Dialogues between the Persian Commanders and the Companions
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(5)
عن ابن الرفيل، عن أبيه، قال: رأى رستم بالدير أن ملكا جاء حتى دخل عسكر فارس، فختم الملاح أجمع.
عن سيف، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأَصْحَابِهِ، وَشَارَكَهُمُ النَّصْرُ بِإِسْنَادِهِ، قَالُوا …. : فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ رُسْتُمُ النَّجَفَ عَادَتْ عَلَيْهِ الرُّؤْيَا، فَرَأَى ذَلِكَ الْمَلَكُ ومعه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وَعُمَرُ ، فَأَخَذَ الْمَلكُ سلاح أهل فارس فَخَتَمَهُ، ثُم دَفَعَهُ إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فَدَفَعَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى عُمَرَ، فَأَصْبَحَ رُسْتُمْ فَازْدَادَ حُزْنًا، فَلَمَّا رَأَى الرفيل ذلك رَغِبَ فِي الإسلام، فَكَانَتْ دَاعِيَتُهُ إِلَى الإسلام.
( تاريخ الطبرى 3/ 510-509)
Rufayl relates from his father that Rustam saw in a dream at Dayr that an angel came, entered the Persian army camp, gathered all their weapons, and sealed them. Sayf narrates from Muhammad and his companions—while Naḍr also participates in the same isnad—… that when Rustam reached Najaf, he saw the same dream again. This time he saw that the angel was accompanied by the Prophet and by Umar. The angel took the Persians’ weapons, sealed them, and then handed them over to the Prophet; the Prophet then handed them over to Umar. When morning came, Rustam’s grief increased further. When Rufayl heard of Rustam’s dream and observed this condition, an inclination toward Islam arose in his heart; and this (later) became the motive for his embracing Islam.
Explanation and Clarification
That the weapons of an army are gathered and sealed is, as it were, a symbolic depiction of the extinguishing of its military power; and that the weapons are collected and handed over to someone indicates that the ownership of the Persian realm has now been transferred to another. The identification of the two persons seen with the angel in the dream—namely, that they were the Prophet and Umar—is the narrator Rufayl’s inference. Clearly, Rustam himself would not have recognized these two personalities. Most likely, he described their appearance, and then, after accepting Islam, Rufayl obtained information from the Muslims and thereby determined that these were the Prophet and ʿUmar. It is also possible that, on the basis of the dream’s implied meaning, he inferred that if the angel entrusted the Persians’ weapons to one person and that person then passed them to another, this could only be an indication—respectively—of the Prophet and ʿUmar.
Referencing and Variance in Narration Chains
This report—though with some variation in wording—has also been transmitted by al-Kalaʿi on the authority of Rufayl (al-Iktifaʾ… 2/442).
(6)
عَنْ سَيْفٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ وَطَلْحَةَ وَزِيَادٍ وَعَمْرِو بِإِسْنَادِهِمْ، قَالُوا : لَمَّا أَبَى المَلِكُ إِلَّا السَّيْرَ كَتَبَ رُسْتَمُ إِلَى أَخِيهِ وَإِلَى رُءُوسِ أَهْلِ بِلَادِهِمْ: مِنْ رُسْتَمَ إِلَى البِنْدُوَانِ… فَأَبَى المَلِكُ ….
عَنْ سَيْفٍ، عَنْ الصَّلْتِ بْنِ بَهْرَامَ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ … فَأَنَا سَائِرٌ إِلَيْهِمْ.
