Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3634
Reports of the Qarmatians in Syria
وَفَاةِ الْمُعْتَضِدِ [279 - 289 هـ ] فِي سَنَةُ تِسْعٍ وَثَمَانِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ فِي رَبِيعٍ الْآخِرِ تُوُفِّيَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ بِاللَّهِ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْمُوَفَّقِ بْنِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، لَيْلَةَ الِاثْنَيْنِ لِثَمَانٍ بَقِينَ مِنْهُ. وَهَذِهِ تَرْجَمَةُ الْمُعْتَضِدِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْأَمِيرِ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ الْمُوَفَّقِ الْمُلَقَّبِ بِنَاصِرِ دِينِ اللَّهِ - وَاسْمُ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ مُحَمَّدٌ، وَقِيلَ: طَلْحَةُ - ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ عَلَى اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمُعْتَصِمِ بْنِ هَارُونَ الرَّشِيدِ، أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ، أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، الْخَلِيفَةُ الْمُعْتَضِدُ بِاللَّهِ، وُلِدَ فِي سَنَةِ ثِنْتَيْنِ، وَقِيلَ: ثَلَاثٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، وَأُمُّهُ أَمُّ وَلَدٍ، اسْمُهَا صَوَابُ - وَقِيلَ: حِرْزُ، وَقِيلَ: ضِرَارُ. وَكَانَ أَسْمَرَ نَحِيفَ الْجِسْمِ مُعْتَدِلَ الْقَامَةِ قَدْ وَخَطَهُ الشَّيْبُ، وَفِي مُقَدَّمِ لِحْيَتِهِ طُولٌ، وَفِي رَأْسِهِ شَامَةٌ بَيْضَاءُ. بُويِعَ لَهُ بِالْخِلَافَةِ صَبِيحَةَ يَوْمِ الْإِثْنَيْنِ لِإِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ بَقِيَتْ مِنْ رَجَبٍ سَنَةَ تِسْعٍ وَسَبْعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، فَاسْتَوْزَرَ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ، وَوَلَّى الْقَضَاءَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنَ إِسْحَاقَ وَيُوسُفَ بْنَ يَعْقُوبَ وَابْنَ أَبِي الشَّوَارِبِ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ الْخِلَافَةِ قَدْ ضَعُفَ فِي أَيَّامِ عَمِّهِ الْمُعْتَمِدِ عَلَى اللَّهِ، فَلَمَّا وَلِيَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ أَقَامَ شِعَارَهَا وَرَفَعَ مَنَارَهَا وَشَيَّدَ دَعَائِمَهَا وَحِيطَانَهَا، وَأَطَّدَ أَرْكَانَهَا. وَكَانَ شُجَاعًا فَاضِلًا مِنْ رِجَالَاتِ قُرَيْشٍ حَزْمًا وَجُرْأَةً وَغَزْوًا وَعِزًّا وَإِقْدَامًا وَحُرْمَةً، وَكَذَلِكَ كَانَ أَبُوهُ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ. وَكَانَتْ أَيَّامُهُ طَيِّبَةً، كَثِيرَةَ الْأَمْنِ وَالرَّخَاءِ. وَكَانَ قَدْ أَسْقَطَ الْمُكُوسَ، وَنَشَرَ الْعَدْلَ، وَرَفَعَ الظُّلْمَ عَنِ الرَّعِيَّةِ. وَكَانَ يُسَمَّى السَّفَّاحَ الثَّانِيَ; لِأَنَّهُ جَدَّدَ مُلْكَ بَنِي الْعَبَّاسِ، وَكَانَ قَدْ خَلِقَ وَضَعُفَ، وَكَادَ يَزُولُ، وَكَانَ فِي اضْطِرَابٍ مِنْ وَقْتِ قَتْلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ. ما قيل من أشعار في مدح المعتضد بالله وَفِي ذَلِكَ يَقُولُ ابْنُ الرُّومِيِّ يَمْدَحُهُ: هَنِيئًا بَنِي الْعَبَّاسِ إِنَّ إِمَامَكُمْ إِمَامَ الْهُدَى وَالْبَأْسِ وَالْجُودِ أَحْمَدُ كَمَا بِأَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ أُنْشِئَ مُلْكُكُمْ كَذَا بِأَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ أَيْضًا يُجَدَّدُ إِمَامٌ يَظَلُّ الْأَمْسِ يَعْمَلُ نَحْوَهُ تَلَهُّفَ مَلْهُوفٍ وَيَشْتَاقُهُ الْغَدُ وَقَالَ فِي ذَلِكَ ابْنُ الْمُعْتَزِّ أَيْضًا: أَمَا تَرَى مُلْكَ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ عَادَ عَزِيزًا بَعْدَ مَا ذُلِّلَا يَا طَالِبًا لِلْمُلْكِ كُنْ مِثْلَهُ تَسْتَوْجِبُ الْمُلْكَ، وَإِلَّا فَلَا وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ يَمْدَحُ الْمُعْتَضِدَ، وَهِيَ عَلَى جُزْءٍ جُزْءٍ: طَيْفٌ أَلَمَّ بِذِي سَلَمْ بَيْنَ الْخِيَمِ يَطْوِي الْأَكَمْ جَادَ بِفَمْ يَشْفِي السَّقَمْ مِمَّنْ لَثَمَ وَمُلْتَزَمْ فِيهِ هَضْمْ إِذَا يَضُمْ دَاوَى الْأَلَمْ ثُمَّ انْصَرَمْ فَلَمْ أَنَمْ شَوْقًا وَهَمْ اللَّوْمُ ذَمْ كَمْ ثُمَّ كَمْ يَوْمُ الْأَصَمْ ؟ أَحْمَدُ لَمْ كُلُّ الثَّلْمْ مِمَّا انْهَدَمْ هُوَ الْعَلَمْ وَالْمُعْتَصَمْ خَيْرُ النَّسَمْ خَالًا وَعَمْ حَوَى الْهِمَمْ وَمَا احْتَلَمْ طَوْدٌ أَشَمْ سَمْحُ الشِّيَمْ جَلَّا الظُّلَمْ كَالْبَدْرِ تَمْ رَعَى الذِّمَمْ حِمَى الْحَرَمْ فَلَمْ يُؤَمْ خَصَّ وَعَمْ بِمَا قَسَمْ لَهُ النِّعَمْ مَعَ النِّقَمْ وَالْخَيْرُ جَمْ إِذَا ابْتَسَمْ وَالْمَاءُ دَمْ إِذِ انْتَقَمْ ما جاء في دهاء المعتضد بالله وحزمه وَقَدْ أَوْرَدَ ابْنُ الْجَوْزِيِّ بِإِسْنَادِهِ أَنَّ الْمُعْتَضِدَ اجْتَازَ فِي بَعْضِ أَسْفَارِهِ بِقَرْيَةٍ فِيهَا مَقْثَأَةٌ فَوَقَفَ صَاحِبُهَا صَائِحًا مُسْتَصْرِخًا بِالْخَلِيفَةِ فَاسْتَدْعَى بِهِ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ بَعْضَ الْجَيْشِ أَخَذُوا لِي شَيْئًا مِنَ الْقِثَّاءِ وَهُمْ مِنْ غِلْمَانِكَ فَقَالَ: أَتَعْرِفُهُمْ ؟ فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ. فَعَرَضَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ فَعَرَفَ مِنْهُمْ ثَلَاثَةً فَأَمَرَ الْخَلِيفَةُ بِتَقْيِيدِهِمْ وَحَبْسِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ الصَّبَاحُ نَظَرَ النَّاسُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَنْفُسٍ مَصْلُوبِينَ عَلَى جَادَّةِ الطَّرِيقِ فَاسْتَعْظَمَ النَّاسُ ذَلِكَ وَاسْتَنْكَرُوا وَعَابُوا ذَلِكَ عَلَى الْخَلِيفَةِ وَقَالُوا قَتَلَ ثَلَاثَةً بِسَبَبِ قِثَّاءٍ أَخَذُوهُ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ قَلِيلٍ أَمَرَ الْخَوَاصُّ مُسَامِرَهُ أَنْ يُنْكِرَ عَلَيْهِ ذَلِكَ وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ فِي مُخَاطَبَتِهِ بِذَلِكَ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ وَقَدْ عَزَمَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فَفَهِمَ الْخَلِيفَةُ مَا فِي نَفْسِهِ مِنْ كَلَامٍ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُبْدِيَهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنِّي أَعْرِفُ أَنَّ فِي نَفْسِكَ كَلَامًا فَمَا هُوَ ؟ فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَنَا آمِنٌ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قُلْتُ لَهُ: فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يُنْكِرُونَ عَلَيْكَ تَسَرَّعَكَ فِي سَفْكِ الدِّمَاءِ، فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا سَفَكْتُ دَمًا حَرَامًا مُنْذُ وُلِّيتُ الْخِلَافَةَ إِلَّا بِحَقِّهِ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: فَعَلَامَ قَتَلْتَ أَحْمَدَ بْنَ الطَّيِّبِ وَقَدْ كَانَ خَادِمَكَ وَلَمْ يَظْهَرْ لَهُ جِنَايَةٌ ؟ فَقَالَ: وَيْحَكَ إِنَّهُ دَعَانِي إِلَى الْإِلْحَادِ وَالْكُفْرِ بِاللَّهِ فِيمَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: يَا هَذَا أَنَا ابْنُ عَمِّ صَاحِبِ الشَّرِيعَةِ وَأَنَا مُنْتَصِبٌ فِي مَنْصِبِهِ فَأَكْفُرُ حَتَّى أَكُونَ مِنْ غَيْرِ قَبِيلَتِهِ ؟ فَقَتَلْتُهُ عَلَى الْكُفْرِ وَالزَّنْدَقَةِ. فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: فَمَا بَالُ الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ قَتَلْتَهُمْ فِي الْقِثَّاءِ ؟ فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا كَانَ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ أَخَذُوا الْقِثَّاءَ وَإِنَّمَا كَانُوا لُصُوصًا قَدْ قَتَلُوا وَأَخَذُوا الْمَالَ، فَوَجَبَ قَتْلُهُمْ فَبَعَثْتُ فَجِئْتُ بِهِمْ مِنَ السِّجْنِ فَقَتَلْتُهُمْ وَأَرَيْتُ النَّاسَ أَنَّهُمُ الَّذِينَ أَخَذُوا الْقِثَّاءَ وَأَرْدَتُ بِذَلِكَ أَنْ أُرْهِبَ الْجَيْشَ لِئَلَّا يُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَيَتَعَدَّوْا عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُفُّوا عَنِ الْأَذَى. ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِإِخْرَاجِ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَانَ حَبَسَهُمْ بِسَبَبِ الْقِثَّاءِ فَأَطْلَقَهُمْ بَعْدَمَا اسْتَتَابَهُمْ وَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَرَدَّهُمْ إِلَى أَرْزَاقِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانَتْ لَهُمْ. قَالَ ابْنُ الْجَوْزِيِّ: وَخَرَجَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ يَوْمًا فَعَسْكَرَ بِبَابِ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ وَنَهَى أَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ بُسْتَانِ أَحَدٍ شَيْئًا فَأُتِيَ بِأَسْوَدَ قَدْ أَخَذَ عِذْقًا مَنْ بُسْرٍ فَتَأَمَّلَهُ طَوِيلًا ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِضَرْبِ عُنُقِهِ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ وَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْعَامَّةَ يُنْكِرُونَ هَذَا وَيَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: لَا قَطْعَ فِي ثَمَرٍ وَلَا كَثَرٍ وَلَمْ يَكْفِهِ أَنْ يَقْطَعَ يَدَهُ حَتَّى قَتَلَهُ وَإِنِّي لَمْ أَقْتُلْ هَذَا عَلَى سَرِقَتِهِ وَإِنَّمَا هَذَا الْأَسْوَدُ لَهُ خَبَرٌ طَرِيفٌ، هَذَا رَجُلٌ مِنَ الزَّنْجِ كَانَ قَدِ اسْتَأْمَنَ فِي حَيَاةِ أَبِي، وَإِنَّهُ تَقَاوَلَ هُوَ وَرَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَضَرَبَ الْمُسْلِمَ فَقَطَعَ يَدَهُ فَمَاتَ الْمُسْلِمُ فَأَهْدَرَ أَبِي دَمَ الرَّجُلِ الْمَقْتُولِ تَأْلِيفًا لِلزَّنْجِ فَآلَيْتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي لَئِنْ أَنَا قَدَرْتُ عَلَيْهِ لَأَقْتُلَنَّهُ، فَمَا وَقَعَتْ عَيْنِي عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ، فَقَتَلْتُهُ بِذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ. وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْخَطِيبُ: بسنده يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنَ إِسْحَاقَ الْقَاضِيَ يَقُولُ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ وَعَلَى رَأْسِهِ أَحْدَاثٌ رُومٌ صِبَاحُ الْوُجُوهِ، فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَرَآنِي الْمُعْتَضِدُ وَأَنَا أَتَأَمَّلُهُمْ، فَلَمَّا أَرَدْتُ الْقِيَامَ أَشَارَ إِلَيَّ فَمَكَثْتُ سَاعَةً، فَلَمَّا خَلَا قَالَ لِي: أَيُّهَا الْقَاضِي وَاللَّهِ مَا حَلَلْتُ سَرَاوِيلِي عَلَى حَرَامٍ قَطُّ. وَرَوَى الْبَيْهَقِيُّ عَنِ الْحَاكِمِ عَنْ حَسَّانَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ سُرَيْجٍ عَنِ الْقَاضِي إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ يَوْمًا عَلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ فَدَفَعَ إِلَيَّ كِتَابًا فَقَرَأْتُهُ فَإِذَا قَدْ جُمِعَ لَهُ فِيهِ الرُّخَصُ مِنْ زَلَلِ الْعُلَمَاءِ. فَقُلْتُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّمَا جَمَعَ هَذَا زِنْدِيقٌ. فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ ؟ فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّ مَنْ أَبَاحَ النَّبِيذَ لَمْ يُبِحِ الْمُتْعَةَ، وَمَنْ أَبَاحَ الْغِنَاءَ لَمْ يُبِحِ النَّبِيذَ، وَمَنْ جَمَعَ زَلَلَ الْعُلَمَاءِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِهَا ذَهَبَ دِينُهُ. فَأَمَرَ بِتَحْرِيقِ ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابِ. وَرَوَى الْخَطِيبُ بِسَنَدِهِ عَنْ صَافِي الْحُرَمِيِّ الْخَادِمِ قَالَ: انْتَهَى الْمُعْتَضِدُ وَأَنَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ إِلَى مَنْزِلِ شَغْبَ وَابْنُهُ الْمُقْتَدِرُ جَعْفَرٌ جَالِسٌ فِيهِ وَحَوْلَهُ نَحْوٌ مَنْ عَشْرٍ مِنَ الْوَصَائِفِ وَالصِّبْيَانِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فِي سِنِّهِ عِنْدَهُ، وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ طَبَقٌ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ فِيهِ عُنْقُودُ عِنَبٍ، وَكَانَ الْعِنَبُ إِذْ ذَاكَ عَزِيزًا جِدًّا، وَهُوَ يَأْكُلُ عِنَبَةً وَاحِدَةً ثُمَّ يُفَرِّقُ عَلَى كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ جُلَسَائِهِ عِنَبَةً عِنَبَةً، فَتَرَكَهُ الْمُعْتَضِدُ وَجَلَسَ نَاحِيَةً فِي بَيْتٍ مَهْمُومًا، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: مَا لَكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ؟ فَقَالَ: وَيْحَكَ وَاللَّهِ لَوْلَا النَّارُ وَالْعَارُ لَأَقْتُلَنَّ هَذَا الْغُلَامَ، فَإِنَّ فِي قَتْلِهِ صَلَاحًا لِلْأُمَّةِ. فَقُلْتُ: أُعِيذُكَ بِاللَّهِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، الْعَنِ الشَّيْطَانَ. فَقَالَ: وَيْحَكَ يَا صَافِي إِنَّ هَذَا الْغُلَامَ فِي غَايَةِ السَّخَاءِ لِمَا أَرَاهُ يَفْعَلُ مَعَ الصِّبْيَانِ فَإِنَّ طِبَاعَ الصِّبْيَانِ تَأْبَى الْكَرَمَ وَهَذَا فِي غَايَةِ الْكَرَمِ وَإِنَّ النَّاسَ مِنْ بَعْدِي لَا يُوَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا مَنْ هُوَ مِنْ وَلَدِي فَسَيَلِي عَلَيْهِمُ الْمُكْتَفِي ثُمَّ لَا تَطُولُ أَيَّامُهُ لِعِلَّتِهِ الَّتِي بِهِ وَهِيَ دَاءُ الْخَنَازِيرِ، ثُمَّ يَمُوتُ فَيُوَلَّى عَلَى النَّاسِ جَعْفَرٌ هَذَا، فَيَصَرِفُ جَمِيعَ أَمْوَالِ بَيْتِ الْمَالِ إِلَى الْحَظَايَا لِشَغَفِهِ بِهِنَّ وَقُرْبِ عَهْدِهِ مِنْ تَشَبُّهِهِ بِهِنَّ فَتَضِيعُ أُمُورُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَتُعَطَّلُ الثُّغُورُ وَتَكْثُرُ الْفِتَنُ وَالْهَرْجُ وَالْخَوَارِجُ وَالشُّرُورُ. قَالَ صَافِي: وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ شَاهَدْتُ مَا قَالَهُ سَوَاءً بِسَوَاءٍ. وَرَوَى الْحَافِظُ ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ عَنْ أَبِي الْحُسَيْنِ النُّورِيِّ أَنَّهُ اجْتَازَ بِزَوْرَقٍ فِيهِ خَمْرٌ مَعَ مَلَّاحٍ فَقَالَ: مَا هَذِهِ ؟ وَلِمَنْ هَذَا ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ: هَذِهِ خَمْرٌ لِلْمُعْتَضِدِ، فَصَعِدَ أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ إِلَيْهَا فَجَعَلَ يَضْرِبُ الدِّنَانَ بِعَمُودٍ فِي يَدِهِ حَتَّى كَسَرَهَا كُلَّهَا إِلَّا دَنًّا وَاحِدًا تَرَكَهُ، وَاسْتَغَاثَ الْمَلَّاحُ فَجَاءَتِ الشُّرْطَةُ فَأَخَذُوا أَبَا الْحُسَيْنِ فَأَوْقَفُوهُ بَيْنَ يَدِيِ الْمُعْتَضِدِ فَقَالَ لَهُ: مَنْ أَنْتَ ؟ فَقَالَ: مُحْتَسِبٌ. فَقَالَ: وَمَنْ وَلَّاكَ الْحِسْبَةَ ؟ فَقَالَ: الَّذِي وَلَّاكَ الْخِلَافَةَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَأَطْرَقَ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَهَا، فَقَالَ: مَا الَّذِي حَمَلَكَ عَلَى مَا فَعَلْتَ ؟ فَقَالَ: شَفَقَةً عَلَيْكَ لِدَفْعِ الضَّرَرِ عَنْكَ. فَأَطْرَقَ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَهُ، فَقَالَ: وَلِمَ تَرَكْتَ مِنَ الدِّنَانِ وَاحِدًا ؟ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي أَقْدَمْتُ عَلَيْهَا فَكَسَرْتُهَا إِجْلَالًا لِعَظَمَةِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَلَمْ أُبَالِ أَحَدًا مِنَ النَّاسِ حَتَّى انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى هَذَا الدَّنِّ فَتَخَوَّفْتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي كِبْرًا عَلَى أَنِّي قَدْ أَقْدَمْتُ عَلَى مِثْلِكَ، فَتَرَكْتُهُ. فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمُعْتَضِدُ: اذْهَبْ فَقَدْ أَطْلَقْتُ يَدَكَ فَغَيِّرْ مَا أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ تُغَيِّرَهُ مِنَ الْمُنْكَرِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ النُّورِيُّ: الْآنَ نَقَصَ عَزْمِي عَنِ التَّغْيِيرِ، فَقَالَ: وَلِمَ ؟ فَقَالَ: لِأَنِّي كُنْتُ أُغَيِّرُ عَنِ اللَّهِ وَأَنَا الْآنَ أُغَيِّرُ عَنْ شُرْطِيٍّ، فَقَالَ: سَلْ حَاجَتَكَ، فَقَالَ: أُحِبُّ أَنْ تُخْرِجَنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْكَ سَالِمًا، فَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَأُخْرِجَ فَصَارَ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ فَأَقَامَ بِهَا مُخْتَفِيًا خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَشُقَّ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ فِي حَاجَةٍ عِنْدَ الْمُعْتَضِدِ، فَلَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ رَجَعَ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ. وَذَكَرَ الْقَاضِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَاحِدِ الْهَاشِمِيُّ عَنْ شَيْخٍ مِنَ التُّجَّارِ قَالَ: كَانَ لِي عَلَى بَعْضِ الْأُمَرَاءِ مَالٌ كَثِيرٌ فَمَاطَلَنِي وَمَنَعَنِي حَقِّي وَجَعَلَ كُلَّمَا جِئْتُ أُطَالِبُهُ حَجَبَنِي عَنْهُ وَيَأْمُرُ غِلْمَانَهُ يُؤْذُونَنِي فَاشْتَكَيْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَى الْوَزِيرِ فَلَمْ يُفِدْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئًا وَإِلَى أَوْلِيَاءِ الْأَمْرِ مِنَ الدَّوْلَةِ فَلَمْ يَقْطَعُوا مِنْهُ شَيْئًا وَمَا زَادَهُ ذَلِكَ إِلَّا مَنْعًا وَجُحُودًا فَأَيِسْتُ مِنَ الْمَالِ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ وَدَخَلَنِي هَمٌّ مِنْ جِهَتِهِ فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا كَذَلِكَ وَأَنَا حَائِرٌ إِلَى مَنْ أَشْتَكِي إِذْ قَالَ لِي رَجُلٌ: أَلَا تَأْتِي فَلَانًا الْخَيَّاطَ إِمَامَ مَسْجِدٍ هُنَاكَ، فَقُلْتُ: وَمَا عَسَى أَنْ يَصْنَعَ خَيَّاطٌ مَعَ هَذَا الظَّالِمِ، وَأَعْيَانُ الدَّوْلَةِ لَمْ يَقْطَعُوا فِيهِ، فَقَالَ لِي: هُوَ أَقْطَعُ وَأَخْوَفُ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ جَمِيعِ مَنِ اشْتَكَيْتَ إِلَيْهِ فَاذْهَبْ إِلَيْهِ لَعَلَّكَ أَنْ تَجِدَ عِنْدَهُ فَرَجًا. قَالَ: فَقَصَدْتُهُ غَيْرَ مُحْتَفِلٍ فِي أَمْرِهِ فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ حَاجَتِي وَمَا لِيَ وَمَا لَقِيتُ مِنْ هَذَا الظَّالِمِ فَقَامَ مَعِي فَحِينَ عَايَنَهُ الْأَمِيرُ قَامَ إِلَيْهِ وَأَكْرَمَهُ وَاحْتَرَمَهُ وَبَادَرَ إِلَى قَضَاءِ حَقِّي الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ فَأَعْطَانِيهِ كَامِلًا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِنْهُ إِلَى الْأَمِيرِ كَبِيرُ أَمْرٍ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُ: ادْفَعْ إِلَى هَذَا الرَّجُلِ حَقَّهُ وَإِلَّا أَذَّنْتُ. فَتَغَيَّرَ لَوْنُ الْأَمِيرِ وَدَفَعَ إِلِيَّ حَقِّي، قَالَ التَّاجِرُ: فَعَجِبْتُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْخَيَّاطِ مَعَ رَثَاثَةِ حَالِهِ وَضِعْفِ بِنْيَتِهِ كَيْفَ انْطَاعَ ذَلِكَ الْأَمِيرُ لَهُ ثُمَّ إِنِّي عَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ شَيْئًا مِنَ الْمَالِ فَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ مِنِّي شَيْئًا، وَقَالَ: لَوْ أَرَدْتُ هَذَا لَكَانَ لِي مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ مَا لَا يُحْصَى. فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ خَبَرِهِ وَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ تَعَجُّبِي مِنْهُ وَأَلْحَحْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ سَبَبَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ عِنْدَنَا هَاهُنَا رَجُلٌ تُرْكِيٌّ شَابٌّ حَسَنٌ أَمِيرٌ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ أَقْبَلَتِ امْرَأَةٌ حَسْنَاءُ قَدْ خَرَجَتْ مِنَ الْحَمَّامِ وَعَلَيْهَا ثِيَابٌ مُرْتَفِعَةٌ ذَاتُ قِيمَةٍ، فَقَامَ إِلَيْهَا وَهُوَ سَكْرَانٌ فَتَعَلَّقَ بِهَا يُرِيدُهَا عَلَى نَفْسِهَا لِيُدْخِلَهَا مُنْزِلَهُ، وَهِيَ تَأْبَى عَلَيْهِ وَتَصْرُخُ بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهَا: يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَنَا امْرَأَةٌ ذَاتُ زَوْجٍ، وَهَذَا الرَّجُلُ يُرِيدُنِي عَلَى نَفْسِي لِيُدْخِلَنِي مَنْزِلَهُ وَقَدْ حَلَفَ زَوْجِي بِالطَّلَاقِ أَنْ لَا أَبِيتَ فِي غَيْرِ مَنْزِلِهِ وَمَتَى بَتُّ هَاهُنَا طُلِّقْتُ مِنْهُ وَلَحِقَنِي بِسَبَبِ ذَلِكَ عَارٌ لَا تَدْحَضُهُ الْأَيَّامُ وَلَا تَغْسِلُهُ الْمَدَامِعُ. قَالَ الْخَيَّاطُ: فَقُمْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَأَنْكَرْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَرَدْتُ خَلَاصَ الْمَرْأَةِ مِنْ يَدَيْهِ فَضَرَبَنِي بِدَبُّوسٍ فِي يَدِهِ فَشَجَّ رَأْسِي وَغَلَبَ الْمَرْأَةَ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا وَأَدْخَلَهَا مَنْزِلَهُ قَهْرًا فَرَجَعْتُ أَنَا فَغَسَلْتُ الدَّمَ عَنَى وَعَصَبْتُ رَأْسِي وَصَلَّيْتُ بِالنَّاسِ الْعِشَاءَ، ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لِلْجَمَاعَةِ: إِنَّ هَذَا قَدْ فَعَلَ مَا قَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ فَقُومُوا مَعِي إِلَيْهِ لِنُنْكِرَ عَلَيْهِ وَنُخَلِّصَ الْمَرْأَةَ مِنْهُ فَقَامَ النَّاسُ مَعِي فَهَجَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ دَارَهُ، فَثَارَ إِلَيْنَا فِي جَمَاعَةٍ مِنْ غِلْمَانِهِ بِأَيْدِيهِمُ الْعِصِيُّ وَالدَّبَابِيسُ يَضْرِبُونَ النَّاسَ وَقَصَدَنِي هُوَ مِنْ بَيْنِهِمْ فَضَرَبَنِي ضَرْبًا شَدِيدًا مُبَرِّحًا حَتَّى أَدْمَانِي وَأَخْرَجَنَا مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ وَنَحْنُ فِي غَايَةِ الْإِهَانَةِ، فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِي وَأَنَا لَا أَهْتَدِي إِلَى الطَّرِيقِ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْوَجَعِ وَكَثْرَةِ الدِّمَاءِ فَنِمْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي فَلَمْ يَأْخُذْنِي نَوْمٌ وَتَحَيَّرْتُ مَاذَا أَصْنَعُ حَتَّى أُنْقِذَ الْمَرْأَةَ مِنْ يَدِهِ فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ لِتَرْجِعَ فَتَبِيتَ فِي مَنْزِلِهَا حَتَّى لَا يَقَعَ عَلَى زَوْجِهَا الطَّلَاقُ فَأُلْهِمْتُ أَنْ أُؤَذِّنَ لِلصُّبْحِ فِي أَثْنَاءِ اللَّيْلِ لِكَيْ يَظُنَّ أَنَّ الصُّبْحَ قَدْ طَلَعَ فَيُخْرِجَهَا مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ فَتَذْهَبَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِ زَوْجِهَا فَصَعِدْتُ الْمَنَارَةَ وَجَعَلْتُ أَنْظُرُ إِلَى بَابِ دَارِهِ وَأَنَا أَتَكَلَّمُ عَلَى عَادَتِي قَبْلَ الْأَذَانِ هَلْ أَرَى الْمَرْأَةَ قَدْ خَرَجَتْ ثُمَّ أَذَّنْتُ فَلَمْ تَخْرُجْ ثُمَّ صَمَّمْتُ إِنْ لَمْ تَخْرُجْ أَقَمْتُ الصَّلَاةَ حَتَّى يَتَحَقَّقَ الصَّبَاحَ، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَنْظُرُ هَلْ تَخْرُجُ الْمَرْأَةُ أَمْ لَا ؟ إِذِ امْتَلَأَتِ الطَّرِيقُ فُرْسَانًا وَرَجَّالَةً وَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: أَيْنَ الَّذِي أَذَّنَ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ ؟ فَقُلْتُ: هَأَنَذَا وَأَنَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ يُعِينُونِي عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: انْزِلْ. فَنَزَلَتُ، فَقَالُوا: أَجِبْ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَأَخَذُونِي وَذَهَبُوا بِي لَا أَمْلِكُ مِنْ نَفْسِي شَيْئًا، وَمَا زَالُوا بِي حَتَّى أَدْخَلُونِي عَلَى الْخَلِيفَةِ الْمُعْتَضِدِ بِاللَّهِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُ جَالِسًا فِي مَقَامِ الْخِلَافَةِ ارْتَعَدْتُ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَفَزِعْتُ فَزَعًا شَدِيدًا، فَقَالَ: ادْنُ. فَدَنَوْتُ، فَقَالَ لِي: لِيَسْكُنْ رَوْعُكَ وَلِيَهْدَأْ قَلْبُكَ. وَمَا زَالَ يُلَاطِفُنِي حَتَّى اطْمَأْنَنْتُ وَذَهَبَ خَوْفِي، فَقَالَ: أَنْتَ الَّذِي أَذَّنْتَ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ ؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَقَالَ: مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى أَنْ أَذَّنْتَ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ وَقَدْ بَقِيَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا مَضَى مِنْهُ، فَتَغُرُّ بِذَلِكَ الصَّائِمَ وَالْمُسَافِرَ وَالْمُصَلِّيَ وَغَيْرَهُمْ. فَقُلْتُ: يُؤَمِّنُنِي أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَتَّى أَقُصَّ عَلَيْهِ خَبَرِي ؟ فَقَالَ: أَنْتَ آمِنٌ. فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ الْقِصَّةَ، قَالَ: فَغَضِبَ غَضَبًا شَدِيدًا وَأَمَرَ بِإِحْضَارِ ذَلِكَ الْأَمِيرِ وَالْمَرْأَةِ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ عَلَى أَيِّ حَالَةٍ كَانَا، فَأُحْضِرَا سَرِيعًا، فَبَعَثَ بِالْمَرْأَةِ إِلَى زَوْجِهَا مَعَ نِسْوَةٍ مِنْ جِهَتِهِ ثِقَاتٍ، وَمَعَهُنَّ ثِقَةٌ مِنْ جِهَتِهِ أَيْضًا، وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَأْمُرَ زَوْجَهَا بِالْعَفْوِ وَالصَّفْحِ عَنْهَا وَالْإِحْسَانِ إِلَيْهَا، فَإِنَّهَا مُكْرَهَةٌ وَمَعْذُورَةٌ، ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الشَّابِّ الْأَمِيرِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: كَمْ لَكَ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ ؟ وَكَمْ عِنْدَكَ مِنَ الْمَالِ ؟ وَكَمْ عِنْدَكَ مِنَ الْجَوَارِي وَالزَّوْجَاتِ ؟ فَذَكَرَ لَهُ شَيْئًا كَثِيرًا. فَقَالَ لَهُ: وَيْحَكَ أَمَا كَفَاكَ مَا أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ بِهِ عَلَيْكَ حَتَّى انْتَهَكْتَ حُرْمَةَ اللَّهِ وَتَعَدَّيْتَ حُدُودَهُ وَتَجَرَّأْتَ عَلَى السُّلْطَانِ وَمَا كَفَاكَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى عَمِدْتَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ أَمَرَكَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهَاكَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ فَضَرَبْتَهُ وَأَهَنْتَهُ وَأَدْمَيْتَهُ. فَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ جَوَابٌ، فَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَجُعِلَ فِي رِجْلِهِ قَيْدٌ وَفِي عُنُقِهِ غُلٌّ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِهِ فَأُدْخِلَ فِي جُوَالِقَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِهِ فَضُرِبَ بِالدَّبَابِيسِ ضَرْبًا شَدِيدًا حَتَّى خَفَتَ صَوْتُهُ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِهِ فَأُلْقِي فِي دِجْلَةَ فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ آخِرَ الْعَهْدِ بِهِ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بَدْرًا صَاحِبَ الشُّرْطَةِ أَنْ يَحْتَاطَ عَلَى مَا فِي دَارِهِ مِنَ الْحَوَاصِلِ وَالْأَمْوَالِ الَّتِي كَانَ يَتَنَاوَلُهَا مِنْ بَيْتِ الْمَالِ بِغَيْرِ حِلِّهَا، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ الصَّالِحِ الْخَيَّاطِ: كُلَّمَا رَأَيْتَ مُنْكَرًا صَغِيرًا كَانَ أَوْ كَبِيرًا وَلَوْ عَلَى هَذَا - وَأَشَارَ إِلَى صَاحِبِ الشُّرْطَةِ - فَأَعْلِمْنِي بِهِ، فَإِنِ اتَّفَقَ اجْتِمَاعُكَ بِي وَإِلَّا فَعَلَامَةُ مَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ أَنْ تُؤَذِّنَ فِي مِثْلِ وَقْتِ أَذَانِكَ هَذَا. قَالَ: فَبِهَذَا السَّبَبِ لَا آمُرُ أَحَدًا مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الدَّوْلَةِ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ أَوْ أَنْهَاهُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا بَادَرَ إِلَى امْتِثَالِهِ وَقَبُولِهِ خَوْفًا مِنَ الْمُعْتَضِدِ وَمَا احْتَجْتُ أَنْ أُؤَذِّنَ فِي مِثْلِ تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ إِلَى الْآنِ. وَذَكَرَ الْوَزِيرُ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ قَالَ: كُنْتُ يَوْمًا عِنْدَ الْمُعْتَضِدِ وَخَادِمٌ وَاقِفٌ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ يَذُبُّ بِمِذَبَّةٍ فِي يَدِهِ إِذْ حَرَّكَهَا فَجَاءَتْ فِي قَلَنْسُوَةِ الْخَلِيفَةِ فَسَقَطَتْ عَنْ رَأْسِهِ فَأَعْظَمْتُ أَنَا ذَلِكَ جِدًّا وَخِفْتُ مِنْ هَوْلِ مَا وَقَعَ وَلَمْ يَكْتَرِثِ الْخَلِيفَةُ لِذَلِكَ، بَلْ أَخَذَ قَلَنْسُوَتَهُ فَوَضَعَهَا عَلَى رَأْسِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِبَعْضِ الْخَدَمِ: مُرْ هَذَا الْبَائِسَ فَلْيَذْهَبْ لِرَاحَتِهِ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ نَعَسَ، وَزِيدُوا فِي عِدَّةِ مَنْ يَذُبُّ بِالنَّوْبَةِ. قَالَ الْوَزِيرُ: فَأَخَذْتُ فِي الثَّنَاءِ عَلَى الْخَلِيفَةِ وَالشُّكْرِ لَهُ عَلَى حِلْمِهِ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ هَذَا الْبَائِسَ لَمْ يَتَعَمَّدْ مَا وَقَعَ مِنْهُ وَإِنَّمَا نَعَسَ وَلَيْسَ الْعِتَابُ وَالْمُعَاتَبَةُ إِلَّا عَلَى الْمُتَعَمِّدِ لَا عَلَى الْمُخْطِئِ وَالسَّاهِي. وَمِنْ أَخْبَارِ الْمُعْتَضِدِ مَا أَخْرَجَهُ الْخَطِيبُ وَابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ عَنْ أَبِي الْحُسَيْنِ الْخَصِيبِيِّ، قَالَ: (وَجَّهَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ إِلَى الْقَاضِي أَبِي خَازِمٍ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ لِي عَلَى فُلَانٍ مَالًا، وَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ غُرَمَاءَهُ أَثْبَتُوا عِنْدَكَ، وَقَدْ قَسَطْتُ لَهُمْ مِنْ مَالِهِ، فَاجْعَلْنَا كَأَحَدِهِمْ. فَقَالَ أَبُو خَازِمٍ: قُلْ لَهُ: أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ - أَطَالَ اللَّهُ بَقَاءَهُ ! - ذَاكِرٌ لِمَا قَالَ لِي وَقْتَ قَلَّدَنِي: إِنَّهُ قَدْ أَخْرَجَ الْأَمْرَ مِنْ عُنُقِهِ وَجَعَلَهُ فِي عُنُقِي، وَلَا يَجُوزُ لِي أَنْ أَحْكُمَ فِي مَالِ رَجُلٍ لِمُدَّعٍ إِلَّا بِبَيِّنَةٍ، فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ فَأَخْبَرَهُ. فَقَالَ: قُلْ لَهُ: فُلَانٌ وَفُلَانٌ يَشْهَدَانِ; - يَعْنِي: لِرَجُلَيْنِ جَلِيلَيْنِ - فَقَالَ: يَشْهَدَانِ عِنْدِي، وَأَسْأَلُ عَنْهُمَا ؟ فَإِنَّ زُكِّيَا... قَبِلْتُ شَهَادَتَهُمَا، وَإِلَّا.. أَمْضَيْتُ مَا قَدْ ثَبَتَ عِنْدِي، فَامْتَنَعَ أُولَئِكَ مِنَ الشَّهَادَةِ فَزَعًا، وَلَمْ يَدْفَعْ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ شَيْئًا ). موت عبيد الله بن سليمان وزير المعتضد وَقَالَ خَفِيفٌ السَّمَرْقَنْدِيُّ الْحَاجِبُ: لَمَّا جَاءَ الْخَبَرُ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ بِمَوْتِ وَزِيرِهِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ وَتَحَقَّقَ ذَلِكَ خَرَّ سَاجِدًا طَوِيلًا، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَقَدْ كَانَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ يَخْدِمُكَ وَيَنْصَحُ لَكَ. فَقَالَ: إِنَّمَا سَجَدْتُ شُكْرًا لِلَّهِ أَنِّي لَمْ أَعْزِلْهُ وَلَمْ أُؤْذِهِ، ثُمَّ اسْتَشَارَ الْحَاضِرِينَ فِيمَنْ يَسْتَوْزِرُهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ، وَذَكَرَ هُوَ رَجُلَيْنِ، أَحَدُهُمَا جَرَادَةُ، وَكَانَ حَازِمَ الرَّأْيِ قَوِيًّا وَالْآخَرُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُرَاتِ فَعَدَلَ بِهِ بَدْرٌ صَاحِبُ الشُّرْطَةِ عَنْهُمَا، وَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْقَاسِمِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ فَسَفَّهَ رَأْيَهُ، فَأَلَحَّ عَلَيْهِ فَوَلَّاهُ وَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ يُعَزِّيهِ فِي أَبِيهِ وَيُهَنِّيهِ بِالْوِزَارَةِ، فَمَا لَبِثَ الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى وَلِيَ الْمُكْتَفِي الْخِلَافَةَ مِنْ بَعْدِ أَبِيهِ الْمُعْتَضِدِ حَتَّى قَتَلَ بَدْرًا، وَكَانَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَهُمَا مِنَ الْعَدَاوَةِ مِنْ وَرَاءِ سِتْرٍ رَقِيقٍ وَهَذِهِ فِرَاسَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ وَتَوَسُّمٌ قَوِيٌّ. وَقَدْ رُفِعَ يَوْمًا إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ أَنَّ قَوْمًا يَجْتَمِعُونَ عَلَى الْمَعْصِيَةِ فَاسْتَشَارَ وَزِيرَهُ فِي أَمْرِهِمْ، فَقَالَ: يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُصْلَبَ بَعْضُهُمْ وَيُحْرَقَ بَعْضُهُمْ، فَقَالَ: وَيْحَكَ لَقَدْ بَرَّدْتَ لَهَبَ غَضَبِي عَلَيْهِمْ بِقَسْوَتِكَ هَذِهِ، أَمَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ الرَّعِيَّةَ وَدِيعَةُ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانِهَا وَأَنَّهُ سَائِلُهُ عَنْهَا، وَلَمْ يُقَابِلْهُمْ بِمَا قَالَ الْوَزِيرُ فِيهِمْ. وَلِهَذِهِ النِّيَّةِ لَمَّا وَلِيَ الْخِلَافَةَ كَانَ بَيْتُ الْمَالِ صِفْرًا مِنَ الْمَالِ وَكَانَتِ الْأَحْوَالُ فَاسِدَةً وَالْأَعْرَابُ تَعِيثُ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا فِي كُلِّ جِهَةٍ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ بِرَأْيِهِ وَتَسْدِيدِهِ حَتَّى كَثُرَتِ الْأَمْوَالُ فِي بَيْتِ الْمَالِ، وَصَلَحَتِ الْأَحْوَالُ فِي سَائِرِ الْأَقَالِيمِ وَالْآفَاقِ وَالْمَحَالِّ. المعتضد وجاريته دريرة [الْمُعْتَضِدُ وَجَارِيَتُهُ دُرَيْرَةُ ] قَالَ ابْنُ حَمْدُونَ النَّدِيمُ: (غَرَّمَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ عَلَى عِمَارَةِ الْبُحَيْرَةِ سِتِّينَ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ، وَكَانَ يَخْلُو فِيهَا مَعَ جَوَارِيهِ وَفِيهِنَّ مَحْبُوبَتُهُ دُرَيْرَةُ، فَقَالَ ابْنُ بَسَّامٍ: تَرَكَ النَّاسُ بَحِيرَهْ وَتَخَلَّى فِي الْبُحَيْرَةْ قَاعِدًا يَضْرِبُ بِالطَّبْ لِ عَلَى حِرِّ دُرَيْرَةْ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الْمُعْتَضِدَ فَلَمْ يُظْهِرْ أَنَّهُ بَلَغَهُ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِتَخْرِيبِ تِلْكَ الْعِمَارَةِ ) ثُمَّ مَاتَتْ دُرَيْرَةُ فِي أَيَّامِ الْمُعْتَضِدِ، فَجَزِعَ عَلَيْهَا جَزَعًا شَدِيدًا، وَقَالَ يَرْثِيهَا: يَا حَبِيبًا لَمْ يَكُنْ يَعْ دِلُهُ عِنْدِي حَبِيبُ أَنْتَ عَنْ عَيْنِي بَعِيدٌ وَمِنَ الْقَلْبِ قَرِيبُ لَيْسَ لِي بَعْدَكَ فِي شَيْ ءٍ مِنَ اللَّهْوِ نَصِيبُ لَكَ مِنْ قَلْبِي عَلَى قَلْبِي وَإِنْ بِنْتَ رَقِيبُ وَحَيَاتِي مِنْكَ مُذْ غِبْ تَ خَيَالٌ مَا يَغِيبُ لَوْ تَرَانِي كَيْفَ لِي بَعْ دَكَ عَوْلٌ وَنَحِيبُ وَفُؤَادِي حَشْوُهُ مِنْ حَرْقِ الْحُزْنِ لَهِيبُ لَتَيَقَّنْتَ بِأَنِّي بِكَ مَحْزُونٌ كَئِيبُ ما أَرَى نَفْسِي وَإِنْ طَيَّ بْتُهَا عَنْكَ تَطِيبُ لَيْسَ دَمْعٌ لِيَ يَعْصِي نِي وَصَبْرِي مَا يُجِيبُ وَقَالَ فِيهَا أَيْضًا: لَمْ أَبْكِ لِلدَّارِ وَلَكِنْ لِمَنْ قَدْ كَانَ فِيهَا مَرَّةً سَاكِنَا فَخَانَنِي الدَّهْرُ بِفُقْدَانِهِ وَكُنْتُ مِنْ قَبْلُ لَهُ آمِنَا وَدَّعْتُ صَبْرِي عِنْدَ تَوْدِيعِهِ وَبَانَ قَلْبِي مَعَهُ ظَاعِنَا وَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ ابْنُ الْمُعْتَزِّ يُعَزِّيهِ وَيُسَلِّيهِ عَنْ مُصِيبَتِهِ فِيهَا: يَا إِمَامَ الْهُدَى بِنَا لَا بِكَ الْغَ مُّ وَأَفْنَيْتَنَا وَعِشْتَ سَلِيمًا أَنْتَ عَلَّمْتَنَا عَلَى النِّعَمِ الشُّكْ رَ وَعِنْدَ الْمَصَائِبِ التَّسْلِيمَا فَاسْلُ عَنْ مَا مَضَى فَإِنَّ الَّتِي كَا نَتْ سُرُورًا صَارَتْ ثَوَابًا عَظِيمَا قَدْ رَضِينَا بَأَنْ نَمُوتَ وَتَحْيَى إِنَّ عِنْدِي فِي ذَاكَ حَظًّا جَسِيمَا مَنْ يَمُتْ طَائِعًا لِمَوْلَاهُ فَقَدْ أُعْ طِيَ فَوْزًا وَمَاتَ مَوْتًا كَرِيمَا وَاجْتَمَعَ يَوْمًا عِنْدَ الْمُعْتَضِدِ نُدَمَاؤُهُ، فَلَمَّا انْقَضَى السَّمَرُ وَصَارَ إِلَى حَظَايَاهُ وَنَامَ الْقَوْمُ السُّمَّارُ نَبَّهَهُمْ مِنْ نَوْمِهُمْ خَادِمٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ الْخَلِيفَةِ، وَقَالَ: يَقُولُ لَكُمْ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّهُ أَصَابَهُ أَرَقٌ مِنْ بَعْدِكُمْ، وَقَدْ عَمِلَ بَيْتًا أَعْيَاهُ ثَانِيهِ، فَمَنْ عَمِلَ ثَانِيَهُ فَلَهُ جَائِزَةٌ، وَهُوَ هَذَا الْبَيْتُ: وَلَمَّا انْتَبَهْنَا لِلْخَيَالِ الَّذِي سَرَى إِذَا الدَّارُ قَفْرَى وَالْمَزَارُ بَعِيدُ قَالَ: فَجَلَسَ الْقَوْمُ مِنْ فُرُشِهِمْ يُفَكِّرُونَ فِي ثَانِيهِ، فَبَدَرَ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ: فَقُلْتُ لِعَيْنِي عَاوِدِي النَّوْمَ وَاهْجَعِي لَعَلَّ خَيَالًا طَارِقًا سَيَعُودُ قَالَ: فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ بِهِ الْخَادِمُ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ، وَقَعَ مِنْهُ مَوْقِعًا جَيِّدًا وَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِجَائِزَةٍ سَنِيَّةٍ. وَاسْتَعْظَمَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ يَوْمًا مِنْ بَعْضِ الشُّعَرَاءِ قَوْلَ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو الْمَازِنِيِّ الْبَصْرِيِّ: لَهْفِي عَلَى مَنْ أَطَارَ النَّوْمَ فَامْتَنَعَا وَزَادَ قَلْبِي عَلَى أَوْجَاعِهِ وَجَعَا كَأَنَّمَا الشَّمْسُ مِنْ أَعْطَافِهِ طَلَعَتْ حُسْنًا أَوِ الْبَدْرُ مِنْ أَزْرَارِهِ طَلَعَا مُسْتَقْبَلٌ بِالَّذِي يَهْوَى وَإِنْ عَظُمَتْ مِنْهُ الْإِسَاءَةُ مَعْذُورٌ بِمَا صَنَعَا فِي وَجْهِهِ شَافِعٌ يَمْحُو إِسَاءَتَهُ مِنَ الْقُلُوبِ وَجِيهٌ حَيْثُمَا شَفَعَا مرض ووفاة المعتضد وَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ مِنْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ - أَعْنِي سَنَةَ تِسْعٍ وَثَمَانِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ - اشْتَدَّ وَجَعُ الْخَلِيفَةِ الْمُعْتَضِدِ بِاللَّهِ، فَاجْتَمَعَ رُؤَسَاءُ الْقُوَّادِ ; مِنْهُمْ يُونُسُ الْخَادِمُ وَغَيْرُهُ إِلَى الْوَزِيرِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ فَأَشَارُوا بِأَنْ يَجْتَمِعَ النَّاسُ لِتَجْدِيدِ الْبَيْعَةِ لِلْمُكْتَفِي بِاللَّهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْمُعْتَضِدِ بِاللَّهِ، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ وَتَأَكَّدَتِ الْبَيْعَةُ وَكَانَ فِي ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ كَثِيرٌ. وَحِينَ حَضَرَتِ الْمُعْتَضِدَ الْوَفَاةُ أَنْشَدَ لِنَفْسِهِ: تَمَتَّعْ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّكَ لَا تَبْقَى وَخُذْ صَفْوَهَا مَا إِنْ صَفَتْ وَدَعِ الرَّنْقَا وَلَا تَأْمَنَنَّ الدَّهْرَ إِنِّي أَمِنْتُهُ فَلَمْ يُبْقِ لِي حَالًا وَلَمْ يَرْعَ لِي حَقًّا قَتَلْتُ صَنَادِيدَ الرِّجَالِ فَلَمْ أَدَعْ عَدُوًّا وَلَمْ أُمْهِلْ عَلَى خُلُقٍ خَلْقَا وَأَخْلَيْتُ دَارَ الْمُلْكِ مِنْ كُلِّ نَازِعٍ فَشَرَّدْتُهُمْ غَرْبًا وَمَزَّقْتُهُمْ شَنْقَا فَلَمَّا بَلَغْتُ النَّجْمَ عِزًّا وَرِفْعَةً وَصَارَتْ رِقَابُ الْخَلْقِ أَجْمَعَ لِي رِقَّا رَمَانِي الرَّدَى سَهْمًا فَأَخْمَدَ جَمْرَتِي فَهَاأَنَذَا فِي حُفْرَتِي عَاجِلًا أُلْقَى وَلَمْ يُغْنِ عَنِّي مَا جَمَعْتُ وَلَمْ أَجِدْ لِذِي مَلِكِ الْأَحْيَاءِ فِي حِينِهَا رِفْقَا وَأَفْسَدْتُ دُنْيَايَ وَدِينِي سَفَاهَةً فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِي مِنِّي بِمَصْرَعِهِ أَشْقَى فَيَا لَيْتَ شِعْرِي بَعْدَ مَوْتِيَ مَا أَلْقَى إِلَى نِعْمَةٍ لِلَّهِ أَمْ نَارِهِ أُلْقَى وَمِنْ شِعْرِ الْمُعْتَضِدِ : يَا لَاحِظِي بِالْفُتُورِ وَالدَّعَجِ وَقَاتِلِي بِالدَّلَالِ وَالْغَنَجِ أَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ الَّذِي لَقِيتُ مِنَ الْـ ـوَجْدِ فَهَلْ لِي إِلَيْكَ مِنْ فَرَجِ ؟ حَلَلْتُ بِالطَّرْفِ وَالْجَمَالِ مِنَ الـ ـنَّاسِ مَحَلَّ الْعُيُونِ وَالْمُهَجِ وقيل كَانَتْ عِلَّتُهُ تَغَيُّرَ الْمِزَاجِ وَ [الْجَفَافَ] مِنْ كَثْرَةِ الْجِمَاعِ، وَكَانَ يُوصَفُ لَهُ أَنْ يُقِلَّ الْغِذَاءَ وَيُرَطِّبَ مَعِدَتَهُ وَلَا يَتْعَبَ، ثُمَّ تَمَاثَلَ، فَقَالَ ابْنُ الْمُعْتَزِّ: طَارَ قَلْبِي بِجَنَاحِ الْوَجِيبِ جَزَعًا مِنْ حَادِثَاتِ الْخُطُوبِ وَحَذَرًا أَنْ يُشَاكَ بِسُوءٍ أَسَدُ الْمُلْكِ وَسَيْفُ الْحُرُوبِ ثُمَّ انْتَكَسَ وَكَانَ يَسْتَعْمِلُ ضِدَّ مَا يُوصَفُ لَهُ، وَيُرِيهِمْ أَنَّهُ يَحْتَمِي، فَإِذَا خَرَجُوا دَعَا بِالْخُبْزِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ وَالسَّمَكِ، فَسَقَطَتْ قُوَّتُهُ، وَاشْتَدَّتْ عِلَّتُهُ فِي يَوْمِ الْجُمْعَةِ لِإِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً بَقِيَتْ مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْآخَرِ سَنَةَ تِسْعٍ وَثَمَانِينَ، [وَاجْتَمَعَ الْجُنْدُ مُتَسَلِّحِينَ]. وَغَسَّلَهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ شَيْبَةَ عِنْدَ زَوَالِ الشَّمْسِ، وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ يُوسُفُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الْقَاضِي، وَحَضَرَ الْوَزِيرُ الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، وَأَبُو حَازِمٍ، وَأَبُو عُمَرَ، وَخَوَاصُّ الْخَدَمِ، وَكَانَ أَوْصَى أَنْ يُدْفَنَ فِي دَارِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ [عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ] بْنِ ظَاهِرٍ، فَحَفَرَ لَهُ فِيهَا، وَحُمِلَ مِنْ قَصْرِهِ الْمَعْرُوفِ بِالْحُسَنِيِّ لَيْلًا، فَدُفِنَ وَحَكَى الْمَسْعُودِيُّ قَالَ: (شَكُّوا فِي مَوْتِ الْمُعْتَضِدِ، فَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِ الطَّبِيبُ وَجَسَّ نَبْضَهُ، فَفَتَحَ عَيْنَيْهِ، وَرَفَسَ الطَّبِيبَ بِرِجْلِهِ، فَدَحَاهُ أَذْرُعًا، فَمَاتَ الطَّبِيبُ، ثُمَّ مَاتَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ ). وَكَانَتْ وَفَاتُهُ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ لَيْلَةَ الْإِثْنَيْنِ لِثَمَانٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ مِنْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ، وَلَمْ يَبْلُغِ الْخَمْسِينَ. فَكَانَتْ خِلَافَتُهُ تِسْعَ سِنِينَ وَتِسْعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا، وَخَلَّفَ مِنَ الْأَوْلَادِ الذُّكُورِ، عَلِيًّا الْمُكْتَفِيَ، وَجَعْفَرًا الْمُقْتَدِرَ، وَهَارُونَ، وَمِنَ الْبَنَاتِ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ بِنْتًا، وَيُقَالُ سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ بِنْتًا. وَتَرَكَ فِي بَيْتِ الْمَالِ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ أَلْفَ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ. وَكَانَ يُمْسِكُ عَنْ صَرْفِ الْأَمْوَالِ فِي غَيْرِ وَجْهِهَا، فَلِهَذَا كَانَ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ يُبَخِّلُهُ، وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَجْعَلُهُ مِنَ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ الْمَذْكُورِينَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ، الِاثْنَيْ عَشَرَ الْمَنْصُوصِ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي حَدِيثِ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ. فَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. رثاء المعتضد وَقَدْ رَثَى أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُعْتَزِّ الْعَبَّاسِيُّ ابْنَ عَمِّهِ، الْمُعْتَضِدَ بِمَرْثَاةٍ حَسَنَةٍ يَقُولُ فِيهَا: يَا دَهْرُ وَيْحَكَ مَا أَبْقَيْتَ لِي أَحَدًا وَأْنَتَ وَالِدُ سُوءٍ تَأْكُلُ الْوَلَدَا أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ بَلْ ذَا كُلُّهُ قَدَرٌ رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَاحِدًا صَمَدًا يَا سَاكِنَ الْقَبْرِ فِي غَبْرَاءَ مِظْلِةٍ بِالظَّاهِرِيَّةِ مُقْصَى الدَّارِ مُنْفَرِدَا أَيْنَ الْجُيُوشُ الَّتِي قَدْ كُنْتَ تَسْحَبُهَا أَيْنَ الْكُنُوزُ الَّتِي أَحْصَيْتَهَا عَدَدَا أَيْنَ السَّرِيرُ الَّذِي قَدْ كُنْتَ تَمْلَؤُهُ مَهَابَةً مَنْ رَأَتْهُ عَيْنُهُ ارْتَعَدَا أَيْنَ الْأَعَادِي الْأُلَى ذَلَّلْتَ صَعْبَهُمُ أَيْنَ اللُّيُوثُ الَّتِي صَيَّرْتَهَا نَقَدًا أَيْنَ الْوُفُودُ عَلَى الْأَبْوَابِ عَاكِفَةً وِرْدَ الْقَطَا صَفْوَ مَاءٍ جَالَ وَاطَّرَدَا أَيْنَ الرِّجَالُ قِيَامًا فِي مَرَاتِبِهِمْ مَنْ رَاحَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَمْ يُطْمَرْ فَقَدْ سَعِدَا أَيْنَ الْجِيَادُ الَّتِي حَجَّلْتَهَا بِدَمٍ وَكُنَّ يَحْمِلْنَ مِنْكَ الضَّيْغَمَ الْأَسَدَا أَيْنَ الرِّمَاحُ الَّتِي غَذَّيْتَهَا مُهَجًا مُذْ مِتَّ مَا وَرَدَتْ قَلْبًا وَلَا كَبِدًا أَيْنَ السُّيُوفُ وَأَيْنَ النَّبْلُ مُرْسَلَةً يُصِبْنَ مَنْ شِئْتَ مِنْ قِرْنٍ وَإِنْ بَعُدَا أَيْنَ الْمَجَانِيقُ أَمْثَالُ الْفِيُولِ إِذَا رَمَيْنَ حَائِطَ حِصْنٍ قَائِمٍ قَعَدَا أَيْنَ الْقُصُورُ الَّتِي شَيَّدْتَهَا فَعَلَتْ وَلَاحَ فِيهَا سَنَا الْإِبْرِيزِ فَاتَّقَدَا أَيْنَ الْجِنَانُ الَّتِي تَجْرِي جَدَاوِلُهَا وَتَسْتَجِيبُ إِلَيْهَا الطَّائِرَ الْغَرِدَا أَيْنَ الْوَصَائِفُ كَالْغِزْلَانِ رَائِحَةً يَسْحَبْنَ مَنْ حُلَلٍ مَوْشِيَّةٍ جُدُدًا أَيْنَ الْمَلَاهِي وَأَيْنَ الرَّاحُ تَحْسَبُهَا يَاقُوتَةً كُسِيَتْ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ زَرَدًا أَيْنَ الْوُثُوبُ إِلَى الْأَعْدَاءِ مُبْتَغِيًا صَلَاحَ مُلْكِ بَنِي الْعَبَّاسِ إِذْ فَسَدَا مَا زِلْتَ تَقْسِرُ مْنِهُمْ كُلَّ قَسْوَرَةٍ وَتَحْطِمُ الْعَاتِيَ الْجَبَّارَ مُعْتَمِدَا ثُمَّ انْقَضَيْتَ فَلَا عَيْنٌ وَلَا أَثَرٌ حَتَّى كَأَنَّكَ يَوْمًا لَمْ تكُنْ أَحَدَا لَا شَيْءَ يَبْقَى سُوَى خَيْرٍ تُقَدِّمُهُ مَا دَامَ مُلْكٌ لِإِنْسَانٍ وَلَا خَلَدَا ذَكَرَهَا ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ فِي " تَارِيخِهِ ". وَلَهُ، أَنْشَدَ الصُّولِيُّ: لَمْ يَلْقَ مِنْ حَرِّ الْفِرَاقِ أَحَدٌ كَمَا أَنَا مِنْهُ لَاقِ يَا سَائِلِي عَنْ طَعْمِهِ أَلْفَيْتُهُ مُرَّ الْمَذَاقِ جِسْمِي يَذُوبُ وَمُقْلَتِي عَبْرَى وَقَلْبِي ذُو احْتِرَاقِ مَا لِي أَلِيفٌ بَعْدَكُمْ إِلَّا اكْتِئَابِي وَاشْتِيَاقِي فَاللَّهُ يَحْفَظُكُمْ جَمِيـ ـعًا فِي مَقَامٍ وَانْطِلَاقِي
Translation
✧ THE DEATH OF AL-MUʿTAḌID [279–289 AH] In the year two hundred and eighty-nine, in Rabīʿ al-Ākhir, al-Muʿtaḍid billāh Abū al-ʿAbbās Aḥmad b. al-Muwaffaq b. al-Mutawakkil died on the night of Monday, eight nights remaining of it. This is the biography of al-Muʿtaḍid: Aḥmad b. al-Amīr Abī Aḥmad al-Muwaffaq, titled Nāṣir Dīn Allāh — the name of Abū Aḥmad being Muḥammad, though it is said Ṭalḥa — b. Jaʿfar al-Mutawakkil ʿalā Allāh b. Muḥammad al-Muʿtaṣim b. Hārūn al-Rashīd, Abū al-ʿAbbās, Commander of the Faithful, the Caliph al-Muʿtaḍid billāh. He was born in the year two hundred and forty-two, though it is said forty-three. His mother was an umm walad named Ṣawāb, though it is said Ḥirz, and it is said Ḍirār. He was brown-skinned, slender of body, of moderate stature, with gray hair interspersed, his beard long in front, and a white mole on his head. He was given the oath of allegiance as caliph on the morning of Monday, eleven nights remaining of Rajab, in the year two hundred and seventy-nine. He appointed ʿUbayd Allāh b. Sulaymān b. Wahb as vizier, and appointed to the judiciary Ismāʿīl b. Isḥāq, Yūsuf b. Yaʿqūb, and Ibn Abī al-Shawārib. The affair of the caliphate had weakened during the days of his paternal uncle al-Muʿtamid ʿalā Allāh, but when al-Muʿtaḍid assumed office he raised its emblems, elevated its beacon, fortified its pillars and walls, and consolidated its foundations. He was brave, virtuous, among the leading men of Quraysh in resoluteness, boldness, military expeditions, might, daring, and sanctity, as his father had been before him. His days were pleasant, with much security and prosperity. He abolished tolls, spread justice, and lifted oppression from the subjects. He was called the second Saffāḥ because he renewed the dominion of the Banū al-ʿAbbās after it had become worn out, weak, and nearly vanished, having been in turmoil since the time of the killing of al-Mutawakkil. Poems said in praise of al-Muʿtaḍid billāh About that, Ibn al-Rūmī says in his praise: Rejoice, O Banū al-ʿAbbās, for your imam, the imam of guidance, might, and generosity, is Aḥmad. Just as by Abū al-ʿAbbās your dominion was established, so by Abū al-ʿAbbās it is also renewed. An imam toward whom yesterday gazes with the longing of a sorrowful one, and whom tomorrow yearns for. Ibn al-Muʿtazz said about that as well: Do you not see that the dominion of Banū Hāshim has returned mighty after being humbled? O seeker of dominion, be like him, you will deserve dominion; otherwise, no. One of them said in praise of al-Muʿtaḍid, and it is in short meter: A phantom visited at Dhū Salam, between the tents, traversing the hills. It bestowed a mouth that cures sickness, from one who kissed and embraced. In him is slenderness when he embraces; he healed the pain, then departed. I did not sleep, from longing and grief. Blame is a fault—how many, then how many? The day of the deaf? Aḥmad did not— all the breaches, from what had collapsed— he is the standard, and the refuge, the best of creatures, maternal uncle and paternal uncle. He attained ambitions, and did not dream. A lofty mountain, generous in character, he dispelled darkness, like the full moon. He observed covenants, protected the sanctuary, so he did not intend harm; he singled out and included. By what he apportioned, to him are blessings, with vengeance, and goodness complete, when he smiles, and water is blood when he takes revenge. What has been related of al-Muʿtaḍid billāh's shrewdness and resoluteness Ibn al-Jawzī related with his chain of transmission that al-Muʿtaḍid passed during one of his journeys by a village with a cucumber patch. Its owner stood up shouting and calling for the caliph's help. He summoned the man and asked him about his case. The man said: "Some of the army took some cucumbers from me, and they are from your servants." He asked: "Do you recognize them?" The man said: "Yes." He presented them to him, and the man identified three of them. The caliph ordered them bound and imprisoned. When morning came, people saw three persons crucified on the main road. People deemed that grave, disapproved of it, and criticized the caliph for it, saying: "He killed three people because of cucumbers they took." A little later, the caliph ordered his boon companion al-Khawāṣṣ to reproach him for that, and to be gentle in his address about it. One night he entered upon him, having resolved to do that. The caliph sensed from his words what was in his mind and what he wanted to express, and said to him: "I know there is something in your mind that you want to say. What is it?" He said: "O Commander of the Faithful, am I safe?" He said: "Yes." He said to him: "People disapprove of your hastiness in shedding blood." He said: "By God, I have not shed unlawful blood since I became caliph except by its right." He said to him: "Then why did you kill Aḥmad b. al-Ṭayyib, who was your servant and had shown no offense?" He said: "Woe to you! He invited me to heresy and disbelief in God between him and me. I said to him: 'O man, I am the cousin of the possessor of the revealed law, and I am established in his office; shall I disbelieve so as to be from other than his tribe?' So I killed him for disbelief and zandaqa." He said to him: "Then what about the three whom you killed for the cucumbers?" He said: "By God, those were not the ones who