and that whatever had been left overly spacious should be turned into a large mosque; he likewise ordered that their graves be leveled with the ground. He sent written instructions to this effect to all provinces and regions, to every city and rural district (1).
In this same year a man called Maḥmūd ibn al-Faraj al-Naysābūrī appeared. He used to frequent the stump (2) of Bābak (3) and sit near it—this was close to the caliphal residence in Sāmarrā—where he claimed to be a prophet and to be Dhū l-Qarnayn. Only a small group (4) followed him in this delusion—twenty-seven men in all (5). He arranged for them a set of sayings in a codex of his—may Allah disfigure him—alleging, may Allah curse him, that Jibrīl, peace be upon him, had brought it to him from Allah. He was seized, and his case was reported to al-Mutawakkil, who ordered that he be flogged with whips in his presence. He confessed to what had been imputed to him and to what he had relied on, and he openly repented and recanted. The caliph then commanded that every one of his followers be given ten slaps (6). Upon him and upon them be the curse of the Lord of earth and heaven. A short time later he died on Wednesday, three days having passed of Dhū l-Ḥijjah of that year.
On Saturday, three days remained of Dhū l-Ḥijjah of this blessed year when the caliph al-Mutawakkil ʿalā Allah took the oath of succession for his three sons: Muḥammad al-Muntaṣir; then Abū ʿAbd Allah al-Muʿtazz bi-Allah, whose given name was Muḥammad—some say al-Zubayr; and finally Ibrāhīm, whom he entitled al-Muʾayyad bi-Allah, although he never attained the caliphate. To each he assigned a group of territories to govern, together with his own deputies (7), and ordered that coins be struck in each one’s name. Ibn Jarīr (8) has detailed the provinces, regions, and districts allotted to each of them. For every son two banners were raised: a black banner symbolizing the covenant and a white banner for administrative authority. A document was drafted between them recording their mutual consent and the pledge of allegiance of the commanders and notables. It was a memorable day.
During the month of Dhū l-Ḥijjah the waters of the Tigris turned yellow for three days, after which they took on the color of turbid flood-water; the people were alarmed (9) by this.
In this same year al-Mutawakkil had brought before him Yaḥyā ibn ʿUmar ibn Yaḥyā ibn Zayd ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib.