Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (15/162)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

and the acts of magnanimity he would carry out (1) by virtue of his native disposition and the promptings of his reason, even though he was a polytheist who worshipped others alongside Allah. He had slain multitudes whose number is known only to the One who created them. Yet the first provocation (2) came from Khwarazm Shah. When Genghis Khan dispatched merchants on his behalf, laden with abundant goods from his lands, they reached Iran, where the governor under Khwarazm Shah—who was the father of Kishli Khan’s wife—killed them and seized everything they had. Genghis Khan therefore sent to Khwarazm Shah (3) to ascertain whether this had taken place with his approval or whether he was unaware (4) of it.

Khwarazm Shah disavowed the deed and replied: “It is well known among kings that merchants are not to be killed, for they are the lifeblood of the provinces and the ones who bring to kings gifts (5) and precious rarities. Moreover, those merchants followed your own religion, yet your deputy slew them. If this was by an order you gave, we shall demand (6) retaliation for their blood; otherwise, repudiate it and punish your deputy.”

When Khwarazm Shah heard this from Genghis Khan’s envoy, he could think of no answer except to order the envoy beheaded (7)—a grievous miscalculation, for he was senile and advanced in age. The hadith states, “Itrukū al-Turk mā tarakūkum” (Leave the Turks so long as they leave you) (8).

When word of this reached Genghis Khan, he prepared to fight Khwarazm Shah and seize his territories. By Allah’s decree there then occurred events more astonishing and more horrific than any ever heard.

Al-Juwayni relates, among other things, that a peasant once brought him, as part of the game he had caught (9), three melons. It so happened that none of the treasurers were present with Genghis Khan, so he said to his wife, the khātūn, “Give him those two earrings you are wearing; each of them contains an exceedingly precious gem.” The woman begrudged them and said, “Postpone it until tomorrow” (10). He replied, “The man will spend this night anxious, and perhaps nothing will be given to him after this. Besides, whoever buys these two will inevitably bring them back to you (11)…"

(1) In manuscript t: lisajiyyatihi (for his natural disposition). (2) In manuscript t: kana al-barabira (it read “they were barbarians”). (3) In manuscript b: yastaalam (he inquires). (4) In manuscripts a and b: lam yaalam (he did not know). (5) In manuscript t: ma fihi al-Tuhaf (it does not include al-Tuhaf). (6) In manuscript a: “Fa-in kana amran, ankarat illa talabna bi-dima’ihim” (But if it was a matter, she refused unless we demanded their blood). In manuscript b: “Ankartuhu wa-illa wa-ma huna min t” (I denied it—except what comes from t). (7) In manuscripts a and b: ba’da-ha fadl (then “virtue”). (8) Al-Hafiz al-Haythami cites the hadith in Majma‘ al-Zawa’id (5/304), noting that al-Tabarani narrated it in al-Awsat with Marwan ibn Salim (al-Jazari), which he classifies as mursal (disconnected); he also records it (7/312) in al-Kabir and al-Awsat with ‘Uthman ibn Yahya al-Qarqasani (an unknown narrator). It is likewise mentioned by Ibn al-Jawzi in al-Mawdu‘at no. 1205. I conclude that the hadith is very weak in any case. (9) Reported only by manuscript t. (10) In manuscript a: “Look toward tomorrow, for this man does not know who they are.” He said to her, “Deliver them to him, for they will not spend this night anywhere but with you, and we cannot possibly let this man leave us.” (11) In manuscript b: “Watch him until tomorrow… and perhaps nothing will happen to him after this.”

بسجيته (١) وما أداه إِليه عقله وإِن كان مشركًا بالله كان يعبد معه غيره، وقد قَتل من الخلائق ما لا يعلم عددهم إِلا الذي خلقهم، ولكن كان البداء (٢) من خوارزم شاه، فإِنه لما أرسل جنكيز خان تجارًا من جهته معهم بضائع كثيرة من بلاده فانتهوا إِلى إِيران فقتلهم نائبها من جهة خوارزم شاه، وهو والد زوجة كشلي خان، وأخذ جميع ما كان معهم، فأرسل جنكيز خان إِلى خوارزم شاه يستعلمه (٣) هل وقع هذا الأمر عن رضىً منه أو أنه لا يعلم (٤) به، فأنكره وقال له فيما أرسل إِليه: من المعهود من الملوك أن التجار لا يقتلون لأنهم عمارة الأقاليم، وهم الذين يحملون إِلى الملوك التحف (٥) والأشياء النفيسة، ثم إِن هؤلاء التجار كانوا على دينك فقتلهم نائبك، فإِن كان أمرًا أمرت به طلبنا (٦) بدمائهم، وإِلا فأنت تنكره وتقتص من نائبك. فلما سمع خوارزم شاه من رسول جنكيز خان لم يكن له جوابٌ سوى أنه أمر بضرب عنقه (٧) فأساء التدبير، وقد كان خرف وكبرت سنه، وقد ورد الحديث "اتركوا الترك ما تركوكم" (٨) فلما بلغ ذلك جنكيز خان تجهز لقتاله وأخذ بلاده، فكان بقدر الله تعالى ما كان من الأمور التي لم يسمع بأغرب منها ولا أبشع. فمما ذكره الجويني أنه قدم له بعض الفلاحين بالصيد (٩) ثلاث بطيخات فلم يتفق أن عند جنكيز خان أحد من الخزندارية، فقال لزوجته الخاتون: أعطيه هذين القرطين الذين في أذنيك، وكان فيهما جوهرتان نفيستان جدًا، فشحت المرأة بهما وقالت: أنظره إِلى غد (١٠) ، فقال إِنه يبيت هذه الليلة مقلقل الخاطر، وربما لا يجعل (١١) له شيء بعد هذا، وإِن هذين لا يمكن أحدًا إِذا اشتراهما إِلا جاء بهما إِليك

(١) ط: لسجيته. (٢) ط: كان البرابرة. (٣) ب: يستعلم. (٤) أ، ب: لم يعلم. (٥) ط: ما فيه التحف. (٦) أ: فإن كان أمرًا أنكرت إِلا طلبنا بدمائهم. ب: أنكرته وإِلا وما هنا من ط. (٧) بعدها في أ، ب: فضل. (٨) ذكر الحديث الحافظ الهيثمي في "مجمع الزوائد" (٥/ ٣٠٤) وقال: رواه الطبراني في "الأوسط" وفيه مروان بن سالم، وهو الجزري، متروك، وذكره أيضًا (٧/ ٣١٢) وقال: رواه الطبراني في الكبير والأوسط وفيه (عثمان بن يحيى القرقساني) ولم أعرفه، والحديث ذكره ابن الجوزي في الموضوعات رقم (١٢٠٥) أقول: فالحديث ضعيف جدًا على كل حال. (٩) عن ط وحدها. (١٠) أ: انظر إِلى غده فإِن هذا لا يدري ما هما فقال لها ادفعيهما إِليه فإِنهما لا يبيتان هذه الليلة إِلا عندك وإِن هذا الرجل لا يمكننا أن ندعه يذهب عنا. (١١) ب: انظره إِلى غده. . وربما لا يحصل له شيء بعد هذا.