Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3833
Then the Year 322 AH Began
ذِكْرُ خَلْعِ الْقَاهِرِ بِاللَّهِ وَفِيهَا خُلِعَ الْقَاهِرُ بِاللَّهِ فِي جُمَادَى الْأُولَى، وَكَانَ سَبَبُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَبَا عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُقْلَةَ كَانَ مُسْتَتِرًا مِنَ الْقَاهِرِ، وَالْقَاهِرُ يَتَطَلَّبُهُ، وَكَذَلِكَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، فَكَانَا يُرَاسِلَانِ قُوَّادَ السَّاجِيَّةِ، وَالْحَجَرِيَّةِ، وَيُخَوِّفَانِهِمْ مِنْ شَرِّهِ، وَيَذْكُرَانِ لَهُمْ غَدْرَهُ وَنَكْثَهُ مَرَّةً بَعْدَ أُخْرَى، كَقَتْلِ مُؤْنِسٍ، وَبُلَيْقٍ، وَابْنِهِ عَلِيٍّ بَعْدَ الْأَيْمَانِ لَهُمْ، وَكَقَبْضِهِ عَلَى طَرِيفٍ السُّبْكَرِيِّ بَعْدَ الْيَمِينِ لَهُ، مَعَ نُصْحِ طَرِيفٍ لَهُ، إِلَى غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ. وَكَانَ ابْنُ مُقْلَةَ يَجْتَمِعُ بِالْقُوَّادِ لَيْلًا، تَارَةً فِي زِيِّ أَعْمَى، وَتَارَةً فِي زِيِّ مُكَدٍّ، وَتَارَةً فِي زِيِّ امْرَأَةٍ، وَيُغْرِيهِمْ بِهِ. ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَعْطَى مُنَجِّمًا كَانَ لِسِيمَا مِائَتَيْ دِينَارٍ، وَأَعْطَاهُ الْحَسَنُ مِائَةَ دِينَارٍ، وَكَانَ يَذْكُرُ لِسِيمَا أَنَّ طَالِعَهُ يَقْتَضِي أَنْ يَنْكُبَهُ الْقَاهِرُ وَيَقْتُلَهُ، ( وَأَعْطَى ابْنَ مُقْلَةَ أَيْضًا ) لِمُعَبِّرٍ كَانَ لِسِيمَا يَعَبِّرُ لَهُ الْمَنَامَاتِ، فَكَانَ يُحَذِّرُهُ أَيْضًا مِنَ الْقَاهِرِ، وَيُعَبِّرُ لَهُ عَلَى مَا يُرِيدُ، فَازْدَادَ نُفُورًا ( مِنَ الْقَاهِرِ ). ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْقَاهِرَ شَرَعَ فِي عَمَلِ مَطَامِيرَ فِي الدَّارِ، فَقِيلَ لِسِيمَا وَلِجَمَاعَةِ قُوَّادِ السَّاجِيَّةِ وَالْحَجَرِيَّةِ: إِنَّمَا عَمَلُهَا لِأَجْلِكُمْ، فَازْدَادَا نُفُورًا، وَنَقَلَ إِلَى سِيمَا أَنَّ الْقَاهِرَ يُرِيدُ قَتْلَهُ، فَجَمَعَ السَّاجِيَّةَ، وَكَانَ هُوَ رَئِيسَهُمُ الْمُقَدَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَأَعْطَاهُمُ السِّلَاحَ، وَأَنْفَذُوا إِلَى الْحَجَرِيَّةِ: إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُوَافِقِينَ لَنَا، فَجِيئُوا إِلَيْنَا حَتَّى نَحْلِفَ بَعْضُنَا لِبَعْضٍ، وَتَكُونَ كَلِمَتُنَا وَاحِدَةً، فَاجْتَمَعُوا جَمِيعُهُمْ، وَتَحَالَفُوا عَلَى اجْتِمَاعِ الْكَلِمَةِ وَقَتْلِ مَنْ خَالَفَ مِنْهُمْ. فَاتَّصَلَ ذَلِكَ بِالْقَاهِرِ وَوَزِيرِهِ الْخُصَيْبِيِّ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِمُ الْوَزِيرُ: مَا الَّذِي حَمَلَكُمْ عَلَى هَذَا ؟ فَقَالُوا: قَدْ صَحَّ عِنْدَنَا أَنَّ الْقَاهِرَ يُرِيدُ الْقَبْضَ عَلَى سِيمَا، وَقَدْ عَمِلَ مَطَامِيرَ لِيَحْبِسَ فِيهَا قُوَّادَنَا وَرُؤَسَاءَنَا، فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ لِسِتٍّ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْأُولَى، اجْتَمَعَ السَّاجِيَّةُ وَالْحَجَرِيَّةُ عِنْدَ سِيمَا، وَتَحَالَفُوا عَلَى الِاجْتِمَاعِ عَلَى الْقَبْضِ عَلَى الْقَاهِرِ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ سِيمَا: قُومُوا بِنَا السَّاعَةَ حَتَّى نُمْضِيَ هَذَا الْعَزْمَ، فَإِنَّهُ إِنْ تَأَخَّرَ عَلِمَ بِهِ، وَاحْتَرَزَ وَأَهْلَكَنَا. وَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الْوَزِيرَ، فَأَرْسَلَ الْحَاجِبَ سَلَامَةَ وَعِيسَى الطَّبِيبَ لِيُعْلِمَاهُ بِذَلِكَ، فَوَجَدَاهُ نَائِمًا قَدْ شَرِبَ أَكْثَرَ لَيْلَتِهِ، فَلَمْ يَقْدِرَا عَلَى إِعْلَامِهِ بِذَلِكَ. وَزَحَفَ الْحَجَرِيَّةُ وَالسَّاجِيَّةُ إِلَى الدَّارِ، وَوَكَّلَ سِيمَا بِأَبْوَابِهَا مَنْ يَحْفَظُهَا، وَبَقِيَ هُوَ عَلَى بَابِ الْعَامَّةِ، وَهَجَمُوا إِلَى الدَّارِ مِنْ سَائِرِ الْأَبْوَابِ، فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الْقَاهِرُ الْأَصْوَاتَ وَالْجَلَبَةَ، اسْتَيْقَظَ مَخْمُورًا، وَطَلَبَ بَابًا يَهْرُبُ مِنْهُ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّ الْأَبْوَابَ جَمِيعُهَا مَشْحُونَةً بِالرِّجَالِ، فَهَرَبَ إِلَى سَطْحِ حَمَّامٍ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ الْقَوْمُ لَمْ يَجِدُوهُ، فَأَخَذُوا الْخَدَمَ وَسَأَلُوهُمْ عَنْهُ، فَدَلَّهُمْ عَلَيْهِ خَادِمٌ صَغِيرٌ، فَقَصَدُوهُ، فَرَأَوْهُ وَبِيَدِهِ السَّيْفُ، فَاجْتَهَدُوا بِهِ فَلَمْ يَنْزِلْ لَهُمْ، فَأَلَانُوا لَهُ الْقَوْلَ، وَقَالُوا: نَحْنُ عَبِيدُكَ، وَإِنَّمَا نُرِيدُ أَنْ نَأْخُذَ عَلَيْكَ الْعُهُودَ، فَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ، وَقَالَ: مَنْ صَعِدَ إِلَيَّ قَتَلْتُهُ. فَأَخَذَ بَعْضُهُمْ سَهْمًا، وَقَالَ: إِنْ نَزَلْتَ، وَإِلَّا وَضَعْتُهُ فِي نَحْرِكَ. فَنَزَلَ حِينَئِذٍ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَأَخَذُوهُ وَسَارُوا بِهِ إِلَى الْمَوْضِعِ الَّذِي فِيهِ طَرِيفٌ السُّبْكَرِيُّ، فَفَتَحُوهُ وَأَخْرَجُوهُ مِنْهُ، وَحَبَسُوا الْقَاهِرَ مَكَانَهُ، ثُمَّ سَلَّمُوهُ، وَهَرَبَ وَزِيرُهُ الْخُصَيْبِيُّ وَسَلَامَةُ حَاجِبُهُ. وَقِيلَ فِي سَبَبِ خَلْعِهِ وَقِيَامِ السَّاجِيَّةِ وَالْحَجَرِيَّةِ غَيْرُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ، وَهُوَ أَنَّ الْقَاهِرَ لَمَّا تَمَكَّنَ مِنَ الْخِلَافَةِ، أَقْبَلَ يَنْقُصُ السَّاجِيَّةَ وَالْحَجَرِيَّةَ عَلَى مَمَرِّ الْأَيَّامِ، وَلَا يَقْضِي لِأَكَابِرِهِمْ حَاجَةً، وَيُلْزِمُهُمُ النَّوْبَةَ فِي دَارِهِ، وَيُؤَخِّرُ أُعْطِيَاتِهِمْ، وَيُغْلِطُ لِمَنْ يُخَاطِبُهُ مِنْهُمْ فِي أَمْرٍ، وَيَحْرِمُهُ، فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ يُنْذِرُ بَعْضًا، وَيَتَشَاكَوْنَ بَيْنَهُمْ، ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ لِسَلَامَةَ حَاجِبِهِ: يَا سَلَامَةُ، أَنْتَ بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ كَنْزُ مَالٍ يَمْشِي، فَأَيُّ شَيْءٍ يَبِينُ فِي مَالِكَ لَوْ أَعْطَيْتَنِي أَلْفَ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ ؟ فَيَحْمِلُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ عَلَى الْهَزْلِ. وَكَانَ وَزِيرُهُ الْخُصَيْبِيُّ أَيْضًا خَائِفًا لِمَا يَرَى مِنْهُ، ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ حَفَرَ فِي الدَّارِ نَحْوَ خَمْسِينَ مَطْمُورَةً تَحْتَ الْأَرْضِ، وَأَحْكَمَ أَبْوَابَهَا، فَكَانَ يُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ عَمِلَهَا لِمُقَدِّمِي السَّاجِيَّةِ وَالْحَجَرِيَّةِ، فَازْدَادَ نُفُورُهُمْ مِنْهُ وَخَوْفُهُمْ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ جَمَاعَةً مِنَ الْقَرَامِطَةِ أَخَذُوا بِفَارِسَ وَأَرْسَلُوا إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ، كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ، فَحُبِسُوا فِي تِلْكَ الْمَطَامِيرِ، ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ سِرًّا بِفَتْحِ الْأَبْوَابِ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَالْإِحْسَانِ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَعَزَمَ عَلَى أَنْ يَقْوَى بِهِمْ عَلَى الْقَبْضِ عَلَى مُقَدِّمِي الْحَجَرِيَّةِ وَالسَّاجِيَّةِ، وَبِمَنْ مَعَهُ مِنْ غِلْمَانِهِ. وَأَنْكَرَ الْحَجَرِيَّةُ وَالسَّاجِيَّةُ حَالَ الْقَرَامِطَةِ، وَكَوْنِهِمْ مَعَهُ فِي دَارِهِ مُحْسِنًا إِلَيْهِمْ، وَقَالُوا لِوَزِيرِهِ الْخُصَيْبِيِّ، وَحَاجِبِهِ سَلَامَةَ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَا لَهُ، فَأَخْرَجَهُمْ مِنَ الدَّارِ، فَسَلَّمَهُمْ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَاقُوتٍ، وَهُوَ عَلَى شُرْطَةِ بَغْدَاذَ، فَأَنْزَلَهُمْ فِي دَارٍ، وَأَحْسَنَ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَكَانَ يَدْخُلُ إِلَيْهِمْ مَنْ يُرِيدُ، فَعَظُمَ اسْتِيحَاشُهُمْ. ثُمَّ صَارَ يَذُمُّهُمْ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ، وَيُظْهِرُ كَرَاهَتَهُمْ، حَتَّى تَبَيَّنُوا ذَلِكَ فِي وَجْهِهِ وَحَرَكَاتِهِ مَعَهُمْ، فَأَظْهَرُوا أَنَّ لِبَعْضِ قُوَّادِهِمْ عُرْسًا، فَاجْتَمَعُوا بِحُجَّتِهِ، وَقَرَّرُوا بَيْنَهُمْ مَا أَرَادُوا، وَافْتَرَقُوا، وَأَرْسَلُوا إِلَى سَابُوُرَ خَادِمِ وَالِدَةِ الْمُقْتَدِرِ، فَقَالُوا لَهُ: قَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا فَعَلَهُ بِمَوْلَاتِكَ، وَقَدْ رَكِبَتْ فِي مُوَافَقَتِهِ كُلَّ عَظِيمٍ، فَإِنْ وَافَقْتَنَا عَلَى مَا نَحْنُ عَلَيْهِ، وَتَقَدَّمْتَ إِلَى الْخَدَمِ بِحِفْظِهِ، فَعَفَا اللَّهُ عَمَّا سَلَفَ مِنْكَ، وَإِلَّا فَنَحْنُ نَبْدَأُ بِكَ، فَأَعْلَمَهُمْ مَا عِنْدَهُ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْكَرَاهَةِ لِلْقَاهِرِ، وَأَنَّهُ مُوَافِقُهُمْ، وَكَانَ ابْنُ مُقْلَةَ مَعَ هَذَا يَصْنَعُ عَلَيْهِ وَيَسْعَى فِيهِ إِلَى أَنْ خُلِعَ، كَمَا ذَكَرْنَا، وَكَانَتْ خِلَافَتُهُ سَنَةً وَاحِدَةً وَسِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ. وَاضْطَرَبَتْ بَغْدَادُ وَنُهِبَتْ، وَذَلِكَ يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ لِثَلَاثٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْأُولَى مِنْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ، ثُمَّ أَحْضَرُوهُ، فَسَمَلُوا عَيْنَيْهِ حَتَّى سَالَتَا عَلَى خَدَّيْهِ، وَارْتُكِبَ مِنْهُ أَمْرٌ عَظِيمٌ لَمْ يُسْمَعْ بِمِثْلِهِ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ، ثُمَّ أَرْسَلُوهُ، فَكَانَ تَارَةً يُحْبَسُ، وَتَارَةً يُخَلَّى سَبِيلُهُ، وَقَدْ تَأَخَّرَ مَوْتُهُ إِلَى سَنَةِ ثَلَاثٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ وَثَلَاثِمِائَةٍ، وَافْتَقَرَ حَتَّى قَامَ يَوْمًا بِجَامِعِ الْمَنْصُورِ، فَسَأَلَ فَأَعْطَاهُ رَجُلٌ خَمْسَمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ، وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ إِنَّمَا أَرَادَ بِهَذَا الصَّنِيعِ التَّشْنِيعَ عَلَى الْمُسْتَكْفِي بِاللَّهِ فَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَسَتَأْتِي تَرْجَمَتُهُ إِذَا ذَكَرْنَا وَفَاتَهُ.
Translation
✧ Mention of the deposition of al-Qāhir bi'llāh In this year, al-Qāhir bi'llāh was deposed in Jumādā al-Ūlā. The reason for that was that Abū ʿAlī b. Muqlah was in hiding from al-Qāhir, who was searching for him, and likewise al-Ḥasan b. Hārūn. The two of them kept corresponding with the commanders of the Sājiyyah and the Ḥajariyyah, warning them of his evil and reminding them of his treachery and breaking of oaths time after time, such as the killing of Muʾnis, Bulayq, and his son ʿAlī after swearing oaths to them, and his seizure of Ṭarīf al-Subkarī after swearing an oath to him, despite Ṭarīf's sincere advice to him, and other such things. Ibn Muqlah used to meet with the commanders at night, sometimes in the guise of a blind man, sometimes in the guise of a beggar, and sometimes in the guise of a woman, inciting them against him. Then he gave an astrologer who served Sīmā two hundred dinars, and al-Ḥasan gave him one hundred dinars. The astrologer used to tell Sīmā that his horoscope indicated that al-Qāhir would bring him misfortune and kill him. Ibn Muqlah also gave money to a dream interpreter who served Sīmā, interpreting his dreams. He too used to warn him against al-Qāhir and interpret dreams for him as desired, so his aversion to al-Qāhir increased. Then al-Qāhir began building underground dungeons in the palace. It was said to Sīmā and a group of commanders of the Sājiyyah and the Ḥajariyyah that these were being built because of them, so their aversion increased. It was conveyed to Sīmā that al-Qāhir wanted to kill him, so he assembled the Sājiyyah, whose chief and leader he was, gave them weapons, and they sent word to the Ḥajariyyah: "If you are with us, come to us so that we may swear oaths to one another and have a single word." They all gathered and swore to unite their word and kill any among them who opposed. This reached al-Qāhir and his vizier al-Khuṣaybī. The vizier sent to them: "What has led you to this?" They said: "It has become clear to us that al-Qāhir wishes to seize Sīmā, and he has built dungeons in which to imprison our commanders and chiefs." On Wednesday, six nights remaining of Jumādā al-Ūlā, the Sājiyyah and the Ḥajariyyah gathered at Sīmā's and swore to unite in seizing al-Qāhir. Sīmā said to them: "Arise with us immediately to carry out this resolve, for if it is delayed, he will learn of it, take precautions, and destroy us." This reached the vizier, who sent the chamberlain Salāmah and ʿĪsā the physician to inform him of it. They found him asleep, having drunk most of the night, and were unable to inform him. The Ḥajariyyah and Sājiyyah marched to the palace. Sīmā posted men at its gates to guard them, while he remained at the public gate. They stormed into the palace from all the gates. When al-Qāhir heard the voices and clamor, he awoke hungover, and sought a gate through which to flee. He was told that all the gates were full of men, so he fled to the roof of a bathhouse. When the men entered and did not find him, they seized the servants and asked about him. A young servant pointed him out to them. They went to him and saw him with a sword in his hand. They tried hard to make him come down, but he would not. They softened their words and said: "We are your slaves; we only want to take oaths from you." He did not accept from them and said: "Whoever climbs up to me I will kill." One of them took an arrow and said: "Come down, or I will place it in your throat." Then he came down to them. They seized him and took him to the place where Ṭarīf al-Subkarī was, opened it, brought him out, and imprisoned al-Qāhir in his place. Then they released him. His vizier al-Khuṣaybī and his chamberlain Salāmah fled. It is also said that the reason for his deposition and the uprising of the Sājiyyah and Ḥajariyyah was other than what preceded: When al-Qāhir became firmly established in the caliphate, he began to diminish the Sājiyyah and Ḥajariyyah as the days passed, not fulfilling the needs