Tabari Volume 15
Tabari Volume 15
The Crisis
of the Early Caliphate
TRANSLA fl X 1 H
3I11NPH EXS
The Crisis
of the Early Caliphate
Volume XV
Translated by R. Stephen Humphreys
'HO791
401
55"'
VOLUME XV
e
The History of al-Tabari
Editorial Board
Ihsan Abbas, University of Jordan, Amman
C. E. Bosworth, The University of Manchester
Franz Rosenthal, Yale University
40
Bibliotheca Persica
Edited by Ehsan Yar-Shater
by
R. Stephen Humphreys
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Published by
State University of New York Press, Albany
C r99o State University of New York
7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Preface
THE HISTORY OF PROPHETS AND KINGS (Ta'rikh al-rusul wa'lmuluk ) by Abu Ja'far Muhammad b. Jarir al-Tabari ( 839-923),
here rendered as the History of al- Tabari, is by common consent
the most important universal history produced in the world of
Islam. It has been translated here in its entirety for the first time
for the benefit of non -Arabists, with historical and philological
notes for those interested in the particulars of the text.
vi . Preface
(-) between the individual links in the chain . Thus, According to
Ibn Humayd- Salamah-Ibn Ishaq means that al-Tabari received
the report from Ibn Humayd who said that he was told by Salamah, who said that he was told by Ibn Ishaq, and so on. The
numerous subtle and important differences in the original Arabic
wording have been disregarded.
The table of contents at the beginning of each volume gives a
brief survey of the topics dealt with in that particular volume. It
also includes the headings and subheadings as they appear in alTabari's text, as well as those occasionally introduced by the
translator.
Well-known place names, such as, for instance, Mecca, Baghdad, Jerusalem, Damascus, and the Yemen, are given in their
English spellings. Less common place names , which are the vast
majority, are transliterated . Biblical figures appear in the accepted
English spelling. Iranian names are usually transcribed according
to their Arabic forms, and the presumed Iranian forms are often
discussed in the footnotes.
Technical terms have been translated wherever possible, but
some, such as dirham and imam , have been retained in Arabic
forms. Others that cannot be translated with sufficient precision
have been retained and italicized as well as footnoted.
Ehsan Yar-Shater
lb
Contents
qI
Preface / v
Abbreviations / xi
Translator's Foreword / xiii
Transliteration and Editorial Conventions / xxi
Table i. 'Uthman's Lineage / xxii
viii Contents
Contents ix
The Events of the Year 32 (652/653) / 94
[The Disaster at Balanjar] / 95
Uthman's Burial Place, and Those Who Led the Prayer for Him
and Took Charge of His Funeral Rites / 246
The Date of 'Uthman 's Murder / 250
'Uthman's Life Span / 252
Uthman's Personal Appearance / 252
The Date of His Conversion to Islam and of His
Seeking Refuge / 253
The Kunyah of 'Uthman b. 'Affan / 253
Uthman 's Lineage / 254
x Contents
Those Who Led the People in Prayer in the Mosque of the
Messenger of God while `Uthman Was under Siege / 257
The Threnodies Composed for `Uthman / 258
16
Abbreviations
BSOAS: Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
E12: Encyclopaedia of Islam, New Edition
IJMES: International Journal of Middle East Studies
ISS: Journal of Semitic Studies
SEI: Shorter Encyclopaedia of Islam
Translator's Foreword
Op
Translator's Foreword xv
bari's contemporary or a modem one) might well suppose that he
is thereby obtaining independent testimony on these events, but
here caution is in order.
I am persuaded that we cannot accept these texts as direct and
authentic (albeit partisan) accounts of the events themselves.
Rather, we should regard them as literary constructions that tell
us not what actually happened, but rather what 'Uthman meant
to men living a century or more after him. I do not mean that
Tabari's narratives are mere inventions; clearly they are in some
way rooted in real things that happened to real people. On the
other hand, it is not at all clear that we can penetrate to the core
of fact that lay behind these stories. On some level, 'Uthman's
reign will always remain veiled in the controversies and values of
the later generations who compiled the sources that Tabari used.
Tabari's relationship to the reign of 'Uthman is rather like the
relationship of Tolstoy to the Napoleonic Wars. If we had nothing
but the novel War and Peace, what would we really know about
Alexander I, Kutuzov, and Napoleon himself?2
Tabari uses a formidable array of sources for his account of
`Uthman, but three historians provide the bulk of his material.
His narrative of the wars in Iran is drawn mostly from `Ali b.
Muhammad al-Mada'ini (d. 8551, either directly or through the
transmission of 'Umar b. Shabbah. Al-Mada'ini is himself a compiler and editor of much older materials, but he has imposed a
considerable degree of clarity and coherence on his sources. Most
remarkable, no doubt, is the long series of narratives on the death
of Yazdagird III, the last Sasanian king of Iran.
It should be noted that Prym could not see the important Istanbul
manuscripts for himself, but had to depend on transcripts of varying reliability made for the Leiden project. Unfortunately, a trip
to Istanbul in the autumn of 1984 only confirmed that no new
manuscripts for this part of Tabari are to be found, though the
Kopriili volumes would certainly demand direct scrutiny in any
6. De Goeje (Introductio, liii ff.) erroneously identifies this volume as Koprulu
1042. In fact, K. 1041 covers the period from A.H. 5 to 65, but with very long gaps
between 21 and 61. The pages in this volume are frightfully scrambled, as if they
had been tossed into the air and rebound in the order in which they fell to the
ground. K. 1042 is a volume of the same size and format , but it is written in a
different (and far clearer) hand, and covers the years A.H. 158-302.
xx Translator's Foreword
published since r9oo (e.g., Baladhuri, Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Ibn
Hubaysh, In A'tham al-Kufi, Hassan b. Thabit( would probably
resolve some of the puzzles in the existing text; at the very least,
they would provide a broader context for them.
R. Stephen Humphreys
vo o
all
L
a
Ld j
The
Events of the Year
24
NOVEMBER 7, 644-OCTOBER 27, 645)
( 2799)
2. 'amman dhakarahu . The phrase could also be rendered , "on the authority of
someone whom he has mentioned ." But cf. the isnad of Alamad b . Thabit below,
p. 25. Dhakara normally indicates a written, not an oral, source: "he mentioned
in a book."
3. 1 have consistently rendered al-nos as "the people " in this translation . Unfortunately there are other terms (e.g., gawm, ahl) that appear to be near -synonyms
and which for the sake of English idiom sometimes must be translated as "people," though I have tried to find other equivalents wherever possible . In this
section of Tabari, al-nas is consistently used to refer collectively to the Muslims,
either as a whole or (more commonly) to those involved in a particular incident.
The term has strongly positive connotations ; normally it is applied to a group that
is morally upright and devoted to the ideals of the Community. Qawm in contrast
is usually negative in tone , implying a group acting in opposition to Islam or (if
made up of Muslims ) subverting the unity and integrity of the Community.
Qawm is commonly used in the Qur'an and elsewhere to mean "a people, nation," and its root meaning is "the fighting men of a tribe." In this section of
Tabari, however, qawm almost always refers to a small , voluntary association. I
have normally translated it as "group" or "band." Ahl is a morally neutral term
that refers simply to the populace of a certain locality or to the partisans of a given
religio-political tendency . Hence, an expression like ahl a1-Ba$rah can appropriately be translated as "the Bagrans," though occasionally "the inhabitants/people
of Bagrah" seems better.
4. Presumably in order to swear the oath of allegiance to him on behalf of the
officials and troops of the frontiers , and to receive accession donatives from the
new Caliph . This and the succeeding text repeat (with identical isnads ) reports
already cited in connection with the account of 'Umar 's death above : I, 2727,
2728. The latter reads "wa-waffada ahla a1-am.ari wa -$ani 'a fihim "-"He permitted the inhabitants of the garrison towns to send delegations, and treated them
generously."
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-'Amr-al-Sha'bi: The men of the shnrd5 agreed on'Uthman
on al-Muharram 3 (November 9). It was now midafternoon, and
the muezzin of $uhayb6 had called the prayer. They reached (2800J
agreement between the call to prayer and its actual inception.
Then ('Uthman) went out and led the people in prayer. He increased (the stipends of] the people by ioo (dirhams] and permitted the inhabitants of the garrison towns (ahl al-am$dr) to send
delegations; he was the first to do these things.
Others follow the account of Ibn Sa'd-al-Wagidi-Ibn JurayjIbn Abi Mulaykah: The oath of allegiance was rendered to
'Uthman on al-Mubarram io, three nights after the murder of
'Umar.
concerning God.'7 Consider those who have gone before you, then
be in earnest and do not be neglectful, for you will surely not be
overlooked. Where are the sons and brothers of this world who
tilled it, dwelt in it, and were long granted enjoyment therein?
Did it not spit them out? Cast aside this world as God has cast it
aside and seek the hereafter, for verily God has coined a parable
[2801] for it and for that which is better. The Almighty has said: 'And
strike for them the similitude of the present life: it is as water
that We send down out of heaven, [and the plants of the earth
mingle with it; and in the morning it is straw the winds scatter;
and God is omnipotent over everything. Wealth and sons are the
adornment of the present world; but the abiding things, the deeds
of righteousness, are better with God in reward, and better in)
hope."'8 Then the people came forward to render the oath of
allegiance to him.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Abu Mangur: I heard al-Qumadhban speaking about the
murder of his father. He said: The Persians (al-'Ajam) in Medina
were taking their ease with one another when Fayr iz9 passed by
my father with a two-bladed dagger. (My father) took it from him
and said, "What are you doing with this around here? " Fayruz
said, "I like having it."10 Now a man saw him, and when 'Umar
was struck down, he said, "I saw this (dagger) with al-Hurmuzan;
he gave it to Fayruz." Then 'Ubaydallah came up and killed (alHurmuzan). When 'Uthman took office, he summoned me and
put ('Ubaydallah) in my hands. Then he said, "My son, this man is
the murderer of your father; it is your duty rather than ours to
take vengeance upon him, so go and kill him." I went out with
him, and there was no one in the land who did not support me and
demand that [I take action] against him. I said to them, "Is it up to
me to kill ('Ubaydallah)?" They answered, "Yes." And they reviled 'Ubaydallah. Then I said, "Is it your place to protect him?"
7. Qur'an 31:33; 35:5.
8. Qur'an 18 :42-44. The words in brackets are supplied to complete the passage, cited here (as is usual in medieval Arabic texts) in abridged form.
11. Other versions of this story portray 'Ubaydallih and 'Uthman in a far more
hostile light: see Vol. 14 of the present translation (I, 2795-2797(; Ya'q bi,
Ta'rikh, II, 188 ; Ibn al-Athii, Knmil (Beirut, III, 75-76.
12. As governor of Bagrah; see below, p. 34.
the truth. Take what is right and give for it what is right. Strive
for integrity! Uphold it and be not the first to violate it, so that
you may share what you have acquired with those who come
after you . Keep faith, keep faith! Do not wrong the orphan nor one
with whom you have made a pact, for God is the opponent of him
who wrongs them."
According to some authorities , his letter to the common people
was [as follows]: "To proceed: You have attained so much only by
strict adherence to sound models [of conduct). Let not this world
turn you away from your proper concerns (amrikum), for this
Community will become involved in innovation after three
things occur together among you : complete prosperity, the attainment of adulthood by the children of captive women, and the
recitation of the Qur'an by both Arabs and non-Arabs (al-a'djim).
(2804]
Adharbayjan and Armenia, because their inhabitants had repudiated the terms to which they had agreed with the Muslims during
`Umar's reign . [That is] according to the account of Abu Mikhnaf,
but other authorities relate that this took place in the year 26.
[2805]
[2806] Then al-Walid made peace with the inhabitants of Adharbayjan, in return for [a tribute] of 8oo,00o dirhams, these being the
terms which Hudhayfah b. al-Yaman had negotiated in the year
22, one year after the battle of Nihawand.16 With the death of
`Umar, they had stopped payment . When `Uthman took office and
15. Text : al-Azdi thumma '1-Ghamidi. See Wright, Arabic Grammar, 1, 293C.
16. The battle of Nihiwand (21/642 ) was the Arab victory in the mountain
passes leading from Iraq to Hamadhin over Sasanian forces commanded by the
king Yazdagird III. This victory opened the Iranian plateau to Arab attack, and
brought an end to centrally controlled Iranian resistance to the Arab invaders. It
was not the end of the fighting in Iran, which stretched on for more than a decade
Al-Wagidi claims that Said b. al-`A$ was the one who sent
Salman b. Rabi'ah to the aid of Habib b. Maslamah. He says: the
reason is that `Uthman had written to Mu'awiyah, ordering him
to send Habib b. aslamah with the Syrians to attack Armenia,
and he did so. Then Habib learned that al-Mawriyan al-Rumi had
set out to meet him with 8o,ooo Byzantines and Turks.'9 Habib
i8. Qur'inic allusions to the rewards (both now and hereafter) given by God to
those who serve Him faithfully . Cf. Qur'an 27:16.
19. Al-Mawriyin al-Rum : probably the strategos Maurianos or Mavrianos, a
Byzantine general in Armenia . Other sources (Sebeos, Theophanes, and Balidhuri's Futnla al-Buldan) state that he was defeated (and perhaps killed ) by Habib b.
Maslamah at the Armenian city of Dvin in 653 - 655-that is, about a decade later
e
The
Events of the Year
25
(OCTOBER 28, 645-OCTOBER 16, 646)
to
According to the account related to me by Abmad b . Thabit alRazi-a traditionist (mu1 addith)-Ishaq b. 'Isa-Abu Ma'shar:
The conquest of Alexandria took place in the year 25.
According to al-Wagidi : In this year, Alexandria repudiated its
pact, and 'Amr b. al-'A$ launched a bloody attack on them.20 We
[that is, al-Tabari] have previously cited the report (of this event),
mentioning also those who disagree with Abu Ma' shar and alWagidi concerning the date.
16
The
Events of the Year
26
(OCTOBER 17, 646-OCTOBER 6, 647)
25. al-masjid al-Karam. This is the Ka' bah and the enclosed courtyard around it.
27.The Hudhayl tribe resided in the hills between Mecca and al-Ta'if, and was
closely linked genealogically to the Quraysh. They joined Quraysh in opposing
Muhammad, and were only brought over to Islam at the conquest of Mecca in 630.
See G. Rentz, "Hudhayl," E12,111, 540-41 . I take "Ibn Mas'ud " here not as a name,
but literally, "the son of Mas'ud." There seems no indication that 'Abdallah b.
Mas'ud himself was ever a slave, but if he was the son of a man who had been one,
that would explain the allusions to his client status as regards both Hudhayl and
Quraysh. A further bit of evidence for his father 's status: "Mas'ud" ("Fortunate")
would have been a very uncommon name for a full member of a noble Arab tribe.
28. The printed text has Musayyab -'Abd Khayr, but de Goeje (Introductio,
dcxxv) corrects this in accordance with Kiiprdlii 1043.
29. Following the readings of de Goeje (Introductio, dcxxv ) and Ibrahim, since
the mss are uncertain on this name.
16
The
Events of the Year
27
(OCTOBER
According to the account related to me by Ahmad b. Thabit alRazi-a traditionist-Ishaq b. Isa-Abu Ma`shar: Among these
was the conquest of Ifriqiyah by'Abdallah b. Sa'd b. Abi Sarh. This
is the account of al-Wagidi as well.
128141
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'ayb-SayfMuhammad and Talbah: At `Umar's death, `Amr b. al-`A^ governed Egypt, while the judgeship there was held by Kharijah b.
Hudhafah al-Sahmi. When `Uthman took office, he retained both
of them for [the first] two years of his caliphate. Then he removed
`Amr from office and appointed `Abdallah b. Sa'd b. Abi Sarh as
governor.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu`aybSayf-Abu Harithah and Abu 'Uthman: When `Uthman took of-
(Al-Abrash) replied, "We shall act [on this matter)." Now when
34. The chamberlain of Hisham.
35. Prym's text gives lam najid hddhd if hitdbin wa-la sunnatin . I have followed the reading of Oxford Marsh 394.
e
The
Events of the Year
28
(SEPTEMBER 25, 648-SEPTEMBER 13, 649)
Some authorities say that [the conquest of] Cyprus took place
in the year 27. According to their accounts , a body ( jamd`ah) of
the Companions of the Messenger of God attacked it-among
them Abu Dharr, 'Ubadah b. al-$amit and his wife Umm Haram,
al-Migdad, Abu al- Darda', and Shaddad b. Aws.43
42. The text says simply "anhu." But Mprulu 1043 gives the name "Abu
Ma'shar." Cf. the isnad of Abmad b. Thabit, above, p. 2.
43. On Abu Dharr, see below, pp. 64ff. and note 1o6; on Abu al-Darda', see
below, p. 65 and note 109.
asked, "How did you recognize him?" "By his alms ," she answered. " He gave in the manner of kings, and was not grasping
like the merchants."
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Abu Harithah and Abu 'Uthman: The woman who had
incited the Byzantines against 'Abdallah b. Qays was asked,
"How did you recognize him?" She answered , "He looked like a
merchant, but when I pleaded for alms, he gave to me like a king,
and so I knew that he was 'Abdallah b. Qays."
('Uthman) wrote to Mu'awiyah and the (other) provincial officials : "To proceed: See to those matters concerning which you
have departed from 'Umar['s directives ], and do not alter them. If
you are in doubt about something, refer it to us, we shall convene
(2 826) the Community (ummah ) concerning it and then send (the proper
course of action ) back to you . Take care to alter nothing, for I
shall accept from you only what 'Umar would accept." That region (ndlziyah ) had been falling into disorder in (the period) between the peace treaty [established under] 'Umar and the regime
of 'Uthman . He would thus send a certain man there and God
would conquer it through him, and that [conquest] would be accounted as his. Regarding the conquests [in general ], they were
credited to the first man who was made governor over them.49
According to al-Wagidi : In this year, Habib b. Maslamah attacked Suriyah in Byzantine territory.
In this year, 'Uthman married Na'ilah bint al-Farafigah.52 She
was a Christian, but converted to Islam before he consummated
the marriage.
According to (al-Wagidi ): In (this year), 'Uthman built his resi-
5 i. That is, over the combined Muslim forces from Syria and Egypt on Cyprus.
52. A woman of the tribe of Kalb.
16
The
Events of the Year
29
( SEPTEMBER 14, 649 -SEPTEMBER 3, 650
q1
'Abd Shams. This man's mother was Dajjajah bt. Asma' al-Sulami, and he was the son of 'Uthman b. 'Affan's maternal uncle.
According to Maslamah: He came to Ba$rah in the year 29, at
the age of twenty-five.
35
spoke of the merit in making the jihad on foot, so that a few men
loaded up their animals and agreed to set forth as infantrymen.
But others said, "No, by God ! We will not hasten to act until we
see what he does . If his actions are like his words , then we will do
as our comrades have done ." When the day came to set out, (Abu
Musa) sent out his baggage from the governor 's palace on forty
mules. (The doubters) clung to his bridle and said , "Mount us on
some of these extra (animals), and be as eager to go on foot as you
asked us to be." He appeased these men until they let go of his
animal; then he proceeded forward.
They came to 'Uthman, however, and asked that he relieve
them of (Abu Musa). They said, "We do not wish to say everything we know, but give us [someone else) in place of him."
"Whom do you wish?" responded 'Uthman. Then Ghaylan b.
Kharashah said, "Anyone would be as good as this slave who has 128301
devoured our land and revived among us the way of the Time of
Ignorance. Shall we not free ourselves from an Ash 'ari who regards his sovereignty (mulk ) over the Ash'ari tribesmen as a great
thing and belittles sovereignty in Bagrah? If you make a child or
an old man our amir, he will be as good, and anyone of the people
in between those two [extremes] will be better than (Abu Musa)."
Thus, ('Uthman) summoned 'Abdallah b. 'Amir and made him
governor (ammarahu ) of Ba$rah.
('Uthman ) dispatched 'Ubaydallah b. Ma'mar to Fars , appointing
'Umayr b. 'Uthman b . Sa'd as governor over [ 'Ubaydallah's former]
province. In the fourth year of his reign , he named Umayr57b.
A]<imar al-Yashkuri as governor of Khurasan . in the same year, he
assigned the governorship of Sijistan to 'Imran b. a1-Fagil al-Burjumi and the governorship of Kirman to 'Agim b. 'Amr , who died
there.
(283i ]
two armies) met at I$xakhr, and he slaughtered many of (the rebels), as a result of which they remained submissive thereafter.
(`Abdallah) wrote to `Uthman about this event, and the latter
wrote back to him naming [the following men] as military commanders in the administrative districts (kuwar) of Fars: Harim b.
Hassan al-Yashkuri; Harim b. Hayyan al-'Abdi, of the [tribe of]
`Abd al-Qays; al-Khirrit b. Rashid, of the [tribe of] Banu Samah; alMinjab b. Rashid; and al-Tarjuman al-Hujaymi. He also divided
Khurasan among a group of six [men]: al-Ahnaf [was put] in
charge of the two Marws;58 Habib b. Qurrah al-YarbU'i over
Balkh, which was part of the territories conquered by the Kufans;
Khalid b. `Abdallah b. Zuhayr over Herat; Umayr b. Ahmar alYashkuri over Tus; Qays b. al-Haytham59al-Sulami over
Nishapur-he was the first to set out [for his district]; and 'Abdallah b. Khazim, who was his cousin (ibn `ammihi). Then before his
death `Uthman combined (all of Khurasan) under (Qays b. al-Haytham), and when (`Uthman) died Qays (held authority] over
Khurasan. (`Uthman) appointed Umayr b. Ahmar as governor in
Sijistan, and then set over it `Abd al-Rahman b. Samurah, who
belonged to the clan (61) of Habib b. `Abd Shams. At the time of
`Uthman's death, ('Abd al-Rahman b. Samurah) held authority in
(Sijistan), 'Imran in Kirman, 'Umayr b. `Uthman b. Sa'd in Fars,
and Ibn Kindir al-Qushayri in Makran.60
According to `Ali b. Muhammad (al-Mad a'ini)-`Ali b. Mujahid-his shaykhs: Ghaylan b. Kharashah said to `Uthman b.
'Affan, "Is there not among all of you some wretch for you to raise
up? Is there no beggar for you to enrich? 0 men of Quraysh, how
long will that aged Ash'ari devour these lands?" The old man [that
[2832] is, Uthman] grasped his point and named `Abdallah b. `Amir as
governor [of Basrah].
According to `Ali b. Muhammad (al-Mada'ini)-Abu Bakr al58. Marw on the Murghab River, the administrative center of Khurasan in
Umayyad and early Abbasid times; and Marw al-Rudh.
59. Text: Hubayrah. De Goeje, Introductio, dcxxv, gives no authority for his
emendation.
60. As the parentheses suggest , this paragraph is full of masculine singular
pronouns with no clear antecedents . My reconstruction agrees with that of
Caetani, Annali, VII, 292-93, who-here as elsewhere-puts little stock in the
evidentiary value of Sayf's account.
37
Hudhali: 'Uthman named Ibn 'Amir as governor of Ba$rah. According to al-Hasan: Abu Musa said, "To you a youth of great
shrewdness is coming . Through his grandmothers and his maternal and paternal aunts he is noble; under him the two armies will
be combined."
According to (al-Mada'ini)-al-Hasan: When Ibn 'Amir arrived,
the army of Abu Musa and the army of `Uthman b. Abi al-'As alThagafi were united under him. Now 'Uthman b. Abi al-'A$ was
one of those who had crossed over [to Khuzistin by ship] from
'Umin and Bahrayn.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Muhammad and Talbah: In the time of 'Uthman, Qays b.
al-Haytham sent 'Abdallah b. Khizim as his envoy to'Abdallih b.
'Amir. 'Abdall ah b. Khazim was much esteemed by 'Abdallah b.
'Amir, and so he said to the latter , "Write a diploma ('ahd) appointing me over Khurisan should Qays b. al-Haytham leave
(that province)." (Ibn 'Amir) did so and ('Abdallah b. Khazim) returned to Khurasan . When the people heard the news of
'Uthmin 's murder and the enemy grew turbulent, Qays said [to
Ibn Khazim), "What do you think, 'Abdallah?" "In my opinion,"
('Abdallah) responded, "you should leave me [here) as your deputy
and not delay your departure , so that you can look into the situation." (Qays) did this, appointing (Ibn Khizim) as his deputy.
Then 'Abdallah (b. Khazim ) produced his diploma of appointment
[from Ibn 'Amir), and he maintained authority over Khurisin un-
til the rise of 'Ali. The mother of 'Abdallah (b. Khazim) was 'Ajli; 128331
and Qays -in anger at how (Ibn Khizim ) had treated him-said,
"I had a better right than 'Abdallah to be the son of 'Ajla."
According to al-Wagidi, and according to Ahmad b. Thibit (alRizi)-one who recounted it (to him)-Ishaq b. 'Isa-Abu Ma'shar: In this year, 'Abdallah b. 'Amir conquered Firs. As regards
the account of Sayf, we have already given it.
In this year-that is, 29 (649 - 5o)-'Uthman enlarged and widened the Mosque of the Messenger of God [in Medinaj.61 He be61. On this incident, and the history of this structure in general, see the brilliant though conjectural account of Jean Sauvaget , La mosquee omeyyade de
MA-dine Paris : 1947). Sauvaget gives an exhaustive and very sophisticated account
of the textual sources, among which Tabari has only a modest place.
came to 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf and said, "Do you know that
your brother has prayed four rak'ahs ) with the people?" 'Abd alRakiman prayed two rak `ahs with his companions and then set
out to see 'Uthman. He said to him, "Did you not pray two rak`ahs in this place with the Messenger of God ?" ('Uthman) answered, "Indeed so." "And did you not pray two rakahs with Abu
Bakr?" "Indeed so." "And did you not pray two rak'ahs with
'Umar?" "Indeed so." "And did you not pray two rak`ahs at the
beginning of your caliphate?" "Indeed so," said 'Uthman. "But
listen to me, Abu Muhammad. I was informed that some of the
Yemenis and ill -educated people who made the pilgrimage last
year said, 'The ritual prayer consists of two rak ahs for the permanent resident (al-mugim ); here is your imam 'Uthman praying
two rak `ahs.' In Mecca I am connected with a clan (ahl), and I
have thought it best to pray four rak`ahs out of my fear for the
people. In addition, I have taken a wife there, and in al-'Wa'if I have
property, which I sometimes supervise and reside in after the day
of return from the Pilgrimage. "65
'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf said, "None of this gives you any excuse. You say that you are connected with a clan , but your wife is
in Medina, going and coming as you wish, and living only where
you do. You say that you have property in al-Ta'if, but between 128351
you and al-TA'if is a three -day journey, and you are not one of the
inhabitants of al-`I'a 'if. You say that the Yemenis and others who
are making the pilgrimage are returning [home] and saying, 'Here
is your imam `Uthman praying two rak `ahs, and he is a permanent
resident.' But revelation would descend on the Messenger of God
when Islam was rare among the people, [and yet he prayed two
rak'ahs), and then Abu Bakr and `Umar did the same . Thus, Islam
became established, and `Umar prayed two rak'ahs with them
until he died." 'Uthman replied, " It is my own personal opinion."
65. 'Uthman's point is twofold . ( 1) Many ordinary Muslims were ignorant of the
different number of ritual prostrations (rak ahs) connected with the act of prayer
at different times . Hence, they would assume that all prayers were to be performed with two rak ahs, although in fact only those who were traveling or on
pilgrimage were permitted to abbreviate the usual four rakahs in that manner. (2)
'Uthman 's property holdings and family ties made him a permanent resident in
Mecca and al-Ta'if as well as Medina; hence, he felt obligated to observe the
complete rite of four rakahs even during the Pilgrimage season. See note 271
below, and the discussion in Caetani, Annali , VII, 261-64.
40
The
Events of the Year
30
(SEPTEMBER 4, 650-AUGUST 23, 651)
q1
42
It was related to me by'Umar b. Shabbah-'Ali b. Muhammad (alMada'ini)-'Ali b. Mujahid-Hanash b. Malik: In the year 30
(650-5i), Said b. al-'As set out on campaign from Kufah, aiming
at Khurasan, accompanied by Hudhayfah b. al-Yaman and a group
of the Companions of the Messenger of God. With him were alHasan, al-Husayn, 'Abdallah b.'Abbas, 'Abdallah b. 'Umar, 'Abdallah b. 'Amr b. al-'A$, and 'Abdallah b. al-Zubayr. [At the same
time] 'Abdallah b. 'Amir set out from Bagrah for Khurasan. He
outstripped Said and laid siege to Abrashahr.67 Said having
learned of his siege of Abrashahr, he encamped at Qumis, which
was governed by a peace treaty that Hudhayfah had made with
(its people) after Nihawand.
Then Said came to Jurjan and concluded a treaty with it requiring [a tribute of] 200,000 [dirhams]. Then he came to Tamisah,68
which is situated between Tabaristan and Jurjan; it is a city on
[2837) the shore [of the Caspian] Sea, at the boundaries of Jurjan. Its
inhabitants fought him until he performed the prayer of fear.69 He
had said to Hudhayfah, "How did the Messenger of God pray?"
(Hudhayfah) told him, and Said performed there the prayer of fear
while they were fighting.
On that day Said smote one of the polytheists on the sinews of
his shoulder and his sword emerged below (the man's) elbow. He
besieged them and they sought safe-conduct (amdn). He granted it
to them with the condition that he would not kill one man
among them. Then they threw open the fortress and he put them
all to death save one man.70 He seized the contents of the fortress,
and a man from (the tribe of] Banu Nahd came across a basket
with a lock; he supposed it contained jewelry. Said learned of this
of the West. However, Sasanian provincial administration was extensively revamped under Khusraw Parviz ( 592-628), so that the scope of the authority of the
official named here is not certain . See Morony, Iraq after the Muslim Conquest,
28, 38, 126, 148, 187.
67. Nishapur/Naysabur. The name Abrashahr seems to have dropped out of use
after the fourth/ tenth century. See Le Strange, Eastern Caliphate, 383.
68. Also known as Tam-is; see Le Strange, Eastern Caliphate, 375.
69. The prayer of fear, salat al-khawf, is a shortened ritual performed in the near
presence of an enemy . See Wensinck, "$alit," SEI, 496.
43
and sent for the Nahdi tribesman. He brought the basket to him;
they broke open its lock. Within it they found (another) basket.
They opened it, and there was a black cloak rolled up. Spreading it
out, they found a red cloak . They unfolded it, and there was a
yellow cloak containing two penises , one maroon and one rosecolored. A poet said, ridiculing the Band Nahd:
The noble-hearted have returned with captives as booty,
while the Band Nahd have won two penises in a basket,
Maroon and rose-colored, both of ample size.
They thought them spoils; forbid yourself such an error!
Then Sa'id b. al-'A$ conquered Namiyah, which is not a city but a
desert.
It was related to me by 'Umar b. Shabbah-'Ali b. Muhammad [2838]
(al-Mada'ini)-'Ali b. Mujahid-Hanash b. Malik al-Taghlibi: In
the year 30 (650-51), Said campaigned in Jurjan andTabaristan.
With him were 'Abdallah b. al-'Abbas, 'Abdallah b. 'Umar, Ibn alZubayr, and 'Abdallah b. 'Anir b. al-'A. A peasant (71j) who used
to serve them recounted the following to me (namely , Hanash]: "I
used to bring them the serving tray, and when they had eaten,
they ordered me to shake it off and hang it up. Then when evening came they gave me the leftover (food)."
According to ('Umar b. Shabbah): Muhammad b. al-Hakam b.
Abi'Agil al-Thagafi, the grandfather of Ydsuf b.'Umar,71 perished
[while on campaign] with Said b. al-'As. Ydsuf once said to
Qabdham, "Qabdham, do you know where Muhammad b. alHakam died ?" He replied, "Yes, he found martyrdom in Tabaristan with Said b. al-'As." (Ydsuf) said, "No, he died there
while he was (on campaign ] with Said; then Sa'id returned to
Kdfah." Ka'b b. Ju'ayl lauded (Said), saying:
How excellent was the youth when dust swirled beneath him
and when they alighted from Dastaba-72
7r. Yusuf b. 'Umar al-Thaqafi was one of the most prominent Umayyad governors of Iraq, noted particularly for his unrelenting harshness toward his rivals. He
was appointed by the caliph Hishim in 738, and died during the Umayyad civil
war in 744 . On his career see Wellhausen , Arab Kingdom, 333-35, 357 - 59, 36768, 376, Hawting, First Dynasty of Islam, 82-83, 93, 96-97.
72. Dastabi was "a large district (ktirah) divided between al-Rayy and
Hamadhan . One section of it was named Dastabi al-Rani , and contained almost
46
the people, so that the people (as a whole] would abstain from
killing.75
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Muhammad b. Kurayb-Nafi' b. Jubayr: 'Uthman said,
"The collective oath is the responsibility of the accused and his
close associates (awliyd'). Fifty men among them will be made to
swear an oath if there is no clear proof (of the guilt of the accused).
If their collective oath falls short (of the requisite number] or if
one man abstains, then their oath is to be rejected and the plaintiffs shall be made responsible for swearing (the oath), and if fifty
of them do so, their claim [for retaliation] shall be recognized."76
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-al-Ghugn b. al-Qasim-'Awn b. 'Abdallah: Among
'Uthman's innovations in Kufah, in addition to the things reported above, is the following. He learned that a public crier,
acting on behalf of Abu Sammal al-Asadi and a small band of
Kufans, would call out when the purveyors came [to the city),
"Whoever is here from (the tribe of] Kalb or the Banu Such-andSuch, their tribe (gawm ) has no assigned residence (manzil) in
(the city); Abu Sammal77 will be responsible for [giving him] a
place to stay." So ('Uthman) took over the site of the house of
'Agil, the visitors' house, and the house of Ibn Habbar. The residence of 'Abdallah b. Masud was located among the Hudhayl
(tribe) in the place of al-Ramadah; he had lived in the place where
his house was, but then turned his house over to be the
75. wali a]-dam-According to tribal custom (sanctioned by the Qur'in), the
victim's closest male relative was charged with avenging the blood of his kinsman
by finding and putting to death his assailant , or by obtaining a suitable blood price
(diyah). In Hanafi law (originally based on the custom of K6fah ), the gasamah is
an oath of innocence sworn fifty times by the inhabitants of a locality that they
were not involved in the murder of a person whose corpse was found in their
midst. Faced with such an oath, the wall al-dam could not demand blood retaliation and would have to settle for the blood price . In Miliki law (based on the
custom of ancient West Arabia ), the gasamah is a collective oath (also sworn fifty
times ) by the kinsmen of the slain man, through which they formally accuse and
demand vengeance against an alleged murderer . See J. Pedersen and Y . Linant de
Bellefonds, "gasim," E12, IV, 689-90.
76. Hence 'Uthmin's ruling reflects-or rather (if we take this account at face
value) underlies-both the Hanafi and Miliki conception of the qasamah.
77. Following lbrihim 's reading instead of the Leiden text.
78. The Kundsah was originally a dumping ground outside the settled compound in Kufah, but by Umayyad times it had become a caravan station and openair market, like the Mirbad of Bayrah. Either this locale had already obtained its
new function by the time of 'Uthmin, or the story contains a serious anachronism
(not uncommon in Sayf 's narratives). See H. Djait , "al-Kufa," E12, V, 347.
79. The Bann Taghlib were a Christian tribe who had long since established
themselves along the middle Euphrates , they were pastoralists, but kept sheep
and goats rather than camels. After an initial phase of resistance , they joined the
Muslim Arab forces during the Conquest period and were given a privileged tax
status, but were allowed to maintain their Christian religion until well into the
Umayyad period. On them see Morony, Iraq after the Muslim Conquest, 218-20,
229-32, et passim ; Donner, Early Islamic Conquests, 188, 251 - 53, et passim.
[that of] `Umarah b. 'Uqbah, and had no door. Then (the Kufan [2844]
notables ) arose with (the three accusers) and stormed in upon him
from the mosque, for the entryway (of his house) opened into the
mosque.8 Al-Walid was taken completely by surprise and shoved
something under the dais (al-sarir). Without seeking permission,
one of (the intruders) reached in and pulled (the object) out. There
was a platter of grape seeds and stems , which al-Walid had pushed
aside only out of embarrassment, for they would see his platter
with nothing but these leavings. Then (the intruders) got up and
went out to the people ; some of them began blaming others.
When the people heard these things, they began to revile and
curse them . Some groups (agwam ) were saying, "May God be
angry with (the intruder)." But others said, "The Book [of God]
compelled him [to do this], and it called upon them to examine
(al-Walid's doings) thoroughly." Now al-Walid forgave them for
this, concealing it from `Uthman and taking no steps among the
people in regard to it. He disliked arousing dissension among
them, so he kept silent about it and bore it patiently.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-al-Fayd b. Mul}ammad, who says: I saw al-Sha'bi sitting
80. In most of the early Islamic administrative centers , the governor's residence
adjoined the mosque, usually on the qiblah side, thus permitting the governor to
enter the mosque to lead the prayer without having to go outside . The arrangement is evidently both functional and symbolic.
51
52
[2847)
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Abu Ghassan Sakan b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Hubaysh: A band
of Kufans got together and endeavored to have al -Walid deposed.
Abu Zaynab b. 'Awf and Abu Muwarri' b. FulanS7al-Asadi were
deputed to testify against him. So (this group ) called on al-Walid
and clung to him assiduously. One day, while they were with him
86. The story is not entirely clear here, even when one identifies the antecedents of all the pronouns. 'Uthmin 's intervention is required because Jundub's
blow has killed the sorcerer . This intervention demonstrates both 'Uthmin's
clemency and his determination to retain authority in his own hands . The version
of al-Ya'giibi (Ta'rikh, II, r9o), more concise but clearer , has the sorcerer appearing
to enter the animal 's buttocks and then reemerge from its mouth.
87. Literally, "the son of so-and-so"; that is, the father's name is not known to
the narrator.
53
in [his) house, al-Walid fell asleep. Now he had two wives in the
bedchamber, separated from the group (qawm) by a curtain; one
of them was the daughter of Dhu al-Khimir, the other the
daughter of Abu 'Aqil. The group dispersed, but Abu Zaynab and
Abu Muwarri' stayed put. One of them took his signet ring, and
then both of them left. Al-Walid awoke (and found] his two wives
sitting by his head. Not seeing his signet ring, he asked them
about it; however, he found that they knew nothing. Then he
said, "Which of the group stayed behind?" "Two men whom we
do not know," answered the women, "for they have only recently
been coming to visit you." "Describe them," he said. "One of
them had a coarse mantle (khami$ah) while the other wore an
embroidered cloak (mifraf), 88 and the one with the embroidered
cloak was farther away from you," they answered. "[Was he) the
tall one?" he asked. "Yes," they answered, "and the one wearing
the coarse mantle was closer to you." "[Was heJ the short one?"
he asked. They responded, "Yes, and we saw his hand touching
yours." He said, "That one is Abu Zaynab, and the other is Abu [2848]
Muwarri'. They intend some dastardly deed; would that I knew
what!" Then he sought for them but could not find them.
[Meantime] the two of them headed for Medina and approached
'Uthmin. With them was a small band made up of men whom
`Uthmin knew to be among those dismissed from [their] offices
by al-Walid. They all spoke to `Uthmin, and he said, "Who testifies [against al-WalidJ?" "Abu Zaynab and Abu Muwarri'," they
answered, "the others are too fearful." So 'Uthmin said, "How
did you see [this)?"89 "We were members of his entourage," they
said. "We entered his presence and he was vomiting up wine."
('Uthmin) said, "Only a man who has been drinking wine vomits
it up." Then he sent for (al-Walid). When he entered 'Uthmin's
presence, he saw (his two accusers) and recited [this verse):
88. These two items of clothing are described in M. M . Ahsan, Social Life under
the Abbasids (London and New York: 1979), 40-41: "The mitraf, a garment made
of silk and richly embroidered, was a large piece of cloth, sometimes so large as to
enfold the whole body of the wearer.... It was generally worn by rich people and
high dignitaries ." The khamf.7ah in contrast "was a long coarse stuff that could be
used as a blanket," or "a black square blanket having two borders."
89. Text: Kayla ra'aytuma . It might also mean, "What did he look like to you?"
54
55
regard to this (issue), they were diffident until [the battle of]
$iffin.90 Then Mu'awiyah took power (waliya) and they began to
say, "`Uthman accused [al-Walid] without cause." But'Ali said to
them, "In your censure of 'Uthman, you are really like the man
who thrusts a lance through himself in order to kill the rider
seated behind him. What was 'Uthman 's sin in regard to a man
whom he struck because of his deeds91 and dismissed from his
office? And what was 'Uthman's sin in what he did regarding
us?"92
[2851] in Damascus in the care of one who is looking after him attentively [namely, Mu'awiyahj, and he is mortally wounded.94 So
('Umar) sent Mu'awiyah [the following order] : "Dispatch Said b.
a1- Ag to me in a litter." So (Mu awiyah ) sent him to ('Umar),
though he was desperately ill, and no sooner did he reach Medina
than he recovered.
('Umar) said, "Nephew, I have heard of your courage and uprightness ; grow [in these qualities ] and God will cause you to
grow in prosperity." ('Umar) said, "Do you have a wife?" "No,"
replied ( Sa'id). ('Umar ) said, "Abu 'Amr [namely, 'Uthman], what
has kept you from finding a spouse for this young man?" "I did
94. Huwa bi-Dimashqa ahdu '1- ahidi bihi wa-huwa ma innmun bi'I-mawt.
He inquired about the inhabitants of Kftfah and was preoccupied with their situation. He wrote to 'Uthman about what he
had learned [as follows]: "The affairs of the Kufans are in turmoil.
The nobles among them, the men of distinguished family
(buyntdt), and the veterans of the early campaigns (ahl al-sabigah
wa'l-qudmah) have been overwhelmed, and the dominant element in these lands are recent immigrants and bedouin who have
attached themselves [to the regular forces. It has gotten] to the
59
'Uthman had given to him. Certain men from the tribes in Iraq
who were drawn from the inhabitants of Medina, Mecca, al-'Wa'if,
Yemen, and Hajramawt, purchased (land in Iraq) in exchange for
properties that they had in the Arabian Peninsula 98 Among that
which al-Ash'ath purchased from ('Uthman ), in exchange for a
property of his in Haciramawt, was a holding in Tizanabadh.
(2857] fashioned out of iron for him, and he placed it on his finger. Then
Gabriel came to him and said, "Take it from thy finger." The
Messenger of God did so and ordered another signet ring to be
made for him. A new signet ring was thus fashioned for him out
of copper, and he placed it on his finger. Then Gabriel said to him,
"Take it from thy finger." The Messenger of God did so and
ordered a signet ring of silver. A signet ring of silver was fashioned
for him, and he placed it on his finger. [This time] Gabriel conroe. Bib al-Abwab, the Caspian seaport of Darband, which stood astride the
main corridor through the Caucasus ; it marked the northern limits of the early
Arab conquests in this region . See D. M. Dunlop, "Bib al-Abwab," EI2,1, 835-36,
Le Strange, Eastern Caliphate, r8o.
103. The Arabic mile (mil) is equal to one-third of a farsakh-that is, about two
km. See W. Hinz, Islamische Masse and Gewichte, 63. See also below, note r r9.
Thus, the Messenger of God wore the signet ring on his finger
until Almighty God took him. Then Abu Bakr became caliph and
wore it until Almighty God took him. Afterwards 'Umar b. alKhattib ruled, and he began wearing it until God took him. Then [2858]
after him 'Uthmin b. 'Affin ruled and wore it for six years. He dug
a well in Medina to supply water for the Muslims . He was sitting
on the edge of the well and began fiddling with the ring and
twisting it around his finger. The ring slipped off and fell into the
well. They searched for it and [even] drained the well of its water,
but without success . ('Uthman) established a magnificent reward
for anyone who could bring it [to him] and became deeply depressed on account of (the lost ring). When he despaired of
[finding] the signet ring, he ordered another one like it in form and
appearance and made of silver to be fashioned for him . 105 On it
was engraved "Muhammad, the Messenger of God." Then
('Uthman) placed it on his finger until he perished . When he was
ro4. Khusraw Parviz or Chosroes II, regn. 592-628, not only a symbol of imperial grandeur but also of overweening pride, which brought down not only himself
but his kingdom.
murdered the ring disappeared from his hand, and no one knew
who had taken it.
The Reports Concerning Abu Dharr (a]-Ghifari]16
In this year-that is, the year 30 (650-5 r)-occurred (the events)
that have been recorded about the affair of Abu Dharr and
Mu'awiyah, and about Mu'awiyah' s exiling him from Syria to
Medina. Many things have been recorded as to why he sent him
into exile , most of which I am loathe to mention. As for those
who excuse Mu'awiyah in this ( affair), they have told a story
(gi$$ah) about it [which runs as follows]:
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari, stating that
Shu'ayb had personally recited [it) to him (haddathahu) on the
authority of Sayf-'Atiyyah-Yazid al-Faq'asi: When Ibn alSawda1107 came to Syria he met Abu Dharr and said, "Abu Dharr,
are you not astonished at Mu'awiyah for saying, 'The public mon(2859] eys are God's property.1108 Verily, everything belongs to God. [It
is] as if he intends to seize it [for himself] to the exclusion of the
Muslims and to efface the Muslims' names [from the fiscal registers] ." Abu Dharr came to (Mu'awiyah) and said, "What leads you
to use the term 'God's property' for the public moneys of the
Muslims?" "God be merciful to you, Abu Dharr," responded
Mu'awiyah. "Are we not God's slaves, the public moneys His
io6. The matter of Abu Dharr is discussed at length in Caetani, Annali, VII,
365-79, with references to the other principal accounts, especially the pro -Shi'ite
versions of Ya'g6bi and Mas'iidi. To these add Baladhuri, Ansab, V, pp. 52-56,
whose account mainly follows the tradition of al-Wagidi and Abu Mikhnaf. Abu
Dharr has always been regarded by Shi'ites as a voice protesting the corruption of
'Uthman' s regime and calling for a restoration of the ascetic piety and social
equality of the original community. It is not surprising that Abu Dharr his become a potent figure in the ideology of contemporary Islamic radicals . On his life
and significance, see Cameron, Abu Dharr.
107. Literally, "son of the black woman." A name for the sinister 'Abdallah b.
Saba', a legendary (and perhaps fictitious ) figure whom a certain strand of tradition
identified as the principal source of political dissension as well as extremist Shiite
ideas in early Islam . He is supposed to have been a converted Yemeni Jew. This
report marks his first appearance in Tabari's chronicle; here and later , Sayf b.
'Umar is the main authority for his activities . On him see M. G. S. Hodgson, "'Abd
Allah b. Sabi'," BIz, I, 5 i.
io8. al-malu malu 'llah.
(The narrator) continues: Ibn al- Sawdi' came to Abu al-Dardi', 109 who said to him, "Who are you? By God, I think you are a
Jew!" Then he came to 'Ubadah b. al-$amit and attached himself
to him. ('Ubadah) brought him to Mu'awiyah and said, "By God,
this is the man who provoked Abu Dharr against you." Now Abu
Dharr rose up in Syria and began saying , "0 men of wealth, show
charity to the poor. To 'those who treasure up gold and silver and
do not expend them in the way of God,' declare [that there will be)
branding irons from a fire, ' and therewith their foreheads and
their sides and their backs shall be branded . I " 110 He persisted in
such (statements ) until the poor were set aflame and compelled
the rich to do this, and until the rich complained about (the
behavior) that they were encountering from the people.
Mu`awiyah wrote [as follows ] to 'Uthman: "Abu Dharr has become a problem for me, and his case has involved such -and-such
matters ." ' Uthman wrote him [in response]: "Verily dissension
has protruded its snout and eyes and is poised to jump. Do not
scrape the scab, but rather dispatch Abu Dharr to me. Send a
guide along with him, give him adequate provisions , and treat
him gently. Restrain the people and yourself as far as you can, for
you will keep control [of affairs] only so long as you keep control
of yourself."
I r i. Sal ' is a hill on the outskirts of Medina, about a kilometer northwest of the
Prophet's Mosque.
113. Since Abu Dharr was living outside any settled community of Muslims, it
was necessary for him to demonstrate his adherence to Islam and his acceptance
of the political and religious authority of the Caliph through a formal pact of
submission, precisely as Muhammad had required the bedouin tribes to do during
his lifetime. See Donner, Early Islamic Conquests , 263-67, for'Umar's attitudes
toward the bedouin.
fully met his obligations." Then Abu Dharr raised his staff and (z86 i ]
struck him, cracking open this head). ' Uthman asked (Abu Dharr)
for (the staff) and he turned it over to him. ('Uthman) said, "Abu
Dharr, fear God and restrain thy hand and tongue." For (the latter)
had said to (Ka'b), "Son of the Jewess , what are you doing here? By
God, you will learn from me, or I shall do violence to you."
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-al-Ash'ath b. Siwar-Muhammad b. Sirin: Abu Dharr went
away to al- Rabadhah on his own account when he saw that
'Uthman did not incline to him, and Mu'awiyah expelled his
household after him. They set forth to [join] him, taking with
them a sack almost too heavy to carry. ' 14 (Mu'awiyah) said,
"Look at the possessions of this man who proclaims the renunciation of this world!" But (Abu Dharr's) wife responded, "No, by
God, it contains neither gold nor silver coins , but only copper
ones, so that if his official salary ('ata') runs out, he can take some
small coins from it for our necessities."
When Abu Dharr settled in al-Rabadhah, the ritual prayer was
performed under the leadership of a man who was in charge of the
alms tax (a1-$adagah).115 He said, "Come forward (to lead the
prayer], Abu Dharr." He replied, "No, you go forward, for the
Messenger of God said to me, 'Listen and obey , even if a cropnosed slave be set over you.' You are a slave , though not cropnosed." This man, a black named Mujashi', was one of the slaves
acquired through the alms tax (ragfq a1-$adagah).
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Mubashshir b. al-Fu4ayl-Jabir: Every day 'Uthman be114. wa -maahum jirabun yuthqilu yada 1-rajuli.
r r 5. The word used in the preceding paragraph for alms tax is zakat, while here
it is $adagah. Both words occur in the Qur'an as financial obligations owed by the
believers as acts of purity and sincerity. The Qur'i nic distinction, if any, between
them is not clearly defined . In later times zakat came to refer to the compulsory
alms tax levied upon Muslims, while $adagah had more the sense of voluntary
alms, though it often continued to be an exact synonym for zakat . See T. H. Weir,
"$adaI a," SEI, 483-84; and J. Schacht , "Zakat," SEI, 654- 56. Donner, Early
Islamic Conquests, 252, 265, argues that there was a systematic distinction during the Conquest period at least : $adagah would refer to the tax on animals levied
against Muslim nomads , while zakat meant the tax paid by settled Muslims.
stowed the leg of a slaughtered camel on Abu Dharr and the same
on Rafi ' b. Khadij. Both of them had withdrawn from Medina
because something they had heard was not explained to them.
They tried to understand [this statement] but were bested [in
discussion about it].
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'ayb(2862] Sayf-Muhammad b. Sugah-'Aim b. Kulayb-Salamah b.
Nabatah: We set out to perform the Lesser Pilgrimage116 and
came to al -Rabadhah. We looked for Abu Dharr in his house but
did not find him. (The people there) said, "He has gone to the
watering place ." We withdrew and made camp near his house.
Then he passed by with a camel's leg, which a servant boy was
helping him to carry. He greeted us and then went on to his
house. He stayed [there] only briefly before returning. Sitting
down before us, he said, "The Messenger of God said to me,
'Listen and obey, even if a crop-nosed Abyssinian be set over you.'
I settled at this oasis, and some of the slaves acquired by the
Public Treasury (ragiq mal Allah) were in authority over it, and
over them was set an Abyssinian, albeit not crop-nosed. I did not
know him, but I commend him highly. Every day they have a
slaughter camel, and from it I get a leg that I and my household
eat." I [namely, the narrator Salamah b. Nabatah ) said, "What do
you get from the Treasury?" "A small herd of sheep and a troop of
camels ," he answered. "My servant boy takes care of one, my
serving girl the other, and my servant boy will be free at the New
Year." (Ibn Nabatah( continues: I said, "Indeed your companions
in our presence here are the wealthiest of the people." (Abu
Dharr) answered, "Certainly they have no claim on the Public
Treasury that I do not equally have."
As for the other (narrators of these events), they recount many
things concerning them, repugnant matters that I am loath to
repeat.
119. A farsakh is the most common unit of distance in medieval Islamic texts,
equal approximately to six kin. See W. Hinz, "Farsakh," E12, II, 812-13.
120. Tustar for Shushtar( was the second city of the province of Khuzistin,
70
mand of the Baran force. Among them was al-Ahnaf; he captured, in one sweep during a single morning, S o,ooo [horses]. He
got to [the one named] al-$afra' bt. al-Gharra' bt. al-Ghabra ' first,
but 'Umar took her from him when his agents divided up the
booty.
'Ali (b. Muhammad al-Mada'ini ) states : I said to Naar b. Ishaq,
"Abu al- Migdam has recounted this story ." He said, "He has told
the truth; I have heard it from several of the [tribesmen of] al
I iayy and others ." His mare was al-$afra ' bt. al-Gharra' bt. alGhabra', and he is Mujashi' b. Mas'ud b. Tha'labah b. 'A'idh b.
Wahb b. Rabi'ah b. Yarbu' b. Sammal b. 'Awf b. Imru'ul-Qays b.
Buhthah b. Sulaym, and his kunyah is Abu Sulaymin.
(Al-Mada'ini) says : In this year, 'Uthman added the third call to
[the Friday prayer and had it proclaimed from ] al-Zawra'; he
prayed four (rak'ahs) at Mini,121
In this year, ' Uthmin led the Pilgrimage.
located some sixty miles due north of the capital Ahwiz , along the Kirin River.
See Le Strange, Eastern Caliphate, 233-36.
121. AI-Zawri ' was'Uthmin's residence in Medina ; see above, pp. 31 - 32/2827,
sub anno 281 on his innovations in the prayer at the pilgrimage station in Mini,
see above, PP. 38- 40/2833 -2836 , sub anno 29.
