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المعجم الكبير للطبراني
Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir (Tabarani)
العشرة
The Ten Promised Paradise (may Allah be pleased with them)
سن علي بن أبي طالب ووفاته رضي الله عنه
Age and death of Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)
Mu'jam Kabir Tabarani 167 — The story of Ibn Muljam
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْأَبَّارُ، ثنا أَبُو أُمَيَّةَ عَمْرُو بْنُ هِشَامٍ الْحَرَّانِيُّ، ثنا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الطَّرَائِفيُّ، ثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ رَاشِدٍ، قَالَ: كَانَ مِنْ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ مُلْجَمٍ لَعَنَهُ اللهُ وَأَصْحَابَهُ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ مُلْجَمٍ وَالْبَرْكَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ، وَعَمْرَو بْنَ بَكْرٍ التَّمِيمِيَّ، اجْتَمَعُوا بِمَكَّةَ فَذَكَرُوا أَمْرَ النَّاسِ، وَعَابُوا عَمَلَ وُلَاتِهِمْ، ثُمَّ ذَكَرُوا أَهْلَ النَّهَرِ فَتَرَحَّمُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالُوا: وَاللهِ مَا نَصْنَعُ بِالْبَقَاءِ بَعْدَهُمْ شَيْئًا، إِخْوَانُنَا الَّذِينَ كَانُوا دُعَاةَ النَّاسِ لِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِمُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا لَا يَخَافُونَ فِي اللهِ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ، فَلَوْ شَرَيْنَا أَنْفُسَنَا، فَأَتَيْنَا أَئِمَّةَ الضَّلَالَةِ فَالْتَمَسْنَا قَتْلَهُمْ، فَأَرَحْنَا مِنْهُمُ الْبِلَادَ وَثَأَرْنَا بِهِمْ إِخْوَانَنَا، قَالَ ابْنُ مُلْجَمٍ - وَكَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ مِصْرَ -: أَنَا أَكْفِيكُمْ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَقَالَ الْبَرْكُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ: أَنَا أَكْفِيكُمْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، وَقَالَ عَمْرُو بْنُ بَكْرٍ التَّمِيمِيُّ: أَنَا أَكْفِيكُمْ عَمْرَو بْنَ الْعَاصِ، فَتَعَاهَدُوا وَتَوَاثَقُوا بِاللهِ، لَا يَنْكُصُ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ صَاحِبِهِ الَّذِي تَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَقْتُلَهُ، أَوْ يَمُوتَ دُونَهُ، فَأَخَذُوا أَسْيَافَهُمْ، فَسَمُّوها وَاتَّعَدُوا لِسَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ أَنْ يَثِبَ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ الَّذِي تَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْهِ، وَأَقْبَلَ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ إِلَى الْمِصْرِ الَّذِي فِيهِ صَاحِبُهُ الَّذِي يَطْلُبُ، فَأَمَّا ابْنُ الْمُلْجَمِ الْمُرَادِيُّ، فَأَتَى أَصْحَابَهُ بِالْكُوفَةِ وَكَاتَمَهُمْ أَمْرَهُ كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ يُظْهِرُوا شَيْئًا مِنْ أَمْرِهِ، وَأَنَّهُ لَقِيَ أَصْحَابًا لَهُ مِنْ تَيْمِ الرَّبَابِ وَقَدْ قَتَلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، مِنْهُمْ عِدَّةً يَوْمَ النَّهَرِ، فَذَكَرُوا قَتْلَاهُمْ فَتَرَحَّمُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، قَالَ: وَلَقِيَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ ذَلِكَ امْرَأَةً مِنْ تَيْمِ الرَّبَابِ يُقَالُ لَهَا قَطَامُ بِنْتُ الشَّحنةِ وَقَدْ قَتَلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَبَاهَا، وَأَخَاهَا يَوْمَ النَّهَرِ، وَكَانَتْ فَائِقَةَ الْجَمَالِ، فَلَمَّا رَآهَا الْتَبَسَتْ بِعَقْلِهِ وَنَسِيَ حَاجَتَهُ الَّتِي جَاءَ لَهَا، فَخَطَبَهَا، فَقَالَتْ: لَا أَتَزَوَّجُ حَتَّى تَشْتَفِيَ لِي، قَالَ: وَمَا تَشَائِينَ؟ قَالَتْ: ثَلَاثَةُ آلَافٍ، وَعَبْدٌ، وَقَيْنَةٌ، وَقَتْلُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، فَقَالَ: هُوَ مَهْرٌ لَكَ، فَأَمَّا قَتْلُ عَلِيٍّ فَمَا أَرَاكِ ذَكَرْتِيهِ لِي وَأَنْتِ تُرِيدِينَهُ؟ قَالَتْ: بَلَى، فَالْتَمِسْ غُرَّتَهُ فَإِنْ أَصَبْتَهُ شَفَيْتَ نَفْسَكَ وَنَفْسِي، وَنَفَعَكَ الْعَيْشُ مَعِي، وَإِنْ قُتِلْتَ فَمَا عِنْدَ اللهِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِبْرِجِ أَهْلِهَا، فَقَالَ: مَا جَاءَ بِي إِلَى هَذَا الْمِصْرِ إِلَّا قَتْلُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَتْ: فَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ ذَلِكَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي حَتَّى أَطْلُبَ لَكَ مَنْ يَشُدُّ ظَهْرَكَ، وَيُسَاعِدُكَ عَلَى أَمْرِكَ، فَبَعَثَتْ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ قَوْمِهَا مِنْ تَيْمِ الرَّبَابِ، يُقَالُ لَهُ: وَرْدَانُ، فَكَلَّمَتْهُ، فَأَجَابَهَا، وَأَتَى ابْنُ مُلْجَمٍ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَشْجَعَ يُقَالُ لَهُ: شَبِيبُ بْنُ نَجْدَةً، فَقَالَ لَهُ: هَلْ لَكَ فِي شَرَفِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ؟ قَالَ: وَمَا ذَاكَ؟ قَالَ: قَتْلُ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ، لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِدًّا، كَيْفَ تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ؟ قَالَ: أَكْمُنُ لَهُ فِي السَّحَرِ فَإِذَا خَرَجَ لِصَلَاةِ الْغَدَاةِ شَدَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَقَتَلْنَاهُ، فَإِنْ نَجَوْنَا شَفَيْنَا أَنْفُسَنَا وَأَدْرَكْنَا ثَأْرَنَا، وَإِنْ قُتِلْنَا فَمَا عِنْدَ اللهِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِبْرِجِ أَهْلِهَا، قَالَ: وَيْحَكَ لَوْ كَانَ غَيْرَ عَلِيٍّ كَانَ أَهْوَنَ عَلَيَّ، قَدْ عَرَفْتُ بَلَاءَهُ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ، وَسَابِقَتَهُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَمَا أَجِدُنِي أنْشَرِحُ لِقَتْلِهِ، قَالَ: أَمَا تَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ قَتَلَ أَهْلَ النَّهَرِ الْعُبَّادَ الْمُصَلِّينَ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى، قَالَ: فَقَتْلُهُ بِمَا قَتَلَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا، فَأَجَابَهُ فَجَاءُوا حَتَّى دَخَلُوا عَلَى قَطَامِ وَهِيَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَعْظَمِ مُعْتَكِفَةٌ فِيهِ، فَقَالُوا لَهَا: قَدْ أَجْمَعَ رَأْيُنَا عَلَى قَتْلِ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَتْ: فَإِذَا أَرَدْتُمْ ذَلِكَ فَائْتُونِي، فَجَاءَ، فَقَالَ: هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةُ الَّتِي وَاعَدْتُ فِيهَا صَاحِبِي أَنْ يَقْتُلَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنَّا صَاحِبَهُ، فَدَعَتْ لَهُمْ بِالْحَرِيرِ فَعَصَّبَتْهُمْ، وَأَخَذُوا أَسْيَافَهُمْ وَجَلَسُوا مُقَابِلَ السُّدَةِ الَّتِي يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا عَلِيٌّ، فَخَرَجَ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ لِصَلَاةِ الْغَدَاةِ، فَجَعَلَ يُنَادِي: الصَّلَاةَ الصَّلَاةَ، فَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ شَبِيبٌ فَضَرَبَهُ بِالسَّيْفِ، فَوَقَعَ السَّيْفُ بِعِضَادَةِ الْبَابِ - أَوْ بِالطَّاقِ - فَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ ابْنُ مُلْجَمٍ فَضَرَبَهُ بِالسَّيْفِ فِي قَرْنِهِ، وَهَرَبَ وَرْدَانُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ مَنْزِلَهُ، وَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي أُمِّهِ، وَهُوَ يَنْزِعُ الْحَرِيرَ وَالسَّيْفَ عَنْ صَدْرِهِ، فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا السَّيْفُ وَالْحَرِيرُ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِمَا كَانَ، فَذَهَبَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ فَجَاءَ بِسَيْفِهِ فَضَرَبَهُ، حَتَّى قَتَلَهُ وَخَرَجَ شَبِيبٌ نَحْوَ أَبْوَابِ كِنْدَةَ، وَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ إِلَّا أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ حَضْرَمَوْتَ يُقَالُ لَهُ: عُوَيْمِرٌ ضَرَبُ رِجْلَهُ بِالسَّيْفِ فَصَرَعَهُ وَجَثَمَ عَلَيْهِ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى النَّاسَ قَدْ أَقْبَلُوا فِي طَلَبِهِ، وَسَيْفُ شَبِيبٍ فِي يَدِهِ خَشِيَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ فَتَرَكَهُ، فَنَجَا بِنَفْسِهِ وَنَجَا شَبِيبٌ فِي غِمَارِ النَّاسِ، وَخَرَجَ ابْنُ مُلْجَمٍ فَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ هَمْدَانَ يُكَنَّى: أَبَا أَدَمَا فَضَرَبَ رِجْلَهُ وَصَرَعَهُ، وَتَأَخَّرَ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ وَدَفَعَ فِي ظَهْرِ جَعْدَةَ بْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ بْنِ أَبِي وَهْبٍ، فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ الْغَدَاةَ، وَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ مِنْ كُلِّ جَانِبٍ، وَذَكَرُوا أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ حُنَيْفٍ قَالَ: وَاللهِ إِنِّي لِأُصَلِّي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ الَّتِي ضُرِبَ فِيهَا عَلِيٌّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَعْظَمِ، قَرِيبًا مِنَ السُّدَّةِ فِي رِجَالٍ كَثِيرٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمِصْرِ مَا فِيهِمْ إِلَّا قِيَامٌ وَرُكُوعٌ وَسُجُودٌ وَمَا يَسْأَمُونَ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ إِلَى آخِرِهِ، إِذْ خَرَجَ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ لِصَلَاةِ الْغَدَاةِ، فَجَعَلَ يُنَادِي: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، الصَّلَاةَ الصَّلَاةَ، فَمَا أَدْرِي أَتَكَلَّمَ بِهَذِهِ الْكَلِمَاتِ أَوْ نَظَرْتُ إِلَى بَرِيقِ السُّيُوفِ، وَسَمِعْتُ: الْحُكْمُ للَّهِ، لَا لَكَ يَا عَلِيُّ وَلَا لِأَصْحَابِكَ، فَرَأَيْتُ سَيْفًا، ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُ نَاسًا، وَسَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا يَقُولُ: لَا يَفُوتُكُمُ الرَّجُلُ، وَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ مِنْ كُلِّ جَانِبٍ، فَلَمْ أَبْرَحْ حَتَّى أُخِذَ ابْنُ مُلْجَمٍ فَأُدْخِلَ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، فَدَخَلْتُ فِيمَنْ دَخَلَ مِنِ النَّاسِ، فَسَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا يَقُولُ: النَّفْسُ بِالنَّفْسِ، إِنْ هَلَكْتُ فَاقْتُلُوهُ كَمَا قَتَلَنِي، وَإِنْ بَقِيتُ رَأَيْتُ فِيهِ رَأْيِي، وَلَمَّا أُدْخِلَ ابْنُ مُلْجَمٍ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: يَا عَدُوَّ اللهِ، أَلَمْ أُحْسِنْ إِلَيْكَ؟ أَلَمْ أَفْعَلْ بِكَ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى، قَالَ: فَمَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى هَذَا؟ قَالَ: شَحَذْتُهُ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا، فَسَأَلْتُ اللهَ أَنْ يَقْتُلَ بِهِ شَرَّ خَلْقِهِ، قَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ: مَا أُرَاكَ إِلَّا مَقْتُولًا بِهِ، وَمَا أُرَاكَ إِلَّا مِنْ شَرِّ خَلْقِ اللهِ، وَكَانَ ابْنُ مُلْجَمٍ مَكْتُوفًا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ الْحَسَنِ، إِذْ نَادَتْهُ أُمُّ كُلْثُومٍ بِنْتُ عَلِيٍّ وَهِيَ تَبْكِي: يَا عَدُوَّ اللهِ، إِنَّهُ لَا بَأْسَ عَلَى أَبِي، وَاللهُ مُخْزِيكَ، قَالَ: فَعَلَامَ تَبْكِينَ؟ وَاللهِ لَقَدِ اشْتَرَيْتُهُ بِأَلْفٍ، وَسَمَّمْتُهُ بِأَلْفٍ، وَلَوْ كَانَتْ هَذِهِ الضَّرْبَةُ لِجَمِيعِ أَهْلِ الْمِصْرِ مَا بَقِيَ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ سَاعَةً، وَهَذَا أَبُوكِ بَاقِيًا حَتَّى الْآنَ، فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ لِلْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا: إِنْ بَقِيتُ رَأَيْتُ فِيهِ رَأْيِي، وَإِنْ هَلَكْتُ مِنْ ضَرْبَتِي هَذِهِ فَاضْرِبْهُ ضَرْبَةً، وَلَا تُمَثِّلْ بِهِ، فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَنْهَى عَنِ الْمُثْلَةِ وَلَوْ بِالْكَلْبِ الْعَقُورِ» وَذَكَرَ أَنَّ جُنْدُبَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ دَخَلَ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ يَسْأَلُ بِهِ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِنْ فَقَدْنَاكَ وَلَا نَفْقُدُكَ فَنُبَايِعُ الْحَسَنَ؟ قَالَ: مَا آمُرُكُمْ، وَلَا أَنْهَاكُمْ أَنْتُمْ أَبْصَرُ، فَلَمَّا قُبِضَ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ بَعَثَ الْحَسَنُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ إِلَى ابْنِ مُلْجَمٍ، فَأُدْخِلَ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ مُلْجَمٍ: هَلْ لَكَ فِي خَصْلَةٍ؟ إِنِّي وَاللهِ مَا أَعْطَيْتُ اللهَ عَهْدًا إِلَّا وَفَّيْتُ بِهِ، إِنِّي كُنْتُ أَعْطَيْتُ اللهَ عَهْدًا أَنْ أَقْتُلَ عَلِيًّا، وَمُعَاوِيَةَ أَوْ أَمُوتَ دُونَهُمَا، فَإِنْ شِئْتَ خَلَّيْتَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ، وَلَكَ اللهَ عَلَيَّ إِنْ لَمْ أُقْتُلْ أَنْ آتِيَكَ حَتَّى أَضَعَ يَدِي فِي يَدِكَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْحَسَنُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ: لَا وَاللهِ أَوْ تُعَايِنُ النَّارَ، فَقَدَّمَهُ فَقَتَلَهُ، ثُمَّ أَخَذَهُ النَّاسُ فَأَدْرَجُوهُ فِي بَوَارِي، ثُمَّ أَحْرَقُوهُ بِالنَّارِ، وَقَدْ كَانَ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: يَا بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ لَا أُلْفِيَنَّكُمْ تَخُوضُونَ دِمَاءَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، تَقُولُونَ: قُتِلَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، قُتِلَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أَلَا لَا يُقْتَلُ بِي إِلَّا قَاتِلِي، وَأَمَّا الْبَرْكُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ فَقَعَدَ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ فَخَرَجَ لِصَلَاةِ الْغَدَاةِ، فَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ بِسَيْفِهِ وَأَدْبَرَ مُعَاوِيَةُ هَارِبًا، فَوَقَعَ السَّيْفُ فِي إِلْيَتِهِ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ عِنْدِي خَبَرًا أُبَشِّرُكَ بِهِ، فَإِنْ أَخْبَرْتُكَ أَنَافِعِي ذَلِكَ عِنْدَكَ؟ قَالَ: وَمَا هُوَ؟ قَالَ: إِنَّ أَخًا لِي قَتَلَ عَلِيًّا فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ، قَالَ: فَلَعَلَّهُ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ عَلَيْهِ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى، إِنَّ عَلِيًّا يَخْرُجُ لَيْسَ مَعَهُ أَحَدٌ يَحْرُسُهُ، فَأَمَرَ بِهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ فَقُتِلَ، فَبَعَثَ إِلَى السَّاعِدِيِّ وَكَانَ طَبِيبًا، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ: إِنْ ضَرَبْتَكَ مَسْمُومَةٌ، فَاخْتَرْ مِنِّي إِحْدَى خَصْلَتَيْنِ: إِمَّا أَنْ أَحْمِيَ حَدِيدَةً فَأَضَعَهَا مَوْضِعَ السَّيْفِ، وَإِمَّا أَسْقِيَكَ شَرْبَةً تَقْطَعُ مِنْكَ الْوَلَدَ، وَتَبْرَأُ مِنْهَا، فَإِنَّ ضَرَبْتَكَ مَسْمُومَةٌ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَمَّا النَّارُ فَلَا صَبْرَ لِي عَلَيْهَا، وَأَمَّا انْقِطَاعُ الْوَلَدِ فَإِنَّ فِي يَزِيدَ، وَعَبْدِ اللهِ، وَوَلَدِهِمَا مَا تَقَرُّ بِهِ عَيْنَيَّ، فَسَقَاهُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ الشَّرْبَةَ، فَبَرَأَ فَلَمْ يُولَدْ بَعْدُ لَهُ، فَأَمَرَ مُعَاوِيَةُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بِالْمَقْصُورَاتِ، وَقِيَامِ الشُّرَطِ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ، وَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ لِلْحَسَنِ وَالْحُسَيْنِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ: أَيْ بَنِيَّ أُوصِيكُمَا بِتَقْوَى اللهِ، وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ لِوَقْتِهَا، وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ عِنْدَ مَحِلِّهَا، وَحُسْنِ الْوُضُوءِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُقْبَلُ صَلَاةٌ إِلَّا بِطَهُورٍ، وَأُوصِيكُمْ بِغَفْرِ الذَّنْبِ، وَكَظْمِ الْغَيْظِ، وَصِلَةِ الرَّحِمِ، وَالْحِلْمِ عَنِ الْجَهْلِ، وَالتَّفَقُّهِ فِي الدِّينِ، وَالتَّثَبُّتِ فِي الْأَمْرِ، وَتَعَاهُدِ الْقُرْآنِ، وَحُسْنِ الْجِوَارِ، وَالْأَمْرِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ، وَالنَّهْيِ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ، وَاجْتِنَابِ الْفَوَاحِشِ، قَالَ: ثُمَّ نَظَرَ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ فَقَالَ: هَلْ حَفِظْتَ مَا أَوْصَيْتُ بِهِ أَخَوَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: فَإِنِّي أُوصِيكَ بِمِثْلِهِ، وَأُوصِيكَ بِتَوقِيرِ أَخَوَيْكَ لِعِظَمِ حَقِّهِمَا عَلَيْكَ، وَتَزْيِينِ أَمْرِهِمَا، وَلَا تَقْطَعْ أَمْرًا دُونَهُمَا، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمَا: أُوصِيكُمَا بِهِ، فَإِنَّهُ شَقِيقُكُمَا، وَابْنُ أبِيكُمَا، وَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمَا أَنَّ أَبَاكُمَا كَانَ يُحِبُّهُ، ثُمَّ أَوْصَى فَكَانَتْ وَصِيَّتُهُ: بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، هَذَا مَا أَوْصَى بِهِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، أَوْصَى أَنَّهُ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهَ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، أَرْسَلَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ، وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، ثُمَّ أُوصِيكُمَا يَا حَسَنُ، وَيَا حُسَيْنُ، وَجَمِيعَ أَهْلِي وَوَلَدِي، وَمَنْ بَلَغَهُ كِتَابِي بِتَقْوَى اللهِ رَبِّكُمْ، وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ، وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللهِ جَمِيعًا، وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا، فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ صَلَاحَ ذَاتِ الْبَيْنِ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ عَامَّةِ الصَّلَاةِ وَالصِّيَامِ» وَانْظُرُوا إِلَى ذَوِي أَرْحَامِكُمْ فَصِلِوهُمْ يُهَوِّنُ اللهُ عَلَيْكُمُ الْحِسَابَ، وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي الْأَيْتَامِ لَا يَضِيعُنَّ بِحَضْرَتِكُمْ، وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَإِنَّهَا عَمُودُ دِينِكُمْ ، وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي الزَّكَاةِ فَإِنَّهَا تُطْفِيءُ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي الْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ فَأَشْرِكُوهُمْ فِي مَعَايِشِكُمْ، وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ فَلَا يَسْبِقَنَّكُمْ بِالْعَمَلِ بِهِ غَيْرُكُمْ، وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي الْجِهَادِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ، وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي بَيْتِ رَبِّكُمْ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَا يَخْلُوَنَّ مَا بَقِيتُمْ، فَإِنَّهُ إِنْ تُرِكَ لَمْ تَنَاظَرُوا، وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي أَهْلِ ذِمَّةِ نَبِيِّكُمْ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَلَا يُظْلَمُنَّ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَيْكُمْ، وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي جِيرَانِكُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ وَصِيَّةُ نَبِيِّكُمْ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَا زَالَ جِبْرِيلُ يُوصِينِي بِهِمْ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيُوَرِّثُهُمْ» وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي أَصْحَابِ نَبِيِّكُمْ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَإِنَّهُ وَصِيٌّ بِهِمْ، وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي الضَّعِيفَيْنِ: نِسَائُكُمْ، وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ، فَإِنَّ آخِرَ مَا تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ قَالَ: " أُوصِيكُمْ بِالضَّعِيفَيْنِ: النِّسَاءُ، وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ " الصَّلَاةَ الصَّلَاةَ، لَا تَخَافُنَّ فِي اللهِ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ، يَكْفِكُمْ مَنْ أرَادَكُمْ وَبَغَى عَلَيْكُمْ، وَقُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا كَمَا أَمَرَكُمُ اللهُ، وَلَا تَتْرُكُوا الْأَمْرَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّهْيَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ، فَيُوَلِّيَ أَمْرَكُمْ شِرَارَكُمْ، ثُمَّ تَدْعُونَ فَلَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَكُمْ، عَلَيْكُمْ بِالتَّوَاصُلِ، وَالتَّبَاذُلِ، وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَالتَّقَاطُعَ، وَالتَّدَابُرَ، وَالتَّفُرَّقَ، وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى، وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ، وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ إِنَّ اللهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ، حَفِظَكُمُ اللهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ، وَحَفِظَ فِيكُمْ نَبِيَّكُمْ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، أَسْتَوْدِعُكُمُ اللهَ وَأَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامَ، ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنْطِقْ إِلَّا بِلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهَ حَتَّى قُبِضَ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ، فِي سَنَةِ أَرْبَعِينَ وَغَسَّلَهُ الْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ وَعَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، وَكُفِّنَ فِي ثَلَاثَةِ أَثْوَابٍ لَيْسَ فِيهَا قَمِيصٌ، وَكَبَّرَ عَلَيْهِ الْحَسَنُ تِسْعَ تَكْبِيرَاتٍ، وَوَلِيَ الْحَسَنُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَمَلَهُ سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ، وَكَانَ ابْنُ مُلْجَمٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَضْرِبَ عَلِيًّا قَاعِدًا فِي بَنِي بَكْرِ بْنِ وَائِلٍ، إِذْ مُرَّ عَلَيْهِ بِجِنَازَةِ أَبْجَرَ بْنِ جَابِرٍ الْعِجْلِيِّ أَبِي حَجَّارٍ، وَكَانَ نَصْرَانِيًّا وَالنَّصَارَى حَوْلَهُ، وَأُنَاسٌ مَعَ حَجَّارٍ بِمَنْزِلَتِهِ فِيهِمْ، يَمْشُونَ فِي جَانِبٍ، أَمَامَهُمْ شَقِيقُ بْنُ ثَوْرٍ السُّلَمِيُّ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُمْ قَالَ: مَا هَؤُلَاءِ؟ فَأُخْبِرَ، ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَ يَقُولُ:
[البحر الطويل]
لَئِنْ كَانَ حَجَّارُ بْنُ أَبْجَرَ مُسْلِمًا ... لَقَدْ بُوعِدَتْ مِنْهُ جِنَازَةُ أَبْجَرِ
وَإِنْ كَانَ حَجَّارُ بْنُ أَبْجَرَ كَافِرًا ... فَمَا مِثْلُ هَذَا مِنْ كُفُورٍ بِمُنْكَرِ
أَتَرْضَوْنَ هَذَا إِنَّ قِسًّا وَمُسْلِمًا ... جَمِيعًا لَدَى نَعْشٍ فَيَا قُبْحَ مَنْظَرِ
وَقَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي عَيَّاشٍ الْمُرَادِيُّ:
[البحر الطويل]
وَلَمْ أَرَ مَهْرًا سَاقَهُ ذُو سَمَاحَةٍ ... كَمَهْرِ قَطَامِ بَيِّنًا غَيْرَ مُعْجَمِ
ثَلَاثَةُ آلَافٍ، وَعَبْدٌ، وَقَيْنَةٌ ... وَضَرْبُ عَلِيٍّ بِالْحُسَامِ الْمُصَمَّمِ
وَلَا مَهْرَ أَغْلَى مِنْ عَلِيٍّ وَإِنْ غَلَا ... وَلَا قَتْلَ إِلَّا دُونَ قَتْلِ ابْنِ مُلْجَمِ
، وَقَالَ أَبُو الْأَسْوَدِ الدُّؤَلِيُّ:
[البحر الوافر]
أَلَا أَبْلِغْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنَ حَرْبٍ ... وَلَا قَرَّتْ عُيُونُ الشَّامِتِينَا
أَفِي الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ فَجَعْتُمُونَا ... بِخَيْرِ النَّاسِ طُرًّا أَجْمَعِينَا
قَتَلْتُمُ خَيْرَ مَنْ رَكِبَ الْمَطَايَا ... وَخَيْسَهَا وَمَنْ رَكِبَ السَّفِينَا
وَمَنْ لَبِسَ النِّعَالَ وَمَنْ حَذَاهَا ... وَمَنْ قَرَأَ الْمَثَانِيَ وَالْمِئِينَا
لَقَدْ عَلِمَتْ قُرَيْشٌ حَيْثُ كَانَتْ ... بِأَنَّكَ خَيْرُهَا حَسَبًا وَدِينًا
