The Origins of the Islamic State/Part 3/Chapter 1

by Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyá al-Balādhurī

PART III

MESOPOTAMIA

CHAPTER I

The Conquest of Mesoptamia [al-Jazîrah]

ʿIyâḍ its governor. Dâʾûd ibn-ʿAbd-al-Ḥamîd the ḳâḍi of ar-Raḳḳah from Maimûn ibn-Mihrân:—All of Mesopotamia was conquered by ʿIyâḍ ibn-Ghanm who, after the death of abu-ʿUbaidah, was made its ruler by ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb. Abu-ʿUbaidah had appointed ʿIyâḍ to be his successor over Syria, but ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb appointed first Yazîd ibn-abi-Sufyân then Muʿâwiyah over Syria, and ordered ʿIyâḍ^[1] to invade Mesopotamia.

Al-Ḥusain ibn-al-Aswad from Sulaimân ibn-ʿAṭâʾ al-Ḳurashi:—Abu-ʿUbaidah sent ʿIyâḍ ibn-Ghanm to Mesopotamia, and died while ʿIyâḍ was still there. ʿUmar then assigned ʿIyâḍ after abu-ʿUbaidah as governor of Mesopotamia.

The terms with ar-Ruha. Bakr ibn-al-Haitham from Sulaimân ibn-ʿAṭâʾ:—When ʿIyâḍ ibn-Ghanm, who was sent by abu-ʿUbaidah, reduced ar-Ruha^[2] [Edessa, modern Urfa], he stood at its gate riding on a brown horse; and the inhabitants made terms stipulating that they should keep their cathedral and the buildings around it, and agreeing not to start a new church other than what they already had, to give succor to the Moslems against their enemy, and to forfeit their right of protection in case they fail to keep any of these conditions. Similar terms to those of ar-Ruha were made by the people of Mesopotamia.

The version of al-Wâḳidi. Muḥammad ibn-Saʿd states on the authority of al-Wâḳidi that the most authentic report he heard regarding ʿIyâḍ was that abu-ʿUbaidah, in the year 18, fell victim to the plague of Emmaus [ʿAmawâs] after appointing ʿIyâḍ as his successor [over Syria]. ʿIyâd received a letter from ʿUmar, conferring upon him the governorship of Ḥimṣ, Ḳinnasrîn and Mesopotamia. On Thursday the middle of Shaʿbân, year 18, he marched to Mesopotamia at the head of 5,000 men, the van of the army being led by Maisarah ibn-Masrûḳ al-ʿAbsi, the right wing by Saʿîd ibn-ʿÂmir ibn-Ḥidhyam al-Jumaḥi and the left by Ṣafwân ibn-al-Muʿaṭṭal as-Sulami. Khâlid ibn-al-Walîd was on the left wing. Others assert that after Abu-ʿUbaidah, Khâlid never marched under any man's flag but remained in Ḥimṣ, where he died in the year 21 after designating ʿUmar to execute his will.^[3] Some claim that he died in al-Madînah; but that he died in Ḥimṣ is the more authentic report.^[4]

The terms with ar-Raḳḳah. The van of ʿIyâḍ's army arrived in ar-Raḳḳah^[5] and made a raid on its environ where Beduin Arabs were encamped with a group of peasants, carrying off much booty. Those who escaped took to flight and entered the city of ar-Raḳḳah. ʿIyâḍ advanced with his troops until he arrived, with his troops in military array,^[6] at Bâb ar-Ruha—one of the gates of the city. For an hour the Moslems were shot at, and some of them were wounded. In order to escape the enemy's stones and arrows, ʿIyâḍ withdrew, and, after going round the city on horseback, he stationed horse-guards at its gates. He then returned to the main army and sent bands of soldiers^[7] who went around, bringing back with them prisoners from the villages and large quantities of food. It was the proper time for reaping the harvest. This condition having lasted for five or six days the patrician of the city asked for peace from ʿIyâḍ, who made terms with him, guaranteeing for the population the security of their lives, children, possessions and city. ʿIyâḍ said, "The land is ours; we have subdued and secured it". However, he left it in their hands on the kharâj basis. That part of the land which was not wanted and rejected by the dhimmis, he turned over to the Moslems on the tithe basis. Moreover, ʿIyâḍ assessed poll-tax to the amount of one dînâr per annum on every man, holding women and boys exempt. In addition to the dînâr, he levied on them ḳafîzes^[8] of wheat, and some oil, vinegar and honey. When Muʿâwiyah came to power, he laid that as a regular tax upon them. The people then opened the city gates and established a market for the Moslems at the Ruha gate. The following is the statement issued by ʿIyâḍ:

