Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (14/244)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

He said, (1) “The reason for this was that Asad al-Din Shirkuh ibn Shadhi had grown so prominent in Nur al-Din’s eyes that he seemed almost (2) a partner with him in the realm. He amassed estates, (3) wealth, farms, and villages. At times his deputies wronged their neighbors over land, (4) and Qadi Kamal al-Din would grant justice to anyone who appealed to him against every amir except this Asad al-Din; (5) against him the judge dared not proceed. Once Nur al-Din had built the House of Justice, Asad al-Din ordered his deputies not to leave a single grievance outstanding against him, even were it a grave matter, (6) for the loss of his property was dearer to him than that Nur al-Din should regard him as an oppressor or make him stand with a commoner as his opponent. (7) They complied. After Nur al-Din had sat in the House of Justice for a long while without anyone lodging a complaint (8) against Asad al-Din, he asked the qadi about it. The qadi explained the situation, whereupon Nur al-Din prostrated in thanks to Allah and said, “Praise be to Allah, whose companions (9) do justice to themselves.”

As for his courage, people used to say that no one looked finer or more steady on horseback than he. He played polo with great skill: he would strike the ball, gallop after it, snatch it out of the air with his hand, and hurl it to the far end of the field. His mallet was never seen raised above his head, nor even in his hand, for his sleeve concealed it—such was his disdain for the game.

He was brave and patient in warfare; he was the very measure by which courage was judged.

He would say, “I have sought martyrdom more than once, yet it has never been granted to me.” (10) One day the jurist Qutb al-Din al-Naysaburi (11) said to him, “By Allah, our master the Sultan, do not risk your life. If you were killed, everyone with you would perish and the lands would be taken.” (12) He replied, “Be silent, O Qutb al-Din! Your words are disrespectful toward Allah. And who is Mahmoud? Who was preserving the religion before me other than Allah—there is no god but He?” Those present wept (13). (May Allah have mercy on him.)

(1) Absent in manuscript T. (2) In manuscripts A and B: sharik (partner). (3) In manuscript A, after this: “and the children.” (4) In manuscript T, after this: “and the just properties.” (5) In A: istada’ahu (he summoned him). (6) In A and B: “and if he were great.” (7) In B: khasmuhu (his adversary). (8) In A: yastada’i ’ala Nur al-Din (he sues Nur al-Din). (9) Absent in B. (10) In T, after this: “And if there were any good in me and I had standing with Allah, He would have provided it for me; deeds are by intention.” This report appears in al-Rawdatan (vol. I, p. 8). (11) He is Mas’ud ibn Muhammad; his biography appears in Wafayat for the year 578 in this volume. (12) In T, after this: “and the condition of the Muslims deteriorated.” (13) In T: “who was present.”

قال (١) : وكان سبب ذلك أن أسد الدين شيركوه بن شاذي كان قد عظم شأنه عند نور الدين حتى صار كأنه شريكه (٢) في المملكة، واقتنى الأملاك (٣) والأموال والمزارع والقرى. وكان ربما ظلم نوابُه جيرانَهم في الأراضي (٤) ، وكان القاضي كمال الدين ينصف كل من استعداه (٥) على جميع الأمراء إِلا أسد الدين هذا، فما كان يهجم عليه، فلما ابتنى نور الدين دار العدل تقدم أسد الدين إِلى نوابه ألا يَدَعُوا لأحد عنده ظلامة، وإِن كانت عظيمة (٦) ، فإِن زوال ماله عنده أحب إِليه من أن يراه نور الدين بعين ظالم أو يوقفه مع خصم (٧) من العامة، ففعلوا ذلك، فلما جلس نور الدين بدار العدل مدة متطاولة، ولم ير أحدًا يستعدي (٨) على أسد الدين، فسأل القاضي عن ذلك، فأعلمه بصورة الحال، فسجد نور الدين عند ذلك شكرًا لله، وقال: الحمد لله الذي أصحابنا (٩) ينصفون من أنفسهم. وأما شجاعته فكان يقال: إِنه لم ير على ظهر الفرس أحسن ولا أثبت منه. وكان يحسن اللعب بالكرة، وربما ضربها ثم يسوق وراءها ويأخذها من الهواء بيده، ثم يرميها إِلى آخر الميدان، ولم يُرَ جوكانه يعلو على رأسه، ولا يرى الجوكان في يده، لأنّ الكم ساتر لها، ولكنه استهانة بلعب الكرة. وكان شجاعًا، صبورًا في الحرب، يضرب به المثل في ذلك. وكان يقول: قد تعرّضت للشهادة غير مرة، فلم يتّفق لي ذلك (١٠) ، فقال له يومًا الفقيه قطب الدين النيسابوري (١١) : بالله يا مولانا السلطان لا تخاطر بنفسك، فإِنك لو قُتلت قتل جميع من معك وأُخذت البلاد (١٢) ، فقال: اسكت يا قطب الدين، فإِن قولك إِساءة أدب مع الله ومن هو محمود؟ من كان يحفظ الدين قبلي غير الله الذي لا إِله إِلا هو؟ قال: فبكى من حضر (١٣) . (رحمه الله) .

(١) ليست في ط. (٢) أ، ب: شريك. (٣) بعدها في أ: والأولاد. (٤) بعدها في ط: والأملاك العدل. (٥) في أ: استدعاه. (٦) أ، ب: وإِن كان عظيمًا. (٧) ب: خصمه. (٨) أ: يستدعي على نور الدين. (٩) ليست في ب. (١٠) بعدها في ط: ولو كان فيّ خير ولي عند الله قيمة لرزقنيها والأعمال بالنية. والخبر في الروضتين (١/ ٨). (١١) هو مسعود بن محمد وسترد ترجمته في وفيات سنة ٥٧٨ من هذا الجزء. (١٢) بعدها في ط: وفسد حال المسلمين. (١٣) ط: من كان حاضرًا.