Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3733
The Year 309 AH
وَهَذِهِ نُبْذَةٌ مِنْ سِيرَتِهِ وَأَحْوَالِهِ وَكَشْفِ سَرِيرَتِهِ وَأَقْوَالِهِ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ مَحْمِيٍّ الْحَلَّاجُ أَبُو مُغِيثٍ، وَيُقَالُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، كَانَ جَدُّهُ مَجُوسِيًّا اسْمُهُ مَحْمِيٌّ مِنْ أَهْلِ فَارِسَ نَشَأَ بِوَاسِطَ، وَيُقَالُ بِتُسْتَرَ، وَدَخَلَ بَغْدَادَ وَتَرَدَّدَ إِلَى مَكَّةَ مِرَارًا لِلْحَجِّ وَجَاوَرَ بِهَا سَنَوَاتٍ مُتَفَرِّقَةً، وَكَانَ يُصَابِرُ نَفْسَهُ وَيُجَاهِدُهَا فَلَا يَجْلِسُ إِلَّا تَحْتَ السَّمَاءِ فِي وَسَطِ الْمَسْجِدِ فِي الْحَرِّ وَالْبَرْدِ وَلَا يَأْكُلُ إِلَّا بَعْضَ قُرْصٍ وَيَشْرَبُ قَلِيلًا مِنَ الْمَاءِ مَعَهُ وَذَلِكَ وَقْتَ الْفُطُورِ مُدَّةَ سَنَةٍ كَامِلَةٍ وَيَجْلِسُ عَلَى صَخْرَةٍ فِي قُبَالَةِ الْحَرَمِ فِي جَبَلِ أَبِي قُبَيْسٍ وَقَدْ صَحِبَ جَمَاعَةً مِنْ سَادَاتِ مَشَايِخِ الصُّوفِيَّةِ كَالْجُنَيْدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَمْرِو بْنِ عُثْمَانَ الْمَكِّيِّ وَأَبِي الْحُسَيْنِ النُّورِيِّ. قَالَ الْخَطِيبُ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ وَالصُّوفِيَّةُ مُخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ فَأَكْثَرَهُمْ نَفَى أَنْ يَكُونَ الْحَلَّاجُ مِنْهُمْ وَأَبَى أَنْ يَعُدَّهُ فِيهِمْ، وَقَبِلَهُ مِنْ مُتَقَدِّمِيهِمْ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ بْنُ عَطَاءٍ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ ومُحَمَّدُ بْنُ خَفِيفٍ الشِّيرَازِيُّ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّصْرَابَاذِيُّ النَّيْسَابُورِيُّ وَصَحَّحُوا لَهُ حَالَهُ وَدَوَّنُوا كَلَامَهُ حَتَّى قَالَ ابْنُ خَفِيفٍ: الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ عَالِمٌ رَبَّانِيٌّ. وَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ السُّلَمِيُّ، وَاسْمُهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ: سَمِعْتُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّصْرَابَاذِيَّ وَعُوتِبَ فِي شَيْءٍ حُكِيَ عَنِ الْحَلَّاجِ فِي الرُّوحِ، فَقَالَ لِمَنْ عَاتَبَهُ: إِنْ كَانَ بَعْدَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ مُوَحِّدٌ فَهُوَ الْحَلَّاجُ. قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ: وَسَمِعْتُ مَنْصُورَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ الشِّبْلِيَّ، يَقُولُ: كُنْتُ أَنَا وَالْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ شَيْئًا وَاحِدًا إِلَّا أَنَّهُ أَظْهَرَ وَكَتَمْتُ. وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنِ الشِّبْلِيِّ مِنْ وَجْهٍ آخَرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ وَقَدْ رَأَى الْحَلَّاجَ مَصْلُوبًا: أَلَمْ نَنْهَكَ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ ؟ قَالَ الْخَطِيبُ: وَالَّذِينَ نَفَوْهُ مِنَ الصُّوفِيَّةِ نَسَبُوهُ إِلَى الشَّعْبَذَةِ فِي فِعْلِهِ وَإِلَى الزَّنْدَقَةِ فِي عَقْدِهِ. قَالَ: وَلَهُ إِلَى الْآنِ أَصْحَابٌ يُنْسَبُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَيَغْلُونَ فِيهِ، وَقَدْ كَانَ الْحَلَّاجُ حَسَنَ الْعِبَارَةِ حُلْوَ الْمَنْطِقِ وَلَهُ شِعْرٌ عَلَى طَرِيقَةِ التَّصَوُّفِ. قُلْتُ: لَمْ يَزَلِ النَّاسُ مُنْذُ قُتِلَ الْحَلَّاجُ مُخْتَلِفِينَ فِي أَمْرِهِ. فَأَمَّا الْفُقَهَاءُ فَحُكِيَ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الْأَئِمَّةِ إِجْمَاعُهُمْ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ كَافِرًا مُمَخْرِقًا مُمَوِّهًا مُشَعْبِذًا، وَكَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ أَكْثَرِ الصُّوفِيَّةِ مِنْهُمْ. وَمِنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ أَجْمَلُوا الْقَوْلَ فِيهِ وَغَرَّهُمْ ظَاهِرُهُ وَلَمْ يَطَّلِعُوا عَلَى بَاطِنِهِ، وَقَدْ كَانَ فِي ابْتِدَاءِ أَمْرِهِ فِيهِ تَعْبُدٌ وَتَأَلُّهٌ وَسُلُوكٌ، وَلَكِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ عِلْمٌ يَسْلُكُ بِهِ فِي عِبَادَتِهِ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ الدَّاخِلُ بِسَبَبِ ذَلِكَ، كَمَا قَالَ بَعْضُ السَّلَفِ: مَنْ عَبَدَ اللَّهَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ كَانَ مَا يُفْسِدُهُ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يُصْلِحُهُ. وَعَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: مَنْ فَسَدَ مِنْ عُلَمَائِنَا كَانَ فِيهِ شَبَهٌ مَنَ الْيَهُودِ وَمَنْ فَسَدَ مِنْ عُبَّادِنَا كَانَ فِيهِ شَبَهٌ مِنَ النَّصَارَى. وَلِهَذَا دَخَلَ عَلَى الْحَلَّاجِ بَابُ الْحُلُولِ وَالِاتِّحَادِ فَصَارَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الِانْحِلَالِ وَالْإِلْحَادِ. وَقَدْ وَرَدَ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ أَنَّهُ تَقَلَّبَتْ بِهِ الْأَحْوَالُ وَتَرَدَّدَ إِلَى الْبُلْدَانِ وَهُوَ فِي ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ يُظْهِرُ لِلنَّاسِ أَنَّهُ مِنَ الدُّعَاةِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَصَحَّ أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ إِلَى الْهِنْدِ لِتَعَلُّمِ السِّحْرِ، وَقَالَ: أَدْعُو بِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. وَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْهِنْدِ يُكَاتِبُونَهُ بِالْمُغِيثِ. وَيُكَاتِبُهُ أَهْلُ تُرْكِسْتَانَ بِالْمُقِيتِ. وَيُكَاتِبُهُ أَهْلُ خُرَاسَانَ بِالْمُمَيِّزِ. وَأَهْلُ فَارِسَ بِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الزَّاهِدِ. وَأَهْلُ خُوزَسْتَانَ بِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الزَّاهِدِ حَلَّاجِ الْأَسْرَارِ. وَكَانَ بَعْضُ الْبَغَادِدَةِ حِينَ كَانَ عِنْدَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ لَهُ: الْمُصْطَلِمُ. وَأَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ يَقُولُونَ لَهُ الْمُحَيِّرُ. وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّمَا سَمَّاهُ الْحَلَّاجَ أَهْلُ الْأَهْوَازِ ; لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ يُكَاشِفُهُمْ عَنْ مَا فِي ضَمَائِرِهِمْ، وَقِيلَ: لِأَنَّهُ قَالَ لِحَلَّاجٍ: اذْهَبْ لِي فِي حَاجَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَقَالَ: إِنِّي مَشْغُولٌ، فَقَالَ: اذْهَبْ فَأَنَا أَسُدُّ عَنْكَ، فَذَهَبَ وَرَجَعَ سَرِيعًا فَإِذَا جَمِيعُ مَا فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَخْزَنِ قَدْ حَلَجَهُ، يُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ أَشَارَ بِالْمِرْوَدِ فَامْتَازَ الْحَبُّ عَنِ الْقُطْنِ، وَفِي صِحَّةِ هَذَا نَظَرٌ. وَقِيلَ: لِأَنَّ أَبَاهُ كَانَ حَلَّاجًا، وَمِمَّا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ كَانَ ذَا حُلُولٍ فِي بَدْءِ أَمْرِهِ أَشْيَاءُ كَثِيرَةٌ مِنْهَا شِعْرُهُ، فَمِنْ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ: جُبِلَتْ رُوحُكَ فِي رُوحِي كَمَا يُجْبَلُ الْعَنْبَرُ بِالْمِسْكِ الْفَتِقْ فَإِذَا مَسَّكَ شَيْءٌ مَسَّنِي فَإِذَا أَنْتَ أَنَا لَا نَفْتَرِقْ وَقَوْلُهُ أَيْضًا: مُزِجَتْ رُوحُكَ فِي رُوحِي كَمَا تُمْزَجُ الْخَمْرَةُ بِالْمَاءِ الزُّلَالْ فَإِذَا مَسَّكَ شَيْءٌ مَسَّنِي فَإِذَا أَنْتَ أَنَا فِي كُلِّ حَالْ وَلَهُ أَيْضًا: قَدْ تَحَقَّقْتُكَ فِي سِرِّ ي فَخَاطَبَكَ لِسَانِي فَاجْتَمَعْنَا لِمَعَانٍ وَافْتَرَقْنَا لِمَعَانِ إِنْ يَكُنْ غَيَّبَكَ التَّعْ ظِيمُ عَنْ لَحْظِ الْعَيَانِ فَلَقَدْ صَيَّرَكَ الْوَجْ دُ مِنَ الْأَحْشَاءِ دَانِ وَقَدْ أُنْشِدَ لِابْنِ عَطَاءٍ قَوْلُ الْحَلَّاجِ: أُرِيدُكَ لَا أُرِيدُكَ لِلثَّوَابِ وَلَكِنِّي أُرِيدُكَ لِلْعِقَابِ وَكُلُّ مَآرِبِي قَدْ نِلْتُ مِنْهَا سِوَى مَلْذُوذِ وَجْدِي بِالْعَذَابِ فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَطَاءٍ: هَذَا مِمَّا يَتَزَايَدُ بِهِ عَذَابُ الشَّغَفِ وَهُيَامُ الْكَلَفِ وَاحْتِرَاقُ الْأَسَفِ فَإِذَا صَفَا وَوَفَا عَلَا إِلَى مَشْرَبٍ عَذْبٍ وَهَطْلٍ مِنَ الْحَقِّ دَائِمٍ سَكِبٍ. وَقَدْ أُنْشِدَ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ خَفِيفٍ قَوْلُ الْحَلَّاجِ: سُبْحَانَ مَنْ أَظْهَرَ نَاسُوتُهُ سِرَّ سَنَا لَاهُوتِهِ الثَّاقِبِ ثُمَّ بَدَا فِي خَلْقِهِ ظَاهِرًا فِي صُورَةِ الْآكِلِ وَالشَّارِبِ حَتَّى لَقَدْ عَايَنَهُ خَلْقُهُ كَلَحْظَةِ الْحَاجِبِ بِالْحَاجِبِ فَقَالَ ابْنُ خَفِيفٍ: عَلَى مَنْ يَقُولُ هَذَا لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ. فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّ هَذَا مِنْ شِعْرِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مَنْصُورٍ، فَقَالَ: رُبَّمَا يَكُونُ مَقُولًا عَلَيْهِ. وَمِمَّا يُنْسَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الشِّعْرِ قَوْلُهُ: أَرْسَلْتَ تَسْأَلُ عَنِّي كَيْفَ كُنْتُ وَمَا لَاقَيْتُ بَعْدَكَ مِنْ هَمٍّ وَمِنْ حَزَنِ لَا كُنْتُ إِنْ كُنْتُ أَدْرِي كَيْفَ كُنْتُ وَلَا لَا كُنْتُ إِنْ كُنْتُ أَدْرِي كَيْفَ لَمْ أَكُنِ قَالَ ابْنُ خَلِّكَانَ وَيُرْوَى لِسَمْنُونٍ لَا لِلْحَلَّاجِ. وَمِنْ شِعْرِهِ أَيْضًا قَوْلُهُ: مَتَى سَهِرَتْ عَيْنِي لِغَيْرِكَ أَوْ بَكَتْ فَلَا أُعْطِيَتْ مَا أَمَّلَتْ وَتَمَنَّتِ وَإِنْ أَضْمَرَتْ نَفْسِي سِوَاكَ فَلَا رَعَتْ رِيَاضَ الْمُنَى مِنْ وَجْنَتَيْكَ وَجُنَّتِ وَمِنْ شِعْرِهِ أَيْضًا: دُنْيَا تُغَالِطُنِي كَأَنِّ ي لَسْتُ أَعْرِفُ حَالَهَا حَظَرَ الْمَلِيكُ حَرَامَهَا وَأَنَا احْتَمَيْتُ حَلَالَهَا فَوَجَدْتُهَا مُحْتَاجَةً فَوَهَبْتُ لَذَّتَهَا لَهَا وَقَدْ كَانَ الْحَلَّاجُ يَتَلَوَّنُ فِي مَلَابِسِهِ، فَتَارَةً يَلْبَسُ لِبَاسَ الصُّوفِيَّةِ، وَتَارَةً يَتَجَرَّدُ فِي مَلَابِسَ زَرِيَّةٍ، وَتَارَةً يَلْبَسُ لِبَاسَ الْأَجْنَادِ وَيُعَاشِرُ أَبْنَاءَ الدُّنْيَا، وَقَدْ رَآهُ بَعْضُهُمْ فِي ثِيَابٍ رَثٍّ وَبِيَدِهِ رِكْوَةٌ وَعُكَّازٌ وَهُوَ سَائِحٌ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: مَا هَذِهِ الْحَالَةُ يَا حَلَّاجُ ؟ فَأَنْشَأَ يَقُولُ: لَئِنْ أَمْسَيْتُ فِي ثَوْبَيْ عَدِيمٍ لَقَدْ بَلِيَا عَلَى حُرٍّ كَرِيمِ فَلَا يَغْرُرْكَ أَنْ أَبْصَرْتَ حَالًا مُغَيَّرَةً عَنِ الْحَالِ الْقَدِيمِ فَلِي نَفْسٌ سَتَتْلَفُ أَوْ سَتَرْقَى لَعَمْرُكَ بِي إِلَى أَمْرٍ جَسِيمِ وَمِنْ مُسْتَجَادِ كَلَامِهِ، وَقَدْ سَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ أَنْ يُوصِيَهُ بِشَيْءٍ يَنْفَعُهُ: عَلَيْكَ بِنَفْسِكَ إِنْ لَمْ تَشْغَلْهَا بِالْحَقِّ شَغَلَتْكَ عَنِ الْحَقِّ. وَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ: عِظْنِي. فَقَالَ: كُنْ مَعَ الْحَقِّ بِحُكْمِ مَا أَوْجَبَ. وَرَوَى الْخَطِيبُ بِسَنَدِهِ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: عِلْمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْآخَرِينَ مَرْجِعُهُ إِلَى أَرْبَعِ كَلِمَاتٍ: حُبُّ الْجَلِيلِ، وَبُغْضُ الْقَلِيلِ، وَاتِّبَاعُ التَّنْزِيلِ، وَخَوْفُ التَّحْوِيلِ. قُلْتُ: وَقَدْ أُصِيبَ الْحَلَّاجُ فِي الْمَقَامَيْنِ الْأَخِيرَيْنِ فَلَمْ يَتَّبِعِ التَّنْزِيلَ وَلَمْ يَبْقَ عَلَى الِاسْتِقَامَةِ، بَلْ تَحَوَّلَ مِنْهَا إِلَى الِاعْوِجَاجِ وَالْبِدْعَةِ، نَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَافِيَةَ. قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ السُّلَمِيُّ: حُكِيَ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ عُثْمَانَ الْمَكِّيِّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: كُنْتُ أُمَاشِي الْحَلَّاجَ فِي بَعْضِ أَزِقَّةِ مَكَّةَ وَكُنْتُ أَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ فَسَمِعَ قِرَاءَتِي، فَقَالَ: يُمْكِنُنِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مِثْلَ هَذَا. فَفَارَقَتْهُ. قَالَ الْخَطِيبُ: بسنده سَمِعْتُ أَبَا زُرْعَةَ الطَّبَرِيَّ، يَقُولُ: النَّاسُ فِيهِ - يَعْنِي حُسَيْنَ بْنَ مَنْصُورٍ - بَيْنَ قَبُولٍ وَرَدٍّ، وَلَكِنْ سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ يَحْيَى الرَّازِيَّ، يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ عَمْرَو بْنَ عُثْمَانَ يَلْعَنُهُ وَيَقُولُ: لَوْ قَدَرْتُ عَلَيْهِ لَقَتَلْتُهُ بِيَدِي، فَقُلْتُ: أَيْشِ الَّذِي وَجَدَ الشَّيْخُ عَلَيْهِ ؟ قَالَ: قَرَأْتُ آيَةً مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ، فَقَالَ: يُمْكِنُنِي أَنْ أُؤَلِّفَ مِثْلَهُ وَأَتَكَلَّمَ بِهِ. قَالَ أَبُو زُرْعَةَ الطَّبَرِيُّ: وَسَمِعْتُ أَبَا يَعْقُوبَ الْأَقْطَعَ، يَقُولُ: زَوَّجْتُ ابْنَتِي مِنَ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مَنْصُورٍ لِمَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْ حُسْنِ طَرِيقَتِهِ وَاجْتِهَادِهِ، فَبَانَ لِي بَعْدَ مُدَّةٍ يَسِيرَةٍ أَنَّهُ سَاحِرٌ مُحْتَالٌ خَبِيثٌ كَافِرٌ. قُلْتُ: كَانَ تَزْوِيجُهُ بِهَا بِمَكَّةَ وَهِيَ أُمُّ الْحُسَيْنِ بِنْتُ أَبِي يَعْقُوبَ الْأَقْطَعِ، فَأَوْلَدَهَا وَلَدَهُ أَحْمَدَ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مَنْصُورٍ، وَقَدْ ذَكَرَ سِيرَةَ أَبِيهِ كَمَا سَاقَهَا مِنْ طَرِيقِهِ الْخَطِيبُ. وَذَكَرَ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ الْقُشَيْرِيُّ فِي " الرِّسَالَةِ " فِي بَابِ " حِفْظِ قُلُوبِ الْمَشَايِخِ " أَنَّ عَمْرَو بْنَ عُثْمَانَ دَخَلَ عَلَى الْحَلَّاجِ وَهُوَ بِمَكَّةَ وَهُوَ يَكْتُبُ شَيْئًا فِي أَوْرَاقٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: مَا هَذَا ؟ فَقَالَ: هُوَ ذَا أُعَارِضُ الْقُرْآنَ. قَالَ: فَدَعَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يُفْلِحْ بَعْدَهَا، وَأَنْكَرَ عَلَى أَبِي يَعْقُوبَ الْأَقْطَعِ تَزْوِيجَهُ إِيَّاهُ ابْنَتَهُ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى الْآفَاقِ كُتُبًا كَثِيرَةً يَلْعَنُهُ فِيهَا وَيُحَذِّرُ النَّاسَ مِنْهُ، فَشَرَدَ الْحَلَّاجُ فِي الْبِلَادِ فَعَاثَ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالًا وَجَعَلَ يُظْهِرُ لِلنَّاسِ أَنَّهُ يَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - وَيَسْتَعِينُ بِأَنْوَاعٍ مِنَ الْحِيَلِ وَلَمْ يَزَلْ ذَلِكَ دَأْبَهُ وَشَأْنَهُ حَتَّى أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَأْسَهُ الَّذِي لَا يُرَدُّ عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ فَقَتَلَهُ بِسَيْفِ الشَّرْعِ الَّذِي لَا يَقَعُ إِلَّا بَيْنَ كَتِفَيْ زِنْدِيقٍ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْرَمُ مِنْ أَنْ يُسَلِّطَهُ عَلَى صِدِّيقٍ كَيْفَ وَقَدْ تَهَجَّمَ عَلَى الْقُرْآنِ الْعَظِيمِ وَأَرَادَ مُعَارَضَتَهُ فِي الْبَلَدِ الْحَرَامِ الْكَرِيمِ، وَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَمَنْ يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ [ الْحَجِّ: 25 ] وَلَا إِلْحَادَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ هَذَا، وَقَدْ أَشْبَهَ فِي حَالِهِ هَذَا كَفَّارَ قُرَيْشٍ فِي مُعَانَدَتِهِمُ، الَّذِينَ قَالَ تَعَالَى فِيهِمْ: وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا قَالُوا قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَاءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هَذَا إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ [ الْأَنْفَالِ: 31 ].
Translation
✧ This is a brief account of his conduct, his states, the revealing of his secret, and his sayings. Al-Ḥusayn b. Manṣūr b. Maḥmiyy al-Ḥallāj, Abū Mughīth, also called Abū ʿAbd Allāh. His grandfather was a Magian named Maḥmiyy, from the people of Persia. He grew up in Wāsiṭ, or it is said in Tustar. He entered Baghdad and went repeatedly to Makkah for the pilgrimage, residing there as a neighbor for various years. He used to discipline and struggle against his own self, so that he would only sit beneath the open sky in the middle of the mosque, in heat and cold; he would eat only part of a loaf and drink a little water with it at the time of breaking the fast, for a full year. He would sit on a rock opposite the sanctuary on Mount Abū Qubays. He accompanied a group of leading shaykhs of the Sufis, such as al-Junayd b. Muḥammad, ʿAmr b. ʿUthmān al-Makkī, and Abū al-Ḥusayn al-Nūrī. Al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī said: The Sufis differ concerning him. Most of them deny that al-Ḥallāj was one of them and refuse to count him among them. Among the early ones who accepted him were Abū al-ʿAbbās b. ʿAṭāʾ al-Baghdādī, Muḥammad b. Khafīf al-Shīrāzī, and Ibrāhīm b. Muḥammad al-Naṣrābādhī al-Naysābūrī. They affirmed his state and recorded his words, to the point that Ibn Khafīf said: 'Al-Ḥusayn b. Manṣūr is a learned, godly man.' Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Sulamī, whose name is Muḥammad b. al-Ḥusayn, said: I heard Ibrāhīm b. Muḥammad al-Naṣrābādhī, when he was reproached about something reported from al-Ḥallāj concerning the spirit, say to the one who reproached him: 'If after the prophets and the truthful ones there is any true monotheist, it is al-Ḥallāj.' Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān said: I heard Manṣūr b. ʿAbd Allāh say: I heard al-Shiblī say: 'I and al-Ḥusayn b. Manṣūr were one and the same thing, except that he made it public and I kept it hidden.' It is also reported from al-Shiblī on another authority that when he saw al-Ḥallāj crucified, he said: 'Did we not forbid you from all created beings?' Al-Khaṭīb said: Those who excluded him from the Sufis attributed him to legerdemain in his actions and to heresy in his belief. He said: To this day he has followers who are attributed to him and who go to extremes concerning him. Al-Ḥallāj was eloquent in expression, sweet in speech, and had poetry in the manner of Sufism. I say: People have continued to differ about his affair since al-Ḥallāj was killed. As for the jurists, it is reported from more than one of the imams that they unanimously agreed on his execution, and that he was an unbelieving imposter, a deceiver, a conjurer. Likewise is the opinion of most of the Sufis, among them. Among them is a group, as mentioned above, who summarized the matter concerning him and were deceived by his outward appearance, not having looked into his inner state. At the beginning of his affair he had devotion, godliness, and spiritual wayfaring, but he had no knowledge to guide him in his worship, and so corruption entered him as a result, as one of the predecessors said: 'Whoever worships God without knowledge corrupts more than he sets right.' It is reported from Sufyān b. ʿUyaynah that he said: 'Whoever of our scholars goes astray has in him a resemblance to the Jews; whoever of our devotees goes astray has in him a resemblance to the Christians.' For this reason, the door of incarnation and union entered upon al-Ḥallāj, and he became one of the people of dissolution and heresy. It is reported from several sources that various states befell him and he traveled about the lands, all the while showing people that he was one of those calling to God (mighty and glorious). It is established that he went to India to learn magic, saying: 'I call people by it to God (mighty and glorious).' The people of India used to write to him as 'al-Mughīth' (the Succorer). The people of Turkestan wrote to him as 'al-Muqīt' (the Nourisher). The people of Khurasan wrote to him as 'al-Mumayyiz' (the Discriminator). The people of Persia wrote to him as 'Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Zāhid' (the Ascetic). The people of Khūzistān wrote to him as 'Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Zāhid, Ḥallāj al-Asrār' (the Ascetic, Carder of Secrets). Some Baghdadis, when he was among them, used to call him 'al-Muṣṭalim' (the Uprooter). The people of Basra called him 'al-Muḥayyir' (the Confounder). It is said that the people of al-Ahwāz named him 'al-Ḥallāj' (the Cotton-carder) because he used to reveal to them what was in their inner thoughts. It is also said: because he said to a cotton-carder: 'Go for me on such-and-such an errand.' The man said: 'I am busy.' He said: 'Go, and I will do your carding for you.' He went and returned quickly, and found that all that was in that storeroom had been carded. It is said that he pointed with a spindle and the seeds were separated from the cotton; but the authenticity of this is questionable. It is also said: because his father was a cotton-carder. Among the many things indicating that he held the doctrine of incarnation at the beginning of his affair is his poetry. For example, his saying: Your spirit was kneaded into my spirit as ambergris is kneaded with crushed musk, so if anything touches you it touches me, for you are