وَعَنْAndإِبْرَاهِيمَIbrahimبْنِson ofالسِّنْدِيِّAl-Sindiبْنِson ofشَاهِكَShahikقَالَ:said:
And on the authority of Ibrahim bin Al-Sindi bin Shahik, he said:
لَمَّاWhenاخْتَارَchoseيَحْيَىYahyaبْنُson ofأَكْثَمَAkthamالْعَشَرَةَthe tenمِنَfromالْفُقَهَاءِthe jurists
When Yahya bin Aktham chose the ten jurists
وَأَحْضَرَهُمْand brought themمَجْلِسَto the assembly ofالْمَأْمُونِAl-Ma'munلِمُذَاكَرَةِto discussالْفِقْهِjurisprudence
and brought them to Al-Ma'mun's assembly to discuss jurisprudence,
جَعَلَhe madeلَهُfor himيَوْماًa dayفِيinالْجُمُعَةِthe weekيَحْضُرُونَthey attendمَجْلِسَهُ،his assembly,
he assigned for him a day in the week when they would attend his assembly.
فَقَالَSo saidلِيto meالْمَأْمُونُ:Al-Ma'mun:يَاOإِبْرَاهِيمُIbrahim,
Al-Ma'mun said to me: "O Ibrahim,
احْضَرْattendفَلَسْتَfor you are notدُونَbelowأَكْبَرِهِمْ،their oldest,"
attend, for you are not less than the eldest of them."
فَكُنْتُSo I used toأَحْضَرُ،attend,وَكَانَand he hadقَدِalreadyاخْتَارَchosenمِنْfromأَيَّامِthe days ofالْجُمُعَةِthe weekيَوْمَthe day ofالثَّلَاثَاءِ،Tuesday,
So I used to attend, and he had chosen Tuesday from the days of the week.
قَالَ:He said:فَحَضَرْتُSo I attendedيَوْماًone dayفَلَمَّاand whenأَمْسَكَstoppedالْمَأْمُونُAl-Ma'munعَنِfromالْمَسَائِلِquestions
He said: So I attended one day, and when Al-Ma'mun stopped asking questions,
نَهَضَroseالْقَوْمُ،the people,وَكَانَand that wasذَلِكَtheirإِذْنُهُpermissionبِانْصِرَافِهِمْ،to leave,
the people rose, and that was his permission for them to depart.
فَوَثَبْتُSo I jumpedمَعَهُمْ،with them,فَقَالَand he saidبِيَدِهِ:with his hand:مَكَانَكَYour placeيَاOإِبْرَاهِيمُ،Ibrahim,
So I sprang up with them, and he motioned with his hand: "Remain in your place, O Ibrahim."
فَقَعَدْتُSo I sat downوَقَامَand stoodيَحْيَىYahyaوَسَاءَهُand it displeased himتَخَلُّفِي،my staying behind,
So I sat down, and Yahya stood up, and my staying behind displeased him.
فَقَالَAnd saidلِيto meوَدَخَلَas enteredإِبْرَاهِيمُIbrahimبْنُson ofالْمَهْدِيِّ:Al-Mahdi:هَاتِBring forthذِكْرَmention ofمَنْwhoفِيinعَسْكَرِنَاour armyمِمَّنْfrom those whoيَطْلُبُseekمَاwhatعِنْدَنَاis with usبِالرِّيَاءِ،through hypocrisy,
And as Ibrahim bin Al-Mahdi entered, he said to me: "Bring up the mention of those in our army who seek what is with us through hypocrisy."
فَقُلْتُSo I saidمَاwhatعِنْدِي،I had,وَقَالَand saidإِبْرَاهِيمُIbrahimمَاwhatعِنْدَهُ،he had,
So I said what I knew, and Ibrahim said what he knew.
فَقَالَ:He said:مَاI doأَرَىnot seeعِنْدَwithأَحَدٍanyoneمَاwhatيَبْلُغُreachesإِرَادَتِي،my desire,
He said: "I do not see anyone with what reaches my desire."
ثُمَّThenأَنْشَأَhe beganيُحَدِّثُto speakعَنْaboutأَهْلِthe people ofعَسْكَرِهِhis armyحَتَّىuntilوَاللَّهِby Allahلَوْifكَانَhe hadقَدْalreadyأَقَامَstayedفِيinرَحْلِtentكُلِّof everyرَجُلٍmanحَوْلاًa yearلَمَّاhe would notزَادَhave addedعَلَىtoمَعْرِفَتِهِ،his knowledge of him,
Then he began to speak about the people of his army until, by Allah, if he had stayed in the tent of every man for a year, he would not have added to his knowledge of him.
