفُونَ لَهُ الْكَذِبَ، فَقَالَتْ: هَلْ لَكَ أَنْ تَرْجِعَ إِلَيْهِ بِكِتَابِي قَبْلَ لِقَاءِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ؟ قُلْتُ: أَفْعَلُ. فَكَتَبَتْ إِلَيْهِ كِتَابًا لَطِيفًا أَجْزَلَتْ فِيهِ الْمَوْعِظَةَ، وَكَتَبَتْ فِي آخِرِهِ: اقْبَلْ نَصِيحَةَ أُمِّ قَلْبُهَا وَجِلٌ خَوْفًا [عَلَيْكَ] وَإِشْفَاقًا وَقُلْ سَدَدَا وَاسْتَعْمِلِ الْفِكْرَ فِي قَوْلِي فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ فَكَّرْتَ أَلْفَيْتَ فِي قَوْلِي لَكَ الرَّشَدَا وَلَا تَثِقْ بِرِجَالٍ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ ضَغَائِنُ تَبْعَثُ الشَّنَآنَ وَالْحَسَدَا مِثْلِ النِّعَاجِ خُمُولًا فِي بُيُوتِهِمْ حَتَّى إِذَا آمَنُوا أَلْفَيْتَهُمْ أُسْدَا وَدَاوِ دَاءَكَ وَالْأَدْوَاءُ مُمْكِنَةٌ وَإِذْ طَبِيبُكَ قَدْ أَلْقَى عَلَيْكَ يَدَا وَأَعْطِ الْخَلِيفَةَ مَا يُرْضِيهِ مِنْكَ وَلَا تَمْنَعْهُ مَالًا وَلَا أَهْلًا وَلَا وَلَدَا وَارْدُدْ أَخَا يَشْكُرَ رَدًّا يَكُونُ لَهُ رَدًّا مِنَ السُّوءِ لَا تُشْمِتْ بِهِ أَحَدًا قَالَ: فَأَخَذْتُ الْكِتَابَ وَصِرْتُ إِلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ فِيهِ رَمَى بِهِ إِلَيَّ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا أَخَا بَنِي يَشْكُرَ، مَا بِآرَاءِ النِّسَاءِ تَتِمُّ الدُّوَلُ، وَلَا بِعُقُولِهِنَّ يُسَاسُ الْمْلُكُ، ارْجِعْ إِلَى صَاحِبِكَ. فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ الْخَبَرَ، فَأَخَذَ الْكِتَابَ فَقَرَأَهُ فَأَعْجَبَهُ شِعْرُهَا وَعَقْلُهَا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنِّي لِأَرْجُوَ أَنْ أُشَفِّعْهَا فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنْ فَتْحٍ آمِدٍ مَا كَانَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ الْمُعْتَضِدُ فَقَالَ: هَلْ عِنْدَكَ عِلْمٌ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْمَرْأَةِ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا ! قَالَ: فَامْضِ مَعَ هَذَا الْخَادِمِ فَإِنَّكَ سَتَجِدُهَا فِي جُمْلَةِ نِسَائِهَا، فَمَضَيْتُ فَلَمَّا بَصُرَتْ بِي مِنْ بُعْدٍ أَسْفَرَتْ عَنْ وَجْهِهَا، وَجَعَلَتْ تَقُولُ: أَرَيْبُ الزَّمَانِ وَصَرْفُهُ وَعِنَادُهُ كَشَفَ الْقِنَاعَا وَأَذَلَّ بَعْدَ الْعِزِّ مِنَّا الصَّعْبَ وَالْبَطَلَ الشُّجَاعَا وَلَكَمْ نَصَحْتُ فَمَا أَطَعْتَ وَكَمْ حَرَصْتُ بِأَنْ أُطَاعَا فَأَبَى بِنَا الْمَقْدُورُ إِلَّا أَنْ نُقَسَّمَ أَوْ نُبَاعَا يَا لَيْتَ شِعْرِي هَلْ نَرَى مِنْ بَعْدِ فُرْقَتِنَا اجْتِمَاعَا ثُمَّ بَكَتْ حَتَّى عَلَا صَوْتُهَا، وَضَرَبَتْ بِيَدِهَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَى، وَقَالَتْ: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، كَأَنِّي وَاللَّهِ كُنْتُ أَرَى مَا أَنَا فِيهِ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَجَّهَ بِي إِلَيْكِ وَمَا ذَاكَ إِلَّا لِجَمِيلِ رَأْيِهِ فِيكِ، قَالَتْ: فَهَلْ لَكَ أَنْ تُوصِلَ لِي رُقْعَةً إِلَيْهِ؟ [ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ ]، فَدَفَعَتْ إِلَيَّ رُقْعَةً فِيهَا [ مَكْتُوبٌ ]: قُلْ لِلْخَلِيفَةِ وَالْإِمَامِ الْمُرْتَضَى وَابْنِ الْخَلَائِفِ مِنْ قُرَيْشِ الْأَبْطُحِ عَلَمِ الْهُدَى وَمَنَارِهِ وَسِرَاجِهِ مِفْتَاحِ كُلِّ عَظِيمَةٍ لَمْ تُفْتَحِ بِكَ أَصْلَحَ اللَّهُ الْبِلَادَ وَأَهْلَهَا بَعْدَ الْفَسَادِ وَطَالَ مَا لَمْ تُصْلِحِ فَتَزَحْزَحَتْ بِكَ هَضْبَةُ الْعَرَبِ الَّتِي لَوْلَاكَ بَعْدَ اللَّهِ لَمْ تَتَزَحْزَحِ أَعْطَاكَ رَبُّكَ مَا تُحِبُّ فَأَعْطِهِ مَا قَدْ يُحِبُّ وَجُدْ بِعَفْوِكَ وَاصْفَحِ يَا بَهْجَةَ الدُّنْيَا وَبَدْرَ مُلُوكِهَا هَبْ ظَالِمِي وَمُفْسِدِي لِمُصْلِحِ قَالَ: فَصِرْتُ بِهَا إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ، فَلَمَّا قَرَأَهَا ضَحِكَ، وَقَالَ: لَقَدْ نَصَحَتْ لَوْ قُبِلَ مِنْهَا، وَأَمَرَ أَنْ يُحْمَلَ إِلَيْهَا خَمْسُونَ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ، وَخَمْسُونَ تَخْتًا مِنَ الثِّيَابِ، وَأَمَرَ أَنْ يُحْمَلَ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ إِلَى ابْنِ عِيسَى. وَفِيهَا تَحَارَبَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ السَّامَانِيُّ وَعَمْرُو بْنُ اللَّيْثِ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ عَمْرَو بْنَ اللَّيْثِ لَمَّا قَتَلَ رَافِعَ بْنَ هَرْثَمَةَ وَبَعَثَ بِرَأْسِهِ إِلَى الْخَلِيفَةِ سَأَلَ مِنْهُ أَنْ يُعْطِيَهُ مَا وَرَاءَ النَّهْرِ مُضَافًا إِلَى مَا بِيَدِهِ مِنْ وِلَايَةِ خُرَاسَانَ فَأَجَابَهُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ فَانْزَعَجَ لِذَلِكَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ السَّامَانِيُّ نَائِبُ مَا وَرَاءَ النَّهْرِ وَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ: إِنَّكَ قَدْ وُلِّيتَ دُنْيَا عَرِيضَةً فَاقْتَنِعْ بِهَا عَنْ مَا فِي يَدِي مِنْ هَذِهِ الْبِلَادِ. فَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ فَأَقْبَلَ إِلَيْهِ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ السَّامَانِيُّ فِي جُيُوشٍ عَظِيمَةٍ جِدًّا فَالْتَقَيَا عِنْدَ بَلْخَ فَهُزِمَ أَصْحَابُ عَمْرٍو وَأُسِرَ عَمْرُو بْنُ اللَّيْثِ فَلَمَّا جِيءَ بِهِ إِلَى إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ قَامَ إِلَيْهِ وَقَبَّلَ بَيْنِ عَيْنَيْهِ وَغَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ وَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِ وَأَمَّنَهُ وَكَتَبَ إِلَى الْخَلِيفَةِ فِي أَمْرِهِ وَيَذْكُرُ أَنَّ أَهْلَ تِلْكَ الْبِلَادِ قَدْ مَلُّوهُ وَضَجِرُوا مِنْ وِلَايَتِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ فَجَاءَ كِتَابُ الْخَلِيفَةِ بِأَنْ يَتَسَلَّمَ حَوَاصِلَهُ وَأَمْوَالَهُ فَسَلَبَهُ إِيَّاهَا فَآلَ بِهِ الْحَالُ بَعْدَ أَنْ كَانَ مَطْبَخُهُ يُحْمَلُ عَلَى سِتِّمِائَةِ جَمَلٍ إِلَى الْقَيْدِ وَالسِّجْنِ. وَمِنَ الْعَجَائِبِ أَنَّ عَمْرًا كَانَ مَعَهُ خَمْسُونَ أَلْفَ مُقَاتِلٍ لَمْ يُصَبْ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ وَلَا أُسِرَ سِوَاهُ. وَفِيهَا تُوُفِّيَ ابْنُ الْإِخْشِيدِ أَمِيرُ طَرَسُوسَ ، وَاسْتَخْلَفَ أَبَا ثَابِتٍ عَلَى طَرَسُوسَ ). وَفِيهَا سَارَ إِلَى الْأَنْبَارِ جَمَاعَةُ أَعْرَابٍ مِنْ بَنِي شَيْبَانَ، وَأَغَارُوا عَلَى الْقُرَى، وَقَتَلُوا مَنْ لَحِقُوا مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَأَخَذُوا الْمَوَاشِيَ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ كُمُشْجُورَ مُتَوَلِّيهَا، فَلَمْ يَطِقْهُمْ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ بِذَلِكَ، فَأَمَدَّهُ بِجَيْشٍ، فَأَدْرَكُوا الْأَعْرَابَ، وَقَاتَلُوهُمْ، فَهَزَمَهُمُ الْأَعْرَابُ ( وَقَتَلُوا فِيهِمْ، وَغَرِقَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ، وَتَفَرَّقُوا، وَعَاثَ الْأَعْرَابُ ) فِي تِلْكَ النَّاحِيَةِ. وَبَلَغَ خَبَرُ الْهَزِيمَةِ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ، فَسَيَّرَ جَيْشًا آخَرَ، فَرَحَلَ الْأَعْرَابُ إِلَى عَيْنِ التَّمْرِ، ( فَأَفْسَدُوا وَعَاثُوا، وَذَلِكَ فِي شَعْبَانَ، وَرَمَضَانَ، فَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْهِمْ عَسْكَرًا آخَرَ إِلَى عَيْنِ التَّمْرِ )، فَسَلَكُوا الْبَرِّيَّةَ إِلَى نَوَاحِي الشَّامِ، فَعَادَ الْعَسْكَرُ إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ وَلَمْ يَلْقَهُمْ. وَفِيهَا اسْتَدْعَى الْمُعْتَضِدُ رَاغِبًا مَوْلَى الْمُوَفَّقِ مِنْ طَرَسُوسَ، فَقَدِمَ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ بِالرَّقَّةَ، فَحَبَسَهُ وَأَخَذَ جَمِيعَ مَا كَانَ لَهُ، فَمَاتَ بَعْدَ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ حَبْسِهِ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي شَعْبَانَ، وَقَبَضَ عَلَى بَكْنُونَ غُلَامِ رَاغِبٍ، وَأَخَذَ مَالَهُ بِطَرَسُوسَ. وَفِيهَا قَلَّدَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ دِيوَانَ الْمَشْرِقِ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ دَاوُدَ بْنِ الْجَرَّاحِ، وَعَزَلَ عَنْهُ أَحْمَدَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُرَاتِ، وَقَلَّدَ دِيوَانَ الْمَغْرِبِ عَلِيَّ بْنَ عِيسَى بْنِ دَاوُدَ ابْنِ الْجَرَّاحِ. وَفِي سَنَةُ سِتٍّ وَثَمَانِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ وَجَّهَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي السَّاجِ الْمَعْرُوفُ بِأَبِي الْمُسَافِرِ إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ رَهِينَةً بِمَا ضَمِنَ مِنَ الطَّاعَةِ وَالْمُنَاصَحَةِ، وَمَعَهُ هَدَايَا جَلِيلَةٌ. وَفِيهَا أَرْسَلَ عَمْرُو بْنُ اللَّيْثِ هَدِيَّةً إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ مِنْ نَيْسَابُورَ، فَكَانَتْ قِيمَتُهَا أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافِ [ أَلْفِ ] دِرْهَمٍ. وَمِنْ عَجَائِبِ مَا وَقَعَ مِنَ الْحَوَادِثِ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ أَنَّ امْرَأَةً تَقَدَّمَتْ إِلَى قَاضِي الرَّيِّ فَادَّعَتْ عَلَى زَوْجِهَا بِصَدَاقِهَا خَمْسَمِائَةَ دِينَارٍ فَأَنْكَرَهُ الزَّوْجُ فَجَاءَتْ بِبَيِّنَةٍ تَشْهَدُ لَهَا بِهِ، فَقَالُوا: نُرِيدُ أَنْ تُسْفِرَ لَنَا عَنْ وَجْهِهَا حَتَّى نَعْلَمَ أَنَّهَا الزَّوْجَةُ أَمْ لَا، فَلَمَّا صَمَّمُوا عَلَى ذَلِكَ، قَالَ الزَّوْجُ: لَا تَفْعَلُوا هِيَ صَادِقَةٌ فِيمَا تَدَّعِيهِ. فَأَقَرَّ بِمَا ادَّعَتْ لِيَصُونَ زَوْجَتَهُ عَنِ النَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِهَا. فَقَالَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ: وَإِذْ قَدْ أَرَادَ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ فِي حِلٍّ مِنْ صَدَاقِي عَلَيْهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ.
Translation
✧ Mention of several events (In the year two hundred and eighty-six, al-Muʿtaḍid marched from Āmid after he had taken possession of it, as we have mentioned, to al-Raqqah. He appointed his son ʿAlī al-Muktafī over Qinnasrīn, al-ʿAwāṣim, and al-Jazīrah, and appointed as his secretary the Christian, whose name was al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAmr. He used to supervise the finances. Al-Khalīʿ said about that: Ḥusayn b. ʿAmr, enemy of the Qurʾān, does to the Arabs what he does. The Muslims rise in awe of him in ranks before a single man when he appears. If it is said, "The Catholicos has arrived," they go barefoot before him and walk lamely. A letter from Hārūn b. Khumārawayh b. Aḥmad b. Ṭūlūn from Egypt reached al-Muʿtaḍid while he was encamped at Āmid, saying that he would surrender Qinnasrīn and al-ʿAwāṣim to him on condition that he be confirmed in command of the Egyptian territories. He acceded to that. Then he departed from Āmid heading for Iraq and ordered the demolition of the wall of Āmid. He demolished part of it and was not able to complete that. Ibn al-Muʿtazz said congratulating him on the conquest of Āmid: Remain safe, Commander of the Faithful, and endure in felicity, and may victory gratify you. Many an event you rose to face, advancing, so that time itself fell back. A lion whose prey are lions; no claw of his grows white from their blood. When the caliph returned to Baghdad, the gift of ʿAmr b. al-Layth arrived from Naysābūr. Its arrival in Baghdad was on Thursday, eight nights remaining of Jumādā al-Ākhirah. Its value amounted to four thousand thousand dirhams, apart from mounts, saddles, and other things. Abū Bakr al-Ṣūlī related: There was with al-Muʿtaḍid an eloquent bedouin called Shuʿlah b. Shihāb al-Yashkurī, whose company he enjoyed. He sent him to Muḥammad b. ʿĪsā b. Shaykh to urge him to obedience and warn him against disobedience. He said: I went to him and addressed him, but he did not answer me. I was then directed to his paternal aunt, so I went to her. She said: O Abū Shihāb, how did you leave the Commander of the Faithful? I said: I left him commanding the right and doing good. She said: He is worthy of that and deserving of it. How could he not be so, when he is God's (the Exalted) extended shade over His lands, and His trusted vicegerent over His servants? How did you find