فَلَمَّاSo whenأُثْبِتَتِwere fixedالْقَرَاطِيسُthe papyriبِالطِّرَازِwith the tirazالْمُحْدَثِnewly introducedبِالتَّوْحِيدِwith the declaration of oneness
So when the papyri were inscribed with the newly introduced tiraz containing the declaration of oneness
وَحُمِلَand it was carriedإِلَىtoبِلَادِthe landsالرُّومِof the Byzantinesمِنْهَاfrom it
and carried to the lands of the Byzantines from it,
انْتَشَرَspreadخَبَرُهَاits newsوَوَصَلَand it reachedإِلَىtoمَلِكِهِمْtheir king
its news spread and it reached their king,
فَتُرْجِمَso was translatedلَهُfor himذَلِكَthatالطِّرَازُtiraz
so that tiraz was translated for him,
فَأَنْكَرَهُand he disapproved of itوَغَلُظَand it became severeعَلَيْهِupon him
and he disapproved of it and it weighed heavily upon him,
فَاسْتَشَاطَso he flared upغَضَبًاin angerوَكَتَبَand he wroteإِلَىtoعَبْدِAbdالْمَلِكِal-Malik
so he flared up in anger and wrote to Abd al-Malik:
إِنَّIndeedعَمَلَthe production ofالْقَرَاطِيسِpapyriبِمِصْرَin Egyptوَسَائِرِand allمَاwhatيُطَرَّزُis embroideredهُنَاكَthere
Indeed, the production of papyri in Egypt and all that is embroidered there
لِلرُّومِfor the Byzantinesوَلَمْand it had notيَزَلْceasedيُطَرَّزُto be embroideredبِطِرَازِwith the tirazالرُّومِof the Byzantinesإِلَىuntilأَنْthatأَبْطَلْتَهُyou abolished it
belonged to the Byzantines, and it had always been embroidered with the Byzantine tiraz until you abolished it.
فَإِنْSo ifكَانَwasمَنْwhoتَقَدَّمَكَpreceded youمِنَfromالْخُلَفَاءِthe caliphsقَدْhasأَصَابَbeen right
So if those of the caliphs who preceded you were right,
فَقَدْthen you haveأَخْطَأْتَerred
then you have erred;
وَإِنْand ifكُنْتَyou wereقَدْindeedأَصَابَrightفَقَدْthenأَخْطَأُواthey erred
and if you were right, then they erred.
فَاخْتَرْSo chooseمِنْfromهَاتَيْنِthese twoالْخَلَّتَيْنِqualitiesأَيَّتَهُمَاwhichever of themشِئْتَyou willedوَأَحْبَبْتَand liked
So choose whichever of these two qualities you wish and like.
وَقَدْAnd indeedبَعَثْتُI have sentإِلَيْكَto youبِهَدِيَّةٍwith a giftتُشْبِهُthat resemblesمَحَلَّكَyour status
And I have sent to you a gift befitting your status,
وَأَحْبَبْتُand I lovedأَنْthatتَجْعَلَyou makeرَدَّthe return ofذَلِكَthatالطِّرَازِtiraz
and I desired that you make the return of that tiraz
إِلَىtoمَاwhatكَانَit wasعَلَيْهِupon itفِيinجَمِيعِallمَاwhatكَانَwasيُطَرَّزُembroidered
to what it used to be in all that was embroidered
مِنْofأَصْنَافِkinds ofالْأَعْلَاقِprecious goodsحَاجَةًa favorأَشْكُرُكَI thank youعَلَيْهَاfor it
of various precious goods, as a favor for which I will thank you
وَتَأْمُرُand you commandبِقَبْضِthe acceptance ofالْهَدِيَّةِthe gift
and that you order the acceptance of the gift.
وَكَانَتْAnd it wasعَظِيمَةَimmense inالْقَدْرِvalue
And it was of immense value.
فَلَمَّاSo whenقَرَأَreadعَبْدُAbdالْمَلِكِal-Malikكِتَابَهُhis letter
So when Abd al-Malik read his letter,
رَدَّhe returnedالرَّسُولَthe messengerوَأَعْلَمَهُand informed himأَنْthatلَاnoجَوَابَanswerلَهُfor him
he turned back the messenger and informed him that there was no answer for him,
وَلَمْand he did notيَقْبَلِacceptالْهَدِيَّةَthe gift
and he did not accept the gift.
فَانْصَرَفَSo he departedبِهَاwith itإِلَىtoصَاحِبِهِhis master
So he departed with it back to his master.