تاريخ الطبرى (506/3)
Sayf reports—through their isnads—from Muhammad, Talhah, Ziyad, and ʿAmr that when the king (Yazdegerd) insisted that an advance be made (toward the Muslims), Rustam wrote to his brother and to the chiefs of his realm: “From Rustam to al-Binduwan—the frontier-guardian of al-Bab and the ‘arrow’ (that is, the weapon) of the Persians—who used to prepare for every great crisis, by whom God has dispersed every great and mighty army and by whom He has opened every fortified stronghold; and (I write) to those Persian grandees, frontier guardians, and cavalrymen who are with Binduwan: repair and secure your fortresses; prepare and make ready, and be prepared yourselves. For it is as though these Arabs—a despicable nation, whom you used to regard as of the lowest rank and straitened in livelihood—have entered your lands and are contending with you for your territory and your sons. My opinion was to repel them and to delay matters until the auspicious time for them turns into misfortune, but the king has refused to accept this…”
Sayf also relates from Salt bin Bahram and from a man that when Yazdegerd ordered Rustam to depart from Sabat, Rustam wrote another letter to his brother in the manner of the first, adding: “Indeed, the Fish has muddied the water; the Naʿaʾim are well-placed; Venus is also well-positioned; the Balance is in equilibrium; and Bahram (Mars) has passed ahead. (This is not a favorable time for war.) It seems to me that these people will overcome us and seize what lies within our reach. The hardest thing for me is that the king has said: either you advance against them, or I myself will go forth against them; therefore, I am setting out toward them.”
Lexical Analysis:
• Marzuban: In the Sasanian administrative order, the guardian of a frontier region; its plural is marazibah.
• al-Asawirah: plural of iswar/uswar; used for mounted warriors in the Persian army.
• al-Samakah: literally “fish”; here it refers to the zodiacal sign Pisces, whose stars appear in the form of a fish.
• al-Naʿaʾim: plural of naʿamah (“ostrich”); here it refers to stars seen in the twentieth lunar mansion, resembling an ostrich’s long legs.
• al-Zuhrah: the second planet of the solar system (Venus).
• al-Mizan: the zodiacal sign Libra, whose stars appear like a balance-scale.
• Bahram: the fourth planet of the solar system—Mars.
• Rummu: from ramm, “to mend/repair what is broken”; thus, “rummu husunakum” means: repair your fortresses’ damage and make them secure.
• Qaraukum: from qarʿ (“to strike forcefully”); muqaraʿah means to test strength against one another, to engage in combat. Thus, “qaraʿukum ʿan arḍikum wa-abnaʾikum” means: they wish to fight you to seize your land and deprive you of your people’s sons.
Explanation and Clarification
According to Persian reports, Rustam had a strong interest in astrology. In that context, he mentions in his letter the positions of Pisces and Libra and other celestial bodies, which in his view indicated that the moment was not militarily favorable for the Persians. Prior to this, several ominous incidents had already occurred in Yazdegerd’s court, and certain dreams had also conveyed similar signs to Rustam. In light of all this, Rustam’s personal inclination was to avoid war with the Arabs and instead to try to delay them; but Yazdegerd’s insistence compelled him to march with his army to confront the Muslims.
Referencing and Variance in Narration Chains
Al-Kalaʿi also transmits this report from Sayf bin ʿUmar (al-Iktifaʾ… 2/439). In al-Kalaʿi’s version, some sentences differ in wording and some are additional; the bracketed sentences in the Arabic text above are taken from his version.
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عَنْ سَيْفٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ وَطَلْحَةَ وَزِيَادٍ وَعَمْرِو بِإِسْنَادِهِمْ، قَالُوا : لَمَّا فَصَلَ رُسْتَمُ مِنْ سَابَاطَ لَقِيَهُ جَابَانُ عَلَى القَنْطَرَةِ، فَشَكَا إِلَيْهِ وَقَالَ: أَلَا تَرَى مَا أَرَى؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ رُسْتَمُ: أَمَّا أَنَا فَأَقَادُ بِخِشَاشٍ وَزِمَامٍ، وَلَا أَجِدُ بُدًّا مِنَ الانْقِيَادِ. وَأَمَرَ الجَالِنُوسَ حَتَّى قَدِمَ الحِيرَةَ، فَمَضَى وَاضْطَرَبَ فُسْطَاطُهُ بِالنَّجَفِ، وَخَرَجَ رُسْتَمُ حَتَّى يَنْزِلَ بِكُوثَى، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى الجَالِنُوسَ وَالْآزَاذَمَرْدِ: أَصِيبًا لِي رَجُلًا مِنَ الْعَرَبِ مِنْ جُنْدِ سَعْدٍ. فَرَكِبَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمَا طَلِيعَةً، فَأَصَابَا رَجُلًا فَبَعَنَا بِهِ إِلَيْهِ وَهُوَ بِكُوئى، فَاسْتَخْبَرَهُ ثُمَّ قَتَلَهُ. (تاريخ الطبرى (507/3)
Sayf bin ʿUmar relates from Muhammad, Talhah, Ziyad, and ʿAmr that when Rustam departed from Sabat, he met (the Persian commander) Jaban on the bridge. Jaban complained to him and said: “Do you not see what I see?” Rustam replied: “As for me, I am being driven with a nose-ring and a rein; I have no choice except to submit and be led.”
