Tarikh (al-Tabari) 556
Genealogy of Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Some Accounts of His Forefathers and Ancestors
يَوْمُ مَرْجِ حَلِيمَةَ وَقَتْلِ الْمُنْذِرِ بْنِ الْمُنْذِرِ بْنِ مَاءِ السَّمَاءِ لَمَّا قُتِلَ الْمُنْذِرُ بْنُ مَاءِ السَّمَاءِ، عَلَى مَا تَقَدَّمَ، مَلَكَ بَعْدَهُ ابْنُهُ الْمُنْذِرُ وَتَلَقَّبَ الْأَسْوَدَ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَقَرَّ وَثَبَّتَ قَدَمَهُ جَمَعَ عَسَاكِرَهُ وَسَارَ إِلَى الْحَارِثِ الْأَعْرَجِ طَالِبًا بِثَأْرِ أَبِيهِ عِنْدَهُ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ: إِنَّنِي قَدْ أَعْدَدْتُ لَكَ الْكُهُولَ عَلَى الْفُحُولِ، فَأَجَابَهُ الْحَارِثُ: قَدْ أَعْدَدْتُ لَكَ الْمُرْدَ عَلَى الْجُرْدِ. فَسَارَ الْمُنْذِرُ حَتَّى نَزَلَ بِمَرْجِ حَلِيمَةَ، فَتَرَكَهُ مَنْ بِهِ مِنْ غَسَّانَ لِلْأَسْوَدِ. وَإِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ مَرْجَ حَلِيمَةَ بِحَلِيمَةَ ابْنَةِ الْحَارِثِ الْغَسَّانِيِّ، وَسَنَذْكُرُ خَبَرَهَا عِنْدَ الْفَرَاغِ مِنْ هَذَا الْيَوْمِ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْحَارِثَ سَارَ فَنَزَلَ بِالْمَرْجِ أَيْضًا، فَأَمَرَ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي فِي الْمَرْجِ أَنْ يَصْنَعُوا الطَّعَامَ لِعَسْكَرِهِ، فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ وَحَمَلُوهُ فِي الْجِفَانِ وَتَرَكُوهُ فِي الْعَسْكَرِ، فَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الطَّعَامَ جَاءَ إِلَى تِلْكَ الْجِفَانِ فَأَكَلَ مِنْهَا. فَأَقَامَتِ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَ الْأَسْوَدِ وَالْحَارِثِ أَيَّامًا لَمْ يَنْتَصِفْ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْحَارِثُ ذَلِكَ قَعَدَ فِي قَصْرِهِ وَدَعَا ابْنَتَهُ هِنْدًا وَأَمْرَهَا فَاتَّخَذَتْ طِيبًا كَثِيرًا فِي الْجِفَانِ وَطَيَّبَتْ بِهِ أَصْحَابَهُ، ثُمَّ نَادَى: يَا فِتْيَانَ غَسَّانَ مَنْ قَتَلَ مَلِكَ الْحِيرَةِ زَوَّجْتُهُ ابْنَتِي هِنْدًا. فَقَالَ لَبِيدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الْغَسَّانِيُّ لِأَبِيهِ: يَا أَبَتِ أَنَا قَاتِلُ مَلِكِ الْحِيرَةِ أَوْ مَقْتُولٌ دُونَهُ لَا مَحَالَةَ، وَلَسْتُ أَرْضَى فَرَسِي فَأَعْطِنِي فَرَسَكَ الزَّيْتِيَّةَ. فَأَعْطَاهُ فَرَسَهُ. فَلَمَّا زَحَفَ النَّاسُ وَاقْتَتَلُوا سَاعَةً، شَدَّ لَبِيدٌ عَلَى الْأَسْوَدِ فَضَرَبَهُ ضَرْبَةً فَأَلْقَاهُ عَنْ فَرَسِهِ، وَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُهُ فِي كُلِّ وَجْهٍ، وَنَزَلَ فَاحْتَزَّ رَأْسَهُ وَأَقْبَلَ بِهِ إِلَى الْحَارِثِ، وَهُوَ عَلَى قَصْرِهِ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَأَلْقَى الرَّأْسَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ الْحَارِثُ: شَأْنَكَ بِابْنَةِ عَمِّكِ فَقَدْ زَوَّجْتُكَهَا. فَقَالَ: بَلْ أَنْصَرِفُ فَأُوَاسِي أَصْحَابِي بِنَفْسِي فَإِذَا انْصَرَفَ النَّاسُ انْصَرَفْتُ. فَرَجَعَ فَصَادَفَ أَخَاهُ الْأَسْوَدَ قَدْ رَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ النَّاسُ وَهُوَ يُقَاتِلُ وَقَدِ اشْتَدَّتْ نِكَايَتُهُ، فَتَقَدَّمَ لَبِيدٌ فَقَاتَلَ فَقُتِلَ، وَلَمْ يُقْتَلْ فِي هَذِهِ الْحَرْبِ بَعْدَ تِلْكَ الْهَزِيمَةِ غَيْرُهُ، وَانْهَزَمَتْ لَخْمٌ هَزِيمَةً ثَانِيَةً وَقُتِلُوا فِي كُلِّ وَجْهٍ، وَانْصَرَفَتْ غَسَّانُ بِأَحْسَنِ ظَفَرٍ. وَذُكِرَ أَنَّ الْغُبَارَ فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ اشْتَدَّ وَكَثُرَ حَتَّى سَتَرَ الشَّمْسَ، وَحَتَّى