Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ - Shams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi - (15/155)

Siyar Aʿlām al-NubalāʾShams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi

Abu Ishaq the jurist (1) set out with Abu Yazid and declared, “We are the People of the Qibla, whereas those men are not; they are the offspring of the enemy of Allah. If we prevail over them, we shall still not place ourselves under Abu Yazid’s authority, for he is a Kharijite.”

Abu Maysarah al-Darir (2) said, “May Allah include me in the intercession of a lion who hurled a stone at these people.”

Al-Sabaʾi said, “By Allah, we consider it praiseworthy to kill the one who tampers with the religion.”

The jurists and worshippers then hurried out, fully armed, with drums and banners. Their Friday orator was Ahmad ibn Abi al-Walid, who roused them, saying:

“Strive against anyone who disbelieves in Allah, claims to be a lord besides Him, alters the rulings of Allah, and reviles His Prophet and the Companions of His Prophet.” The people wept bitterly, and he prayed:

“O Allah, this Qarmatian unbeliever, known as Ibn ʿUbayd Allah, who claims divinity, is a denier (3) of Your favor, a disbeliever in Your lordship, a slanderer of Your messengers, a denier of Muhammad Your Prophet, and a shedder of blood—so curse him with a devastating curse, disgrace him with lasting ignominy, and unleash Your wrath upon him morning and evening.” He then descended and led them in the Friday prayer (4).

Rabiʿ al-Qattan (5) mounted his horse in full battle dress, a Qur’an hanging from his neck and around him

(1) Ibrahim b. Ahmad al-Sabaʿi, known as al-Zahid, stood out in his age for piety and sound judgment. He was fiercely hostile to Banu Ubayd (the Fatimids), openly cursing them and declaring them unbelievers. He died in 356/967. See Maʿalim al-Iman, vol. 3, pp. 77-92. (2) Ahmad b. Nizar, Abu Maysara, was a righteous man renowned for his expertise in fiqh; his full biography appears below, no. 218 of this volume. (3) The manuscript vocalises the word in the accusative (nasb); Maʿalim al-Iman does the same. (4) Al-Bayan al-Mughrib, vol. 1, p. 285; Maʿalim al-Iman, vol. 3, pp. 39-40. (5) Rabiʿ b. Sulayman b. ʿAtaʾ Allah, al-Qattan, was regarded as the spokesman of Ifriqiya in matters of asceticism and spiritual exhortation. He vowed never to eat his fill nor to sleep fully until Allah ended the rule of Banu Ubayd. See Tartib al-Madarik, vol. 3, pp. 323-332; Maʿalim al-Iman, vol. 3, pp. 35-41.

وَخَرَجَ أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ الفَقِيْه (١) مَعَ أَبِي يَزِيْد، وَقَالَ: هُم أَهْل القِبْلَة وَأَولئك ليسُوا أَهْل قبلَة وَهُم بَنو عَدُوّ الله فَإِن ظفرنَا بِهِم لَمْ ندْخل تَحْتَ طَاعَة أَبِي يَزِيْد لأَنَّه خَارِجِيّ. قَالَ أَبُو مَيْسَرَة الضَّرِيْر (٢) :أَدخلنِي الله فِي شَفَاعَة أَسود رمَى هَؤُلاَءِ القَوْم بِحجر. وَقَالَ السبَائِي: أَي وَاللهِ نجد فِي قتل الْمُبدل لِلدين. وَتسَارع الفُقَهَاء وَالعبَاد فِي أَهبَة كَامِلَة بِالطبول وَالبنود وَخطبهُم فِي الجمعَة أَحْمَد بن أَبِي الوَلِيْد وَحرضهُم وَقَالَ: جَاهدُوا مِنْ كفر بِاللهِ وَزعم أَنَّهُ ربّ مِنْ دُوْنَ الله وَغَيّر أَحْكَام الله وَسب نَبِيّه وَأَصْحَاب نَبِيّه فَبَكَى النَّاس بكَاء شَدِيْداً وَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ هَذَا القرمطِي الكَافِر المَعْرُوْف بِابْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ المدعِي الرُّبُوبِيَّة جَاحد (٣) لِنِعْمَتِك كَافِر بِرُبُوبِيَّتِك طَاعن عَلَى رسلك مُكَذب بِمُحَمَّد نَبِيّك سَافك لِلدمَاء فَالعنه لعناً وَبيلاً وَاخزه خزيّاً طَوِيْلاً وَاغضب عَلَيْهِ بكرَة وَأَصيلاً ثُمَّ نزل فَصَلَّى بِهِم الجمعَة (٤) . وَركب ربيع القَطَّان (٥) فرسه مُلبساً وَفِي عُنُقه المُصْحَف وَحَوْلَهُ

(١) هو إبراهيم بن أحمد السبائي الزاهد، كان أوحد زمانه ورعا وعقلا، شديد العداوة لبني عبيد، مجاهرا لهم بالسب والتكفير. توفي سنة / ٣٥٦ / هـ " معالم الايمان ": ٣ / ٧٧ - ٩٢. (٢) أحمد بن نزار، أبو ميسرة، رجل صالح مشهور بالفقه، ستأتي ترجمته برقم / ٢١٨ / من هذا الجزء. (٣) في الأصل: بالنصب. وكذلك في " معالم الايمان ". (٤) " البيان المغرب ": ١ / ٢٨٥ و" معالم الايمان ": ٣ / ٣٩ - ٤٠. (٥) ربيع بن سليمان بن عطاء الله، القطان، كان لسان أفريقية في وقته في الزهد والرقائق. وكان جعل على نفسه أن لا يشبع من طعام ولا نوم حتى يقطع الله دولة بني عبيد. انظر ترجمته في " ترتيب المدارك ": ٣ / ٣٢٣ - ٣٣٢ و" معالم الايمان ": ٣ / ٣٥ - ٤١.