Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3675
The deposition of al-Muqtadir and the accession of b. al-Mu'tazz
قَتْلِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشِّيعِيِّ ( وَأَخِيهِ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ ) فِي سَنَةِ ثَمَانٍ وَتِسْعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ قُتِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشِّيعِيُّ، قَتَلَهُ الْمَهْدِيُّ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ. وَسَبَبُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْمَهْدِيَّ لَمَّا اسْتَقَامَتْ لَهُ الْبِلَادُ، وَدَانَتْ لَهُ الْعِبَادُ، وَبَاشَرَ الْأُمُورَ بِنَفْسِهِ، وَكَفَّ يَدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَيَدَ أَخِيهِ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ، دَاخَلَ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ الْحَسَدُ، وَعَظُمَ عَلَيْهِ الْفِطَامُ عَنِ الْأَمْرِ وَالنَّهْيِ، وَالْأَخْذِ وَالْعَطَاءِ، فَأَقْبَلَ يُزْرِي عَلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ فِي مَجْلِسِ أَخِيهِ، وَيَتَكَلَّمُ فِيهِ، وَأَخُوهُ يَنْهَاهُ، وَلَا يَرْضَى فِعْلَهُ، فَلَا يَزِيدُهُ ذَلِكَ إِلَّا لَجَاجًا. ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَظْهَرَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَى مَا فِي نَفْسِهِ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: مَلَكْتَ أَمْرًا، فَجِئْتَ بِمَنْ أَزَالَكَ عَنْهُ، وَكَانَ الْوَاجِبُ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ لَا يُسْقِطَ حَقَّكَ. وَلَمْ يَزَلْ حَتَّى أَثَّرَ فِي قَلْبِ أَخِيهِ، فَقَالَ يَوْمًا لِلْمَهْدِيِّ: لَوْ كُنْتَ تَجْلِسُ فِي قَصْرِكَ، وَتَتْرُكُنِي مَعَ كُتَامَةَ آمُرُهُمْ وَأَنْهَاهُمْ، لِأَنِّي عَارِفٌ بِعَادَاتِهِمْ، لَكَانَ أَهْيَبَ لَكَ فِي أَعْيُنِ النَّاسِ. وَكَانَ الْمَهْدِيُّ سَمِعَ شَيْئًا مِمَّا يَجْرِي بَيْنَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَأَخِيهِ، فَتَحَقَّقَ ذَلِكَ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ رَدَّ رَدًّا لَطِيفًا، فَصَارَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ يُشِيرُ إِلَى الْمُقَدَّمِينَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، فَمَنْ رَأَى مِنْهُ قَبُولًا كَشَفَ لَهُ مَا فِي نَفْسِهِ، وَقَالَ: مَا جَازَاكُمْ عَلَى مَا فَعَلْتُمْ، وَذَكَرَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْوَالَ الَّتِي أَخَذَهَا الْمَهْدِيُّ مِنْ إِنْكِجَانَ، وَقَالَ: هَلَّا قَسَّمَهَا فِيكُمْ ! وَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ يَتَّصِلُ بِالْمَهْدِيِّ، وَهُوَ يَتَغَافَلُ، وَأَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يُدَارِي، ثُمَّ صَارَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ هَذَا لَيْسَ الَّذِي كُنَّا نَعْتَقِدُ طَاعَتَهُ، وَنَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ لِأَنَّ الْمَهْدِيَّ يَخْتِمُ بِالْحُجَّةِ، وَيَأْتِي بِالْآيَاتِ الْبَاهِرَةِ، فَأَخَذَ قَوْلُهُ بِقُلُوبِ كَثِيرٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ، مِنْهُمْ إِنْسَانٌ مِنْ كُتَامَةَ يُقَالُ لَهُ شَيْخُ الْمَشَايِخِ، فَوَاجَهَ الْمَهْدِيَّ بِذَلِكَ، وَقَالَ: إِنْ كَنْتَ الْمَهْدِيَّ فَأَظْهِرْ لَنَا آيَةً، فَقَدْ شَكَكْنَا فِيكَ، فَقَتَلَهُ الْمَهْدِيُّ، فَخَافَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ الْمَهْدِيَّ قَدْ تَغَيَّرَ عَلَيْهِ، فَاتَّفَقَ هُوَ وَأَخُوهُ وَمَنْ مَعَهُمَا عَلَى الِاجْتِمَاعِ عِنْدَ أَبِي زَاكِي، وَعَزَمُوا عَلَى قَتْلِ الْمَهْدِيِّ وَاجْتَمَعَ مَعَهُمْ قَبَائِلُ كُتَامَةَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْهُمْ. وَكَانَ مَعَهُمْ رَجُلٌ يُظْهِرُ أَنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ، وَيَنْقُلُ مَا يَجْرِي إِلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ، وَدَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ مِرَارًا فَلَمْ يَجْسُرُوا عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، فَاتَّفَقَ أَنَّهُمُ اجْتَمَعُوا لَيْلَةً عِنْدَ أَبِي زَاكِي، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحُوا لَبِسَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ثَوْبَهُ مَقْلُوبًا، وَدَخَلَ عَلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ، فَرَأَى ثَوْبَهُ، فَلَمْ يَعْرِفْهُ بِهِ، ثُمَّ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَالْقَمِيصُ بِحَالِهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَهْدِيُّ: مَا هَذَا الْأَمْرُ الَّذِي أَذْهَلَكَ عَنْ إِصْلَاحِ ثَوْبِكَ ؟ فَهُوَ مَقْلُوبٌ مُنْذُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ مَا نَزَعْتَهُ، فَقَالَ: مَا عَلِمْتُ بِذَلِكَ إِلَّا سَاعَتِي هَذِهِ، قَالَ: أَيْنَ كُنْتَ الْبَارِحَةَ وَاللَّيَالِيَ قَبْلَهَا ؟ فَسَكَتَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ: أَلَيْسَ بِتَّ فِي دَارِ أَبِي زَاكِي ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى. قَالَ: وَمَا الَّذِي أَخْرَجَكَ مِنْ دَارِكَ ؟ قَالَ: خِفْتُ. قَالَ: وَهَلْ يَخَافُ الْإِنْسَانُ إِلَّا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ ؟ فَعَلِمَ أَنَّ أَمْرَهُ ظَهَرَ لِلْمَهْدِيِّ، فَخَرَجَ وَأَخْبَرَ أَصْحَابَهُ، وَخَافُوا، وَتَخَلَّفُوا عَنِ الْحُضُورِ. فَذُكِرَ ذَلِكَ لِلْمَهْدِيِّ، وَعِنْدَهُ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ ابْنُ الْقَدِيمِ، كَانَ مِنْ جُمْلَةِ الْقَوْمِ، وَعِنْدَهُ أَمْوَالٌ كَثِيرَةٌ، مِنْ أَمْوَالِ زِيَادَةِ اللَّهِ، فَقَالَ: يَا مَوْلَايَ إِنْ شِئْتَ أَتَيْتُكَ بِهِمْ، وَمَضَى فَجَاءَ بِهِمْ، فَعَلِمَ الْمَهْدِيُّ صِحَّةَ مَا قِيلَ عَنْهُ، فَلَاطَفَهُمْ وَفَرَّقَهُمْ فِي الْبِلَادِ، وَجَعَلَ أَبَا زَاكِي وَالِيًا