Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (14/329)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

and—even if that should consume every piece of wealth and treasure he possessed—and that he would with his own hand kill the prince of Kerak, for the latter had broken the pact he had sworn to the Sultan and had treacherously attacked a caravan of merchants coming from Egypt (1), seizing their goods and then striking off their heads one by one before him while sneering, “Where is your Muhammad (2) to help you now?”

All of this vow was made at the prompting of al-Qadi al-Fadil—may Allah have mercy on him—for he guided the Sultan to it, encouraged him, and pressed him until he bound himself to it before Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Then Allah Most High healed him (3), relieving him of the illness with which He had tried him, an ailment that served as an expiation for his sins, a means of raising his rank, and a victory for Islam and its people. Good news (4) of his recovery came from every direction, the lands were adorned, and praise and thanks belong to Allah alone.

From Damascus al-Fadil (5), who was residing there, wrote to al-Muzaffar Taqi al-Din ʿUmar, the Sultan’s deputy in Egypt and his nephew:

“The Nasiri recovery has stabilized and news of it has spread abroad; after darkness its lights have risen, and after concealment its traces have become manifest. The sickness has departed—praise and thanks to Allah. Its fire has been extinguished (6), its dust scattered, its sparks put out. It was but a sudden mishap whose evil Allah averted (7), a grave affair whose burden He lifted from Islam (8), and a trial by which Allah tested our souls and found at the very least their patience (9). Allah would never neglect a supplication offered with sincere hearts, nor block an answer even though sins had clogged its way (10); nor would He fail to fulfil the promise of relief after both leader and follower had despaired:

[from al-Wāfir]
A dirge to which Time added an ‘m’,
so after misery it turned to bliss sublime;
The herald of doom spoke falsely, for I see
the sun arise—and with it the stars still shine.

Our master, the Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir, has embraced health fresh and new; his resolve is sharp and unbending, his vigor for jihad renewed, his repentance before the Lord of creation affirmed. Paradise has spread out its carpet; the reckoning is past; we have crossed the Bridge, and we were shown the terrors at whose sight the camel would nearly thread the eye of the needle.

After regaining his health the Sultan rode out from Harran, entered Aleppo, then passed through Hama and Homs, and entered

(1) In the printed edition it reads “…and he took a caravan from Egypt to al-Sham (the Levant),” omitting “the Messenger ﷺ.” (2) In the printed edition it reads “Let them call upon Him to grant you victory.” (3) In the printed edition it reads “At that time Allah healed him and cured him of that illness.” (4) In the printed edition it reads “al-Bisharat” (the glad tidings). (5) This work appears in al-Rawdhatayn (vol. 2, p. 66), though the narrative diverges. (6) In the printed edition it reads “wa tufiat” (“and it was extinguished”). (7) In the printed edition it reads “wa shinarha.” (8) In the printed edition it reads “‘aruha wa tawba.” (9) In the printed edition and in manuscript B it reads “fa-ra’a aqallu ma ‘indaha sabrana.” (10) In the printed edition it reads “tatawaqqaf” (“it ceases”).

ولو صرف في سبيل ذلك جميع ما يملكه من الأموال والذخائر، وليقتلن البرنس صاحب الكرك بيده، وذلك لأنه نقض العهد [الذي عاهد السلطان عليه، فغدر بقافلة تجار من مصر] (١) ، فأخذ أموالهم، وضرب رقابهم صبرًا بين يديه، وهو يقول: أين محمَّدكم (٢) ينصركم. وكان هذا النذر كله بإِشارة القاضي الفاضل (رحمه الله) ، هو الذي أرشده إِلى ذلك، وحثَّه عليه، حتى عقده مع الله (عز وجل) . فشفاه [الله تعالى، وعافاه مما كان ابتلاه به من ذلك] (٣) المرض الذي كان فيه كفَّارة لذنوبه، ورفع لدرجته، ونصرة للإسلام وأهله، وجاءت البشائر (٤) بذلك من كل ناحية، وزينت البلاد، ولله الحمد والمنة. وكتب (٥) الفاضل من دمشق، وهو مقيم بها إِلى المظفر تقي الدين عمر نائب مصر لعمه الناصر: إِنَّ العافية الناصريّة قد استقامت واستفاضت أخبارها، وطلعت بعد الظلمة أنوارها، وظهرت بعد الاختفاء آثارها. وولت العلَّة، ولله الحمد والمنة. وأُطفئت (٦) نارها، وانجلى غبارها، وخمد شرارها، وما كانت إِلا فلتة وقى الله شرها (٧) ، وعظيمة كفى الإسلام أمرها (٨) ، ونوبة امتحن الله بها نفوسنا، فرأى أقل ما فيها صبرها (٩) . وما كان الله ليضيع الدعاء، وقد أخلصته القلوب، ولا ليوقف (١٠) الإجابة، وإِن سدَّت طريقها الذنوب، ولا ليخلف وعد فرج وقد أيس الصاحب والمصحوب: [من الوافر] نَعِيٌّ زادَ فيهِ الدَّهْرُ مِيمًا … فَأَصْبَحَ بَعْدَ بُؤْسَاهُ نَعِيمَا وَمَا صَدَقَ النَّذِيرُ بِهِ لأَنِّي … رَأَيْتُ الشَمْسَ تَطْلُعُ وَالنُّجُومَا وقد استقبل مولانا السلطان الملك الناصر العافية غضة جديدة، والعزمة ماضية حديدة، والنشاط إِلى الجهاد، والتوبة لرب العباد، والجنة مبسوطة البساط، وقد انقضى الحساب وجزنا الصراط، وعرضنا نحن على الأهوال التي من خوفها كاد الجمل يلج في سَمِّ الخياط. ثم ركب السلطان من حرَّان بعد العافية، فدخل حلب، ثم اجتاز بحماة وحمص. ودخل إِلى

(١) مكانهما في ط: وتنقص الرسول ﷺ وذلك أنه أخذ قافلة ذاهبة من مصر إِلى الشام. (٢) ط: دعوه ينصركم. (٣) ط: فعند ذلك شفاه الله وعافاه من ذلك المرض. (٤) ط: البشارات. (٥) الكتاب في الروضتين (٢/ ٦٦) بخلاف في الرواية. (٦) ط: وطفئت. (٧) ط: وشنارها. (٨) ط: عارها وتوبة. (٩) ط، ب: فرأى أقل ما عندها صبرنا. (١٠) ط: تتوقف.