our man? I said: I found a young lad, self-conceited, over whom fools have gained mastery, and who is ruled by their opinions; they embellish lies for him. She said: Would you go back to him with my letter before meeting the Commander of the Faithful? I said: I will. She wrote him a delicate letter in which she made the admonition abundant, and at its end she wrote: Accept the counsel of a mother whose heart is fearful, anxious for you and compassionate, and say, "You have hit the mark." Apply thought to my words, for if you reflect, you will find in my words right guidance for you. Do not trust men in whose hearts are grudges that stir up hatred and envy; like ewes, obscure in their houses, until they feel safe, and then you find them lions. Treat your ailment while remedies are available, and since your physician has laid his hand upon you. Give the caliph what will satisfy him from you, and do not withhold from him wealth, family, or children. Send back the brother of Yashkur with a return that will be for him a return from evil; do not let anyone gloat over him. He said: I took the letter and went to him. When he looked at it, he threw it back at me and said: O brother of Banū Yashkur, states are not perfected by the opinions of women, nor is kingship governed by their intellects. Return to your master. I returned to al-Muʿtaḍid and told him the news. He took the letter and read it, and her poetry and intellect pleased him. Then he said: I hope to grant her intercession for many of the people. When the conquest of Āmid occurred, al-Muʿtaḍid sent for me and said: Do you have any knowledge of that woman? I said: No. He said: Go with this servant, for you will find her among her women. I went. When she caught sight of me from afar, she uncovered her face and began to say: The vicissitudes of time and its turning and its stubbornness have unveiled the veil. After our might, it has humbled among us the difficult one and the brave hero. How often I counseled, but you did not obey, and how often I was eager to be obeyed. Fate would not allow us anything but to be divided up or sold. Would that I knew whether after our separation we shall ever meet again. Then she wept until her voice rose, struck one hand upon the other, and said: Verily we belong to God and to Him we return. By God, it was as if I was seeing what I am now in. I said to her: The Commander of the Faithful sent me to you, and that is only because of his good opinion of you. She said: Would you convey a note from me to him? I said: Yes. She handed me a note in which was written: Say to the caliph, the approved imam, son of the caliphs of Quraysh of al-Abṭaḥ, the standard of guidance and its beacon and its lamp, the key to every great matter not yet opened. Through you God has set right the lands and their people after corruption, and long had they not been set right. Through you the hill of the Arabs has been moved, which, but for you after God, would not have moved. Your Lord has given you what you love, so give Him what He loves, bestow your pardon, and forgive. O splendor of the world and full moon of its kings, grant my wrongdoer and corrupter to one who sets right. He said: I took it to al-Muʿtaḍid. When he read it, he laughed and said: She counseled well, if only it had been accepted from her. He ordered that fifty thousand dirhams and fifty bundles of cloth be carried to her, and ordered that the like be carried to Ibn ʿĪsā. In it, Ismāʿīl b. Aḥmad al-Sāmānī and ʿAmr b. al-Layth fought one another. That was because when ʿAmr b. al-Layth killed Rāfiʿ b. Harthamah and sent his head to the caliph, he asked him to grant him what was beyond the river in addition to what he held