"In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful. This is what ʿIyâḍ ibn-Ghanm gave to the people of ar-Raḳḳah when he entered the city. He gave them security for their lives and possessions. Their churches shall not be destroyed or occupied, so long as they pay the tax assessed on them and enter in no intrigue. It is stipulated that they build no new church or place of worship, or publicly strike clappers,^[9] or openly celebrate Easter Monday^[10] or show the cross in public. Thereunto, Allah is witness and Allah is a sufficient witness. Signed by ʿIyâḍ's own signature."

Others report that ʿIyâḍ assessed four dînârs on every adult of ar-Raḳḳah; but the fact is that ʿUmar wrote after this to ʿUmair ibn-Saʿd, his governor, instructing him to assess four dînârs on every man, as it was the case with those who possessed gold.

The terms with ar-Ruha. ʿIyâḍ then advanced against Ḥarrân and encamped at Bâjuddah, whence he sent forth the van of the army. The people of Ḥarrân closed the city gates, shutting the troops out. ʿIyâḍ followed up the van and when he camped at Ḥarrân, the Ḥarnânîyah from among its inhabitants sent him a word saying that they had under their control a part of the city and asking him to go to ar-Ruha, promising to accept whatever terms he may make with it, and leaving him free to negotiate with the Christians of Ḥarrân. Hearing that, the Christians sent him word, consenting to what had been proposed and offered by al-Ḥarnânîyah. Accordingly, ʿIyâḍ advanced to ar-Ruha whose people gathered against and shot at the Moslems for an hour. The fighters made a sally, but the Moslems put them to flight and forced them to seek refuge in the city. No sooner had that taken place than they offered to capitulate and make peace. To this, ʿIyâḍ consented and wrote them the following statement:^[11]

"In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful. This is a statement from ʿIyâḍ ibn-Ghanm to the bishop of ar-Ruha. If ye open before me the city gate and agree to offer to me for every man one dînâr and two modii of wheat, then I grant you safety for your persons, possessions and those dependent on you. It is incumbent on you to guide the one who goes astray, to repair the bridges and roads, and give good counsel to the Moslems. Thereunto, Allah is witness; and he is sufficient."

Dâʾûd ibn-ʿAbd-al-Ḥamid from a grandfather of his:—The statement of ʿIyâḍ to the inhabitants of ar-Ruha ran as follows:—

"In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful. This is a statement from ʿIyâḍ ibn-Ghanm and his accompanying Moslems to the inhabitants of ar-Ruha. I have granted them security for their lives, possessions, offspring, women, city and mills, so long as they give what they rightly owe. They are bound to repair our bridges, and guide those of us who go astray. Thereunto, Allah and his angels and the Moslems are witnesses."

Harrân and Sumaisâṭ capitulate. ʿIyâḍ then came to Ḥarrân and directed Ṣafwân ibn-al-Muʿaṭṭal and Ḥabîb ibn-Maslamah-l-Fihri to Sumaisâṭ.^[12] With the people of Ḥarrân, he made terms similar to those of ar-Ruha. Its inhabitants opened the city gates for him, and he assigned a governor over it. He then came to Sumaisâṭ and found Ṣafwân ibn-al-Muʿaṭṭal and Ḥabîb ibn-Maslamah directing their operations against it, after having reduced many of its villages and forts. The people of Sumaisâṭ made terms similar to those of ar-Ruha. ʿIyâḍ used to make incursions from ar-Ruha and return to it.

All Mesopotamia reduced by ʿIyâḍ. Muḥammad ibn-Saʿd from az-Zuhri:—In the days of ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb, not a foot was left in Mesopotamia unsubdued by ʿIyâḍ ibn-Ghanm who reduced Ḥarrân, ar-Ruha, ar-Raḳḳah, Ḳarḳîsiya [Circesium] Naṣîbîn [Nisibis] and Sinjâr.

Muḥammad [ibn-Saʿd] from Thâbit ibn-al-Ḥajjâj:—ʿIyâḍ effected the conquest of ar-Raḳḳah, Ḥarrân, ar-Ruha, Naṣîbîn, Maiyâfâriḳîn, Ḳarḳîsiya, and all the villages and towns of the Euphrates by capitulation; but all the open fields by force.

Muḥammad [ibn-Saʿd] from Râshid ibn-Saʿd:—ʿIyâḍ effected the conquest of Mesopotamia and its towns by capitulation; but its land, by force.

The terms with Harrân. Someone reported that when ʿIyâḍ came to Ḥarrân from ar-Raḳḳah, he found it deserted, its inhabitants having moved to ar-Ruha. When ar-Ruha was captured, the people of Ḥarrân in it made terms regarding their city similar to those of ar-Ruha.

Sarûj and other places subdued by ʿIyâḍ. Abu-Aiyûb ar-Raḳḳi-l-Muʾaddab from al-Ḥajjâj ibn-abi-Manîʿ ar-Ruṣâfi's^[13] grandfather:—ʿIyâḍ captured ar-Raḳḳah, then ar-Ruha, then Ḥarrân, and then Sumaisâṭ on the same terms of capitulation. Thence he came to Sarûj,^[14] Râskîfa^[15] and al-Arḍ al-Baiḍâʾ, subdued their land, and made terms with the holders of their forts similar to those of ar-Ruha. The people of Sumaisâṭ after that rebelled, which made him, on hearing it, return and besiege the city until he reduced it. Having heard that the inhabitants of ar-Ruha had broken their covenant, he camped around the city, upon which they opened their city gates. He entered the city and left in it his ʿâmil with a small band. Thence he came to the villages of the Euphrates^[16] which are Jisr Manbij and its dependents, which he reduced on similar terms. ʿAin al-Wardah or Raʾs al-ʿAin^[17] to which he came next held out against him; so he left it. He then came to Tall Mauzin^[18] and took it on the same terms as ar-Ruha. That took place in the year 19. Against Ḳarḳîsiya, ʿIyâḍ directed Ḥabîb ibn-Maslamah-l-Fihri who took the city by a capitulation similar to that of ar-Raḳḳah. ʿIyâḍ captured Âmid without fighting and on terms similar to those of ar-Ruha. He captured Maiyâfâriḳîn on the same terms. He also reduced the fort of Kafartûtha.^[19] After a conflict, he reduced Naṣîbîn and the terms concluded were similar to those of ar-Ruha. Ṭûr ʿAbdîn,^[20] Ḥiṣn Mâridîn and Dâra^[21] he took on the same terms. Ḳarda and Bâzabda he conquered on the same terms as those of Naṣîbîn. The patrician of az-Zawazân came to ʿIyâḍ and made terms regarding his lands, agreeing to pay tax. All that took place in the year 19 and in a part of Muḥarram, year 20. He then advanced to Arzan and took possession of it on terms similar to those of Naṣîbîn. He then passed through ad-Darb into Badlîs which he left for Khilâṭ with whose patrician he made terms. Finally, he got to al-ʿAin al-Ḥâmiḍah in Armenia beyond which he did not go. On his way back, he made the chief of Badlîs responsible for the kharâj of Khilâṭ with its poll-tax and what was due on its patrician. He then proceeded to ar-Raḳḳah, and on to Ḥimṣ whose governorship had been entrusted to him by ʿUmar. In the year 20, he died. ʿUmar after that appointed Saʿîd ibn-ʿÂmir ibn-Ḥidhyam, who died after a short time. ʿUmar then appointed ʿUmair ibn-Saʿd al-Anșâri, who succeeded in capturing ʿAin al-Wardah after a severe conflict.

ʿAin al-Wardah or Raʾs al-ʿAin captured. Al-Wâḳidi from abu-Wahb al-Jaishâni Dailam ibn-al-Muwassaʿ:—ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb wrote to ʿIyâḍ instructing him to send ʿUmair ibn-Saʿd to ʿAin al-Wardah. This he did. The van of the army went ahead, assailed a group of peasants and carried away some of the enemy's cattle as booty. The inhabitants of the city closed their gates and set up the mangonels^[22] on them. Many Moslems were killed by stones and arrows. Then one of the patricians of the city appeared and cursed the Moslems saying, "We are different from what ye have met heretofore!" At last the city was taken by capitulation.

Amr ibn-Muḥammad from a grandfather of al-Ḥajjâj ibn-abi-Maniʿ:—Raʾs al-ʿAin^[23] held out against ʿIyâḍ ibn-Ghanm; but ʿUmair ibn-Saʿd, who was ʿUmar's governor over Mesopotamia, reduced it after a fierce resistance on the part of its inhabitants. The Moslems entered by force; but terms of capitulation were drawn up stipulating that the land be held by them and the tax be imposed on their persons to the amount of four dînârs per head. Their women and children were not taken as captives.

The following statement was made by al-Ḥajjâj: "I heard it said by certain sheikhs from Raʾs al-ʿAin that when ʿUmair entered the city he shouted, 'Never mind; never mind; [come] to me! [come] to me!' and that constituted a guarantee of security for them."

It is claimed by al-Haitham ibn-ʿAdi that ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb sent abu-Mûsa-l-Ashʿari to ʿAin al-Wardah, which he invaded with the troops of Mesopotamia after the death of ʿIyâḍ. The fact is that ʿUmair captured it by force and did not take any captives. He only imposed kharâj and poll-tax. The view of Haitham is not shared by any other authority.

According to al-Ḥajjâj ibn-abi-Maniʿ, a part of the inhabitants of Raʾs al-ʿAin having vacated it, the Moslems utilized their lands and cultivated them according to the fief system.

Sinjâr captured. Muḥammad ibn-al-Mufaḍḍal al-Mauṣili from certain sheikhs of Sinjâr:—Sinjâr^[24] was held by the Greeks. Kisra—[Chosroes] known as Abarwîz—wanted to put to death one hundred Persians who were brought before him because of rebellion and disobedience. Someone having interceded in their behalf, he ordered them sent to Sinjâr, which he was then attempting to reduce. Two of them died, and 98 arrived there, joined the troops who were encamped against the city, and were the first to capture it. There they settled and multiplied. When ʿIyâḍ was through with Khilât and was going to Mesopotamia, he sent an expedition to Sinjâr, took the city by capitulation, and settled it with Arabs.

Mauṣil. Some reports claim that ʿIyâḍ reduced one of the forts of Mauṣil, but that is not confirmed.

According to ibn-al-Kalbi, ʿUmair ibn-Saʿd, the ʿâmil of ʿUmar is identical with ʿUmar ibn-Saʿd ibn-Shuhaid ibn-ʿAmr one of al-Aus; but according to al-Wâḳidi, he is ʿUmair ibn-Saʿd ibn-ʿUbaid whose father, Saʿd, was killed in the battle of al-Ḳâdisîyah. This Saʿd, according to the Kufite school, is one of those who compiled the Koran in the time of the Prophet.

Khâlid dismissed. Al-Wâḳidi states that some reports claim that Khâlid ibn-al-Walid ruled in ʿUmar's name a part of Mesopotamia; and once as he was in a bath, at Âmid [Diyârbakr], or at some other place, he daubed himself with a substance containing wine, which made ʿUmar dismiss him. This, however, is not confirmed.

The tax on Mesopotamia. ʿAmr an-Nâḳid from Maimûn ibn-Mihrân:—For some time, oil and vinegar and food were taken for the benefit of the Moslems in Mesopotamia, which tax was later reduced through the sympathy of ʿUmar and fixed at 48, 24, and 12 dirhams. In addition to the poll-tax, every one had to provide two mudds of wheat two ḳisṭs of oil and two ḳisṭs of vinegar.

Mosques erected. I was informed by a number of the inhabitants of ar-Raḳḳah that when ʿIyâḍ died and Saʿîd ibn-ʿÂmir ibn-Ḥidhyam became governor of Mesopotamia, the latter erected the mosque of ar-Raḳḳah and that of ar-Ruha, after which he died. The mosques in Diyâr Muḍar and Diyâr Rabîʿah were erected by ʿUmair ibn-Saʿd.

Muʿâwiyah settles Arab tribes. When Muʿâwiyah ruled over Syria and Mesopotamia in the name of ʿUthmân ibn-ʿAffân, he was instructed by him to settle the Arabs in places far from the cities and villages, and allow them to utilize the lands unpossessed by anyone. Accordingly, he caused the banu-Tamîm to settle at ar-Râbiyah; and a promiscuous multitude of Ḳais and Asad and others, in al-Mâziḥin and al-Mudaibir.^[25] The same thing he did in Diyâr Muḍar. In like manner, he stationed the Rabîʿah in their Diyâr. The cities and villages and frontier garrisons he put in charge of some, who received stipends in order to guard them and protect them, and whom he put there with his ʿâmils.

Scorpions in Naṣîbîn. Abu-Ḥafṣ ash-Shâmi from Ḥammâd ibn-ʿAmr an-Naṣîbi:—The ʿâmil of Naṣîbîn wrote to Muʿâwiyah, ʿUthmân's governor over Syria and Mesopotamia, complaining that some of the Moslems in his company had fallen victim to the scorpions. Muʿâwiyah wrote back instructing him to demand of the inhabitants in each quarter of the city a fixed number of scorpions to be brought every evening. This he did. They used to bring the scorpions before him, and he would order that they be killed.

Ḳarḳîsiya, the Euphrates forts and other places reduced. Abu-Aiyûb al-Muʾaddab ar-Raḳḳi from abu-ʿAbdallâh al-Ḳarḳasâni's sheikhs:—When ʿUmair ibn-Saʿd captured Raʾs al-ʿAin he made his way across and beyond al-Khâbûr^[26] to Ḳarḳîsiya whose people had violated the covenant. With them he made terms similar to those made before, and then advanced against the forts along the course of the Euphrates one after the other, which he reduced all on the same terms as Ḳarḳîsiya. In none of them did he meet severe resistance. Some of them would sometimes throwstones at him. When he was through with Talbas^[27] and ʿÂnât,^[28] he came to an-Naʾûsah, Âlûsah^[29] and Hît where he found out that ʿAmmâr ibn-Yâsir, the ʿâmil of ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb over al-Kûfah, had sent an army for the invasion of the region above al-Anbâr, under the leadership of Saʿd ibn-ʿAmr ibn-Ḥarâm al-Anṣâri. The holders of these forts had come to Saʿd and demanded peace, which he arranged with them, retaining one-half of the church of Hît. ʿUmair, therefore, kept on his way to ar-Raḳḳah.

I learned from certain scholars that the one who went against Hît and the forts beyond in al-Kûfah was Midlâj ibn-ʿAmr as-Sulami, an ally of the banu-ʿAbd-Shams and one of the Companions, who effected their capture. This Midlâj built al-Ḥadîthah on the Euphrates. His descendants were at Hît. The memory of one of them, surnamed abu-Hârûn, still lives there. Others assert that Midlâj was sent by Saʿd ibn-ʿAmr ibn-Ḥarâm; but Allah knows best.

Nahr Saʿîd. In the place of Nahr Saʿîd—the canal named after Saʿîd ibn-ʿAbd-al-Malik ibn-Marwân (who was nicknamed Saʿîd al-Khair and who practised asceticism)—once stood a jungle frequented by lions. Al-Walîd gave it to him [Saʿîd] as fief, and he dug out the canal and erected the buildings that stand there. According to others, it was ʿUmar ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿAzîz who gave it as fief.

Ar-Râfiḳah. There is no trace that ar-Râfiḳah is an old city. It was built by al-Manṣûr the "Commander of the Believers" in the year 155, according to the plan of his city in Baghdâdh. Al-Manṣûr stationed in it an army of the people of Khurâsân and entrusted it to al-Mahdi, who was at that time the heir-apparent. Later, ar-Rashîd built its castles. Between ar-Raḳḳah and ar-Râfiḳah lay a wide tract of sown land to which ʿAli ibn-Sulaimân ibn-ʿAli moved the markets of ar-Raḳḳah when he came as governor to Mesopotamia. Previous to this, the greatest market of ar-Raḳḳah was called Sûk Hishâm al-ʿAtîḳ [the old market of Hishâm]. When ar-Rashîd visited ar-Raḳḳah, he increased the number of these markets, whose income together with that from the confiscated towns, is still collected to-day.