عَلَى طَرَابُلُسَ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى عَامِلِهَا أَنْ يَقْتُلَهُ عِنْدَ وُصُولِهِ، فَلَمَّا وَصَلَهَا قَتَلَهُ عَامِلُهَا، وَأَرْسَلَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ، فَهَرَبَ ابْنُ الْقَدِيمِ، فَأُخِذَ، فَأَمَرَ الْمَهْدِيُّ بِقَتْلِهِ فَقُتِلَ. وَأَمَرَ الْمَهْدِيُّ عَرُوبَةَ وَرِجَالًا مَعَهُ أَنْ يَرْصُدُوا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَأَخَاهُ الْعَبَّاسَ، وَيَقْتُلُوهُمَا، فَلَمَّا وَصَلَا إِلَى قُرْبِ الْقَصْرِ حَمَلَ عَرُوبَةُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، فَقَالَ: لَا تَفْعَلْ يَا بُنَيَّ ! فَقَالَ: الَّذِي أَمَرْتَنَا بِطَاعَتِهِ أَمَرَنَا بِقَتْلِكَ، فَقُتِلَ هُوَ وَأَخُوهُ، وَكَانَ قَتْلُهُمَا فِي الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي قُتِلَ فِيهِ أَبُو زَاكِي، فَقِيلَ: إِنَّ الْمَهْدِيَّ صَلَّى عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَقَالَ: رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ، أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَجَزَاكَ خَيْرًا بِجَمِيلِ سَعْيِكَ. وَثَارَتْ فِتْنَةٌ بِسَبَبِ قَتْلِهِمَا، وَجَرَّدَ أَصْحَابُهُمَا السُّيُوفَ، فَرَكِبَ الْمَهْدِيُّ وَأَمَّنَ النَّاسَ، فَسَكَنُوا، ثُمَّ تَتَبَّعَهُمْ حَتَّى قَتَلَهُمْ. وَثَارَتْ فِتْنَةٌ ثَانِيَةٌ بَيْنَ كُتَامَةَ وَأَهْلِ الْقَيْرَوَانِ، قُتِلَ فِيهَا خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَخَرَجَ الْمَهْدِيُّ وَسَكَّنَ الْفِتْنَةَ، وَكَفَّ الدُّعَاةَ عَنْ طَلَبِ التَّشَيُّعِ مِنَ الْعَامَّةِ. وَلَمَّا اسْتَقَامَتِ الدَّوْلَةُ لِلْمَهْدِيِّ عَهِدَ إِلَى وَلَدِهِ أَبِي الْقَاسِمِ نِزَارٍ بِالْخِلَافَةِ، وَرَجَعَتْ كُتَامَةُ إِلَى بِلَادِهِمْ، فَأَقَامُوا طِفْلًا وَقَالُوا: هَذَا هُوَ الْمَهْدِيُّ، ثُمَّ زَعَمُوا أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ، وَزَعَمُوا أَنَّ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ لَمْ يَمُتْ، وَزَحَفُوا إِلَى مَدِينَةِ مِيلَةَ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الْمَهْدِيَّ فَأَخْرَجَ ابْنَهُ أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ، فَحَصَرَهُمْ فَقَاتَلُوهُ فَهَزَمَهُمْ وَاتَّبَعَهُمْ حَتَّى أَجْلَاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَحْرِ، وَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمْ خَلْقًا عَظِيمًا، وَقَتَلَ الطِّفْلَ الَّذِي أَقَامُوهُ. وَخَالَفَ عَلَيْهِ أَهْلُ صِقِلِّيَةَ مَعَ ابْنِ وَهْبٍ، فَأَنْفَذَ إِلَيْهِمْ أُسْطُولًا، فَفَتَحَهَا وَأَتَى بِابْنِ وَهْبٍ فَقَتَلَهُ. وَخَالَفَ عَلَيْهِ أَهْلُ تَاهَرْتَ، فَغَزَاهَا فَفَتَحَهَا، وَقَتَلَ أَهْلَ الْخِلَافِ، وَقَتَلَ جَمَاعَةً مِنْ بَنِي الْأَغْلَبِ بِرَقَّادَةَ كَانُوا قَدْ رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهَا بَعْدَ وَفَاةِ زِيَادَةِ اللَّهِ.