ظَهَرَتِ الْكَوَاكِبُ الْمُتَبَاعِدَةُ عَنْ مَطَالِعِ الشَّمْسِ لِكَثْرَةِ الْعَسَاكِرِ، لِأَنَّ الْأَسْوَدَ سَارَ بِعَرَبِ الْعِرَاقِ أَجْمَعَ، وَسَارَ الْحَارِثُ بِعَرَبِ الشَّامِ أَجْمَعَ، وَهَذَا الْيَوْمُ مِنْ أَشْهَرِ أَيَّامِ الْعَرَبِ، وَقَدْ فَخَرَ بِهِ بَعْضُ شُعَرَاءِ غَسَّانَ فَقَالَ: يَوْمَ وَادِي حَلِيمَةَ وَازْدَلَفْنَا بِالْعَنَاجِيجِ وَالرِّمَاحِ الظِّمَاءِ إِذْ شَحَنَّا أَكُفَّنَا مِنْ رِقَاقٍ رَقَّ مِنْ وَقْعِهَا سَنَا السَّحْنَاءِ وَأَتَتْ هِنْدٌ بِالْخَلُوقِ إِلَى مَنْ كَانَ ذَا نَجْدَةٍ وَفَضْلِ غَنَاءِ وَنَصَبْنَا الْجِفَانَ فِي سَاحَةِ الْمَرْ جِ فَمِلْنَا إِلَى جِفَانٍ مِلَاءِ وَقِيلَ فِي قَتْلِهِ غَيْرُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ، وَنَحْنُ نَذْكُرُهُ. قَالَ بَعْضُ الْعُلَمَاءِ: وَكَانَ سَبَبَهُ أَنَّ الْحَارِثَ بْنَ أَبِي شِمْرٍ جَبَلَةَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ الْأَعْرَجَ الْغَسَّانِيَّ خَطَبَ إِلَى الْمُنْذِرِ بْنِ الْمُنْذِرِ اللَّخْمِيِّ ابْنَتَهُ وَقَصَدَ انْقِطَاعَ الْحَرْبِ بَيْنَ لَخْمٍ وَغَسَّانَ، فَزَوَّجَهُ الْمُنْذِرُ ابْنَتَهُ هِنْدًا، وَكَانَتْ لَا تُرِيدُ الرِّجَالَ، فَصَنَعَتْ بِجِلْدِهَا شَبِيهًا بِالْبَرَصِ وَقَالَتْ لِأَبِيهَا: أَنَا عَلَى هَذِهِ الْحَالَةِ وَتُهْدِينِي لِمَلِكِ غَسَّانَ ؟ فَنَدِمَ عَلَى تَزْوِيجِهَا فَأَمْسَكَهَا. ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْحَارِثَ أَرْسَلَ يَطْلُبُهَا فَمَنَعَهَا أَبُوهَا وَاعْتَلَّ عَلَيْهِ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْمُنْذِرَ خَرَجَ غَازِيًا، فَبَعَثَ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَبِي شِمْرٍ جَيْشًا إِلَى الْحِيرَةِ فَانْتَهَبَهَا وَأَحْرَقَهَا. فَانْصَرَفَ الْمُنْذِرُ مِنْ غَزَاتِهِ لَمَّا بَلَغَهُ مِنَ الْخَبَرِ، فَسَارَ يُرِيدُ غَسَّانَ، وَبَلَغَ الْخَبَرُ الْحَارِثَ فَجَمَعَ أَصْحَابَهُ وَقَوْمَهُ فَسَارَ بِهِمْ، فَتَوَافَقُوا بِعَيْنِ أُبَاغٍ فَاصْطَفُّوا لِلْقِتَالِ فَاقْتَتَلُوا وَاشْتَدَّ الْأَمْرُ بَيْنَ الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ، فَحَمَلَتْ مَيْمَنَةُ الْمُنْذِرِ عَلَى مَيْسَرَةِ الْحَارِثِ، وَفِيهَا ابْنُهُ فَقَتَلُوهُ، وَانْهَزَمَتِ الْمَيْسَرَةُ، وَحَمَلَتْ مَيْمَنَةُ الْحَارِثِ عَلَى مَيْسَرَةِ الْمُنْذِرِ فَانْهَزَمَ مَنْ بِهَا وَقُتِلَ مُقَدِّمُهَا فَرْوَةُ بْنُ مَسْعُودِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَبِي رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ ذُهْلِ بْنِ شَيْبَانَ، وَحَمَلَتْ غَسَّانُ مِنَ الْقَلْبِ عَلَى الْمُنْذِرِ فَقَتَلُوهُ وَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُهُ فِي كُلِّ وَجْهٍ، فَقُتِلَ مِنْهُمْ بَشَرٌ كَثِيرٌ وَأُسِرَ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، مِنْهُمْ مِنْ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ بَنِي حَنْظَلَةَ مِائَةُ أَسِيرٍ، مِنْهُمْ شَأْسُ بْنُ عَبَدَةَ، فَوَفَدَ أَخُوهُ عَلْقَمَةُ بْنُ عَبَدَةَ الشَّاعِرُ عَلَى الْحَارِثِ يَطْلُبُ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يُطْلِقَ أَخَاهُ، وَمَدَحَهُ بِقَصِيدَتِهِ الْمَشْهُورَةِ الَّتِي أَوَّلُهَا: طَحَا بِكَ قَلْبٌ فِي الْحِسَانِ طَرُوبُ بُعَيْدَ الشَّبَابِ عَصْرَ حَانَ مَشِيبُ تُكَلِّفُنِي لَيْلَى وَقَدْ شَطَّ أَهْلُهَا وَعَادَتْ عَوَادٍ بَيْنَنَا وَخُطُوبُ يَقُولُ فِيهَا: فَإِنْ تَسْأَلُونِي بِالنِّسَاءِ فَإِنَّنِي بَصِيرٌ بِأَدْوَاءِ النِّسَاءِ طَبِيبُ إِذَا شَابَ رَأْسُ الْمَرْءِ أَوْ قَلَّ مَالُهُ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ فِي وُدِّهِنَّ نَصِيبُ يُرِدْنَ ثَرَاءَ الْمَالِ حَيْثُ وَجَدْنَهُ وَشَرْخُ الشَّبَابِ عِنْدَهُنَّ عَجِيبُ وَقَاتَلَ مِنْ غَسَّانَ أَهْلُ حِفَاظِهَا وَهِنْبٌ وَقَاسٌ جَالَدَتْ وَشَبِيبُ تُخَشْخِشُ أَبْدَانُ الْحَدِيدِ عَلَيْهِمُ كَمَا خَشْخَشَتْ يَبْسَ الْحَصَادِ جَنُوبُ فَلَمْ تَنْجُ إِلَّا شَطْبَةٌ بِلِجَامِهَا وَإِلَّا طِمِرٌّ كَالْقَنَاةِ نَجِيبُ وَإِلَّا كَمِيٌّ ذُو حِفَاظٍ كَأَنَّهُ بِمَا ابْتَلَّ مِنْ حَدِّ الظُّبَاتِ خَضِيبُ وَفِي كُلِّ حَيٍّ قَدْ خَبَطْتَ بِنِعْمَةٍ فَحُقَّ لِشَأْسٍ مِنْ نَدَاكَ ذُنُوبُ فَلَا تَحْرِمَنِّي نَائِلًا عَنْ جَنَابَةٍ فَإِنِّي امْرُؤٌ وَسْطَ الْقِبَابِ غَرِيبُ فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ: فَحُقَّ لِشَأْسٍ مِنْ نَدَاكَ ذُنُوبُ، قَالَ الْمَلِكُ: إِي وَاللَّهِ وَأَذْنِبَةٌ، ثُمَّ أَطْلَقَ شَأْسًا وَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنْ شِئْتَ الْحِبَاءَ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ أُسَرَاءَ قَوْمِكَ ؟ وَقَالَ لِجُلَسَائِهِ: إِنِ اخْتَارَ الْحِبَاءَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ فَلَا خَيْرَ فِيهِ. فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ مَا كُنْتُ لِأَخْتَارَ عَلَى قَوْمِي شَيْئًا. فَأَطْلَقَ لَهُ الْأَسْرَى مِنْ تَمِيمٍ وَكَسَاهُ وَحَبَاهُ، وَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ بِالْأَسْرَى جَمِيعَهُمْ وَزَوَّدَهُمْ زَادًا كَثِيرًا. فَلَمَّا بَلَغُوا بِلَادَهُمْ أَعْطَوْا جَمِيعَ ذَلِكَ لِشَأْسٍ وَقَالُوا: أَنْتَ كُنْتَ السَّبَبَ فِي إِطْلَاقِنَا فَاسْتَعِنْ بِهَذَا عَلَى دَهْرِكَ، فَحَصَلَ لَهُ مَالٌ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ إِبِلٍ وَكِسْوَةٍ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ. ( عَبَدَةُ بِفَتْحِ الْعَيْنِ وَالْبَاءِ الْمُوَحَّدَةِ ). وَقِيلَ فِي قَتْلِهِ: إِنَّهُ جَمَعَ عَسْكَرًا ضَخْمًا وَسَارَ حَتَّى نَزَلَ الشَّامَ، وَسَارَ مَلِكُ الشَّامِ، وَهُوَ عِنْدَ الْأَكْثَرِ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَبِي شِمْرٍ، فَنَزَلَ مَرْجَ حَلِيمَةَ، وَهُوَ يُنْسَبُ إِلَى حَلِيمَةَ بِنْتِ الْمَلِكِ، وَنَزَلَ الْمَلِكُ اللَّخْمِيُّ فِي مَرْجِ الصُّفَّرِ، فَسَيَّرَ الْحَارِثُ فَارِسَيْنِ طَلِيعَةً، أَحَدُهُمَا فَارِسُ خَصَافٍ، وَكَانَتْ فَرَسُهُ تَجْرِي عَلَى ثَلَاثٍ فَلَا تُلْحَقُ، فَسَارَا حَتَّى خَالَطَا الْقَوْمَ وَقَرُبَا مِنَ الْمَلِكِ وَأَمَامَهُ شَمْعَةٌ فَقَتَلَا حَامِلَهَا. فَفَزِعَ الْقَوْمُ فَاضْطَرَبُوا بِأَسْيَافِهِمْ فَقَتَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا حَتَّى أَصْبَحُوا، وَأَتَاهُمْ رُسُلُ الْحَارِثِ مَلِكِ غَسَّانَ يَبْذُلُ الصُّلْحَ وَالْإِتَاوَةَ وَقَالَ: إِنِّي بَاعِثٌ رُءُوسَ الْقَبَائِلِ لِتَقْرِيرِ الْحَالِ، وَنَدَبَ أَصْحَابَهُ، فَانْتُدِبَ لَهُ مِائَةُ غُلَامٍ، وَقِيلَ: ثَمَانُونَ غُلَامًا، فَأَلْبَسَهُمُ السِّلَاحَ وَأَمَرَ ابْنَتَهُ حَلِيمَةَ أَنْ تُطَيِّبَهُمْ وَتُلْبِسَهُمْ، فَفَعَلَتْ. فَلَمَّا مَرَّ بِهَا لَبِيدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو فَارِسُ الزَّيْتِيَّةِ قَبَّلَهَا، فَأَتَتْ أَبَاهَا بَاكِيَةً، فَقَالَ: هُوَ أَسَدُ الْقَوْمِ وَلَئِنْ سَلِمَ لَأُنْكِحَنَّهُ إِيَّاكِ، وَأَمَّرَهُ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ وَسَارُوا، فَلَمَّا قَارَبُوا الْعَسْكَرَ الْعِرَاقِيَّ جَمَعَ الْمَلِكُ رُءُوسَ أَصْحَابِهِ. وَجَاءَ الْغَسَّانِيُّونَ وَعَلَيْهِمُ السِّلَاحُ، قَدْ لَبِسُوا فَوْقَهَا الثِّيَابَ وَالْبَرَانِسَ، فَلَمَّا تَتَامُّوا عِنْدَ الْمَلِكِ أَبْدَوُا السِّلَاحَ فَقَتَلُوا مَنْ وَجَدُوا، وَقُتِلَ لَبِيدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو مَلِكُ الْعِرَاقِيِّينَ وَأُحِيطَ بِالْغَسَّانِيِّينَ فَقُتِلُوا إِلَّا لَبِيدَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو، فَإِنَّ فَرَسَهُ لَمْ تَبْرَحْ، فَاسْتَوَى عَلَيْهَا، وَعَادَ فَأَخْبَرَ الْمَلِكَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: قَدْ أَنَكَحْتُكَ ابْنَتِي حَلِيمَةَ. فَقَالَ: لَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ أَنِّي فَلُّ مِائَةٍ، ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَى الْقَوْمِ فَقَاتَلَ فَقُتِلَ. وَتَفَقَّدَ أَهْلُ الْعِرَاقِ أَشْرَافَهُمْ وَإِذَا بِهِمْ قَدْ قُتِلُوا فَضَعُفَتْ نُفُوسُهُمْ لِذَلِكَ وَزَحَفَتْ إِلَيْهِمْ غَسَّانُ فَانْهَزَمُوا. قُلْتُ: قَدِ اخْتَلَفَ النَّسَّابُونَ وَأَهْلُ السِّيَرِ فِي مُدَّةِ الْأَيَّامِ وَتَقْدِيمِ بَعْضِهَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ، وَاخْتَلَفُوا أَيْضًا فِي الْمَقْتُولِ فِيهَا، فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ يَوْمَ حَلِيمَةَ هُوَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي قُتِلَ فِيهِ الْمُنْذِرُ بْنُ مَاءِ السَّمَاءِ، وَيَوْمَ أُبَاغٍ هُوَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي قُتِلَ فِيهِ الْمُنْذِرُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ بِضِدِّ ذَلِكَ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَجْعَلُ الْيَوْمَيْنِ وَاحِدًا فَيَقُولُ: لَمْ يُقْتَلْ إِلَّا الْمُنْذِرُ بْنُ مَاءِ السَّمَاءِ. وَأَمَّا ابْنُهُ الْمُنْذِرُ فَمَاتَ بِالْحِيرَةِ، وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ الْمَقْتُولَ مِنْ مُلُوكِ الْحِيرَةِ غَيْرُهُمَا، فَالصَّحِيحُ أَنَّ الْمَقْتُولَ هُوَ الْمُنْذِرُ بْنُ مَاءِ السَّمَاءِ لَا شَكَّ فِيهِ، وَأَمَّا ابْنُهُ فَفِيهِ خِلَافٌ كَثِيرٌ، وَالْأَصَحُّ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يُقْتَلْ، وَمَنْ أَثْبَتَ قَتْلَهُ اخْتَلَفُوا فِي سَبَبِهِ، عَلَى مَا ذَكَرْنَاهُ. وَإِنَّمَا ذَكَرْتُ اخْتِلَافَهُمْ وَالْحَادِثَةُ وَاحِدَةٌ، لِأَنَّ كُلَّ سَبَبٍ مِنْهَا قَدْ ذَكَرَهُ بَعْضُ الْعُلَمَاءِ، فَمَتَى تَرَكْنَا أَحَدَهُمَا ظَنَّ مَنْ لَيْسَ لَهُ مَعْرِفَةٌ أَنَّ كُلَّ سَبَبٍ مِنْهَا حَادِثٌ مُسْتَقِلٌّ. وَقَدْ أَهْمَلْنَاهُ، فَأَتَيْنَا بِهِمَا جَمِيعًا لِذَلِكَ وَنَبَّهْنَا عَلَيْهِ.
Translation
✧ The Day of Marj Ḥalīmah and the Killing of al-Mundhir b. al-Mundhir b. Māʾ al-Samāʾ When al-Mundhir b. Māʾ al-Samāʾ was killed, as previously mentioned, his son al-Mundhir ruled after him and took the title al-Aswad. When he became established and his footing was firm, he gathered his armies and marched against al-Ḥārith al-Aʿraj, seeking vengeance for his father at his hands. He sent to him: “I have prepared for you the mature men against the stallions.” Al-Ḥārith answered him: “I have prepared for you the beardless youths against the short-haired horses.” So al-Mundhir marched until he encamped at Marj Ḥalīmah, and those with him from Ghassān left him to al-Aswad. It was named Marj Ḥalīmah after Ḥalīmah, daughter of al-Ḥārith al-Ghassānī, and we will mention her account when we finish with this day. Then al-Ḥārith marched and also encamped at the marj. He ordered the