Tarikh (al-Tabari) 580
Genealogy of Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Some Accounts of His Forefathers and Ancestors
يَوْمُ الصَّفْقَةِ وَالْكُلَابِ الثَّانِي أَمَّا يَوْمُ الصَّفْقَةِ وَسَبَبُهُ فَإِنَّ بَاذَانَ، نَائِبَ كِسْرَى أَبْرَوِيزَ بْنِ هُرْمُزَ بِالْيَمَنِ، أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ حَمْلًا مِنَ الْيَمَنِ. فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ الْحَمْلُ إِلَى نِطَاعٍ مِنْ أَرْضِ نَجْدٍ أَغَارَتْ تَمِيمٌ عَلَيْهِ وَانْتَهَبُوهُ وَسَلَبُوا رُسُلَ كِسْرَى وَأَسَاوِرَتَهُ. فَقَدِمُوا عَلَى هَوْذَةَ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْحَنَفِيِّ صَاحِبِ الْيَمَامَةِ مَسْلُوبِينَ، فَأَحْسَنَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَكَسَاهُمْ. وَقَدْ كَانَ قَبْلَ هَذَا إِذَا أَرْسَلَ كِسْرَى لَطِيمَةً تُبَاعُ بِالْيَمَنِ يُجَهِّزُ رُسُلَهُ وَيُخْفِرُهُمْ وَيُحْسِنُ جِوَارَهُمْ، وَكَانَ كِسْرَى يَشْتَهِي أَنْ يَرَاهُ لِيُجَازِيَهُ عَلَى فِعْلِهِ. فَلَمَّا أَحْسَنَ أَخِيرًا إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ الرُّسُلِ الَّذِينَ أَخَذَتْهُمْ تَمِيمٌ قَالُوا لَهُ: إِنَّ الْمَلِكَ لَا يَزَالُ يَذْكُرُكَ وَيُؤْثِرُ أَنْ تَقْدُمَ عَلَيْهِ، فَسَارَ مَعَهُمْ إِلَيْهِ. فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ عَلَيْهِ أَكْرَمَهُ وَأَحْسَنَ إِلَيْهِ، وَجَعَلَ يُحَادِثُهُ لِيَنْظُرَ عَقْلَهُ، فَرَأَى مَا سَرَّهُ، فَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِمَالٍ كَثِيرٍ، وَتَوَّجَهُ بِتَاجٍ مِنْ تِيجَانِهِ وَأَقْطَعَهُ أَمْوَالًا بِهَجَرَ. وَكَانَ هَوْذَةُ نَصْرَانِيًّا، وَأَمَرَهُ كِسْرَى أَنْ يَغْزُوَ هُوَ وَالْمُكَعْبِرُ مَعَ عَسَاكِرِ كِسْرَى بَنِي تَمِيمٍ، فَسَارُوا إِلَى هَجَرَ وَنَزَلُوا بِالْمُشَقَّرِ. وَخَافَ الْمُكَعْبِرُ وَهَوْذَةُ أَنْ يَدْخُلَا بِلَادَ تَمِيمٍ لِأَنَّهَا لَا تَحْتَمِلُهَا الْعَجَمُ وَأَهْلُهَا بِهَا مُمْتَنِعُونَ، فَبَعَثَا رِجَالًا مِنْ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ يَدْعُونَهُمْ إِلَى الْمِيرَةِ، وَكَانَتْ شَدِيدَةً، فَأَقْبَلُوا عَلَى كُلِّ صَعْبٍ وَذَلُولٍ، فَجَعَلَ الْمُكَعْبِرُ يُدْخِلُهُمُ الْحِصْنَ خَمْسَةً خَمْسَةً وَعَشَرَةً عَشَرَةً وَأَقَلَّ وَأَكْثَرَ، يُدْخِلُهُمْ مِنْ بَابٍ عَلَى أَنْ يُخْرِجَهُمْ مِنْ آخَرَ، فَكُلُّ مَنْ دَخَلَ ضُرِبَ عُنُقُهُ. فَلَمَّا طَالَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَرَأَوْا أَنَّ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ وَلَا يَخْرُجُونَ بَعَثُوا رِجَالًا يَسْتَعْلِمُونَ الْخَبَرَ، فَشَدَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْ عَبْسٍ فَضَرَبَ السِّلْسِلَةَ فَقَطَعَهَا وَخَرَجَ مَنْ كَانَ بِالْبَابِ. فَأَمَرَ الْمُكَعْبِرُ بِغَلْقِ الْبَابِ وَقَتْلِ كُلِّ مَنْ كَانَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، وَكَانَ يَوْمَ الْفِصْحِ، فَاسْتَوْهَبَ هَوْذَةُ مِنْهُ مِائَةَ رَجُلٍ فَكَسَاهُمْ وَأَطْلَقَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْفِصْحِ. فَقَالَ الْأَعْشَى مِنْ قَصِيدَةٍ يَمْدَحُ هَوْذَةَ: بِهِمْ يُقَرِّبُ يَوْمَ الْفِصْحِ ضَاحِيَةً يَرْجُو الْإِلَهَ بِمَا أَسْدَى وَمَا صَنَعَا فَصَارَ يَوْمُ الْمُشَقَّرِ مَثَلًا، وَهُوَ يَوْمُ الصَّفْقَةِ إِصْفَاقِ الْبَابِ، وَهُوَ إِغْلَاقُهُ. وَكَانَ يَوْمُ الصَّفْقَةِ وَقَدْ بُعِثَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَهُوَ بِمَكَّةَ بَعْدُ لَمْ يُهَاجِرْ. وَأَمَّا يَوْمُ الْكُلَابِ الثَّانِي فَإِنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ بَنِي قَيْسِ بْنِ ثَعْلَبَةَ قَدِمَ أَرْضَ نَجْرَانَ عَلَى بَنِي الْحَارِثِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، وَهُمْ أَخْوَالُهُ، فَسَأَلُوهُ عَنِ النَّاسِ خَلْفَهُ فَحَدَّثَهُمْ أَنَّهُ أُصْفِقَ عَلَى بَنِي تَمِيمٍ بَابُ الْمُشَقَّرِ، وَقُتِلَتِ الْمُقَاتِلَةُ وَبَقِيَتْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَذَرَارِيهِمْ فِي مَسَاكِنِهِمْ لَا مَانِعَ لَهَا. فَاجْتَمَعَتْ بَنُو الْحَارِثِ فِي مَذْحِجٍ، وَأَحْلَافِهَا مِنْ نَهْدٍ وَجَرْمِ بْنِ رَبَّانَ، فَاجْتَمَعُوا فِي عَسْكَرٍ عَظِيمٍ بَلَغُوا ثَمَانِيَةَ آلَافٍ، وَلَا يُعْلَمُ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ جَيْشٌ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُ وَمِنْ جَيْشِ كِسْرَى بِذِي قَارٍ وَمِنْ يَوْمِ جَبَلَةَ، وَسَارُوا يُرِيدُونَ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ، فَحَذَّرَهُمْ كَاهِنٌ كَانَ مَعَ بَنِي الْحَارِثِ وَاسْمُهُ سَلَمَةُ بْنُ الْمُغَفَّلِ وَقَالَ: إِنَّكُمْ تَسِيرُونَ أَعْيَانًا، وَتَغْزُونَ أَحْيَانًا، سَعْدًا وَرَيَّانًا، وَتَرِدُونَ مِيَاهَهَا جِيَابًا، فَتَلْقُونَ عَلَيْهَا ضِرَابًا، وَتَكُونُ غَنِيمَتُكُمْ تُرَابًا، فَأَطِيعُوا أَمْرِي وَلَا تَغْزُوا تَمِيمًا. فَعَصَوْهُ وَسَارُوا إِلَى عُرْوَةَ، فَبَلَغَ الْخَبَرُ تَمِيمًا. فَاجْتَمَعَ ذَوُو الرَّأْيِ مِنْهُمْ إِلَى أَكْثَمَ بْنِ صَيْفِيٍّ، وَلَهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ مِائَةٌ وَتِسْعُونَ سَنَةً، فَقَالُوا لَهُ: يَا أَبَا جِيدَةَ حَقِّقْ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ رَضِينَاكَ رَئِيسًا. فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: وَإِنَّ امْرَأً قَدْ عَاشَ تِسْعِينَ حَجَّةً إِلَى مِائَةٍ لَمْ يَسْأَمِ الْعَيْشَ جَاهِلٌ مَضَتْ مِائَتَانِ غَيْرَ عَشْرٍ وَفَاؤُهَا وَذَلِكَ مِنْ عَدِّ اللَّيَالِي قَلَائِلُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ: لَا حَاجَةَ لِي فِي الرِّيَاسَةِ وَلَكِنِّي أُشِيرُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيَنْزِلْ حَنْظَلَةُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ بِالدَّهْنَاءِ، وَلْيَنْزِلْ سَعْدُ بْنُ زَيْدِ مَنَاةَ وَالرِّبَابُ، وَهُمْ ضَبَّةُ بْنُ أُدٍّ وَثَوْرٌ وَعُكْلٌ وَعَدِيٌّ بَنُو عَبْدِ مَنَاةَ بْنِ أُدٍّ: الْكُلَابَ، فَأَيَّ الطَّرِيقَيْنِ أَخَذَ الْقَوْمُ كَفَى أَحَدُهُمَا صَاحِبَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ: احْفَظُوا وَصِيَّتِي لَا تُحْضِرُوا النِّسَاءَ الصُّفُوفَ فَإِنَّ نَجَاةَ اللَّئِيمِ فِي نَفْسِهِ تَرْكُ الْحَرِيمِ، وَأَقِلُّوا الْخِلَافَ عَلَى أُمَرَائِكُمْ، وَدَعُوا كَثْرَةَ الصِّيَاحِ فِي الْحَرْبِ فَإِنَّهُ مِنَ الْفَشَلِ، وَالْمَرْءُ يَعْجِزُ لَا مَحَالَةَ، فَإِنَّ أَحْمَقَ الْحُمْقِ الْفُجُورُ، وَأَكْيَسَ الْكَيْسِ التُّقَى، كُونُوا جَمِيعًا فِي الرَّأْيِ، فَإِنَّ الْجَمِيعَ مُعَزِّزٌ لِلْجَمِيعِ، وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَالْخِلَافَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا جَمَاعَةَ لِمَنِ اخْتَلَفَ، وَلَا