Translation
✧ The killing of Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī (and his brother Abū al-ʿAbbās) In the year 298 AH, Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī was killed; al-Mahdī ʿUbayd Allāh killed him. The reason for that was that when the lands became stable for al-Mahdī, the people submitted to him, he took charge of affairs himself, and he restrained the hand of Abū ʿAbd Allāh and the hand of his brother Abū al-ʿAbbās, envy entered Abū al-ʿAbbās, and the weaning from command and prohibition, taking and giving, became distressing to him. He began to disparage al-Mahdī in his brother's assembly and speak against him, while his brother forbade him and did not approve of his action, but that only increased him in obstinacy. Then he revealed to Abū ʿAbd Allāh what was in his heart and said to him: "You possessed an affair, and then you brought someone who removed you from it. It was obligatory upon him not to neglect your right." He did not cease until he affected his brother's heart. One day he said to al-Mahdī: "If you would sit in your palace and leave me with Kutāma to command them and forbid them, for I know their customs, it would be more awe-inspiring for you in people's eyes." Al-Mahdī had heard something of what was taking place between Abū ʿAbd Allāh and his brother, and he was certain of it, yet he replied with a gentle answer. Then Abū al-ʿAbbās began to hint to the leaders with some of that, and whoever he saw was receptive, he disclosed to him what was in his heart and said: "He has not rewarded you for what you did." He mentioned to them the wealth that al-Mahdī had taken from Inkijān and said: "Why did he not distribute it among you?" All of that reached al-Mahdī while he was pretending to be heedless, and Abū ʿAbd Allāh was managing with forbearance. Then Abū al-ʿAbbās began to say: "This is not the one whose obedience we believed in and to whom we called, because the Mahdī is sealed with the proof and comes with dazzling signs." His words took hold in the hearts of many people, among them a man from Kutāma called Shaykh al-Mashāyikh, who confronted al-Mahdī with that and said: "If you are the Mahdī, show us a sign, for we have doubted you." Al-Mahdī killed him, and Abū ʿAbd Allāh feared him and knew that al-Mahdī had changed toward him. So he, his brother, and those with them agreed to gather at Abū Zākī's and resolved to kill al-Mahdī. The tribes of Kutāma gathered with them except for a few. With them was a man who pretended to be one of them and conveyed what was happening to al-Mahdī. They entered upon him several times but did not dare to kill him. It happened that they gathered one night at Abū Zākī's. When morning came, Abū ʿAbd Allāh put on his garment inside out and entered upon al-Mahdī. Al-Mahdī saw his garment but did not mention it to him. Then he entered upon him for three days with the shirt in that state, so al-Mahdī said to him: "What is this matter that has distracted you from straightening your garment? It has been inside out for three days, so I knew that you had not taken it off." He said: "I did not know that until this very hour." He said: "Where were you last night and the nights before it?" Abū ʿAbd Allāh fell silent. Then he said: "Did you not spend the night at Abū Zākī's house?" He said: "Yes." He said: "And what brought you out of your house?" He said: "I was afraid." He said: "Does a person fear anyone but his enemy?" He realized that his affair had become apparent to al-Mahdī, so he went out and informed his companions, and they feared and refrained from attending. That was mentioned to al-Mahdī, and with him was a man called Ibn al-Qadīm, who was among that group and held much wealth from the wealth of Ziyādat Allāh. He said: "O my master, if you wish I will bring them to you." He went and brought them, and al-Mahdī knew the truth of what was said about him. He treated them kindly and dispersed them throughout the lands. He made Abū Zākī governor of Tripoli and wrote to its governor to kill him upon his arrival. When he arrived there, its governor killed him and sent his head to al-Mahdī. Ibn al-Qadīm fled, but he was seized, and al-Mahdī ordered his execution, so he was killed. Al-Mahdī ordered ʿArūba and men with him to lie in wait for Abū ʿAbd Allāh and his brother al-ʿAbbās and kill them. When they reached near the palace, ʿArūba charged at Abū ʿAbd Allāh. He said: "Do not do it, my son!" He said: "The one whom you commanded us to obey has commanded us to kill you." So he and his brother were killed. Their killing was on the same day that Abū Zākī was killed. It was said that al-Mahdī prayed over Abū ʿAbd Allāh and said: "May God have mercy on you, Abū ʿAbd Allāh, and reward you well for your good effort." A disturbance arose because of their killing, and their companions drew swords. Al-Mahdī rode out and granted safety to the people, so they calmed down. Then he pursued them until he killed them. A second disturbance arose between Kutāma and the people of al-Qayrawān, in which many people were killed. Al-Mahdī went out, calmed the disturbance, and restrained the summoners from seeking the profession of Shiism among the common people. When the state became stable for al-Mahdī, he designated his son Abū al-Qāsim Nizār as successor, and Kutāma returned to their lands. They set up a child and said: "This is the Mahdī." Then they claimed that he was a prophet to whom revelation came, and they claimed that Abū ʿAbd Allāh had not died. They marched to the city of Mīla. That reached al-Mahdī, so he sent out his son Abū al-Qāsim, who besieged them. They fought him, and he defeated them and pursued them until he drove them to the sea, killing a great number of them and killing the child they had set up. The people of Sicily revolted against him with Ibn Wahb, so he sent a fleet to them, conquered it, brought Ibn Wahb, and killed him. The people of Tāhart revolted against him, so he raided it, conquered it, killed the people of opposition, and killed a group from the Banū al-Aghlab in Raqqāda who had returned to it after the death of Ziyādat Allāh.
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