وَقَالَ:And he said:إِنَّهُIndeedكَانَit wasمِمَّاfrom whatحَفِظْتُI memorizedعَنْهُfrom himفِيregardingثَلْبِcriticism ofأَصْحَابِهِhis companionsأَنَّهُthat heقَالَ:said:
And he said: "Indeed, among what I memorized from him regarding his criticism of his companions was that he said:
تَسْبِيحُThe glorification ofحُمَيْدٍHumaidالطُّوسِيِّAl-Tusiوَصَلَاةُand the prayer ofقَحْطَبَةَQahtabaوَصِيَامُand the fasting ofالنَّوْشَجَانِيِّAl-Nawshajaniوَوُضُوءُand the ablution ofبِشْرٍBishrالْمَرِيسِيِّAl-Marisiوَبِنَاءُand the building ofمَالِكِMalikبْنِson ofشَاهِكَShahikالْمَسَاجِدَmosquesوَبُكَاءُand the weeping ofإِبْرَاهِيمَIbrahimبْنِson ofبَرِيهَةَBarihaعَلَىonالْمِنْبَرِthe pulpitوَجَمْعُand the gathering ofالْحُسَيْنِAl-Husseinبْنِson ofقُرَيْشٍQuraishالْقِيَامِيِّAl-Qiyamiوَقَصَصُand the storytelling ofمُرَجًّاMurajjaوَصَدَقَةُand the charity ofعَلِيِّAliبْنِson ofهِشَامٍHishamوَحُمْلَانُand the carrying ofإِسْحَاقَIshaqبْنِson ofإِبْرَاهِيمَIbrahimفِيinسَبِيلِthe way ofاللَّهِAllahوَصَلَاةُand the prayer ofأَبِيAbuرَجَاءٍRajaالضُّحَى،Al-Duha,'"
The glorification of Humaid Al-Tusi, the prayer of Qahtaba, the fasting of Al-Nawshajani, the ablution of Bishr Al-Marisi, the building of mosques by Malik bin Shahik, the weeping of Ibrahim bin Bariha on the pulpit, the gatherings of Al-Hussein bin Quraish Al-Qiyami, the storytelling of Murajja, the charity of Ali bin Hisham, the carrying by Ishaq bin Ibrahim in the way of Allah, and the Duha prayer of Abu Raja.
فَقَالَSo saidلِيto meرَجُلٌa manمِنْfromعُظَمَاءِthe nobles ofالْعَسْكَرِthe armyحِينَwhenخَرَجْنَاwe came outمِنَfromالدَّارِ:the house:
A man of the army's nobles said to me when we came out of the house:
هَلْDidرَأَيْتَyou seeأَوْorسَمِعْتَhearقَطُّeverأَعْلَمَmore knowledgeableبِرَعِيَّتِهِabout his subjectsوَأَشَدَّand more severeتَنْقِيراًin investigatingمِنْthanهَذَا؟this one?
"Did you ever see or hear of anyone more knowledgeable about his subjects and more thorough in investigating than this one?"
قُلْتُ:I said:اللَّهُمَّO Allahلَا!no!
I said: "O Allah, no!"
فَحَدَّثْتُSo I narratedبِهَذَاwith thisالْحَدِيثِhadithبَعْضَsomeأَهْلِpeople ofالْخَطَرِ،importance,
So I narrated this hadith to some important person,
فَقَالَ:and he said:وَمَاAnd whatتَصْنَعُdo you make ofبِهَذَاthisوَقَدْwhenكَتَبَhe has writtenإِلَىtoإِسْحَاقَIshaqبْنِson ofإِبْرَاهِيمَIbrahimفِيregardingالْفُقَهَاءِthe juristsبِمَعَايِبِهِمْwith their faultsرَجُلاًmanرَجُلاًby man
and he said: "What do you make of this, when he has written to Ishaq bin Ibrahim regarding the jurists, detailing their faults man by man,
حَتَّىto the extentإِنَّهُthat heأَعْلَمُis more knowledgeableبِمَاabout whatفِيis inمَنَازِلِهِمْtheir homesمِنْهُمْ؟than they are?"
to the extent that he is more knowledgeable about what is in their homes than they are?"
قَالَ:He said:وَحَدَّثَنَاAnd narrated to usسُلَيْمَانُSulaimanبْنُson ofعَلِيٍّAliالنَّوْفَلِيُّAl-Nawfaliقَالَ:he said:
He said: And Sulaiman bin Ali Al-Nawfali narrated to us, saying:
سَمِعْتُI heardعَمْرَوAmrبْنَson ofمَسْعَدَةَMas'adahيَقُولُ:saying:
"I heard Amr bin Mas'adah saying:
قَالَSaidلَنَاto usالْمَأْمُونُAl-Ma'munيَوْماًone dayمِنَfromالْأَيَّامِ:the days:
Al-Ma'mun said to us one day:
مَنْWhoأَنْبَلُis the noblestمَنْof thoseتَعْلَمُونَyou knowنُبْلًاin nobilityوَأَعْفَهُمْand the chastest of themعِفَّةً؟in chastity?
"Who is the noblest of those you know in nobility and the chastest of them in chastity?"