people of the villages in the marj to prepare food for his army, and they did so, carried it in large bowls, and left it in the camp. A man would fight, and when he wanted food he would come to those bowls and eat from them. The war between al-Aswad and al-Ḥārith lasted for days without either side gaining the upper hand over the other. When al-Ḥārith saw that, he sat in his palace and summoned his daughter Hind and ordered her, so she prepared much perfume in the bowls and perfumed his companions with it. Then he called out: “O youths of Ghassān, whoever kills the king of al-Ḥīrah, I will marry him to my daughter Hind.” Labīd b. ʿAmr al-Ghassānī said to his father: “O father, I shall kill the king of al-Ḥīrah or be killed instead of him, no doubt. I am not satisfied with my horse, so give me your horse al-Zaytīyah.” He gave him his horse. When the people advanced and fought for a while, Labīd charged at al-Aswad and struck him a blow that flung him from his horse. His companions fled in every direction. He dismounted, cut off his head, and brought it to al-Ḥārith, who was upon his palace watching them. He threw the head before him. Al-Ḥārith said to him: “Take your cousin’s daughter, for I have married her to you.” He said: “Rather let me go back and support my companions with my own self; when the people withdraw, I will withdraw.” He went back and came upon his brother al-Aswad, to whom the people had returned, fighting, and his attack had become fierce. Labīd advanced and fought and was killed. No one else was killed in this war after that rout except him. Lakhm fled a second time and were killed on every side, and Ghassān departed with the finest victory. It is mentioned that the dust on this day became so thick and abundant that it veiled the sun and even the stars far from the sun’s rising places appeared, because of the great number of troops, for al-Aswad marched with all the Arabs of Iraq, and al-Ḥārith marched with all the Arabs of Syria. This day is one of the most famous battle-days of the Arabs. One of the poets of Ghassān boasted of it and said: On the day of Wādī Ḥalīmah we advanced with long-necked steeds and thirsty lances when we filled our palms from thin blades whose gleam refined the splendor of al-Saḥnāʾ and Hind came with perfume to those who possessed courage and abundant sufficiency and we set up the bowls in the open ground of the marj and inclined to bowls that were full. It has been said about his killing something other than what was mentioned, and we will mention it. Some scholars said: The cause was that al-Ḥārith b. Abī Shimr Jabalah b. al-Ḥārith al-Aʿraj al-Ghassānī asked al-Mundhir b. al-Mundhir al-Lakhmī for his daughter in marriage, intending to end the war between Lakhm and Ghassān. Al-Mundhir married his daughter Hind to him. She did not desire men, so she made on her skin something resembling leprosy and said to her father: “I am in this state and you would send me to the king of Ghassān?” He regretted marrying her off and kept her back. Then al-Ḥārith sent to demand her, but her father refused and gave him excuses. Then al-Mundhir went out raiding, and al-Ḥārith b. Abī Shimr sent an army