Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ - Shams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi - (4/96)

Siyar Aʿlām al-NubalāʾShams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi

and I was among those who went down into his grave. When I had leveled it, I saw that it had been made spacious as far as my eyes could see. I told my companions what I had witnessed, but they did not see what I saw.

Abū ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAlāʾ said: Al-Ahnaf died in the house of ʿUbayd Allah ibn Abī Ghaḍanfar. After he had been lowered into his resting place, an aged woman of Aws al-Saʿdī came up on her mount. She halted at the grave and asked, “Who is the man whose appointed hour has arrived, now being laid in his pit?” They replied, “Al-Ahnaf ibn Qays.”

She said, “By Allah, if you have outstripped us in enjoying his company during his life, you shall not outstrip us in praising him after his death.”

Then she declared, “May Allah reward you—shield in the midst of battle, now wrapped in a shroud! Truly, to Allah we belong and to Him we return. We ask the One who has tried us by your death and afflicted us with your loss to widen your grave for you and to forgive you on the Day you are raised.”

“O people! The allies of Allah in His lands are His witnesses over His servants. We are speaking the truth and offering sincere praise, and he is worthy of the finest commendation. By Him for whose sake I remained prepared for the term of life, driving on toward its finish line and following its traces to the end—the One to whom your deeds were raised when your span was concluded—you lived beloved and praiseworthy, and you died blessed and deeply missed. You were mighty in forbearance, outstanding in peace, lofty in station, ever quick to strike the spark, inviolable in your precinct, unblemished in character, abundant in ashes (generous in hospitality), and your door stood ever open to the assembly.” (1)

Qurra ibn Khālid said: Abū al-Ḍaḥḥāk told us that he saw Musʿab walking in al-Ahnaf’s funeral procession without a cloak.

Al-Fasawī said: Al-Ahnaf died in the year 67 AH.

Another said: He passed away in 71 AH.

A number of authorities held that he died during the governorship of Musʿab ibn al-Zubayr over Iraq—may Allah have mercy on him.

(1) The report is found in Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 8, p. 225a. He adds: “…You were noble in gatherings, compassionate toward widows, close to the people yet a stranger among them; you were still their leader and envoy to the caliphs. They listened to your words and followed your counsel. May Allah have mercy on us and on you.” End of citation.

فَكُنْتُ فِيْمَنْ نَزَلَ قَبْرَهُ، فَلَمَّا سَوَّيْتُهُ، رَأَيْتُهُ قَدْ فُسِحَ لَهُ مَدَّ بَصَرِي، فَأَخْبَرْتُ بِذَلِكَ أَصْحَابِي، فَلَمْ يَرَوْا مَا رَأَيْتُ. قَالَ أَبُو عَمْرٍو بنُ العَلاَءِ: تُوُفِّيَ الأَحْنَفُ فِي دَارِ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بنِ أَبِي غَضَنْفَرٍ، فَلَمَّا دُلِّيَ فِي حُفْرَتِهِ، أَقْبَلَتْ بِنْتٌ لأَوْسٍ السَّعْدِيِّ وَهِيَ عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهَا عَجُوْزٌ، فَوَقَفَتْ عَلَيْهِ، وَقَالَتْ: مَنِ المُوَافَى بِهِ حُفْرَتَهُ لِوَقْتِ حِمَامِهِ؟ قِيْلَ لَهَا: الأَحْنَفُ بنُ قَيْسٍ. قَالَتْ: وَاللهِ لَئِنْ كُنْتُم سَبَقْتُمُوْنَا إِلَى الاسْتِمْتَاعِ بِهِ فِي حَيَاتِهِ، لاَ تَسْبِقُوْنَا إِلَى الثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ بَعْدَ وَفَاتِهِ. ثُمَّ قَالَتْ: للهِ دَرُّكَ مِنْ مِجَنٍّ فِي جَنَنٍ، وَمُدْرَجٍ فِي كَفَنٍ، وَإِنَّا للهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجعُوْنَ، نَسْأَلُ مَنِ ابْتَلاَنَا بِمَوْتِكَ، وَفَجَعَنَا بِفَقْدِكَ: أَنْ يُوْسِعَ لَكَ فِي قَبْرِكَ، وَأَنْ يَغْفِرَ لَكَ يَوْمَ حَشْرِكَ. أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ: إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللهِ فِي بِلاَدِهِ هُمْ شُهُوْدُهُ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ، وَإِنَّا لَقَائِلُوْنَ حَقّاً، وَمُثْنُوْنَ صِدْقاً، وَهُوَ أَهْلٌ لِحُسْنِ الثَّنَاءِ، أَمَا وَالَّذِي كُنْتُ مِنْ أَجَلِهِ فِي عِدَّةٍ، وَمِنَ الحَيَاةِ فِي مُدَّةٍ، وَمِنَ المِضْمَارِ إِلَى غَايَةٍ، وَمِنَ الآثَارِ إِلَى نِهَايَةٍ، الَّذِي رُفِعَ عَمَلُكَ عِنْد انْقَضَاءِ أَجَلِكَ، لَقَدْ عِشْتَ مَوْدُوْداً حَمِيْداً، وَمُتَّ سَعِيْداً فَقِيْداً، وَلَقَدْ كُنْتَ عَظِيْمَ الحِلْمِ، فَاضِلَ السَّلْمِ، رَفِيْعَ العِمَادِ، وَارِيَ الزِّنَادِ، مَنِيْعَ الحَرِيْمِ، سَلِيْمَ الأَدِيْمِ، عَظِيْمَ الرَّمَادِ، قَرِيْبَ البَيْتِ مِنَ النَّادِ (١) . قَالَ قُرَّةُ بنُ خَالِدٍ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الضَّحَّاكِ: أَنَّهُ أَبْصَرَ مُصْعَباً يَمْشِي فِي جَنَازَةِ الأَحْنَفِ بِغَيْرِ رِدَاءٍ. قَالَ الفَسَوِيُّ: مَاتَ الأَحْنَفُ سَنَةَ سَبْعٍ وَسِتِّيْنَ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: تُوُفِّيَ سَنَةَ إِحْدَى وَسَبْعِيْنَ. وَقَالَ جَمَاعَةٌ: مَاتَ فِي إِمْرَةِ مُصْعَبِ بنِ الزُّبَيْرِ عَلَى العِرَاقِ ﵀.

(١) الخبر في تاريخ ابن عساكر ٨ / ٢٢٥ آ، وزاد فيه: "..ولقد كنت في المحافل شريفا وعلى الأرامل عطوفا، ومن الناس قريبا، وفيهم غريبا، وإن كنت فيهم مسودا وإلى الخلفاء لموفدا، وإن كانوا لقولك لمستمعين، ولرأيك لمتبعين، رحمنا الله وإياك " اه.