An rawaito cewa al-Wāthiq ya kawo ƙarshen Mihnah bayan ya kalli wata muhawara da ta shawo kansa game da hanya mafi kyau.416 72.7
It is reported that al-Wāthiq put an end to the Inquisition after watching a debate that persuaded him of the better course.416 72.7
[Al-Muhtadī:] Duk lokacin da mahaifina al-Wāthiq zai kashe wani, mu kan halarci zaman. Wata rana an kawo wani dattijo mai gemu da aka rina, yana ɗauke da sarƙoƙi masu nauyi. Mahaifina ya kira Ibn Abī Du'ād da abokan aikinsa, sa'an nan ya sa aka kawo mutumin gaba. 72.8
[Al-Muhtadī:] Whenever my father al-Wāthiq was going to execute anyone, we would attend the session. One day an elderly man with a dyed beard was brought in, weighed down with fetters. My father summoned Ibn Abī Duʾād and his associates, then had the man brought forward. 72.8
"Aminci ya tabbata a gare ku," in ji dattijon.
“Peace be upon you,” said the elder.
"Allah ya hana ka zaman lafiya!" in ji mahaifina cikin fushi.
“May God not grant you peace!” retorted my father.
"Ya Amirul Mu'minina," in ji dattijon, "ba a yi maka tarbiyya mai kyau ba. Allah (God) ya ce «Idan wani ya yi maka sallama, ka mayar da sallamar da wata mafi kyau, ko kuwa ka mayar da ita kawai.»417 Amma ba ka mayar mini da sallamata ba, kuma ba ka yi mini wata sallama mafi kyau ba."
"Da alama mun samu mai muhawara," in ji Ibn Abī Du'ād.
“Commander of the Faithful,” said the elder, “you’ve been poorly raised. God says «When you are greeted by anyone, respond with a better greeting or at least return it.»417 But you neither returned my greeting nor offered a better one.” “It seems we have a debater on our hands,” said Ibn Abī Duʾād.
"Sai ka yi muhawara da shi, to," in ji mahaifina.
“Debate him, then,” said my father.
"Tsoho! Me za ka ce game da Alqur'ani?" 72.9
“Old man! What do you say regarding the Qurʾan?” 72.9
"Hakan ba zai yi ba. Bari in fara tambaya." "Ka ci gaba." "Me kake cewa game da Alƙur'ani?" "Abu ne da aka halitta." "Shin wannan abu ne da Annabi, Abubakar, Umar, Usman, Ali, da Khulafa Ar-Rashidun suka sani, ko kuwa ba su sani ba?" "Ba su sani ba." Tsoho ya yi kuka, "Allah Ya kiyaye mu!" "Annabi ﷺ bai sani ba, haka ma Abubakar, ko Umar, ko Usman, ko Ali, ko Khulafa Ar-Rashidun, amma kai ka sani!" Ibn Abi Du'ad ya rasa abin cewa, ya ji kunya. "Ka ba ni dan lokaci," in ji shi.
“That won’t do. Let me ask first.” “Go ahead.” “What do you say regarding the Qurʾan?” “It’s a created thing.” “Is that something that the Prophet, Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, and the Righteous Caliphs were aware of, or not?” “They weren’t aware of it.” “God preserve us!” cried the elder. “The Prophet didn’t know about it, and neither did Abū Bakr, or ʿUmar, or ʿUthmān, or ʿAlī, or the Righteous Caliphs, but you do!” Ibn Abī Duʾād was stymied and abashed. “Give me a moment,” he said.
"Tambayar nan ce?" "Eh." "Me kake cewa game da Alƙur'ani?" "Halitta ce." "Shin Manzon Allah ﷺ, da Abū Bakr, da ʿUmar, da ʿUthmān, da ʿAlī, da Khulafā'ur Rāshidūn, sun san hakan, ko ba su sani ba?" "Sun sani," in ji Ibn Abī Du'ād, "amma ba su taɓa kiran kowa da ya bayyana hakan ba." "To me ya sa ku ba za ku yi haka ba?" dattijon ya tambaya.
“Same question again?” “Yes.” “What do you say regarding the Qurʾan?” “It’s a created thing.” “Is that something that the Prophet, Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, and the Righteous Caliphs were aware of, or not?” “They were aware of it,” said Ibn Abī Duʾād, “but they didn’t call on anyone to proclaim it.” “So why can’t you do the same?” asked the elder.
Mahaifina ya tashi, ya shiga ɗakinsa na kansa, ya kwanta, ya haɗa ƙafafunsa, yana maimaitawa a zuciyarsa: "Annabi bai sani ba game da hakan, ko Abū Bakr, ko ʿUmar, ko ʿUthmān, ko ʿAlī, ko Khulafāʾ Rāshidūn, amma kai kana sani! Allah Ya kiyaye mu! Annabi ﷺ, Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, da Khulafāʾ Rāshidūn sun sani game da hakan, amma ba su kira kowa ya yi shelar hakan ba; don me ba za ka yi kamar yadda suka yi ba?" 72.10
My father rose, went into his private chamber, lay down, and crossed his legs, repeating to himself: “The Prophet didn’t know about it, or Abū Bakr, or ʿUmar, or ʿUthmān, or ʿAlī, or the Righteous Caliphs, but you do! God preserve us! The Prophet, Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, and the Righteous Caliphs did know about it, but they didn’t call on anyone to proclaim it; why can’t you do the same?” 72.10
Sai ya kira ʿAmmār mai tsaron ƙofa, ya umarce shi da ya cire ɗaurin ƙafafun tsohon, ya ba shi dinare ɗari huɗu, ya sake shi. Ya rasa duk wata daraja ga Ibn Abī Duʾād, kuma ya dakatar da Mihnar nan take.
Then he summoned ʿAmmār the chamberlain and told him to remove the old man’s fetters, give him four hundred dinars, and let him go. He lost all regard for Ibn Abī Duʾād and stopped the Inquisition then and there.
"Marubucin:" Na ji wata sigar labarin daban. 72.11
[The author:] I have heard a different telling of the story. 72.11
[Ṣāliḥ ibn ʿAlī:] Na taɓa ganin Khalifa al-Muhtadī billāh yana jagorantar Kotun Koke a Ƙofar Talakawa. Na kalli yadda ake karanta masa shari'o'in da ake kai masa.
[Ṣāliḥ ibn ʿAlī:] I once saw the Caliph al-Muhtadī billāh presiding over the Grievance Court at Commoners’ Gate. I watched the cases being read aloud to him 196
من أوله إلى آخره، ورأيته يصدر حكماً في كل واحدة منها. شاهدت الأوامر تُصدَر، والصياغة تُحكَم، والوثائق تُختم وتُسلَّم إلى أصحاب الدعاوى تحت إشرافه. كان منظراً جميلاً ومهيباً. وفي إحدى المرات، لاحظني الواثق أحدّق فيه، فصرفت بصري عنه. وتكرر الأمر مرتين أخريين: كلما نظر إليّ أشحت بوجهي، ثم حين يعود إلى عمله أعود إلى التحديق. وأخيراً قال: "صالح!" فنهضت. "لبّيك يا أمير المؤمنين!" قال: "لديك شيء تريد" — أو "تودّ" — "أن تقوله لي."418
from beginning to end, and saw him make a ruling on each one. I watched as the orders were issued, the wording settled, and the documents sealed and handed over to the petitioners under his supervision. It was a fine and impressive sight to see. At one point, al-Wāthiq caught me staring at him and I averted my eyes. The same thing happened twice more: when he looked at me I would look away, but then when he turned back to his work I would begin staring again. Finally he said, “Ṣāliḥ!” I rose. “At your service, Commander of the Faithful!” “You have something you want”—or “you would like”—“to tell me.”418
"Na'am, yallabai!" "Koma wurinka." Sai na koma na jira har sai da ya rufe zaman, sannan ya ce wa mai tsaron ƙofa, "A bar Ṣāliḥ ya tsaya." Bayan kowa ya fita, aka shigar da ni gabansa. Na gaishe shi da addu'ar samun lafiya da walwala.