took the cucumbers. They were robbers who had killed and taken property, so their execution was obligatory. I sent and brought them from prison, killed them, and made people think they were those who took the cucumbers. By that I intended to intimidate the army so that they would not corrupt the land, transgress against people, and to restrain them from harm." Then he ordered the release of those whom he had imprisoned because of the cucumbers. He set them free after having them repent, bestowed robes of honor upon them, and restored them to their stipends. Ibn al-Jawzī said: Al-Muʿtaḍid went out one day and encamped at Bāb al-Shammāsiyya, and forbade anyone from taking anything from anyone's orchard. A black man was brought who had taken a bunch of unripe dates. He examined him for a long time, then ordered his neck struck. Then he turned to his companions and said: "The common people disapprove of this and say that the Messenger of God ﷺ said: 'There is no amputation for fruit or palm hearts.' They say it was not enough for him to cut off his hand, but he killed him. I did not kill this man for his theft. This black man has a curious story. He is a man from the Zanj who had sought amnesty during my father's lifetime. He and a Muslim man exchanged words, and he struck the Muslim and cut off his hand, and the Muslim died. My father pardoned the blood of the slain man to win over the Zanj. I swore to myself that if I ever got hold of him I would kill him. My eyes did not fall on him except at this hour, so I killed him for that man." Abū Bakr al-Khaṭīb said, with his chain of transmission: I heard Ismāʿīl b. Isḥāq al-Qāḍī say: I entered upon al-Muʿtaḍid, and at his head were young Byzantine slaves of beautiful faces. I looked at them, and al-Muʿtaḍid saw me examining them. When I was about to rise, he signaled to me, so I stayed for a while. When he was alone, he said to me: "O Qāḍī, by God, I have never untied my trousers over anything forbidden." Al-Bayhaqī narrated from al-Ḥākim, from Ḥassān b. Muḥammad, from Ibn Surayj, from al-Qāḍī Ismāʿīl b. Isḥāq, who said: One day I entered upon al-Muʿtaḍid, and he handed me a book. I read it, and found that it contained a collection of legal concessions from the slips of scholars. I said: "O Commander of the Faithful, only a zindīq compiled this." He said: "How so?" I said: "Whoever permits nabīdh does not permit mutʿa, and whoever permits singing does not permit nabīdh. Whoever collects the slips of scholars and then adopts them has lost his religion." He ordered that book burned. Al-Khaṭīb narrated with his chain from Ṣāfī al-Ḥuramī the servant, who said: Al-Muʿtaḍid, with me before him, came to the quarters of Shaghab, and his son al-Muqtadir Jaʿfar was sitting inside, surrounded by about ten slave girls and boys of his age from his companions. In front of him was a silver platter with a bunch of grapes—grapes were then very rare—and he was eating one grape, then distributing one grape to each of his companions. Al-Muʿtaḍid left him and sat in a corner, distressed. I said to him: "What is the matter, O Commander of the Faithful?" He said: "Woe to you! By God, were it not for the Fire and the disgrace, I would kill this boy, for in his killing there would be welfare for the community." I said: "I seek refuge in God for you, O Commander of the Faithful. Curse Satan." He said: "Woe to you, O Ṣāfī! This boy is extremely generous, as I see what he does with the boys. The nature of boys rejects generosity, but this one is extremely generous. After me, the people will have no one to rule over them except one of my descendants. Al-Muktafī will succeed, but his days will not be long because of his ailment, which is scrofula. Then he will die, and this Jaʿfar will be placed in authority over the people. He will divert all the funds of the treasury to concubines because of his infatuation with them and his recent habit of imitating them. The affairs of the Muslims will be lost, the frontiers will be neglected, and discord, tumult, Kharijites, and evils will multiply." Ṣāfī said: By God, I witnessed exactly what he said, word for word. Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAsākir narrated from Abū al-Ḥusayn al-Nūrī that he passed by a boat containing wine with a boatman. He said: "What is this? And for whom is it?" The boatman said: "This is wine for al-Muʿtaḍid." Abū al-Ḥusayn boarded it and began striking the wine jars with a club in his hand until he broke all of them except one jar, which he left. The boatman cried for help, and the police came and took Abū al-Ḥusayn. They brought him before al-Muʿtaḍid, who said to him: "Who are you?" He said: "A muḥtasib." He said: "Who appointed you to the ḥisba?" He said: "The One who appointed you to the caliphate, O Commander of the Faithful." He lowered his head, then raised it and said: "What led you to do what you did?" He said: "Compassion for you, to ward off harm from you." He lowered his head, then raised it and said: "Why did you leave one jar?" He said: "I attacked and broke them out of reverence for the majesty of God Almighty, and I cared not for any of the people, until I came to this jar. Then I feared for my soul from pride, since I had dared against someone like you, so I left it." Al-Muʿtaḍid said to him: "Go, for I have freed your hand. Change whatever you wish to change of what is disapproved." Al-Nūrī said to him: "Now my resolve to change has diminished." He said: "Why?" He said: "Because I used to change for God, but now I change for a policeman." He said: "Ask your need." He said: "I would like you to let me leave your presence safely." He ordered him taken out, and he went to Basra, where he stayed in hiding, fearing that someone might trouble him with a request before al-Muʿtaḍid. When al-Muʿtaḍid died, he returned to Baghdad. Al-Qāḍī Abū al-Ḥasan Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Wāḥid al-Hāshimī mentioned, on the authority of an old man from the merchants, who said: I had a large sum of money owed to me by one of the emirs, and he delayed payment and withheld my right from me. Whenever I came to demand it from him, he kept me away from him and ordered his servants to harm me. I complained about him to the vizier, but that was of no use, and to the authorities of the state, but they did not obtain anything from him. That only increased him in refusal and denial. I despaired of the money he owed me, and distress entered me because of him. While I was in that state, bewildered as to whom I should complain, a man said to me: “Will you not go to so-and-so the tailor, the imam of a mosque there?” I said: “What can a tailor do against this oppressor, when the notables of the state have not put an end to him?” He said to me: “He is more effective and more feared by him than all those to whom you have complained. Go to him, perhaps you will find relief with him.” He said: So I went to him, without attaching much importance to his affair. I mentioned to him my need, my money, and what I had suffered from this oppressor. He rose with me, and when the emir saw him, he stood up for him, honored him, and showed him respect, and hastened to pay me the right he owed me. He gave it to me in full, without anything major coming from him to the emir except that he said to him: “Pay this man his due, otherwise I shall call the adhān.” The emir’s color changed, and he paid me my due. The merchant said: I was amazed at that tailor, despite the shabbiness of his condition and the weakness of his frame, how that emir complied with him. Then I offered him some money, but he would not accept anything from me, and he said: “If I wanted this, I would have uncountable wealth.” I asked him about his story and told him of my amazement at him, and I pressed him. He said: The reason for that is that there was with us here a young, handsome Turkish man, an emir. One day, a beautiful woman came out of the bathhouse, wearing fine clothes of great value. He went to her while drunk, and clung to her, wanting her for himself, to bring her into his house. She refused him and cried out at the top of her voice: “O company of Muslims! I am a married woman, and this man wants me for himself to bring me into his house. My husband has sworn by divorce that I shall not spend the night anywhere but his house, and if I spend the night here, I will be divorced from him, and a disgrace will attach to me that the days will not erase nor tears wash away.” The tailor said: I rose to him and reproached him, and I wanted to rescue the woman from his hands. He struck me with a mace he had in his hand and split my head, and he overpowered the woman and brought her into his house by force. I returned, washed the blood from me, bandaged my head, and prayed the evening prayer with the people. Then I said to the congregation: “This man has done what you know. Rise with me to him, that we may reproach him and rescue the woman from him.” The people rose with me, and we burst into his house. He rushed at us with a group of his servants, with sticks and maces in their