Then Rustam ordered Jalinus to proceed to al-Hirah. Accordingly, Jalinus went and pitched his camp at Najaf, while Rustam went toward Kutha and encamped there. Rustam wrote to Jalinus and Azadmard: “Capture for me a man from among the Arabs in Saʿd’s army, and send him to me.” The two went out themselves with a detachment, seized a man, and sent him to Rustam in Kutha. Rustam interrogated him, and then killed him.
Lexical Analysis:
• Khishash: the nose-ring inserted into a camel’s nostril.
Referencing and Variance in Narration Chains
Al-Kalaʿi also transmits this report from Sayf bin ʿUmar (al-Iktifaʾ… 2/440–441).
(8)
عَنِ ابْنِ الرُّفَيلِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: لَمَّا فَصَلَ رُسْتَمُ وَأَمَرَ الجَالِنُوسَ بِالتَّقَدُّمِ إِلَى الحِيرَةِ أَمَرَهُ أَنْ يُصِيبَ لَهُ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْعَرَبِ، فَخَرَجَ هُوَ وَالْأَزَادَمَرْدُ سَرِيَّةً فِي مِائَةٍ حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى القَادِسِيَّةِ، فَأَصَابَا رَجُلًا دُونَ قَنْطَرَةِ القَادِسِيَّةِ فَاخْتَطَفَاهُ، فَنَفَرَ النَّاسُ فَأَعْجَزُوهُمْ إِلَّا مَا أَصَابَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ فِي أَخْرَيَاتِهِمْ. فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيَا إِلَى النَّجَفِ سَرَّحَا بِهِ إِلَى رُسْتَمَ وَهُوَ بِكُوثَى.
فَقَالَ لَهُ رُسْتَمُ: مَا جَاءَ بِكُمْ؟ وَمَاذَا تَطْلُبُونَ؟ قَالَ: جِئْنَا نَطْلُبُ مَوْعُودَ اللهِ، قَالَ: وَمَا هُوَ ؟ قَالَ: أَرْضُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَدِمَاؤُكُمْ إِنْ أَبَيْتُمْ أَنْ تُسْلِمُوا . قَالَ رُسْتَمُ: فَإِنْ قُتِلْتُمْ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ: فِي مَوْعُودِ اللَّهِ أَنَّ مَنْ قُتِلَ مِنَّا قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ أَدْخَلَهُ الجَنَّةَ، وَأَنْجَزَ لِمَنْ بَقِيَ مِنَّا مَا قُلْتُ لَكَ، فَنَحْنُ عَلَى يَقِينِ. فَقَالَ رُسْتَمْ: قَدْ وَضَعَنَا إِذَا فِي أَيْدِيكُمْ. قَالَ: وَيْحَكَ يَا رُسْتَمُ إِنَّ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَضَعَتْكُمْ فَأَسْلَمَكُمُ اللهُ بِهَا ، فَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ مَا تَرَى حَوْلَكَ، فَإِنَّكَ لَسْتَ تُحَاوِلُ الإِنْسَ، إِنَّمَا تُحَاوِلُ القَضَاءَ وَالقَدَرَ فَاسْتَشَاطَ غَضَبًا، فَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَضُرِبَتْ عُنْقُهُ.