، وَأَمَّا عَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَقَعَدَ لِعَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ الَّتِي ضُرِبَ فِيهَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ وَكَانَ اشْتَكَى بَطْنَهُ، فَأَمَرَ خَارِجَةَ بْنَ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، وَكَانَ صَاحِبَ شُرْطَتِهِ، وَكَانَ مِنْ بَنِي عَامِرِ بْنِ لُؤَيٍّ، فَخَرَجَ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ، فَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ يَرَى أَنَّهُ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ فَضَرَبَهُ بِالسَّيْفِ فَقَتَلَهُ، فَأُخِذَ وَأُدْخِلَ عَلَى عَمْرٍو، فَلَمَّا رَآهُمْ يُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْإِمْرَةِ قَالَ: مَنْ هَذَا؟ قَالُوا: عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ، قَالَ: فَمَنْ قَتَلْتُ؟ قَالُوا: خَارِجَةَ، قَالَ: أَمَا وَاللهِ يَا فَاسِقُ مَا ضَمَّدْتُ غَيْرَكَ، قَالَ عَمْرٌو: أَرَدْتَنِي، وَاللهُ أَرَادَ خَارِجَةَ، فَقَدَّمَهُ فَقَتَلَهُ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ مُعَاوِيَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ:
[البحر الطويل]
وَقَتْكَ وَأَسْبَابُ الْأُمُورِ كَثِيرَةٌ ... مَنِيَّةُ شَيْخٍ مِنْ لُؤَيِّ بْنِ غَالِبِ
فَيَا عَمْرُو مَهْلًا إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ عَمُّهُ ... وَصَاحِبُهُ دُونَ الرِّجَالِ الْأَقَارِبِ
نَجَوْتَ وَقَدْ بَلَّ الْمُرَادِيُّ سَيْفَهُ ... مِنَ ابْنِ أَبِي شَيْخِ الْأَبَاطِحِ طَالِبِ
وَيَضْرِبُنِي بِالسَّيْفِ آخَرُ مِثْلُهُ ... فَكَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ تِلْكَ ضَرْبَةَ لَازِبِ
وَأَنْتَ تُنَاغِي كُلَّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ ... بِمِصْرِكَ بِيضًا كَالظِّبَاءِ الشَّوَارِبِ
، وَكَانَ الَّذِي ذَهَبَ بِنَعْيِهِ سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ شَمْسِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ الزُّهْرِيُّ، وَقَدْ كَانَ الْحَسَنُ بَعَثَ قَيْسَ بْنَ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ عَلَى تَقْدِمَتِهِ فِي اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا، وَخَرَجَ مُعَاوِيَةُ حَتَّى نَزَلَ إِيلِيَاءَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْعَامِ، وَخَرَجَ الْحُسَيْنُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، حَتَّى نَزَلَ فِي الْقُصُورِ الْبِيضِ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ، وَخَرَجَ مُعَاوِيَةُ حَتَّى نَزَلَ مَسْكَنًا وَكَانَ عَلَى الْمَدَائِنِ عَمُّ الْمُخْتَارِ لِابْنِ أَبِي عُبَيْدٍ، وَكَانَ يُقَالُ لَهُ: سَعْدُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمُخْتَارُ وَهُوَ يَوْمَئِذٍ غُلَامٌ: هَلْ لَكَ فِي الْغِنَى وَالشَّرَفِ؟ قَالَ: وَمَا ذَاكَ؟ قَالَ: تُوثِقُ الْحَسَنَ وَتَسْتَأْمِنْ بِهِ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ سَعْدٌ: عَلَيْكَ لَعْنَةُ اللهِ، أَأَثِبُ عَلَى ابْنِ بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأُوثِقُهُ؟ بِئْسَ الرَّجُلُ أَنْتَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْحَسَنُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ تَفَرُّقَ النَّاسِ عَنْهُ بَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ يَطْلُبُ الصُّلْحَ، فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَامِرٍ وَعَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ بْنِ حَبِيبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ شَمْسٍ فَقَدِمَا عَلَى الْحَسَنِ بِالْمَدَائِنِ، فَأَعْطَيَاهُ مَا أَرَادَ وَصَالَحَاهُ، ثُمَّ قَامَ الْحَسَنُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ فِي النَّاسِ، وَقَالَ: يَا أَهْلَ الْعِرَاقِ، إِنَّهُ مِمَّا يُسْخِئُ بِنَفْسِي عَنْكُمْ ثَلَاثٌ: قَتْلُكُمْ أَبِي، وَطَعْنُكُمْ إِيَّايَ، وَانْتِهَابُكُمْ مَتَاعِي، وَدَخَلَ فِي طَاعَةِ مُعَاوِيَةَ رَحِمَهُمَا اللهُ، وَدَخَلَ الْكُوفَةَ فَبَايَعَهُ النَّاسُ "
[البحر الطويل]
لَئِنْ كَانَ حَجَّارُ بْنُ أَبْجَرَ مُسْلِمًا ... لَقَدْ بُوعِدَتْ مِنْهُ جِنَازَةُ أَبْجَرِ
وَإِنْ كَانَ حَجَّارُ بْنُ أَبْجَرَ كَافِرًا ... فَمَا مِثْلُ هَذَا مِنْ كُفُورٍ بِمُنْكَرِ
أَتَرْضَوْنَ هَذَا إِنَّ قِسًّا وَمُسْلِمًا ... جَمِيعًا لَدَى نَعْشٍ فَيَا قُبْحَ مَنْظَرِ
وَقَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي عَيَّاشٍ الْمُرَادِيُّ:
[البحر الطويل]
وَلَمْ أَرَ مَهْرًا سَاقَهُ ذُو سَمَاحَةٍ ... كَمَهْرِ قَطَامِ بَيِّنًا غَيْرَ مُعْجَمِ
ثَلَاثَةُ آلَافٍ، وَعَبْدٌ، وَقَيْنَةٌ ... وَضَرْبُ عَلِيٍّ بِالْحُسَامِ الْمُصَمَّمِ
وَلَا مَهْرَ أَغْلَى مِنْ عَلِيٍّ وَإِنْ غَلَا ... وَلَا قَتْلَ إِلَّا دُونَ قَتْلِ ابْنِ مُلْجَمِ
، وَقَالَ أَبُو الْأَسْوَدِ الدُّؤَلِيُّ:
[البحر الوافر]
أَلَا أَبْلِغْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنَ حَرْبٍ ... وَلَا قَرَّتْ عُيُونُ الشَّامِتِينَا
أَفِي الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ فَجَعْتُمُونَا ... بِخَيْرِ النَّاسِ طُرًّا أَجْمَعِينَا
قَتَلْتُمُ خَيْرَ مَنْ رَكِبَ الْمَطَايَا ... وَخَيْسَهَا وَمَنْ رَكِبَ السَّفِينَا
وَمَنْ لَبِسَ النِّعَالَ وَمَنْ حَذَاهَا ... وَمَنْ قَرَأَ الْمَثَانِيَ وَالْمِئِينَا
لَقَدْ عَلِمَتْ قُرَيْشٌ حَيْثُ كَانَتْ ... بِأَنَّكَ خَيْرُهَا حَسَبًا وَدِينًا
، وَأَمَّا عَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَقَعَدَ لِعَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ الَّتِي ضُرِبَ فِيهَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ وَكَانَ اشْتَكَى بَطْنَهُ، فَأَمَرَ خَارِجَةَ بْنَ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، وَكَانَ صَاحِبَ شُرْطَتِهِ، وَكَانَ مِنْ بَنِي عَامِرِ بْنِ لُؤَيٍّ، فَخَرَجَ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ، فَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ يَرَى أَنَّهُ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ فَضَرَبَهُ بِالسَّيْفِ فَقَتَلَهُ، فَأُخِذَ وَأُدْخِلَ عَلَى عَمْرٍو، فَلَمَّا رَآهُمْ يُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْإِمْرَةِ قَالَ: مَنْ هَذَا؟ قَالُوا: عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ، قَالَ: فَمَنْ قَتَلْتُ؟ قَالُوا: خَارِجَةَ، قَالَ: أَمَا وَاللهِ يَا فَاسِقُ مَا ضَمَّدْتُ غَيْرَكَ، قَالَ عَمْرٌو: أَرَدْتَنِي، وَاللهُ أَرَادَ خَارِجَةَ، فَقَدَّمَهُ فَقَتَلَهُ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ مُعَاوِيَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ:
[البحر الطويل]
وَقَتْكَ وَأَسْبَابُ الْأُمُورِ كَثِيرَةٌ ... مَنِيَّةُ شَيْخٍ مِنْ لُؤَيِّ بْنِ غَالِبِ
فَيَا عَمْرُو مَهْلًا إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ عَمُّهُ ... وَصَاحِبُهُ دُونَ الرِّجَالِ الْأَقَارِبِ
نَجَوْتَ وَقَدْ بَلَّ الْمُرَادِيُّ سَيْفَهُ ... مِنَ ابْنِ أَبِي شَيْخِ الْأَبَاطِحِ طَالِبِ
وَيَضْرِبُنِي بِالسَّيْفِ آخَرُ مِثْلُهُ ... فَكَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ تِلْكَ ضَرْبَةَ لَازِبِ
وَأَنْتَ تُنَاغِي كُلَّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ ... بِمِصْرِكَ بِيضًا كَالظِّبَاءِ الشَّوَارِبِ
