He replied, “I have granted him amnesty.” (1) (2)

Accompanying Ibn al-Ashʿath was ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbbās ibn Rabīʿah (3) ibn al-Ḥārith ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, and it was he who led the people in prayer there in Ratbīl’s territory. Meanwhile a body of fugitives—the scattered remnants who had escaped from al-Ḥajjāj—rallied together and set off after Ibn al-Ashʿath to catch up with him and stand at his side; they numbered close to 60,000. When they reached Sijistān they found that Ibn al-Ashʿath had already entered Ratbīl’s domain, so they overpowered Sijistān, tortured its governor ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿĀmir al-Naʿʿār (4) along with his brothers and relatives, seized all its wealth, and spread through those lands, taking possession of them.

They then wrote to Ibn al-Ashʿath: “Come out to us so that we may join you, support you against your opponents, and seize the lands of Khurāsān. A great host of our men is stationed there; we shall remain until Allah destroys al-Ḥajjāj or ʿAbd al-Malik, and after that we shall determine our course.”

Ibn al-Ashʿath came out to them and led them a short distance toward Khurāsān, whereupon a faction of Iraqis under ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Samurah broke away from him. Ibn al-Ashʿath addressed them, denouncing their betrayal and their refusal to fight, and said, “I have no need of you. I am going to my ally Ratbīl, and I shall stay with him.” He then left them; a number followed him, but the majority of the army remained behind.

Once Ibn al-Ashʿath had withdrawn, they pledged allegiance to ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbbās ibn Rabīʿah (3) ibn al-Ḥārith ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib al-Hāshimī and marched with him toward Khurāsān. The provincial governor, Yazīd ibn al-Muhallab ibn Abī Ṣufrah, came out against them and barred them from entering his territory. He wrote to ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbbās: “The land is wide; go to a region where no governor rules, for I dislike fighting you. If it is money you seek, I will send it to you.”

ʿAbd al-Raḥmān replied, “We have not come to fight anyone. We came only to rest ourselves and our horses, and then we shall depart; we have no need of anything you offer.” Nevertheless, he proceeded to levy the land tax on the surrounding districts of Khurāsān. Yazīd ibn al-Muhallab, accompanied by his brother al-Mufaḍḍal and large forces, marched out against him. When the two sides met they fought only briefly before the troops of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbbās were routed. Yazīd inflicted heavy casualties, captured many prisoners, carried off everything in their camp, and sent the captives—including Muḥammad ibn Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ—to al-Ḥajjāj.

It is said that Muḥammad ibn Saʿd pleaded with Yazīd ibn al-Muhallab, “I appeal to you by the prayer my father once made for your father: release me,” and Yazīd set him free.

Abu Jaʿfar Ibn Jarīr (5) notes that there is a lengthy report concerning this incident. When the prisoners were brought before al-Ḥajjāj, he executed most of them and pardoned some.

On the day al-Ḥajjāj prevailed over Ibn al-Ashʿath he had a herald announce to the people: “Whoever returns