The
Events of the Year
31
(AUGUST 24 , 65 1-AUGUST 11, 652
122. This is a disastrous naval expedition against Abyssinia (ghazwat alasawidah) led by'Algamah b. Mujazziz al-Mudlifi, which other authorities date to
the year zo (641). See Caetani, Annali, VI, 366-67, VIII, 94. See also Tabari, I,
2595.
128651
72
124. Perhaps the most famous and brilliant Arab general of the Riddah wars and
the early Conquests; see P. Crone, "Khalid b. al-Walid," E12, W, 928-29 (reflects a
radical critique of the sources); Donner, Early Islamic Conquests, 119-32, 13542, 173-90, et passim.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari -Shu'aybSayf-Mubashshir-Salim : The first governor (`dmil) appointed
by 'Uthman b. 'Affan was Sa'd b. Abi Wagga, in accordance with
the testament of 'Umar . Then 'Umayr b. Sa'd was stricken by
plague. He was severely weakened by this and sought leave from
'Uthman to step down and return to his kinsmen . He granted his [2867]
request and attached Him and Qinnasrin to Mu 'awiyah's (sphere
of authority].
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari -Shu'aybSayf-Abu Harithah and Abu 'Uthman-Khalid b. Madan: When
'Uthman took office, he confirmed Umar's governors in Syria.
125. In later centuries, at least, "the two Iraqs " would refer to Iraq 'Arabi-that
is, the lower Tigris-Euphrates Valley-and Iraq 'Ajami (also called al-Jibil), the
Zagros highlands to the east that included the great cities of Hamadhan , Igfahan,
Rayy, and Kermanshah . Since the only Arab garrison town (not a very important
one) in the latter region was Qum , however, Ba$rah and Kufah are clearly meant
here.
126. Yazid was Mu'awiyah' s elder brother, and Abu 'Ubaydah's successor as
governor of Syria . He commanded one of the four principal expeditionary forces
sent in 13 /634 to undertake the conquest of Syria, and initially was responsible for
Transjordan . When Abu 'Ubaydah and several other senior Companions died in
the devastating Plague of 'Amwas in 18 /639, the supreme command fell to Yazid.
But Yazid himself died later in 18/639 during the same epidemic . See Donner,
Early Islamic Conquests, 151-53; and Lawrence Conrad, " The Plague in the Early
Medieval Near East," Ph.D. diss., Princeton University , 1881 , 201-15 , 225-31.
When 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Alqamah al-Kinani, who had authority over Palestine, died, ('Uthman) attached his province to
Mu'iwiyah. 'Umayr b. Sad fell victim to a long-drawn-out illness
during 'Uthmin's caliphate and sought his permission to step
down. ('Uthmin) granted his request and attached his province to
Mu awiyah's [sphere of authority]. Thus, [all] Syria was unified
under Mu'awiyah during the first] two years of 'Uthman's caliphate. 'Amr b. al-'A$ held authority in Egypt in the time of 'Umar. It
was unified under him, and 'Uthmin confirmed him in office at
the outset of his caliphate.
Return to al-Wagidi's Account of the Two Battles
Mentioned Above
The Syrians set out under Mu'awiyah b. Abi Sufyan, while 'Abdallah b. Sa'd b. Abi Sarh was in command of the men from the
maritime districts (ahl al-balir).127
According to (al-Wagidi): In that same year, Constantine the
son of Heraclius128 set forth, because of what the Muslims had
done to them (that is, the Byzantines] in Africa, in a fleet (jam`)
whose like had not been assembled by the Byzantines since the
coming of Islam . They set out in five hundred ships and encountered (the Muslims) under 'Abdallah b. Sa'd. Some of them provided protection for others, until they yoked together the spars of
the Muslims' and Polytheists' ships.
According to Ibn'Umar (al-Wagidi)-'Isa b.'Algamah-'Abdal[2868] lah b. Abi Sufyan-his father-Malik b. Aws b. al-Hadathan: I
was with them. We met [the enemy] at sea; we had never seen
such ships. The wind was against us, so we rode at anchor for an
127. 'Abdallah b. Sa'd b . Abi Sarh had replaced 'Amr b. al-'Ag as governor of
Egypt in 25 (645 -646), and the naval forces on this expedition were based in Egypt.
The sailors were Egyptian Christians, while the warriors on shipboard were Muslim Arabs garrisoned in Egypt.
128. Heraclius ' grandson Constans II Pogonatus (641-668 ), whose official
throne name was Constantine . In spite of numerous military disasters, his reign
did see much stiffer and more systematic resistance to the Muslim advance than
had heretofore been the case. In ways that we do not as yet fully grasp, his efforts
must have laid the foundation for the later consolidation of Byzantine control in
Anatolia and the Aegean. On his troubled reign see Ostrogorsky , History of the
Byzantine State, I10-23.
77
Battle of the Masts for some days after the enemy (gawm) had fled,
then turned about to come back. Muhammad b. Abi Hudhayfah
began saying to the army, "Yes, by God, in reality we have left the
jihad behind us." His listener would ask, "What jihad?" Then
(Muhammad b. Abi Hudhayfah) would say, "'Uthman b. 'Affan has
done this and done that." He continued until he had corrupted the
people. By the time they approached their own country he had
corrupted them, for they were openly saying things that they had
not [previously] uttered.
According to Muhammad b. 'Umar (al-Wagidi)-Ma'mar b.
Rashid--al-Zuhri: Muhammad b. AN Hudhayfah and Muhammad b. Abi Bakr set out when 'Abdallah b. Sa'd did. They publicly 128711
proclaimed the shameful deeds of 'Uthman and how he had altered and contradicted [the policies] of Abu Bakr and 'Umar, and
[they declared] that Uthman's blood was lawful. They would say,
"('Uthman) named 'Abdallah b. Said as governor-a man whose
blood the Messenger of God declared to be lawful, and one whose
unbelief was revealed in the Qur'an. The Messenger of God exiled
a certain clan (gawm) and ('Uthman) permitted them to return.
('Uthman[ has removed from office the Companions of the Messenger of God and appointed Said b. al-'A4 and 'Abdallah b.
'Amir."133 Word of this got to 'Abdallah b. Sa'd b. Abi Sarh, and he
said, "You two will not sail with us." Thus, they sailed on a ship
upon which there was not a single Muslim.
The Muslims had met the enemy, while these two were the
feeblest134 in battle of [all] the Muslims. People spoke to them
about this, but they replied, "How shall we fight alongside a man
whose authority it is not right to accept? 'Abdallah b. Sa'd was
appointed by'Uthman, and'Uthman has done thus and so." Thus,
they corrupted the participants in this battle, having censured
'Uthman in the severest terms. 'Abdallah b. Sa'd sent to them,
absolutely forbidding them [to act in this manner]. He said, "By
God, were I not uncertain that the Commander of the Faithful
would agree, I would punish and imprison you both."
According to al-Wagidi: In this year, Abu Sufyan b. Harb passed
away, at the age of eighty-eight.
133. The governors of Kafah and Bagrah respectively.
134. Reading akall rather than antral. See de Goeje, Introductio, dcxxvi.
79
that he had murdered (the king) and brought out his belongings.
Then they killed the stonecutter along with the members of his
household, and seized his belongings along with those of
Yazdagird. Taking (the king's body) out of the Murghab, they
placed it in a wooden coffin.
According to (al-Madi'ini): One of (my authorities ) alleges that
they bore (Yazdagird 's body) to I^xakhr137 and that he was buried
there at the beginning of the year 31 (651 - 52). Marw was named
"The Lord's Enemy" (Khudhah Dushman). Yazdagird had had [28731
intercourse with a woman there, and she bore him a boy deformed on one side. This (birth) took place after Yazdagird had
been murdered, (the boy) being named al-Mukhdaj [that is, "the
Deformed ."] (A number oft children were born to the latter in
Khurasan, and when Qutaybah (b. Muslim) conquered al$ughd138or some other place he found two servant girls. He was
told that they were among the children of al-Mukhdaj, so he sent
them, or one of them, to al-Hajjaj b. Yusuf. He [in turn] sent her to
al-Walid b. 'Abd al-Malik, and to al-Walid she bore Yazid b. alWalid al-Nagi$ [that is, "the Lacking"]. 139
According to'Ali (b. Muhammad al-Mada'ini)-Rawh b.'Abdallah-Khurdadhbih al -Raze : Yazdagird came to Khurasan with
Khurrazadh-Mihr, the brother of Rustam. (Khurrazadh -Mihr) said
to Mahawayh, the marzuban of Marw, "I have entrusted the king
to you ." He then left for Iraq . Yazdagird remained in Marw and
resolved to depose Mahawayh . Thus, Mahawayh wrote to the
Turks, informing them of Yazdagird 's flight and his coming to
him. He made a compact with ( the Turks ) to support (the people
of Marw) against (Yazdagird), giving them free entry [into
Khurasan).
them, and threw his corpse into the Murghab. A party (qawm) of
Marwazis went out, slew the miller, and razed his mill. The
bishop of Marw went and removed the body of Yazdagird from the
Murghab and placed it in a coffin . He bore it to Isxakhr and laid it [2875]
in a tomb (ndwus).142
According to other authorities -Hisham b. Muhammad (b.
Sa'ib al-Kalbi )-his sources : Yazdagird fled after the battle of Nihavand, this being the last of (the Arabs') battles [against him],
until he happened upon the territory of Isfahan . In this place there
was a man named Mafyar; he was one of the dingans , 143 who was
the one charged with fighting the Arabs when the Persians retreated from (that city). He called (the people of Isfahan ) before
him and said, " If I take charge of your affairs and lead you out
against (the Arabs ), what will you do for me? " They answered,
"We shall acknowledge to you your merit ." So he led them out
and gained some slight victory over the Arabs, by which he won
the esteem of (the Isfahanis ) and obtained the highest rank among
them. When Yazdagird saw the situation in Isfahan and halted
there, Maxyar came to visit him that very day. (Yazdagird's)
gatekeeper placed (the king) in seclusion and said to (Matyar),
"Stay here until I gain permission for you to enter his presence."
142. Ndwils is derived from Greek naos , meaning the inner chamber of a temple
where the god's image is placed . Some lexicographers believe that ndwas refers to
a Christian burial place, others use it for a sarcophagus . Presumably here it refers
to some kind of permanent tomb chamber , either a mausoleum or one cut into the
rock.
143. Dingan /pl. dahagin : literally, " village lord." In Sasanian and early Islamic
times, this term referred to the landowners who resided in the villages of Iraq and
Iran, and who were the monarch 's local fiscal administrators . In Iraq and western
Iran, where the monarchy was relatively strong, the dihqans represented the lower
levels of the aristocracy . In Khurisin, however, the situation was more complex.
While some dihqans were simply small freeholders and village notables , others
were powerful and wealthy figures who governed entire districts . A long text
below refers to the dingan Marw-not a petty rural aristocrat in this case, obviously, but the powerful (and presumably autonomous) lord of a major city and
oasis . (See above, p. 78 and note 135, where the same figure carries the more
precise and prestigious title of marzuban ). In view of this range of meanings, the
best translation might be the comprehensive term "landed aristocracy." In Iraq
and western Iran their status began to fall rapidly from the ninth century on, as
fiscal rights on the land were increasingly assigned directly to state officials. In
modem Persian, dingan simply means "peasant." See Morony , Iraq after the
Muslim Conquest, 187-89, 199-2o8, A. K. S. Lambton, "Dih$an ," E12, II, 25354.
But (Matyar) jumped on him, smashing open his head in pride and
fury, because he had blocked access to (Yazdagird).
The gatekeeper, all bloody, entered Yazdagird's presence. When
Yazdagird looked at him, he was terrified. Within the hour he
rode out of I$fahan. Since the Arabs were distracted from him by
their own concerns, he was advised to go to the uttermost part of
his kingdom and remain there for a time. So he betook himself to
the district (ndbiyah) of Rayy, and when he approached it the
overlord ($dliib) of Tabaristan went forth to meet him. He described his lands to (Yazdagird) and informed him of their impregnability, saying to him, "If you do not respond favorably to me
this very day and then come to me, I shall not receive you or give
you refuge." Yazdagird refused, but wrote for him [an appointment to] the office of i$pahbadh, for he had previously held a
humbler rank than this.
According to one of (the authorities): Immediately thereupon
[2876] Yazdagird proceeded to Sijistan, and then went from there to
Marw accompanied by a thousand men from the heavy cavalry.
According to one of (the authorities): Yazdagird entered the
territory of Firs and dwelt there four years; then he came to the
territory of Kirman and remained there two or three years. Now
the dingan of Kirman pleaded with him to remain with him.
However, (Yazdagird) did not do [that], and asked the dingan to
leave a hostage with him (so as to ensure his personal safety]. The
dingan of Kirman would give him nothing, and so (the king)
would not accede to his request. Then (the dingan of Kirman)
seized him by the leg, dragged him out, and expelled him from his
lands. ( Yazdagird ) moved on from (Kirman ) to Sijistan, remaining
there for some five years. Then he decided to settle in Khurasan,
so that he might reassemble his forces and lead them against
those who had robbed him of his kingdom. He went with his
escort to Marw, accompanied by hostages taken from among the
sons of the dingan . With him, among the leading members (of
this group), was Farrukhzad. When (Yazdagird) reached Marw, he
appealed144 to the kings for aid and reinforcements. [He wrote in
144. Reading fiha with Kopriilii 1043, rather than minhum as given in Prym's
text.
happy man, come out and eat something, for you have fasted for
three days now." (Yazdagird ) said, "I will only do that in accordance with Magian rites." 148 A man who was one of the Magians
(zamazimah) of Marw had brought some wheat for the miller to
grind, and the latter spoke to him about performing the Magian
rites in his house so that (his guest ) might eat. (The man) did so;
147. "The two Marws"- Marw and Marw al-Rudh for Marw-i Kuchik, "Little
Marw"). The latter is a city some z6o km . to the southeast of Marw, also on the
Murghib River and about halfway on the road to Herat . See Le Strange, Eastern
Caliphate, 397, 404-5. The reading "Hulsidin" is supplied by Ibrahim, but the
mss are unclear. Balidhurl, Futula al-Buldan, 316, gives "Junibadh," but this place
is located far to the southwest, about zoo km. south of Nishapur-much too far
away to fit the context here.
148. Lastu ailu iln dhalika ills bi-zamzamatin.
153. South of Marw (that is, upstream ) the Murghab is dammed up and the
water is channeled into four canals, which form the district's great oasis. The
Raziq is one of these canals, and flows through the walled city. There is a possibility of confusion, since the name Raziq was sometimes given to the river itself.
See Le Strange, Eastern Caliphate, 398-401.
154. Bi 'y for Bab) Babin: presumably a village near Marw , unidentified. Mijan:
the principal western suburb of Marw . See Le Strange, Eastern Caliphate, 399,
403.
155. Quhistin is a mountainous province in eastern Iran , lying between the
Dasht-i Kavir (Great Desert ) on the west and Khurisan to the north and east. AlTabasayn is a dual form referring to the two towns in this province named Tabas.
(i) Tabas Gilaki or Tabas al-Tamr (Tabas of the Dates ) lies on the western edge of
the province, just on the edge of the desert . As its name implies, it was a date-palm
oasis. ( s) Tabas Masinin or Tabas al -'Unnib (Tabas of the jujube Tree ) lies some
eighty km. due east of Birjand in the southeastern part of the province . It was a
substantial town but far less important than Tabas al-Tamr . Al-Tabasayn sometimes refers to a single one of the two towns; in this case Tabas al-Tamr must be
meant, since it lay on one of the principal roads from Kirmin and was called by
Balidhuri the Gate of Khurisin. See Le Strange, Eastern Caliphate, 359-61, 36263.
some tamarisk roots that were growing in that river in order to (2883]
keep (Yazdagird's) body where he had thrown it, lest it should be
recognized as it floated downstream. For the murderer feared he
would be sought along with the spoils that he had taken. Then he
fled in haste.
A man from Ahwaz named Iliya', who was the archbishop
(mutran) of Marw, learned of the murder. He assembled the
Christians who were under his authority and said to them, "The
King of the Persians has been murdered, the son of Shahriyar son
of Kisra. Now Shahriyar is the child of Shirin the Believer'58,
whose just conduct and beneficence toward her coreligionists you
must know. This king [that is, Yazdagird] had a Christian lineage.159 [We should note as well] the honor that the Christians
obtained during the reign of his grandfather Kisra, and the good
previously received by them during the regime of certain kings
among his ancestors . He even built some churches for them and
settled [the debts] of some of their coreligionists. It is therefore
fitting for us to bewail the murder of this king because of his
generosity, [which was] commensurate with the beneficence of
his ancestors and his grandmother Shirin toward the Christians.
Now I think it right that I build a tomb (nawus) for him and bear
his body in honor in order to inter it there."
91
161. al-Hayalilah. The Hephthalites or "White Huns " were a nomadic people
from central Asia, presumably related to the European Huns of Attila. Their
ethnic-linguistic background is unclear, but they seem to have been Turkic. In
any case, the Hephthalites appeared on the northeastern frontiers of the Sasanian
Empire in A.D. the fifth century and proved an extraordinarily dangerous and
persistent foe. In the seventh century, Hephthalite elements were permanent
settlers in the region of Herat. See A. D. H. Bivar, "Hayitils," E12, III, 303-4.
162. This passage indicates as clearly as anything can the uncertainties surrounding Ibn 'Amir's route. Khabig, like Ravar, lies on the western edge of the
desert but is 16o km southeast of Rivar, while Khwist is roughly the same distance from Tabas Gilaki (al-Tabasayn) on the desert 's eastern margin . Yazd is 320
km. northwest of Kirmin , 24o km. from Rivar.
According to 'Ali (b. Muhammad al-Mada'ini)-Abu al-Sari alMarwazi-his father: I heard Musa b. 'Abdallah b. Khazim say:
My father negotiated a peace with the inhabitants of Sarakhs.
'Abdallah b. 'Amir had dispatched him against them from Abrashahr, while he himself established a peace treaty with the inhabitants of Abrashahr . (The latter) gave (Ibn 'Amir) two serving girls
of the lineage of Kisra-Babunaj and Tahmij , or Tamhij-and he
brought them along with him. He dispatched Umayr b. Ahmar alYashkuri, and he conquered the places around Abrashahr-'bus,
Abiward, Nasa, and Humran- until he ended up at Sarakhs.
According to 'Ali (b. Muhammad al-Mada 'ini)-al-$alt b.
Dinar-Ibn Sirin: Ibn'Amir sent 'Abdallah b. Khizim to Sarakhs,
and he conquered it. Ibn ' Amir acquired two serving girls of the
lineage of Kisra; he gave one of them to al-Nushajan , 163 while
Babunaj died.
According to 'Ali (b. Muhammad al-Mada'ini)-Abu alDhayyil Zuhayr b. Hunayd al-'Adawi-certain Khurisini scholars (ashyakh): In 'Amir dispatched al-Aswad b. Kulthum
al-'Adawi-[that is, from the tribe of] 'Adi belonging to the confederation of Ipabbah164-to Bayhaq, which was part of Abra-
(2888]
According to ('Al! b. Muhammad al-Mada'ini)-Mug'ab b. Hayyin-his brother Mugatil b. Hayyan: He made peace with them
in return for [a tribute of] 6,zoo,ooo [dirhams].
In this year, `Uthman led the people on the Pilgrimage.
r65. Zimd ' al-hawdjir. Presumably he is referring to the pious discipline imposed by the midday prayer.
16
The
Events of the Year
32
(AUGUST 12, 652 -AUGUST I, 653)
40
[2889 ]
166. Balanjar was in this period the chief political center of the Khazar confederation. Its precise location is uncertain, but it probably lay some 175 km. to
the northwest of Bib al-Abwib (Darband) . After the disastrous campaign recounted below, it was ultimately captured by Umayyad forces ca. 750. See D. M.
95
against the people, and during those days Mi'4ad was killed.
Then the Turks 167 agreed [with the inhabitants of Balanjarj on
a day (for a combined attack]. The men of Balanjar sallied forth,
the Turks came to their support, and they joined battle. 'Abd alRahmin b. Rabi'ah-known as Dhu al-Nurl68-was struck
down, and the Muslims scattered in flight. Those who took the
road to Salman b. Rabi'ah were given sanctuary by him until they
left al-Bab. Those who followed the road to the Khazars and their
lands went by way of Jilin and Jurjan; among these were Salman
Dunlop, "Balandjar," E12,1, 985. The following account continues the account of
the Armenian-Caucasian wars given above , pp. 8-9 (text, 1, 2805-2806, sub anno
24) on the authority of Abu Mikhnaf through Hishim b. Muhammad b. Si'ib alKalbi . However, Tabari has here dropped Abu Mikhnaf 's narrative in favor of the
one constructed by Sayf b . 'Umar, perhaps because of the overt pietism of Sayf's
version of events.
167. Presumably he is referring to the Turkish elite among the Khazars. These
were a confederation of steppe peoples that emerged in the northern Caucasus and
lower Volga basin in the mid-sixth century, under the leadership of a Turkish
khagan and aristocracy . After the Arab invasion in the mid-eighth century, their
political center was transferred to Atil, near the mouth of the Volga . Allies of the
Byzantines during the bitter war against the Sasanians of the early seventh century, they were among the most formidable opponents faced by the Caliphate in
the first three Islamic centuries. See C. E. Bosworth, "&Cab$," E12, IV, 343-45) W.
Barthold and P. B. Golden, "Khazar," E12, IV, 1172-75.
z68. Both manuscripts as well as Ibn al-Ateir and Ibn Kathir read "Dhu alNun."
170. Ahsan defines the gabs ' as "a kind of sleeved, close-fitting coat resembling
the qaftan, generally reaching the middle of the calf, divided down the front and
made to overlap the chest ." It seems to have been part of the official attire of
viziers in the Abbasid period . Ahsan, Social Life under the Abbasids, 41-42.
171. Reading min gatlin rather than min qablu, as given in Prym 's text. See de
Goeje, Introductio, dcxxvi.
ment with a white ground and red ornamentation. The people had
remained steadfast until he was wounded, but upon his death
they fled.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Dawud b. Yazid: On the Day of Balanjar, Yazid b.
Mu'awiyah al-Nakha'i, 'Amr b. 'Utbah, and Mi'dad were struck
[28931 down. As for Mi'Jad, he was wearing a mantle of 'Algamah's. He
was hit by a sliver from a mangonel stone that pierced his head.
Thinking it a minor matter, he placed his hand upon it and died.
'Algamah washed (Mi'dad's) blood but it would not rinse out, and
he would wear (the bloody mantle) to the Friday prayer. He said,
"Mi'ad's blood upon it makes it all the more precious to me." As
to 'Amr, he wore a white coat and said, "How beautiful blood
would be on this!" Then a stone hit and killed him, soaking (the
coat) in blood. As for Yazid, something was dropped on him and
killed him. They had dug out and prepared a grave. Upon examining it, Yazid said, " How fine it is!" It was revealed in a dream172
that a gazelle, the most beautiful ever seen, was brought to be
buried in (the grave), and he was that gazelle. Yazid was a gentle
and handsome man. When 'Uthman learned of all this, he said,
"Verily, we are God' s and to Him we return . The people of Kufah
have been betrayed. 0 God, forgive them and accept them."
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Muhammad and Talbah: Said (b. al-'As) named Salman b.
Rabi'ah as his deputy on that frontier and put Hudhayfah b. alYaman in command of the campaign with the men of Kufah.
Before this, 'Abd al-Rahman b. Rabi'ah was in charge on that
frontier. In the tenth year [of his caliphate], 'Uthman reinforced
(the Kufans) with Syrian forces under the command of Habib b.
Maslamah al-Qurashi. Salman claimed to be his superior officer,
but Habib rejected this. The Syrians even said, "We are determined to strike down Salman." At that point the people (al-nas)
said, "Then by God we shall smite Habib and put him in prison.
And if you refuse [to recognize Salman] there will be many slain
among both you and ourselves.
99
According to (al-Wagidi ): In (this year) al-'Abbas b. 'Abd al-Muttalib died at the age of eighty -eight. He was three years older than
the Messenger of God.
According to (al-Wagidi): In (this year) died'Abdallah b. Zayd b.
'Abd Rabbih, to whom [the use of the voice for] the call to prayer
was revealed [in a dream).
According to (al-Wagidi): In (this year) 'Abdallih b. Mas'iid
passed away in Medina . He was buried in al-Bugay'. One (authori-
173. A very elliptical and difficult passage . The original reads : fa-lamma ahassa
Ifudhayfatu aqarra wa-agarru fa-ghazaha Ijudhayfatu 'bnu 'l-Yamin thalatha
ghazawatin. In the last clause, the pronominal suffix of ghazaha might also refer
to Balanjar. Ibn al-Athir, obviously uncertain of the precise sense of the passage,
contents himself with a loose paraphrase: Kamil (Beirut, III, 133.
(2894]
Then his daughter went out to meet them, saying , "God have
mercy on you. Behold Abu Dharr." " Where is he?" they said. She
pointed him out to them - he had already died-saying, "Bury
him." They said, " We shall indeed . What a true blessing . By this
God has honored us." Now these riders were Warts , among them
Ibn Mas'ud. They turned to him, and Ibn Masud was saying as he
wept, "The Messenger of God spoke truly: 'He will die alone and
be resurrected alone .I" Then they washed (Abu Dharr's body),
wrapped him for burial, performed the prayer for him, and buried
him. When they washed to leave, (his daugher ) said to them,
"Verily Abu Dharr greets you in peace, and he has adjured you not
to ride off before you have eaten ." So they did this, and carried
[his family with them] until they brought them to Mecca. They
174. The text reads nazala only, without an explicit subject; I have followed the
editor's suggestion (angelus mortis) . Cf. the account in Baladhuri, Ansab, V, 5256.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari -Shu'aybSayf-al-Qa'ga' b. al-$alt-a certain man-Kulayb b. al-Halhalal-Halhal b. Dhurri: We set out with Ibn Masud in the year 31
(65 i-52), numbering fourteen riders, and ultimately came to alRabadhah. There was a woman who met us and said, "Behold
Abu Dharr." Now we were completely uninformed about his situation, so we said, "Where is Abu Dharr ?" She pointed to a tent,
and we said, "What's going on with him?" She said, "He left
Medina due to a certain matter that he heard about there, so he
went away." Ibd Masud said, "What induced him to [live among]
the bedouin ?" She said, "Indeed the Commander of the Faithful
disliked that, but (Abu Dharr) used to say, '(Medina) is corrupt
and abased."1176 Then Ibn Masud turned toward him in tears.
We washed (his body) and wrapped him. Now his tent was
permeated with musk, and we said to the woman, "What is this?"
"It was a bit of musk," she replied. "When he was brought [here],
he said : 'Witnesses will come to the dead man and find the stench
[of death) and will not eat. So dissolve that musk in water and
sprinkle the tent with it. Receive them hospitably with its scent
and cook this meat, for a group of pious men will see me and take
charge of my burial, so receive them hospitably."'
When we had buried him, she summoned us to eat . After eating, we decided to take her with us. Ibn Masud said , "The Commander of the Faithful is nearby ; we will seek his instructions."
We came to Mecca and informed him of the news . He said, "God
will be merciful to Abu Dharr and forgive him for settling in alRabadhah ." When he left [Mecca after the end of the Pilgrimage],
he took the road to al-Rabadhah and attached (Abu Dharr's) family to his own household. Then he headed for Medina while we
went on to Iraq. Our number included Ibn Masud, Abu Mufazzir
al-Tamimi, Bakr b. 'Abdallah al-Tamimi, al-Aswad b. Yazid al175. Riff b. Khadij : I have been unable to identify this figure.
176. The sentence is a pun : hiya ba adun wa-hiya madinatun. Baad is literally
"distant, remote." Madinah is a feminine adjective, madin , "burdened by debt."
[2897] Nakha'i, 'Algamah b. Qays al-Nakha'i, al-Halhal b. Dhurri alpabbi, al-Hazith b. Suwayd al-Taymi, 'Amr b. 'Utbah b. Farqad alSulami, Ibn Rabi'ah al-Sulami, Abu Rafi' al-Muzani, Suwayd b.
Math'abah al-Tamimi, Ziyad b. Mu'awiyah, the brother of alQartha' al-I)abbi, and the brother of Mi'ciad al-Shaybani.
In the year 32 (652-53), Ibn 'Amin conquered Marwarudh, alTaligan, al-Faryab, al-Juzajan, and Tukharistan.
[2898] to al-Ahnaf. He read out the letter, which said: "To the commander of the army: We praise God, in whose hand are the turns
of fortune, who transfers kingship as He pleases, who lifts up
whomever He wishes after abasement and brings down
whomever He wishes after exaltation. Verily He has called upon
me to arrange peace terms with you on the [same] lines as my
grandfather' s submission and with the marks of honor and rank
that your master ($d1iibkum) thinks appropriate. So welcome to
you, and rejoice. I summon you to peace between you and us,
based on [the following conditions]: (r) that I render you a tribute
177. The text has marzuban Marw, but presumably Marwarudh is intended.
routed (the enemy), and the Muslims slew them until at last they (2902)
came to Raskan,' s' which is some twelve farsakhs from the Castle of al-Ahnaf. The marzubin of Marwarudh had delayed bringing the (tribute) in return for which (the Muslims) had made peace
with him in order to see how things would turn out for them.
According to (al-Mad a'ini): When al-Ahnaf gained the victory,
he sent two men to the marzubin with orders not to speak to him
until they had arrested him. They did [that), and knowing that
they would not treat him thus unless they had been victorious, he
fulfilled his obligations.
According to'All (b. Muhammad a1-Mada'ini)-al-Mufa4dal alx81. Not identified.
[2903)
183. Mihrgin is the autumn festival (16 Mihr/26 October), one of the two chief
e
The
Events of the Year
33
(AUGUST 2, 653 -JULY 2I, 654)
In (this year), according to al-Wagidi , took place Mu'awiyah's attack on the Castle of the Woman (Hign al-Mar'ah) in the Malalyah district of the land of the Byzantines.
In (this year) took place 'Abdallah b. Said b. Abi Sarl 's second
campaign in Ifrigiyah when its inhabitants repudiated [their) pact
('ahd).
In (this year), according to al-Wagidi, 'Abdallah b. 'Amir sent alAbnaf b. Qays to Khurasan, for its inhabitants had rebelled. (AlAbnaf) conquered both [of the cities named) Marw-Marw Shahjan191 by a negotiated peace ($uThan ), and Marw al-Rud after a
bitter struggle. 'Abdallah b. 'Amir followed him out; he laid siege
to Abrashahr and occupied it through a negotiated peace.
According to the account related to me by Abmad b. Thabit alRazi-someone who related it [to him)-Islaq b. 'Isa-Abu
Ma'shar: [The conquest oft Cyprus took place in the year 33 (653-
1 29071
195. Hubaysh b. Fulan al-Asadi. Prym has restored the name as "Khunays,"
114
fense , but they beat both of them unconscious . Said (b. al-`A$)
began pleading with them [to stop], but they refused scornfully
until they had worked their will upon (their two victims).
The Banu Asad [that is, the tribe of Hubaysh and his son] having heard of this, came-Tulayhah among them-and surrounded the (governor' s] palace. The tribes (al-gaba'il) mounted
[their horses] and took refuge (from the Banu Asad] with Said,
saying, "Get us to safety." So Said went out to the people and
said, "0 people, a band of men (gawm) have quarreled and fought
with one another, but now God has bestowed forgiveness [on
[2909] them]." Then (the Banu Asad) backed off and returned (home],
continuing their discussions. Said censured ( the assailants of
Hubaysh and `Abd al-Rahman) 200 and sent them away. When the
two men recovered consciousness, he said, "Are you alive?"
"Your associates (ghashiyah) have killed us," they replied. "They
will not come to call on me again , by God," he said, "now hold
your tongues and do not embolden the people against me."20'
And they did (as he said].
When the hopes of those individuals were frustrated, they sat in
their homes and busied themselves with spreading rumors until
the Kufans blamed (Said) for their situation. He (al-Ashtar?] said,
"This (man) is your governor ( amir), and he has prevented me
from stirring anything up. Whoever among you intends to get
things moving, let him act." Then the notables and upright men
of Kufah (ashraf ahl al-Kufah wa-$ulal7d'hum) wrote to 'Uthman
to have (the dissidents) expelled. He wrote, "If your council of
notables (mala') is agreed on that, then put them in Mu'awiyah's
charge." So they expelled them, and they were led away in humiliation until they reached him, some ten in number.
tot. Reading wa-la tujarri'a 'alayya '1-nasa. See de Goeje, lntroductio, dcxxvii.
202. Reading fa-zahum instead of fa-ru hum. See de Goeje, lntroductio, cclxxxi,
dcxxvii.
Then a man belonging to the band (of exiles]205 said, "As for
what you said about Quraysh-in the Time of Ignorance, they
were certainly not the most numerous or formidable of the Arabs
so that they can frighten us [now]. As for what you said about
armor-when the armor is pierced matters will be in our
hands. "206
Mu'awiyah responded, "Now I recognize you (pl.]. I know that
it is simplemindedness which has seduced you into this. You
(that is, $a'ga'ah] are the spokesman for this band, and I see no
intelligence in you. To you I extol the cause (amr) of Islam and
remind you of it, while to me you recall the Time of Ignorance. I
203. Innakum gawmun min 1-'arabi la-kum asnanun wa-alsinatun.
204. Reading tashidhdhii rather than tasdi. See de Goeje, Introductio, dcxxvii.
205. Identified as $a'ga'ah in In al -Athir, Kamil (Beirut, III, 139.
2o6. Fa-inna 1-junnata idhd ukhturiqat khulisa ilayna. A conjectural translation; I have followed Caetani' s version, which seems to reflect the situation
accurately (Annali, VIII, 331: "Quanto poi allo scudo, quando sari lacerato, tutto
tomer3 in mano nostra."
I would feel disgust for you (sing.] and your associates even if
someone besides you had spoken , but you began. As for you,
$a'^a'ah, your town (qaryah) is surely the worst of Arab townsthe one whose vegetation is most malodorous , whose riverbed is
207. Qur'in 29:67.
208. ills ja ala Allahu khaddahu 'l-asfala. Lit., "except that God put his cheek
lowest."
[2913]
When they had gone, (Mu'awiyah) called them back and said, "I
reiterate to you that the Messenger of God was protected [from
sin], and he bestowed authority upon me and brought me into his
affairs. Then Abu Bakr was named his successor , and he bestowed
authority upon me. 'Umar and 'Uthman did the same upon their
succession. I have not acted on behalf of any of them, nor did any
of them put me in authority, without his being satisfied with me.
The Messenger of God sought for office only men fully capable of
acting on behalf of the Muslims . For (these posts ) he did not want
men strained beyond their powers, ignorant in (such matters), and
too weak for them.211 Verily God attacks and exacts retribution,
deceiving those who have deceived Him. Do not embark upon a
matter when you know that your true character is different from
your public behavior, for God will not leave you without examining you and revealing your secrets to the people. Almighty God
has said , 'Alif, Lam, Mim. Do the people reckon that they will be
left to say, "We believe," and will not be tried?"1212
Mu'awiyah wrote to 'Uthman [as follows]: "Bands of men (aqwam), who possess neither reason nor religion, have come before
me. Islam is burdensome to them and justice vexes them. In
nothing are they mindful of God, nor do they speak on a basis of
proof (liujjah). Their only aim is dissidence (fitnah) and the
wealth of the non-Muslim subjects. God will be the one to test
and examine them, then expose and humilate them. They are not
(men) who can injure anyone unless they are allied with others.
Therefore keep Said (b. al-'Ag) and his followers (man qibalahu)
away from them, for they are no more than troublemakers and
slanderous gossipers."213
211. Wa-innama falaba rasulu 'alldhi $lm li'l-a mali ahla 1-jazd'i an 'l-muslimina wa '1-ghand 'i wa-lam yaflub laha ahla 'l-ijtihadi wa'I-jahli biha wa'l-du fi
anhd. The meaning of ijtihad adopted here is not attested in Lane , but fits the
context as well as many senses of the root /HD.
212. Qur'an 29:x.
113. Reading takthir rather than nakir, though either word will do . See 2912,
note o, and de Goeje, Introductio. dcxxvii.
According to Muhammad b. 'Umar (al-Wagidi)-ShaybanMujilid-al-Sha'bi: When Said b. al-'A4 arrived in Kufah, he began to choose the leading men (wujuh al-nds) to enter his presence and pass evenings in discussion. One night, the leading men
[2916] of Kufah were holding conversation in his residence. Among
them were Malik b. Ka'b al-Arhabi, al-Aswad b. Yazid and
'Algamah b. Qays-both of the clan of al-Nakha'-and al-Malik
al-Ashtar with (a number of] men. Said said, "This Sawad is but a
garden for Quraysh." Al-Ashtar replied, "Do you claim that the
Sawad, which God made booty for us by our swords, is a garden
for you and your tribe (gawm)? God gives no additional share in it
those are the prosperers. Be not as, those who scattered and fell into variance after
the clear signs came to them; those there awaits a mighty chastisement."
221. Qala : man kana abt hu ahsana qadaman min abika wa-huwa bi-nafsihi
ahsanu qadaman minka ft 1-islami. Caetani (Annali, VIII, 40) translates qadam
by "precedenza," but this rendering seems a bit too restrictive . Other words
derived from QDM (e.g., qidam ) do refer to seniority or length of time. Qadam
flit., "foot") can have the general meaning of "merit"-cf. Biberstein Kazimirski,
II, 690. Obviously early conversion or seniority in the faith was an important
element in one's religious merit , but it was not the only thing that conferred
standing on a person . In the present case, Mu'iwiyah 's opponents, who seem
generally to belong to the tribes of Yemen (especially the Nakha' clan of Madhbij),
hardly converted to Islam earlier than he.
(29191
'Uthman wrote back to him to send them away to 'Abd alRaliman b. Khalid b. al-Walid, who was governor (amir) in Himo.
('Uthman) wrote to al-Ashtar and his associates [as follows]: "To
proceed: I am exiling you to Himg. When this letter of mine
reaches you, go there, for you do not desist from evil against Islam
and its adherents . Peace."
When al-Ashtar read the letter, he said, "O God, ('Uthman) is
the worst of us in his concern for the subjects (ra'iyyah) and the
one who does most to arouse rebellion among them , so hasten
(your] vengeance against him!" Said wrote to Uthman about
that, and al-Ashtar and his associates traveled to Himg . 'Abd al=
Rabman b. Khalid b. al-Walid settled them in the coastal districts
(al-Sal)il) and had rations provided for them.
According to Multammad b. 'Umar (al-Wacjidi)-'Isa b. 'Abd alRalman-Abu Isbaq al-Hamdani: A few individuals from among
the nobles of Iraq (ashraf ahl al-'Iraq) gathered in Kufah to defame
'Uthman: Malik b. al-Harith al-Ashtar, Thabit b. Qays al-Nakhai,
Kumayl b. Ziyad al-Nakhai, Zayd b. $ul an al-'Abdi, [his brother
$a'Wah b. $uhan],223 Jundub b. Zuhayr al-Ghamidi, Jundub b.
Ka'b al-Azdi, 'Urwah b. al-Ja'd, 'Amr b . al-Hamiq al-Khuza'i, land
Ibn al-Kawwa'].224 Said b. al-'As wrote to'Uthman to inform him
about their activities. ('Uthman) wrote back, ordering him to exile
them to Syria and to make them stay in the mountain passes [in
Cilicia].225
'Uthmdn's Exile of Certain Ba$rans to Syria
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari --Shu'ayb-Sayf'Atiyyah-Yazid al-Faq'asi: When Ibn 'Amir had been governor for
three years, he learned that there was a man in [the residential
quarter of the tribe of] 'Abd al-Qays who was staying with
223. The name in brackets is supplied by Magrizi , al-Mugaffa; see de Goeje,
Introductio, dcxxvii. With the names supplied here and in note zig, the list totals
ten-that is, the number of troublemakers mentioned in Sa'id's first letter to
'Uthman above, p. I21 text, I, 2916).
224. Ibid. Kawwa' means "one who cauterizes, brands ," but by extension "slanderer." Perhaps In al-Kawwi' should be taken as a pejorative nickname here.
225. Wa-alzimhum l-duruba . For the translation, see Caetani, Annali, VIII, 41.
The point of course was to put the dissidents in a place remote from the main
political centers.
[2922]
(2923 )
spond with one another, and men were traveling back and forth in
great numbers.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Muhammad and Talbah: Humran b. Abin had married a
woman during her period of waiting, and 'Uthman punished him
severely and compelled them to separate.226 He exiled (Humran)
to Ba$rah, where he joined the entourage of Ibn 'Amir. One day
they all discussed going out to ride and calling on 'Amir b. 'Abd
Qays, who lived in seclusion from the people. Humran said, "I'11
go ahead of you all and inform him [that you are coming]." He set
off and entered 'Amir's presence while he was reading from the
Qur'an (mu$haf). (Humran) said, "The governor (amir) has decided to call on you, and I wished to inform you [of this]." But 'Amir
226. On the 'iddah, the period (usually three months ) that must elapse between
a woman's divorce or widowhood and her remarriage , see Y. Linant de Bellefonds,
"'Idda,"El,2, III,1010- 13. A marriage contracted during the 'iddah is null and void
and the couple must be separated.
would not break off his reading and pay any attention to him, so
(Humran) rose to go. When he had gotten to the door, he encountered Ibn 'Amir and said, "I come to you from a man who does not
regard even the lineage of Abraham as superior to himself."
Ibn 'Amir then asked to come in; he entered ('Amir's) presence
and sat down before him. Then 'Amir closed the Qur'an and spoke
with him for an hour. "Surely you will come to visit us ," said Ibn
'Amir. ('Amir) replied, "Said b. Abi al= Arja' would enjoy the
honor [of such invitations ]." Then (Ibn 'Amir) said, "Indeed we
shall appoint you to office." "Hugayn b. Abi al-Hurr would like
government office ('amal)," said ('Amir). "Then we shall arrange a
marriage for you," said (Ibn'Amir). He said, "Women are pleasing
to Rabi'ah b. 'Isl ." (Ibn 'Amir) said, "This man [that is, Humran]
claims that you do not regard the lineage of Abraham as superior
to yourself." Then ('Amir) leafed through the Qur'an and the first
passage he came upon was [this one]: "God chose Adam and
Noah and the House of Abraham and the House of 'Imran above
all beings."227 When Humran was sent back [to Medina], he
strove assiduously to discredit ('Amir) in this matter, and [a
number of) groups (agwdm ) testified in support of (Humran).
('Uthman ) thus sent ('Amir) into exile in Syria . When (the Syrians)
found out the truth about him, they gave him permission [to
return to Bagrah ], but he refused and remained in Syria.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Muhammad and Talhah: 'Uthman exiled Humran b. Aban
for having married a woman during her period of waiting; he
compelled them to separate , flogged him, and sent him off to
Bagrah . When ( Humran) had served some time in exile and
('Uthman ) received a satisfactory report about him,228 he gave
him permission (to return). (Humran) came before (the caliph) in
Medina, accompanied by a band of men (gawm ) who calumnied
'Amir b. 'Abd Qays, [saying] that he did not approve of marriage,
nor did he eat meat or attend the Friday prayer. Now 'Amir was a
man who lived in seclusion , and everything he did was done in
228. Fa -lamma atd 'alayhi ma shd 'a 'Ildhu wa-atdhu anhu 'lladhi yulaibbu... .
Sayf's taste for difficult constructions and pronouns without clear antecedents is
evident here again.
[2924)
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Abu Harithah and Abu 'Uthman: When the exiles from
Kufah came to Muawiyah, he settled them in a house and then
went to see them alone. He and they each spoke, and when they
had finished he said, "You were brought here only because of
[your own] folly. By God, I perceive neither any relevant speech,
clear excuse nor wise forbearance nor forcefulness-and you,
$a'ga'ah, are the most stupid among them. Do and say what you
will so long as you do not neglect anything that God has commanded. Indeed everything can be tolerated from you save rebellion against Him. As for what passes between you and us, you
are in command of yourselves."
16
The
Events of the Year
34
(JULY 22, 654-JULY Io, 655)
In (this year) took place the Battle of the Masts , according to the
account related to me by Abmad (b. Thabit al -Razi)-one who
related [it] to him--Ishaq (b. 'Isa)- Abu Ma'shar. We have already
given the account of this battle and mentioned those who contradict Abu Ma'shar's chronology 231
In (this year), the Kiifans drove Said b. al 'A$ out of the city.
In (this year), those who were alienated from 'Uthman b. 'Affan
wrote to one another, planning to gather together in order to
confront him with (those matters ) concerning which they were
angry at him.
232. Bracketed words from Ibn al -Athir, Kamil Beirut), III, 147.
[2927]
133
with whom Ibn al-Sawda ' had been corresponding there gathered
around (Yazid). Al-Qa'ga' fell upon Yazid b. Qays and seized him,
but he said, "We are only seeking Sa'id's resignation ." (Al-Qa'ga')
replied, "That is something that you will not get . Do not sit [here]
to discuss this, and (these malcontents ) must not come and meet
with you. Seek what you really need, and by my life it will be
given to you." Then (Yazid ) returned to his house and hired a
man, giving him a sum of dirhams and some mules, on condition
that he should go to the exiles (in the Jazirah]. (Yazid) wrote to
them [as follows] : "Do not let my letter out of your hands until
you come, for the inhabitants of the garrison town (namely,
Kufah] have joined our cause."
The man (hired by Yazid ) slipped away and came to (the exiles),
[to whom] al-Ashtar had already returned. He presented (Yazid's)
letter to them, and they asked, "What is your name?"
"Bughthur," he replied. "What is your tribe?" they asked. "Kalb,"
he said . "A vile predator that disgusts (yubaghthir) the soul. We
have no need of you," they said. s But al-Ashtar disagreed with
them, and returned in rebellion (to Kufah]. When he had gone, his
associates said, "God has exiled both us and him. We shall find no
escape from what he has done . If 'Abd al-Rabman learns about us,
he will not believe us and he will not take this lightly ." So they
followed after (al-Ashtar) but did not join up with him. 'Abd alRaliman learned that they had departed and searched for them in [2929]
the Sawad. Al-Ashtar made the journey in seven (days] , the other
exiles (al-gawm ) in ten.
Now one Friday the people unexpectedly found al -Ashtar at the
mosque portal, saying, "0 people, I have come to you from the
Commander of the Faithful Uthman. When I left Said he was
trying to get (the caliph) to cut [the state pension of] your women
to a hundred dirhams, and to reduce [the salary] of the long-term
veterans (ahl a]-bald ') among you to 2000.239 (Said ) was saying,
238. Kalb was a tribe belonging to the Quda 'ah confederation in southern Syria.
There is a pun here, of course, since kalb means "dog," not a highly esteemed
animal in the Islamic world . On the tribe, see Donner, Early Islamic Conquests,
Io6-7 et passim; J. W. Fuck and A. A. Dixon, "Kalb b. Wabara," E12, IV, 492-94.
On the animal, F. Virt, "Kalb," E12, IV, 489-92.
239. The stipend for the veterans of the first Iraqi campaigns tthat is, those that
took place before the battle of al -Qadisiyyahl had originally been set at 3000
134
Then al-Qa'ga' b. 'Amr said, "Will you turn the flood aside from
129301 its course? Then divert the Euphrates from its channel. How
foolish! No, by God, only Mashrafi swords242 will silence the
mob, and they are on the point of being drawn. Then (these people) will bawl like goats and long for their present situation. God
dirhams per year. See Donner, Early Islamic Conquests, 231; Hinds , "KGfan Political Alignments," 349
240. Wa-yagdlu: ma balu ashrafi 1-nisai wa-hadhihi '11lawatu bayna
hadhayni 'l-idlayni. The ilawah is an extra load placed between the two evenly
balanced loads ( idl) carried on each side of a camel.
241. Qur'an 3:98-99.
242. al-mashrafiyyah. The origin of this term is somewhat obscure, but it
seems to refer to the locale-either in the Yemen or close to Syria -in which
these swords were made. Lane, Lexicon, IV, 1539.
will never restore (Sa'id's) authority over them, so endure patiently." "I will endure patiently," ('Amr) said, and went to his
house.
Yazid b. Qays, accompanied by al-Ashtar, went out and established camp at al-Jara 'ah.243 Said had halted on the road, and then
came upon them as they were encamped waiting for him. They
said, "We want nothing to do with you." He replied, "What are
you quarreling about now ? It would have sufficed for you to send
one man to the Commander of the Faithful and to put another
man in my place. Do a thousand rational men set out against one
man?" Then he left them, and they noticed a freedman (mawla) of
his on a camel that was worn out [from the journey]. (The freedman) said, "By God, it does not behoove Said to go back [to
Medina]." And al-Ashtar struck off his head.
Said proceeded until he reached 'Uthman, whom he informed
of the news. ('Uthman) said, "What do they want? Have they
withdrawn their hand from obedience?" (Sa'id) responded, "They
proclaim that they want a change (of governors)." "Whom do they
want? " asked (`Uthman). "Abu Musa (al-Ash'ari)," replied (Sa'id).
(Uthman) said, "Then we have set Abu Musa over them. By God,
we shall create no excuse for anyone, nor will we leave them any
proof [against us). We shall endure patiently, as we have been
commanded to do, until we attain what they desire."
Those who held sub-governorships ( amal) near Kufah returned
[to Medina], as did Jarir from Qargisiya ' and 'Utaybah from Hul- (29311
wan. In Kufah, Abu Musa arose to speak, saying, "0 people, do
not hasten into such an affair , and do not do such a thing again.
Adhere to your community (jamd'ah ) and cling to obedience. Beware of acting precipitously . Endure patiently, just as if you had a
governor (amir)." They responded, "Lead us in prayer." He said,
"I will not, unless you heed and obey 'Uthman b. 'Affan.'They
replied, "We will heed and obey 'Uthman."
It was related to me by Ja'far b. 'Abdallah al -Muhammadi'Amr b. Hammad b. Talhah and 'Ali b. Husayn b. 'Isa--Husayn b.
%5-his father-Harun b. Sa'd--al-'Ala' b. 'Abdallah b. Zayd
al-'Anbari: A body of Muslims gathered together to review the
deeds and conduct of 'Uthman. They concurred in a decision to
243. A place near al-Qadisiyyah; see below, p. 139 (text , I, 2934).
Then 'Uthmin came to Sa 'id b. al-'AV and asked him for his
opinion. He said, "0 Commander of the Faithful, if you desire our
opinion, cure yourself of the disease and amputate from yourself
what you fear. Follow my advice, and you will attain your goal."
"What is it ?" said ('Uthman). (Sa'id' answered, "Every group has
leaders . When these are eliminated, .they will disperse and will be
unable to agree on anything." 'Uthmin said, "This would indeed
be the right opinion, were it not for what it involves!"
He approached Mu'awiyah and said, "What is your view?" He
answered, "0 Commander of the Faithful, I think it best for you
to send your governors back , on condition that they administer
their provinces with care, and I will be the guarantor for you of
my province."245
[2933]
'Amr b. al-'Ag. He said, "Give me your advice, for the people have
become as threatening to me as leopards."
Mu'awiyah said to him, "I advise you to order the commanders
of your armies that every one of them should administer his
province carefully on your behalf, and I will administer the people
of Syria carefully on your behalf." 'Abdallah b. 'Amir said, "In my
opinion you should keep them tied up in these campaigns until
every one of them is concerned about the saddle sores of his pack
animal . Thus, you will keep them too preoccupied to spread calumnies about you." 'Abdallah b. Sa'd said, "I advise you to look
into what has angered them and give them satisfaction; then you
should distribute to them this wealth and divide [it] among
them."
[2934]
Then 'Amr b. al-'Ag rose up and said: "0 'Uthman, you have
afflicted the people with men like the Banu Umayyah.246 You and
they have both spoken [ in anger], and you and they have both
gone astray. So do justice or abdicate. But if you reject [this counsel], be firm in your resolve and continue straight ahead." Then
'Uthman replied, "What is wrong with you? May your scalp crawl
with lice! Are you serious about this?"'Amr remained silent until
(the others) had dispersed; then he said, "No, Commander of the
Faithful, you are dearer to me than that, but I knew that at the
portal there was a band of men (gawm). These knew that you had
assembled us to obtain our advice, and I wanted them to hear
about my statement , so that I might bring you good or ward off
evil from you."
Then 'Uthman sent his governors ('ummdl) back to their
provinces, commanding them to maintain stringent control of
those under their authority and to keep the people tied up on
campaigns . He decided also to deny them their stipends, so that
they would submit to him and be in need of him. He sent Said b.
al-'Ag back as governor (amir) of Kufah, but the Kufans came forth
in arms against him, confronted him, and made him return (to
246. The Umayyad clan of Quraysh, under the leadership of Abu Sufyan b.
Harb, had of course been the heart and soul of Meccan opposition to Muhammad.
One of the most persistent and damaging charges against 'Uthmin (at least as
represented in our texts ) was his favoritism toward these old enemies of the
Prophet, who were also his own kinsmen.
Medina] . They said, "No, by God, he will not rule over us while
we still bear our swords."
It was related to me by Ja'far- 'Amr and 'Ali b. Husayn247-his
father-Harun b. Sa'd -Abu Yahya 'Umayr b. Sa'd al -Nakha'i: In
my mind I can still see al -Ashtar Malik b. al-Harith al-Nakha'i.
His face was covered with dust, and he was girt with a sword and
saying, "By God, he-that is, Said-will not enter (our city)
against us while we still bear our swords ." That was the Day of aljara'ah. Al-jara`ah is a high place near al -Qadisiyyah, and there the
Kufans met (Said).
247. Prym proposes two possible emendations in the isnad, both of which seem
reasonable in view of the other isndds attached to ia'far b. 'Abdallah al-Muliammadi: either (a) 'Amr and 'Ali-Husayn-his father; or (b) 'Amr and 'Ali b. IHusayn-Husayn b. '1si-his father.