، وَكَانَ الَّذِي ذَهَبَ بِنَعْيِهِ سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ شَمْسِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ الزُّهْرِيُّ، وَقَدْ كَانَ الْحَسَنُ بَعَثَ قَيْسَ بْنَ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ عَلَى تَقْدِمَتِهِ فِي اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا، وَخَرَجَ مُعَاوِيَةُ حَتَّى نَزَلَ إِيلِيَاءَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْعَامِ، وَخَرَجَ الْحُسَيْنُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، حَتَّى نَزَلَ فِي الْقُصُورِ الْبِيضِ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ، وَخَرَجَ مُعَاوِيَةُ حَتَّى نَزَلَ مَسْكَنًا وَكَانَ عَلَى الْمَدَائِنِ عَمُّ الْمُخْتَارِ لِابْنِ أَبِي عُبَيْدٍ، وَكَانَ يُقَالُ لَهُ: سَعْدُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمُخْتَارُ وَهُوَ يَوْمَئِذٍ غُلَامٌ: هَلْ لَكَ فِي الْغِنَى وَالشَّرَفِ؟ قَالَ: وَمَا ذَاكَ؟ قَالَ: تُوثِقُ الْحَسَنَ وَتَسْتَأْمِنْ بِهِ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ سَعْدٌ: عَلَيْكَ لَعْنَةُ اللهِ، أَأَثِبُ عَلَى ابْنِ بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأُوثِقُهُ؟ بِئْسَ الرَّجُلُ أَنْتَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْحَسَنُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ تَفَرُّقَ النَّاسِ عَنْهُ بَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ يَطْلُبُ الصُّلْحَ، فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَامِرٍ وَعَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ بْنِ حَبِيبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ شَمْسٍ فَقَدِمَا عَلَى الْحَسَنِ بِالْمَدَائِنِ، فَأَعْطَيَاهُ مَا أَرَادَ وَصَالَحَاهُ، ثُمَّ قَامَ الْحَسَنُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ فِي النَّاسِ، وَقَالَ: يَا أَهْلَ الْعِرَاقِ، إِنَّهُ مِمَّا يُسْخِئُ بِنَفْسِي عَنْكُمْ ثَلَاثٌ: قَتْلُكُمْ أَبِي، وَطَعْنُكُمْ إِيَّايَ، وَانْتِهَابُكُمْ مَتَاعِي، وَدَخَلَ فِي طَاعَةِ مُعَاوِيَةَ رَحِمَهُمَا اللهُ، وَدَخَلَ الْكُوفَةَ فَبَايَعَهُ النَّاسُ "
Isma'il bin Rashid (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The story of Ibn Muljam (may Allah curse him) and his companions is that Abd al-Rahman bin Muljam, al-Burak bin Abdullah and Amr bin Bakr al-Tamimi gathered in Makkah. They spoke about the affairs of the people and found fault with the conduct of their rulers. Then they mentioned the people of al-Nahr (the Khawarij of Nahrawan) and prayed for mercy upon them, and said: "By Allah! There is no benefit for us in remaining alive after them, those brothers of ours who used to call the people to the worship of their Lord, who did not fear the blame of any blamer in the matter of Allah (are gone). So why should we not sell our souls, go to the leaders of misguidance and seek to kill them, so that we free the lands of them and take revenge for our brothers?" Ibn Muljam, who was from the people of Egypt, said: "I will suffice you for Ali bin Abi Talib." Al-Burak bin Abdullah said: "I will suffice you for Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan." And Amr bin Bakr al-Tamimi said: "I will suffice you for Amr bin al-As." So they made a covenant among themselves and swore oaths by Allah that none of them would turn back from the man he had set out for until he killed him or died before him. So they took their swords and poisoned them, and they fixed the 17th of Ramadan as the date on which each of them would attack the man he had set out for, and each of them set off for the city in which the man he sought was.
As for Ibn Muljam al-Muradi, he came to his companions in Kufah and kept his affair hidden from them, out of dislike that they might reveal something of his affair. He met some companions of his from Banu Taym al-Ribab, many of whom Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) had killed on the day of al-Nahr (Nahrawan), and they mentioned their slain and prayed for mercy upon them. The narrator said: On that same day he met a woman of Banu Taym al-Ribab called Qatam bint al-Shihnah, whose father and brother Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) had killed on the day of al-Nahr, and she was exceedingly beautiful. When he saw her, she overpowered his mind and he forgot the purpose for which he had come, so he proposed marriage to her. She said: "I will not marry until you heal (my heart) for me." He asked: "What do you want?" She said: "Three thousand, a slave, a singing slave-girl, and the killing of Ali bin Abi Talib." He said: "That is your dowry; but the killing of Ali? I do not think that you mentioned it to me really wanting it?" She said: "Indeed (I truly want it). Seek a moment when he is off his guard; if you get him, you will heal your heart and mine, and living with me will be of benefit to you; and if you are killed, then what is with Allah is better than this world and the finery of its people." He said: "Nothing brought me to this city except the killing of Ali." She said: "When you intend it, tell me, so that I may find for you someone who will strengthen your back and help you in your task." So she sent for a man of her people, Banu Taym al-Ribab, called Wardan, and spoke to him, and he agreed to her request. Ibn Muljam came to a man of Banu Ashja' called Shabib bin Najdah and said to him: "Do you have an interest in the honour of this world and the Hereafter?" He asked: "What is that?" He said: "The killing of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)." He said: "May your mother be bereaved of you! You have spoken of something grave. How will you be able to kill him?" He said: "I will lie in ambush for him in the early dawn; when he comes out for the Fajr prayer, we will attack him and kill him. If we escape, we will heal our hearts and take our revenge; and if we are killed, then what is with Allah is better than this world and the finery of its people." He said: "Woe to you! If it were anyone other than Ali, it would be easier for me. I know his services in Islam and his precedence with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and I do not find my heart at ease with killing him." He said: "Do you not know that he killed the people of al-Nahr, the worshippers who prayed?" He said: "Indeed." He said: "Then killing him is in return for those of our brothers whom he killed." So he agreed to him. They all came until they went in to Qatam, who was in i'tikaf in the Great Mosque, and said to her: "Our opinion has agreed upon killing Ali." She said: "When you intend it, come to me." So he (Ibn Muljam) came and said: "This is the very night on which I promised my companions that each one of us would kill his man." So she called for silk for them and bound it (on their chests), and they took their swords and sat opposite the door from which Ali used to come out.
Then Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came out for the Fajr prayer and began calling: "The prayer, the prayer!" Shabib attacked him and struck at him with the sword, but the sword struck the doorpost, or the arch. Then Ibn Muljam attacked him and struck him on his head with the sword, and Wardan fled until he entered his house. A relative of his from his mother's side came in to him while he was removing the silk and the sword from his chest, and asked: "What is this sword and silk?" He told him the whole incident, so he went to his own house, brought his sword and struck him until he killed him. Shabib went out towards the gates of Kindah, and the people attacked him, but a man from Hadramawt called Uwaymir struck his leg with a sword and brought him down, and the Hadrami sat on top of him. When he saw that the people were coming forward in search of him, and Shabib's sword was in his hand, he feared for his own life, so he let him go; thus he escaped with his life, and Shabib too escaped in the crowd of people. And Ibn Muljam came out, and a man of Hamdan whose kunyah was Abu Adama attacked him, struck his leg and brought him down. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stepped back and, putting his hand on the back of Ja'dah bin Hubayrah bin Abi Wahb, (pushed him forward), so he led the people in the Fajr prayer; and the people fell upon him (Ibn Muljam) from every side.
