Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalifahs/The Martyrdom of Sald-ibn-Jubair
THE MARTYRDOM OF SAʾÎD-IBN-JUBAIR.
THE following story is related by ʾAwn-ibn-Abi-Shaddâd, el-ʾAbdy, in the Hayât-el-Haiwân.
When el-Hajjâj-ibn-Yûsuf was reminded of Saʾîd-ibn-Jubair,[1] he sent a man of rank called el-Mutalámmis-ibn-el-Ahwas, and twenty men with him, from Damascus, to seek Saʾîd. And whilst they were doing this, behold! they passed by a Christian monk[2] in his chapel, from whom they made inquiries. The monk said, "Describe him to me;" and when they had done so, he showed them where Saʾîd was. And they found him prostrate upon the ground, praying earnestly to his Lord in a loud voice. And when they drew near, and saluted him, he raised his head, but completed his devotions before returning their salutation. Then they told him, "el-Hajjâj has sent to fetch thee."
"And is compliance absolutely necessary?" he asked.
"Absolutely," they replied.
So he praised and glorified God, and blessed His prophet, and then rose and walked with them until they came to the monastery of the monk, who called out, "ye horsemen! have ye found your friend?" "Yes," they replied. "Then come up into the monastery," said he; "for of a truth lions and lionesses prowl round about it during the night. Therefore come in quickly, before dusk."
And they all did so excepting Saʾîd, who refused to enter. Finding which, they said to him, "It appears to us that thou desirest to escape."
He replied, "Not so; but nevertheless I will never enter a polytheistic habitation."
"But of a truth we will not leave thee," said they; "for verily the lions will kill thee."
Said Saʾîd, "If my Lord bewith me, He will turn them away from me; and should such be the will of the Most High, He can convert them into a guard for me against all evil."
They asked, "Art thou a prophet?"
"I am not among the prophets," he answered, "but am, on the contrary, a slave among the erring and sinful servants of God."
So they said, "Swear to us that thou wilt not flee." And he swore it. Then the monk cried out to them, "Come up into the monastery, and string your bows in readiness to scare away the lions from this pious slave. For verily the thought of your taking up your abode with me in the chapel was abhorrent to him."
So they entered the monastery, and strung their bows. And lo! they beheld a lioness approaching. But when she came near Saʾîd, she rubbed herself fondling against him, and caressed him. Then she laid down near to him, and the lion came and did likewise. And having seen this, as soon as day dawned the monk went down to Saʾîd, and questioned him concerning the divine laws of el-Islám, and the traditions of the prophet of Allâh. And Saʾîd explained everything clearly to him, and the monk professed el-Islám, and his practice therein was admirable. And the people assembled before Saʾîd, excusing themselves to him; and they kissed his hands and his feet, and collected the earth that he had trodden upon during the night, and prayed upon it. And they said, "O Saʾîd! we swore to el-Hajjâj, by divorce and enfranchisement,[3] that if we found thee we would not leave thee until we had brought thee unto him. But now order us as thou wilt,"
He said, "Fulfil your task; for there is no way to escape from the return to my Maker, nor any questioning of His decree."
So they journeyed until they reached Wâsit;[4] and when they arrived there, Saʾîd said to them, "O all ye people! I have been respected by you, and have been your companion, and I feel certain that my end draws near, and that my time is accomplished. Leave me alone, therefore, this night, that I may make provision for death, and prepare for Múnkar and Nakîr,[5] and reflect upon the torments of the grave, and that I must lie beneath the ground. And in the early morning I will come to any spot you may choose as a meeting-place between us."
Then said some among them, "We do not want to be following traces, having the man himself." And another one said, "And surely you would wish your desires fulfilled, and that the Amîr should deem you worthy of his favour; therefore leave him not alone." But then another said, "I take it upon myself to restore him to you, if it be the will of God."
Then they looked at Saʾîd, and tears were flowing from his eyes, and his colour was grey, for he had neither eaten nor drank nor laughed since they had met him. So they cried with one accord, "O thou best of living men! Would to God we had never known thee, and never been sent for thee! Woe be to us! How hardly have we been dealt with! What will excuse us before our Maker at the great Day of Resurrection, and who shall answer for us to Him!"
Then he who had offered to be his surety said to Saʾîd, "I ask thee by Allâh, O Saʾîd! whether thou wilt not provide for us by thy prayers and thy good words? For in truth we have never met the like of thee?"
So Saʾîd prayed for them; after which they left him alone. Then he bathed his head, and washed his shirt and his robe. And the people remained concealed the whole night. And when the light of dawn appeared, Saʾîd-ibn-Jubair came to them, and knocked at the door. And they cried one to another, "Our friend, by the Lord of the Kaʾabah!" And they went down to him, and wept with him a long while, and then took him before el-Hajjâj.