248. Md and an turadda 'aid 'agibayha batty yakdna fiha dimd'un.
249. fa- ta'iuwahu istuhu . Literally: "so that his buttocks rise above him." This
entire passage seems quite obscure.
140
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Muhammad and Talhah: When Yazid b. Qays caused the
people to howl at Said b. al-'A^, word of this came to 'Uthman.
[2936] Then al-Qa'ga' b. 'Amr approached (Yazid) and seized him. (Yazd)
said, "What do you want? Do you have any reason to prevent us
from seeking (Said's) resignation ?" (Al-Qa'ga') replied, "No. [Are
you trying to do anything] beside that?" "No," said (Yazid).
"Then seek his resignation," said (al-Qa'gi). Yazid summoned his
associates from where they were staying, and they drove Said
back [to Medina) and demanded Abu Musa [as his successor].
Then'Uthmin wrote to them [as follows]: "In the name of God,
the Merciful, the Compassionate. To proceed: I have named as
your governor the one whom you have chosen, and I have relieved
you of Said. By God, I will surely expose my honor to your abuse,
and wear out my patience, and use every effort to seek reconciliation with you. So do not fail to ask for whatever you desire, so
long as it does not involve rebellion against God . Nor should you
fail to demand relief from whatever you hate, so long as it does
not involve rebellion against God. Thus, I will comply with whatever you desire until you have no argument (Izujjah ) against me."
141
(29371
`Ali said, "I will tell you that everyone appointed by `Umar b. al252. Of Bayrah, after the resignation of `Utbah b . Ghazwan, probably in 14/635636. See Donner, Early Islamic Conquests, 217, 264. 1 admit to finding this reference to al-Mughirah somewhat puzzling.
143
Khaflab was kept under close scrutiny by him .25 3 If ('Umar) heard (29391
a single word concerning him he would flog him , then punish
him with the utmost severity. But you do not do [that]. You have
been weak and easygoing with your relatives." "They are your
relatives as well," answered 'Uthman . 'Ali said, "By my life, they
are closely related to me indeed, but merit is found in others."
'Uthman said, "Do you know that 'Umar kept Mu awiyah in office throughout his entire caliphate, and I have only done the
same." 'Ali answered, "I adjure you by God, do you know that
Mu awiyah was more afraid of 'Umar than was 'Umar's own slave
Yarfa'?" "Yes," said ('Uthman]. 'Ali went on, "In fact Mu'awiyah
makes decisions on issues without [consulting] you, and you
know it. Thus, he says to the people. 'This is 'Uthman's command.' You hear of this, but do not censure him."254 Then 'Ali
left him, and 'Uthman went out on his heels.
Then ('Uthman) took his seat upon the pulpit and said, "To
proceed : For everything there is some bane and in every situation
there is some defect. The bane of this Community (ummah[ and
the defect in this [divinely bestowed] beneficence are the maligners and slanderers who let you see what is pleasing to you and
conceal what is hateful to you. They talk and talk to you. Men
who resemble ostriches follow the first one to make a noise.
Their favorite watering place is the one far away; they fail to
quench their thirst and they get only the sediment . No leader
arises, affairs have worn them out, and they possess no means of
gain."
"By God, you have surely blamed me for things like those
which you accepted from Ibn al-Khallab. But he trampled you
underfoot, smote you with his hand, and subdued you by his
tongue, and so you submitted to him whether you liked it or not . I (2940]
have been lenient with you. I let you tread on my shoulders while
I restrained my hand and tongue , and therefore you have been
insolent toward me. By God, I am stronger [than he] in kinsmen, I
have allies closer at hand, I possess more supporters . It is more
253. fa-innama yala 'u ala gimakhihi: literally, "indeed he would trample on
his ear." See de Goeje, Introductio, dlix.
254. Reading tuayyiru instead of tughayyiru, in accordance with de Goeje's
suggestion. See de Goeje, Introductio, ccclxxxiii, sub verbo ayyara, dcxxvii.
16
The
Events of the Year
35
( JULY II ,
to Dhu al-Marwah
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu 'ayb-Sayf'Aliyyah-Yazid al-Faqasi: 'Abdallih b. Sabi' was a Jew from [2942]
$an'a', and his mother was a black woman . He converted to Islam
in the time of 'Uthmin, then roamed about the lands of the Muslims attempting to lead them into error. He began in the Hijiz,
and then (worked] successively in Ba$rah, Kufah, and Syria. He
was unable to work his will upon a single one of the Syrians; they
drove him out and he came to Egypt . He settled among the Egyp-
147
spondence and secretly preached their notions [to others]. In public they proclaimed the commanding of good and the forbidding of
evil. They began sending letters to the garrison towns , filling
them with censure of their rulers, while their brethren would
write back to them in similar terms. Among (these dissidents) the
inhabitants of each garrison town would write about their activities to another garrison town. Those involved would read this
aloud in their various garrison towns, until finally they extended
this [agitation] to Medina and spread his message throughout the
earth. Their real aim was different from the one that they proclaimed in public, and what they kept secret was different from
that which they presented openly. Thus, the inhabitants of every
garrison town were saying, "We are secure from the trials facing
everyone except the Medinese." As the latter became aware of
(the agitation) in all the garrison towns, they said, "We are secure
from the situation facing the people."
At this point (the narrator) is joined by Muhammad and Talhah: (The Medinese) came to 'Uthman and said, "0 Commander
of the Faithful, have you heard what we hear concerning the
people?" He answered, "No, by God. I have only heard about
order and security." They continued, "(Certain things) have come
to our attention," and they told him what had been communicated to them. Then ('Uthman) said, "You are my associates
(shurakd') and the men of probity (shuhud)260 among the Believers, so advise me." They responded, "We advise you to send
men whom you trust to the garrison towns so that they may bring
back their reports to you."
[2943
[2944]
When (this letter) was read out in the garrison towns, it caused
the people to weep, and they invoked blessings upon Uthman,
saying, "Verily the Community is groaning in labor with evil."
'Uthman sent to the governors ('ummal) of the garrison towns and
261. A somewhat conjectural reading : al-amru amru 7-muslimina ills anna
umard'ahum yugsifuna baynahum wa-yaqumiina alayhim. Caetani's paraphrase (Annals, VIII, 111( seems to distort the meaning: "essi riferirono di non
aver trovato nulla di anormale o di riprovevole , se non the i govematori erano
trattati e giudicati ingiustamente dai loco dipendenti ." A parallel to the first
clause can be found below (text, I, 2947, 1. 16): kdna 'l-amru amrahum wa'l-nasu
taba 'un lahum.
262. Wa-laysa If wa-li-iydli laagqun gabla 'l-ra'yyati illd matrnkun lahum.
The problem phrase here is matrnk lahum. Presumably it refers to the property
and income rights that the Caliph held as head of the Community; these were
rooted in the one-fifth share of booty and conquests claimed by the Prophet and
his successors. See Qur'an 9:42; Donner, Early Islamic Conquests, 241-43.
263. Qur'an 12:88.
[2,9451
with them. You have increased [their stipends] beyond the levels
set by'Umar. I believe that you must follow the path of your two
predecessors, showing severity or leniency according to the situation. Severity is the right policy for the man who constantly does
evil to the people, while leniency is appropriate for one who deals
with the people in good faith. However, you have shown leniency
to both without distinction."
Then 'Uthman arose. Praising and extolling God, he said, "I
have heard everything that you have advised me to do. Every
affair has an exit door . The present affair has emerged, and on
account of it one fears for this Community. The door (out of this
affair) is bolted shut, and thus leniency, generous treatment, and
the gratification [of desires] will be shown only in conformity
[2946] with the commandments (hudud) of Almighty God; for in none of
these may one manifest any shortcoming. If something blocks
(this door) kindness and generosity [will open it]. By God, (the
door out of this affair) will surely be opened. Against me no man
has any valid proof, and God knows that I have not neglected any
good for the people or for myself. By God, the mill of revolt
(fitnah) is turning ; blessed will 'Uthman be if he dies without
having set it in motion. Restrain the people, bestow their rights
upon them, and forgive them. But where God's rights are concerned, do not be lax in regard to those."267
When 'Uthman terminated [the council], he dispatched
Mu'awiyah and 'Abdallah b. Sa'd to Medina, while Ibn 'Amir returned [to Iraq] along with Said. When 'Uthman was left alone,
the caravan leader sang (these verses):
He rose and greeted them; then he leaned on his bow and said,
"You know that this situation has come about because the people
are struggling among themselves to achieve supremacy for certain men. There is not one among you but that some member of
his clan used to claim leadership over him, dominate him, and
decide matters without him, seeking neither testimony nor advice from him. Then at last Almighty God sent His Prophet,
through him ennobling those who heeded him. When (the Muslims) turned the leadership over to his successors , they did so
through consultation among themselves, assigning superiority on
the basis of priority (of conversion), precedence [in religion], and
legal judgment (ijtihdd). If (the Community 's leaders ) act on that
[2947)
[2948]
basis, then they will keep control of matters and the people will
submit to them. But if they pay heed to the things of this world
and seek them in a struggle for supremacy with one another, they
will be deprived of (power) and God will give it back to those who
used to lead them. Otherwise, let them beware of the vicissitudes
of fortune, for God has the power to alter [His decree], and He can
dispose as He wishes of the kingship and authority that are His. I
have left among you an old man, so display good will toward him
and protect him. Thereby you will be more fortunate than he."
Then (Mu awiyah) bade them farewell and went on his way.'All
said, "I see no good in this (man)." Al-Zubayr said, "No, by God,
there was never anything more distressing to you or us than he
was this morning."
It was related to me by 'Abdallah b. Ahmad b. Shabbawayhhis father-'Abdallah-Isliaq b. Yaliya-Musa b. Talliah: 'Uthman sent for Talliah, and I accompanied him. When he entered
'Uthman's presence, there were 'All, Sa'd (b. Abi Waggag), alZubayr, 'Uthman, and Mu'awiyah. Mu'awiyah praised God and
extolled Him as He merits, and then he said, "You are the Companions of the Messenger of God, the best [of His followers] on
earth, and those charged with the affairs of this Community. No
one other than you can hope for that. You have chosen your
companion [as caliph] without compulsion or personal ambition.
He has grown old and his life has passed by. If you had waited for
decrepitude [to afflict] him, that would be near at hand. However,
I hope that he has revered God so that He will allow him to reach
that stage of life. Talk has spread, and I fear it for your sakes, for
you have not denounced it in any way. You have my aid (in this
matter). Do not inspire the people to long for your government,
for by God, if they desire that, you will never see them do anything but turn tail and flee."
'Ali replied, "What is that to you, and what do you know about
it? You have no mother!" (Mu'awiyah) said, "Leave my mother
her place [in the Community]. She is not the worst of your mothers. She accepted Islam and swore fidelity to the Prophet.269 Now
answer me in regard to what I am saying to you."
269. Mu'awiyah's mother Hind bt. 'Utbah had accompanied Meccan forces to
the battle of Ubud in 3/625, as the women of a tribe often did in ancient Arabia.
When the prophet 's uncle Hamzah was killed in the fighting she cut open his
breast and bit off a piece of his liver -again a traditional gesture of revenge. See
Ibn Is$aq, Sirah, 581; Guillaume transl., 385.
170. Qur'an 3:164.
(2949]
Then 'Uthman responded, "Nay, but we do our utmost to pardon and accept and enlighten them, and we oppose no one until
he violates a divine commandment (I add) or manifests unbelief.
Now these (dissidents) have mentioned various matters, concerning which you and they are equally well informed. However, they
allege that they are bringing (these matters) to my attention in
order to compel me [to respond) to them in the presence of those
who remain uninformed."
"They say, 'He has performed the complete prayer rite while [2952]
traveling (by performing four rak'ahs instead of two], when for-
157
[2953)
'Uthman had divided his wealth and lands among the Banu
Umayyah, treating his own children as he did the other recipients. He began with the Banu Abi al-'A$, giving the men in the
lineage of al-Hakam (b. Abi al-'A$) io,ooo (dirhams] each; they
280. Wa-inni wa-'llahi ma bamaltu ala mi$rin min 'l-am$ari fadlan fa-yajliza
dhalika liman galahu wa-lagad radadtuhu 'alayhim. See de Goeje, Introductio,
cdiv, sub verbo fadl.
281. This passage refers to 'Uthmin's grants of estates and villages within the
conquered territories (Iraq in particular) to powerful individuals. 'Umar had done
the same thing, but 'Uthman was thought to be overly generous in this regard. See
Donner, Early Islamic Conquests, 241-45. There have been numerous allusions
above to this and to the resentment inspired by it. For example, see pp. 58, 59-61,
112-13, 120-21 (text, I, 2852 , 2854-2855, 2908, 2916(. The last sentence is difficult: Fa-bi'tuhu lahum bi-amrihim min rijalin ahli 'agarin bi-biladi '1- Arabi fanaqaltu ilayhim na.ibahum fa-huwa ft aydihim dani. See Caetani, Annali, VIII,
203.
[2955]
balah al-'Abdi, Dhurayh b. 'Abbad al-'Abdi, Bishr b. Shurayh alHufam b. pubay'ah al-Qaysi, and lbn al-Muharrish b. 'Abd 'Amr
al-Hanafi. Their number was the same as that of the Egyptians,
and Hurqug b. Zubayr al-Sa'di was in command over them all,
save for those among the people who followed after them.
As for the Egyptians, they yearned for 'All las caliph], while the
Bagrans desired Talhah and the Kufans al-Zubayr. They all set out
simultaneously. The people had disparate [aims], and every faction (firqah) was certain that it would obtain complete success to
the exclusion of the other two. Thus, they proceeded until, three
days from Medina, a group of men from among the Bagrans went
forward and made camp at Dhu Khushub. A section of the Kufans
made camp at al-A' wag, and a group of Egyptians came to join
them, having left the main body of (their compatriots) behind at
Dhu al-Marwah.285
[2956] Ziyad b. al-Nair and 'Abdallah b. al-Agamm traveled back and
forth between the Egyptians and Bagrans saying, "Do not be overhasty or force us to rush, so that we can enter Medina and explore
the situation for you. We have in fact heard that (the Medinese)
have mobilized their troops against us. By God, if the Medinese
fear us and deem it lawful to fight us when they have no solid
knowledge about us, they will be even more hostile when they do
obtain this, and our movement will fail. On the other hand, if
they do not deem it lawful to fight us and we find that what we
have heard is false, then we will bring that news back to you."
(The Bagrans and Egyptians ) said, "Go ahead."
Thus, the two men entered Medina and met with the wives of
the Prophet and with 'Ali, Talhah, and al-Zubayr. They said, "We
have only come here286 to seek from this ruler (that is, 'Uthman]
the removal of certain of our governors. We have come only for
285. Dhu Khushub: "A valley lying a night 's journey from Medina, often mentioned in hadith and accounts of the Prophet 's campaigns " (Yagnt, Mu jam alBuldan, II, 444-45 . Al-A'wag: " A locale in the vicinity of Medina, mentioned in
accounts of the Prophet's campaigns ... lying a very few miles from Medina"
(ibid., I, 317(. Dhn al-Marwah : "A town in the Wadi al-Qura ; it is also said to lie
between Khushub and the Wadi al-Qura " (ibid., IV, 513). Yignt 's data are laconic,
but they do place all three locales immediately to the north of Medina ; al-A'wa$
appears to be closest to the city, Dhn al-Marwah the most distant.
286. Qala : innama na'tammu hadha '1-bayta wa-nastafi hadha 'l-waliya min
ba Sli 'ummalina.
that." The two men sought their permission for the people to
enter Medina, but every one of them utterly refused , saying,
"Surely an egg will hatch !"287 Then (Ziyad and 'Abdallah) returned to (their camp).
Then some Egyptians banded together and came to 'All, while a
party of Bagrans came to Talhah and a few Kufans to al-Zubayr.
Each of these groups said, "If (the loyalists in Medina) render the
oath of allegiance to our companion, [well and good)288 Otherwise, we shall plot against them, shatter their unity and cohesion
(jama 'ah), and then turn round and take them by surprise."
The Egyptians reached 'Ali while he was with an army at Ahjar
al-Zayt. He was wearing a white-striped cloak and a turban
wound from a strip of red Yemeni cloth; he was girt with a sword
but did not have on a shirt . He had dispatched al-Hasan to
'Uthman along with those who had joined him [in his camp].
Thus, al-Hasan was staying with 'Uthman while 'Ali was at Ahjar
al-Zayt. The Egyptians greeted him and presented [their aims) to
him. He shouted at them and drove them away, saying, "The
upright know that the armies at Dhu al-Marwah and Dhu
Khushub have been cursed by the tongue of Muhammad. Go
back, and may God be no friend to you!" They said , "So be it,"
and thereupon departed from him.
[ 29571
know that the armies at Dhu al-Marwah, Dhu Khushub, and alA'wa^ have been cursed by the tongue of Mul ammad."
Then the dissidents (al-qawm) departed and made a show of
going back [to their homes]. They withdrew from Dhu Khushub
and al-A'wa$ until they reached their encampments, situated
three days away; they intended for the Medinese to disperse, and
then they would turn around and come back. At their departure
the Medinese did in fact disperse. When the dissidents reached
their encampments, they wheeled around to attack (the Medinese). They took the Medinese by surprise, and all at once the cry
"God is most great!" was heard throughout the city. (The dissidents) occupied the sites of the encampments [previously established by 'Ali, Talhah, and al-Zubayr] and surrounded 'Uthman.
"Whoever restrains his hand [and does not resist us]," they announced, "will be secure."
[2958] 'Uthman led the people in prayer for some days, but the people
stayed in their houses. (The dissidents) prevented no one from
discussing [the situation ], and so the people, 'Ali among them,
came and talked with them. ('Ali) said, "What brought you back
after you had changed your minds and gone?" They responded,
"We seized a letter [ordering ] us to be killed from an official
courier."289 Then Talbah came and the Ba$rans said the same
thing, as did the Kufans with al-Zubayr. The Kufans and Bagrans
said, "We are united in supporting and aiding our brothers, as
they were promised." Then 'All said to them, "How, 0 men of
Kufah and Ba^rah, did you know what had.befallen the Egyptians,
for you traveled a certain number of days and then turned back
toward us? By God, this is a conspiracy (amr) woven [while you
were] in Medina." "Explain it however you wish," they said. "We
reject this man [namely, 'Uthman]. Let him be removed from us!
He still leads (the people) in prayer, and they perform the prayer
behind him. Anyone who wishes comes to visit [him]. In his eyes
(the people) are less than dirt." (The dissidents) had not been
289. Band, the official postal and information service, inherited from Roman
and Sasanian usage. The system reached its fullest elaboration under the early
Abbasids. The term "barid" normally refers to the institution, but here it clearly
indicates an individual courier. See D . Sourdel, "Band," E12, I, 1045-46.
291. On the electoral process (shdra, "consultation ") through which 'Uthmin
was named caliph, see Tabari, I, 2776-2797.
292. See de Goeje, Introductio, dcxxviii.
[2959)
doing what is right. For verily Almighty God only eradicates evil
through what is good."
Muhammad b. Maslamah arose and said , "I bear witness to
that." Then Hukaym b. Jabalah seized him and forced him to sit
down. Zayd b. Thabit stood up and said, "Get the letter [from
'Uthman to the governor of Egypt ) for me." From another side
Muhammad b. Abi Qutayrah stood up beside him and with harsh
words made him sit down . Then the dissidents (al-qawm) all rose
up together and threw stones at the people until they had driven
them from the mosque. They threw stones at 'Uthman until he
fell unconscious from the pulpit . He was carried off and brought
into his house. Now the Egyptians expected support from only
three men among the Medinese, for these had been in correspondence with them: Muhammad b. Abi Bakr, Muhammad b. Abi
I iudhayfah, and 'Ammar b. Yasir. A certain group among the
[2962 )
As to (authorities) other than Sayf, some of them say that the (29631
dissidents' dispute with 'Uthman and the reasons why they besieged him are correctly described in the account related to me by
Ya'qub b. Ibrahim-Mu'tamir b. Sulayman al-Taymi-his father-Abu Natlrah-Abu Said, the client of Abu Usayd al-Ansir-i : 297 'Uthman learned of the approach of the Egyptian delegation, and he received them while he was in a village of his outside
Medina. He states : When (the Egyptians) heard about him, they
approached him at the place where he then was. He says:
'Uthman did not want them to come to him in Medina-or words
to that effect.
So they came to him and said, "Send for the Qur'an (mu$1,:af),"
and he did so. Then they said, "Open to the ninth (chapter)." Now
they used to call the Chapter of Jonah the ninth.298 Then
('Uthman ) recited it until he came to this verse : "Say: Have you
considered the provision God has sent down for you, and you
have made some of it unlawful, and some lawful ? Say: Has God
given you leave, or do you forge against God? "299 They told
'Uthman to stop and then said to him, "Have you considered the
pasture rights that you set aside ? Has God given you leave, or do
you forge against God ?" He replied, "Enough! (This verse) was
revealed in connection with such-and-such a matter." He continued, "And as to the reserved pasture, before my time 'Umar set
aside pasture for the camels that had been paid as alms tax. When
I became caliph, the alms-tax camels had increased in number,
and so I increased the reserved pasture in accordance with that
fact. Enough." Then they began berating him with the verse, and
he would say, "Enough ! It was revealed in connection with suchand-such a matter."
The man responsible for transmitting 'Uthman 's words was the
same age at that time as you are now-Abu Nadrah says, "Abu
297. The following narrative is persistently interrupted by the word qula-that
is, "(the narrator ) states." I have for the most part omitted these editorial interjections, unless they seem to mark a significant shift in the narrative . However, the
new paragraphs in this passage normally begin with such an editorial gala.
298. The text reads al-sabi'ah, "the seventh ." Cf. de Goeje, Introductio,
dcxxviii. In the modem numeration the Surah of Jonah is number tenj presumably
the Fatibah (number one) was not counted in the earliest times.
299. Qur'an zo:6o.
[2964] Said would say that to me." Abu Nadrah said [to Abu Said], "I am
the same age [now] as you were then." (Abu Nadrah) continued,
"At that time my beard had not yet started to grow." I don't
know, and perhaps he said on another occasion, "At that time I
was thirty years old. "300
Then they took ('Uthman) to task for things from which he
could find no escape. Recognizing these, he said, "I seek God's
forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance." Then he said to
them, "What do you want?" They made a compact (mithaq) with
him, and he said, "I regard this as valid." They wrote out conditions to be imposed on him. Then ('Uthmin) obligated them to
break no rod [namely, of loyalty and obedience] nor to withdraw
from unity (jama'ah) so long as he fulfilled their conditions or
acted in accordance with what they required of him.
('Uthman) said to them, "What do you want?" They replied,
"We want the Medinese to take no stipend [from the Public
Treasury], for this money belongs to those who fight and to those
venerable men (shuyukh) who are Companions of the Messenger
of God." They were content with this and accompanied him to
Medina satisfied [as to their demands ]. ('Uthmin) rose and gave
the Friday sermon, saying, "By God, I have seen no delegation on
earth that is better for my misdeeds than this delegation that has
come to me." Another time he said, "I am afraid of this delegation from Egypt. Verily let him who possesses a field go out to his
field, and let him who possesses milk animals milk them. You
shall have no Treasury payments from us 301 This money belongs
only to those who fight and to those venerable men who are
Companions of the Messenger of God." Then the people were
angry and said, "This is a trick by the Banu Umayyah."
307. Lawla akalatun ma fa alto dhalika. For the sense of this idiom see Lane, 1,
sub verbo akl.
('Amr) had not left his seat before a second rider passed by. 'Amr
called out to him, "What has that man done? "-that is, 'Uthman.
"He has been killed," he replied. ('Amr) said, "I am Abu 'Abdallah. When I rub a scab, I scrape it off.310 I have been inciting
[people) against him, even the shepherd on the mountaintop with
308. According to Yignt (Muyam al-Bulddn, II, 19), al-'Ajlin was an estate
belonging to 'Amr b . a1-'Ag and located in Bayt fibrin, a town situated about twothirds of the way between Jerusalem and Gaza (i.e., 25 km. from the latter). Yiqut
says that this estate was named after a client of 'Anu's, but the name is probably
an Arabization of Biblical Eglon, whose location fits his data very neatly.
309. A rather crude way of saying that the crisis is imminent and that 'Uthman
is too weak and frightened to oppose it effectively. See Lane , V, 1786, sub verbo
darata, and Freytag, Arabum Proverbia, II, 248.
310. Freytag, Arabum Proverbia, I, 43, and Lane, II, 614, sub verbo I akka. The
meaning is "When I desire an object I attain it."
(2967)
ancient hatreds , the blatant selfishness , and the overturned commandments that they will witness."
When the dissidents established their camp at Dhu Khushub,
the news spread that they intended to kill 'Uthman if he did not
abdicate. At night their envoy came to 'Ali, T alhah, and 'Ammar
b. Yasir successively. Muhammad b. Abi Hudhayfah had joined
them in writing a letter to 'Ali; they brought this to 'Ali, but he
did not examine its contents . When 'Uthman perceived all this,
he came to 'Ali. He entered his house and said, "O cousin, nothing owed to me can be neglected; my kinship [with you] is close,
and I have a strong claim upon your support . You see the trouble
caused by this band of dissidents when they came to me today.312
I know that you enjoy prestige among the people and that they
will listen to you. I want you to ride out to them and send them
away from me. I do not wish them to come before me , for that
would be an insolent act toward me on their part . Let others hear
of this as well."
'Ali said, "On what grounds shall I send them away?"
('Uthman) replied, "On the grounds that I shall carry out what
you have counseled me to do and thought right, and that I will not
deviate from your direction." Then 'Ali said, "In fact I have spoken to you time after time , and you and I have discussed such
matters at length.313 All this is the doing of Marwan b. al-Hakam,
Said b. al-'Aq, Ibn 'Amir, and Mu'awiyah. You have heeded them
and defied me." 'Uthman said, "Then I shall defy them and heed
you."
('Ali) thus issued orders to the people, and both Emigrants and
Helpers rode forth with him [to meet with the dissidents].
'Uthman sent to 'Ammar b . Yasir, telling him to set forth with
'Ali, but he refused. Then'Uthman sent to Sa'd b. Abi Waggas and
told him that he should go to 'Ammar and direct him to ride out
with 'Al!. Sa'd set out and entered 'Ammar's presence. He said, "0 [297oJ
Abu al-Yaq;an, will you not go forth with the others, all the more
312. Wa-qad jn'a and tarn min hn'uld'i 1-gawmi wa -hum mu. abbibiyya.
313. A paraphrase, since the original seems to defeat an exact rendering : Fa-gala
Aliyyun inni qad kuntu kallamtuka marratan bada marratin fa-kulla dhalika
nakhruju fa-tukallamu wa-haqulu wa-taqulu.
'Ali rode out to the Egyptians and sent them away from
('Uthman ); and they departed and headed back [toward Egypt].
According to Muhammad b. 'Umar (al-Wagidi)-Muhammad b.
