Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3672
The deposition of al-Muqtadir and the accession of b. al-Mu'tazz
سَبَبِ اتِّصَالِ الْمَهْدِيِّ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشِّيعِيِّ وَمَسِيرِهِ إِلَى سِجِلْمَاسَةَ لِمَا تُوُفِّيَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ الْقَدَّاحُ ادَّعَى وَلَدُهُ أَنَّهُمْ مِنْ وَلَدِ عَقِيلِ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَهُمْ مَعَ هَذَا يَسْتُرُونَ، وَيُسِرُّونَ أَمْرَهُمْ، وَيُخْفُونَ أَشْخَاصَهُمْ. وَكَانَ وَلَدُهُ أَحْمَدُ هُوَ الْمُشَارَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْهُمْ، فَتُوُفِّيَ وَخَلَّفَ وَلَدَهُ مُحَمَّدًا، وَكَانَ هُوَ الَّذِي يُكَاتِبُهُ الدُّعَاةُ فِي الْبِلَادِ، وَتُوَفِّيَ مُحَمَّدٌ وَخَلَّفَ أَحْمَدَ وَالْحُسَيْنَ، فَسَارَ الْحُسَيْنُ إِلَى سَلَمِيَّةَ مِنْ أَرْضِ حِمْصَ، وَلَهُ بِهَا وَدَائِعُ وَأَمْوَالٌ مِنْ وَدَائِعِ جَدِّهِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْقَدَّاحِ، وَوُكَلَاءُ، وَغِلْمَانٌ، وَبَقِيَ بِبَغْدَاذَ مِنْ أَوْلَادِ الْقَدَّاحِ أَبُو الشَّلَغْلَغِ. وَكَانَ الْحُسَيْنُ يَدَّعِي أَنَّهُ الْوَصِيُّ وَصَاحِبُ الْأَمْرِ، وَالدُّعَاةُ بِالْيَمَنِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ يُكَاتِبُونَهُ وَيُرَاسِلُونَهُ، وَاتَّفَقَ أَنَّهُ جَرَى بِحَضْرَتِهِ حَدِيثُ النِّسَاءِ بِسَلَمِيَّةَ، فَوَصَفُوا لَهُ امْرَأَةَ رَجُلٍ يَهُودِيٍّ حَدَّادٍ، مَاتَ عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا، وَهِيَ فِي غَايَةِ الْحُسْنِ، فَتَزَوَّجَهَا، وَلَهَا وَلَدٌ مِنَ الْحَدَّادِ يُمَاثِلُهَا فِي الْجَمَالِ، فَأَحَبَّهَا وَحَسُنَ مَوْقِعُهَا مَعَهُ، وَأَحَبَّ وَلَدَهَا، وَأَدَّبَهُ، وَعَلَّمَهُ، فَتَعَلَّمَ الْعِلْمَ، وَصَارَتْ لَهُ نَفْسٌ عَظِيمَةٌ، وَهِمَّةٌ كَبِيرَةٌ. فَمِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ مِنْ أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ مَنْ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ الْإِمَامَ الَّذِي كَانَ بِسَلَمِيَّةَ، وَهُوَ الْحُسَيْنُ، مَاتَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ [ لَهُ ] وَلَدٌ، فَعَهِدَ إِلَى ابْنِ الْيَهُودِيِّ الْحَدَّادِ، وَهُوَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، وَعَرَّفَهُ أَسْرَارَ الدَّعْوَةِ مِنْ قَوْلٍ وَفِعْلٍ، وَأَيْنَ الدُّعَاةُ، وَأَعْطَاهُ الْأَمْوَالَ وَالْعَلَامَاتِ، وَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ بِطَاعَتِهِ وَخِدْمَتِهِ، وَأَنَّهُ الْإِمَامُ وَالْوَصِيُّ، وَزَوَّجَهُ ابْنَةَ عَمِّهِ أَبِي الشَّلَغْلَغِ. وَهَذَا قَوْلُ أَبِي الْقَاسِمِ الْأَبْيَضِ الْعَلَوِيِّ وَغَيْرِهِ، وَجَعَلَ لِنَفْسِهِ نَسَبًا، وَهُوَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ ( بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ ) بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ. وَبَعْضُ النَّاسِ يَقُولُونَ، وَهُمْ قَلِيلٌ: إِنَّ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ ( هَذَا مِنْ وَلَدِ الْقَدَّاحِ، وَهَذِهِ الْأَقْوَالُ فِيهَا مَا فِيهَا، فَيَا لَيْتَ شِعْرِي مَا الَّذِي حَمَلَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ) الشِّيعِيَّ وَغَيْرَهُ مِمَّنْ قَامَ بِإِظْهَارِ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ، حَتَّى يُخْرِجُوا ( هَذَا ) الْأَمْرَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَيُسَلِّمُوا إِلَى وَلَدِ يَهُودِيٍّ، وَهَلْ يُسَامِحُ نَفْسَهُ بِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ مَنْ يَعْتَقِدُهُ دِينًا يُثَابُ عَلَيْهِ ؟ قَالَ: فَلَمَّا عَهِدَ الْحُسَيْنُ إِلَى عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّكَ سَتُهَاجِرُ بَعْدِي هِجْرَةً بَعِيدَةً، وَتَلْقَى مِحَنًا شَدِيدَةً، فَتُوُفِّيَ الْحُسَيْنُ، وَقَامَ بَعْدَهُ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، وَانْتَشَرَتْ دَعْوَتُهُ، وَبَذَلَ الْأَمْوَالَ خِلَافَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ، وَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رِجَالًا مِنْ كُتَامَةَ مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ لِيُخْبِرُوهُ بِمَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَنَّهُمْ يَنْتَظِرُونَهُ. وَشَاعَ خَبَرُهُ عِنْدَ النَّاسِ أَيَّامَ الْمُكْتَفِي فَطُلِبَ، فَهَرَبَ هُوَ وَوَلَدُهُ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ نِزَارٌ الَّذِي وَلِيَ بَعْدَهُ، وَتَلَقَّبَ بِالْقَائِمِ، وَهُوَ يَوْمَئِذٍ غُلَامٌ، وَخَرَجَ مَعَهُ خَاصَّتُهُ وَمَوَالِيهِ يُرِيدُ الْمَغْرِبَ، وَذَلِكَ أَيَّامَ زِيَادَةِ اللَّهِ، فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَى مِصْرَ أَقَامَ مُسْتَتِرًا بِزِيِّ التُّجَّارِ، وَكَانَ عَامِلَ مِصْرَ حِينَئِذٍ عِيسَى النُّوشَرِيُّ، فَأَتَتْهُ الْكُتُبُ مِنَ الْخَلِيفَةِ بِصِفَتِهِ وَحِلْيَتِهِ، وَأُمِرَ بِالْقَبْضِ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى كُلِّ مَنْ يُشْبِهُهُ. وَكَانَ بَعْضُ خَاصَّةِ عِيسَى مُتَشَيِّعًا، فَأَخْبَرَ الْمَهْدِيَّ وَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ بِالِانْصِرَافِ، فَخَرَجَ مِنْ مِصْرَ مَعَ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَمَعَهُ أَمْوَالٌ كَثِيرَةٌ، فَأَوْسَعَ النَّفَقَةَ عَلَى مَنْ صَحِبَهُ، فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ الْكِتَابُ إِلَى النُّوشَرِيِّ فَرَّقَ الرُّسُلَ فِي طَلَبِ الْمَهْدِيِّ وَخَرَجَ بِنَفْسِهِ فَلَحِقَهُ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ لَمْ يَشُكَّ فِيهِ، فَقَبَضَ عَلَيْهِ، وَنَزَلَ بِبُسْتَانٍ، وَوَكَّلَ بِهِ، فَلَمَّا حَضَرَ الطَّعَامُ دَعَاهُ لِيَأْكُلَ، فَأَعْلَمَهُ أَنَّهُ صَائِمٌ، فَرَقَّ لَهُ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَعْلِمْنِي بِحَقِيقَةِ حَالِكَ حَتَّى أُطْلِقَكَ، فَخَوَّفَهُ بِاللَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَأَنْكَرَ حَالَهُ، وَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُخَوِّفُهُ وَيَتَلَطَّفُهُ فَأَطْلَقَهُ، وَخَلَّى سَبِيلَهُ، وَأَرَادَ أَنْ يُرْسِلَ مَعَهُ مَنْ يُوَصِّلُهُ إِلَى رُفْقَتِهِ، فَقَالَ: لَا حَاجَةَ بِي إِلَى ذَلِكَ، وَدَعَا لَهُ. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ أَعْطَاهُ فِي الْبَاطِنِ مَالًا حَتَّى أَطْلَقَهُ، فَرَجَعَ ( بَعْضُ ) أَصْحَابِ النُّوشَرِيِّ عَلَيْهِ بِاللَّوْمِ، فَنَدِمَ عَلَى إِطْلَاقِهِ، وَأَرَادَ إِرْسَالَ الْجَيْشِ وَرَاءَهُ لِيَرُدُّوهُ، وَكَانَ الْمَهْدِيُّ لَمَّا لَحِقَ أَصْحَابَهُ رَأَى ابْنَهُ أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ قَدْ ضَيَّعَ كَلْبًا كَانَ لَهُ يَصِيدُ بِهِ، وَهُوَ يُبْكِي عَلَيْهِ، فَعَرَّفَهُ عَبِيدُهُ أَنَّهُمْ تَرَكُوهُ فِي الْبُسْتَانِ الَّذِي كَانُوا فِيهِ، فَرَجَعَ الْمَهْدِيُّ بِسَبَبِ الْكَلْبِ، حَتَّى دَخَلَ الْبُسْتَانَ وَمَعَهُ عَبِيدُهُ، فَرَآهُمُ النُّوشَرِيُّ فَسَأَلَ عَنْهُمْ فَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ فُلَانٌ، وَقَدْ عَادَ بِسَبَبِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَقَالَ النُّوشَرِيُّ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: قَبَّحَكُمُ اللَّهُ ! أَرَدْتُمْ أَنْ تَحْمِلُونِي عَلَى قَتْلِ هَذَا حَتَّى آخُذَهُ، فَلَوْ كَانَ يَطْلُبُ مَا يُقَالُ أَوْ كَانَ مُرِيبًا لَكَانَ يَطْوِي الْمَرَاحِلَ، وَيُخْفِي نَفْسَهُ، وَمَا كَانَ رَجَعَ فِي طَلَبِ كَلْبٍ، وَتَرَكَهُ. وَجَدَّ الْمَهْدِيُّ فِي الْهَرَبِ، فَلَحِقَهُ ( لُصُوصٌ بِمَوْضِعٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ الطَّاحُونَةُ، فَأَخَذُوا بَعْضَ مَتَاعِهِ، وَكَانَتْ عِنْدَهُ كُتُبٌ وَمَلَاحِمُ لِآبَائِهِ، فَأُخِذَتْ )، فَعَظُمَ أَمْرُهَا عَلَيْهِ، فَيُقَالُ إِنَّهُ لَمَّا خَرَجَ ابْنُهُ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ فِي الْمَرَّةِ الْأُولَى إِلَى الدِّيَارِ الْمِصْرِيَّةِ أَخَذَهَا مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْمَكَانِ. وَانْتَهَى الْمَهْدِيُّ وَوَلَدُهُ إِلَى مَدِينَةِ طَرَابُلُسَ، وَتَفَرَّقَ مَنْ صَحِبَهُ مِنَ التُّجَّارِ، وَكَانَ فِي صُحْبَتِهِ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ أَخُو أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشِّيعِيِّ، فَقَدَّمَهُ الْمَهْدِيُّ إِلَى الْقَيْرَوَانِ بِبَعْضِ مَا مَعَهُ، وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَلْحَقَ بِكُتَامَةَ. فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ إِلَى الْقَيْرَوَانِ وَجَدَ الْخَبَرَ قَدْ سَبَقَهُ إِلَى زِيَادَةِ اللَّهِ بِخَبَرِ الْمَهْدِيِّ، فَسَأَلَ عَنْهُ رُفْقَتَهُ، فَأَخْبَرُوا أَنَّهُ تَخَلَّفَ بِطَرَابُلُسَ، وَأَنَّ صَاحِبَهُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ بِالْقَيْرَوَانِ، فَأُخِذَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ، وَقُرِّرَ فَأَنْكَرَ، وَقَالَ: إِنَّمَا أَنَا رَجُلٌ تَاجِرٌ صَحِبْتُ رَجُلًا فِي الْقَفْلِ، فَحَبَسَهُ. وَسَمِعَ الْمَهْدِيُّ، فَسَارَ إِلَى قَسْطِيلَةَ، وَوَصَلَ كِتَابُ زِيَادَةِ اللَّهِ إِلَى عَامِلِ طَرَابُلُسَ بِأَخْذِهِ، وَكَانَ الْمَهْدِيُّ قَدْ أَهْدَى لَهُ وَاجْتَمَعَ بِهِ، فَكَتَبَ الْعَامِلُ يُخْبِرُهُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ سَارَ وَلَمْ يُدْرِكْهُ، فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ الْمَهْدِيُّ إِلَى قَسْطِيلَةَ تَرَكَ قَصْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشِّيعِيِّ، لِأَنَّ أَخَاهُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ كَانَ قَدْ أُخِذَ، فَعَلِمَ أَنَّهُ إِذَا قَصَدَ أَخَاهُ تَحَقَّقُوا الْأَمْرَ وَقَتَلُوهُ، فَتَرَكَهُ وَسَارَ إِلَى سِجِلْمَاسَةَ، وَلَمَّا سَارَ مِنْ قَسْطِيلَةَ وَصَلَ الرُّسُلُ فِي طَلَبِهِ فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ، وَوَصَلَ سِجِلْمَاسَةَ، فَأَقَامَ بِهَا، وَفِي كُلِّ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ الْعُيُونُ فِي طَرِيقِهِ. وَكَانَ صَاحِبُ سِجِلْمَاسَةَ رَجُلًا يُسَمَّى أَلْيَسَعُ بْنُ مِدْرَارٍ، فَأَهْدَى لَهُ الْمَهْدِيُّ، وَوَاصَلَهُ، فَقَرَّبَهُ أَلْيَسَعُ، وَأَحَبَّهُ، فَأَتَاهُ كِتَابُ زِيَادَةِ اللَّهِ يُعَرِّفُهُ أَنَّهُ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي يَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشِّيعِيُّ، فَقَبَضَ عَلَيْهِ وَحَبَسَهُ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ مَحْبُوسًا حَتَّى أَخْرَجَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ.
Translation
✧ The reason for the connection of al-Mahdī ʿUbayd Allāh with Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī and his journey to Sijilmāsa When ʿAbd Allāh b. Maymūn al-Qaddāḥ died, his son claimed that they were from the offspring of ʿAqīl b. Abī Ṭālib, while they nevertheless concealed and kept secret their affair and hid their persons. His son Aḥmad was the one indicated from among them, and he died leaving his son Muḥammad, who was the one with whom the summoners in the lands corresponded. Muḥammad died leaving Aḥmad and al-Ḥusayn. Al-Ḥusayn traveled to Salamiyya in the land of Ḥimṣ, where he had deposits and funds from the deposits of his grandfather ʿAbd Allāh al-Qaddāḥ, as well as agents and servants. Abū al-Shalaghlagh remained in Baghdād among the children of al-Qaddāḥ. Al-Ḥusayn used to claim that he was the legatee and holder of authority, and the summoners in Yemen and