وَخَرَجَ رُسْتَمُ مِنْ كُوثَى حَتَّى يَنْزِلَ بِبُرْسٍ، فَغَصَبَ أَصْحَابُهُ النَّاسَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَوَقَعُوا عَلَى النِّسَاءِ وَشَرِبُوا الخُمُورَ، فَضَجَ العُلُوجُ إِلَى رُسْتَمَ وَشَكَوْا إِلَيْهِ مَا يَلْقَوْنَ فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَبْنَائِهِمْ، فَقَامَ فِيهِمْ فَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ أَهْلِ فَارِسَ، وَاللهِ لَقَدْ صَدَقَ العَرَبِيُّ، وَاللَّهِ مَا أَسْلَمَنَا إِلَّا أَعْمَالَنَا، وَاللَّهِ لَلْعَرَبُ فِي هَؤُلَاءِ وَهُمْ لَهُمْ وَلَنَا حَرْبٌ أَحْسَنُ سِيرَةً مِنْكُمْ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ يَنْصُرُكُمْ عَلَى العَدُوِّ وَيُمَكِّنُ لَكُمْ فِي البِلَادِ بِحُسْنِ السِّيرَةِ وَكَفَّ الظَّلْمِ وَالوَفَاءِ بِالعُهُودِ وَالإِحْسَانِ، فَأَمَّا إِذْ تَحَوَّلْتُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ إِلَى هَذِهِ الْأَعْمَالِ فَلَا أَرَى اللَّهَ إِلَّا مُغَيّرًا مَا بِكُمْ، وَمَا أَنَا بِآمِنٍ أَنْ يَنْزِعَ اللَّهُ سُلْطَانَهُ مِنْكُمْ. وَبَعَثَ الرِّجَالَ فَلَقَطُوا لَهُ بَعْضَ مَنْ يُشْكَى، فَأْتِيَ بِنَفَرٍ فَضَرَبَ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ. تاريخ الطبرى 508/3-507)
Ibn Rufayl relates from his father that when Rustam set out (from Sabat) and instructed Jalinus to advance toward al-Hirah, he also told him to seize an Arab and send him to Rustam. Thus, Jalinus and Azadmard set out with a detachment of one hundred men until they reached al-Qadisiyyah. There they captured a man near the bridge of al-Qadisiyyah and carried him off. The Muslims pursued them, but they escaped; apart from inflicting some harm on the rear of the detachment, the Muslims could not catch them. When Jalinus and Azadmard reached Najaf, they sent the man to Rustam, who was then in Kutha.
Rustam asked him: “Why have you come here, and what do you seek?” He replied: “We have come to obtain what God has promised.” Rustam said: “And what is it?” He replied: “Your land, your sons, and your lives—if you refuse to accept Islam.” Rustam said: “And if you are killed before that?” He replied: “God’s promise is that whoever among us is killed before the victory, He will admit him into Paradise; and for those of us who remain, He will fulfill what I have told you. We are, therefore, completely certain.” Rustam said: “Then it is as though He has placed us into your hands!” He replied: “Woe to you, Rustam! Your deeds have brought you to this state, and God has handed you over to us because of them. So do not be deceived by what you see around you, for you are not contending with human beings; rather, you are contending with (God’s) decree and destiny.” Upon hearing this, Rustam became enraged and ordered that his head be struck off; thus, he was beheaded.
Then Rustam departed from Kutha to camp at Bars. There, Rustam’s companions seized people’s property, assaulted women, and drank wine. The populace cried out, went to Rustam with complaints, and told him what was being done to their wealth and their children. Rustam stood before his companions and said: “O Persians! By God, that Arab spoke the truth. By God, it is our deeds alone that have destroyed us. By God, the Arabs have treated these people better than you have—though they are enemies both to them and to us. God continued to grant you victory over the enemy and dominion in the land so long as your conduct was upright: you restrained oppression, fulfilled covenants, and practiced beneficence. But when you abandoned those good deeds and began these evil acts, I am convinced that God will transform your dominance into defeat, and I fear that God will strip sovereignty from you.” Then he sent men to seize some of those complained against; a few men were brought, and Rustam had their heads struck off.
Lexical Analysis: • alʿUluj: plural of ilj—a stout, powerfully built person; commonly used for non-Arab unbelievers.
Explanation and Clarification:
1. Rustam’s ordering the captured Arab to be killed in anger makes clear his inner turmoil and his divided personality. On one side, on the basis of astrology he believes that the Arabs are destined to win this war; and the contrast between the Arabs’ moral comportment and the Persians’ corruption further strengthens his conviction. Yet when he hears the same point stated bluntly by the Arab himself, he cannot restrain himself; his national pride is wounded, and, in anger, he has him killed.