تَلْبَثُوا وَلَا تُسْرِعُوا فَإِنَّ أَحْزَمَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ الرَّكِينُ، وَرُبَّ عَجَلَةٍ تَهَبُ رَيْثًا، وَإِذَا عَزَّ أَخُوكَ فَهُنْ، الْبَسُوا جُلُودَ النُّمُورِ وَابْرُزُوا لِلْحَرْبِ، وَادَّرِعُوا اللَّيْلَ وَاتَّخِذُوهُ جَمَلًا، فَإِنَّ اللَّيْلَ أَخْفَى لِلْوَيْلِ، وَالثَّبَاتُ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الْقُوَّةِ، وَأَهْنَأُ الظَّفَرِ كَثْرَةُ الْأَسْرَى، وَخَيْرُ الْغَنِيمَةِ الْمَالُ، وَلَا تَرْهَبُوا الْمَوْتَ عِنْدَ الْحَرْبِ، فَإِنَّ الْمَوْتَ مِنْ وَرَائِكُمْ، وَحُبُّ الْحَيَاةِ لَدَى الْحَرْبِ زَلَلٌ، وَمِنْ خَيْرِ أُمَرَائِكُمُ النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ مَالِكِ بْنِ حَارِثِ بْنِ جَسَّاسٍ، وَهُوَ مِنْ بَنِي تَمِيمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَاةَ بْنِ أُدٍّ. فَقَبِلُوا مَشُورَتَهُ، وَنَزَلَتْ عَمْرُو بْنُ حَنْظَلَةَ الدَّهْنَاءَ، وَنَزَلَتْ سَعْدٌ وَالرِّبَابُ الْكُلَابَ، وَأَقْبَلَتْ مَذْحِجٌ وَمَنْ مَعَهَا مِنْ قُضَاعَةَ فَقَصَدُوا الْكُلَابَ، وَبَلَغَ سَعْدًا وَالرِّبَابَ الْخَبَرُ. فَلَمَّا دَنَتْ مَذْحِجٌ نَذَرَهُمْ شُمَيْتُ بْنُ زِنْبَاعَ الْيَرْبُوعِيُّ، فَرَكِبَ جَمَلَهُ وَقَصَدَ سَعْدًا وَنَادَى: يَا آلَ تَمِيمٍ يَا صَاحِبَاهُ ! فَثَارَ النَّاسُ، وَانْتَهَتْ مَذْحِجٍ إِلَى النَّعَمِ فَانْتَهَبَهَا النَّاسُ، وَرَاجِزُهُمْ يَقُولُ: فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ نَعَمٌ نَنْتَابُهْ عَلَى الْكُلَابِ غُيِّبَتْ أَصْحَابُهْ يَسْقُطُ فِي آثَارِهِ غُلَّابُهْ فَلَحِقَ قَيْسُ بْنُ عَاصِمٍ الْمِنْقَرِيُّ وَالنُّعْمَانُ بْنُ جَسَّاسٍ وَمَالِكُ بْنُ الْمُنْتَفِقِ فِي سُرْعَانِ النَّاسِ، فَأَجَابَهُ قَيْسٌ يَقُولُ: عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ تَلْتَحِقْ أَرْبَابُهْ مِثْلَ النُّجُومِ حُسَّرًا سَحَابُهْ لَيَمْنَعَنَّ النَّعَمَ اغْتِصَابُهْ سَعْدٌ وَفُرْسَانُ الْوَغَى أَرْبَابُهْ ثُمَّ حَمَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَيْسٌ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ نَعَمٌ تَحْوُونَهُ يَلْقَحُهُ قَوْمٌ وَتُنْتِجُونَهُ أَرْبَابُهُ نَوْكَى فَلَا يَحْمُونَهُ وَلَا يُلَاقُونَ طِعَانًا دُونَهُ أَنَعَمَ الْأَبْنَاءِ تَحْسِبُونَهُ هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ لِمَا تَرْجُونَهُ فَاقْتَتَلَ الْقَوْمُ قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا يَوْمَهُمْ أَجْمَعَ. فَحَمَلَ يَزِيدُ بْنُ شَدَّادِ بْنِ قَنَانٍ الْحَارِثِيُّ عَلَى النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ مَالِكِ بْنِ جَسَّاسٍ فَرَمَاهُ بِسَهْمٍ فَقَتَلَهُ، وَصَارَتِ الرِّيَاسَةُ لِقَيْسِ بْنِ عَاصِمٍ، وَاقْتَتَلُوا حَتَّى حَجَزَ بَيْنَهُمُ اللَّيْلُ، وَبَاتُوا يَتَحَارَسُونَ. فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحُوا غَدَوْا عَلَى الْقِتَالِ، وَرَكِبَ قَيْسُ بْنُ عَاصِمٍ، وَرَكِبَتْ مَذْحِجٌ وَاقْتَتَلُوا أَشَدَّ مِنَ الْقِتَالِ الْأَوَّلِ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنِ انْهَزَمَ مِنْ مَذْحِجٍ مُدْرِجُ الرِّيَاحِ، وَهُوَ عَامِرُ بْنُ الْمَجُونِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْجَرْمِيُّ، وَكَانَ صَاحِبَ لِوَائِهِمْ، فَأَلْقَى اللِّوَاءَ وَهَرَبَ، فَلَحِقَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَعْدٍ فَعَقَرَ بِهِ دَابَّتَهُ، فَنَزَلَ يَهْرُبُ مَاشِيًا، وَنَادَى قَيْسُ بْنُ عَاصِمٍ: يَا آلَ تَمِيمٍ عَلَيْكُمُ الْفُرْسَانَ وَدَعُوا الرَّجَّالَةَ فَإِنَّهَا لَكُمْ، وَجَعَلَ يَلْتَقِطُ الْأُسَارَى، وَأُسِرَ عَبْدُ يَغُوثَ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ الْحَارِثِيُّ رَئِيسُ مَذْحِجٍ، فَقُتِلَ بِالنُّعْمَانِ بْنِ مَالِكِ بْنِ جَسَّاسٍ، وَكَانَ عَبْدُ يَغُوثَ شَاعِرًا، فَشَدُّوا لِسَانَهُ قَبْلَ قَتْلِهِ لِئَلَّا يَهْجُوهُمْ، فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ لِيُحِلُّوا لِسَانَهُمْ وَلَا يَهْجُوهُمْ، فَحَلُّوهُ، فَقَالَ شِعْرًا: أَلَا لَا تَلُومَانِي كَفَى اللَّوْمُ مَا بِيَا فَمَا لَكُمَا فِي اللَّوْمِ نَفْعٌ وَلَا لِيَا أَلَمْ تَعْلَمَا أَنَّ الْمَلَامَةَ نَفْعُهَا قَلِيلٌ وَمَا لَوْمِي أَخِي مِنْ شِمَالِيَا فَيَا رَاكِبًا إِمَّا عَرَضْتَ فَبَلِّغَنْ نَدَامَايَ مِنْ نَجْرَانَ أَلَّا تَلَاقِيَا أَبَا كَرِبٍ وَالْأَيْهَمَيْنِ كِلَيْهِمَا وَقَيْسًا بِأَعْلَى حَضْرَمَوْتَ الْيَمَانِيَا أَقُولُ وَقَدْ شَدُّوا لِسَانِي بِنِسْعَةٍ: مَعَاشِرَ تَيْمٍ أَطْلِقُوا مِنْ لِسَانِيَا كَأَنِّيَ لَمْ أَرْكَبْ جَوَادًا وَلَمْ أَقُلْ لِخَيْلِيَ كِرِّي كَرَّةً مِنْ وَرَائِيَا وَلَمْ أَسْبَإِ الزِّقَّ الرَّوِيَّ وَلَمْ أَقُلْ لِأَيْسَارِ صَدْقٍ عَظِّمُوا ضَوْءَ نَارِيَا وَقَدْ عَلِمَتْ عِرْسِي مُلَيْكَةَ أَنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّيْثُ مَعْدُوًّا عَلَيْهِ وَعَادِيَا لَحَى اللَّهُ قَوْمًا بِالْكُلَابِ شَهِدْتُهُمْ صَمِيمَهُمُ وَالتَّابِعِينَ الْمَوَالِيَا وَلَوْ شِئْتُ نَجَّتْنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ شَطْبَةٌ تَرَى خَلْفَهَا الْكُمْتَ الْعِتَاقَ تَوَالِيَا وَكُنْتُ إِذَا مَا الْخَيْلُ شَمَّصَهَا الْقَنَا لَبِيقًا بِتَصْرِيفِ الْقَنَاةِ بَنَانِيَا فَيَا عَاصِ فُكَّ الْقَيْدَ عَنِّي فَإِنَّنِي صَبُورٌ عَلَى مَرِّ الْحَوَادِثِ نَاكِيَا فَإِنْ تَقْتُلُونِي تَقْتُلُوا بِيَ سَيِّدًا وَإِنْ تُطْلِقُونِي تَحْرِبُونِيَ مَالِيَا أَبُو كَرِبٍ: بِشْرُ بْنُ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، وَالْأَيْهَمَانِ: الْأَسْوَدُ بْنُ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، وَالْعَاقِبُ وَهُوَ عَبْدُ الْمَسِيحِ بْنُ الْأَبْيَضِ، وَقَيْسُ بْنُ مَعْدِي كَرِبَ، فَزَعَمُوا أَنَّ قَيْسًا قَالَ: لَوْ جَعَلَنِي أَوَّلَ الْقَوْمِ لَافْتَدَيْتُهُ بِكُلِّ مَا أَمْلِكُ. ثُمَّ قُتِلَ وَلَمْ يُقْبَلْ لَهُ فِدْيَةٌ. ( رَبَّانُ بِالرَّاءِ وَالْبَاءِ الْمُوَحَّدَةِ ).
Translation
✧ The Day of al-Ṣafqah and the second al-Kulāb As for the Day of al-Ṣafqah and its cause, it was that Bādhān, the deputy of Kisrā Abarwīz b. Hurmuz in Yemen, sent to him a shipment from Yemen. When the shipment reached Niṭāʿ in the land of Najd, Tamīm raided it, plundered it, and stripped Kisrā's messengers and his cavalrymen. They arrived before Hawdhah b. ʿAlī al-Ḥanafī, lord of al-Yamāmah, despoiled, and he treated them kindly and clothed them. Previously, whenever Kisrā sent a perfume caravan to be sold in Yemen, he would equip his messengers, grant them protection, and treat them well as neighbors, and Kisrā desired to see him to reward him for his deed. When he finally treated kindly these messengers