Ruṣâfat Hishâm and al-Hani wa-l-Mari. As for Ruṣâfat Hishâm,^[30] it was built by Hishâm ibn-ʿAbd-al-Malik who previous to its building, used to stop at az-Zaitûnah. Hishâm dug out al-Hani wa-l-Mari [canals], thus making the crown-land known as al-Hani-wa-l-Mari tillable land. He founded in it Wâsiṭ ar-Raḳḳah.^[31] This same land was confiscated at the beginning of the [Abbasid] dynasty and passed into the hands of umm-Jaʿfar Zubaidah, daughter of Jaʿfar ibn-al-Manṣûr, who built in it the fief house that bears her name, and settled more people in it.

Ar-Raḥbah. There is no trace that ar-Raḥbah, which lies below Ḳarḳîsiya, is an old city, it having been built by Mâlik ibn-Ṭauḳ ibn-ʿAttâb^[32] at-Taghlabi in the caliphate of al-Maʾmûn.

Adhramah. Adhramah in Diyâr Rabîʿah was an old village which al-Ḥasan ibn-ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb at-Taghlabi took from its chief and in which he built a castle, thus fortifying it.

Kafartûtha. Kafartûtha^[33] was an old fort that was occupied by the offspring of abu-Rimthah, who made a town of it and foritfied it.

Diyâr Rabîʿah and al-Barrîyah. Muʿâfa ibn-Ṭâʾûs from his father:—The latter said, "I asked certain sheikhs regarding the tithes of Balad and Diyâr Rabîʿah and al-Barrîyah^[34] and was told that they were the tithes of lands held by the Arabs when they embraced Islâm, or reclaimed by them from waste lands unpossessed by any one or given up by the Christians, and which have consequently become waste and covered with brushwood. These lands were given to the Arabs as fiefs."

ʿAin ar-Rûmîyah. Abu-ʿAffân ar-Raḳḳi from certain sheikhs of the writers of ar-Raḳḳah and others:—ʿAin ar-Rûmîyah together with its spring belonged to al-Walîd ibn-ʿUḳbah ibn-abi-Muʿaiṭ who gave it to abu-Zubaid aṭ-Ṭâʾi from whom it passed to abu-l-'Abbâs the "Commander of the Believers." Abu-l-ʿAbbâs gave it as fief to Maimûn ibn-Ḥamzah, the freedman of ʿAli ibn-ʿAbdallâh ibn-ʿAbbâs, from whose heirs ar-Rashîd bought it. It lies in the district of ar-Raḳḳah.

Ghâbat ibn-Hubairah. Ghâbat ibn-Hubairah [the forest of ibn-Hubairah] was first given as fief to ibn-Hubairah, but later confiscated and assigned as fief to Bishr ibn-Maimûn, the builder of aṭ-Ṭâḳât^[35] [archways or arcades] at Baghdâdh in the vicinity of Bâb ash-Shâm [the Syrian gate]. This Ghâbat was later bought by ar-Rashîd. It lies in the province of Sarûj.

ʿÂʾishah fief. The fief which was given by Hishâm to his daughter, ʿÂʾishah, at Râskîfa and which bore her name was also confiscated.

Salaʿûs and Kafarjadda. ʿAbd-al-Malik and Hishâm owned a village called Salaʿûs and half of another called Kafarjadda which lay in the province of ar-Ruha.

Tall ʿAfrâʾ, Tall Madhâba, al-Muṣalla and Rabaḍ Harrân. In Ḥarrân, al-Ghamr ibn-Yazîd owned Tall ʿAfraʾ, the land of Tall Madhâba,^[36] and Arẖ al-Muṣalla [place of prayer], together with the confiscated lands and the workshops in Rabaḍ Ḥarrân.