12,9711
('Uthman) praised and extolled God, and then said : "To proceed: As to this band of Egyptians, a certain matter concerning
their imam had come to their attention. But when they were
certain that what they had heard about was false they returned to
their own land." Then from one side of the mosque 'Amr b. al-'Ag
called out to him: "Fear God, 0 'Uthmin, for you have borne
great dangers, as we have done along with you. Turn to God, and
we shall turn to Him!" 'Uthman shouted back, "So you are over
there, Ibn al-Nibighah. By God, your robe has become louse314. In the following report numerous editorial galas have been omitted.
315. Qur'an 6:163.
[2973]
The best men among you will not fail to draw near me . If my right
hand refuses, then my left hand will surely obey me."317
Then the people had pity on him, and some among them wept.
Said b. Zayd stood up before him and said, "0 Commander of the
Faithful, no one comes to you who does not support you. Fear
God, in your soul fear God, and fulfill what you have said!"
When 'Uthman descended [from the pulpit], he found Marwan
(b. al-Hakam ), Said (b. al-'A^ ), and a few of the Banu Umayyah at
his home. They had not been present at the sermon, and when
('Uthman) took his seat, Marwan said, "0 Commander of the
Faithful, shall I speak or remain silent? " Then Na 'ilah bt. alFarafiph, `Uthman's wife from the Kalb tribe , said, "Nay, be
silent, for they will kill him and accuse him of sin ; he has made a
public statement from which he cannot rightfully withdraw."
Then Marwan came up to her and said , "What does this have to
do with you? By God, your father died without knowing how to
perform the ablutions correctly." "Go easy, Marwan," she responded, "in mentioning our fathers. You speak lies about my
absent father. Indeed your father cannot defend himself [against
similar charges]. By God, were (your father) not (`Uthman's) uncle
and would (the caliph) not be distressed, I would tell no lies in
informing you about ( your father)."
Then Marwan turned away from her and said, "0 Commander
of the Faithful, shall I speak or be silent ?" ('Uthman) answered,
"No, speak." Marwan said, "You are as dear to me as my father
and my mother ! By God, I wish that you had made this statement
[before the people) while you were still strong and invincible, and
that I had been the first to be satisfied by it and to aid [you] in
fulfilling it. However, you have said these things when the girth
has reached the two teats and the torrent has overflowed the
hilltops and when a humiliated man has submitted to humiliation.318 By God, to persist in an error for which you must seek
God's forgiveness is better than to repent because you are afraid.
317. The meaning is that he will force himself to submit to their judgment,
however bitter he may find it to do so.
318. The first two clauses are proverbial, meaning that the affair had become
distressing and surpassed normal limits. See Freytag, Arabum Proverbia, I, 151,
293; Lane, Lexicon, III, 1215 ; V, 1830. The last clause is explained in de Goeje,
Introductio, ccclxvii.
[2974)
[2975)
178
[2977]
According to Muhammad b. 'Umar (al-Wagidi)-Ibn Abi al324. The Banu al-Hakam ( the clan from which Marwin stemmed ) were of
course among the most obdurate opponents of the Prophet . Their association with
any act is usually enough to taint it in the eyes of the pious.
325. Perhaps "Nafikhah" or Nuffakhah ." See text, 2980, note f.
326. Uaddathani Mulaammadun . Presumably he means al-Wagidi , but there is
a difficulty . The term baddathani normally indicates direct oral transmission.
However, al-Wagidi died in 207 / 823 and so could not have passed this anecdote on
to Tabaci in that manner.
It was related to me by Ahmad b. Ibrahim-'Abdallih b. Idris'Ubaydallah b. 'Umar-Nafi ': Jahjah al-Ghifari seized a staff that
'Uthman was holding and broke it over his knee, and (Jahjah) was
stricken with gangrene in that place.
It was related to me by afar b. 'Abdallah al-Muhammadi-'Amr-Muhammad b. Ishaq b. Yasar al-Madani328 -his paternal
327. Wa-lam yakun dhalika minhu illi an malain min 7-nisi.
328. Ibn Isbaq is of course most famous for his Sirat Rasdl Allah, but he also
[2985)
out to them, Yazid b. Asad b. Kurz, of the clan of Qasr in the tribe
of Bajilah, stood up. He praised and extolled God, and then spoke
about 'Uthman, stressing his rightful claims [upon them] and urging them to go to his aid. He commanded them to set out, and a
great number heeded him and went with him until, having
learned at Wadi al-Qura330 of 'Uthman's murder, they returned.
'Uthman also wrote 'Abdallah b. 'Amin a copy of his letter to the
Syrians, commanding him to send the Ba$rans to him. 'Abdallah
b. 'Amir assembled the people and read 'Uthman's letter to them.
Speakers from among the Ba$rans stood up, urging him to go to
[2986] 'Uthman's aid. The first among them who spoke was Mujashi' b.
Masud al-Sulami, at that time the chief (sayyid) of the Qays tribe
in Ba$rah. Qays b. al-Haytham al-Sulami also arose and exhorted
the people to support 'Uthman. The people hastened to do that,
and 'Abdallah b. 'Amir put Mujashi' b. Mas'iid in command of
them. Mujashi' led them out, but when the people made camp at
al-Rabadhah- the vanguard having located in a district of Medina
named $irar-they learned of 'Uthman's murder.
It was related to me by Ja'far-'Amr and 'Ali-Husayn -his
father-Muhammad b. Ishaq b. Yasar al-Madani-Yahya b.
'Abbad b. 'Abdallah b. al-Zubayr331-his father: The Egyptians in
al-Sugya or Dhu Khushub wrote a letter to 'Uthman. One of them
brought it to Uthman, who did not reply in any way, but ordered
him to be ejected from the house. Then six hundred Egyptians
marched on 'Uthman. They were divided into four brigades, and
the commander of each carried a banner. The overall command
was in the hands of 'Amr b. Budayl b. Warga' al-Khuza'i, one of the
Companions of the Prophet, and 'Abd al-Rahman b. Udays alTujibi. Their letter to ('Uthman) contained [the following
statements]:
`Uthman sent for `Ali, and when `Ali arrived he said to him,
"Abu Hasan, you see what the people have done and you know
what I have done. I fear they may kill me. Send them away from
me, and I swear to God that I shall requite them for everything
they detest, and I will grant them justice against me or anyone
else, even if my own blood be shed thereby." `Ali said, "The
people desire your justice more than your death. I see a band of
332. Qur'an 13:12.
333. Wahl malamili ahdan wa-qad kana minni fi gadmatihim l-tila ma kana.
See de Goeje, Introductio, ccii, sub verbo bamala; and dcxxix.
[29871
God's name that you would turn back from everything that they
denounced, and thus you [were able to] send them away. Then
you failed to carry out any of that. Do not tempt me with anything this time, for I will give them justice against you." "Yes,"
said 'Uthman. "Give them justice, and by God I will carry it out
in full."
So 'Ali went out to the people and said, "0 people, you have
demanded justice and [now] it is granted to you . 'Uthman claims
that he will do you justice, whether it be against himself or anyone else , and that he will abandon everything that you detest.
Accept this from him and affirm it." The people answered, "We
accept it. Make a compact with him for us, for by God, we will
not be content with words instead of deeds." 'Ali said to them,
"You will have it." Then he entered 'Uthman's presence and told
him the news.
'Uthman said, "Arrange a delay between them and me so that I
will have time to act, for I cannot do away with the things they
detest in one day." 'All responded , "There can be no delay concerning matters here in Medina . As to matters elsewhere, you
may delay as long as it takes your orders to get there ." 'Uthman
said, "All right , but give me a delay of three days for affairs in
Medina." 'Ali agreed. Then he went to the people and informed
them of this. He wrote out a document between (the people) and
'Uthman that gave him a three -day grace period to do away with
every injustice and remove every governor whom they disliked.
Then he bound him in this document as tightly as God had ever
bound one of His creatures by compact or covenant . ('Ali) had (the
document) witnessed by a body of the leading Emigrants and
Helpers.
Thus, the people turned back from ('Uthman) and withdrew
until he should fulfill the promises that he had freely given them.
But ('Uthman) began preparing for war and gathering arms. He had
already formed a strong army from among the slaves acquired as
part of the caliph's one-fifth share.334 When the three days had
334. Wa-qad ittakhadha jundan 'a;iman min ragigi 'I-khums. On the one-fifth
share of booty paid to the caliph, see above, note 30.
"Al-Ashtar," E12,1, 704. He was a tribal leader in Kufah, and one of the bitterest
opponents of the governor Said b. al-'Ag. See above : pp. 112-21,125,132-35 (text,
1, 2907-2917, 2921 , 2927-293 r). He was one of 'All's most ardent supporters until
his death in 37/658.
337. Presumably he refers to al-Walid b .'Uqbah and someone else. See above, pp.
53-55 ( text, 1, 2848- 2849). Cf. the longer account in Balidhuri, Ansab, V, 29-35,
based largely on the testimony of Abu Mikhnaf and (to a lesser degree ) al-Wagidi.
338. Fa-gala biha. See de Goeje, Introductio, cdxxxviii, sub verbo gala.
eye to one of the rebels (qawm). He came over to him with a broad
iron-headed arrow and stabbed him in the head with it. I [that is, (29911
Ibn 'Awn] asked, "Then what happened?" (Waththab) replied,
"They gathered round him and killed him."
According to al-Wagidi-Yahya b. 'Abd al-'Aziz-Ja'far b. Mal}mud-Muhammad b. Maslamah: I set out with a band of my
fellow tribesmen (gawmf) to meet the Egyptians. They were led
by four chiefs: 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Udays al-Balawi, Sudan b.
Humran al-Muradi, 'Amr b. al-Hamiq al-Khuza'i-whose name
became so dominant that (the force) was called "the army of Ibn
al-Hamiq"339-and Ibn al-Niba'. I entered their presence as the
four of them were in a tent, and I saw that the people (al-nas) were
following them. I stressed 'Uthman's rights and the oath of allegiance that lay upon their necks. I filled them with a dread of civil
war (fitnah), and informed them that ('Uthmin's) murder was a
grave matter, concerning which there was much dissension. "Do
not be the first to open the gate of discord.340 He will turn away
from those practices for which you have criticized him, and I will
be the guarantor of that." The dissidents said, "And what if he
does not desist?" I answered, "Then the matter is up to you."
They went away satisfied, and I returned to 'Uthman and said,
"Grant me a private audience." He did so. I said, "Fear God,
'Uthman, fear God for your life! Verily these people have only
come seeking your blood, and you see how your associates have
abandoned you. Worse, they are going over to your enemy." He
expressed his consent and asked God to requite me.
[2993]
We came to Sa'd b. Abi Waggas, but he said, "I will not intervene in your affair." We came to Said b. Zayd b. 'Amr b. Nufayl,
and he said the same thing . Muhammad (b. Maslamah ) asked,
"Where did 'Ali promise you [he would act]?" "He promised us
that he would go and see ('Uthman) at the noon prayer," they
answered.
According to Muhammad (b. Maslamah): I performed the
prayer with 'Ali; then he and I entered ('Uthman's) presence and
said, "These Egyptians are at the door, so give them leave [to
come in)." Now Marwan was sitting with him, and he said, "May
I be thy ransom. Permit me to speak to them ." 'Uthman responded, "May God leave you openmouthed ! Get away from me.
You have nothing to say about this matter." So Marwan went out,
and 'Ali came in to see him. The Egyptians had told him what
they had told me, and 'Ali began to inform ('Uthman) what they
had discovered in the letter . ('Uthman) started to swear by God
that he had not written or known about or sought advice concerning [this letter). Muhammad b. Maslamah [that is, the narrator of
this incident) said, "By God he is telling the truth . This is Marwin's doing." 'Ali said, "Then have them come in and hear your
excuse." 'Uthman went up to 'Ali and said, "We are kinsmen
through the female lineage Sal By God, if you were in this situation I would extricate you from it. Go out and speak to them, for
they will listen to you." But 'Ali replied , "I will not do it. Rather,
have them enter so that you may present your excuses to them."
('Uthman) said, "Have them come in."
According to Muhammad b. Maslamah : So at that point they
entered, but they did not give him the greeting appropriate to a
caliph. Then I knew that this was evil itself . We exchanged the
usual greetings, and then Ibn 'Udays stepped forward as
spokesman for the dissidents . He mentioned what In Sa'd had
done in Egypt, recalling his unjust treatment of the Muslims and
the protected peoples, and noting his appropriation of the Muslims' booty for himself alone . And when he was told about that,
he said, "These are the written orders of the Commander of the
Faithful ." Then they mentioned innovations which ('Uthman)
had instituted in Medina-things opposed by his two
predecessors.
(2994)
upon Almighty God for help against you, because we had overwhelming proof [for our claims ]. Then when we were in alBuwayb342 we apprehended your slave and seized the letter under
your seal to'Abdallah b. Sa'd, in which you order him to flog us, to
disfigure us by cutting off our hair, and to imprison us for long
terms. Here is your letter."
'Uthman praised and extolled God. Then he said, "By God I did
not write it, I did not order it [to be written], I did not take counsel
about it, I did not know about it." According to Muhammad (b.
Maslamah): 'Ali and I both said, "He is telling the truth."
'Uthman was relieved at this.
[2995]
According to Muhammad b. 'Umar (al-Wagidi)-'Abdallah b. alHarith b. al-Fuclayl-his father-Sufyan b. Abi al-'Awja': When
the Egyptians came the first time, 'Uthman spoke to Muhammad
b. Maslamah, and he set out with fifty horsemen from among the
Helpers. Having reached them at Dhu Khushub, (Muhammad)
sent them away. The dissidents (qawm) went as far as al-Buwayb,
where they came upon a slave of 'Uthman carrying a letter to
'Abdallah b. Sa'd. They turned round and went back to Medina,
where al-Ashtar and Hukaym b. Jabalah had stayed behind. They
342. "Buwayb is the diminutive of bab, meaning a cleft between two mountains . According to Ya'qub, al- Buwayb is the place where the Hijazis enter Egypt."
(Yaqut, Mu jam al-Buldan, I, 764).
presented the letter, but 'Uthman denied that he had written it.
"This is a forgery," he said. "The letter is written by your scribe,"
they replied. "Indeed," said ('Uthman ), "but he did not write it on
my orders." They said , "The messenger on whom we discovered
the letter is your slave." "That is so," he said, "but he set out
without my permission." "The camel is your camel," they said.
"Yes," he replied, "but it was taken without my knowledge."
They said, "You are either truthful or a liar. If you are lying,
you deserve to be deposed because you have unjustly ordered our
blood to be shed. If you are telling the truth you deserve to be
deposed because of your weakness and neglect, as well as the
wickedness of your entourage. It is not right that we allow someone whose commands are ignored due to his weakness and neglect to have authority over us."343 They continued , "You have
beaten some of the Prophet's Companions and others when, in
denouncing various acts of yours, they have admonished you and
commanded you to return to righteousness . Have yourself chastised, then, in recompense for those whom you have wrongfully
beaten." He answered, "The imam both errs and acts rightly. I
shall not have myself chastised , because if I accepted retaliation
for everyone against whom I have acted in error, I would be (29961
destroyed."
They said, "You have introduced grave innovations, and for
them you deserve to be deposed . When people spoke to you about
them, you declared your repentance , but then you did the same
things again. Then we came to you and you claimed that you
would repent and return to righteousness . Muhammad b. Maslamah remonstrated with us on your behalf and gave us guarantees as to what would happen. But you betrayed him, and he
declared that he would have nothing more to do with you. We
returned [to Egypt] the first time in order to deprive you of any
pretext and to give you every possible excuse , even as we sought
the aid of Almighty God against you. Then we intercepted a letter
from you to your governor over us, in which you ordered him to
kill and mutilate and crucify us. You allege that (this letter) was
written without your knowledge. But it was carried by your slave
343. La yanbaghi lane an natnika 'aid rigdbina man yugtapa u mithlu ?-amri
dOnahu li-du%ihi wa-ghaflatihi.
( 2 997]
They said, "Were this the first innovation that you had introduced, and had you then repented and not repeated it, we would
have to accept [your repentance] and depart from you. But you
know of previous innovations on your part. When we departed
from you the first time, neither we nor the man through whom
you had excused your conduct [namely, Muhammad b. Maslamah] suspected that you would write the things that we found
in the letter carried by your slave. How can we accept your
repentance when we know by experience that as soon as you
display repentance for a sin , you do it again? We shall not depart
from you [now] until we have deposed you and replaced you. If
your supporters-fellow tribesmen (min qawmika ), kinsmen, or
men devoted to you-choose battle, then we shall fight them
until we reach you and kill you, or until you dispatch our souls to
God."
'Uthman responded, "As for surrendering my office (imarah), I
would rather be crucified than give up the mandate (amr) of Almighty God and His caliphate (khiiafatuhu). As for your statement that you will fight whoever defends me, I shall not order
anyone to fight you. Whoever fights for me will not do so on my
orders. By my life, if I wished to fight you, I would have written to
the commanders of the garrisons,345 and they would have brought
troops and dispatched men [to my aid). I might also have linked
up with my supporters346 in Egypt or Iraq. Fear God , fear God and
save yourselves . If you do not spare my life, if you kill me, you
will bring about bloodshed by this affair." Then they departed [2998)
from him, warning him that war would come. He sent to Muhammad b. Maslamah and told him to send them away . [Muhammad]
replied, "By God, I do not lie to God twice in one year."
According to Muhammad b. 'Umar [al-Wagidi]-Muhammad b.
Muslim-Musa b. 'Uqbah-Abu Habibah: On the day 'Uthman
was killed, I saw Sa'd b. AN Wagga^ go in to him. Then he came
out, saying "To God we belong and to Him we shall return," on
account of what he saw at ('Uthman's) door . Marwan said to him,
"Now you are sorry, but you have slain him." I [that is, the
narrator Abu Habibah] heard Sa'd say, "I beg God's forgiveness. I
did not imagine that the people would dare to demand his blood. I
came before him just now, and he made a statement that neither
you nor your comrades heard . He renounced all his reprehensible
actions and manifested repentance . He said, 'I will not keep on
toward ruin, for he who persists in tyranny is very far from the
(true] path. I shall repent and desist from evil."' Marwan said, "If
you mean to defend ('Uthman), you must get Ibn Abi Talib, but he
has secluded himself and will not be spoken to."
Said left and went to 'Ali, who was [in the mosque] between the
[Prophet's] tomb and the pulpit. He said, "Get up, Abu Hasan.
345. Following the proposed emendation , 2997, note f.
346. Atrafi: see de Goeje, introductio, cccxxxix.
(2 999(
199
According to Muhammad (b. 'Umar al-Wagidi)-Ibrahim b. Salim-his father-Busr b. Sa'id-'Abdallah b. 'Ayyash b. Abi
Rabi'ah:350I entered 'Uthman 's presence and talked with him for
an hour. He said, "Come, Ibn 'Ayyash," and he took me by the
hand and had me listen to what the people at his door were
saying. We heard some say, "What are you waiting for," while
others were saying, "Wait , perhaps he will repent ." While the two
of us were standing there, Talhah b. 'Ubaydallah passed by; he
stopped and said, "Where is Ibn'Udays ?" He was told, "He is over
there." Ibn 'Udays came over to (Talhah ) and whispered something to him, then he went back to his comrades and said, "Do
not let anyone go in to see this man or leave his house."
'Uthman said to me, "These are Talhah b. 'Ubaydallah's orders." He continued : "0 God, protect me from Talhah b.
'Ubaydallah, for he has incited all these people against me. By
God, I hope nothing will come of it and that his blood will be
shed. He has abused me unlawfully. I heard the Messenger of God
say, 'The blood of a Muslim is lawful only in three cases: a man
who disbelieves after having professed Islam is put to death; a
man who commits adultery is stoned ; a man who kills except in
legitimate retaliation for another is put to death . -351 So why
should I be killed?" Then 'Uthman went back ;into the house).
35o. Reading "Busy" instead of "Bishr," and "'Ayyash" instead of "'Abbas," in
accordance with de Goeje, Introductio, dcxxix.
35 r. The last clause is quoted from Qur'an 5:35 . The context is significant in
view of the charges laid against 'Uthman by his opponents (see also below, I,
[3002)
According to Muhammad (b. 'Umar al-Wagidi )-'Abdallah b. alHarith b. al-Fut ayl -his father-Abu Hafgah: On Thursday I
dropped a stone from the roof of the house and killed a man of [the
tribe of) Aslam named Niyar. They sent to 'Uthman and demanded his murderer . ('Uthman) responded, "I do not know who
killed him." They spent the night before Friday [that is, Thursday
evening] berating us like fire. In the morning they attacked, and
the first one to climb onto our roofs was Kinanah b. 'Attab, holding a torch. They way had been opened for him through the house
of the Hazm clan. Then naphtha-soaked firebrands penetrated
(the compound) right behind him. We fought them for a hour,
standing on blazing wood. I heard 'Uthman say to his companions, "After the fire there will be nothing. The wood has burned,
the doors have burned. Whoever still obeys me must cling to his
own house . The rebels (qawm ) are only after me. They will repent
of killing me. By God, even if they left me alone, I believe I would
not wish to live . My health is ruined ; my teeth have fallen out
and my bones have weakened."
Then he said to Marwan, "Sit down. Do not go out." But Marwan disobeyed him and said, "By God, you will not be killed and
no one will get to you while I can yet hear." Then he went out
against the people. I said, "I cannot abandon my master," and I
went out alongside him to defend him . We were only a few men,
and I heard Marwan reciting:
( 3003)
(the rebels) surrounded 'Uthman's house, but he insisted on retaining his office, and sent to assemble his retainers and close
associates (bashamuhu wa khn$$atuhu ). One of the Prophet's
Companions, a venerable old man named Niyar b. Iya4, arose and
called out, "'Uthman !" ('Uthman ) looked down at him from the
roof of his house. (Niyar) reminded him of God and implored him
in God's name to dissociate himself from (his evil associates).356
And while he was speaking, one of 'Uthman's associates shot and
killed him with an arrow. ('Uthman's opponents) claimed that the
man who shot him was Kathir b. al-$alt al-Kindi , and at this they
said to 'Uthman, "Turn the murderer of Niyar b. 'Iya over to us
that we may kill him in retaliation." He replied, "I will not kill a
man who has defended me while you intend to murder me."
When they perceived this they rushed at ('Uthmin's) door and set
it ablaze. Marwan b .' al-Ijakam emerged from 'Uthman 's residence leading a band of men against them . Sa'id b. al-'Ag and alMughirah b. al-Akhnas b. Shariq al-Thagafi, the ally of the Banu
Zuhrah, both did the same, and the fighting raged fiercely.
They were driven to fight by the news that reinforcements from
Ba$rah had made camp in $irar, a night's journey from Medina,
while the Syrians were approaching as well. Thus, they fought
bitterly at the door of the house, and al-Mughirah b. al-Akhnas alThaqafi attacked the rebels (gawm), reciting:
A lovely serving girl,
357. Zurayq was a clan in the tribe of Khazraj , one of the two main Medinese
( 300 51
is still on that copy of the Qur 'an and has not been scraped off.
According to Abu Sa'id's account, the daughter of al-Farafi^ah
[that is, 'Uthman' s wife] took her jewelry and placed it in her
bosom before he was killed . When he was wounded, or perhaps
killed, she wailed over him. One of (the assassins ) said, "God
fight her ! How heavy her buttocks are!" And so I knew that the
enemy of God desired only the things of this world.
[3008]
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Muhammad and Talhah and Abu Harithah and Abu
'Uthman: When 'Uthman had accomplished his aims at that
gathering, and he and the Muslims had resolved to endure patiently and to resist (the rebels ) through God's power, he said,
"May God have mercy on you. Go to the door and have those who
have been barred from me join you." He sent to Talhah, alZubayr, 'Ali, and a number [of others] and ordered them to draw
near. They gathered together, and he looked down at them and
said, "O people, be seated." So they sat down together , both newly arrived rebels and loyal established residents 364 Then he said,
they believe in the like of that you believe in, then they are truly guided; but if
they turn away, then they are clearly in schism; God will suffice you for them; He
is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing."
363. Qur'an 3:98.
(Annali, VIII, 2o9) translates: "E tutti sederono tanto i recenti ribelli, the i fedeli
costanti." But in my opinion the distinction intended is between outsiders and
Medinese, not between newly aroused rebels and loyalists of long standing.
365. Kam i-hasru arba7na laylatan wa-'I-nuzulu sab7na. Caetani )Annals,
VIII, zo9) translates: "L'assedio dura 40 giorni, e gli abitanti dells casa erano 70."
[3009[
[3010]
'Uthman looked down [from his rooftop] onto the clan of Hazm,
who were his neighbors, and dispatched one of `Amy's sons to `Ali
[with this message] : "They have denied us water. If you can send
us some, do so." [He sent the same message] to Talhah and alZubayr, and to 'A'ishah and the other wives of the Prophet. The
first to come to his aid were `Ali and Umm Habibah. `Ali came
shortly before dawn and said, "0 people, neither Believers nor
unbelievers act like this. Do not cut off supplies from this man.
The Romans and Persians give food and drink to their captives.
This man did not resist you, so how can you think it lawful to
besiege and kill him?" "No, by God, we will show no mercy, "366
they answered. "We will not let him eat or drink." Then ('All)
threw down his turban in the house [and said], "I have done what
you asked me to do." He went home.
Then Umm Habibah came on a mule of hers with a saddle
containing a waterskin. They said, "This is the Mother of the
Faithful, Umm Habibah,"367 and struck her mule on the face.367
She said, "The wills of the Banu Umayyah are with this man; I
want to meet with him and ask him about this, so that the property of orphans and widows will not be lost." "She is lying," they
said. They lunged at her and severed the mule's rope with a
sword. The mule ran away with Umm Habibah. Its saddle
slipped, but the people got to her and held her [on the animal]. She
had almost been killed, and they brought her to her house.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari -Shu'aybSayf-'Amr b. Muhammad: Layla bt. 'Umays sent to Muhammad
b. Abi Bakr and Muhammad b. Ja'far and said, "Verily the lamp
consumes itself as it gives light to the people . Do not sin in a
matter that you may bring on to someone who has not sinned
against you . This matter that you are pursuing today will affect
someone else tomorrow . Beware lest your deeds today become a
source of grief to you." But they were obstinate and went off in
anger, saying, "We will not forget what 'Uthman has done to us."
She was saying, "He did nothing to you except to compel you to
obey God."
Said b. al-'Ag encountered the two men . There was some hostility between him and Muhammad b. Abi Bakr, and he ignored the
latter as he was leaving Layla 's house. At that ( Muhammad) recited the following verse to him:
375. The battle of Ubud, fought against Qurashi forces on the outskirts of
Medina in 3/625, was a serious setback for the Muslims, and very nearly a disastrous one, since the Prophet was wounded there. However, Tall}ah (along with
various others ) was able to get him to safety. See Ibn Is^iq, Sirah, pp. 574-771
transl . Guillaume, pp. 381-83. Ma'add is the ancestor of the Northern Arabs, to
whom Quraysh belonged) here it refers to the latter tribe only.