whom Tamīm had seized, they said to him, "The king never ceases to mention you and prefers that you come to him," so he journeyed with them to him. When he came before him, he honored him and treated him kindly, and began to converse with him to assess his intellect, and he saw what pleased him, so he ordered for him abundant wealth, crowned him with one of his own crowns, and granted him estates in Hajar. Hawdhah was a Christian, and Kisrā commanded him and al-Mukaʿbir, along with Kisrā's troops, to raid Banū Tamīm, so they marched to Hajar and encamped at al-Mushaqqar. Al-Mukaʿbir and Hawdhah feared to enter the lands of Tamīm because the Persians could not prevail there and its people were well defended, so they sent men from Banū Tamīm inviting them to provisions, for there was a severe famine, and they came on every difficult and tractable mount. Al-Mukaʿbir began admitting them into the fortress five at a time, ten at a time, fewer and more, admitting them through one gate on condition that he would bring them out through another, and everyone who entered had his neck struck. When it grew long for them and they saw that people entered and did not come out, they sent men to seek news, and a man of ʿAbs charged and struck the chain, cutting it, and those at the gate came out. Al-Mukaʿbir ordered the gate closed and the killing of everyone in the town, and it was the day of Easter, so Hawdhah asked him to grant him one hundred men, and he clothed them and released them on Easter day. Al-Aʿshā said in a poem praising Hawdhah: By them he draws near on Easter day at high noon, hoping from God for what he bestowed and what he did. Thus the Day of al-Mushaqqar became a proverb, and it is the Day of al-Ṣafqah, the slamming of the gate, which is its closing. The Day of al-Ṣafqah occurred when the Prophet ﷺ had been sent and was still in Makkah, having not yet emigrated. As for the second Day of al-Kulāb, a man from Banū Qays b. Thaʿlabah came to the land of Najrān to Banū al-Ḥārith b. Kaʿb, who were his maternal uncles, and they asked him about the people behind him. He told them that the gate of al-Mushaqqar had been slammed shut upon Banū Tamīm, the fighting men had been killed, and their wealth and offspring remained in their dwellings with none to defend them. So Banū al-Ḥārith gathered in Madhḥij and its allies from Nahd and Jarm b. Rabbān, and they assembled in a great army reaching eight thousand, and it is not known in the pre-Islamic era of any army larger than it and than Kisrā's army at Dhū Qār and than the Day of Jabalah. They marched intending Banū Tamīm, and a soothsayer who was with Banū al-Ḥārith, named Salamah b. al-Mughaffal, warned them and said: "You march conspicuously and raid occasionally, Saʿd and Rayyān; you will come to its waters in troops and meet upon them a fierce battle, and your spoil will be dust. Obey my command and do not raid Tamīm." But they disobeyed him and marched to ʿUrwah, and the news reached Tamīm. So their men of judgment