Tarikh (al-Tabari) 700
The reports of the Jewish rabbis, Christian monks, and soothsayers and their glad tidings of the sending of the Beloved of the Most Merciful ﷺ
قِصَّةُ سَيْفِ بْنِ ذِي يَزَنَ الْحِمْيَرِيِّ، وَبِشَارَتُهُ بِالنَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ وَقَالَ الْحَافِظُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ الْخَرَائِطِيُّ فِي كِتَابِهِ هَوَاتِفِ الْجَانِّ: حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حَرْبٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ بَكْرٍ - هُوَ ابْنُ بَكَّارٍ الْقَعْنَبِيُّ - عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ الْكَلْبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: لَمَّا ظَهَرَ سَيْفُ بْنُ ذِي يَزَنَ - قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ: وَاسْمُهُ النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ - عَلَى الْحَبَشَةِ، وَذَلِكَ بَعْدَ مَوْلِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِسَنَتَيْنِ، أَتَتْهُ وُفُودُ الْعَرَبِ وَشُعَرَاؤُهَا، تُهَنِّئُهُ وَتَمْدَحُهُ وَتَذْكُرُ مَا كَانَ مِنْ حُسْنِ بَلَائِهِ، وَأَتَاهُ فِيمَنْ أَتَاهُ وَفْدُ قُرَيْشٍ فِيهِمْ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنُ هَاشِمٍ، وَأُمَيَّةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ شَمْسٍ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جُدْعَانَ، وَخُوَيْلِدُ بْنُ أَسَدٍ فِي أُنَاسٍ مِنْ وُجُوهِ قُرَيْشٍ فَقَدِمُوا عَلَيْهِ صَنْعَاءَ فَإِذَا هُوَ فِي رَأْسِ غُمْدَانَ الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ أُمَيَّةُ بْنُ أَبِي الصَّلْتِ وَاشْرَبْ هَنِيئًا عَلَيْكَ التَّاجُ مُرْتَفِعًا فِي رَأْسِ غُمْدَانَ دَارًا مِنْكَ مِحْلَالَا فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْآذِنُ فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِمَكَانِهِمْ فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ فَدَنَا عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَاسْتَأْذَنَهُ فِي الْكَلَامِ فَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنْ كُنْتَ مِمَّنْ يَتَكَلَّمُ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ الْمُلُوكِ فَقَدْ أَذِنَّا لَكَ. فَقَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَلَّكَ أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ مَحَلًّا رَفِيعًا صَعْبًا مَنِيعًا شَامِخًا بَاذِخًا، وَأَنْبَتَكَ مَنْبَتًا طَابَتْ أَرُومَتُهُ، وَعَزَّتْ جُرْثُومَتُهُ، وَثَبَتَ أَصْلُهُ، وَبَسَقَ فَرْعُهُ، فِي أَكْرَمِ مَوْطِنٍ وَأَطْيَبِ مَعْدِنٍ فَأَنْتَ - أَبَيْتَ اللَّعْنَ - مَلِكُ الْعَرَبِ، وَرَبِيعُهَا الَّذِي تَخْصَبُ بِهِ الْبِلَادُ، وَرَأْسُ الْعَرَبِ الَّذِي لَهُ تَنْقَادُ، وَعَمُودُهَا الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الْعِمَادُ، وَمَعْقِلُهَا الَّذِي يَلْجَأُ إِلَيْهِ الْعِبَادُ، وَسَلَفُكَ خَيْرُ سَلَفٍ، وَأَنْتَ لَنَا مِنْهُمْ خَيْرُ خَلَفٍ فَلَنْ يَخْمُدَ مَنْ هُمْ سَلَفُهُ، وَلَنْ يَهْلِكَ مَنْ أَنْتَ خَلَفُهُ، وَنَحْنُ أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ أَهْلُ حَرَمِ اللَّهِ، وَسَدَنَةُ بَيْتِهِ أَشْخَصَنَا إِلَيْكَ الَّذِي أَبْهَجَنَا مِنْ كَشْفِكَ الْكَرْبَ الَّذِي قَدْ فَدَحَنَا، وَفْدُ التَّهْنِئَةِ لَا وَفْدُ الْمَرْزِئَةِ. قَالَ: وَأَيُّهُمْ أَنْتَ أَيُّهَا الْمُتَكَلِّمُ ؟ قَالَ: أَنَا عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنُ هَاشِمٍ. قَالَ: ابْنُ أُخْتِنَا ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: ادْنُ. فَأَدْنَاهُ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى الْقَوْمِ فَقَالَ: مَرْحَبًا وَأَهْلًا وَنَاقَةً وَرَحْلًا وَمُسْتَنَاخًا سَهْلًا، وَمَلِكًا رِبَحْلًا يُعْطِي عَطَاءً جَزْلًا، قَدْ سَمِعَ الْمَلِكُ مَقَالَتَكُمْ، وَعَرَفَ قَرَابَتَكُمْ وَقَبِلَ وَسِيلَتَكُمْ فَأَنْتُمْ أَهْلُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ، وَلَكُمُ الْكَرَامَةُ مَا أَقَمْتُمْ وَالْحِبَاءُ إِذَا ظَعَنْتُمْ، ثُمَّ أُنْهِضُوا إِلَى دَارِ الْكَرَامَةِ وَالْوُفُودِ فَأَقَامُوا شَهْرًا لَا يَصِلُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا يَأْذَنُ لَهُمْ بِالِانْصِرَافِ. ثُمَّ انْتَبَهَ لَهُمُ انْتِبَاهَةً فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَأَدْنَى مَجْلِسَهُ وَأَخْلَاهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا عَبْدَ الْمُطَّلِبِ إِنِّي مُفْضٍ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ سِرِّ عِلْمِي، مَا أَنْ لَوْ يَكُونُ غَيْرُكَ لَمْ أَبُحْ بِهِ، وَلَكِنِّي رَأَيْتُكَ مَعْدِنَهُ; فَأَطْلَعْتُكَ طَلِيعَهُ فَلْيَكُنْ عِنْدَكَ مَطْوِيًّا حَتَّى يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ: إِنِّي أَجِدُّ فِي الْكِتَابِ الْمَكْنُونِ وَالْعِلْمِ الْمَخْزُونِ الَّذِي اخْتَرْنَاهُ لِأَنْفُسِنَا، وَاحْتَجَبْنَاهُ دُونَ غَيْرِنَا خَيْرًا عَظِيمًا، وَخَطَرًا جَسِيمًا فِيهِ شَرَفُ الْحَيَاةِ، وَفَضِيلَةُ الْوَفَاةِ لِلنَّاسِ عَامَّةً وَلِرَهْطِكَ كَافَّةً وَلَكَ خَاصَّةً. فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ: أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ مِثْلُكَ سَرَّ وَبَرَّ فَمَا هُوَ ؟ فِدَاكَ أَهْلُ الْوَبَرِ زُمَرًا بَعْدَ زُمَرٍ. قَالَ: إِذَا وُلِدَ مَوْلُودٌ بِتِهَامَةْ، غُلَامٌ بِهِ عَلَامَةْ، بَيْنَ كَتِفَيْهِ شَامَةْ، كَانَتْ لَهُ الْإِمَامَةْ، وَلَكُمْ بِهِ الزَّعَامَةْ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةْ. قَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ: أَبَيْتَ اللَّعْنَ، قَدْ أُبْتُ بِخَيْرِ مَا آبَ بِهِ وَافِدٌ، وَلَوْلَا هَيْبَةُ الْمَلِكِ وَإِجْلَالُهُ وَإِعْظَامُهُ; لَسَأَلْتُهُ مِنْ سَارِّهِ إِيَّايَ مَا أَزْدَادُ بِهِ سُرُورًا. قَالَ ابْنُ ذِي يَزَنَ: هَذَا حِينُهُ الَّذِي يُولَدُ فِيهِ، أَوْ قَدْ وُلِدَ وَاسْمُهُ مُحَمَّدٌ يَمُوتُ أَبُوهُ وَأُمُّهُ، وَيَكْفُلُهُ جَدُّهُ وَعَمُّهُ، وَلَدْنَاهُ مِرَارًا وَاللَّهُ بَاعِثُهُ جِهَارًا، وَجَاعِلٌ لَهُ مِنَّا أَنْصَارًا يُعِزُّ بِهِمْ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ، وَيُذِلُّ بِهِمْ أَعْدَاءَهُ، وَيَضْرِبُ بِهِمُ النَّاسَ عَنْ عُرْضٍ، وَيَسْتَبِيحُ بِهِمْ كَرَائِمَ الْأَرْضِ يَكْسِرُ الْأَوْثَانَ، وَيُخْمِدُ النِّيرَانَ، وَيَعْبُدُ الرَّحْمَنَ وَيَدْحَرُ الشَّيْطَانَ، قَوْلُهُ فَصْلٌ وَحُكْمُهُ عَدْلٌ، يَأْمُرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَفْعَلُهُ وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُبْطِلُهُ. فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ: أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ عَزَّ جَدُّكَ، وَعَلَا كَعْبُكَ، وَدَامَ مُلْكُكَ، وَطَالَ عُمُرُكَ، فَهَذَا نِجَارِي فَهَلِ الْمَلِكُ سَارَّنِي بِإِفْصَاحٍ، فَقَدْ وَضَّحَ لِي بَعْضَ الْإِيضَاحِ. فَقَالَ ابْنُ ذِي يَزَنَ: وَالْبَيْتِ ذِي الْحُجُبِ وَالْعَلَامَاتِ عَلَى النُّقُبِ، إِنَّكَ يَا عَبْدَ الْمُطَّلِبِ لَجَدُّهُ غَيْرَ كَذِبٍ. فَخَرَّ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ سَاجِدًا فَقَالَ: ارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ ثَلَجَ صَدْرُكَ، وَعَلَا أَمْرُكَ فَهَلْ أَحْسَسْتَ شَيْئًا مِمَّا ذَكَرْتُ لَكَ ؟ فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ كَانَ لِيَ ابْنٌ وَكُنْتُ بِهِ مُعْجَبًا، وَعَلَيْهِ رَفِيقَا فَزَوَّجْتُهُ كَرِيمَةً مَنْ كَرَائِمِ قَوْمِهِ آمِنَةَ بِنْتَ وَهْبٍ فَجَاءَتْ بِغُلَامٍ سَمَّيْتُهُ مُحَمَّدًا فَمَاتَ أَبُوهُ وَأُمُّهُ وَكَفَلْتُهُ أَنَا وَعَمُّهُ. قَالَ ابْنُ ذِي يَزَنَ: إِنَّ الَّذِي قُلْتُ لَكَ كَمَا قُلْتَ فَاحْتَفِظْ بِابْنِكَ، وَاحْذَرْ عَلَيْهِ الْيَهُودَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَهُ أَعْدَاءٌ، وَلَنْ يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا، وَاطْوِ مَا ذَكَرْتُ لَكَ دُونَ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطِ الَّذِينَ مَعَكَ; فَإِنِّي لَسْتُ آمَنُ أَنْ تُدْخِلَهُمُ النَّفَاسَةُ مِنْ أَنْ تَكُونَ لَكُمُ الرِّيَاسَةُ فَيَطْلُبُونَ لَهُ الْغَوَائِلَ، وَيَنْصِبُونَ لَهُ الْحَبَائِلَ فَهُمْ فَاعِلُونَ أَوْ أَبْنَاؤُهُمْ، وَلَوْلَا أَنِّي أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الْمَوْتَ مُجْتَاحِي قَبْلَ مَبْعَثِهِ; لَسِرْتُ بِخَيْلِي وَرَجِلِي حَتَّى أُصَيِّرَ يَثْرِبَ دَارَ مُلْكِي فَإِنِّي أَجِدُ فِي الْكِتَابِ النَّاطِقِ وَالْعِلْمِ السَّابِقِ أَنَّ بِيَثْرِبَ اسْتِحْكَامُ أَمْرِهِ، وَأَهْلُ نُصْرَتِهِ، وَمَوْضِعُ قَبْرِهِ، وَلَوْلَا أَنِّي أَقِيهِ الْآفَاتِ، وَأَحْذَرُ عَلَيْهِ الْعَاهَاتِ لَأَعْلَنْتُ - عَلَى حَدَاثَةِ سِنِّهِ - أَمْرَهُ، وَلَأَوْطَأْتُ عَلَى أَسْنَانِ الْعَرَبِ عَقِبَهُ، وَلَكِنِّي صَادِفٌ ذَلِكَ إِلَيْكَ، عَنْ غَيْرِ تَقْصِيرٍ بِمَنْ مَعَكَ قَالَ: ثُمَّ أَمَرَ لِكُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ بِعَشَرَةِ أَعْبُدٍ وَعَشْرِ إِمَاءٍ، وَبِمِائَةٍ مِنَ الْإِبِلِ، وَحُلَّتَيْنِ مِنَ الْبُرُودِ، وَبِخَمْسَةِ أَرْطَالٍ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَعَشَرَةِ أَرْطَالِ فِضَّةٍ، وَكَرِشٍ مَمْلُوءٍ عَنْبَرًا، وَأَمَرَ لِعَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بِعَشْرَةِ أَضْعَافِ ذَلِكَ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: إِذَا حَالَ الْحَوْلُ فَأْتِنِي فَمَاتَ ابْنُ ذِي يَزَنَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَحُولَ الْحَوْلُ. فَكَانَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ كَثِيرًا مَا يَقُولُ لَا يَغْبِطْنِي رَجُلٌ مِنْكُمْ بِجَزِيلِ عَطَاءِ الْمَلِكِ فَإِنَّهُ إِلَى نَفَادٍ، وَلَكِنْ لِيَغْبِطْنِي بِمَا يَبْقَى لِي وَلِعَقِبِي مِنْ بَعْدِي ذِكْرُهُ وَفَخْرُهُ وَشَرَفُهُ. فَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ مَتَى ذَلِكَ ؟ قَالَ: سَيُعْلَمُ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِينٍ. قَالَ: وَفِي ذَلِكَ يَقُولُ أُمَيَّةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ شَمْسٍ جَلَبْنَا النُّصْحَ تَحْقُبُهُ الْمَطَايَا عَلَى أَكْوَارِ أَجْمَالٍ وَنُوقِ مُغَلْغِلَةٌ مَرَاتِعُهَا تُعَالَى إِلَى صَنْعَاءَ مِنْ فَجٍّ عَمِيقِ تَؤُمُّ بِنَا ابْنَ ذِي يَزَنَ وَيُغْرِي بِذَاتِ بِطُونِهَا ذَمُّ الطَّرِيقِ وَتَرْعَى مِنْ مَخَائِلِهِ بُرُوقًا مُوَاصِلَةَ الْوَمِيضِ إِلَى بُرُوقِ فَلَمَّا وَاقَعَتْ صَنْعَاءَ حَلَّتْ بِدَارِ الْمُلْكِ وَالْحَسَبِ الْعَتِيقِ
Translation
✧ The story of Sayf b. Dhī Yazan al-Ḥimyarī and his glad tidings of the unlettered Prophet Al-Ḥāfiẓ Abū Bakr Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar b. Sahl al-Kharāʾiṭī said in his book Hawātif al-Jānn: ʿAlī b. Ḥarb related to us: Aḥmad b. ʿUthmān b. Ḥakīm related to us: ʿAmr b. Bakr—he is Ibn Bakkār al-Qaʿnabī—related to us from Aḥmad b. al-Qāsim, from Muḥammad b. al-Sāʾib al-Kalbī, from Abū Ṣāliḥ, from ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās, who said: When Sayf b. Dhī Yazan—Ibn al-Mundhir said: his name is al-Nuʿmān b. Qays—prevailed over the Abyssinians, and that was two years after the birth of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the delegations of the Arabs and their poets came to him, congratulating him, praising him, and mentioning his excellent trials. Among those who came to him was the delegation of Quraysh, including ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib b. Hāshim, Umayya b. ʿAbd Shams, ʿAbd Allāh b. Judʿān, and Khuwaylid b. Asad, along with other notables of Quraysh. They came to him in Ṣanʿāʾ, and there he was at the top of Ghumdān, the one mentioned by Umayya b. Abī al-Ṣalt: Drink pleasantly; upon you the crown is raised high, in the top of Ghumdān, a dwelling of yours to alight. The chamberlain entered and informed him of their place, so he gave them permission. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib drew near and asked permission to speak. He said to him: If you are one of those who speak before kings, then we have given you permission. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib said to him: Allah has settled you, O king, in a lofty, rugged, impregnable, towering, and exalted place, and has caused you to grow in a place of noble roots, mighty origins, firm foundation, and tall branches, in the most generous land and the purest source. You—may you be spared from blame—are the king of the Arabs, their spring by which the lands become fertile, the head of the Arabs to whom they submit, their pillar upon which support rests, and their refuge to which the servants resort. Your forebears are the best of forebears, and you are for us the best of successors among them. He whose forebears you are will never be extinguished, and he whose successor you are will never perish. We, O king, are the people of the sanctuary of Allah and the custodians of His House. What brought us to you is the joy of your removal of the distress that had overwhelmed us—a delegation of congratulation, not of calamity. He said: And which of them are you, O speaker? He said: I am ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib b. Hāshim. He said: The son of our sister? He said: Yes. He said: Come near. So he brought him near, then turned to him and to the people and said: Welcome and greetings, a she-camel and a saddle, an easy halting place, and a generous king who gives abundant gifts. The king has heard your speech, recognized your kinship, accepted your intercession; you are the people of night and day, you have honor as long as you stay and gifts when you depart. Then they were taken to the house of honor and delegations, and they stayed a month without reaching him, nor were they permitted to leave. Then he became attentive to them with an awakening, and he sent for ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, brought his seat near, and made it private. Then he said: O ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, I am disclosing to you a secret of my knowledge which, if it were anyone other than you, I would not reveal. But I saw you as its mine, so I have made you acquainted with its vanguard. Let it remain hidden with you until Allah permits it, for Allah will accomplish His command. I find in the hidden book and the stored knowledge, which we have chosen for ourselves and kept concealed from others, a great good and a momentous matter. In it is the honor of life and the excellence of death for people in general, for your clan in particular, and for you especially. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib said: O king, one like you delights and does good. What is it? May the people of the desert be your ransom, group after group. He said: When a child is born in Tihāmah, a boy with a mark, between his shoulders a mole, to him belongs the imamate, and through him you will have leadership until the Day of Resurrection. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib said: May you be spared from blame, I have returned with the best that any delegate has returned with. Were it not for the awe, reverence, and veneration of the king, I would ask him about what he has revealed to me so that I might increase in joy. Ibn Dhī Yazan said: This is the time in which he is born, or he has already been born. His name is Muḥammad. His father and mother will die, and his grandfather and uncle will take care of him. We have given birth to him repeatedly—Allah will send him openly, and will make for him supporters from among us through whom He will honor His allies, humiliate His enemies, strike people with them comprehensively, and make lawful through them the precious things of the earth. He will break idols, extinguish fires, worship the Merciful, and drive away Satan. His speech is decisive, his judgment just; he commands good and does it, forbids evil and abolishes it. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib said: O king, may your fortune be mighty, your rank exalted, your kingship lasting, and your life long. This is my lineage. Has the king delighted me with clear speech? He has indeed made some things clear to me. Ibn Dhī Yazan said: By the House with veils and signs at the passes, you, O ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, are truly his grandfather, without falsehood. Then ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib fell prostrate. He said: Raise your head, may your breast be cooled, and may your affair rise. Have you sensed anything of what I mentioned to you? He said: O king, I had a son with whom I was pleased and to whom I was a kind companion. I married him to a noble woman of his people, Āmina bt. Wahb. She brought a boy whom I named Muḥammad. His father and mother died, and I and his uncle took care of him. Ibn Dhī Yazan said: What I told you is as you have said, so guard your son and beware of the Jews for him, for they are enemies to him, and Allah will never give them a way against him. Conceal what I have told you from these companions who are with you, for I do not feel safe that envy will enter them because you will have leadership, and they will seek his ruin and set snares for him—they or their sons will do it. Were it not that I know death will overtake me before his sending, I would march with my cavalry and infantry until I made Yathrib the seat of my kingdom, for I find in the speaking book and the preceding knowledge that in Yathrib is the firm establishment of his affair, the people of his support, and the place of his grave. Were it not that I protect him from calamities and guard against defects, I would have proclaimed his affair despite his young age and made the nobles of the Arabs trample under his heel. But I am entrusting that to you, without any shortcoming toward those with you. He said: Then he ordered for each man among them ten male slaves, ten female slaves, one hundred camels, two garments of striped Yemeni cloth, five raṭls of gold, ten raṭls of silver, and a leather bag full of ambergris. He ordered for ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib ten times that. And he said to him: When the year passes, come to me. But Ibn Dhī Yazan died before the year passed. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib often used to say: Let no man among you envy me for the king's abundant gift, for it will come to an end. But let him envy me for what remains for me and for my descendants after me—its mention, pride, and honor. When it was said to him: When will that be? He said: It will be known, even if after a while. He said: About that Umayya b. ʿAbd Shams said: We brought sincere counsel, which the mounts carried on the saddles of male and female camels, Penetrating, their grazing grounds ascending to Ṣanʿāʾ from a deep mountain pass, Leading us to Ibn Dhī Yazan, while the blame of the road spurs them with their full bellies, And they graze, from his qualities, lightning flashing continuously to lightning, And when they reached Ṣanʿāʾ, they halted at the abode of kingship and ancient nobility.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.