hands, striking the people. He singled me out from among them and beat me severely and painfully until he made me bleed, and he drove us out of his house while we were in utter humiliation. I returned to my house, unable to find my way because of the severity of the pain and the abundance of blood. I lay on my bed, but sleep did not come to me, and I was bewildered as to what I should do to rescue the woman from his hand that night, so that she might return and spend the night in her house, so that divorce would not befall her husband. I was inspired to call the adhān for dawn in the middle of the night, so that he might think that dawn had risen and send her out of his house, and she would go to her husband’s house. I climbed the minaret and began looking at the door of his house while I spoke as was my custom before the adhān, to see whether the woman had come out. Then I called the adhān, but she did not come out. Then I resolved that if she did not come out, I would perform the iqāmah for prayer until the morning became certain. While I was looking to see whether the woman would come out or not, the street filled with horsemen and foot soldiers, and they were saying: “Where is the one who called the adhān at this hour?” I said: “Here I am,” and I wanted them to help me against him. He said: “Come down.” So I came down, and they said: “Answer the Commander of the Faithful.” They took me and went with me, I having no control over myself. They did not cease with me until they brought me before the caliph al-Muʿtaḍid billāh. When I saw him sitting in the seat of the caliphate, I trembled with fear and was greatly terrified. He said: “Come near.” I came near, and he said to me: “Let your fear subside and your heart be calm.” He kept being gentle with me until I felt at ease and my fear went away. He said: “Are you the one who called the adhān at this hour?” I said: “Yes, O Commander of the Faithful.” He said: “What made you call the adhān at this hour, when more of the night remains than has passed, so that you deceive the fasting person, the traveler, the one praying, and others?” I said: “Will the Commander of the Faithful grant me safety so that I may relate my story to him?” He said: “You are safe.” I related the story to him. He said: He became extremely angry and ordered that emir and the woman to be brought immediately, in whatever state they were. They were brought quickly. He sent the woman to her husband with trusted women from his side, and with them also a trusted man from his side, and he ordered him to command her husband to pardon her, overlook her, and treat her kindly, for she was coerced and excused. Then he turned to that young emir and said to him: “How much stipend do you have? How much money do you have? How many slave girls and wives do you have?” He mentioned to him a great deal. He said to him: “Woe to you! Was not what God has bestowed upon you enough, that you violated God’s sanctity, transgressed His limits, and dared against the sultan? And was that not enough for you, that you went to a man who commanded you to do good and forbade you from evil, and you beat him, humiliated him, and made him bleed?” He had no answer. He ordered that a fetter be placed on his leg and a collar on his neck, then he ordered him to be put into a sack, then he ordered him to be beaten severely with maces until his voice became faint, then he ordered him to be thrown into the Tigris. That was the last that was seen of him. Then he ordered Badr, the chief of police, to seize what was in his house of stores and wealth that he had taken from the public treasury without right. Then he said to that righteous man, the tailor: “Whenever you see an evil, small or great, even if it is from this one”—and he pointed to the chief of police—“inform me of it. If you happen to meet me, then good; otherwise, the sign between me and you is that you call the adhān at the same time as this adhān of yours.” He said: For this reason, I do not command any of these people of the state to do any good or forbid them from anything, except that he hastens to comply with it and accept it, out of fear of al-Muʿtaḍid, and I have not needed to call the adhān at such an hour until now. The vizier ʿUbayd Allāh b. Sulaymān b. Wahb mentioned, saying: One day I was with al-Muʿtaḍid, and a servant was standing at his head, fanning him with a fan in his hand. He moved it, and it struck the caliph’s cap, and it fell from his head. I regarded that as very serious and feared the horror of what had happened, but the caliph paid no attention to it. Rather, he took his cap, placed it on his head, and said to some of the servants: “Tell this poor man to go and rest, for he has become drowsy, and increase the number of those who fan in turns.” The vizier said: I began praising the caliph and thanking him for his forbearance. He said: “This poor man did not intend what happened from him; he only became drowsy. Blame and reproach are only for the deliberate, not for the mistaken and the heedless.” From the reports of al-Muʿtaḍid What al-Khaṭīb and Ibn ʿAsākir transmitted from Abū al-Ḥusayn al-Khaṣībī, who said: Al-Muʿtaḍid sent to Qāḍī Abū Khāzim, saying: “I have money owed to me by so-and-so, and it has reached me that his creditors have registered claims with you, and you have divided his money among them. Make me like one of them.” Abū Khāzim said: Say to him: “Does the Commander of the Faithful—may God prolong his life!—remember what he said to me when he appointed me: that he has removed the matter from his neck and placed it on my neck, and it is not permissible for me to judge in a man’s money for a claimant except with proof?” He returned to him and informed him. He said: Say to him: “So-and-so and so-and-so will testify”—meaning two eminent men. He said: “Let them testify before me, and I will ask about them. If they are declared upright, I will accept their testimony; otherwise, I will carry out what has been established with me.” Those men refrained from testifying out of fear, and he did not give anything to al-Muʿtaḍid. The death of ʿUbayd Allāh b. Sulaymān, vizier of al-Muʿtaḍid Khafīf al-Samarqandī the chamberlain said: When the news of the death of his vizier ʿUbayd Allāh b. Sulaymān came to al-Muʿtaḍid and he was certain of it, he fell prostrate for a long time. It was said to him: “O Commander of the Faithful, ʿUbayd Allāh used to serve you and counsel you sincerely.” He said: “I prostrated only in thanks to God that I did not dismiss him and did not harm him.” Then he consulted those present about whom he should appoint as vizier after him. He himself mentioned two men, one of them Jarādah, who was resolute in opinion and strong, and the other Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. al-Furāt. Badr, the chief of police, diverted him from them and advised him to appoint al-Qāsim b. ʿUbayd Allāh. He considered his opinion foolish, but Badr insisted, so he appointed him, and sent to him to console him for his father and congratulate him on the vizierate. It was not long before al-Qāsim b. ʿUbayd Allāh continued until al-Muktafī assumed the caliphate after his father al-Muʿtaḍid, and he killed Badr. Al-Muʿtaḍid had seen the enmity between the two of them from behind a thin curtain, and this is a great perspicacity and strong discernment. One day it was reported to al-Muʿtaḍid that a group of people were gathering for disobedience. He consulted his vizier about their affair, and he said: “Some of them should be crucified and some of them burned.” He said: “Woe to you! You have cooled the flame of my anger against them with this harshness of yours. Do you not know that the subjects are a trust from God with their sultan, and that He will ask him about them?” He did not treat them as the vizier had said. Because of this intention, when he assumed the caliphate, the public treasury was empty of money, conditions were corrupt, and the Arabs were spreading corruption throughout the land in every direction. He did not cease, by his judgment and right guidance, until money became abundant in the public treasury and conditions became sound in all the regions, horizons, and places. Al-Muʿtaḍid and his slave girl Durayrah Ibn Ḥamdūn the boon companion said: Al-Muʿtaḍid spent sixty thousand dinars on building the lake, and he used to be alone there with his slave girls, among them his beloved Durayrah. Ibn Bassām said: The people left the lake and he secluded himself in the lake, sitting, beating the drum upon the vulva of Durayrah. That reached al-Muʿtaḍid, but he did not show that it had reached him. Then he ordered that building to be demolished. Then Durayrah died during the days of al-Muʿtaḍid, and he grieved for her with intense grief, and he said, elegizing her: O beloved, no beloved is equal to him in my eyes. You are far from my eye, but near to the heart. After you, I have no share in any amusement. From my heart, over my heart, even if you are distant, you are a watcher. My life, since you departed, is a phantom that does not leave. If you could see how I