“Yes, sire!” “Resume your place.” So I went back and waited until he closed the session and said to the chamberlain, “Have Ṣāliḥ stay.” After everyone had left, I was admitted to his presence. I greeted him with a prayer for his well-being.
"Zauna," ya ce.
“Sit,” he said.
"Ko kana so ka gaya mini abin da kake tunani, ko kuwa ni in gaya maka abin da nake tsammanin kana tunani?" "Duk wanda ka zaɓa, Amirul Mu'minina!" "To, zan gaya maka abin da nake tsammani. Ka amince da abin da ka gani ina yi, sai ka yi tunani cewa, 'Halifa namu mai girma ne, da ma ba ya tunanin cewa Alƙur'ani halitta ne!'" Kalmominsa sun shigar min da tsoro a zuciya. Amma sai na tuna wa kaina cewa ba zan mutu da wuri fiye da yadda Allah ya riga ya ƙaddara ba, cewa zan mutu sau ɗaya kawai ko ta yaya, kuma ƙarya haramun ce, ko babba ne ko ƙarami maudu'in. Don haka sai na ce, "Amirul Mu'minina, waɗancan ne ainihin tunanina." Ya ɗan yi shiru ya sunkuyar da kai, sannan ya ce, "Hmm! To, ka saurara: zan faɗa maka gaskiya." Cikin babban sauƙi na ce, "Wane ne ya fi cancanta, ya sarki, ya faɗi gaskiya kamar mataimakin Ubangijin talikai da kuma ɗan'uwan Shugaban Annabawa ﷺ?" Sai Al-Muhtadi ya ba ni labari kamar haka.
“Do you want to tell me what you were thinking, or do you want me to tell you what I think you were thinking?” “Whichever you decide, Commander of the Faithful!” “I’ll tell you what I think, then. You approved of what you saw me doing and you thought, ‘What a great caliph we have—if only he didn’t believe that the Qurʾan is created!’” His words struck terror into my heart. But then I reminded myself that I wasn’t going to die any earlier than God had already decreed, that I was only going to die once no matter what, and that lying is wrong, no matter how grave or how trivial the subject. So I said, “Commander of the Faithful, those were my thoughts exactly.” He bowed his head for a moment, then said, “Hmph! Well then, listen: I’ll be honest with you.” With a great sense of relief, I said, “Who better, sire, to speak the truth than the deputy of the Lord of the Worlds and the nephew of the Chief of Prophets?” Al-Muhtadī then told me the following story.
[Al-Muhtadī:] Tun a zamanin al-Wāthiq, koyaushe ina yarda cewa Alƙur'ani halitta ne. Sai Aḥmad ɗan Abī Du'ād ya kawo wani dattijo—ɗan Siriya, daga Adana—a ɗaure da sarƙoƙi, don ya gabatar da shi ga al-Wāthiq. Mutum ne mai kyan gani, mai ƙwanƙwasa jiki, da kyakkyawan gashin kai mai launin toka. Na lura cewa al-Wāthiq ya so shi, kuma yana jin ba daɗi da tunanin yin muhawara da shi.
[Al-Muhtadī:] Beginning in the reign of al-Wāthiq, I always believed that the Qurʾan was created. But then Aḥmad ibn Abī Duʾād brought in an elderly man—a Syrian, from Adana—weighed down with fetters, to face al-Wāthiq. He was a handsome fellow, well built, with a fine head of gray hair. I could see that al-Wāthiq had taken a liking to him and was uncomfortable with the thought of arguing with him.