gathered to Aktham b. Ṣayfī, who was then one hundred and ninety years old, and said to him, "O Abū Jīdah, ascertain this matter, for we have accepted you as chief." He said to them: A man who has lived ninety years up to a hundred and has not wearied of life is ignorant. Two hundred have passed, less ten, and its fulfillment— that, from the count of nights, is little. Then he said to them: "I have no need of chieftainship, but I advise you that Ḥanẓalah b. Mālik should encamp at al-Dahnāʾ, and Saʿd b. Zayd Manāt and al-Ribāb—who are Ḍabbah b. Udd, Thawr, ʿUkl, and ʿAdī, the Banū ʿAbd Manāt b. Udd—should encamp at al-Kulāb. Whichever of the two roads the people take, one of the two will suffice its companion." Then he said to them: "Keep my testament: do not bring women to the battle lines, for the deliverance of the base man is in himself, leaving the womenfolk; minimize dispute with your commanders; and abandon excessive shouting in war, for it is a sign of failure. A man is helpless inevitably; the most foolish folly is wickedness, and the most prudent prudence is piety. Be united in opinion, for unity strengthens the whole. Beware of dissension, for there is no assembly for one who differs. Do not linger and do not hasten, for the most resolute of the two parties is the steadfast, and many a haste grants delay. When your brother is mighty, be gentle. Wear leopard skins and advance to war; use the night as a shield and take it as a mount, for the night conceals ruin better. Steadfastness is better than strength; the most pleasant victory is abundance of captives; the best spoils are wealth. Do not fear death in battle, for death is behind you; love of life in battle is a slip. Among the best of your commanders is al-Nuʿmān b. Mālik b. Ḥārith b. Jassās, and he is of Banū Tamīm b. ʿAbd Manāt b. Udd." They accepted his counsel, and ʿAmr b. Ḥanẓalah encamped at al-Dahnāʾ, and Saʿd and al-Ribāb encamped at al-Kulāb. Madhḥij and those with them from Quḍāʿah advanced and made for al-Kulāb, and the news reached Saʿd and al-Ribāb. When Madhḥij drew near, Shumayt b. Zinbāʿ al-Yarbūʿī caught sight of them, mounted his camel, headed for Saʿd, and called out: "O people of Tamīm! O my two companions!" The people rose, and Madhḥij reached the camels and the people plundered them, while their poet chanting rajaz said: Every year there are camels we visit, at al-Kulāb whose owners are absent. Their pursuers fall in their tracks. Then Qays b. ʿĀṣim al-Minqarī, al-Nuʿmān b. Jassās, and Mālik b. al-Muntafiq caught up with the vanguard of the people, and Qays answered him, saying: In a little while their owners will catch up, like stars whose clouds have been stripped away. Saʿd will surely defend the camels from seizure, and the horsemen of battle are their owners. Then Qays charged them, saying: Every year there are camels you seize; a people make them conceive and you deliver them. Their owners are fools and do not protect them, nor do they meet spear-thrusts in their defense. Do you reckon