2. In the same frame, Rustam identifies the Persians’ moral condition as the cause of their anticipated defeat. This motif also appears among other responsible Persian figures, as will be seen in certain reports. It reflects Persian religious and moral conceptions about rule and sovereignty: in their religious literature and royal edicts, governance is frequently presented as conditioned upon justice and fairness, and as losing its legitimacy in their absence. Certain Sasanian kings—such as Anushirwan and Ardashir—are often cited as historical exemplars in this regard.
Referencing and Variance in Narration Chains
Al-Kalaʿi also transmits this report (al-Iktifaʾ… 2/440–441).
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عَنْ سَيْفٍ، عَنْ النَّضْرِ بْنِ السَّرِي، عَنْ ابْنِ الرُّفَيلِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: … وَكَتَبَ جَابَانُ إِلَى جُشْنَسْمَاهَ: إِنَّ أَهْلَ فَارِسَ قَدْ زَالَ أَمْرُهُمْ، وَأُدِيلَ عَدُوٌّهُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَذَهَبَ مُلْكُ الْمَجُوسِيَّةِ، وَأَقْبَلَ مُلْكُ الْعَرَبِ وَأُدِيلَ دِينُهُمْ، فَاعْتَقِدْ مِنْهُمُ النِّمَّةَ ، وَلَا تَخْلُبَنَّكَ الْأُمُورُ ، وَالْعَجَلَ الْعَجَلَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُؤْخَذَ! فَلَمَّا وَقَعَ الْكِتَابُ إِلَيْهِ خَرَجَ جُشْنَسْمَاهُ إِلَيْهِمْ حَتَّى أَتَى الْمُعَنَّى ، وَهُوَ فِي خَيْلٍ بِالْعَتِيقِ، وَأَرْسَلَهُ إِلَى سَعْدٍ، فَاعْتَقَدَ مِنْهُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَأَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَمَنْ اسْتَجَابَ لَهُ وَرَدَّهُ، وَكَانَ صَاحِبَ أَخْبَارِهِمْ. (تاريخ الطبرى (507/3)
Sayf—via Naḍr bin al-Sari and Ibn Rufayl—relates from Rufayl (the father) that (Yazdegerd’s royal astrologer) Jaban wrote to Gushnasp Mah: “The dominion of the Persians is on the verge of collapse; their enemy will be granted ascendancy over them; and the sovereignty of Magianism will come to an end. Now is the time of Arab dominion, and their religion will prevail. Therefore, conclude a covenant of dhimmah with the Arabs, and let the outward appearance of affairs not deceive you. Hurry—hurry—before you are seized!” When the letter reached Gushnasp Mah, he set out toward the Arabs and met (their commander) Muʿanna, who was present at al-ʿAtiq with his cavalry. Muʿanna sent him to Saʿd bin Abi Waqqas, and Saʿd granted him a covenant of dhimmah for his own life, his household, and those who would respond to him, and then sent him back. After that, Gushnasp Mah began conveying to them intelligence about the Persians.
Lexical Analysis:
• Udila: derived from dawlah, literally “the turning of the game-piece”; “udila ʿaduwwuhum ʿalayhim” means: their enemy has been granted success against them.
• La takhlubannaka: from khalb (“to deceive”).
Explanation and Clarification:
1. Jaban was the royal astrologer at Yazdegerd’s court. Through his knowledge, it too became clear to him that the time had come for the Persian dominion to end. Accordingly, out of personal concern and a private relationship with Gushnasp Mah—a Persian notable—he secretly informed him and advised him to secure protection from the Muslims.
2. The Arabs referred to Zoroastrianism—the official religion of the Sasanian state—as “Magianism”
(Majusiyyah). The “Magians” were, in fact, a distinct class that performed religious rites in Zoroastrian temples; hence the designation became common among the Arabs for the religion itself. The Qur’an, too, mentions the adherents of this religion under the name al-Majus (al-Hajj 22:17).