Ya kira shi ya zo kusa da shi, kusa da kusa. Da ya zo daidai kusa da shi, dattijon ya gaishe shi cikin ladabi sosai, ya kuma yi addu'a mai ratsa zuciya don lafiyarsa. Al-Wāthiq ya gayyace shi ya zauna, sannan ya ce: "Yallabai, ina so ka yi muhawara da duk abin da Ibn Abī Du'ād zai gabatar maka." 72.12
He beckoned him closer and closer. When he had come right up next to him, the elder greeted him most properly and intoned an eloquent prayer for his well-being. Al- Wāthiq invited him to sit down, then said, “Sir, I want you to debate whatever point Ibn Abī Duʾād raises with you.” 72.12
Malamin ya amsa da cewa, "Ya Amirul Mu'minina, Ibn Abī Du'ād kafiri ne mai ridda."419
The elder replied, “Commander of the Faithful, Ibn Abī Duʾād is an apostate419
"...kuma yana da rauni a hankali har ba zai iya yin muhawara da ni ba." Da al-Wāthiq ya ji haka, sai kirki da yake yi wa mutumin ya ɓace, ya koma fushi. "Ibn Abī Duʾād mai ridda ne, kuma yana da rauni a hankali har ba zai iya yin muhawara da ni ba." 197
and too weak-witted to debate with me.” When al-Wāthiq heard this, his kindness toward the man disappeared, to be replaced by anger. “Ibn Abī Duʾād is an apostate and too weak-witted to debate with 197
"Ka manta da abin da na ambata, Amirul Mu'minina," ya amsa. "Zan yi muhawara da shi."
"Shi ya sa na kawo ka nan," in ji al-Wāthiq.
you?” “Forget I mentioned it, Commander of the Faithful,” he replied. “I’ll debate with him.” “That’s why I brought you here,” said al-Wāthiq.
"To, za ka kiyaye maki," in ji, "ya Amirul Muminin?" "Na yarda." "Ka faɗa mini, Aḥmad," in ji dattijon ga Ibn Abī Duʾād, "wannan akidarka tana cikin abin da ya wajaba a addininmu ne, har addini ba zai cika ba sai mutum ya riƙi ra'ayin da kake da shi?" 72.13
“Then would you mind keeping score, Commander of the Faithful?” “Agreed.” “Tell me, Aḥmad,” said the elder to Ibn Abī Duʾād,420 “is this creed of yours an obligatory part of our religion, such that one’s religion is incomplete unless one holds the same view as you do?” 72.13
"Eh." "To, ka faɗa mini: Lokacin da Allah ya aiko Manzonsa zuwa ga mutane, shin Manzon ya ɓoye wani abu daga cikin abin da Allah ya umarce shi ya isar mana game da addininmu?" "A'a." "Shin kuma ya kira al'umma su karɓi wannan akidarku?" Ibn Abī Duʾād ya kasa magana.
“Yes.” “Tell me, then: When God sent His Emissary to humankind, did the Emissary keep back anything that God had commanded him to tell us regarding our religion?” “No.” “And did he summon the community to espouse this creed of yours?” Ibn Abī Duʾād was left speechless.
"Wannan ɗaya ce a gare ni, Amirul Muminina," in ji dattijon.
“That’s one for me, Commander of the Faithful,” said the elder.
"To, yanzu kuma ɗaya domin ku." "To yanzu, Aḥmad," in ji dattijon, "ka tuna cewa a lokacin da Allah ya saukar da Alƙur'ani ga Manzonsa, ya ce: «A yau na cika muku addininku, na kuma cika muku ni'imata, kuma na yarda da Musulunci ya zama addini a gare ku.»421 To wane ne daga cikinku yake daidai: Allah, idan Ya yi magana game da cika addininSa; ko kai, idan ka ce wani abu ya ɓace, kuma ba za a iya cika shi ba sai an ƙara wannan koyarwarku ta ka?" Sai kuma Ibn Abī Duʾād ya kasa magana.
“All right then, one for you.” “Now then, Aḥmad,” said the elder, “recall that when God revealed the Qurʾan to His Emissary, he said: «Today I have perfected your religion for you and completed my blessing upon you; I am satisfied with Islam as a religion for you.»421 Which of you is right: God, when He speaks of perfecting His religion; or you, when you say that something is missing and can only be completed by adding this doctrine of yours?” Again Ibn Abī Duʾād was stymied.
"Ka ce wani abu," in ji dattijon. Amma Ibn Abī Duʾād bai da abin cewa ba.
“Say something,” said the elder. But Ibn Abī Duʾād had nothing to say.