Marj ʿAbd-al-Wâḥid. Before al-Ḥadath and Zibaṭrah were built, Marj^[37] ʿAbd-al-Wâḥid was a pasturing place reserved for the Moslems^[38]; but when these two were built. the Moslems could do without the Marj, which was peopled and later added by al-Ḥusain al-Khâdim in the caliphate of ar-Rashîd to al-Aḥwâz. After that, some people unjustly took possession of it and of its farms, in which condition it remained until ʿAbdallâh ibn-Ṭâhir came to Syria and returned it to the crown-lands. Abu-Aiyûb ar-Raḳḳi heard it said that ʿAbd-al-Wâḥid, after whom the Marj was named, was ʿAbd-al-Wâḥid ibn-al-Ḥârith ibn-al-Ḥakam ibn-abi-l-ʿÂṣi, a cousin of ʿAbd-al-Malik. He owned the Marj, but turned it into a pasture land exclusively for the Moslems. He is the one whom al-Ḳaṭâmi lauded, saying:

"If fate would overlook only ʿAbd-al-Wâḥid,
let not the case of all the other inhabitants of the city grieve thee."

Footnotes

1. R. Duval, "Histoire d'Édesse," in Journal Asiatique, Juillet-Août, 1891, pp. 106 seq.
2. Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 2505.
3. Ḥajar, vol. i, pp. 853–854.
4. Yâḳût, vol. ii, pp. 74–75.
5. Athîr, vol. ii, p. 439.
6. Ar. taʿbiʾah. See Wüstenfeld, "Die Taktik des Aelianus," in Abhandlungen des Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften, Göttingen, 1880.
7. Ar. sarâya who, according to al-Masʿûdi, Kitâb at-Tanbîh, p. 279, were bands of soldiers varying between 3 and 500 persons, that go forth at night.
8. A measure of capacity consisting of ten makkûks; cf. Mawardi, p. 265.
9. Ar. nâḳûs.
10. Ar bâʿûth, used to-day for the Christian festival of Monday after Easter, is defined by Ḳâmûs, Tâj al-ʿArûs and Lisân al-ʿArab as corresponding to the Moslem prayer in which a petition for rain is offered. Cf. S. Fraenkel, Die Aramäischen Fremdwörter im Arabischen, p. 277.
11. Cf. Yûsuf, p. 23.
12. Samosata; Iṣṭakhri, p. 62.
13. Dhahabi, Mushtabih, p. 225; Mushtarik, p. 206.
14. Baṭnân; see ZDMG, vol. xxx, p. 354.
15. R. Payne Smith, Thesaurus Syriacus, cols. 3902 and 2910.
16. Ḳuraiyât or Ḳaryât al-Furât; cf. Hamadhâni, Buldân, p. 136.
17. Hoffman, Syrische Akten Persischer Märtyrer, p. 183.
18. Hoffman, op. cit., p. 224, note 1778.
19. R. Payne Smith, op. cit., col. 1801.
20. R. Payne Smith, op. cit., col. 1451.
21. Hoffman, op. cit., p. 46.
22. Ar. ʿarrâdah; see Ḥamâsah (ed. Freytag), p. 307.
23. Another name for ʿAin-al-Wardah. See al-Masʿûdi, Tanbîh, p. 54; Yâḳût, vol. iii, p. 764.
24. Yâḳût, vol. iii, p. 158.
25. Ḳudâmah, p. 246.
26. A tributary of the Euphrates; Tanbîh, p. 54.
27. Vowels uncertain; Caetani, vol. iv, p. 222.
28. Hoffman, op. cit., p. 137, note 1162.
29. Yâḳût, vol. i, p. 65.
30. or ar-Ruṣâfat bi-ash-Shâm; Yâḳût, vol. ii. p. 784. Ruṣâfat means causeway.
31. Yâḳût, vol. iv, p. 889.
32. Cf. Maḥâsin, vol. ii, p. 34.
33. R. Payne Smith, col. 1801.
34. The desert part of Mesopotamia. Yâḳût, vol. i, p. 601; Bakri, p. 566.
35. Cf. Le Strange, Baghdâd during the Abbasid Caliphate, p. 130.
36. Lacking in diacritical points.
37. The word means meadow.
38. Ar. ḥima; see Mawardi, p. 324.