Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3670
The deposition of al-Muqtadir and the accession of b. al-Mu'tazz
إِرْسَالِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشِّيعِيِّ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ كَانَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زَكَرِيَّاءَ الشِّيعِيُّ مِنْ أَهْلِ صَنْعَاءَ، وَقَدْ سَارَ إِلَى ابْنِ حَوْشَبٍ النَّجَّارِ، وَصَحِبَهُ بِعَدَنَ، وَصَارَ مِنْ كِبَارِ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَكَانَ لَهُ عِلْمٌ وَفَهْمٌ وَدَهَاءٌ وَمَكْرٌ، فَلَمَّا أَتَى خَبَرُ وَفَاةِ الْحُلْوَانِيِّ وَأَبِي سُفْيَانَ ( إِلَى ابْنِ حَوْشَبٍ ) قَالَ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشِّيعِيِّ: إِنَّ أَرْضَ كُتَامَةَ مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ قَدْ حَرَثَهَا الْحُلْوَانِيُّ وَأَبُو سُفْيَانَ، وَقَدْ مَاتَا، وَلَيْسَ لَهَا غَيْرُكَ، فَبَادِرْ، فَإِنَّهَا مُوَطَّأَةٌ مُمَهَّدَةٌ لَكَ. فَخَرَجَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( إِلَى مَكَّةَ )، وَأَعْطَاهُ ابْنُ حَوُشَبٍ مَالًا، وَسَيَّرَ مَعَهُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أَبِي مَلَاحِفَ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مَكَّةَ سَأَلَ عَنْ حُجَّاجِ كُتَامَةَ فَأُرْشِدَ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَاجْتَمَعَ بِهِمْ، وَلَمْ يُعَرِّفْهُمْ قَصْدَهُ، وَجَلَسَ قَرِيبًا مِنْهُمْ، فَسَمِعَهُمْ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ بِفَضَائِلِ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ، فَأَظْهَرَ اسْتِحْسَانَ ذَلِكَ، وَحَدَّثَهُمْ بِمَا لَمْ يَعْلَمُوهُ، فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ الْقِيَامَ سَأَلُوهُ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ لَهُمْ فِي زِيَارَتِهِ وَالِانْبِسَاطِ مَعَهُ، فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَسَأَلُوهُ أَيْنَ مَقْصِدُهُ، فَقَالَ: أُرِيدُ مِصْرَ، فَفَرِحُوا بِصُحْبَتِهِ. وَكَانَ مِنْ رُؤَسَاءِ الْكُتَامِيِّينَ بِمَكَّةَ رَجُلٌ اسْمُهُ حُرَيْثٌ الْجَمِيلِيُّ، وَآخَرُ اسْمُهُ مُوسَى بْنُ مَكَّادَ، فَرَحَلُوا، وَهُوَ لَا يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِغَرَضِهِ، وَأَظْهَرَ لَهُمُ الْعِبَادَةَ، وَالزُّهْدَ، فَازْدَادُوا فِيهِ رَغْبَةً، وَخَدَمُوهُ، وَكَانَ يَسْأَلُهُمْ عَنْ بِلَادِهِمْ وَأَحْوَالِهِمْ وَقَبَائِلِهِمْ، وَعَنْ طَاعَتِهِمْ لِسُلْطَانِ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ، فَقَالُوا: مَا لَهُ عَلَيْنَا طَاعَةٌ، وَبَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ عَشَرَةُ أَيَّامٍ. قَالَ: أَفَتَحْمِلُونَ السِّلَاحَ ؟ قَالُوا: هُوَ شُغْلُنَا، وَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَتَعَرَّفُ أَحْوَالَهُمْ، حَتَّى وَصَلُوا إِلَى مِصْرَ، فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ وَدَاعَهُمْ قَالُوا لَهُ: أَيُّ شَيْءٍ تَطْلُبُ بِمِصْرَ ؟ قَالَ: أَطْلُبُ التَّعْلِيمَ بِهَا، قَالُوا: إِذَا كُنْتَ تَقْصِدُ هَذَا فَبِلَادُنَا أَنْفَعُ لَكَ، وَنَحْنُ أَعْرَفُ بِحَقِّكَ، وَلَمْ يَزَالُوا بِهِ حَتَّى أَجَابَهُمْ إِلَى الْمَسِيرِ ( مَعَهُمْ ) بَعْدَ الْخُضُوعِ وَالسُّؤَالِ، فَسَارَ مَعَهُمْ. فَلَمَّا قَارَبُوا بِلَادَهُمْ لَقِيَهُمْ رِجَالٌ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ، فَأَخْبَرُوهُمْ بِخَبَرِهِ، فَرَغِبُوا فِي نُزُولِهِ عِنْدَهُمْ، وَاقْتَرَعُوا فِيمَنْ يُضَيِّفُهُ ( مِنْهُمْ ) ثُمَّ رَحَلُوا حَتَّى وَصَلُوا إِلَى أَرْضِ كُتَامَةَ، مُنْتَصَفَ شَهْرِ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ سَنَةَ ثَمَانِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، فَسَأَلَهُ قَوْمٌ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ عِنْدَهُمْ حَتَّى يُقَاتِلُوا دُونَهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: أَيْنَ يَكُونُ فَجُّ الْأَخْيَارِ ؟ فَتَعَجَّبُوا مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَلَمْ يَكُونُوا ذَكَرُوهُ لَهُ، فَقَالُوا لَهُ: عِنْدَ بَنِي سُلَيَّانَ. فَقَالَ: إِلَيْهِ نَقْصِدُ، ثُمَّ نَأْتِي قَوْمًا مِنْكُمْ فِي دِيَارِكُمْ، وَنَزُورُهُمْ فِي بُيُوتِهِمْ، فَأَرْضَى بِذَلِكَ الْجَمِيعَ. وَسَارَ إِلَى جَبَلٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ إِنْكِجَانَ، وَفِيهِ فَجُّ الْأَخْيَارِ، ( فَقَالَ: هَذَا فَجُّ الْأَخْيَارِ )، وَمَا سُمِّيَ إِلَّا بِكُمْ، وَلَقَدْ جَاءَ فِي الْآثَارِ: إِنَّ لِلْمَهْدِيِّ هِجْرَةً تَنْبُو عَنِ الْأَوْطَانِ، يَنْصُرُهُ فِيهَا الْأَخْيَارُ مِنْ ( أَهْلِ ) ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ، قَوْمٌ مُشْتَقٌّ اسْمُهُمْ مِنَ الْكِتْمَانِ، ( فَإِنَّهُمْ كُتَامَةُ )، وَبِخُرُوجِكُمْ مِنْ هَذَا الْفَجِّ يُسَمَّى فَجَّ الْأَخْيَارِ. فَتَسَامَعَتِ الْقَبَائِلُ، وَصَنَعَ مِنَ الْحِيَلِ وَالْمَكِيدَاتِ وَالنَّارِنْجِيَّاتِ مَا أَذْهَلَ عُقُولَهُمْ، وَأَتَاهُ الْبَرْبَرُ مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ، وَعَظُمَ أَمْرُهُ إِلَى أَنْ تَقَاتَلَتْ كُتَامَةُ عَلَيْهِ مَعَ قَبَائِلِ الْبَرْبَرِ، وَسَلِمَ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ مِرَارًا وَهُوَ ( فِي كُلِّ ) ذَلِكَ لَا يَذْكُرُ اسْمَ الْمَهْدِيِّ، فَاجْتَمَعَ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ عَلَى مُنَاظَرَتِهِ وَقَتْلِهِ، فَلَمْ يَتْرُكْهُ الْكُتَامِيُّونَ يُنَاظِرُهُمْ، وَكَانَ اسْمُهُ عِنْدَهُمْ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمَشْرِقِيَّ. وَبَلَغَ خَبَرُهُ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْأَغْلَبِ أَمِيرِ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ، فَأَرْسَلَ عَامِلَهُ عَلَى مَدِينَةِ مِيلَةَ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ، فَصَغَّرَهُ وَذَكَرَ ( لَهُ ) أَنَّهُ يَلْبَسُ الْخَشِنَ، وَيَأْمُرُ بِالْخَيْرِ وَالْعِبَادَةِ فَسَكَتَ عَنْهُ. ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ قَالَ لِلْكُتَامِيِّينَ: أَنَا صَاحِبُ الْبَدْرِ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ لَكُمْ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ وَالْحُلْوَانِيُّ، فَازْدَادَتْ مَحَبَّتُهُمْ لَهُ، وَتَعْظِيمُهُمْ لِأَمْرِهِ، وَتَفَرَّقَتْ كَلِمَةُ الْبَرْبَرِ وَكُتَامَةَ بِسَبَبِهِ، فَأَرَادَ بَعْضُهُمْ قَتْلَهُ، فَاخْتَفَى، وَوَقَعَ بَيْنَهُمْ قِتَالٌ شَدِيدٌ، وَاتَّصَلَ الْخَبَرُ بِإِنْسَانٍ اسْمُهُ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، وَهُوَ مِنْ أَكَابِرِ كُتَامَةَ، فَأَخَذَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَيْهِ، وَدَافَعَ عَنْهُ، وَمَضَيَا إِلَى مَدِينَةِ نَاصِرُونَ، فَأَتَتْهُ الْقَبَائِلُ مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَعَظُمَ شَأْنُهُ، وَصَارَتِ الرِّئَاسَةُ لِلْحَسْنِ بْنِ هَارُونَ. وَسَلَّمَ إِلَيْهِ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَعِنَّةَ الْخَيْلِ، وَظَهَرَ مِنَ الِاسْتِتَارِ، وَشَهَرَ الْحُرُوبَ، فَكَانَ الظَّفَرُ لَهُ فِيهَا، وَغَنِمَ الْأَمْوَالَ، وَانْتَقَلَ إِلَى مَدِينَةِ نَاصِرُونَ وَخَنْدَقَ عَلَيْهَا، فَزَحَفَتْ قَبَائِلُ الْبَرْبَرِ إِلَيْهَا، وَاقْتَتَلُوا، ثُمَّ اصْطَلَحُوا، ثُمَّ أَعَادُوا الْقِتَالَ، وَكَانَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَقَائِعُ كَثِيرَةٌ وَظَفِرَ بِهِمْ، وَصَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ أَمْوَالُهُمْ، فَاسْتَقَامَ لَهُ أَمْرُ الْبَرْبَرِ وَعَامَّةِ كُتَامَةَ.
