“How many trees are there in that orchard?” Iyās asked him. The man retorted, “You have been in this gathering for many years—then tell me, how many pillars does this hall have?” I answered, “I do not know,” and so I confirmed his testimony.

Khalīfah (1) and others report that he died in Wāsiṭ in 122 AH.

[Then the year 123 AH began]

Al-Madaʾinī related from his teachers that when Khāqān, king of the Turks, was killed during the governorship of Asad ibn ʿAbdallāh al-Qaṣrī over Khurāsān, the Turks were scattered, raiding and killing one another until their lands were almost laid waste; thus they were diverted from fighting the Muslims.

In that same year the people of Sogd asked the governor of Khurāsān, Naṣr ibn Sayyār, to let them return to their homeland, proposing conditions the scholars rejected—among them, that no one who apostatised from Islam be punished and that Muslim captives in their hands not be reclaimed. Because of the severe damage they were inflicting on the Muslims, Naṣr inclined to accept those terms, but the public criticised him. He wrote to Hishām about the matter; Hishām hesitated, then, realising that their continued hostility (2) toward the Muslims would cause even greater harm, he granted their request.

Meanwhile Yūsuf ibn ʿUmar, the governor of Iraq, sent a delegation to the Commander of the Faithful asking that the province of Khurāsān be added to his jurisdiction. They spoke against Naṣr ibn Sayyār, saying that although he was resolute and brave, he had grown old and his eyesight had weakened so that he could recognise a man only when close enough to hear his voice. They said much more, but Hishām paid them no heed and kept Naṣr in charge of Khurāsān.

Ibn Jarīr (3) said: In this year the pilgrimage was led by Yazīd ibn Hishām ibn ʿAbd al-Malik.

The provincial governors remained those mentioned for the previous year.

Those who died this year were: Rabīʿah ibn Yazīd al-Qaṣīr of Damascus; Abū Yūnus Sulaymān ibn Jubayr; Simāk ibn Ḥarb; and Muḥammad ibn Wāsiʿ ibn Ḥayyān. We have given their biographies in our book “At-Takmīl.” Praise belongs to Allah (4).