have, after you, wailing and lamentation, and a heart filled with the burning of sorrow like a flame, you would be certain that I am grieved and sorrowful for you. I do not see my soul, even if I cajole it from you, ever being pleased. No tears obey me, and my patience does not answer. He also said about her: I did not weep for the abode, but for the one who once dwelt in it. Time betrayed me by losing him, though I had been secure from it before. I bade farewell to my patience when I bade him farewell, and my heart departed with him as a traveler. Ibn al-Muʿtazz wrote to him, consoling him and distracting him from his affliction over her: O imam of guidance, grief is upon us, not upon you, and you have annihilated us while you remain sound. You taught us gratitude for blessings, and submission at calamities. So be consoled for what has passed, for she who was a joy has become a great reward. We have accepted to die while you live; at that, with me, is a great fortune. Whoever dies obedient to his Lord has been given victory and has died a noble death. One day al-Muʿtaḍid’s boon companions gathered with him. When the night conversation ended and he went to his concubines, and the boon companions slept, a servant from the caliph woke them from their sleep and said: “The Commander of the Faithful says to you: He has been afflicted with insomnia after you left, and he has composed a verse whose second half has defeated him. Whoever composes its second half will have a reward. It is this verse: When we awoke to the phantom that came by night, the abode was desolate and the visitation far. He said: The men sat up from their beds, thinking about its second half. One of them was quick and said: I said to my eye: Return to sleep and slumber, perhaps a phantom that comes by night will return. He said: When the servant brought it back to al-Muʿtaḍid, it pleased him greatly, and he ordered a splendid reward for him. One day al-Muʿtaḍid greatly admired from one of the poets the saying of al-Ḥakam b. ʿAmr al-Māzinī al-Baṣrī: My grief for the one who made sleep fly away and it refused, and added pain to the pains of my heart. It is as if the sun rose from his sides in beauty, or the full moon rose from his buttons. He is received with what he desires, and even if his offense is great, he is excused for what he has done. In his face is an intercessor that erases his offense from hearts, a prominent one wherever he intercedes. The illness and death of al-Muʿtaḍid When it was Rabīʿ al-Awwal of this year—I mean the year two hundred eighty-nine—the pain of the caliph al-Muʿtaḍid billāh became severe. The chiefs of the commanders, among them Yūnus the servant and others, gathered with the vizier al-Qāsim b. ʿUbayd Allāh, and they advised that the people should gather to renew the oath of allegiance to al-Muktafī billāh ʿAlī b. al-Muʿtaḍid billāh. He did that, and the oath of allegiance was confirmed, and in that there was much good. When death was present with al-Muʿtaḍid, he recited for himself: Enjoy the world, for you will not remain, and take its clear part while it is clear, and leave the turbid. Do not feel secure from time, for I felt secure from it, yet it left me no state and did not observe any right for me. I killed the champions of men and left no enemy, nor did I give respite to any creature for any character. I emptied the abode of kingship of every contender, scattering them westward and tearing them apart by hanging. When I reached the star in might and elevation, and the necks of all creation became slaves to me, fate shot me with an arrow and extinguished my ember, and here I am, being cast quickly into my pit. What I gathered did not avail me, and I found no kindness from the Lord of the living at that hour. I corrupted my world and my religion out of folly, so who is more wretched in his fall than I? Would that I knew, after my death, what I shall meet— will I be cast into God’s blessing or His fire? From the poetry of al-Muʿtaḍid: O you who gaze upon me with languor and dark, wide eyes, and who slay me with coquetry and dalliance, I complain to you of what I have met from passion; is there for me, with you, any relief? You have alighted, with the eye and beauty, among people in the place of [their] eyes and hearts. It was said that his illness was a change of temperament and [dryness] from excessive sexual intercourse, and it was prescribed to him that he reduce food, moisten his stomach, and not exert himself. Then he recovered, and Ibn al-Muʿtazz said: My heart flew with the wing of throbbing in dread of the calamities of misfortunes, And in fear that the lion of kingship and the sword of wars might be pierced by evil. Then he relapsed, and he would do the opposite of what was prescribed for him, while making them think that he was observing the regimen. When they left, he would call for bread, olives, and fish, so his strength fell, and his illness became severe on Friday, when eleven nights remained of Rabīʿ al-Ākhir in the year two hundred and eighty-nine, [and the troops assembled in arms]. Aḥmad b. Shaybah washed him at the sun's decline, and Yūsuf b. Yaʿqūb al-Qāḍī prayed over him, and the vizier al-Qāsim b. ʿUbayd Allāh, Abū Ḥāzim, Abū ʿUmar, and the elite servants attended. He had instructed that he be buried in the house of Muḥammad b. [ʿUbayd Allāh] b. Ṭāhir, so a grave was dug for him there, and he was carried from his palace known as al-Ḥasanī at night and buried. Al-Masʿūdī related, saying: "They doubted al-Muʿtaḍid's death, so the physician went up to him and felt his pulse. He opened his eyes and kicked the physician with his foot, hurling him several cubits, and the physician died. Then al-Muʿtaḍid died at that very moment." His death, may God have mercy on him, was on Monday night, when eight nights remained of Rabīʿ al-Awwal of this year, and he had not reached fifty. His caliphate was nine years, nine months, and thirteen days. He left male children: ʿAlī al-Muktafī, Jaʿfar al-Muqtadir, and Hārūn; and of daughters, eleven, and it is said seventeen. He left in the treasury seventeen thousand thousand dinars. He used to refrain from spending money in ways other than its proper purposes, and for this reason some people considered him miserly. Among the people there are those who count him among the rightly-guided caliphs mentioned in the ḥadīth, the twelve specified in the ḥadīth of Jābir b. Samurah. But God knows best. Elegy for al-Muʿtaḍid Abū al-ʿAbbās ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Muʿtazz al-ʿAbbāsī elegized his cousin al-Muʿtaḍid with a fine elegy, saying in it: O Time, woe to you! You have left me no one, and you are an evil parent who devours [your] child. I seek God's forgiveness; nay, all this is decree. I am content with God as Lord, One, Eternal. O dweller of the grave in a dark, dusty plot at al-Ẓāhiriyyah, remote of abode, alone, Where are the armies you used to drag along? Where are the treasures you counted one by one? Where is the throne that you used to fill with awe, such that whoever's eye saw it trembled? Where are the enemies whose difficult ones you humbled? Where are the lions you turned into sheep? Where are the delegations at the gates, lingering like flocks of sandgrouse at clear, flowing water? Where are the men standing in their ranks? Whoever of them went and was not buried has attained happiness. Where are the steeds that you made white-marked with blood, and that used to carry from you the fierce lion? Where are the lances that you nourished with souls? Since you died, they have not entered any heart or liver. Where are the swords, and where are the arrows sent forth, striking whomever you willed of a foe, even if far? Where are the mangonels, like elephants, when they struck the wall of a standing fortress, it sat down? Where are the palaces you built and raised high, in which the gleam of pure gold shone and blazed? Where are the gardens whose streams flow, and to which the singing bird responds? Where are the maidens like gazelles, passing by, trailing gowns of embroidered, new brocade? Where are the diversions, and where is the wine that you would deem a ruby clad in a coat of silver mail? Where is the leaping upon enemies, seeking the welfare of the Abbasid realm when it had become corrupt? You never ceased to subdue every lion of them, and to crush the arrogant tyrant, leaning [on him]. Then you passed away, leaving neither trace nor news, until it is as though you were never anyone for a day. Nothing remains except the good you send ahead, as long as no kingdom or eternity belongs to any human. Ibn ʿAsākir mentioned it in his History. And he also has, as al-Ṣūlī recited: No one has met from the heat of separation what I have met from it. O you who ask me about its taste, I found it bitter in flavor. My body melts, my eye weeps, and my heart is burning. I have no companion after you except my sorrow and my longing. May God preserve you all in [my] staying and my departing.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording. Ask what scholars say about its grade