فَلَمَّاWhenوَفَاهُhe reached himأَضْعَفَhe doubledالْهَدِيَّةَthe gift
When he reached him, he doubled the gift
وَرَدَّand sent backالرَّسُولَthe messengerإِلَىtoعَبْدِAbdالْمَلِكِal-Malikوَقَالَand said
and sent the messenger back to Abd al-Malik, saying:
إِنِّيIndeed Iظَنَنْتُكَthought youاسْتَقْلَلْتَconsidered smallالْهَدِيَّةَthe gift
"I thought that you considered the gift too small
فَلَمْso you did notتَقْبَلْهَاaccept itوَلَمْand you did notتُجِبْنِيanswer meعَنْregardingكِتَابِيmy letter
and therefore did not accept it and did not answer my letter,
فَأَضْعَفْتُso I have doubledلَكَfor youالْهَدِيَّةَthe gift
so I have doubled the gift for you.
وَأَنَاAnd Iأَرْغَبُdesireإِلَيْكَfrom youفِيinمِثْلِlikeمَاwhatرَغِبْتُI desiredفِيهِin it
And I ask of you the same thing I desired before,
مِنْofرَدِّreturningهَذَاthisالطِّرَازِtirazإِلَىtoمَاwhatكَانَit wasعَلَيْهِupon itأَوَّلاًfirstly
namely returning this tiraz to what it was originally."
فَقَرَأَSo readعَبْدُAbdالْمَلِكِal-Malikالْكِتَابَthe letterوَلَمْand he did notيُجِبْهُanswer himوَرَدَّand returnedالْهَدِيَّةَthe gift
So Abd al-Malik read the letter, did not answer him, and returned the gift.
فَكَتَبَThen wroteإِلَيْهِto himمَلِكُthe king ofالرُّومِthe Byzantinesيَقْتَضِيdemandingأَجْوِبَةَanswers toكُتُبِهِhis letters
Then the Byzantine king wrote to him demanding answers to his letters,
وَيَقُولُand sayingإِنَّكَIndeed youقَدْhaveاسْتَخَفَفْتَbelittledبِجَوَابِيmy answerوَهَدِيَّتِيand my gift
and saying: "You have belittled my reply and my gift,
وَلَمْand you did notتُسْعِفْنِيgrant meبِحَاجَتِيmy needفَتَوَهَّمْتُكَso I imagined youاسْتَقْلَلْتَconsidered smallالْهَدِيَّةَthe gift
and you did not grant me my need, so I imagined that you considered the gift too small,
فَأَضْعَفْتُهَاso I doubled itفَجَرَيْتَand you persistedعَلَىuponسَبِيلِكَyour pathالْأَوَّلِfirst
so I doubled it, but you persisted in your initial path.
وَقَدْAnd I haveأَضْعَفْتُهَاdoubled itثَالِثَةًa third time
And I have doubled it a third time.
وَأَنَاAnd Iأَحْلِفُswearبِالْمَسِيحِby the Messiahلَتَأْمُرَنَّthat you will surely orderبِرَدِّthe return ofالطِّرَازِthe tiraz
And I swear by the Messiah that you will either order the return of the tiraz
إِلَىtoمَاwhatكَانَit wasعَلَيْهِupon itأَوْorلَآمُرَنَّI will surely orderبِنَقْشِthe minting ofالدَّنَانِيرِdinarsوَالدَّرَاهِمِand dirhams
to what it was, or I will surely order the minting of dinars and dirhams
فَإِنَّكَfor youتَعْلَمُknowأَنَّهُthat itلَاnotيُنْقَشُis mintedشَيْءٌanythingمِنْهَاof themإِلَّاexceptمَاwhatيُنْقَشُis mintedفِيinبِلَادِيmy land
for you know that none of them are minted except what is minted in my land.
وَلَمْAnd were notتَكُنِtheالدَّرَاهِمُdirhamsوَالدَّنَانِيرُand dinarsنُقِشَتْmintedفِيinالْإِسْلَامِIslam
And dirhams and dinars had not yet been minted in Islam.
فَيُنْقَشُSo will be mintedعَلَيْهَاupon themمِنْofشَتْمِinsult toنَبِيِّكَyour Prophetمَاwhatإِذَاwhenقَرَأْتَهُyou read itارْفَضَّwill break outجَبِينُكَyour foreheadلَهُwith itعَرَقًاin sweat
So there will be minted upon them of insults to your Prophet that when you read it, your forehead will break out in sweat.
