until I said, “Father, who is your mawla?”
He replied, “Allah.”
(1) By Allah, whenever I was beset by any worry over his debt I would say, “O mawla of al-Zubayr, discharge it for him,” and it would be discharged.
Al-Zubayr was killed and left behind neither a dinar nor a dirham, save some land at al-Ghabah, a house in Madinah, a house in Basra, a house in Kufah, and a house in Egypt.
His liability arose only because a man would bring him money for safekeeping, and al-Zubayr would say, “No; let it be a loan, for I fear it might be lost.”
He never assumed any governorship, tax collection, land revenue, or anything of that nature—only taking part in expeditions with the Prophet ﷺ, or with Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmān.
When I calculated his debt, I found it to be two million, two hundred thousand.
Ḥakīm ibn Ḥizām al-Asadī met me and said, “My nephew, how much debt is upon my brother?”
I concealed the amount and answered, “One hundred thousand.”
Ḥakīm said, “I do not think your wealth can cover even that.”
I said, “What if it is two million, two hundred thousand?”
He replied, “I do not think you will be able to handle that. If you are unable to pay any part of it, seek my assistance.”
Al-Zubayr had purchased al-Ghabah for one hundred seventy thousand, and I sold it for one million six hundred thousand.
I then announced, “Whoever has a claim against al-Zubayr, let him come to us at al-Ghabah.”
ʿAbd Allah ibn Jaʿfar came; al-Zubayr owed him four hundred thousand.
He said to me, “If you wish, I will forgo it for you.”
I replied, “No.”
He said, “Then allot me a parcel.”
I said, “From here to here is yours.”
He bought it for the amount of his claim.
Four and a half shares remained. Al-Mundhir ibn al-Zubayr said, “I have taken one share for one hundred thousand.” ʿAmr ibn ʿUthmān said, “I have taken one share for one hundred thousand.” Ibn Rabīʿah said, “I have taken one share for one hundred thousand.”
Muʿāwiyah asked, “How much is left?”
They answered, “One and a half shares.”
He said, “I take them for one hundred fifty thousand.”
Ibn Jaʿfar later sold his share to Muʿāwiyah for six hundred thousand.
When I had finished paying the debt, the sons of al-Zubayr said, “Distribute our inheritance among us.”
I replied, “By Allah, …”