Translation
✧ The dispatch of Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī to the Maghrib Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusayn b. Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. Zakariyyāʾ al-Shīʿī was from the people of Ṣanʿāʾ. He had traveled to Ibn Ḥawshab al-Najjār and accompanied him in ʿAdan, becoming one of his foremost companions. He possessed knowledge, understanding, cunning, and guile. When news of the death of al-Ḥulwānī and Abū Sufyān reached Ibn Ḥawshab, he said to Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī: "The land of Kutāma in the Maghrib has been tilled by al-Ḥulwānī and Abū Sufyān, and they have both died. There is no one for it but you, so hasten, for it is prepared and made ready for you." So Abū ʿAbd Allāh departed for Makkah. Ibn Ḥawshab gave him money and sent with him ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī Malāḥif. When Abū ʿAbd Allāh arrived in Makkah, he asked about the Kutāma pilgrims and was directed to them. He met with them but did not reveal his purpose to them, and he sat near them. He heard them speaking of the virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt, so he showed approval of that and related to them what they did not know. When he wanted to depart, they asked him to permit them to visit him and be at ease with him, and he permitted that. They asked him where he was headed, and he said: "I intend Egypt." They rejoiced at his company. Among the chiefs of the Kutāma in Makkah was a man named Ḥurayth al-Jamīlī and another named Mūsā b. Makkād. They set out, while he did not inform them of his intention. He displayed worship and asceticism to them, so their desire for him increased, and they served him. He asked them about their lands, their circumstances, their tribes, and their obedience to the ruler of Ifrīqiya. They said: "He has no obedience from us, and between us and him are ten days' journey." He said: "Do you bear arms?" They said: "It is our occupation." He continued to learn about their circumstances until they reached Egypt. When he was about to bid them farewell, they said to him: "What do you seek in Egypt?" He said: "I seek education there." They said: "If that is your aim, our lands are more beneficial to you, and we are more knowledgeable of your due." They persisted with him until he agreed to travel with them after they entreated and asked him, so he traveled with them. When they approached their lands, men from the Shīʿa met them and told them of his affair, so they desired that he stay with them. They drew lots over who among them would host him, then departed until they reached the land of Kutāma in the middle of Rabīʿ al-Awwal in the year 280. A group of them asked him to stay with them so that they might fight in his defense. He said to them: "Where is Fajj al-Akhyār?" They were astonished at that, for they had not mentioned it to him. They said to him: "It is with the Banū Sulayyān." He said: "To it we head, then we will come to a people among you in your dwellings and visit them in their homes." With that he pleased everyone. He traveled to a mountain called Inkijān, in which is Fajj al-Akhyār. He said: "This is Fajj al-Akhyār, and it was named only because of you. It has come in the traditions that the Mahdī has a migration that departs from the homelands, in which he is aided by the chosen ones of that time, a people whose name is derived from concealment (al-kitmān), for they are Kutāma. By your going forth from this mountain pass, it is called Fajj al-Akhyār." The tribes heard of this, and he devised such stratagems, deceits, and sleights of hand that bewildered their minds. The Berbers came to him from every place, and his affair grew great until the Kutāma fought over him with the Berber tribes. He escaped death many times, and in all that he did not mention the name of the Mahdī. The learned assembled to debate him and kill him, but the Kutāma did not allow them to debate him. His name among them was Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Mashriqī. His news reached Ibrāhīm b. Aḥmad b. al-Aghlab, the emir of Ifrīqiya, and he sent his governor over the city of Mīla to ask about him. He belittled him and mentioned to him that he wore coarse clothing and commanded good and worship, so he left him alone. Then he said to the Kutāma: "I am the companion of the full moon (al-Badr) that Abū Sufyān and al-Ḥulwānī mentioned to you." Their love for him and their veneration of his affair increased. The Berber tribes and Kutāma split over him, and some of them wanted to kill him, so he went into hiding. Severe fighting broke out among them. The news reached a man named al-Ḥasan b. Hārūn, one of the chiefs of Kutāma, and he took Abū ʿAbd Allāh to himself, defended him, and they went to the city of Nāṣirūn. The tribes came to him from every place, and his importance grew, with leadership devolving upon al-Ḥasan b. Hārūn. Abū ʿAbd Allāh handed over to him the reins of the horses, emerged from hiding, and proclaimed wars. Victory was his in them, and he seized wealth. He moved to the city of Nāṣirūn and dug a trench around it. The Berber tribes marched against it, and they fought, then made peace, then resumed fighting. There were many battles between them, and he defeated them, and their wealth came to him. Thus the affair of the Berbers and the general body of Kutāma became settled for him.
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