It is mentioned that Muhammad bin Hunayf said: By Allah! On the very night in which Ali was struck, I was praying in the Great Mosque, near the door, with many men of the people of the city (Kufah); every one of them was occupied in standing, bowing and prostrating, and they did not tire from the beginning of the night to its end, when suddenly Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came out for the Fajr prayer and began calling: "O people! The prayer, the prayer!" I do not know whether he spoke these words (first) or I saw the flash of swords, and I heard: "Judgement belongs to Allah alone, not to you, O Ali, nor to your companions." Then I saw a sword, then I saw people, and I heard Ali saying: "Do not let the man escape you." The people attacked him from every side, and I did not leave until Ibn Muljam was seized and brought in to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). I went in among the people who went in, and I heard Ali saying: "A life for a life. If I die, kill him as he killed me; and if I live, I will act on my own judgement concerning him." When Ibn Muljam was brought in to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "O enemy of Allah! Did I not treat you well? Did I not do (kindness) to you?" He said: "Indeed." He said: "Then what drove you to this (deed)?" He said: "I sharpened it for forty days and asked Allah to kill the worst of His creation with it." Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "I see you as none other than one who will be killed with it (this sword), and I consider you none other than the worst of Allah's creation." Ibn Muljam was tied up in front of al-Hasan when Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Ali, called out to him, weeping: "O enemy of Allah! No harm will come to my father, and Allah will disgrace you." He said: "Then why are you weeping? By Allah! I bought it for a thousand (dirhams) and poisoned it for a thousand (dirhams); and had this blow fallen on all the inhabitants of the city, not one of them would have survived for an hour, yet this father of yours is still alive until now."
Then Ali said to al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with them both): "If I live, I will act on my own judgement concerning him; and if I pass away from this wound, then strike him only a single blow and do not mutilate him, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbidding mutilation, even of a biting dog." It is mentioned that Jundub bin Abdullah went in to visit Ali and asked him: "O Commander of the Faithful! If we lose you, and may Allah not let that happen, shall we pledge allegiance to al-Hasan?" He said: "I neither command you to do so nor forbid you; you know best yourselves." When Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away, al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) sent for Ibn Muljam, and he was brought in to him. Ibn Muljam said to him: "Will you agree to one thing? By Allah! I have never made a covenant with Allah without fulfilling it. I made a covenant with Allah that I would kill Ali and Mu'awiyah or die in killing them. If you wish, let me go (to kill Mu'awiyah), and I promise you in the name of Allah that if I cannot kill him, I will come back and put my hand in your hand." Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "No, by Allah! Not until you see the Fire with your own eyes." So he brought him forward and killed him; then the people took him, wrapped him in reed mats and burned him with fire. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) had already said: "O Banu Abd al-Muttalib! Let me not find you wading in the blood of the Muslims, saying: 'The Commander of the Faithful has been killed, the Commander of the Faithful has been killed.' Listen! None is to be killed in return for me except my killer." As for al-Burak bin Abdullah, he lay in wait for Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). He came out for the Fajr prayer, and he attacked him with his sword; Mu'awiyah turned his back and fled, and the sword struck him in his buttock. The man said: "I have good news to give you; if I tell you, will it be of any benefit to me?" Mu'awiyah asked: "What is it?" He said: "A brother of mine has killed Ali tonight." Mu'awiyah said: "Perhaps he was not able to get him?" He said: "Indeed (he was), for Ali goes out without anyone guarding him." So Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered that he be killed, and he was killed. Mu'awiyah sent for al-Sa'idi, who was a physician. Having looked at the wound, he said: "Your wound is poisoned. Choose from me one of two options: either I heat a piece of iron and place it on the site of the wound, or I give you a drink which will end your ability to have children, and you will recover from this wound, for your wound is poisonous." Mu'awiyah said: "As for fire, I have no endurance for it; and as for the cutting off of children, then in Yazid, Abdullah and their children there is enough to cool my eyes." So that physician gave him the drink that very night, and he recovered, but no child was born to him after that. After that, Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered the building of enclosures (maqsurahs) and that guards stand over his head. And Ali said to al-Hasan and al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them): "O my sons! I counsel you both to fear Allah, to establish the prayer at its time, to pay the zakah at its due time, and to perform ablution well, for no prayer is accepted without purification. And I counsel you to forgive sins, to restrain anger, to maintain the ties of kinship, to be forbearing in the face of ignorance, to gain understanding of the religion, to be steadfast in matters, to keep up with the Qur'an, to be good neighbours, to enjoin good, to forbid evil, and to avoid indecencies." The narrator said: Then he looked at Muhammad bin al-Hanafiyyah and said: "Have you memorised the counsel I gave your two brothers?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Then I counsel you with the same, and I also counsel you to honour your two brothers, for their right over you is great, to adorn their affairs, and not to settle any matter without them." Then he said to the two of them: "I counsel you concerning him, for he is your brother and the son of your father, and you know that your father loved him." Then he made his will, and his will was this: "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This is the will made by Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). He makes his will bearing witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, without partner, and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His servant and Messenger, whom He sent with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religions, even though the polytheists dislike it. Then, indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds, who has no partner; with this I have been commanded, and I am of the Muslims. Then I counsel you both, O Hasan and O Husayn, and all my family and children, and whomever this letter of mine reaches, to fear Allah, your Lord, and that you do not die except as Muslims. Hold fast, all together, to the rope of Allah and do not become divided, for I heard Abu al-Qasim (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Keeping relations between one another sound is greater than general prayer and fasting.' Look to your relatives and maintain ties with them; Allah will make the reckoning easy for you. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the orphans, lest they be neglected in your presence. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the prayer, for it is the pillar of your religion. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the zakah, for it extinguishes the anger of the Lord, the Mighty and Majestic. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the poor and the needy; make them partners in your livelihood. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the Qur'an, lest someone else go ahead of you in acting upon it. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning jihad in the path of Allah with your wealth and your lives. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the House of your Lord, the Mighty and Majestic; let it not be empty as long as you live, for if it is abandoned, you will not be given respite. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the protected non-Muslim subjects (dhimmis) of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); let them not be wronged in your midst. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning your neighbours, for they are the counsel of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Jibril kept counselling me about the neighbour until I thought that he would make him an heir.' Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the Companions of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave counsel concerning them. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the two weak ones: your women and your slaves (those your right hands possess), for the last words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were: 'I counsel you concerning the two weak ones: women, and your slaves (those your right hands possess).' Take care of the prayer, take care of the prayer. Do not fear the blame of any blamer in the matter of Allah; Allah will suffice you against whoever intends you harm and transgresses against you. Speak good to people as Allah has commanded you, and do not abandon enjoining good and forbidding evil, otherwise the worst of you will be placed in authority over you, and then you will supplicate and your supplication will not be answered. Hold fast to keeping ties with one another and giving to one another, and beware of severing ties, turning your backs on one another and division. Help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and transgression; and fear Allah, indeed Allah is severe in punishment. O People of the House! May Allah protect you, and may He preserve among you the sanctity of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I entrust you to Allah and send you greetings of peace." After that he spoke nothing but "La ilaha illallah (There is no god but Allah)" until he passed away in the month of Ramadan, in the year 40 AH. Al-Hasan, al-Husayn and Abdullah bin Ja'far washed him, and he was shrouded in three garments that did not include a shirt, and al-Hasan said nine takbirs in his funeral prayer. Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) took over his office for six months. Before striking Ali, Ibn Muljam was sitting in the quarter of Banu Bakr bin Wa'il when the funeral of Abjar bin Jabir al-Ijli, the father of Hajjar, passed before him. He was a Christian, and the Christians were around him, and some people of Hajjar's standing were walking with them on one side, with Shaqiq bin Thawr al-Sulami ahead of them. When he saw them, he asked: "Who are these people?" He was told, and then he recited these verses:
"If Hajjar bin Abjar is a Muslim, then the funeral of Abjar ought to have been kept far from him.
And if Hajjar bin Abjar is a disbeliever, then such a deed from a disbeliever is nothing to wonder at.
Are you pleased with this, that a priest and a Muslim should both join in one funeral? What an ugly sight!" And Ibn Abi Ayyash al-Muradi said:
"I have not seen a dowry given by any generous man so conspicuous and plain as the dowry of Qatam.
Three thousand, a slave and a singing slave-girl, and the blow struck at Ali with a sharp-edged sword.
No dowry is costlier than Ali, however costly it may be, and every killing is lesser than the killing done by Ibn Muljam." And Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali said:
"Convey the message to Mu'awiyah bin Harb, and may the eyes of those who gloat never be cooled.
Did you, in the sacred month, plunge us into grief for the best of all people?
You killed the best of those who rode mounts and of those who tamed them, and the best of those who boarded ships.
And the best of those who wore sandals and those who made them, and of those who recited the Mathani and the Mi'in.