Referencing and Variance in Narration Chains
Al-Kalaʿi also transmits this report (al-Iktifaʾ… 2/440–441).
(10)
عَنْ ابْنِ الرَّفِيلِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: لَمَّا نَزَلَ رُسْتُمْ عَلَى العَتِيقِ وَبَاتَ بِهِ أَصْبَحَ غَادِيًا عَلَى التَّصَفُحِ وَالحَزْرِ ، فَسَايَرَ الْعَتِيقَ نَحْوَ خُفَّانَ، حَتَّى أَتَى عَلَى مُنْقَطَعِ عَسْكَرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، ثُمَّ صَعِدَ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى القَنْطَرَةِ، فَتَأَمَّلَ الْقَوْمَ حَتَّى أَتَى عَلَى شَيْءٍ يُشْرِفُ مِنْهُ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَلَمَّا وَقَفَ عَلَى القَنْطَرَةِ رَاسَلَ زُهْرَةَ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ حَتَّى وَاقَفَهُ ، فَأَرَادَهُ أَنْ يُصَالِحَهُمْ، وَيَجْعَلَ لَهُ جُعْلًا عَلَى أَنْ يَنْصَرِفُوا عَنْهُ، وَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ فِيمَا يَقُولُ: أَنْتُمْ جِيرَانُنَا ، وَقَدْ كَانَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْكُمْ فِي سُلْطَانِنَا ، فَكُنَّا نُحْسِنُ جِوَارَهُمْ ، وَنَكُتُ الأَذَى عَنْهُمْ، وَنُوَلِّيهِمُ المَرَافِقَ الكَثِيرَةَ، نَحْفَظُهُمْ فِي أَهْلِ بَادِيَتِهِمْ، فَنَرْ عِيَهِمْ مَرَاعِينَا، وَنَمِيرُهُمْ مِنْ بِلَادِنَا، وَلا نَمْنَعُهُمْ مِنَ التِّجَارَةِ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ أَرْضِنَا، وَقَدْ كَانَ لَهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ مَعَاشِ – يُعَرِّضُ لَهُمْ بِالصُّلْحِ، وَإِنَّمَا يُخْبِرُهُ بِصَنِيعِهِمْ، وَالصُّلْحَ يُرِيدُ وَلَا يُصَرِّحُ
فَقَالَ لَهُ زُهْرَةُ: صَدَقْتَ، قَدْ كَانَ مَا تَذْكُرُ ، وَلَيْسَ أَمْرُنَا أَمْرَ أُولَئِكَ وَلا طِلْبَتَنَا ، إِنَّا لَمْ نَأْتِكُمْ لِطَلَبِ الدُّنْيَا، إِنَّمَا طِلْبَتُنَا وَهِمَّتُنَا الْآخِرَةُ، كُنَّا كَمَا ذَكَرْتَ يَدِينُ لَكُمْ مَنْ وَرَدَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَّا وَيَصْرَعُ إِلَيْكُمْ يَطْلُبُ مَا فِي أَيْدِيكُمْ، ثُمَّ بَعَثَ اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى إِلَيْنَا رَسُولًا، فَدَعَانَا إِلَى رَبِّهِ فَأَجَبْنَاهُ، فَقَالَ لِنَبِيِّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم : إِنِّي قَدْ سَلَّطْتُ هَذِهِ الطَّائِفَةَ عَلَى مَنْ لَمْ يَدِنْ بِدِينِي، فَأَنَا مُنْتَقِمٌ بِهِمْ مِنْهُمْ، وَأَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الْغَلَبَةَ مَا دَامُوا مُقِرِّينَ بِهِ، وَهُوَ دِينُ الْحَقِّ، لَا يَرْغَبُ عَنْهُ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا ذَلَّ ، وَلَا يَعْتَصِمُ بِهِ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا عَزَّ.
فَقَالَ لَهُ رُسْتُمُ: وَمَا هُوَ ؟
قَالَ: أَمَّا عَمُودُهُ الَّذِي لَا يَصْلُحُ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ إِلَّا بِهِ فَشَهَادَةُ أَنْ لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ، وَالإِقْرَارُ بِمَا جَاءَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى.