of their leaders, requiring them to take turns at his palace, delaying their stipends, speaking harshly to any of them who addressed him about a matter, and denying him. So some began to warn one another, and they complained among themselves. Then he used to say to his chamberlain Salāmah: "O Salāmah, you are before me a walking treasure of wealth. What would appear of your wealth if you gave me a million dinars?" This made Salāmah take it as jest. His vizier al-Khuṣaybī was also afraid because of what he saw from him. Then he dug about fifty underground dungeons beneath the earth in the palace and secured their doors. It was said that he made them for the commanders of the Sājiyyah and Ḥajariyyah, so their aversion and fear of him increased. Then a group of Qarāmiṭah were captured in Fārs and sent to Baghdad, as previously mentioned, and were imprisoned in those dungeons. Then he gave a secret order to open the doors for them and treat them well, intending to strengthen himself through them to seize the commanders of the Ḥajariyyah and Sājiyyah and those of his pages who were with him. The Ḥajariyyah and Sājiyyah disapproved of the situation of the Qarāmiṭah and their being with him in his palace while he treated them well. They spoke to his vizier al-Khuṣaybī and his chamberlain Salāmah about that, and the two told him, so he expelled them from the palace and handed them over to Muḥammad b. Yāqūt, who was in charge of the police of Baghdad. He lodged them in a house and treated them well. Whoever wished could enter to see them, and their anxiety grew greatly. Then he began to denounce them in his assembly and show his dislike of them, until they perceived that in his face and his movements with them. They announced that one of their commanders was holding a wedding feast, and gathering under that pretext, they settled among themselves what they wanted, then dispersed. They sent to Sābūr, the servant of the mother of al-Muqtadir, saying: "You know what he did to your mistress, and she suffered every great hardship in supporting him. If you agree with us in what we are about, and instruct the servants to guard him, then may God pardon what is past of your conduct; otherwise, we will begin with you." He informed them of the fear and aversion he had toward al-Qāhir and that he was with them. All the while Ibn Muqlah was plotting against him and working for his downfall until he was deposed, as we have mentioned. His caliphate lasted one year, six months, and eight days. Baghdad fell into turmoil and was plundered. That was on Saturday, three nights remaining of Jumādā al-Ūlā of this year. Then they brought him and gouged out his eyes until they flowed down his cheeks. A grave thing was done to him, the like of which had not been heard of in Islam. Then they released him, and he was sometimes imprisoned and sometimes set free. His death was delayed until the year 333. He became poor, until one day he stood in the mosque of al-Manṣūr and begged, and a man gave him five hundred dirhams. It is said that he only did this to disgrace al-Mustakfī bi'llāh, but God knows best. His biography will come when we mention his death.
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