قَالَ:He said:فَقُلْنَاSo we saidوَأَكْثَرُنَا،and most of us,
He said: So we spoke, and most of us,
فَبَعْضُنَاso some of usمَدَحَهُpraised himوَقَرَّظَهُand lauded himوَقَدَّمَهُand placed him aheadعَلَىoverكُلِّeveryخَلِيفَةٍcaliphوَإِمَامٍand imam
some of us praised him, lauded him, and placed him above every caliph and imam,
وَعَدَّدْنَاand we enumeratedمَاwhatنَعْرِفُwe knowمِنْofمَكَارِمِnobleالْأَخْلَاقِ،morals,
and we enumerated what we know of noble morals.
فَقَالَ:He said:مَاThere isكَمَالُno perfection ofالْمَنَاقِبِvirtuesإِلَّاexceptلِبَنِيfor the Children ofهَاشِمٍHashim,غَيْرَother thanأَنَّاthat weلَمْdid notنُرِدْهَاdesire itوَلَاnorأَرَدْنَاdid we desireخُلَفَاءَهَا،its caliphs,
He said: "The perfection of virtues belongs only to Banu Hashim, except that we neither sought it nor desired its caliphs."
قَالَSaidعَلِيُّAliبْنُson ofصَالِحٍ:Salih:اعْرِفِRecognizeالْقِصَّةَthe storyفِيregardingعُمَرَUmarبْنِson ofالْخَطَّابِ،Al-Khattab,رَحِمَهُmay Allah have mercy onاللَّهُ،him,
Ali bin Salih said: Recognize the story regarding Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah have mercy on him,
فَأَشَاحَso he turned awayبِوَجْهِهِwith his faceوَأَعْرَضَand withdrewوَذَكَرَand mentionedكَلاماًwordsلَيْسَnotمِنْfromجِنْسِthe kind ofهَذَاthisالْكِتَابِbookفَنَذْكُرَهُ،so we mention it,
so he turned his face away, withdrew, and mentioned words not belonging to the genre of this book for us to mention.
ثُمَّThenقَالَ:he said:ذَاكَThat isوَاللَّهِby AllahأَبُوAbuالْعَبَّاسِAl-AbbasعَبْدُAbdullahاللَّهِbinبْنُTahirطَاهِرٍentered
Then he said: "That, by Allah, is Abu Al-Abbas Abdullah bin Tahir,
دَخَلَwho enteredمِصْرَEgyptوَهِيَwhile it wasكَالْعَرُوسِlike the brideالْكَامِلَةِcompleteفِيهَاwith in itخَرَاجُهَاits land taxوَبِهَاand with itأَمْوَالُهَاits wealthجَمَّةًabundant,
who entered Egypt while it was like a complete bride, with its land tax and abundant wealth in it.
ثُمَّThenخَرَجَhe leftعَنْهَاitفَلَوْso ifشَاءَAllah had willedاللَّهُfor himأَنْto leaveيُخْرِجَitعَنْهَاwithبِعَشَرَةِtenآلَافِthousandأَلْفِthousandدِينَارٍdinars,لَفَعَلَ،he would have done so,
Then he left it, and had Allah willed for him to leave it with ten million dinars, he would have done so.
وَلَقَدْAnd indeedكَانَthere wasلِيfor meعَلَيْهِover himعَيْنٌa spyتَرْعَاهُ،watching him,
And indeed, I had a spy over him watching him,
فَكَتَبَand he wroteإِلَيَّto meأَنَّهُthatعُرِضَتْthere were presentedعَلَيْهِto himأَمْوَالٌfundsلَوْwhich ifعُرِضَتْthey had been presentedعَلَيَّto meأَوْorبَعْضُهَاsome of themلَشَرَهَتْwould have lustedإِلَيْهَاfor themنَفْسِي،my soul,
and he wrote to me that funds were presented to him which, had they or some of them been presented to me, my soul would have lusted for them.
فَمَاYetعِلْمْتُهُI did not know him toخَرَجَleaveعَنْthatذَلِكَcountryالْبَلَدِexceptإِلَّاinوَهُوَthe stateبِالصِّفَةِthatالَّتِيhe arrivedقَدِمَهُin,فِيهَاexcept forإِلَّاa hundredمِئَةَgarments,ثَوْبٍtwo donkeys,وَحِمَارَيْنِand fourوَأَرْبَعَةِhorses.أَفْرَاسٍ،horses
Yet I knew him not to have departed from that country except in the exact condition in which he arrived, save for a hundred garments, two donkeys, and four horses.
فَمَنْSo whoرَأَىhas seenأَوْorسَمِعَheardبِمِثْلِof the like ofهَذَاthisالْفَتَىyoung manفِيinالْإِسْلَامِ؟Islam?
So who has seen or heard of the like of this young man in Islam?
فَالْحَمْدُSo praiseلِلَّهِbe to Allahالَّذِيwhoجَعَلَهُmade himغَرْسَa planting ofيَدِيmy handsوَخَرّيجَand a product ofنِعْمَتِي.my bounty.
So praise be to Allah who made him a planting of my hands and a product of my bounty."