قَالَ: مَا أَحْسَنَ هَذَا ! وَأَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَيْضًا؟
قَالَ: وَإِخْرَاجُ العِبَادِ مِنْ عِبَادَةِ العِبَادِ إِلَى عِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى.
قَالَ: حَسَنٌ، وَأَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَيْضًا؟
قَالَ: وَالنَّاسُ بَنُو آدَمَ وَحَوَّاءَ ، إِخْوَةٌ لِأَبِ وَأُمِّ. قَالَ: مَا أَحْسَنَ هَذَا !
ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ رُسْتُمُ: أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ أَنِّي رَضِيتُ بِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ وَأَجَبْتُكُمْ إِلَيْهِ وَمَعِي قَوْمِي كَيْفَ يَكُونُ أَمْرُكُمْ؟ أَتَرْجِعُونَ؟
قَالَ: إِي وَاللهِ، ثُمَّ لَا نَقْرَبُ بِلَادَكُمْ أَبَدًا إِلَّا فِي تِجَارَةٍ أَوْ حَاجَةٍ.
قَالَ: صَدَقْتَنِي وَاللهِ ، أَمَا إِنَّ أَهْلَ فَارِسَ مُنْذُ وَلِيَ أَرْدَشِيرُ لَمْ يَدَعُوا أَحَدًا يَخْرُجُ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ مِنَ السَّفِئَةِ، كَانُوا يَقُولُونَ إِذَا خَرَجُوا مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ: تَعَدَّوْا طَوْرَهُمْ وَعَادَوا أَشْرَافَهُمْ.
فَقَالَ لَهُ زُهْرَةُ: نَحْنُ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ لِلنَّاسِ، فَلَا نَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ نَكُونَ كَمَا تَقُولُونَ، تُطِيعُ اللهَ فِي السَّفِلَةِ، وَلا يَضُرُّنَا مَنْ عَصَى اللَّهَ فِينَا.
فَانْصَرَفَ عَنْهُ، وَدَعَا رِجَالَ فَارِسَ فَذَاكَرَهُمْ هَذَا ، فَحَمُوا مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَنفُوا ، فَقَالَ: أَبْعَدَكُمُ اللهُ وَأَسْحَقَكُمْ أَخْزَى اللَّهُ أَخْرَعَنَا وَأَجْبَنَنَا !
فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ رُسْتُمُ مِلْتُ إِلَى زُهْرَةَ، فَكَانَ إِسْلَامِي، وَكُنْتُ لَهُ عَدِيدًا ، وَفُرِضَ لِي فَرَائِضُ أَهْلِ القَادِسِيَّةِ. (تاريخ الطبرى 517/3 – 518)
Ibn Rufayl relates from his father Rufayl: when Rustam halted at al-ʿAtiq and spent the night there, he set out the next morning to inspect (the army) and assess the situation. He moved from al-ʿAtiq toward Khuffan until he reached the edge of the Muslims’ camp. Then he advanced upward to the bridge. He continued surveying the Muslims’ camp until he reached a point from which he could look down upon them. When he stood on the bridge, he sent a message to (the Muslim commander) Zuhrah. Zuhrah came out and stood before Rustam. Rustam intended to offer the Muslims a peace settlement and to induce them to withdraw by paying them a specified sum. In the course of his conversation, Rustam said to Zuhrah: “You are our neighbors, and a group among you has also lived under our authority. We treated them well: we protected them from harm, provided them with many conveniences, looked after their desert-dwellers, and allowed them to pasture their animals in our grazing lands. We supplied them grain from our country and never barred them from trading anywhere in our territory; indeed, this was their livelihood.”
By these remarks, Rustam was gesturing toward a peace settlement: he was recounting Persian beneficence toward them, intending thereby to propose peace, though without stating it explicitly.