the Maghrib corresponded and communicated with him. It happened that in his presence a conversation about women took place in Salamiyya, and they described to him the wife of a Jewish blacksmith whose husband had died, leaving her, and she was of utmost beauty. He married her, and she had a son from the blacksmith who matched her in beauty. He loved her, and her position with him was good, and he loved her son, and he educated him and taught him, so he acquired knowledge and came to have a great soul and a lofty ambition. Some scholars of this movement say that the Imam who was in Salamiyya, namely al-Ḥusayn, died without having a son, so he bequeathed to the son of the Jewish blacksmith, who is ʿUbayd Allāh, and acquainted him with the secrets of the call in word and deed, and where the summoners were, and gave him the funds and the signs, and charged his companions to obey and serve him, and that he was the Imam and legatee, and he married him to the daughter of his cousin Abū al-Shalaghlagh. This is the statement of Abū al-Qāsim al-Abyaḍ al-ʿAlawī and others, and he adopted for himself a lineage, namely ʿUbayd Allāh b. al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī (b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī) b. Mūsā b. Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib. Some people, and they are few, say that this ʿUbayd Allāh was from the offspring of al-Qaddāḥ. These statements contain what they contain. Would that I knew what impelled Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī and others who arose to manifest this call to take this matter out of their own hands and surrender it to the son of a Jew, and would anyone who believes it to be a religion for which he will be rewarded allow himself to do such a thing? He said: When al-Ḥusayn bequeathed to ʿUbayd Allāh, he said to him: 'You shall migrate after me a distant migration, and you shall meet severe trials.' Al-Ḥusayn died, and ʿUbayd Allāh took his place after him, and his call spread, and he disbursed funds contrary to what had come before. Abū ʿAbd Allāh sent to him men from Kutāma in the Maghrib to inform him of what God had opened for him and that they were awaiting him. His news spread among the people in the days of al-Muktafī, and he was sought, so he fled, he and his son Abū al-Qāsim Nizār, who ruled after him and was titled al-Qāʾim, who was then a boy. His close associates and clients went out with him, heading for the Maghrib, and that was in the days of Ziyādat Allāh. When he reached Egypt, he stayed in hiding in the guise of merchants. The governor of Egypt at that time was ʿĪsā al-Nūsharī. Letters came to him from the caliph with his description and appearance, and he was ordered to arrest him and anyone resembling him. One of ʿĪsā's close associates was a Shīʿite, and he informed al-Mahdī and advised him to depart. So he left Egypt with his companions, having with him much wealth, and he spent lavishly on those who accompanied him. When the letter reached al-Nūsharī, he dispatched messengers to seek al-Mahdī and went out himself and caught up with him. When he saw him, he had no doubt about him, so he arrested him and stopped at a garden and set a guard over him. When food was brought, he invited him to eat, and he informed him that he was fasting. So he showed him compassion and said to him: 'Tell me the truth of your situation so that I may release you.' He adjured him by God Almighty, and denied