Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ - Shams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi - (12/18)

Siyar Aʿlām al-NubalāʾShams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi

Ibn al-Sikkīt also composed fine poetry. (1)

It is related that al-Mutawakkil once looked at his two sons—al-Muʿtazz and al-Muʾayyad—and asked Ibn al-Sikkīt, “Which are dearer to you: these two, or al-Hasan and al-Husayn? (2)” He replied, “Rather, Qanbar. (3)”

Al-Mutawakkil thereupon ordered the Turkish guards, who trampled upon his stomach, and he died the next day. Another report states that he was carried away dead, rolled up in a carpet.

Al-Mutawakkil was known for nasb (hostility toward the Prophet’s family) (4)—we ask Allah’s pardon.

Ibn al-Sikkīt passed away in 244 AH.

He once said: “A man wrote to a friend of his: ‘I have brought a need to your attention. If it is met, the perishable part of it is my share while the lasting reward is yours; and if it proves impossible, I still think well of you and accept your excuse in advance. Peace.’”

Thaʿlab said: “All are agreed that after Ibn al-Aʿrābī there was no one more knowledgeable in the language than Ibn al-Sikkīt.”

Al-Mutawakkil had bound him to tutor his son al-Muʿtazz. When the boy arrived, Ibn al-Sikkīt asked, “With what would you like us to begin?”

He answered, “With dismissal.”

“So I shall rise,” said Ibn al-Sikkīt.

Al-Muʿtazz retorted, “I am lighter than you,” leapt up, stumbled, and fell.

(1) Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-Ayan, vol. 6, pp. 399–400, cites the following verses: When hearts are wrapped in sheer despair, and the spacious breast feels tight; When hardships settle, take their seat, and trials anchor with their might; When no escape from harm appears, nor wit can find a useful scheme, A rescue comes—though you lose hope—granted by the Gentle, the All-Responsive. For every crisis, once it peaks, is followed by relief that is near. (2) The report is transmitted with variant wordings in Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-Ayan, vol. 6, pp. 397–398, and in Al-Nujum al-Zahira, vol. 2, p. 318. The latter records it thus: “Who is dearer to you—me and my two sons, al-Muayyad and al-Muʿtazz, or Ali, al-Hasan and al-Husayn?” He replied, “By Allah, a single hair of Qanbar, the servant of Ali, is better than you and your two sons.” (3) See note 4. (4) Ahl al-nasb (Nasibis) are those whose religiosity is characterized by enmity toward Ali, for they openly took a hostile stance against him.

وَلابْنِ السِّكِّيْتِ شِعْرٌ جَيِّدٌ (١) . وَيُرْوَى أَنَّ المُتَوَكِّلَ نَظَرَ إِلَى ابْنَيْهِ؛ المُعْتَزِّ وَالمُؤَيِّدِ، فَقَالَ لاِبْنِ السِّكِّيْتِ: مَنْ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ هُمَا، أَوِ الحَسَنُ وَالحُسَيْنُ (٢) ؟ فَقَالَ: بَلْ قَنْبَرٌ (٣) . فَأَمَرَ الأَتْرَاكَ، فَدَاسُوا بَطْنَهُ، فَمَاتَ بَعْدَ يَوْمٍ. وَقِيْلَ: حُمِلَ مَيْتاً فِي بِسَاطٍ. وَكَانَ فِي المُتَوَكِّلِ نَصْبٌ (٤) - نَسْأَلُ اللهَ العَفْوَ -. مَاتَ: سَنَةَ أَرْبَعٍ وَأَرْبَعِيْنَ وَمائَتَيْنِ. قَالَ ابْنُ السِّكِّيْتِ: كَتَبَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى صَدِيْقٍ لَهُ: قَدْ عَرَضْتُ حَاجَةً إِلَيْكَ، فَإِنْ نَجَحَتْ فَالفَانِي مِنْهَا حَظِّيَ، وَالبَاقِي حَظُّكَ، وَإِنْ تَعَذَّرَتْ فَالخَيْرُ مَظنُوْنٌ بِكَ، وَالعُذْرُ مُقَدَّمٌ لَكَ، وَالسَّلاَمُ. قَالَ ثَعْلَبٌ: أَجْمَعُوا أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ بَعْدَ ابْنِ الأَعْرَابِيِّ أَعْلَمَ بِاللُّغَةِ مِنِ ابْنِ السِّكِّيْتِ. وَكَانَ المُتَوَكِّلُ قَدْ أَلْزَمَهُ تَأْدِيْبَ وَلَدِهِ المُعْتَزِّ، فَلَمَّا حَضَرَ، قَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ السِّكِّيْتِ: بِمَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ تَبْدَأَ؟ قَالَ: بِالانْصِرَافِ. قَالَ: فَأَقُوْمُ. قَالَ المُعْتَزُّ: فَأَنَا أَخَفُّ مِنْكَ، وَبَادَرَ، فَعَثَرَ، فَسَقَطَ

(١) من ذلك ما أورده ابن خلكان في " وفيات الأعيان " ٦ / ٣٩٩، ٤٠٠: إذا اشتملت على اليأس القلوب * وضاق لما به الصدر الرحيب وأوطنت المكاره واستقرت * وأرست في أماكنها الخطوب ولم تر لانكشاف الضر وجها * ولا أغنى بحيلته الاريب أتاك على قنوط منك غوث * يمن به اللطيف المستجيب وكل الحادثات إذا تناهت * فموصول بها فرج قريب (٢) الخبر بألفاظ مختلفة في " وفيات الأعيان " ٦ / ٣٩٧، ٣٩٨. وفي " النجوم الزاهرة " ٢ / ٣١٨، واللفظ فيه: من أحب إليك: أنا وولداي المؤيد والمعتز أم علي والحسن والحسين؟ فقال: والله إن شعرة من قنبر خادم علي خير منك ومن ولديك. (٣) راجع التعليق الرابع. (٤) أهل النصب: هم المتدينون ببغضة علي ﵁، لانهم نصبوا له: أي عادوه.