by what he said, and he sent a letter in the same vein to the tyrant of Byzantium, for the Byzantine ruler had written to ʿAbd al-Malik threatening that he had gathered a vast army against him.

He also wrote to al-Ḥajjāj: “We know that Muḥammad harbors no rebellion; treat him gently and he will pledge allegiance to you.”

When the people had united behind ʿAbd al-Malik and Ibn ʿUmar had given him his pledge, Ibn ʿUmar said to Muḥammad, “Nothing remains—so give your pledge.”

Muḥammad then wrote his pledge of allegiance to ʿAbd al-Malik in these words:

“To proceed: when I saw the ummah divided I withdrew from them. When the matter devolved upon you and the people pledged loyalty to you, I was like one of them; so I have pledged allegiance to you, and I have pledged al-Ḥajjāj to you as well. We wish you to guarantee our security and to give us a covenant of fidelity, for there is no good in treachery.”

ʿAbd al-Malik replied: “You stand commended in our eyes; you are dearer to us and closer in kinship than Ibn al-Zubayr. You have the covenant of Allah and His Messenger that neither you nor any of your companions shall be harmed in any way.” (1)

Abū Nuʿaym al-Mulāʾī said: Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah died in the year 80 AH.

Al-Wāqidī said: Zayd ibn Sāʾib told us:

“I asked ʿAbd Allāh, son of Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah, ‘Where was your father buried?’

He replied, ‘In al-Baqīʿ, in the year 81 AH, in Muḥarram, when he was sixty-five years old. Abān ibn ʿUthmān, the governor of Medina, came to lead the funeral prayer. My brother asked, “What do you think?” Abān said, “You have more right to your own funeral.” We said, “Please step forward and pray,” so he did.’ (2)

Al-Wāqidī further said: ʿAlī ibn ʿUmar ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAqīl, who said:

“I heard Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah in the year 81 AH say, ‘I am sixty-five years old—I have outlived my father’s age.’ He died that same year.” (3)