his situation, and he kept adjuring him and treating him gently, so he released him and let him go. He wanted to send with him someone to escort him to his companions, but he said: 'I have no need of that,' and he prayed for him. It is said that he secretly gave him money until he released him. Some of al-Nūsharī's companions came back to him with reproach, and he regretted releasing him and wanted to send the army after him to bring him back. Al-Mahdī, when he rejoined his companions, saw his son Abū al-Qāsim weeping over a dog of his used for hunting that he had lost. His servants informed him that they had left it in the garden where they had been. Al-Mahdī went back because of the dog, until he entered the garden with his servants. Al-Nūsharī saw them and asked about them, and it was said: 'He is so-and-so, and he has returned because of such and such.' Al-Nūsharī said to his companions: 'May God disfigure you! You wanted to make me kill this man when I arrest him. If he were seeking what is said or were suspicious, he would have traveled by stages and hidden himself, and he would not have returned in search of a dog.' And he left him alone. Al-Mahdī hurried in flight, and robbers caught up with him at a place called al-Ṭāḥūna, and they took some of his belongings. He had with him books and apocalyptic works of his forefathers, and they were taken. This was a grave matter to him. It is said that when his son Abū al-Qāsim went out the first time to the Egyptian lands, he took them from that place. Al-Mahdī and his son reached the city of Tripoli, and the merchants who accompanied him dispersed. In his company was Abū al-ʿAbbās, the brother of Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī. Al-Mahdī sent him ahead to al-Qayrawān with some of what he had, and ordered him to join Kutāma. When Abū al-ʿAbbās reached al-Qayrawān, he found that the news had preceded him to Ziyādat Allāh concerning al-Mahdī. Ziyādat Allāh asked about him and his companions, and they told him that he had remained behind in Tripoli and that his companion Abū al-ʿAbbās was in al-Qayrawān. Abū al-ʿAbbās was arrested and interrogated, and he denied it, saying: 'I am only a merchant who accompanied a man in the caravan,' so he imprisoned him. Al-Mahdī heard of this and traveled to Qasṭīla. A letter from Ziyādat Allāh reached the governor of Tripoli ordering his arrest. Al-Mahdī had given the governor a gift and met with him, so the governor wrote informing him that he had already departed and had not been caught. When al-Mahdī reached Qasṭīla, he abandoned the intention of going to Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī because his brother Abū al-ʿAbbās had been arrested, and he knew that if he went to his brother, they would confirm the matter and kill him. So he left him and traveled to Sijilmāsa. When he departed from Qasṭīla, messengers arrived seeking him but did not find him. He reached Sijilmāsa and stayed there, all the while under watch on his journey. The lord of Sijilmāsa was a man named al-Yasaʿ b. Midrār. Al-Mahdī gave him gifts and maintained relations with him, so al-Yasaʿ drew him near and loved him. Then a letter from Ziyādat Allāh came to him informing him that this was the man to whom Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī was summoning, so he arrested him and imprisoned him. He remained imprisoned until Abū ʿAbd Allāh released him.
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