Tarikh (al-Tabari) 397
the accounts of past peoples from the Israelites and others
حَدِيثُ ابْنِ مَلَكٍ مُتَزَهِّدٍ مِنْهُمْ: عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمُزَنِيِّ، قَالَ: كَانَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ مُلُوكِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَدْ أُعْطِيَ طُولَ عُمْرٍ وَكَثْرَةَ مَالٍ وَكَثْرَةَ أَوْلَادٍ، وَكَانَ أَوْلَادُهُ إِذَا كَبِرَ أَحَدُهُمْ لَبِسَ [ ثِيَابَ ] الشَّعْرِ، وَلِحَقَ بِالْجِبَالِ، وَأَكَلَ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ، وَسَاحَ فِي الْأَرْضِ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهُ الْمَوْتُ، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ جَمَاعَتُهُمْ حَتَّى تَتَابَعَ بَنُوهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ. فَأَصَابَ وَلَدًا بَعْدَ كِبَرٍ، فَدَعَا قَوْمَهُ وَقَالَ: إِنِّي أَصَبْتُ وَلَدًا بَعْدَ مَا كَبِرْتُ، وَتَرَوْنَ شَفَقَتِي عَلَيْكُمْ، وَإِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يَتْبَعَ [ هَذَا ] سُنَّةَ إِخْوَتِهِ، وَأَنَا أَخَافُ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ وَلَدِي بَعْدِي، فَبَنَوْا لَهُ حَائِطًا فَرْسَخًا فِي فَرْسَخٍ، فَكَانَ فِيهِ دَهْرًا مِنْ دَهْرِهِ. ثُمَّ رَكِبَ يَوْمًا فَإِذَا عَلَيْهِ حَائِطٌ مُصْمَتٌ، فَقَالَ: إِنِّي أَحْسَبُ أَنَّ خَلْفَ هَذَا الْحَائِطِ أُنَاسًا وَعَالَمًا آخَرَ، فَأَخْرَجُونِي أَزْدَدْ عِلْمًا وَأَلْقَى النَّاسَ. فَقِيلَ ذَلِكَ لِأَبِيهِ، فَفَزِعَ وَخَشِيَ أَنْ يَتْبَعَ سُنَةَ إِخْوَتِهِ، فَقَالَ: اجْمَعُوا عَلَيْهِ كُلَّ لَهْوٍ وَلَعِبٍ، فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ. ثُمَّ رَكِبَ فِي السَّنَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ، فَقَالَ: لَا بُدَّ مِنَ الْخُرُوجِ، فَأُخْبِرَ بِذَلِكَ الشَّيْخُ، فَقَالَ: أَخْرِجُوهُ، فَحُمِلَ عَلَى عَجَلَةٍ وَكُلِّلَ بِالزَّبَرْجَدِ وَالذَّهَبِ، وَصَارَ حَوْلَهُ حَافَّتَانِ مِنَ النَّاسِ. فَبَيْنَا هُوَ يَسِيرُ إِذَا هُوَ بِرَجُلٍ مُبْتَلًى، فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا ؟ قَالُوا: رَجُلٌ مُبْتَلًى، فَقَالَ: أَيُصِيبُ نَاسًا دُونَ نَاسٍ أَوَ كُلٌّ خَائِفٌ لَهُ ؟ قَالُوا: كُلٌّ خَائِفُ لَهُ، قَالَ: وَأَنَا فِيمَا أَنَا فِيهِ مِنَ السُّلْطَانِ ؟ قَالُوا: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: أُفٍّ لِعَيْشِكُمْ هَذَا، [ هَذَا ] عَيْشٌ كَدِرٌ. فَرَجَعَ مَغْمُومًا مَحْزُونًا، فَقِيلَ لِأَبِيهِ، فَقَالَ: انْشُرُوا عَلَيْهِ كُلَّ لَهْوٍ وَبَاطِلٍ حَتَّى تَنْزِعُوا مِنْ قَلْبِهِ هَذَا الْحُزْنَ وَالْغَمَّ. فَلَبِثَ حَوْلًا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَخْرِجُونِي، فَأُخْرِجَ عَلَى مِثْلِ حَالِهِ الْأَوَّلِ، فَبَيْنَا هُوَ يَسِيرُ إِذَا هُوَ بَرْجَلٌ قَدْ أَصَابَهُ الْهَرَمُ وَلُعَابُهُ يَسِيلُ مِنْ فِيهِ، فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا ؟ قَالُوا: رَجُلٌ قَدْ هَرِمَ، قَالَ: يُصِيبُ نَاسًا دُونَ نَاسٍ، أَوَ كُلُّ خَائِفٍ لَهُ إِنْ هُوَ عَمَّرَ ؟ قَالُوا: كُلُّ خَائِفٍ [ لَهُ ]، قَالَ: أُفٍّ لِعَيْشِكُمْ هَذَا، [ هَذَا ] عَيْشٌ لَا يَصْفُو [ لِأَحَدٍ ]. فَأُخْبِرَ بِذَلِكَ أَبُوهُ، فَقَالَ: احْشَرُوا عَلَيْهِ كُلَّ لَهْوٍ وَبَاطِلٍ. فَحَشَرُوا عَلَيْهِ. فَمَكَثَ حَوْلًا ثُمَّ رَكِبَ عَلَى مِثْلِ حَالِهِ. فَبَيْنَا هُوَ يَسِيرُ إِذَا هُوَ بِسَرِيرٍ تَحْمِلُهُ الرِّجَالُ عَلَى عَوَاتِقِهَا، فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا ؟ قَالُوا: رَجُلٌ مَاتَ، قَالَ لَهُمْ: وَمَا الْمَوْتُ ؟ ائْتُونِي بِهِ، فَأَتَوْهُ بِهِ، فَقَالَ: أَجْلَسُوهُ، فَقَالُوا: إِنَّهُ لَا يَجْلِسُ، قَالَ: كَلِّمُوهُ، قَالُوا: إِنَّهُ لَا يَتَكَلَّمُ. قَالَ: فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ بِهِ، قَالُوا: نَدْفِنُهُ تَحْتَ الثَّرَى، قَالَ: فَيَكُونُ مَاذَا بَعْدُ هَذَا ؟ قَالُوا: الْحَشْرُ، قَالَ: وَمَا الْحَشْرُ ؟ قَالُوا: يَوْمَ يَقُومُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ حُفَاةً عُرَاةً مُكَشَّفِي الرُّءُوسِ، فَيُجْزَى كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ عَلَى قَدْرِ حَسَنَاتِهِ وَسَيِّئَاتِهِ، قَالَ: وَلَكُمْ دَارٌ غَيْرُ هَذِهِ تُجَازَوْنَ فِيهَا ؟ قَالُوا: نَعَمْ، فَرَمَى بِنَفْسِهِ مِنَ الْفَرَسِ وَجَعَلَ يُعَفِّرُ وَجْهَهُ فِي التُّرَابِ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: مِنْ هَذَا كُنْتُ أَخْشَى، كَادَ هَذَا يَأْتِي عَلَيَّ، وَأَنَا لَا أَعْلَمُ بِهِ، أَمَا وَرَبِّ مَنْ يُعْطِي وَيَحْشُرُ وَيُجَازِي، إِنَّ هَذَا آخَرُ الدَّهْرِ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ، فَلَا سَبِيلَ لَكُمْ عَلَيَّ بَعْدَ هَذَا الْيَوْمِ، فَقَالُوا: لَا نَدْعُكَ حَتَّى نَرُدَّكَ إِلَى أَبِيكَ. قَالَ: فَرَدُّوهُ إِلَى أَبِيهِ، وَقَدْ كَادَ يَنْزِفُ دَمُهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا بُنَيَّ، مَا هَذَا الْجَزَعُ ؟ قَالَ: جَزَعِي لِيَوْمٍ يُجَازَى فِيهِ الصَّغِيرُ وَالْكَبِيرُ عَلَى مَا عَمِلَا مِنْ خَيْرٍ وَشَرٍّ. فَدَعَا بِثِيَابٍ مِنَ الشَّعْرِ فَلَبِسَهَا، وَقَالَ: إِنِّي عَازِمٌ فِي اللَّيْلِ أَنْ أُخْرِجَ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ [ فِي ] نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ، أَوْ قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ خَرَجَ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ مِنْ بَابِ الْقَصْرِ، قَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ أَمْرًا لَيْسَ لِي مِنْهُ قَلِيلٌ وَلَا كَثِيرٌ، وَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ فِيهِ الْمَقَادِيرُ. إِلَهِي لَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّ الْمَاءَ كَانَ فِي الْمَاءِ، وَأَنَّ الطِّينَ كَانَ فِي الطِّينِ، وَلَمْ أَنْظُرْ بِعَيْنِي إِلَى الدُّنْيَا نَظْرَةً وَاحِدَةً. قَالَ بَكْرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ: فَهَذَا رَجُلٌ خَرَجَ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ [ وَاحِدٍ ] لَا يَعْلَمُ مَا عَلَيْهِ فِيهِ، فَكَيْفَ بِمَنْ يُذْنِبُ وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ بِمَا عَلَيْهِ، وَلَا يَتَحَرَّجُ وَلَا يَجْزَعُ وَلَا يَتُوبُ.
Translation
✧ The hadith of Ibn Malak, an ascetic among them: From Bakr b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Muzanī, who said: There was a man among the kings of the Children of Israel who had been granted length of life, abundant wealth, and many children. Whenever one of his children grew up, he would wear [garments of] hair, join the mountains, eat from the trees, and wander the earth until death came to him. All of them did that, until his sons followed one another in this practice. Then he had a son in his old age. He called his people and said: “I have had a son after I grew old, and you see my compassion for you. I fear that this one may follow the way of his brothers, and I fear that after me there may be no one of my children over you.” So they built for him a walled enclosure a parasang by a parasang, and he remained in it for a long time. Then one day he rode out and found himself before a solid wall. He said: “I think that behind this wall there are people and another world. Let me out so that I may increase in knowledge and meet people.” This was reported to his father, who became alarmed and feared he would follow the way of his brothers. He said: “Gather for him every amusement and game.” So they did that. Then he rode out in the second year and said: “There is no avoiding going out.” The old man was informed of this, and he said: “Let him go out.” So he was carried on a chariot and crowned with chrysolite and gold, and two rows of people walked around him. While he was traveling, he came upon a man afflicted with calamity. He said: “What is this?” They said: “A man afflicted.” He said: “Does it befall some people and not others, or does everyone fear it?” They said: “Everyone fears it.” He said: “And I, in the authority I am in?” They said: “Yes.” He said: “Ugh to this life of yours! This is a turbid life.” He returned grieved and sad. This was reported to his father, who said: “Spread before him every amusement and vanity until you remove this sadness and grief from his heart.” He remained for a year, then said: “Let me out.” He was brought out in a state like his first, and while he was traveling, he came upon a man whom old age had stricken, with saliva flowing from his mouth. He said: “What is this?” They said: “A man grown old.” He said: “Does it befall some people and not others, or does everyone fear it if he lives long?” They said: “Everyone fears it.” He said: “Ugh to this life of yours! This is a life that is not pure for anyone.” His father was informed of this, and he said: “Assemble for him every amusement and vanity.” So they assembled for him. He stayed for a year, then rode out in a state like his previous one. While he was traveling, he came upon a bier carried by men on their shoulders. He said: “What is this?” They said: “A man who has died.” He said to them: “And what is death? Bring him to me.” They brought him to him. He said: “Make him sit.” They said: “He cannot sit.” He said: “Speak to him.” They said: “He cannot speak.” He said: “Where are you taking him?” They said: “We bury him under the soil.” He said: “What will happen after this?” They said: “The gathering.” He said: “And what is the gathering?” They said: “The day when people will stand before the Lord of the worlds, barefoot, naked, with heads uncovered, and each one will be recompensed according to the measure of his good deeds and evil deeds.” He said: “Do you have an abode other than this in which you will be recompensed?” They said: “Yes.” So he threw himself from the horse and began to rub his face in the dust, and he said to them: “It was this that I feared. This nearly came upon me while I did not know of it. By the Lord of the one who gives, gathers, and recompenses, this is the last of the age between me and you, and there is no way for you over me after this day.” They said: “We will not leave you until we return you to your father.” He said: So they returned him to his father, his blood nearly drained. He said to him: “O my son, what is this distress?” He said: “My distress for a day in which the small and the great will be recompensed for what they did of good and evil.” So he called for garments of hair and put them on, and said: “I am resolved to go out tonight.” When it was midnight, or close to it, he went out. When he left the gate of the palace, he said: “O God, I ask You for a matter in which I have neither little nor much, and in which the decrees have already preceded. My God, I wish that the water had been in the water and the clay had been in the clay, and that I had not looked with my eye at this world even once.” Bakr b. ʿAbd Allāh said: This is a man who departed on account of a single sin, not knowing what was upon him because of it. How then is it for one who sins while knowing what is upon him, and does not refrain, does not grieve, and does not repent.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.