And el-Mutalámmis entered the presence of el-Hajjâj, and saluted him, and announced to him the arrival of Saʾîd-ibn-Jubair. And when Saʾîd stood before him, el-Hajjâj asked, "What is thy name?"
He replied, "Saʾîd-ibn-Jubair."
"Thou art Sháky-ibn-Kasîr,"[6] said el-Hajjâj.
"No," said Saʾîd, "my mother knew my name better than thou dost."
"Thou art vile, and so was thy mother!" cried el-Hajjâj.
"That which is hidden is known to Another beside thee," answered Saʾîd.
"Of a surety I will soon change this world into hellfire for thee," said el-Hajjâj.
"Had I known that that had been in thy power," responded Saʾîd, "verily I had abased myself before thee as before a god."
Then el-Hajjâj asked, "What sayest thou of Muhammad?"
"He is the Prophet of the Merciful," replied Saʾîd.
"And what dost thou say of ʾAly?" continued el-Hajjâj; "Is he in heaven or in hell?"
"Had I been in both," answered Saʾîd, "and did I know the inhabitants of both, I could tell who was in both."
"And what dost thou say of the Khalîfahs?" asked el-Hajjâj.
"I am not their overseer," replied Saʾîd.
"Which of them dost thou love best?" inquired el-Hajjâj.
"He among them who was the most pleasing to my Maker," answered Saʾîd.
"And which of them was the most pleasing to the Creator?" said el-Hajjâj.
"That knowledge," replied Saʾîd, "rests with Him who knows their inmost thoughts and secret words."
"And how is it that thou laughest not?" asked el-Hajjâj.
"How should a creature formed out of clay—clay which may be consumed in the fire—laugh?" responded Saʾîd.
"And why is it that we ourselves cannot laugh?" inquired el-Hajjâj.
"The thoughts of the heart are not pure," said Saʾîd.
Then el-Hajjâj ordered pearls and emeralds and rubies to be brought in and laid before Saʾîd. But he said, "If by accumulating these thou couldst ransom thyself from the terrors of the Day of Resurrection—well. But one of those terrors would cause a mother to forget her sucking child; and every worldly possession will be profitless, except what did good, and was laid out in charity."
Then el-Hajjâj sent for pleasant music. And Saʾîd wept. So el-Hajjâj cried, "Woe be to thee, O Saʾîd! Choose by what kind of death I shall kill thee."
"Choose for thyself, O Hajjâj!" replied Saʾîd; "for by Allâh! whatever death thou causest me to die, by the same will God cause thee to die at the last day."
Then asked el-Hajjâj, "Wouldst thou that I pardon thee?"
He replied, "Were the pardon from Allâh,—yes, assuredly. But from thee,—no."
"Be off with him and execute him!" cried el-Hajjâj.
Then as he was going out of the door, Saʾîd laughed. And el-Hajjâj was told of this, and ordered him to be brought back, and asked, "What causes thee to laugh?"
"I was marvelling," answered Saʾîd, "at thy provocation of Allâh, and at His long-suffering toward thee."
Then el-Hajjâj commanded to bring the Nitâʾa.[7] And it was spread out before him, and he cried, "Kill him!"
And Saʾîd said, "I gave myself up to the worship of Him who laid out the heavens and the earth, believing in the true faith, and I am not one of the polytheists."
"Turn him away from the Kiblah!" called out el-Hajjâj.
"Wherever thou mayst turn me, there is God's countenance," said Saʾîd.
"Lay him with his face on the ground," commanded el-Hajjâj.
Then Saʾîd quoted, "Out of it We created you, and to it We will cause you to return, and from it We will once more cause you to come forth."
"Kill him!" again cried el-Hajjâj.
Then Saʾîd said, "I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger. O Allâh! grant that after me he may have power over none other to kill him!"
Then they executed him upon the Nitâʾa [may God have mercy upon him!] And after his head was struck off, it uttered, "There is no god but God." And el-Hajjâj lived after this fifteen days. And this happened in the year 95. And the age of Saʾîd [may God be satisfied of him!] was nine-and-forty years.[8]
Allâh is all-knowing!
- ↑ Abu-ʾAbd-Allâh (some say Abu-Muhammad) Saʾîd-ibn-Jubair-ibn-Hishâm, surnamed el-Asady, was an enfranchised negro, and a native of el-Kûfah. He was eminent for his religious knowledge and piety. In A.H. 79, according to Greek writers, and A.H. 82 according to Arabian historians, he joined ʾAbd-er-Rahman-ibn-Asháth in his revolt against the treachery and cruelty of el-Hajjâj. Though successful for some time, ʾAbd-er-Rahman was at length defeated and slain, and Saʾîd upon that fled to Mekkah. Ibn-Khalikân states that he was there arrested by Khâlid-ibn-ʾAbd-Allâh, el-Kúsary, (see Note †, p. 116,) then governor of Mekkah, and sent by him to el-Hajjâj. The same author gives a different account of his last interview with the tyrant, and also states that after his death Ahmed-ibn-Hanbal said, "el-Hajjâj killed Saʾîd-ibn-Jubair, yet there was not a man on the face of the earth who did not stand in need of Saʾîd and his learning."