to al-Ḥīrah, plundered it, and burned it. Al-Mundhir returned from his raid when the news reached him and marched intending Ghassān. The news reached al-Ḥārith, so he gathered his companions and his people and marched with them. They met at ʿAyn Ubāgh, drew up in ranks for battle, fought, and the matter became intense between the two parties. The right wing of al-Mundhir charged the left wing of al-Ḥārith, in which was his son, and killed him, and the left wing fled. The right wing of al-Ḥārith charged the left wing of al-Mundhir, and those in it fled, and its commander Farwah b. Masʿūd b. ʿAmr b. Abī Rabīʿah b. Dhuhl b. Shaybān was killed. Ghassān charged from the center at al-Mundhir and killed him, and his companions fled in every direction. Many people from them were killed and many creatures taken captive, among them from Banū Tamīm, then from Banū Ḥanẓalah, one hundred captives, among them Shaʾs b. ʿAbadah. His brother ʿAlqamah b. ʿAbadah the poet came as a delegate to al-Ḥārith seeking the release of his brother, and praised him with his famous ode whose opening is: A heart enamored of the fair ones has tossed you about shortly after youth, at the time when gray hair has come. Laylā burdens me, though her people are far, and hindrances and misfortunes have returned between us. He says in it: If you ask me about women, I am keen-sighted in the diseases of women, a physician. When a man’s head grows gray or his wealth dwindles, he has no share in their affection. They desire abundant wealth wherever they find it, and the prime of youth is wondrous to them. The people of its protection from Ghassān fought, and Hinb and Qās and Shabīb strove with swords. Bodies of iron clattered upon them as the south wind rustles the dry stubble. None escaped except a slender mare with her bridle, and a lean horse like a spear, noble, and a warrior possessed of protection, as if he were dyed with what had moistened him from the edges of blades. In every tribe you have dealt generously with favor, so Shaʾs has a rightful share of your bounty. Do not deny me a gift because of a crime, for I am a man a stranger amid the tents. When he reached his saying: “So Shaʾs has a rightful share of your bounty,” the king said: “Yes, by God, and shares of it.” Then he released Shaʾs and said to him: “If you wish the gift, or if you wish the captives of your people?” He said to his sitting companions: “If he chooses the gift over his people, there is no good in him.” He said: “O king, I would not choose anything over my people.” So he released the captives from Tamīm for him, clothed him, and gave him gifts, and did the same for all the captives and provided them with abundant provisions. When they reached their lands, they gave all of that to Shaʾs and said: “You were the cause of our release, so use this to help you in your time.” Thus he obtained much wealth of camels, clothing, and other things. (ʿAbadah with fatḥah on the ʿayn and the bāʾ with one dot.) It has also been said about his killing: He gathered a huge army and marched until he encamped in Syria. The king of Syria, who according to most was al-Ḥārith b. Abī Shimr, marched and encamped at Marj