Zuhrah replied: “You have spoken truthfully; things were indeed as you describe. But our affair is not like the affair of those people, nor is our aim their aim. We have not come seeking the world; rather, our aim and aspiration is the Hereafter. As you have said, those who previously came to you were obedient to you and sought what you had. Then God sent to us a messenger, who called us to our Lord, and we accepted his call. God said to His Prophet: ‘I have resolved to set this group of My followers over those who do not believe in My religion, so that through them I may exact retribution from them; and so long as they remain steadfast upon this religion, I shall grant them supremacy.’ This is the religion of truth: whoever turns away from it will be humiliated, and whoever holds fast to it will be honored.”
Rustam asked: “What is that religion?” Zuhrah said: “Its pillar—without which nothing of it is sound—is to bear witness that there is no deity except God and that Muhammad is God’s Messenger, and to affirm what has come from God.” Rustam said: “How excellent this is! And what else?” Zuhrah said: “To bring God’s servants out from the servitude of other servants into servitude to God.” Rustam said: “Good—and what else?” Zuhrah said: “All people are the children of Adam and Hawwaʾ—brothers from one father and one mother.” Rustam said: “How excellent this is!”
Then Rustam said: “What do you think: if I and my people were to accept this religion and respond to you, what would become of your demand—would you return?” Zuhrah replied: “Yes—by God. Then we would never draw near to your lands again, except for trade or some need.” Rustam said: “By God, you have spoken truly. But since the time Ardashir assumed rule, it has been the Persians’ established practice that they do not allow anyone from the lower classes to step beyond his prescribed sphere of work. If they attempt to do so, they say: ‘They have overstepped their station and adopted hostility toward their nobles.’” Zuhrah replied: “We are the best of people for people; we cannot adopt the method you describe. We obey God even with respect to those of lower rank, and we are not harmed by anyone among us who wishes to disobey God.”
After this, Rustam returned to his people and conveyed these words to them. They became enraged and stirred by pride (and began taunting Rustam with cowardice). Rustam said: “May God destroy and annihilate you! May God disgrace whichever of us is cowardly and weak!”
(Rufayl says:) When Rustam departed, I left the Persians and came over to Zuhrah—this became the cause of my accepting Islam. I was counted among the army at al-Qadisiyyah, and I was allotted a share (of the spoils) equal to theirs.
Lexical Analysis
• Namir: from mirah (“grain/provisions”); “mara ʿiyalahu” means: he provided food for his household. (Reference cited in the text: Yusuf 12:65.)
• al-Safilah: the base/low strata of society; despicable people.
• Hamu: from hamiyyah—to feel intense tribal pride/indignation.
• Anifu: to feel strong aversion; to become furious.
• Akhraʿ: weak; lacking resolve.
• ʿAdid: one who is counted among a group even if he is not originally of them.
Explanation and Clarification
1. After the earlier conversation in Yazdegerd’s court, this is the first recorded dialogue in the historical sources between the Persian commander Rustam and the Muslims. Muslim representation here is by Zuhrah bin Juyyah (or Huyyah), from Banu Saʿd, who commanded the vanguard of the Arab army. In line with Yazdegerd’s approach, Rustam first tried to persuade Zuhrah to return with some worldly provisions. When he failed, he asked once again about Islam’s foundational teaching. In his reply, Zuhrah especially highlighted that Islam seeks to bring people out of servitude to other people and into servitude to God—meaning that, if the Persians accepted Islam, they would have to abolish within their polity the entrenched distinction between ruling and subject classes.
2. While mentioning the class system prevalent among the Persians, Rustam refers to Ardashir, who in the third century CE ended the Parthian empire and founded the Sasanian dynasty. In the Sasanian order, Iranian society was divided into classes, and each class was considered bound to its particular duties. For example, one who learned a specific craft was expected to confine himself to it and not take interest in other professions. The lowest class consisted of common people, for whom opportunities to rise beyond their social rank into higher classes were very limited (as cited in the text). Rustam had already observed— and knew from other information—that the new religion under which the Arabs had united did not permit this sort of hierarchy and class division. Thus, despite finding Islam’s teaching appealing in principle, he expressed reservations about this particular aspect and indicated that the Persian elites would never accept a change to the established class-based system.
Referencing and Variance in Narration Chains
Al-Kalaʿi also transmits Rufayl’s report, though without including the concluding sentence about Rufayl’s acceptance of Islam (al-Iktifaʾ… 2/457).
[To Be Continued…]