- ↑ It is difficult to assign the precise era at which Christianity was introduced into Arabia. It is the universal belief of the Eastern Churches that St. Thomas preached in Arabia Felix and Socotra on his way to India, about A.D. 50. It is also said that the Himyarites obtained their first knowledge of Christianity from St. Bartholomew. ʾAbd-Kelál, the ruler of el-Yémen from A.D. 273 to 279, is said to have embraced Christianity, though from fear of his subjects he never openly professed it, nor does Christianity appear to have made any considerable progress in Arabia until the next reign, that of the Tobba[sub 1] Ibn-Hásan, from A.D. 297 to A.D. 320. It is generally supposed to have been in his reign that Christianity was also established in Abyssinia, an event which in after-years seriously affected the fate of Arabia. The ruler of el-Yémen in A.D. 490 was Zhu-Nawwás, a zealous partisan of Judaism, who cruelly persecuted all the Christians within his dominions. The greater number of the inhabitants of the district called Nejrán had embraced Christianity, and upon the pretext of the murder by them of two Jews, Zhu-Nawwás besieged the city with 120,000 men. Failing to take it by force, he assured the inhabitants, upon oath, that no evil should happen to them if they opened their gates. They therefore surrendered; but no sooner had Zhu-Nawwás entered the town than he plundered it, and gave the inhabitants their choice between Judaism and death. They preferred the latter; accordingly large pits were dug and filled with burning fuel, and all who refused to abjure their faith, amounting it is said to 20,000, were either cast into the flames or slain by the sword. One of the few who escaped this massacre traversed Arabia, Syria, and Asia Minor, and at last reaching Constantinople, implored the Emperor Justin I. to take up the cause of the persecuted Christians in el-Yémen. Unable to do so himself on account of the troubled state of his own dominions, he however wrote to the King of Abyssinia, begging him to send troops into el-Yémen for the punishment of Zhu-Nawwás. The King of Abyssinia, who was a Christian, acquiesced, and sent an army under a general named Aryát to invade Arabia; a battle ensued on the sea-coast, in which the Himyarites were entirely defeated. Aryát then penetrated into el-Yémen, and in a very short time subdued the greater part of the country. Zhu-Nawwás at the first engagement fled from the field, but being closely pursued and hemmed in by his enemies, he leaped his horse into the sea and was drowned. Thus was el-Yémen conquered by the Abyssinians, and thus terminated the Himyarite dynasty, which had ruled there for two thousand years.
The reign of Abrahá, the second Abyssinian viceroy of el-Yémen, was favourable to Christianity. A bishop, who is reckoned as Saint Gregentius in the Roman calendar, was sent there by the Patriarch of Alexandria. The unbelievers were challenged to public disputations with him in the royal hall in the city of Dzafár, the viceroy and his nobles were present, and a learned Rabbi named Herbanus was chosen to advocate the cause of Judaism. The dispute lasted three days, and resulted in the conversion of Herbanus and many of his followers to Christianity. Abrahá, who was a zealous Christian, is said to have built a church at Sanaʾa which was the wonder of the age. The Emperor of Rome and the King of Abyssinia supplied marble for its construction, and Nowairi states that when completed, a pearl was placed on the altar of such brilliancy that on the darkest nights objects were clearly seen by its light. Abrahá, deeply grieved to see the multitudes who still performed idol-worship in the Kaʾabah at Mekkah, endeavoured to substitute his church as the object of their superstitious reverence, and issued an order that all the Arabs in the neighbourhood should perform the pilgrimage to his church at Sanaʾa. He also sent missionaries to the Hijáz and Nejd, and wrote to the King of Abyssinia telling him that he intended forcing the Arabs to abandon the Kaʾabah and substitute this temple as the object of their pilgrimage. This design being speedily known throughout Arabia, excited the indignation of all the pagan tribes, especially the custodians of the Kaʾabah, and accordingly Abrahá's messengers were badly received in the Hijáz, and one of them was murdered by a man of the tribe of Kinânah. Another man of the same tribe was bribed by the guardians of the Kaʾabah to defile the church at Sanaʾa. He effected this during the preparation for a high festival; but Abrahá having discovered the author of this indignity, vowed to take signal vengeance by the total destruction of Mekkah and its Kaʾabah. The war which followed is well known in Arabian history, and is called in the Kurân "The War of the Elephant." Abrahá was at first successful, but the Christian army was afterwards destroyed, by miraculous agency as Arabian authors maintain, though others, with more