Ḥalīmah, which is named after Ḥalīmah, daughter of the king. The Lakhmī king encamped at Marj al-Ṣuffar. Al-Ḥārith sent two horsemen as a scouting party, one of them the rider of Khaṣāf, whose mare would run on three legs and not be caught. They went until they mingled with the people and drew near the king, before whom was a candle, and they killed its bearer. The people panicked and struck one another with their swords, killing one another until morning. Messengers from al-Ḥārith, king of Ghassān, came to them offering peace and tribute and said: “I am sending the heads of the tribes to settle the matter.” He called upon his companions, and one hundred youths volunteered, or it is said eighty youths. He clad them in weapons and ordered his daughter Ḥalīmah to perfume and dress them, and she did. When Labīd b. ʿAmr, the rider of al-Zaytīyah, passed by her, he kissed her, and she came to her father weeping. He said: “He is the lion of the people, and if he survives I will surely marry him to you.” He made him commander over the people, and they marched. When they approached the Iraqi army, the king gathered the heads of his companions. The Ghassānīs came wearing weapons over which they had put clothes and hooded cloaks. When they had all assembled before the king, they revealed the weapons and killed whomever they found. Labīd b. ʿAmr killed the king of the Iraqis, and the Ghassānīs were surrounded and killed except Labīd b. ʿAmr, for his mare did not move; he mounted her and returned and informed the king. He said to him: “I have married my daughter Ḥalīmah to you.” He said: “People will not say that I am the remnant of a hundred.” Then he returned to the people, fought, and was killed. The people of Iraq looked for their nobles and found that they had been killed, so their spirits weakened at that, and Ghassān advanced upon them, and they fled. I say: The genealogists and the people of biographical narratives have differed about the duration of the battle-days and the precedence of some over others, and they have also differed about who was killed in them. Some say: The Day of Ḥalīmah is the day on which al-Mundhir b. Māʾ al-Samāʾ was killed, and the Day of Ubāgh is the day on which al-Mundhir b. al-Mundhir was killed. Others say the opposite. Others make the two days one and say: Only al-Mundhir b. Māʾ al-Samāʾ was killed. As for his son al-Mundhir, he died at al-Ḥīrah. It has also been said that the one killed from the kings of al-Ḥīrah was someone other than the two of them. The correct view is that the one killed was al-Mundhir b. Māʾ al-Samāʾ, without doubt. As for his son, there is much disagreement about him, and the more correct view is that he was not killed. Those who affirm his killing have differed about its cause, as we have mentioned. I have mentioned their disagreement although the event is one, because some scholars have mentioned each cause of it. If we had omitted one of them, someone without knowledge would think that each cause was an independent event and that we had neglected it. Therefore we have brought both of them together and drawn attention to this.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.