Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (15/161)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

—granted Genghis Khan and his descendants dominion over the face of the earth.”

Al-Juwayni comments: The Mongol shaykhs testify to this and accept it without question.

Al-Juwayni then cited some (1) clauses of the yasa (2): whoever commits zinā (fornication or adultery) is put to death (3), whether previously married or not; likewise, whoever commits liwāṭ (sodomy) is killed; whoever deliberately lies is killed; whoever practices sorcery is killed; whoever spies is killed; whoever steps in between two disputants and helps one side is killed; whoever urinates in standing water is killed; whoever immerses himself in it is killed; whoever, without the permission of a captive’s owners, feeds him, gives him drink, or clothes him is killed (4); whoever finds a fugitive (5) and does not return him is killed; whoever feeds a captive (6) or tosses food to anyone is killed—he must instead pass it from hand to hand. Whoever offers food to another must taste it first, even if the one being served is an amir rather than a prisoner. Whoever eats without sharing his food with those present is killed. Whoever slaughters an animal is slaughtered likewise; rather, his belly is ripped open and he must reach in with his own hand to extract its heart first.

All of this clashes with the divine laws that Allah revealed to His servants, the prophets, peace be upon them. Whoever abandons the sound, decisive Sharīʿah sent down upon Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allah, the Seal of the Prophets, and refers for judgement to any other abrogated code has committed disbelief. How much worse, then, is the case of one who refers to the yasa (7) and prefers it over the Sharīʿah! Whoever does so is a disbeliever by consensus of the Muslims.

Allah the Exalted says: “Do they seek the judgement of the age of ignorance? Yet who is better in judgement than Allah for a people who are certain?” (Quran 5:50). And He says: “But no, by your Lord, they will not truly believe until they make you judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves, then find within themselves no discomfort concerning what you have decided, and submit with full submission.” (Quran 4:65). Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has spoken the truth.

Among their customs are: absolute obedience to their ruler (8) to the utmost of their ability; presenting to him their fair virgins so that he and whichever members of his entourage he wishes may choose from them; addressing the king by his personal name; allowing anyone who passes by a group that is eating to share their food without asking permission, provided he does not step over the fire or the food tray; refraining from standing on the threshold of the kharqāh (royal felt pavilion) (9); not washing their clothes until the dirt becomes plainly visible; exempting scholars from any of the aforementioned penalties; and leaving a deceased person’s property untouched.

ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn al-Juwayni has recorded a large (10) body of reports about Genghis Khan and the acts of magnanimity he used to perform.

(1) Manuscript T: nutfan. (2) Manuscript A: al-yasāq. (3) Attested only in manuscript T. (4) Read either wakasāhu or saqāhu. (5) Manuscript B: falam. (6) Attested only in manuscript T. (7) Manuscript A: al-yasāq. (8) Manuscript T: lil-sulṭān. (9) The hadith concerning al-khurkāh (the royal tent) was mentioned above. (10) Manuscript B: tarfan kathīran.

ملكنا جنكيز خان وذريته وجه الأرض، قال الجويني: فمشايخ المغول يصدقون بهذا ويأخذونه مسلمًا. ثم ذكر الجويني شيئًا (١) من الياسا (٢) من ذلك: أنه من زنا قتل (٣) ، مُحْصَنًا كان أو غير مُحْصَنٍ، وكذلك من لاط قُتل، ومن تعمَّد الكذبَ قُتل، ومن سحر قُتل، ومن تَجَسَّسَ قُتل، ومن دخل بين اثنين يختصمان فأعان أحدهما قُتل، ومن بال في الماء الواقف قُتل، ومن انغمس فيه قُتل، ومن أطعم أسيرًا أو سقاه أو كساه (٤) بغير إِذن أهله قُتل، ومن وجد هاربًا (٥) ولم يردَّه قتل، ومن [أطعم أسيرًا] (٦) أو رمى إِلى أحد شيئًا من المأكول قُتل، بل يناوله من يده إِلى يده. ومن أطعم أحدًا شيئًا فليأكل منه أولًا ولو كان المطعوم أميرًا لا أسيرًا. ومن أكل ولم يطعم من عنده قُتل. ومن ذبح حيوانًا ذُبح مثله بل يُشَقُّ جوفُه، ويتناول قلبه بيده يستخرجه من جوفه أولًا. وفي ذلك كله مخالفة لشرائع الله المُنَزَّلة على عباده الأنبياء عليهم الصلاة والسلام، فمن ترك الشرعَ المُحْكَم المُنَزَّلَ على محمد بن عبد الله خاتم الأنبياء وتحاكم إِلى غيره من الشرائع المنسوخة كفر، فكيف بمن تحاكم إِلى الياسا (٧) وقدمها عليه؟ من فعل ذلك كفر بإِجماع المسلمين. قال الله تعالى: ﴿أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حُكْمًا لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ﴾ [المائدة: ٥٠] ، وقال [الله] تعالى: ﴿فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا﴾ [النساء: ٦٥] صدق الله العظيم. ومن آدابهم: الطاعة لسلطانهم (٨) غايةَ الاستطاعة، وأن يعرضوا عليه أبكارَهم الحسان ليختار لنفسه ومن شاء من حاشيته ما شاء منهن. ومن شأنهم أن يخاطبوا الملكَ باسمه. ومَنْ مَرَّ بقوم يأكلون فله أن يأكل معهم من غير استئذان ولا يَتَخَطَّى موقد النار ولا طبق الطعام، ولا يقف على أسكفة الخركاه (٩) ولا يغسلون ثيابهم حتى يبدو وسخُها، ولا يكلِّفون العلماء من كل ما ذكر شيئًا من الجنايات، ولا يتعرّضون لمال ميت. وقد ذكر علاء الدين الجويني طرفًا كبيرًا (١٠) من أخبار جنكيز خان ومكارم كان يفعلها

(١) ط: نتفًا. (٢) أ: الياساق. (٣) عن ط وحدها. (٤) وكساه أو سقاه. (٥) ب: فلم. (٦) عن ط وحدها. (٧) أ: الياساق. (٨) ط: للسلطان. (٩) تقدم الحديث عن (الخركاه) وهي الخيمة الملكية. (١٠) ب: طرفًا كثيرًا.