"Wannan yana nufin biyu ke nawa ke nan, Amirul Mu'uminin." "Biyu ne." "To yanzu, Ahmad," in ji dattijon, "ka gaya mini: Shin Manzon Allah ya san da wannan koyarwar taka, ko bai sani ba?" "Ya sani." "Kuma ya kira mutane su rungume ta?" Sai kuma shiru.
“That’s two for me, then, Commander of the Faithful.” “Two it is.” “Now then, Aḥmad,” said the elder, “tell me: Was the Emissary of God aware of this doctrine of yours, or not?” “He was aware of it.” “And did he summon people to espouse it?” Again, silence.
"Uku ne, Amirul Muminina." "Uku ne, in ji al-Wathiq."
“That’s three, Commander of the Faithful.” “Three it is,” said al-Wāthiq.
"To ka ce, Aḥmad," in ji tsohon, "kana da'awar cewa Manzon Allah ya gamsu da sanin wannan, amma bai matsa wa al'umma ta karɓe shi ba?" "I." "Haka ma Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān, da ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, Allah ya yarda da su duka?" "Daidai ne." Nan take tsohon ya juya ya yi magana da al-Wāthiq. "Kamar yadda ka tuna, Shugaban Muminai, na ce Ibn Abī Duʾād mushiriki ne kuma bai da hankali sosai da zan yi muhawara da shi. Idan yana daidai, kuma ba za mu iya kiyaye wannan koyarwa ba, duk da cewa Manzon Allah ﷺ, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, da ʿAlī sun iya kiyaye ta, to ina cewa:
“Now then, Aḥmad,” said the elder, “you’re claiming that the Emissary of God was content to know it but not press it upon the community?” “Yes.” “And the same goes for Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddiq, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān, and ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, God be pleased with them all?” “Right.” Thereupon the elder turned away and addressed al-Wāthiq. “As you may recall, Commander of the Faithful, I said that Ibn Abī Duʾād is an apostate and too weakminded to debate with me. If he’s right, and we can’t keep this doctrine back, even though the Emissary of God, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, and ʿAlī all managed to, then I say:
Ya Allah! — no, the rule says write the Hausa word for God, not Allah.
Translation:
"Bari Allah kada ya ba wani alheri, wanda yake da girman kai har ya ƙi yin abin da ya isa ga waɗanda suka gabace shi!" 72.
Correction to the above, following the rule that "God" must be written as the Hausa word for God and never "Allah":
"Bari Ubangiji kada ya ba wani alheri, wanda yake da girman kai har ya ƙi yin abin da ya isa ga waɗanda suka gabace shi!" 72.14
may God give no good to anyone who’s too good to do what was good enough for them!” 72.14
"To, haka ne," in ji al-Wāthiq. "Idan mu ne ba za mu iya yin shiru game da koyarwar da Manzon Allah ﷺ, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, da ʿAlī suka yi shiru a kanta ba, to Allah ya hana mu alheri! A cire wa mutumin ɗaurin ƙafafunsa." Yayin da ake cire ɗaurin, dattijon ya miƙa hannu ya kama su, amma maƙerin ya ja su nesa da shi.
“Why yes,” said al-Wāthiq. “If we’re too good to keep quiet about a doctrine that the Emissary of God, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, and ʿAlī all kept quiet about, then may God be no good to us! Remove the man’s fetters.” As the fetters were being removed, the elder reached for them but the blacksmith pulled them away.
"Bari mutumin ya karɓe su," in ji al-Wāthiq. Dattijon ya ɗauke su, ya saka su a cikin hannun rigarsa.
“Let the man have them,” said al-Wāthiq. The elder took them and put them into his sleeve.
"Don me menene ka yi ƙoƙarin ƙwace su daga hannun maƙeri?" al-Wāthiq ya tambaya.
“Why did you try to wrestle them away from the smith?” asked al-Wāthiq.
