Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (9/102)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

Ziyad ibn Abih used to say, “Al-Ahnaf has reached such heights of dignity and honor that no governorship can add to him and no dismissal can detract from him; he runs from evil, yet it still pursues him.” (1)

Al-Hakim (2) said, “He is the one who opened Marw al-Rudh, and al-Hasan and Ibn Sirin were in his army; [he is also the one who conquered Samarqand and other lands].” (3)

It is said that he died in 67 AH; others give different years, saying he was seventy, and some say even older.

Among his sayings—when he was asked, “What is forbearance?”—he replied, “Humility coupled with patience.”

When people marveled at his forbearance he would say, “By Allah, I feel what they feel, but I am enduring.”

He also said, “I have found forbearance a stronger ally than men, and with him forbearance and honor have come to their end.”

He said, “Keep your good deed alive by letting its mention die.”

And he said, “I am amazed at anyone who twice passes through the same channel as urine—how can he be arrogant?”

He said, “I have never stood at any of these men’s doors unless I was invited, and I have never stepped between two people unless they themselves brought me between them.” (4)

Someone asked him, “How did you come to lead your people?” He replied, “By leaving alone whatever does not concern me, just as you have busied yourself with something about me that does not concern you.”

A man once addressed him harshly, saying, “By Allah, O Ahnaf, if you say one word to me you will hear ten in return.” He answered, “If you say ten to me, you will not hear even one from me.”

In his supplication he would say, “O Allah, if You punish me, I am worthy of it; and if You forgive me, You are worthy of that.”

Ziyad ibn Abih used to bring him close and favor him, but when Ziyad died and his son ʿUbayd Allah succeeded him, the son paid him no heed. Because of his plain appearance al-Ahnaf’s standing fell, and men beneath him were favored instead. (5)

Later, when ʿUbayd Allah escorted the leaders of Iraq to Muʿawiyah, he admitted them in the order of rank he himself had assigned, so that al-Ahnaf was the last to be brought in. When Muʿawiyah saw him, he honored and esteemed him [drawing him near and treating him generously], seated him beside himself on the couch, and conversed with him to the exclusion of the others.

Those present then began to praise Ibn Ziyad while al-Ahnaf remained silent. Muʿawiyah asked, “Why do you not speak?” He replied, “If I speak, I shall disagree with them.” Muʿawiyah said, “I call you all to witness that I have removed him from the governorship of Iraq. Now choose for yourselves a deputy,” and he gave them three days.

They disputed at length, and none of them thereafter mentioned ʿUbayd Allah or requested his reappointment, while al-Ahnaf did not utter a single word on the matter. When they assembled again after three days the discussion flared, voices rose, and al-Ahnaf stayed silent. Muʿawiyah said to him, “Speak.” He replied, “If you intend to appoint over it someone from the people of—"

(1) The passage from “and al-Ahnaf was not given to heated argument…” to this point is omitted in this edition. (2) al-Asami wa al-Kuna, manuscript, Egyptian National Library (vol. 1, fol. 84a). See Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, vol. 4, p. 87. (3) The text enclosed in brackets is an addition in this edition; the report appears in Tarikh al-Islam. (4) This statement of Ibn al-Ahnaf occurs in al-Kamil by al-Mubarrid, vol. 1, p. 75. (5) The passage from “for the ugliness of his appearance…” to this point is omitted in this edition.

وكان زياد بن أبيه يقول: قد بلغ الأحنف من السؤدد والشرف ما لا ينفعه معه ولاية، ولا يضره عزل، وإنه ليفر من الشر وهو يتبعه (١) . وقال الحاكم (٢) : وهو الذي افتتح مرو الروذ، وكان الحسن وابن سيرين في جيشه [وهو الذي افتتح سمرقند وغيرها من البلاد] (٣) . وقيل: إنه مات سنة سبع وستين، وقيل غير ذلك، عن سبعين سنة. وقيل عن أكثر من ذلك. ومن كلامه وقد سئل عن الحلم ما هو؟ فقال: الذل مع الصبر. وكان إذا تعجب الناس من حلمه يقول: واللَّه إني لأجد ما يجدون، ولكني صبور. وقال أيضًا: وجدت الحلم أنصر لي من الرجال وقد انتهى إليه الحلم والسؤدد. وقال: أحي معروفك بإماتة ذكره، وقال: عجبت لمن يجري مجرى البول مرتين كيف يتكبر؟ وقال: ما أتيت باب أحد من هؤلاء إلا أن أُدعى، ولا دخلت بين اثنين إلا أن يدخلاني بينهما (٤) ، وقيل له: بم سدت قومك؟ قال: بتركي من الأمر ما لا يعنيني، كما عناك من أمري ما لا يعنيك. وأغلظ له رجل في الكلام وقال: واللَّه يا أحنف لئن قلت لي واحدة لتسمعن بدلها عشرًا، فقال له: إنك إن قلت لي عشرًا لا تسمع مني واحدة. وكان يقول في دعائه: اللهم إن تعذبني فأنا أهل لذلك، وإن تغفر لي فأنت أهل لذلك. وقد كان زياد بن أبيه يقَرِّبُه ويدنيه، فلما مات زياد ووليَ ابنه عبيد اللَّه لم يرفع به رأسه، فتأخرت عنده منزلته لقبح منظره، وصار يقدم عليه من هو دونه (٥) فلما وفد برؤساء أهل العراق على معاوية أدخلهم عليه على مراتبهم عنده، فكان الأحنف آخر من أدخله عليه، فلما رآه معاوية أجلَّه وعظمه [وأدناه وأكرمه] وأجلسه معه على الفراش، ثم أقبل عليه يحادثه دونهم، ثم شرع الحاضرون في الثناء على ابن زياد والأحنف ساكت، فقال له معاوية: ما لك لا تتكلم؟ قال: إن تكلمت خالفتهم، فقال معاوية: أشهدكم أني قد عزلته عن العراق، ثم قال لهم: انظروا لكم نائبًا، وأجلهم ثلاثة أيام، فاختلفوا بينهم اختلافًا كثيرًا، ولم يذكر أحد منهم بعد ذلك عبيد اللَّه، ولا طلبه أحد منهم، ولم يتكلم الأحنف في ذلك كلمة واحدة مع أحد منهم، فلما اجتمعوا بعد ثلاث أفاضوا في ذلك الكلام، وكثر اللغط، وارتفعت الأصوات والأحنف ساكت، فقال له معاوية: تكلم، فقال له: إن كنت تريد أن تولي فيها أحدًا من أهل

(١) من قوله: وكان الأحنف لا يحتد. . . إلى هنا ساقط من ط. (٢) الأسامي والكنى - خ دار الكتب المصرية (ج ١ ق ٨٤ أ) وانظر سير أعلام النبلاء (٤/ ٨٧). (٣) ما بين معكوفين زيادة من ط، والخبر في تاريخ الإسلام. (٤) كلام ابن الأحنف هذا في الكامل للمبرد (١/ ٧٥). (٥) من قوله: لقبح منظره. . . إلى هنا ساقط من ط.