فَأُحِبُّSo I would likeأَنْthatتَقْبَلَyou acceptهَدِيَّتِيmy gift
So I would like you to accept my gift,
وَتَرُدَّand returnالطِّرَازَthe tirazإِلَىtoمَاwhatكَانَit wasعَلَيْهِupon it
return the tiraz to what it was,
وَتَجْعَلَand makeذَلِكَthatهَدِيَّةًa giftبَرَرْتَنِيyou favored meبِهَاwith it
and make that a favor you have bestowed upon me,
وَنَبْقَىand we remainعَلَىuponالْحَالِthe conditionبَيْنِيbetween meوَبَيْنَكَand you
and we remain on the same terms between you and me."
فَلَمَّاSo whenقَرَأَreadعَبْدُAbdالْمَلِكِal-Malikالْكِتَابَthe letter
So when Abd al-Malik read the letter,
غَلُظَit weighed heavilyعَلَيْهِupon himوَضَاقَتْand grew narrowبِهِfor himالْأَرْضُthe earth
it weighed heavily on him and the earth felt narrow for him,
وَقَالَand he saidاحْسَبْنِيConsider meأَشْأَمَthe most ominousمَوْلُودٍnewbornوُلِدَbornفِيinالْإِسْلَامِIslam
and he said: "Consider me the most ominous newborn born in Islam,
لِأَنِّيbecause Iجَنَيْتُhave broughtعَلَىuponرَسُولِthe Messenger ofاللَّهِAllahصَلَّىmay Allah send blessingsاللَّهُAllahعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant him peace
for I have brought upon the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
مِنْofشَتْمِinsult byهَذَاthisكَافِرٍdisbelieverمَاwhatيَبْقَىwill remainغَابِرَfor the rest ofالدَّهْرِtime
such insults from this disbeliever that will remain for the rest of time
وَلَاand it is notيُمْكِنُpossibleمَحْوُهُits erasureمِنْfromجَمِيعِallمَمْلَكَةِthe realm ofالْعَرَبِthe Arabs
and cannot be erased from the entire realm of the Arabs,
إِذْsinceكَانَتِwereالْمُعَامَلَاتُtransactionsتَدُورُcirculatingبَيْنَbetweenالنَّاسِthe people
since transactions among the people circulated
بِدَنَانِيرِwith the dinars ofالرُّومِthe Byzantinesوَدَرَاهِمِهِمْand their dirhams."
using Byzantine dinars and dirhams.
وَجَمَعَAnd he gatheredأَهْلَthe people ofالْإِسْلَامِIslamوَاسْتَشَارَهُمْand consulted them
And he gathered the people of Islam and consulted them,
فَلَمْbut he did notيَجِدْfindعِنْدَwithأَحَدٍanyoneمِنْهُمْof themرَأْيًاan opinionيُعْمَلُthat could be actedبِهِupon
but he did not find with any of them an opinion that could be acted upon.
فَقَالَThen saidلَهُto himرُوحُRuhبْنُson ofزِنْبَاعٍZinba
Then Ruh ibn Zinba said to him:
إِنَّكَIndeed youلَتَعْلَمُsurely knowالرَّأْيَthe opinionوَالْمَخْرَجَand the way outمِنْfromهَذَاthisالْأَمْرِmatter
"You certainly know the opinion and the way out from this matter,
وَلَكِنَّكَbut youتَتَعَمَّدُdeliberatelyتَرْكَهُleave it
but you deliberately avoid it."
فَقَالَHe saidوَيْحَكَWoe to youمَنْ؟who is it?
He said: "Woe to you, who?"
قَالَHe saidالْبَاقِرُAl-Baqirمِنْfromأَهْلِthe people ofبَيْتِthe household ofالنَّبِيِّthe Prophetصَلَّىmay Allah send blessingsاللَّهُAllahعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant him peace
He said: "Al-Baqir, from the household of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace!"
قَالَHe saidصَدَقْتَYou have spoken the truthوَلَكِنَّهُbutأُرْتِجَit was blockedعَلَيَّupon meالرَّأْيُthe opinionفِيهِregarding it
He said: "You have spoken the truth, but the opinion regarding him escaped me."