376. 'Uthmin's mother was Arwi bt. Kurayz . See above, note 251, and Balidhuri, Ansdb, V, r.
ceased to laud his own conduct377 or to tell the people about the
final circumstances of 'Uthman's death.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari -Shu'aybSayf-Muhammad and Talbah and Abu Hari*ithah and Abu
'Uthman: (The rebels) set the door ablaze as 'Uthman performed
the prayer. He had begun with the verse, I 'Ti Ha. We have not (3015
sent down the Qur'an upon thee for thee to be unprosperous. "378
He recited quickly and was not distressed by the noise . He proceeded without making an error or stuttering until he completed
(his recitation) before they could get to him. Then he returned, sat
down in front of the sacred text (mughaf(, and recited, "Those to
whom the people said, 'The people have gathered against you,
therefore fear them .' But it increased them in faith , and they said,
'God is sufficient for us; an excellent Guardian is He.' 11379
Al-Mughirah b. al-Akhnas, outside the house with his comrades, chanted these verses:
The woman with the flowing hair,
The jewels and soft fingertips knows
My oath to my friend is sincere,
Secured by a glittering sharp -edged blade.
I shall not seek pardon if I break my ward 380
Abu Hurayrah came up as the people were withdrawing from
the house, save for that band that had courted death in a fierce
assault. He stood up among them and said, "I am your leader."
Speaking in the Himyarite tongue , he said, "Hddhd yawm Idba
'm(larbu "-which means, "Now it is lawful and good to
fight."381 And (Abu Hurayrah) called out, "0 my people, how is it
with me that I call you to salvation and you call me to the
Fire?"382
377. Fa-ma zala yaddai biha. See de Goeje, Introductio, ccxl, sub verbo da d.
378. Qur'an 20:1.
379. Qur'an 3:167. This is part of a section that discusses the battle of Ubud.
380. La astagilu in aqaltu gill. A difficult line, which Caetani (Annali, VIII,
2141 renders as follows : "fin tale cosaj non mi dichiaro sciolto da obbligo, seppure
in altre circostanze io rescinds qualche patto."
214
abases the sinners ." (The would-be assassin) went out, and they
said, "What did you do?" "We are trapped," he responded. "By
God, only his murder can save us from the people , but it is not
lawful for us to murder him."
Then they sent in a second man, from the Band Layth. "What
tribe does this man belong to?" said 'Uthmin. "[I am] from
Layth," he responded. "You are not my companion in death (.a1 ibiJ," said ('Uthmin). "How is that ?" asked the other. ('Uthmin)
said, "Are you not among those persons for whose safety the
Prophet prayed in such-and-such a battle? " "Indeed I was," he
answered . "Then you will not lose your way," said ('Uthman).
(The man) went back out and departed from the rebels (al-gawm).
Then they sent in a third man, from Quraysh. He said,
'"Uthman, I am your murderer." He answered, "No, such-andsuch, you will not kill me." "How is that ?" asked (the intruder).
He replied, "The Messenger of God sought forgiveness for you in
such-and-such a battle . You will not be tempted to sin against
forbidden blood ." (The man) sought God's forgiveness, went back
out, and departed from his comrades.
'Abdallih b. Salim came forth and stood at the door of the
house, forbidding them to kill ('Uthmin). "0 my people," he said,
"Do not unsheathe God's sword against yourselves . By God, if
you draw it you will not put it back in its scabbard. Woe to you!
Your government today is based on the whip, and if you kill him
it will rest only on the sword 384 Woe to you! Your city is surrounded by God's angels. By God, if you kill him they will surely
forsake it." "What is this to you, son of a Jewess ?" they said, and
he withdrew.
The last one to go in to ('Uthman ) and then come back to the
rebels was Muhammad b. Abi Bakr. 'Uthmin said to him, "Woe
to you. Are you angry at God? Have I done you any injury, save to
uphold His rightful claims on you?" At this he recoiled and went
away.
When Mubammad b. Abi Bakr came out and they learned that
he had failed, Qutayrah al-Sakdni, Sddin b . Iiumran al-Sakdni,
384. Inna su1 dnakum 'l-yawma yagfnnu bi 'l-dirrati fa-in gataltumahu Id yaqum ills bi'l-sayfi. That is, the existing political order is based on the Caliph's
legitimate right to demand obedience and punish malefactors; if he is overthrown,
however, government will be rooted solely in violence and terror.
( 30 1 7)
130191 The people (al-nds) were of different minds about the matter.386
The residents of Medina) lamented, "We belong to God and to
Him we shall return," while the outsiders rejoiced. The rebels (al385. Wa- tanadd 'l-gawmu ab$ir rajulun man .dhibuhu. Caetani (Annali, VIII,
2161 reads the second verb as ab.ara and translates: I'll popolo si disse , l'un l'altro:
'Uno ha avuto soddisfazione dell'altro."' However , I can find no warrant for rendering ab$ara in this manner.
386. Wa -maja '1-nasu fihi. See de Goeje, Introductio, cdxcvi, sub verbo mawj,
and Caetani, Annali, VIII, az6 . On the key words tdni ' ("resident "j and taxi
("outsider" ) in the following sentence , cf. Caetani, loc. cit.; and note 364 above
(text, I, aoo8, 11. r5-z6).
gawmj now regretted [their acts]. Al-Zubayr had already left Medina and made camp on the road to Mecca so that he would not
witness ('Uthman's) murder. The news of'Uthman's murder having reached him while he was there, he said, "Verily we belong to
God and to Him we shall return. May God have mercy on
Uthman and avenge him." "The rebels regret their deeds," he
was told. [Al-Zubayr) replied, "They planned this and brought it
about. 'And a barrier is set up between them and what they
desire.11387
The news reached Tall^ah, and he said, "May God have mercy
on 'Uthman, and may He avenge both him and Islam." He was
told, "The rebels regret their deeds." "May they perish!" he replied, and recited the verse, "They will not be able to make any
testament, nor will they return to their people."388
'Ali came and was told of 'Uthman's murder. "May God have
mercy on 'Uthman," he said, "and replace [the evil we have suffered] with good." When he was told, "The rebels regret their
deeds," he recited the verse: "Like Satan, when he said to man,
'Disbelieve.' "389
Sa'd (b. Abi Waggas) was sought out while he was in his garden.
He had said, "I will not witness his murder." When he learned of
his death, he said, "We have taken refuge in something contemptible, and have become contemptible thereby."390 Then he
recited, "Those whose striving goes astray in the present life,
while they think that they are working good deeds,"391 and said,
"0 God, make them regret this, and seize them."
According to Muhammad b. 'Umar (al-Wagidi)-'Abd alRahman b. Abi al-Zinad-'Abd al-Rahman b. al-Harith : The one
who killed him was Kinanah b. Bishr b. 'Attab al -Tujibi. The wife
of Man7,ur b. Sayyar al -Fazari used to say : We had gone on the
Pilgrimage, and we did not learn of 'Uthman's murder until, while 130221
we were at al-'Arj393, we heard a man singing in the darkness:
Yea, the best of the people, save three,
is the one murdered by al-Tujibi who came from Egypt.
393. Al-' Arj: "A mountain pass between Mecca and Medina , on the Pilgrimage
road, mentioned along with al-Sugyii by al-Hazimi.: (Y3qut, Mu jam al-Buldun, III,
637). Yaqui mentions another al -'Arj, near al-Ts'if, some 78 miles from Medina,
but the former seems to be the place intended here.
[3023 ]
According to Muhammad al-Wagidi-Yusuf b. Ya'qub'Uthman b . Muhammad al -Akhnasi : 'Uthman was under siege
before the Egyptians ' arrival. The Egyptians arrived on one Friday
and killed him on the following Friday.
It was related to me by 'Abdallah b. Ahmad al-Marwazi-his
father-Sulayman- 'Abdallah-Harmalah b. 'Imran- Yazid b.
Abi Habib: Nahran395 al-Agbahi was responsible for 'Uthman's
murder, and he was the one who killed 'Abdallah b. Busrah. He
belonged to the tribe of 'Abd al-Dar.
4oz. The text is obscures cf. the version in Caetani, Annali, VIII, 6z.
people in turn saw them, those who were obscure and without
power or privilege in Islam attached themselves to (the notables
of Quraysh), forming into factions around them.402 The
(Qurashis) aroused their hopes, and in this manner they acquired
precedence. Then they said, "(The Quraysh) are powerful, and we
will become known to them and acquire precedence by gaining
access to them and attaching ourselves exclusively to them."
That was the first flaw to enter Islam, and the first discord (fitnah)
to appear among the common people (al- ammah ) was none other
than this.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-'Amr-al-Sha'bi: No sooner had 'Umar died than the
Quraysh were weary of him. He had penned them up in Medina
and put restraints on them, saying: "The thing I most fear for this
Community is that you will scatter throughout the conquered
territories ." If one of the Emigrants confined to Medina sought
his permission to go on campaign-and ('Umar) had not restricted
other Meccans in this manner -he would say: "You have obtained your reward by your campaigns with the Messenger of
God. It is better for you to avoid entanglement in worldly affairs
than to go on campaign now. "403 Now when 'Uthman took
power, he freed them from such restrictions. They betook themselves to the conquered territories, where the people attached
themselves to them. Therefore (the Quraysh) preferred ('Uthman)
to 'Umar.
found any of them committing an evil deed or drawing a weapon-whether a staff or something more lethal -he would send
him into exile. Their fathers raised a hue and cry over this, until
he learned that they were saying, " What an unlawful innovation
exile is, albeit that the Messenger of God exiled al-Hakam b. Abi
al-'A^." ('Uthman ) replied, " Al-Hakam was a Meccan, and the
Messenger of God exiled him from there to al -'W'a'if, and afterwards brought him back to his native town.408 The Messenger of
God exiled him for his crimes, and brought him back after having
pardoned him. (The Prophet's) successor [namely, Abu Bakrj sent
men into exile, as did 'Umar after him. I swear by God , I shall
accept pardon from you, and on my part I shall freely extend it to
you. [Fearful] things are close at hand, and I desire them to befall
neither us nor you. I stand watch anxiously; be yourselves on
guard and consider [what may happen]."
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-'Abdallah b. Said b. Thibit and Yahya b. Said: Someone
asked Said b. al-Musayyab what had impelled Muhammad b. Abi
Hudhayfah to rebel against 'Uthman. (Sa'id) replied: "He was an
orphan under the guardianship of 'Uthman , for 'Uthman was responsible for the orphans among his kinsfolk and took care of all
of them. Then (Muhammad asked 'Uthman to appoint him as a
governor when the latter became caliph. 'Uthman responded,
"My son, if I thought you were well-suited for office and you had
asked me for a governorship , I would appoint you.409 But that is
not the case ." (Muhammad) said, "Then give me leave to go and
find some way to support myself." ('Uthman) replied, "Go wherever you wish." He outfitted him out of his own possessions,
provided him with sustenance, and gave him gifts . Now when
(Muhammad) reached Egypt he became one of those who were
408. Al-Hakam b . Abi al-'As was the father of Marwinj he was exiled as punishment for his obdurate opposition to the Prophet . The hill town of al-Ti'if, better
watered and cooler than Mecca, was a common summer residence of the Meccan
elite.
409. Law kunta ridan thumma sa'altani'I- amala la-sta'naltuka . Caetani (Annali, VIII, 65 ) translates as follows : "Se to fossi stato facile a contentare e m'avessi
chiesto una provincia, io to 1'avrei data."
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari -Shu'aybSayf-Ruzayq b. 'Abdallah al-Razi-'Algamah b. MarthadHumran b. Abin: 'Uthman sent me to al-'Abbas after he had
received the oath of allegiance, and 1 summoned (al-'Abbas) before
him. He said , "Why have you called me to your service?"
('Uthman) replied, "I have never needed you more than I do today." (Al-'Abbas) said, " So long as you adhere to five things, the
Community will not jerk its nose rings [from your graspj ." "What 130311
(Ibn Dhi al-Habakah) was angered, and he was one of those who
rebelled [against 'Uthman] and struck him down . Letters were
[3033] written to 'Uthman about him, and when ('Uthman) exiled certain persons to Syria, he also exiled Ka'b b. Dhi al-Habakah and
Malik b. 'Abdallah, who were alike in their religious thought and
conduct, to Dunbawand, because it was a land of sorcery.415 In
regard to this, Ka'b b. Dhi al-Habakah said to al-Walid:
414. This paragraph recalls 'Uthman' s liturgical innovations as well as his taste
for luxury . Al-Zawra' was the name of the Caliph's residence, see above, pp. 3132, 70 and note 121 text, I, 2827, 2864 ).
415. Dunbawand means Damivand, the great mountain north of Tehran. To its
flank the tyrant Zohhak (al-IPabbaq) was chained , and it was also the home of the
wonderful simurgh, the bird which nurtured the infant Zal, Rustam's father.
Finally, sorcerers were believed to reside there . Le Strange, Eastern Caliphate,
371. On the Syrian exiles, see above, pp. 112-29 (text, 1, 2907- 2926).
416. A rather puzzling line, even with de Goe)e's proposed reading of ta;allu
instead of tadillu (Introductio, dcxxx): Tajashshama ddni wafdu Qurlaana khuttatan / to;allu Iaha 1-wajna'u wa-hya basiru.
1 30341
[3035]
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-al-Mustanir-his brother: I know of no one who rode forth
to war against 'Uthman who was not [eventually] killed. A few
individuals banded together in Kufah-among them al-Ashtar,
Zayd b. $uban , Ka'b b. Dhi al-Habakah, Abu Zaynab, Abu Muwarri', Kumayl b. Ziyad, and 'Umayr b. Qabi'-and they stated: "No,
by God, no man can hold his head high418 so long as 'Uthman has
authority over the people." Then 'Umayr b. I?abi' and Kumayl b.
Ziyad said, "We shall kill him," and rode forth to Medina. As for
'Umayr, he shrank back, but Kumayl b. Ziyad dared to assault
('Uthman). He was sitting, waiting for [the right moment to
strike], when 'Uthman came up to him and slapped his face.
(Kumayl) fell back on his buttocks and exclaimed, "You hurt me,
Commander of the Faithful!" ('Uthman) said, "Are you not a
murderer?" "No, by God-apart from Whom there is no god,"
replied (Kumayl), and he swore the was telling the truth]. The
people gathered around him and said, "We will examine him, 0
Commander of the Faithful." ('Uthman) responded, "No, for God
has bestowed forgiveness, and I do not wish to learn anything
417. Hamamtu wa-lam af'al wa-kidtu wa-laytani / fa'altu wa-wallaytu 1bukd 'a laald iluh. lbn al-Athir, Kdmil (Beirut), 111, 183 , gives a variant of this line:
Hamamtu wa-lam of al wa-kidtu wa-laytani / taraktu ald 'Uthmdna tabki
bald iluh.
418. Ld wa'lldhi hi yarfu u ra'sun.
233
419. Fa-bagiya band akthara 'I-nasu fi najd'himl. Caetani (Annali, VIII, 68)
translates: "E restarono i due (i.e., Kumayl and 'Uthmin(, finchb la gente s 'affollo
meravigliata del colloquio." However, I can find no warrant for rendering naja' in
this manner. My version is suggested by Ibn al-Athir's loose paraphrase (Kamil
(Beirut), III, 183): Wa -bagiya ill ayydmi 'I-liajjaji fa-gatalahuma.
420. Sayf b. 'Umar's taste for unexpected chronological leaps shows up here. AlHajjaj b . Ynsuf was made governor of Iraq by 'Abd al-Malik in 75 / 694, in order to
pursue the struggle against the Kharijites . Al-Hajjaj at once mounted a massive
and ultimately successful campaign for this purpose under the command of alMuhallab b. Abi $ufrah . See Wellhausen, Arab Kingdom, 227-31 ; Hawting, First
Islamic Dynasty, 66-67.
421. Lamml qadima 'l-liajjdju wa-nddd bima nada bihi arada rajulun alayhi
[3036] governor, Asma' b. Kharijah said, "The matter of 'Umayr has been
one of the things worrying me." (Al-Hajjaj) asked, "And who is
'Umayr?" "This old man here," he replied. (Al-Hajjaj) said, "You
have reminded me of the assault , which I had forgotten. Is he not
one of those who rebelled against'Uthman?" (Asma') replied, "He
is indeed." (Al-Hajjaj ) continued, "And is there someone else in
Kufah [who was also implicated]?" "Yes," said (Asma'),
"Kumayl." (Al-Hajjaj) said, "Bring 'Umayr before me," and he
struck off his head. He demanded Kumayl also, but he had fled, so
he held the tribe of al-Nakha' responsible in his stead. Al-Aswad
b. al-Haytham said to him, "What do you want with an old man?
His old age should be enough for you." "Verily, by God," replied
(al-Hajjaj), "you should hold your tongue with me, or else I will
certainly slice off your head." He said, "Go ahead!"
When Kumayl perceived the anguish suffered by his fellow
tribesmen, even though they numbered two thousand warriors,
he said, "Death is better than fear when two thousand are filled
with fear because of me and have been denied [their stipends]."
Then he set out and presented himself before al-Hajjaj. The latter
said to him, "You are a man who harbored evil designs; the Commander of the Faithful did not find you out, and you were not
satisfied until you made him subject to reprisal when he fended
you off." (Kumayl) answered, "On what grounds will you put me
to death? Will you kill me because he was forgiving or because I
am yet in good health?" (Al-Hajjaj) said, "Adham b. Muliriz, kill
him!" (Adham) said, "Is the reward [for this deed] to be shared
between you and me?" "Yes," said (al-Hajjaj). Adham replied,
"Nay. Rather, you will obtain the reward, while whatever sin
there may be will fall upon me." Malik b. 'Abdallah, who had
been one of those exiled (to Syria],422 said these words:
235
(Kumayl) said to him, "I shall not vilify you today for such a
thing,
0 Abu 'Amr, while you are still imam.
Go easy! By Him Whom Quraysh worships with us
my head is unlawful to the great man.
In forgiveness there is security
whose excellence is well known among the people , though
for retaliation we incur no sin.
Had the Just One ('Umar] known what you do,
he would have forbidden it to you, brooking no dispute."
It was related to me by 'Umar b. Shabbah-'Ali b. Muhammad
(al-Mada'ini)-Suhaym b. Haf$: Rabi'ah b. al-Harith b. 'Abd alMullalib was 'Uthman 's business partner (sharik) during the
Time of Ignorance. Al-'Abbas b. Rabi'ah said to 'Uthman, "Write
to Ibn 'Amir on my behalf and ask him to lend me Ioo,ooo
(dirhams] ." He did write, and (Ibn 'Amin) gave that sum to him
outright. (Ibn 'Amir ) also assigned his house to him, (and it is
known as] the House of al-'Abbas b. Rabi'ah nowadays.
It was related to me by 'Umar (b. Shabbah)-'Ali-Ishaq b.
Yabya-Musa b. Talhah: Talbah owed 50,ooo (dirhams] to
'Uthman. When Uthman went to the mosque one day, Talhah
said to him, "Your money is ready, so take it." ('Uthman) replied,
"It is yours, Abu Muhammad, to support you in fulfilling the
manly virtues."
It was related to me by'Umar (b. Shabbah)-'Ali-'Abd Rabbihi
b. Nafi'-Ismail b. Abi Khalid-Hakim b. Jabir : 'Ali said to Talbah, "I adjure you by God, send the people away from 'Uthman. "423 (Talbah) replied, "No, by God, not until the Banu
Umayyah voluntarily submit to what is right."
It was related to me by'Umar (b. Shabbah)-'Ali-Abu Bakr alBakri-Hisham b. Hassan-al-Hasan : Ta$ah b. 'Ubaydallah sold
'Uthman a property of his for 700,000 (dirhams), and ('Uthman)
brought (the money) over to him . Then Talbah said, "Surely a
423. Anshuduka 'lloha ille radadta '1-nasa an 'Uthmdna. Caetani (Annali, VIII,
69) has misconstrued the meaning of this phrase , for which see Wright, Arabic
Grammar, II, 339D-34oA.
(3037]
Thus, I led the people on that Pilgrimage. Then at the end of the
month I returned to Medina. There I discovered that'Uthman had
been killed and the people were thronging around 'Ali b. Abi
Talib. When 'Ali saw me he got away from the people and came
up to me. Whispering, he said, "What do you think about what
has happened ? A terrible thing indeed has taken place, as you see,
425. 1 follow the emendation of de Goeje, Introductio, dcxxx.
(30391
[3040]
429. Wa-talaallabn min 'I-buldani li -amrin qad jamma. A very puzzling passage, in part because the subject of the first verb is not identified.
some evil were to befall that man [namely, 'Uthmanj, the people
would seek asylum only with our companion [namely, 'Alij." She
replied, "Be quiet! I have no desire to defy or quarrel with you."
According to Ibn AN Sabrah: 'Abd al-Majid b. Suhayl informed
me that he had made a copy from 'Ikrimah of the letter written by
'Uthman. Here it is:
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
From God 's servant 'Uthman, Commander of the
Faithful, to the Believers and Muslims. Peace be with
you, and to you I praise God-there is no god but He.
432. Qur'an 3:97- 101. In many of the Qur'inic citations in this letter, only the
opening and closing words are quoted in the text . Tabarl's readers, of course,
would have been able to supply the missing lines from memory. In certain cases,
240
therefore, I have supplied the omitted passages din square bracketsi so as to clarify
'Uthman's meaning.
433. Qur' an 5:10.
434. Qur'an 49:6-8.
435. Qur' an 3:71.
436. Qur'an 64:16.
241
Ibn `Abbas states : I read this letter out to them in Mecca, one
day before the Day of Watering.446
444. Qur'an 1736.
445. Qur'an 12:53.
446. Yawm al-tarwiyah, "the Day of Watering," falls on 8 Dhn al-Hijjah. It
[ 3045]
(3047)
take (his body) in the daytime with these Egyptians at the gate."
Thus, they held off until the evening. Then these men (qawm)
entered ('Uthmin's house], but they were barred from him. Abu
Jahm said, "By God, no one will keep me from him unless I die
along with him. Bear him away!" And so ('Uthmin's body) was
carried to al-Baqi'.
Na'ilah followed behind them with a slave of 'Uthman's and a
lamp, which she lighted at al-Baqi'. At length they came to a stand
of date palms in an enclosure. They broke through the wall and
then buried him among those date palms, with Jubayr b. Mut'im
leading the funeral prayer for him. Ni'ilah left intending to talk
(about'Uthmin's burial place], but the mourners (gawm) scolded
(3048] her, saying, "We are afraid that this rabble may go dig him up."
And so Na'ilah returned to her home.
According to Muhammad (al-Wagidi)-'Abdallah b. Yazid alHudhali-'Abdallih b. Si'idah: For two nights after he was killed,
'Uthmin remained (where he had fallen] and they were unable to
bury him. Then four men bore (his body) away-Hakim b. Hizim,
Jubayr b. Mut'im, Niyir b. Mukram, and Abu Jahm b. Hudhayfah.
When he was laid down so that the funeral prayer could be performed for him, a band of the Helpers came and forbade them to
perform the prayer. These included Aslam b. Aws b. Bajrah alSa'idi and Abu Hayyah al-Mizini among several others. They forbade ('Uthmin's supporters) to bury him at al-Baqi'. Abu Jahm
said, "Bury him, for God and His angels have blessed him." "No,
by God," they said, "he will never be buried in the Muslims'
cemetery." So they buried him in Hashsh Kawkab. When the
Banu Umayyah reigned, they had that gardens 1 included in alBagi', and it is today the cemetery of the Band Umayyah.
According to Muhammad (al-Wagidi)-'Abdallah b. Musa alMakhzumi: When 'Uthman was killed, (his assassins) tried to cut
off his head, but Ni'ilah and Umm al-Banin452 fell upon him and
stopped them. The two women screamed and beat (their] faces
and rent their clothing. In the face of this, Ibn'Udays said, "Leave
451. H ashsh. The narrator may intend a pun, since hashsh means not only
"garden" but also "privy."
452. Another of 'Uthman's wives, the daughter of 'Uyaynah b. I;iign b.
Hudhayfah b. Badr al-Fazari . See Caetani, Annali, VIII, 300-1, and below, p. 254
(text, I, 3056).
249
him." And thus 'Uthman, his corpse still unwashed, was taken
out and brought to al-Bagi '. (The mourners) wanted to perform the
funeral prayer for him in the place set aside for funerals, but the
Helpers refused (to allow that[. 'Umayr b. IQabi ' appeared while
'Uthman was stretched out upon a door. ('Umayr ) jumped on him
and broke one of his ribs, saying, "You left Qabi ' in prison until
he died there."
It was related to me by al-Harith-Ibn Sa'd-Abu Bakr b.
'Abdallah b. Abi Uways-his grandfather's paternal uncle, alRabi' b. Malik b. Abi 'Amir-(Al-Rabi"s) father: I was one of
'Uthman 's pallbearers when he was killed. We carried him upon a
door, and his head was bumping up and down on the door because
we were walking so fast. We were possessed with fear until we (3049]
interred him in his grave in Hashsh Kawkab.
As for Sayf (b. 'Umar's) account, it was transmitted to me in
writing by al-Sari-Shu'ayb-Sayf-Abu Harithah and Abu
'Uthman and Muhammad andTalhah : When 'Uthman was killed,
Na'ilah sent for 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Udays and said to him, "You
are the closest of the rebels (gawm ) in kinship and the best suited
of them to deal with my situation. Have these corpses removed
from me." But he abused and reviled her until, in the depths of
the night, Marwan went out and came to 'Uthman's house. He
was joined by Zayd b. Thabit, Talhah b. 'Ubaydallah, 'Ali, alHasan, Ka'b b. Malik, and most of the Companions who were
present [in Medina ]. Meantime boys and women assembled in the
place set aside for funerals. They had 'Uthman brought there, and
Marwan led the prayer for him. Afterwards they took him to alBagi' and buried him there, in the part adjacent to Hashsh
Kawkab.
The next morning, they came [to collect the bodies of]
'Uthman's slaves who been killed with him and brought them out
[for burial]. When (the rebels ) saw them, they stopped them from
burying (the slaves). So (the mourners ) took them into Hashsh
Kawkab. That evening, they brought out two of the dead slaves
and buried them beside 'Uthman . Each (corpse) was accompanied
by five persons and a woman, Fatimah, the mother of Ibrahim b.
'Adi.453 Then they returned [to Medina] and came to Kinanah b.
453. On Fitimah see above, p. 202 (text , 1, 3003-3004).
It was related to me by Ja'far b. 'Abdallah (al-Muhammadi)'Amr b. Hammad and'Ali-Husayn454 __his father-al -MujAlid b.
Said al-Hamdani-'Amir al -Sha'bi : 'Uthman was besieged in the
house for twenty-two nights, and he was killed early on the morning of i8 Dhu al-Hijjah, in the year 25 dating from the death of the
Messenger of God.
It was related to me by Ahmad b. Thabit al-Razi-one who
related it to him-Ishaq b. 'Isa-Abu Ma 'shar: 'Uthman was
killed on Friday, 18 Dhu al-Hijjah, in the year 3 5. His caliphate
lasted twelve years, less twelve days.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari -Shu'aybSayf-Muhammad and Talhah and Abu Harithah and Abu
'Uthman: 'Uthman was killed on Friday, i8 Dhu al-Hijjah in the
year 35, at precisely eleven years, eleven months, and twentythree days since the assassination of 'Umar.