of the governorship of Khurāsān. He acceded to that. Ismāʿīl b. Aḥmad al-Sāmānī, the deputy over what was beyond the river, was disturbed by that. He wrote to him: You have been granted a vast dominion, so be content with it and leave what is in my hands of these lands. He did not accept. Ismāʿīl b. Aḥmad al-Sāmānī advanced against him with very great armies. They met near Balkh. The companions of ʿAmr were defeated and ʿAmr b. al-Layth was taken captive. When he was brought to Ismāʿīl b. Aḥmad, he rose to him, kissed him between the eyes, washed his face, bestowed a robe of honor upon him, and gave him safety. He wrote to the caliph about his affair, mentioning that the people of those lands had grown weary of him and vexed by his governance over them. The caliph's letter came that he should take over his stores and wealth. He stripped him of them. His condition turned, after his kitchen had been carried on six hundred camels, to fetters and prison. Among the wonders is that ʿAmr had with him fifty thousand fighting men, and not one of them was struck down or taken captive besides him. In it, Ibn al-Ikhshīd, the emir of Ṭarsūs, died, and he appointed Abū Thābit as his successor over Ṭarsūs). In it, a group of bedouins from Banū Shaybān marched to al-Anbār. They raided the villages, killed the people they caught, and seized the livestock. Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. Kumushjūr, its governor, went out against them but could not withstand them. He wrote to al-Muʿtaḍid about that. He reinforced him with an army. They caught up with the bedouins and fought them, but the bedouins defeated them (and killed among them, and most of them drowned, and they scattered, and the bedouins wrought havoc) in that region. The news of the defeat reached al-Muʿtaḍid, so he dispatched another army. The bedouins moved on to ʿAyn al-Tamr, (and they wrought corruption and havoc, and that was in Shaʿbān and Ramaḍān. He sent another force against them to ʿAyn al-Tamr), but they took the desert route toward the regions of Syria. The army returned to Baghdādh without encountering them. In it, al-Muʿtaḍid summoned Rāghib, the mawlā of al-Muwaffaq, from Ṭarsūs. He came to him while he was at al-Raqqah. He imprisoned him and seized all that he had. He died a few days after his imprisonment, and that was in Shaʿbān. He also arrested Baknūn, the servant of Rāghib, and seized his wealth at Ṭarsūs. In it, al-Muʿtaḍid appointed Muḥammad b. Dāwūd b. al-Jarrāḥ to the dīwān of the East, dismissing from it Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. al-Furāt, and appointed ʿAlī b. ʿĪsā b. Dāwūd b. al-Jarrāḥ to the dīwān of the West. In the year two hundred and eighty-six, Muḥammad b. Abī al-Sāj, known as Abū al-Musāfir, sent to Baghdādh a hostage as surety for the obedience and sincerity he had guaranteed, along with magnificent gifts. In it, ʿAmr b. al-Layth sent a gift to al-Muʿtaḍid from Naysābūr. Its value was four thousand [thousand] dirhams. Among the wonders of the events that occurred in this year is that a woman came before the qāḍī of al-Rayy and claimed from her husband her bridal gift of five hundred dinars. The husband denied it. She brought witnesses who testified for her to it. They said: We want her to unveil her face to us so that we may know whether she is the wife or not. When they insisted on that, the husband said: Do not do it. She is truthful in what she claims. He acknowledged what she claimed in order to protect his wife from having her face looked at. The woman said: Since he has desired that, he is absolved of my bridal gift owed to him in this world and the hereafter.
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