Quraysh knew, wherever they were, that you were the best of them in lineage and religion." As for Amr bin Abi Bakr (the assassin), he lay in wait for Amr bin al-As (may Allah have mercy on him) on the same night in which Mu'awiyah was struck, but he did not come out that night because he had a pain in his stomach. So he ordered Kharijah bin Abi Habib, who was his chief of police and was from Banu Amir bin Lu'ayy, (to lead the prayer). He came out to lead the people in prayer, and the man, thinking that he was Amr bin al-As, attacked him and killed him with the sword. Then he was seized and brought in to Amr. When he saw the people greeting Amr as the governor, he asked: "Who is this?" The people said: "Amr bin al-As." He asked: "Then whom did I kill?" The people said: "Kharijah." He said: "By Allah, O sinner! I intended none but you." Amr said: "You wanted me, but Allah wanted Kharijah." Then he was brought forward and killed. When this news reached Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), he wrote to him:
"You were saved, and the causes of things are many; here the death of an old man of Banu Lu'ayy bin Ghalib served (as your ransom).
O Amr! Wait a moment; you are only his uncle and his companion, rather than the close relatives.
You escaped, while al-Muradi soaked his sword in (the blood of) the son of Abu Talib, the chief of al-Abtah.
And another like him struck me with the sword, but that blow fell back upon him (and he was the one killed).
And you, every day and every night, amuse yourself in your city with fair women like gazelles." The one who went with the news of his death was Sufyan bin Abd Shams bin Abi Waqqas al-Zuhri. Al-Hasan had sent Qays bin Sa'd bin Ubadah with twelve thousand troops as his vanguard, and Mu'awiyah set out and encamped at Iliya' (Jerusalem) that same year. Al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) set out and encamped at the White Palaces in al-Mada'in, and Mu'awiyah set out and encamped at Maskin. Al-Mada'in was governed by the uncle of Ibn Abi Ubayd (al-Mukhtar), who was called Sa'd bin Mas'ud. Al-Mukhtar, who was a young man at that time, said to him: "Do you desire wealth and honour?" He asked: "How so?" Al-Mukhtar said: "Tie up al-Hasan and hand him over to Mu'awiyah, and seek a guarantee of safety (for yourself)." Sa'd said to him: "May the curse of Allah be upon you! Shall I attack the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and tie him up? What an evil man you are!" When al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the people deserting him, Mu'awiyah sent him a message of peace. Mu'awiyah sent Abdullah bin Amir and Abdullah bin Samurah bin Habib bin Abd Shams to him; the two of them reached al-Hasan in al-Mada'in, gave him everything he wanted and made peace with him. Then al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) stood among the people and said: "O people of Iraq! There are three things that make me weary of you: your killing my father, your wounding me, and your looting my belongings." Then he entered into obedience to Mu'awiyah (may Allah have mercy on them both), and he entered Kufah, and the people pledged allegiance to him.
As for Ibn Muljam al-Muradi, he came to his companions in Kufah and kept his affair hidden from them, out of dislike that they might reveal something of his affair. He met some companions of his from Banu Taym al-Ribab, many of whom Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) had killed on the day of al-Nahr (Nahrawan), and they mentioned their slain and prayed for mercy upon them. The narrator said: On that same day he met a woman of Banu Taym al-Ribab called Qatam bint al-Shihnah, whose father and brother Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) had killed on the day of al-Nahr, and she was exceedingly beautiful. When he saw her, she overpowered his mind and he forgot the purpose for which he had come, so he proposed marriage to her. She said: "I will not marry until you heal (my heart) for me." He asked: "What do you want?" She said: "Three thousand, a slave, a singing slave-girl, and the killing of Ali bin Abi Talib." He said: "That is your dowry; but the killing of Ali? I do not think that you mentioned it to me really wanting it?" She said: "Indeed (I truly want it). Seek a moment when he is off his guard; if you get him, you will heal your heart and mine, and living with me will be of benefit to you; and if you are killed, then what is with Allah is better than this world and the finery of its people." He said: "Nothing brought me to this city except the killing of Ali." She said: "When you intend it, tell me, so that I may find for you someone who will strengthen your back and help you in your task." So she sent for a man of her people, Banu Taym al-Ribab, called Wardan, and spoke to him, and he agreed to her request. Ibn Muljam came to a man of Banu Ashja' called Shabib bin Najdah and said to him: "Do you have an interest in the honour of this world and the Hereafter?" He asked: "What is that?" He said: "The killing of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)." He said: "May your mother be bereaved of you! You have spoken of something grave. How will you be able to kill him?" He said: "I will lie in ambush for him in the early dawn; when he comes out for the Fajr prayer, we will attack him and kill him. If we escape, we will heal our hearts and take our revenge; and if we are killed, then what is with Allah is better than this world and the finery of its people." He said: "Woe to you! If it were anyone other than Ali, it would be easier for me. I know his services in Islam and his precedence with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and I do not find my heart at ease with killing him." He said: "Do you not know that he killed the people of al-Nahr, the worshippers who prayed?" He said: "Indeed." He said: "Then killing him is in return for those of our brothers whom he killed." So he agreed to him. They all came until they went in to Qatam, who was in i'tikaf in the Great Mosque, and said to her: "Our opinion has agreed upon killing Ali." She said: "When you intend it, come to me." So he (Ibn Muljam) came and said: "This is the very night on which I promised my companions that each one of us would kill his man." So she called for silk for them and bound it (on their chests), and they took their swords and sat opposite the door from which Ali used to come out.
Then Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came out for the Fajr prayer and began calling: "The prayer, the prayer!" Shabib attacked him and struck at him with the sword, but the sword struck the doorpost, or the arch. Then Ibn Muljam attacked him and struck him on his head with the sword, and Wardan fled until he entered his house. A relative of his from his mother's side came in to him while he was removing the silk and the sword from his chest, and asked: "What is this sword and silk?" He told him the whole incident, so he went to his own house, brought his sword and struck him until he killed him. Shabib went out towards the gates of Kindah, and the people attacked him, but a man from Hadramawt called Uwaymir struck his leg with a sword and brought him down, and the Hadrami sat on top of him. When he saw that the people were coming forward in search of him, and Shabib's sword was in his hand, he feared for his own life, so he let him go; thus he escaped with his life, and Shabib too escaped in the crowd of people. And Ibn Muljam came out, and a man of Hamdan whose kunyah was Abu Adama attacked him, struck his leg and brought him down. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stepped back and, putting his hand on the back of Ja'dah bin Hubayrah bin Abi Wahb, (pushed him forward), so he led the people in the Fajr prayer; and the people fell upon him (Ibn Muljam) from every side.
It is mentioned that Muhammad bin Hunayf said: By Allah! On the very night in which Ali was struck, I was praying in the Great Mosque, near the door, with many men of the people of the city (Kufah); every one of them was occupied in standing, bowing and prostrating, and they did not tire from the beginning of the night to its end, when suddenly Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came out for the Fajr prayer and began calling: "O people! The prayer, the prayer!" I do not know whether he spoke these words (first) or I saw the flash of swords, and I heard: "Judgement belongs to Allah alone, not to you, O Ali, nor to your companions." Then I saw a sword, then I saw people, and I heard Ali saying: "Do not let the man escape you." The people attacked him from every side, and I did not leave until Ibn Muljam was seized and brought in to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). I went in among the people who went in, and I heard Ali saying: "A life for a life. If I die, kill him as he killed me; and if I live, I will act on my own judgement concerning him." When Ibn Muljam was brought in to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "O enemy of Allah! Did I not treat you well? Did I not do (kindness) to you?" He said: "Indeed." He said: "Then what drove you to this (deed)?" He said: "I sharpened it for forty days and asked Allah to kill the worst of His creation with it." Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "I see you as none other than one who will be killed with it (this sword), and I consider you none other than the worst of Allah's creation." Ibn Muljam was tied up in front of al-Hasan when Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Ali, called out to him, weeping: "O enemy of Allah! No harm will come to my father, and Allah will disgrace you." He said: "Then why are you weeping? By Allah! I bought it for a thousand (dirhams) and poisoned it for a thousand (dirhams); and had this blow fallen on all the inhabitants of the city, not one of them would have survived for an hour, yet this father of yours is still alive until now."