فَكَتَبَSo he wroteإِلَىtoعَامِلِهِhis governorبِالْمَدِينَةِin Medina
So he wrote to his governor in Medina:
أَنْthatأَشْخِصْsendإِلَيَّto meمُحَمَّدَMuhammadبْنَson ofعَلِيِّAliبْنِson ofحُسَيْنٍHusaynمُكَرَّماًhonored
"Send Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husayn to me, honored,
وَمَتِّعْهُand provide him withبِمِائَتَيْtwo hundred thousandأَلْفِthousandدِرْهَمٍdirhamsلِجَهَازِهِfor his outfit
and provide him with two hundred thousand dirhams for his equipment,
وَبِثَلَاثِمِائَةِand with three hundredأَلْفِthousandدِرْهَمٍdirhamsلِنَفَقَتِهِfor his expenses
and three hundred thousand dirhams for his expenses,
وَأَزِحْand removeعِلَّتَهُany impediment for himفِيinجَهَازِهِhis equipmentوَجَهَازِand the equipment ofمَنْwhoيَخْرُجُgoes outمَعَهُwith himمِنْofأَصْحَابِهِhis companions
and clear any hindrance regarding his equipment and the equipment of those who go out with him from his companions.
وَاحْتَبِسِAnd detainالرَّسُولَthe messengerقَبْلَهُwith himإِلَىuntilمُوَافَاتِهِhis arrivalعَلَيَّto me
And detain the messenger there until his arrival to me."
فَلَمَّاSo whenوَفَىhe arrivedأَخْبَرَهُhe informed himالْخَبَرَof the news
So when he arrived, he informed him of the news.
فَقَالَThen saidلَهُto himعَلِيٌّAli
Then Ali said to him:
لَاDo notيَعْظُمَنَّlet it loom largeهَذَاthisعَلَيْكَupon you
"Let this not weigh heavily upon you,
فَإِنَّهُfor itلَيْسَis notبِشَيْءٍanything importantمِنْfromجِهَتَيْنِtwo aspects
for it is of no consequence from two aspects:
إِحْدَاهُمَاone of themأَنَّthatاللَّهَAllahجَلَّMajesticوَعَزَّand Mighty
one of them is that Allah, Majestic and Mighty,
لَمْwould notيَكُنْbeلِيُطْلِقَto permitمَاwhatيُهَدِّدُكَthreatens you withصَاحِبُthe master ofالرُّومِthe Byzantines
would not permit what the master of the Byzantines threatens you with
فِيregardingرَسُولِthe Messenger ofاللَّهِAllahصَلَّىmay Allah send blessingsاللَّهُAllahعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant him peace
regarding the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace;
وَالْأُخْرَىand the otherوُجُودُis the existence ofالْحِيلَةِa trickفِيهِin it
and the other is the existence of a solution for it.
قَالَHe saidوَمَاAnd what isهِيَ؟it?
He said: "And what is it?"
قَالَHe saidتَدْعُوYou summonفِيinهَذِهِthisالسَّاعَةِhourبِصُنَّاعٍcraftsmen
He said: "You summon at this very hour craftsmen
يَضْرِبُونَwho will mintبَيْنَbetweenيَدَيْكَyour handsسِكَكًاmoldsلِلدَّرَاهِمِfor dirhamsوَالدَّنَانِيرِand dinars
to mint for you molds for dirhams and dinars,
وَتَجْعَلُand you makeالنَّقْشَthe engravingعَلَيْهَاupon themسُورَةَthe Surah ofالتَّوْحِيدِAl-Tawhid
and you put the engraving of Surah Al-Tawhid upon them
وَذِكْرَand the mention ofرَسُولِthe Messenger ofاللَّهِAllahصَلَّىmay Allah send blessingsاللَّهُAllahعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant him peace
and the mention of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
أَحَدُهُمَاone of themفِيonوَجْهِthe face ofالدِّرْهَمِthe dirhamوَالدِّينَارِand the dinar
one of them on the face of the dirham and the dinar
وَالْآخَرُand the otherفِيonالْوَجْهِthe faceالثَّانِيsecond
and the other on the second face,
وَتَجْعَلُand you placeفِيinمَدَارِthe rim ofالدِّرْهَمِthe dirhamوَالدِّينَارِand the dinar
and you place in the border of the dirham and the dinar
ذِكْرَthe mention ofالْبَلَدِthe cityالَّذِيin whichيُضْرَبُis mintedفِيهِit
the mention of the city in which it is minted
وَالسَّنَةَand the yearالَّتِيin whichيُضْرَبُis mintedفِيهَاin itتِلْكَthoseالدَّرَاهِمُdirhamsوَالدَّنَانِيرُand dinars
and the year in which those dirhams and dinars are minted.