I, we do not separate. And his saying also: Your spirit was blended into my spirit as wine is blended with pure water; if anything touches you it touches me, for you are I in every state. He also has: I have realized you in my secret, so my tongue addressed you; we joined for certain meanings and parted for other meanings. If glorification has hidden you from the glance of the eye, then ecstasy has made you near to my innermost being. Ibn ʿAṭāʾ recited al-Ḥallāj's saying: I want You, not wanting You for reward, but I want You for punishment. All my desires I have attained from them except the delicious ecstasy of torment. Ibn ʿAṭāʾ said: This is of that by which the torment of passionate love increases, and the wandering of infatuation, and the burning of grief. When it becomes pure and faithful, it rises to a sweet drinking-place and a constant, pouring downpour from the Truth. Abū ʿAbd Allāh b. Khafīf recited al-Ḥallāj's saying: Glory be to Him who made His humanity manifest the secret of His piercing divinity; then He appeared in His creation outwardly, in the form of one who eats and drinks, until His creation beheld Him like the glance of an eyebrow to an eyebrow. Ibn Khafīf said: 'Upon whoever says this is the curse of God.' It was said to him: 'This is from the poetry of al-Ḥusayn b. Manṣūr.' He said: 'Perhaps it is falsely attributed to him.' Among the poetry attributed to him is his saying: You sent asking about me, how I was and what I met after you of grief and sorrow. May I not be if I knew how I was, and may I not be if I knew how I was not. Ibn Khallikān said: It is reported from Samnūn, not from al-Ḥallāj. Also from his poetry is his saying: Whenever my eye kept vigil for other than You or wept, may it not be granted what it hoped and wished for. If my soul conceals other than You, may it not pasture in the meadows of desire from Your cheeks and gather them. Also from his poetry: A world that deceives me, as though I do not know its state. The King has forbidden its unlawful, and I have refrained from its lawful. I found it in need, so I gave its pleasure back to it. Al-Ḥallāj used to change his dress: sometimes he wore the clothing of the Sufis, sometimes he stripped himself in mean garments, and sometimes he wore the clothing of soldiers and associated with worldly people. One of them saw him in tattered clothes, with a water-skin and a staff, wandering. He said to him: 'What is this state, O Ḥallāj?' He began to say: If I have spent the evening in the two garments of a poor man, they have worn out upon a noble, generous man. Let not my state, changed from the former state, deceive you. I have a soul that will perish or will rise, by your life, to a mighty matter. Of his excellent sayings: A man asked him to give him a counsel that would benefit him. He said: 'Attend to your self; if you do not occupy it with the truth, it will occupy you away from the truth.' A man said to him: 'Admonish me.' He said: 'Be with the truth according to the ruling of what it requires.' Al-Khaṭīb narrated with his chain of transmission that he said: 'The knowledge of the first and the last returns to four words: love of the Majestic, hatred of the petty, following the revealed Book, and fear of change.' I say: Al-Ḥallāj failed in the last two stations, for he did not follow the revealed Book, and he did not remain upright; rather he turned from it to crookedness and innovation. We ask God for well-being. Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Sulamī said: It is reported from ʿAmr b. ʿUthmān al-Makkī that he said: 'I was walking with al-Ḥallāj in one of the alleys of Makkah, and I was reciting the Quran. He heard my recitation and said: "I can say something like this." So I parted from him.' Al-Khaṭīb said with his chain of transmission: I heard Abū Zurʿah al-Ṭabarī say: 'People concerning him — meaning Ḥusayn b. Manṣūr — are between acceptance and rejection, but I heard Muḥammad b. Yaḥyā al-Rāzī say: I heard ʿAmr b. ʿUthmān curse him and say: "If I had power over him, I would kill him with my own hand." I said: "What did the shaykh find against him?" He said: "I recited a verse from the Book of God, and he said: 'I can compose something like it and speak it.'"' Abū Zurʿah al-Ṭabarī said: I heard Abū Yaʿqūb al-Aqṭaʿ say: 'I married my daughter to al-Ḥusayn b. Manṣūr because of the excellence of his way and his striving that I saw. After a short while it became clear to me that he was a magician, a deceiver, wicked, an unbeliever.' I say: His marriage to her took place in Makkah. She was Umm al-Ḥusayn bt. Abī Yaʿqūb al-Aqṭaʿ. She bore him his son Aḥmad b. al-Ḥusayn b. Manṣūr. He mentioned the biography of his father as al-Khaṭīb related it on his authority. Abū al-Qāsim al-Qushayrī mentioned in the Risālah, in the chapter on 'Guarding the hearts of the shaykhs', that ʿAmr b. ʿUthmān entered upon al-Ḥallāj while he was in Makkah, writing something on sheets of paper. He said to him: 'What is this?' He said: 'Here, I am emulating the Quran.' He said: So he invoked God against him, and he did not prosper after that. He also denounced Abū Yaʿqūb al-Aqṭaʿ for marrying his daughter to him, and wrote many letters to the horizons cursing him and warning people against him. So al-Ḥallāj fled through the lands, wreaking havoc right and left, showing people that he was calling to God (mighty and glorious), using various kinds of tricks. This remained his habit and his affair until God brought upon him His might which is not turned back from the wrongdoing people, and He killed him by the sword of the law, which only falls between the shoulders of a heretic. God is too generous to set it upon a truthful one — how, when he had attacked the mighty Quran and desired to emulate it in the sacred, noble city? God (exalted is He) said: 'And whoever intends therein any deviation by wrongdoing, We will make him taste of a painful punishment' [Quran 22:25]. There is no deviation greater than this. In this state he resembled the unbelievers of Quraysh in their obstinacy, concerning whom God (exalted is He) said: 'And when Our verses are recited to them, they say: "We have heard. If we willed, we could say the like of this. This is nothing but legends of the former peoples"' [Quran 8:31].
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