Then Ali said to al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with them both): "If I live, I will act on my own judgement concerning him; and if I pass away from this wound, then strike him only a single blow and do not mutilate him, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbidding mutilation, even of a biting dog." It is mentioned that Jundub bin Abdullah went in to visit Ali and asked him: "O Commander of the Faithful! If we lose you, and may Allah not let that happen, shall we pledge allegiance to al-Hasan?" He said: "I neither command you to do so nor forbid you; you know best yourselves." When Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away, al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) sent for Ibn Muljam, and he was brought in to him. Ibn Muljam said to him: "Will you agree to one thing? By Allah! I have never made a covenant with Allah without fulfilling it. I made a covenant with Allah that I would kill Ali and Mu'awiyah or die in killing them. If you wish, let me go (to kill Mu'awiyah), and I promise you in the name of Allah that if I cannot kill him, I will come back and put my hand in your hand." Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "No, by Allah! Not until you see the Fire with your own eyes." So he brought him forward and killed him; then the people took him, wrapped him in reed mats and burned him with fire. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) had already said: "O Banu Abd al-Muttalib! Let me not find you wading in the blood of the Muslims, saying: 'The Commander of the Faithful has been killed, the Commander of the Faithful has been killed.' Listen! None is to be killed in return for me except my killer." As for al-Burak bin Abdullah, he lay in wait for Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). He came out for the Fajr prayer, and he attacked him with his sword; Mu'awiyah turned his back and fled, and the sword struck him in his buttock. The man said: "I have good news to give you; if I tell you, will it be of any benefit to me?" Mu'awiyah asked: "What is it?" He said: "A brother of mine has killed Ali tonight." Mu'awiyah said: "Perhaps he was not able to get him?" He said: "Indeed (he was), for Ali goes out without anyone guarding him." So Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered that he be killed, and he was killed. Mu'awiyah sent for al-Sa'idi, who was a physician. Having looked at the wound, he said: "Your wound is poisoned. Choose from me one of two options: either I heat a piece of iron and place it on the site of the wound, or I give you a drink which will end your ability to have children, and you will recover from this wound, for your wound is poisonous." Mu'awiyah said: "As for fire, I have no endurance for it; and as for the cutting off of children, then in Yazid, Abdullah and their children there is enough to cool my eyes." So that physician gave him the drink that very night, and he recovered, but no child was born to him after that. After that, Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered the building of enclosures (maqsurahs) and that guards stand over his head. And Ali said to al-Hasan and al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them): "O my sons! I counsel you both to fear Allah, to establish the prayer at its time, to pay the zakah at its due time, and to perform ablution well, for no prayer is accepted without purification. And I counsel you to forgive sins, to restrain anger, to maintain the ties of kinship, to be forbearing in the face of ignorance, to gain understanding of the religion, to be steadfast in matters, to keep up with the Qur'an, to be good neighbours, to enjoin good, to forbid evil, and to avoid indecencies." The narrator said: Then he looked at Muhammad bin al-Hanafiyyah and said: "Have you memorised the counsel I gave your two brothers?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Then I counsel you with the same, and I also counsel you to honour your two brothers, for their right over you is great, to adorn their affairs, and not to settle any matter without them." Then he said to the two of them: "I counsel you concerning him, for he is your brother and the son of your father, and you know that your father loved him." Then he made his will, and his will was this: "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This is the will made by Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). He makes his will bearing witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, without partner, and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His servant and Messenger, whom He sent with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religions, even though the polytheists dislike it. Then, indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds, who has no partner; with this I have been commanded, and I am of the Muslims. Then I counsel you both, O Hasan and O Husayn, and all my family and children, and whomever this letter of mine reaches, to fear Allah, your Lord, and that you do not die except as Muslims. Hold fast, all together, to the rope of Allah and do not become divided, for I heard Abu al-Qasim (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Keeping relations between one another sound is greater than general prayer and fasting.' Look to your relatives and maintain ties with them; Allah will make the reckoning easy for you. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the orphans, lest they be neglected in your presence. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the prayer, for it is the pillar of your religion. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the zakah, for it extinguishes the anger of the Lord, the Mighty and Majestic. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the poor and the needy; make them partners in your livelihood. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the Qur'an, lest someone else go ahead of you in acting upon it. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning jihad in the path of Allah with your wealth and your lives. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the House of your Lord, the Mighty and Majestic; let it not be empty as long as you live, for if it is abandoned, you will not be given respite. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the protected non-Muslim subjects (dhimmis) of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); let them not be wronged in your midst. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning your neighbours, for they are the counsel of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Jibril kept counselling me about the neighbour until I thought that he would make him an heir.' Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the Companions of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave counsel concerning them. Fear Allah, fear Allah, concerning the two weak ones: your women and your slaves (those your right hands possess), for the last words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were: 'I counsel you concerning the two weak ones: women, and your slaves (those your right hands possess).' Take care of the prayer, take care of the prayer. Do not fear the blame of any blamer in the matter of Allah; Allah will suffice you against whoever intends you harm and transgresses against you. Speak good to people as Allah has commanded you, and do not abandon enjoining good and forbidding evil, otherwise the worst of you will be placed in authority over you, and then you will supplicate and your supplication will not be answered. Hold fast to keeping ties with one another and giving to one another, and beware of severing ties, turning your backs on one another and division. Help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and transgression; and fear Allah, indeed Allah is severe in punishment. O People of the House! May Allah protect you, and may He preserve among you the sanctity of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I entrust you to Allah and send you greetings of peace." After that he spoke nothing but "La ilaha illallah (There is no god but Allah)" until he passed away in the month of Ramadan, in the year 40 AH. Al-Hasan, al-Husayn and Abdullah bin Ja'far washed him, and he was shrouded in three garments that did not include a shirt, and al-Hasan said nine takbirs in his funeral prayer. Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) took over his office for six months. Before striking Ali, Ibn Muljam was sitting in the quarter of Banu Bakr bin Wa'il when the funeral of Abjar bin Jabir al-Ijli, the father of Hajjar, passed before him. He was a Christian, and the Christians were around him, and some people of Hajjar's standing were walking with them on one side, with Shaqiq bin Thawr al-Sulami ahead of them. When he saw them, he asked: "Who are these people?" He was told, and then he recited these verses:
"If Hajjar bin Abjar is a Muslim, then the funeral of Abjar ought to have been kept far from him.
And if Hajjar bin Abjar is a disbeliever, then such a deed from a disbeliever is nothing to wonder at.
Are you pleased with this, that a priest and a Muslim should both join in one funeral? What an ugly sight!" And Ibn Abi Ayyash al-Muradi said:
"I have not seen a dowry given by any generous man so conspicuous and plain as the dowry of Qatam.
Three thousand, a slave and a singing slave-girl, and the blow struck at Ali with a sharp-edged sword.
No dowry is costlier than Ali, however costly it may be, and every killing is lesser than the killing done by Ibn Muljam." And Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali said:
"Convey the message to Mu'awiyah bin Harb, and may the eyes of those who gloat never be cooled.
Did you, in the sacred month, plunge us into grief for the best of all people?
You killed the best of those who rode mounts and of those who tamed them, and the best of those who boarded ships.
And the best of those who wore sandals and those who made them, and of those who recited the Mathani and the Mi'in.
Quraysh knew, wherever they were, that you were the best of them in lineage and religion." As for Amr bin Abi Bakr (the assassin), he lay in wait for Amr bin al-As (may Allah have mercy on him) on the same night in which Mu'awiyah was struck, but he did not come out that night because he had a pain in his stomach. So he ordered Kharijah bin Abi Habib, who was his chief of police and was from Banu Amir bin Lu'ayy, (to lead the prayer). He came out to lead the people in prayer, and the man, thinking that he was Amr bin al-As, attacked him and killed him with the sword. Then he was seized and brought in to Amr. When he saw the people greeting Amr as the governor, he asked: "Who is this?" The people said: "Amr bin al-As." He asked: "Then whom did I kill?" The people said: "Kharijah." He said: "By Allah, O sinner! I intended none but you." Amr said: "You wanted me, but Allah wanted Kharijah." Then he was brought forward and killed. When this news reached Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), he wrote to him:
"You were saved, and the causes of things are many; here the death of an old man of Banu Lu'ayy bin Ghalib served (as your ransom).
O Amr! Wait a moment; you are only his uncle and his companion, rather than the close relatives.
You escaped, while al-Muradi soaked his sword in (the blood of) the son of Abu Talib, the chief of al-Abtah.
And another like him struck me with the sword, but that blow fell back upon him (and he was the one killed).
And you, every day and every night, amuse yourself in your city with fair women like gazelles." The one who went with the news of his death was Sufyan bin Abd Shams bin Abi Waqqas al-Zuhri. Al-Hasan had sent Qays bin Sa'd bin Ubadah with twelve thousand troops as his vanguard, and Mu'awiyah set out and encamped at Iliya' (Jerusalem) that same year. Al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) set out and encamped at the White Palaces in al-Mada'in, and Mu'awiyah set out and encamped at Maskin. Al-Mada'in was governed by the uncle of Ibn Abi Ubayd (al-Mukhtar), who was called Sa'd bin Mas'ud. Al-Mukhtar, who was a young man at that time, said to him: "Do you desire wealth and honour?" He asked: "How so?" Al-Mukhtar said: "Tie up al-Hasan and hand him over to Mu'awiyah, and seek a guarantee of safety (for yourself)." Sa'd said to him: "May the curse of Allah be upon you! Shall I attack the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and tie him up? What an evil man you are!" When al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the people deserting him, Mu'awiyah sent him a message of peace. Mu'awiyah sent Abdullah bin Amir and Abdullah bin Samurah bin Habib bin Abd Shams to him; the two of them reached al-Hasan in al-Mada'in, gave him everything he wanted and made peace with him. Then al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) stood among the people and said: "O people of Iraq! There are three things that make me weary of you: your killing my father, your wounding me, and your looting my belongings." Then he entered into obedience to Mu'awiyah (may Allah have mercy on them both), and he entered Kufah, and the people pledged allegiance to him.
