Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalifahs/How el-Mughlrah the son of Shu'abah became Governor of el-Kufah

by Muhammad Diyab al-Atlidi

HOW EL-MUGHÌRAH THE SON OF SHUʾABAH BECAME GOVERNOR OF EL- KÛFAH.

TRANSLATOR'S PREFATORY NOTE.

The province of ʾIrâk, answering to the Babylonia of Ptolemy, had for its capital el-Hîrah, a city founded by Mâlik, one of the descendants of Kahlân. (See Note *, p. 26.) The Persian Satraps resided at el-Hîrah; but after the reduction of ʾIrâk by the Muslims, the latter people built el-Kûfah at about three miles' distance from el-Hîrah, and from thenceforth el-Kûfah became the capital of the province and the seat of government.

Saʾad-ibn-Abi-Wakkâs was one of the first who, following the example of Abu-Bekr, professed el-Islám. According to el-Jannâby, it was through Saʾad that ʾOmar-ibn-el-Khattâb was diverted from a design, which before his conversion he entertained, of assassinating the Prophet; though Abuʾl-Fedâ says it was through Naʾîm-ibn-ʾAbd Allâh, el-Khâm. Saʾad was one of the most successful and celebrated generals ever possessed by the Muslims. He fought valiantly for the Prophet at the battle of Ohod (A.H. 3), and was afterwards invested with a command under Osâma-ibn-Zeid, whom the Prophet just before his death appointed general of the army destined to act against the Greeks in Syria. In A.H. 14, Saʾad was constituted Commander-in-Chief of the Muslim army which ʾOmar, the reigning Khalîfah, desired to send into ʾIrâk. In the year 15, he completely routed the Persian army at the famous battle of el-Kâdisiyyah (see Translator's Note, p. 24), and pursued his successes until the whole of ʾIrâk was subdued.

In A.H. 23, the Khalîfah ʾOmar was assassinated, and as soon as it was known that his wounds were mortal, he was called upon to nominate his successor. Saʾad was one of those named to him; but ʾOmar considered that his disposition was too fierce and untractable. He was, however, among the six persons appointed by ʾOmar to deliberate upon the choice of a new Khalîfah, and was afterwards one of ʾOthmân's (ʾOmar's successor) governors of provinces. He died between the years 50 and 58 A.H., at his castle in Akîk, a town about ten miles from el-Medînah, and was buried in el-Bâkiya.

A STORY is told of the people of el-Kûfah, that they one day presented themselves before ʾOmar-ibn-el-Khattâb, in order to complain of their governor, Saʾad-ibn-abi-Wakkâs. And when ʾOmar had heard them, he said, "Who will deliver me from these people of el-Kûfah? If I appoint a virtuous man for their ruler, they think that he is weak; and if I appoint a man of determination, they accuse him of impiety."

Then el-Mughîrah, the son of Shuʾabah,^[1] said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful! verily if a pious man be weak, his piety is for himself and his weakness for you; and as surely if an impious man be strong, is his strength for you and his impiety for himself."

Then said ʾOmar, "Thou hast spoken the truth. Therefore, thou strong sinner, go thou and rule over them."

So el-Mughîrah ruled over them all the days of ʾOmar, and the days of ʾOthmân, and until he died in the reign of Muʾâwiyah.

 

1. el-Mughîrah, son of Shuʾabah, of the tribe of Thakîf, professed el-Islàm in A.H. 6. He was one of two emissaries who, three years later, were sent back with the deputies of his own tribe (which had then determined to submit to Muhammad), with orders to destroy their idol Lath. He was one of ʾOmar's generals in ʾIrâk, and was for a short time governor of Básrah, and general of the Muslim forces in Persia. It was his Persian slave, Abi-Lŭlŭah, el-Fayruz (see Translator's Note, p. 6) who murdered ʾOmar. el-Mughîrah died of the plague at el-Kûfah, in A.H. 50 (A.D. 670), during the Khalîfate of Muʾâwiyah.