"Kafin in mutu," in ji dattijon, "ina niyyar ba da su ga wanda zai zama mai aiwatar da wasiyyata, in umarce shi ya sa su cikin kafanina, don idan Ranar Tashin Kiyama ta zo, in yi amfani da su a matsayin hujja a gaban Allah a kan wanda ya zalunce ni." "Ya Ubangiji," zan ce, "ka tambayi wannan halittarka dalilin da ya sa ya daure ni, ya tsoratar da matata, da 'ya'yana, da abokaina, ba tare da wani dalili mai kyau ba?" Sai ya fashe da kuka, haka ma al-Wāthiq ya yi kuka, haka kuma dukanmu muka yi kuka. Sa'an nan al-Wāthiq ya roƙe shi ya yafe masa duk wani laifi saboda abin da ya sha a hannunsa.
“Before I die,” the elder said, “I intend to give them to my executor and tell him to put them inside my shroud so that when the Day of Resurrection comes, I can use them as proof before God against my abuser. ‘Lord,’ I’ll say, ‘ask this creature of yours why he chained me up and terrified my wife, my children, and my friends for no good reason at all?’” He burst into tears, and so did al-Wāthiq, and so did we all. Then al-Wāthiq asked him to exempt him from any liability for what he had suffered at his hands.
"Ta rantse da Allah," in ji tsoho, "na yafe maka tun farko, saboda girmamawa ga Manzon Allah ﷺ, tunda kai zuriyarsa ne."
"Za ka yi mini wani abu?" "Idan zan iya." "Ka zauna a nan, domin mu da 'ya'yanmu mu koyi abubuwa daga gare ka."
"Shugaban masu bi," in ji tsoho, "ya fi maka ka mayar da ni inda wannan azzalumi ya same ni, kuma zan gaya maka dalili: domin in hana matata da 'ya'yana la'antar ka, wanda suke yi lokacin da na bar su."
"To idan haka ne," in ji al-Wāthiq, "bari mu ba ka wani abu da zai tabbatar da cewa an kula da kai sosai."
"Ba zan iya karɓa ba," ya amsa, "domin ba na bukatarsa, kuma ina da lafiyayyen jiki."
"To ka roƙe ni wata falala ta daban."
"Za ka cika mini ita?"
"Eh."
"Ka bar ni in koma bakin iyaka yanzu nan take."
"An yarda."
Tsoho ya yi masa sallama ya fita. A nan ne na watsar da wannan akida, kuma ina ganin al-Wāthiq ma ya yi haka.
“By God,” said the elder, “I forgave you from the beginning, out of respect for the Emissary of God, since you’re a descendant of his.” “Will you do something for me?” “If I can.” “Stay here so that we and our children can learn from you.” “Commander of the Faithful,” said the elder, “you’re better off sending me back to where this abuser found me, and I’ll tell you why: so I can stop my wife and children from cursing you, which is what they were doing when I left them.” “In that case,” said al-Wāthiq, “let us give you something to make sure you’re well taken care of.” “I can’t accept it,” he replied, “as I don’t need it, and I’m able-bodied.” “Ask me for any other favor, then.” “And you’ll grant it?” “Yes.” “Let me go back to the frontier this minute.” “Granted.” The elder bid him farewell and went out. That’s when I renounced the doctrine, and I think al-Wāthiq did too.
[Abū Bakr ʿAbd Allāh:] Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Shīrāzī l-Ḥāfiẓ ya ruwaito labarin dattijon daga Adana da abin da ya faru a lokacin muhawara. Ya ƙara da cewa dattijon shi ne Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq al-Adhramī. 72.15
[Abū Bakr ʿAbd Allāh:] Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Shīrāzī l-Ḥāfiẓ reported the story of the elder from Adana and what happened at the debate. He added that the elder was Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq al- Adhramī. 72.15
An rahoto cewa kafin ya mutu, al-Wāthiq ya ƙaryata koyarwar cewa Alƙur'ani halitta ne.
[The author:] It is reported that before he died, al-Wāthiq disavowed the doctrine of the createdness of the Qurʾan.
[Al-Muhtadī:] Lokacin da ya rasu, al-Wāthiq ya riga ya janye daga koyarwar cewa Alƙur'ani halitta ne.422 72.16
[Al-Muhtadī:] By the time he died, al-Wāthiq had renounced the doctrine of the createdness of the Qurʾan.422 72.16