probability, suggest that it perished either from want of provisions, or from an epidemic disease, most probably small- pox. Abrahá himself, with a very small remnant of his army, reached Sanaʾa, where he soon after died, A.D. 570. He was succeeded by his son Yascoom, who reigned two years, and he was succeeded by his brother Masrûk, under whose viceroyalty the Arabs grew impatient of the Christian yoke, and at length found a liberator in Saïf, the last of the old Himyarite race. This Saïf made his way to Constantinople, and implored the emperor to send an army to repel the Abyssinians. The emperor being a Christian, refused to aid the Jews against those professing his own religion. Saïf then repaired to the court of the Persian monarch, Kesra Anowshirwân, who gave him promises of assistance, but owing to other wars delayed their fulfilment. In the meanwhile Saïf died, but his son, Maʾady-Karib, animated by the same zeal as his father, once more sought Kesra's presence. The latter armed all the malefactors in the prisons, amounting to 3,600 men, organized them into an army, and placed them under the command of Horzád-ibn-Narsee, surnamed Wahráz, one of themselves, but superior to them by birth and education. This party, together with Maʾady-Karib, sailed for el-Yémen; the courage of the native Arabs was excited by the sight of the troops, and the presence of a descendant of their ancient kings; and those who had suffered from the persecution of Masrûk, a cruel and tyrannical prince, flocked to the standard of Maʾady-Karib, who soon found himself at the head of an army of 20,000 men. Masrûk prepared to oppose their advance with a force of 120,000 men, but during the battle which ensued was killed by an arrow shot by Wahráz, the Abyssinian army was thrown into the utmost confusion, and finally routed with great slaughter. Maʾady-Karib was, by order of Kesra, installed as viceroy of el-Yémen, agreeing to pay tribute as a vassal of the Persian monarch. These events occurred about A.D. 575, and thus was the Christian power in el-Yémen overthrown, though many Abyssinians still remained there. These, Maʾady-Karib began by persecuting, but afterwards changed his policy and surrounded himself with Abyssinian guards. One day, however, when he was out hunting, these guards fell upon him and slew him, and thus finally extinguished the dynasty of Himyar. An Abyssinian, whose name is not mentioned, then seized the supreme power, and el-Yémen was for some time filled with violence and bloodshed. In A.D. 595, however, Wahráz, with an army of 4,000 men, again invaded el-Yémen, and inflicted cruel retribution upon the Abyssinians, whom to the number of about 3,000 he put to death. The Persian monarch was so much pleased with his conduct that he appointed Wahráz viceroy of the country, and then it was that el-Yémen and its dependencies became provinces of the Persian empire. The Persian rule was mild, and the three religions, Pagan, Jewish, and Christian, were equally tolerated. Christianity maintained its ground (chiefly at Nejrán, which place was at the time of the Hijrah governed by a noble Christian family named Oulad ʾAbd-el-Madán-ibn-Deyyan), but rapidly declined after the promulgation of Muhammadism.
- ↑ A solemn oath, the breaking of which entailed the divorce of wives and enfranchisement of slaves.
- ↑ The town built by el-Hajjâj A.H. 83. Wâsit signifies "middle," and was so called because it stood midway between el-Básrah and el-Kûfah.
- ↑ Two angels through whom the dead, when laid in the grave, undergo a strict examination as to their past lives. There is a difference of opinion amongst Muslims as to these angels. Some hold that there are only two (Múnkar and Nakîr) by whom all human beings, whether true believers or infidels, are examined. Others maintain that these angels are four in number, Mûnkar and Nakîr being for infidels, and two other angels, named Mubâshir and Bashîr, for true believers.
- ↑ The play upon words in this sentence cannot be rendered in English. Sháky means "vile," "evil," the opposite of Saʾîd, which means "good," "happy." And Kasîr, from Kásara, "to break," is the opposite of Jubair, from Jábara, "to mend," "to heal," "to unite."
- ↑ See Note *, p. 141.
- ↑ It is said that during his last illness el-Hajjâj was tormented by the spirit of Saʾîd-ibn-Jubair. The report was that whenever he fell asleep he saw Saʾîd come and seize him by the girdle, saying, "Enemy of God, arise! why didst thou murder me?" On which he would awake in terror, and exclaim, "What business has Saʾîd-ibn-Jubair with me?" It is also related that a person saw el-Hajjâj in a dream after his death, and that upon being asked what had been done to him, he stated that God had caused him to die the death of every man whom he had slain, but that he had suffered seventy deaths on account of his treatment of the saintly Saʾîd.
- ↑ Tobba signified governor or ruler, and was a title common to the princes of the Himyarite dynasty.