Nasb-and-the-Nawasib

ما أحسن أحد إلى الطالبيين ما أحسن إليهم الواثق،‏ ما مات وفيهم فقير
No one was more benevolent to the Ṭalibīs than al-Wāthiq. There was not
a single poor person among them when he died. 1
Similar was al-Muntaṣir 2 who after assuming the Khilāfah displayed love for ʿAlī
I, and his household and gave amnesty to the Alawids. 3 He also gave Fadak to
the family of ʿAlī I. 4 It was said regarding him:
ولقد بررت الطالبية بعدما
ورردت ألفة هاشم فرأيتهم
ذموا زمانا بعدها وزمانا
بعد العداوة بينهم أخوانا
You have been kind to the Ṭalibīs after they had been condemned time
after time.
And you restored the love of Hāshim and thus you saw them unite as
brothers after they were enemies. 5
Another figure who was like them was al-Mustaḍīʾ bi Amr Allāh 6 who would
distribute wealth amongst the Alawids. 7
1 Al-Muntaẓam 11/120; Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ 10/307; al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah 10/310; Tārīkh al-Khulafāʾ p. 342.
2 Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad ibn Hārūn al-Hāshimī, Abū Jaʿfar al-Muntaṣir Bī Allāh. An
Abbasid Ruler. He assumed office after the murder of his father al-Mutawakkil in Shawwāl 247 A.H. He
was awe inspiring, a man of great intelligence and very little transgression and was benevolent to the
Alawids. He was accused of conspiring with the Turks in the murder of his father. He passed away in
248 A.H at the age of twenty six and only remained in power for a month. See: Tārīkh Baghdād 2/119;
al-Wāfī bi al-Wafayāt 2/216; Tārīkh al-Khulafāʾ 356; Shadharāt al-Dhahab 2/118.
3 Maʾāthir al-Ināqah 1/238; al-Kāmil fī al-Tārīkh 6/149.
4 Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ 12/43.
5 Said by Yazīd al-Muhallabī. See: Tārīkh al-Islām 18/419; al-Wāfī bi al-Wafayāt 2/216; Tārīkh al-Khulafāʾ p. 357.
6 Al-Ḥasan ibn Yūsuf ibn Muḥammad al-Hāshimī, Abū Muḥammad al-Mustaḍīʾ bi Amr Allāh. An
Abbasid Ruler. He was born in 536 A.H. and assumed office in 566 A.H. He was just and praiseworthy
for his interaction with his subjects. He was generous and would hardly take people to task for their
wrongs. He also loved to forgive. He passed away in 575 A.H. See: al-Kāmil fī al-Tārīkh 10/97; Siyar Aʿlām
al-Nubalāʾ 21/68; al-Wāfī bi al-Wafayāt 12/192; Tārīkh al-Khulafāʾ p. 444.
7 Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ 21/69.
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