the camels of the free-born yours? Far, far from what you hope! The people fought a fierce battle the whole of their day. Yazīd b. Shaddād b. Qanān al-Ḥārithī charged al-Nuʿmān b. Mālik b. Jassās and shot him with an arrow and killed him, and the command passed to Qays b. ʿĀṣim. They fought until night separated them, and they spent the night on guard against one another. When morning came, they went forth to battle, and Qays b. ʿĀṣim mounted, and Madhḥij mounted, and they fought more fiercely than the first battle. The first of Madhḥij to flee was Mudrij al-Riyāḥ, who was ʿĀmir b. al-Majūn b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Jarmī, and he was the bearer of their banner, so he cast down the banner and fled. A man of Banū Saʿd caught up with him and hamstrung his mount, so he dismounted and fled on foot. Qays b. ʿĀṣim called out: "O people of Tamīm! Take the horsemen and leave the foot soldiers, for they are yours!" He began seizing captives, and ʿAbd Yaghūth b. al-Ḥārith b. Waqqāṣ al-Ḥārithī, chief of Madhḥij, was captured and killed in retaliation for al-Nuʿmān b. Mālik b. Jassās. ʿAbd Yaghūth was a poet, and they bound his tongue before killing him lest he satirize them. He gestured to them to release his tongue and that he would not satirize them, so they released it, and he recited poetry: Come now, do not blame me; enough of blame is upon me. You two have no benefit in blame, nor do I. Did you two not know that blame's benefit is little, and what blame is my brother to my left? O rider, if you pass by, convey to my drinking companions in Najrān that we shall not meet again— Abū Karib and the two Ayhams, both of them, and Qays in upper Ḥaḍramawt of Yemen. I say, when they had bound my tongue with a strap: "People of Taym, release my tongue!" It is as though I never rode a noble steed, nor said to my horses, 'Charge once more from behind me!' Nor did I broach the full wineskin, nor say to the true players of maysir, 'Make bright the light of my fire!' My wife Mulaykah has known that I am the lion, attacked and attacking. May God curse a people at al-Kulāb whom I witnessed— their core and the follower clients. Had I wished, a slender mare would have saved me from the people, behind which you see the dark-red thoroughbreds following in succession. I was, when the spears made the horses shy, skillful with my fingertips in turning the spear. O ʿĀṣ, loosen the fetter from me, for I am patient under the passing of misfortunes, enduring. If you kill me, you kill by me a lord; if you release me, you rob me of my wealth. Abū Karib: Bishr b. ʿAlqamah b. al-Ḥārith; the two Ayhams: al-Aswad b. ʿAlqamah b. al-Ḥārith and al-ʿĀqib, who is ʿAbd al-Masīḥ b. al-Abyaḍ; and Qays b. Maʿdī Karib. They claimed that Qays said: "Had he made me first among the people, I would have ransomed him with all that I possess." Then he was killed and no ransom was accepted for him. (Rabbān: with rāʾ and the single-dotted bāʾ).
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.