According to Zakariya' b. 'Adi-'Ubaydallah b. 'Amr-Ibn
'Aqil: 'Uthman was killed in the year 35.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Abu Harithah and Abu 'Uthman and Muhammad and Talhah: 'Uthman was killed on Friday, i8 Dhu al-Hijjah, in the last 130521
hour [before sunset].
According to others, he was killed on Friday morning.
According to Hisham b. al-Kalbi: 'Uthman was killed on Friday
morning, 18 Dhu al-Hijjah in the year 35 . His caliphate lasted
twelve years less eight days.
It was related to us by al-Harith (b. Muhammad ]-Ibn Sa'dMuhammad b. 'Umar (al-Wagidi)-al-Aahhak b. 'UthmanMakhramah b. Sulayman al-Walibi: 'Uthman was killed on Friday morning, 18 Dhu al-Hijjah, in the year 35 .
( 3053)
( 3054)
( 30551
254
5. Umm al-Bann bt. 'Uyaynah b. Hi$n b. Hudhayfah b. Badr alFazari. She bore him 'Abd al-Malik, who died at an early age.
6. Ramlah bt. Shaybah b. Rabi'ah b. 'Abd Shams b. 'Abd Manaf
b. Qu$ayy. She bore him 'A'ishah, Umm Aban, and Umm 'Amr.
7. Na'ilah bt. al-Farafi$ah b. al-Abwa$ b. 'Amr b. Tha'labah b. alHarith b. Hi$n b. pamjam b. 'Adi b. Janab b. Kalb. She bore him
Maryam.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'ayb-SayfAbu Harithah and Abu 'Uthman: When 'Uthmin died,
Mu'awiyah held authority in Syria. Mu awiyah's lieutenants were
as follows : in Himg, 'Abd al-Rahman b. Khalid b. al-Walid; in
Qinnasrin, Habib b. Maslamah; in Transjordan, Abu al-A'war b.
Sufyan; in Palestine, 'Alqamah b. Hakim al-Kinani; in command (30581
of naval forces ('a1d al-balir), 'Abdallah b. Qays al- Fazari; in charge
of justice, Abu al-Darda'.
457. Instead of "b. Rabi'ah"; see de Goeje, Introductio, dcxxx.
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-'AXiyyah: When 'Uthman died, his officials in Kufah were
as follows : in charge of public worship was Abu Musa (al-Ash'ari);
in charge of tax revenues from the Sawad were Jabir b. 'Amr alMuzani458-who was also superintendant of the dike ($dhib almusanndt] beside Kufah-and Simak al-Ansari; in command of
the army was al-Qa'ga' b. 'Amr. [The subgovernors of the districts
attached to Kufah were as follows:]
i. in Qargisiya', Jarir b. 'Abdallah;
2. in Adharbayjan, al-Ash'ath b. Qays;
3. in Hulwan, 'Utaybah b. al-Nahhas;
4. in Mah, Malik b. Habib;
5. in Hamadan, al-Nusayr;
6. in al -Rayy, Said b. Qays;
not established by general consensus. [Third,) that I avoid coercion against you save in cases where you have deemed it necessary. Verily, this world is a verdant meadow that has been made
to seem desirable to the people and toward which many among
them incline. Do not rely on this world and put no trust in it, for
it is not a thing to be trusted. Know that it leaves nothing behind
save him who has left it behind."
It was transmitted to me in writing by al-Sari-Shu'aybSayf-Badr b. 'Uthman-his paternal uncle: The last sermon that
'Uthman preached before an assembled congregation was [as follows]: "Almighty God has given you this world only so that you
may seek thereby the world to come. He did not give it to you
that you should rely upon it. Verily this world perishes, while the
world to come endures, so be certain that things perishable do not
make you heedless or distract you from things everlasting. Prefer
that which endures to that which passes away, for this world will
be cut off and [our) journey is toward God. Fear Almighty God, for
the fear of Him is a shield against his terrible power and a means
of access to Him. Beware of the Divine wrath. Adhere to your
community (jamaah); do not divide into hostile sects. 'Remember God's blessing upon you when you were enemies, and
He brought your hearts together, so that by His blessing you
became brothers.""461
Those Who Led the People in Prayer in the Mosque
of the Messenger of God while 'Uthman Was under
Siege
According to Muhammad b. 'Umar (al-Wagidi)-Rabi'ah b.
'Uthman: The muezzin Sa'd al-QaraZ came to'Ali b. Abi Talib on
that day and asked, "Who will lead the people in prayer?" `Ali
responded, "Summon Khalid b. Zayd." (Sa'd) did so, and Khalid b.
Zayd led the people in prayer. That was the first day it was known
that the name of Abu Ayyub al-Angari was Khalid b. Zayd.462 He
led them in prayer for some days, then 'Ali took over this office
thereafter.
461. Qur'an 3:98.
462. 1 follow the fuller reading in Ibn al-Atha, Kdmil (Beirut), IIi, 187.
[3059)
(3063]
They brought their brother and lowered him into the grave.
What does his grave, covered over, concealWhat benefit, what sovereignty and sense of duty,
wherein he led the way among the people, what
meritorious deed?
How many an orphan did he support;465
the wretched would visit his house time and again.
Without cease he would receive them and mend their wrongs,
until I heard the sound of anxious sighing.
He has made his dwelling in al-Bagi ', and (his assassins)
have scattered, resolved to flee.
The Fire is their rendezvous for having murdered their Imam,
honest 'Uthman, in his palace .466
To dignified forbearance he added duty,
and the good in him was manifest and known to all.
0 Ka'b, cease not to weep for a lord,
so long as you shall live and travel throughout the lands.
Even as an old man I shall mourn Abu 'Amr,
and lament their perverted deed, since he was no fool.
Let the horsemen mourn him as they defend [us]
against calamity
between mountain defiles and soldiers in serried ranks.
They have murdered you, 'Uthman-by thy life,
the murder of a man undefiled [by sin], in the shelter [of
his own home].
16
Bibliography of Cited Works
q1
264
"The Sunnah Jami ah, Pacts with the Yathrib Jews, and the
Tarim of Yathrib. Analysis and Translation of the Documents
Comprised in the So-called 'Constitution of Medina."' Bulletin of
the School of Oriental and African Studies, XLI (1978, 1-42.
Shaban, M. A. The 'Abbasid Revolution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1970.
e
Index
q1
Included are names of persons, groups, and places, as well as Arabic words that
recur often in the text or are discussed in the footnotes; the protagonist of this
volume, the caliph ' Uthmdn b. 'Affdn, is, however, omitted, as his name is found
on almost every page. An asterisk (*) indicates one of the transmitters listed in
the isnids preceding the reports or a medieval historian cited in the footnotes.
When part of a name is given in parentheses, the enclosed segment has been
supplied from sources other than the present text . Entries that are mentioned in
both text and footnotes on the same page are listed by page number only. Finally,
the Arabic definite article al- and the abbreviations b. (ibn) and bt . (bint) have
been disregarded in the alphabetizing of entries.
A
Abin b. 'Uthmin b. 'Affin 254
* 'Abbid b. 'Abdallih b. al-Zubayr ISt
al-'Abbas b. 'Abd al-Muttalib 99, 228
al-'Abbas b . Rabi'ah 235
'Abbas b. 'Utbah b. Abi Lahab 15 5,
228
Abbasid dynasty 20 n. 33
'Abd al-Dir (clan) 220
* 'Abd al-Majid b. Suhayl 238- 39, 246
* 'Abd al-Malik 72
'Abd al-Malik b. 'Amr b. Abi Sufyin
al-Thaqafl 38
'Abd al-Malik b. Marwin (Umayyad
caliph) 5o n. 81 , 202, 233 n. 420
Index
268
'Abd al-Rahmin b. al-Aswad b. 'Abd
Yaghuth 179 -80, 182
'Abd al-Rahmin b. 'Attib b. Asid
174
'Abd al-Rabmin b. 'Awf 3 n. 5, 11,
39-40, 57, 99, 182, 224
Index
'Abdallah b. 'Uthmin b. 'Affin 25 3
'Abdallih b. Yazid b. Abi Sufyin 254
* 'Abdallih b. Yazid al-Hudhali 248
'Abdallih b. Zayd b. 'Abd Rabbih 99
'Abdallih b. al-Zubayr 42-43, 161,
204, 207, 211-12, 218
Abiward 9o, 92
Abraham, lineage of 127
al-Abrash, chamberlain of the caliph
Hishim 21
269
al-Yazani 198
* Abu Khaythamah 251
Abu Khushshah al-Ghifiri 52, 57
* Abu Kibrin 55
* Abu Mansur 4
Index
270
* Abu Sa'id, mawla of Abu Usayd alAnsiri 167 -68, 204-6
Abu al-$alt b. Kanira 91
Abu Sammil al-Asada 47-48
* Abu al-Sari al-Marwazi 92
Abu Shurayh al-Khuzi i 46
Abu Sufyin b. Harb 73 , 77, 122, 138
It. 246
37
al= Ajlin 171
'Ajrud 172
al-Ahwiz 34, 89
'A'ishah bt. Abi Bakr 141 n. 251, 2089, 238
Index
'Ammar b . Yasir ioo, 147-48,155,
165, 173-74, 180, 228
271
Armenia 8-1o, 78
arrddah 95
Arwi bt. Kurayz 141 n. 251, 212, 231,
234o254,259
al 'Ag, Ban(i (clan of the Banu Umayyah) 159
Asad, Banu (tribe) 114, 151, 233
Asad b. 'Abd al-'Uzzi ( clan of
Quraysh) 246
asdwirah 80, 103
al-Ash'ath 6o
al-Ash'ath b . Qays 132, 256
* al-Ash 'ath b. Siwir 67
ashrdf xiii, 114, 125, 134, 176
al-Ashtar, see Milik b. al-Hirith
al-'Afi b. Will 171
Asid b. al-Mutashammis io6
'Agim b .'Amr 34-35
* 'Agim b. Kulayb 68
* 'Agim b. Sulayman 7
Index
272
B
al-Bib, see Bib al-Abwib
Bib al-Abwib 62, 94 n. 166, 95-96,
99, 132, 140
al-Babar 8
Babiinaj 92
Bidghis 107-8
Bidhin 103
al-Buhayrah 45
al-Bugay' 99
Buwayb, battle of 113 n. 197, 194
Byzantine Emperor 23, 27-28
Byzantine Empress 28
Byzantines 9-11, 23, 26, 29 - 31, 71,
74, 76, 95 n. 167, II1
Byzantium xiii, 13
Caesar 61
Camel, battle of the tog
Carthage 23 n. 39
Caspian Sea 42
Caucasus 95 n. 167
China 83
Chosroes 61; see also Kisri
Christians 89, 209
Cilicia 3o n. 49, 125
Circesium, see Qargisiyi'
Companions of the Prophet xiii, xvii,
16, 25 , 42, 46, 77, 96 n. 169, 14041, 152, 155, 164 -65, 168, 174,
180, 184-86, 195-96, 203, 211,
249, 259
Constans II Pogonatus ( Constantine;
Byzantine emperor) 74-76
Constantinople 22, 23 n. 39, 99
Copts 131
Cordoba 24 n. 41
Ctesiphon 6o
Cyprus 25 -26, 30-31, 111 - 12, 130
D
Qabbah (tribal confederation), 92
Qibi ' b. al-Hirith al-Burjumi 231-32,
249
Index
Damascus 24 n. 41 , 30, 56, 65 n. 109,
73, 119
dingan 81
273
farsakh 6o
* Farwah b. Lag-it al-Azdi al-Ghimidi
8, 9
al-Faryib 102, 104-5
Fitimah bt. Aws 202, 249
Fitimah bt. al-Walid b. 'Abd Shams
254
faY' 7, 61, 134, 222
* Fayd b. Muhammad 49
Fayruz Abu Lu'lu'ah 4
Fazirah, Band (tribe) 29
firqah 16o
E
Egypt xiii, 18-19, 20 n. 32, 23-24, 31,
73-74, 126, 129 , 145, 147-49,
165, 168 - 70, 172, 175, 184-85,
193, 195 , 197-99, 207, 219-21,
227, 243, 250, 255
Emigrants (al-Mulaaiirun) 23, 158,
173-74, 223-24
Euphrates River 134
F
Gabriel (angel) 62
Gaza 157 n. 278
al-Ghifigi b. Harb al-'Akki 159, 166
ghashiyah 114
Ghaylin b. Kharashah al-Qabbi 33,
35-36
* Ghiyith b. Ibrihim 78
ghulat 146
* al-Ghusn b . al-Qisim 47, 5o, 56, 96
Gregory, Patrician of Ifrigiyah 23
H
Habib b. 'Abd Shams ( clan of
Quraysh) 33-34, 36
Habib b. Maslamah b . Khilid al-Fihri
10-11 , 31, 78, 94,98- 99, 164,
207,255,259
274
Index
Hadramawt 60, 61
al-Ilajjij b. Yusuf 79, 233-34
al-klakam b . Abi al-'Ag 24, 156-58,
182, 227
kalif 144
Hamadhin 8 n. z6 , 43 n. 72, 132, 256
Hamzah b. 'Abd al-Muttalib 15 3 n.
269
Harrin 119
* Hiriin b. Sa'd 135, 139
* al-Hasan 189, 205, 235-36
* al-Hasan b. Abi al-Hasan 223, 252
al-Hasan b. 'Ali b. Abi Tilib 42, 161,
166, 207, 2II-I2, 218, 249
* al-Hasan al-Basri 223
* al-Hasan b. Musi al-Ashyab 252
* al-Hasan b. Rashid 37, 107, 110
Hishim b. 'Abd Manif (clan of
Quraysh) 209 n. 368
Hishim b. 'Utbah 16
hashiyah 159
Hashsh Kawkab (cemetery in Medina)
246, 248-49
Hassan b. Thibit xx, 141, 174, 25859, 260-61
Hitim b. al-Nu'min al-Bihili 91-92,
93
Index
al-Husayn b . 'All b. Abi1alib 13 n.
22, 42
* Hushaym 223
Huwaytib b. 'Abd al-'Uzzi 247
275
I
Ibn 'Abbas, see 'Abdallih b. 'Abbas
Ibn Abi 'Awn, see Shurabbil
* Ibn Abi Mulaykah 3
* Ibn Abi Sabrah 23, 229 , 238-39, 246
Ibn Abi Sarh, see 'Abdallih b. Sa'd
* Ibn Abi al-Zinid 182-83
Ibn 'Amir, see 'Abdallih b. 'Amir
* Ibn 'Agil 251
* Ibn al-Athir, 'Izz al-Din xiii, 5 n. I I,
35 n. 57, 99 n. 173, io6 n. 182,
113 n. 198, 115 n. 205 , 150 nn.
267-68, 211 n . 374, 232 n. 417,
233 n . 419, 257 n. 462
* Ibn 'Awn 189-91
Ibn 'Ayyish 200
Ibn Dhakwin al-$afuri 261
Ibn Habbir 47
Ibn al -Hadrami 109
Ibn al -Hamiq, see 'Amr b . aI-Hamiq
* Ibn al-Hirith b. Abi Bakr 202
Ibn Hassin al-Yashkuri, see Harim b.
Hassin
Ibn al-I;iaysumin al-Khuzi 'i 45-46
* Ibn Hubaysh, 'Abd al- Rahmin b.
Muhammad xx, 104 n. 179
* Ibn Ishaq, see Muhammad b. Ishaq
Ibn Ju'ayyah al-A'raji Io5
* Ibn Jurayj 3
* IbnKa'b23
* Ibn al-Kalb-1, see Hishim b.
Muhammad
Ibn al-Kawwi ' 113, 125, 129
Index
276
ispabadh 41, 78 n. 135, 82
I$takhr 24, 32, 35-36 , 79, 81, 90
'IyAd b. Ghanm 72
'Iya b. Wargi ' al-Usaydi 104
* lyis b . al-Muhallab io6
K
Ka'b al-Abbar 22, 66-67, 151
J
Jabalah b. 'Amr al- Si'idi 182
* Jabir 67
jizyah 30
Jordan 73
Jubayr b. Mut'im b. 'Adi b. Nawfal b.
'Abd Manif 57, 174, 246-48
* Jubayr b. Nufayr 31
* Junidah b. Abi Umayyah al-Azdi
26-27
jund 19, 20 n. 32, 21
Jundub 113
Jundub b. 'Abdallah 49-52, 57
Jundub b. Ka'b al-Azdi 125
Jundub b. Zuhayr al-Ghimidi 125
Jur 69
Khalid b. Rabi'ah 97
Khalid b. 'Uthmin b. 'Affan 254
Khalid b. al-Walid 72, 119
Khalid b . Zayd, see Abu Ayyub
khalifah 134
kharaj 6, 24, 45, 103, 170
Kharijah b. Hudhifah al -Sahmi 18, 165
Kharijites 20 nn. 32-33, 45 n. 74, 233
khaggah /khawagg 54, 84, 122, 154,
203
al-Khan 117
Khawamaq 261
Khawlin 184
Khaybar 6o
Khazars 83 , 94 n. 166, 95-96, 99
khazirah 229
khilafah 116, 197
al-Khirrit b. Rashid 36
Khulayd b. ' Abdallah al-Hanafi 107
Index
277
* Khulayd b. Dhafarah 2
Khunays al-Asadi, see Hubaysh alAsadi
* Khurdidhbih al-Rani 79
Khurrazidh-Mihr 79
Khusraw Anushirvan (Sasanian emperor) 41 n. 66, 78 n. 135
Khusraw Parviz ( Sasanian emperor) 42
n. 66, 63
Khut io6
Khuzistan 37
Khwirazm Io6
Khwist 91
Kininah (tribe) 34, 96
Kininah b. Bishr b. 'Attib al-Tujibi
148, 159, 201, 219, 249-50
Kirmin 34-35, 44, 69, 78, 82, 87, 90,
107
Kisri 71, 1033 see also Chosroes
Kisra b. Hurmuz, see Khusraw Parviz
Kufah xiii, 5, 8-9, 15-17, 42-43, 4546, 48-50, 56-59, 62, 91, 94, 97100, 112-15, 119-21, 124-26,
128-29, 131-33, 135, 139-40,
145, 147, 149, 154, 162, 164, 176,
190 n. 336, 199, 207, 209, 220,
226,230-34,255-56
L
Layli bt. 'Umays 210
Layth, Banu (tribe) 214-15, 225
* al-Layth b. Sa'd 30
Index
278
Maryam bt. 'Uthman b. 'Affin 254
marzuban 78
Masabadhin 256
al-masjid al-baram 14 n. 24
Maslamah b . 'Abd al-Malik 50
mawla 135
Mediterranean Sea 27
Messenger of God, see Muhammad
Mi'dad al-Shaybani 95, 96-98, Io2
Mihrgan 106-7
millah 103
al-Miltit 113
Mina 38, 70, 230
al-Minjab b. Rashid 36
al-Migdad 25
Mirbad (locale in Bagrah) 48 n. 78
Mismar al-Qurashi 107
* al-Mughirah b. Muqsim 48
al-Mughirah b. Shu 'bah 5 , 15, 142, 217
Muhajirun, see Emigrants
al-Muhallab b. Abi Sufrah 233
Muhammad, the Prophet xvi-xvii, 3,
7, 9 n. 17, 23 n. 38, 24 n. 41, 3839, 42, 62 -63, 66 n. 113, 68, 77,
96 n. 169, 99, 100, 103 , 116, 117,
118, 122- 23, 138 n. 246, 139-40,
141 n. 251, 142, 146, 151, 153,
155, 157, 16o-61, 163, 165, 174,
176,x82-84, 199-200,204-5,
208, 214- 15, 218 , 222, 224, 227,
228-29 , 240-44, 247 n. 450, 25354, 256 , 258, 261-62
* Muhammad b. 'Awn 66
Index
Muhammad b. al-Ijakam b. Abi 'Agil
al-Thagafi 43
* Muhammad b. Ishaq b . Yasir alMadani 78, 143 n. 269, 157 n.
278, 183, 186, 202, 212 n. 375
Muhammad b. Ja'far 210
* Muhammad b. Kurayb 47, 5 5
Muhammad b. Maslamah 147, 165,
174-75,191-97
* Muhammad b. Musi al-Harashi 62,
252
* Muhammad b. Muslim 197
* Muhammad b. Si'ib al-Kalbi 185
* Muhammad b. Said 26
279
N
* Nair b. Ishiq 70
* Nifi' (mawla of 'Abdallih b. 'Umar)
183
* Nifi' b. Jubayr 47, 5 5
Nahd, Bann (tribe) 42-43
Nahrin al-Agbahi 220
Ni'ilah bt. al-Farifigah al-Kalbiyyah
31, 177-79, 206, 216, 218-19,
247-50, 254
Nakha' (tribe) 121 n . 216, 123 n. 221,
234
Nimiyah 43
MIS 2 n. 3
Nasa 90-92
Nashistaj 6o, 113
Nawruz 107 n. 183
al-Nibi' al-Laythi, see 'Urwah b. alNibi'
Nihiwand, battle of 8,34n. 56, 42, 81
Nishapur 36, 42 n. 67, 91, 93, Io8y see
also Abrashahr
Niyir b. 'Abdallih al-Aslami Zoo-I,
214; see also Niyir b. Iya51
Niyir b. 'Iyid 203
P
Palestine 73-74, 171, 176, 255
Persia, Persians 81, 102 - 3, 117, 208
Prophet, see Muhammad
Baba' 97
Index
280
Qahdham 43
al-Qa'gi' b. 'Amr 132-34,140,154,
164, 207, 256
* al-Qa'ga ' b. al-$alt Ioi
gari'/qurrd ' 58, I12, 136
Qarin 107-10
Qargisiya' 132, 135, 256
al-Qartha' al-Iaabbi 97, 102
gasamah 46-47
* al-Qasim b. Muhammad 226, 228, 256
al-Qasim b . Rabi'ah al-Thagafi 255
* al-Qasim b . Walid 16
Qa$r alAhnaf 104
Qa$r Mujashi' 69
gaSS /qu$$a$ xvii, 129
* Qatidah 252
gawm 2 n. 3
Qayrawan 20
Qays (tribe) 186
R
al-Rabadhah 66-68 , rot, 186
Rabi'ah (tribe) 17
Rabi'ah b. al-Harith b. 'Abd al-Muttalib 235
Rabi'ah b. 'Isl 127
* Rabi'ah b. 'Uthmin 2S7
Rafi' b. Khadij 68 , 101
ra'is/ru'asQ' 132
al-rawadif wa'1-lawaliiq 58 n. 95
* Raw]) b. 'Abdallah 79
al-Rayy 8 , 43 n. 71 , 62, 82, 132, 256
* al-Razi, see Ahmad b. Thabit
Raziq Canal 871 see also Murghab
River
al-riddah xvi , 27 n. 45, 119
Rifa'ah b. Rafi' al-An$ari al -Zuragi 203
Romans 208
al-Rum 1o n. 191 see also Byzantines
Rumah, well of 204, 237
Ruqayyah bt. Muhammad 141 n. 251,
253, 254
* Ruzayq b. 'Abdallah al-Razi 229
Index
sadagah 67, 182
Salmin al-Firisi 96
Salman b. Rabi 'ah a1-Bihili 8-r I, 9496,98-99,132
* al-Salt b . Dinar 92
al-Salt b. Hurayth Io9
Samah, Bann (tribe) 36
San`a ' 145, 255
281
Sanjan 83-84, 88
Sarakhs 84, 90, 92-93
* al-Sari (b. Yal}ya) 2-5, 7, 15 -17, 18,
22, 26-28, 30 , 34, 37, 45-52, 5456, 59, 61- 62, 64, 66-68, 72-73,
95-96, 98, 100-I , 112, 121, 12528, 131 , 140, 145, 148, 151, 159,
166, 206- 7, 210, 213, 217, 22330, 232-33, 249 -50, 251, 252,
255-57
Index
282
Suriyah 31
Suwayd b . Math'abah al-Tamimi 102
Suwayd b. Muqarrin 41
al-Suwayda' 191
Syria 9, 10, 26, 3o n. 49 , 56, 64, 7274, 94, 98, 112 , 119, 121 , 124-25,
T
Tabaristin 41, 43, 82
al-Tabasayn 87, 91, 108
U
* 'Ubidah b. Nusayy 26-27
'Ubidah b. al-$amit 25, 65, 165
'Ubayd b. Rifa'ah al-Zuragi 202
* 'Ubayd al-Tanifisi 54
* 'Ubaydallih b. 'Abdallih b. 'Utbah
246
* 'Ubaydallih b. 'Amr 2 51
Index
283
Umm llaram 25
Makhramah 181
Umm al-Banin bt . 'Uthmin b. 'Affan
254
Umm al-Banin bt. 'Uyaynah al-Fazari
248, 254-5 5
Index
284
al-Walid b. 'Abd al-Malik (Umayyad
caliph ) 44 n. 73, 79
* al-Walid b. Muslim 30
al-Walid b. 'Uqbah b. Abi Mu'ayt 5, 710, 15, 17, 45-46, 48-57, 113 n.
199, 120, 185 , 190 n. 338, 23031, 261
Yarmuk, battle of 15 n. 26
* Yasir b. AN Karib 247
Yathrib 164 n. 294; see also Medina
Yazd 91
Yazdagird (III) b. Shahriyar (Sasanian
emperor) xv, 8 n. 16, 68-69, 71,
78-90
14-15 , 18, 23-24 , 25, 31-32, 3738, 40, 41, 71-72, 74-75, 77-78,
Qasri 185-86
* Yazid al-Faq'asi 54, 64, 100, 125,
145-46
Yazid (I) b. Mu'awiyah b. Abi Sufyan
wazir/wuzara' 135
wi laya h 222
Azdi 45, 5o n. 81
Yaz id b . Q ays a l-A rhabi 1 3 2 -35, 1 4 0 ,
154
Yazid (III) b. al-Walid, al-Nigiy
(Umayyad caliph) 79
Yemen xvi, 6o-61, 217
* Yunis b. 'Ubayd 62
* Yunis b. Yazid al-Ayli 251, 253
* Yusuf b . 'Abdallah b. Salim 221
Yusuf b. 'Umar al-Thaqafi 43
* Yusuf b. Ya'qub 220
Y
* Yahya b. 'Abbid b. 'Abdallah b. alZubayr186
* Yahya b. 'Abd al-' Aziz 191
* Yahya b. 'Abd al- Rahmin al-Habib
183
* Yahya b. Muslim 140
* Yahya b. Sa'id 227
Ya'li b. Munyah 255
* Ya'qub b. 'Abdallih al-Ash'ari 200
* Ya'qub b. Ibrahim 167, 189, 204
* Ya'qub b. 'Utbah b. al-Akhnas 99,
202
Z
* Zakariyi' b. 'Adi 251
zakat 66
al-Zawra' (Uthmin 's residence) 32, 70,
230
* Zayd b. Aslam 75
Zayd b. $uhan al-' Abdi 125, 159, 232
Zayd b. Thibit 141, 156 n . 276, x6566,174,249,256
Ziyid 9o
Index
* Ziyid b. AyyUb 223, 252
Ziyid b. Mu'iwiyah roe
285