وَتَعْمِدُAnd you takeإِلَىtoوَزْنِweight ofثَلَاثِينَthirtyدِرْهَمًاdirhamsعَدَدًاby count
And you take by count thirty dirhams
مِنَfromالثَّلَاثَةِthe threeالْأَصْنَافِcategories
from the three categories:
الَّتِيthose whichالْعَشَرَةُtenمِنْهَاof themعَشَرَةُtenمَثَاقِيلَmithqals
ten of which equal ten mithqals,
وَعَشَرَةٌand tenمِنْهَاof themوَزْنُweight ofسِتَّةِsixمَثَاقِيلَmithqals
and ten of which weigh six mithqals,
وَعَشَرَةٌand tenمِنْهَاof themوَزْنُweight ofخَمْسَةِfiveمَثَاقِيلَmithqals
and ten of which weigh five mithqals,
فَتَكُونُso areأَوْزَانُهَاtheir weightsجَمِيعًاaltogetherوَاحِدًاoneوَعِشْرِينَand twentyمِثْقَالًاmithqals
so their total weights together equal twenty-one mithqals.
فَتُجْزِئُهَاThen you divide itمِنَbyالثَّلَاثِينَthe thirtyفَتَصِيرُand it becomesالْعُدَّةُthe proportionمِنَofالْجَمِيعِthe totalوَزْنَweight ofسَبْعَةِsevenمَثَاقِيلَmithqals
Then you divide it by the thirty, so that the average weight for each ten out of the total becomes seven mithqals.
وَتَصُبُّAnd you castسِنَجَاتٍweightsمِنْofقَوَارِيرَglassلَاthat do notتَسْتَحِيلُchangeإِلَىintoزِيَادَةٍincreaseوَلَاnorنُقْصَانٍdecrease
And you cast glass weights that do not change into increase or decrease,
فَتَضْرِبُand you mintالدَّرَاهِمَthe dirhamsعَلَىatوَزْنِweight ofعَشَرَةٍtenوَالدَّنَانِيرَand the dinarsعَلَىatوَزْنِweight ofسَبْعَةِsevenمَثَاقِيلَmithqals
and you mint the dirhams at the weight of ten [mithqals for every ten dirhams] and the dinars at the weight of seven mithqals.
وَكَانَتِAnd wereالدَّرَاهِمُthe dirhamsفِيatذَلِكَthatالْوَقْتِtimeإِنَّمَاonlyهِيَtheyالْكَسْرَوِيَّةُthe Khosrau dirhams
And the dirhams at that time were only the Khosrau dirhams,
الَّتِيwhichيُقَالُare calledلَهَاfor themالْيَوْمَtodayالْبَغْلِيَّةُAl-Baghliyah
which are called today Al-Baghliyah,
لِأَنَّbecauseرَأْسَRasالْبَغْلِAl-Baghilضَرَبَهَاminted themلِعُمَرَfor Umarبْنِson ofالْخَطَّابِAl-Khattabرَحِمَهُmay Allah have mercy onاللَّهُhim
because Ras Al-Baghil minted them for Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah have mercy on him,
بِسِكَّةٍwith a moldكَسْرَوِيَّةٍKhosrauمَكْتُوبٍwrittenعَلَيْهَاupon itصُورَةُthe image ofالْمَلِكِthe king
with a Khosrau mold upon which was inscribed the image of the king,
وَتَحْتَand beneathالْكُرْسِيِّthe throneمَكْتُوبٌwrittenبِالْفَارِسِيَّةِin Persian
and beneath the throne was written in Persian:
نُوشْNushخُرْkhurأَيْmeaningكُلْEatهَنِيئاًheartily
"Nush khur", meaning "Eat heartily."
وَكَانَAnd wasوَزْنُthe weight ofالدِّرْهَمِthe dirhamمِنْهَاof themقَبْلَbeforeالْإِسْلَامِIslamمِثْقَالًاone mithqal
And the weight of a dirham among them before Islam was one mithqal.
وَالدَّرَاهِمُAnd the dirhamsالَّتِيwhichكَانَwasوَزْنُthe weight ofالْعَشَرَةِtenمِنْهَاof themوَزْنَweight ofسِتَّةِsixمَثَاقِيلَmithqals
And the dirhams of which the weight of ten was the weight of six mithqals
وَالْعَشَرَةُand tenوَزْنَweight ofخَمْسَةِfiveمَثَاقِيلَmithqals
and ten the weight of five mithqals
هِيَthey areالسُّمَيْرِيَّةُAl-Sumayriyahالْخِفَافُthe light onesوَالثِّقَالُand the heavy ones
were the light and heavy Sumayriyah dirhams,
وَنَقْشُهَاand their engravingنَقْشُis the engraving ofفَارِسَPersia
and their engraving was the Persian engraving.