Death of al-Ma'mun

وفاة المأمون

218 AH

In 218 al-Ma'mun died. He was carried from the frontier near Tartus to Tarsus and buried there ¹; Tabari reports that his brother Abu Ishaq al-Mu'tasim led the prayer over him ². In al-Suyuti he halted by the spring of al-Bandun in the Byzantine frontier lands. He liked its coolness and clarity and saw in it a fish like silver; when it was caught it splashed his chest and clothes and a tremor seized him. The fish was brought to him, but he did not taste it. He asked the name of the place and was told al-Raqqa. His birth horoscope had shown that he would die at al-Raqqa; he recognised it and despaired, saying, 'O You whose dominion does not pass, have mercy on one whose dominion has passed.' It is also said that the letters naming his brother Abu Ishaq as successor were issued by his order, or were written during a faint that overtook him. He died on Thursday, twelve nights before the end of Rajab in 218, was carried to Tarsus and buried there ³.

Overview

al-Ma'mun died in 218 AH and was taken from the frontier lands near Tarsus to Tarsus, where he was buried, according to al-Tabari. ¹ His brother Abu Ishaq al-Mu'tasim led the funeral prayer over him. ²

al-Suyuti's account

al-Suyuti relates that al-Ma'mun camped at the spring of al-Bandun in the lowest part of the Byzantine lands, and its coolness and clearness pleased him. He saw a fish in it that was caught, and a shivering came upon him. He asked the name of the place and was told al-Raqqa, and he had learned from the reckoning of his birth that he would die at al-Raqqa, so he despaired. ³

al-Suyuti mentions a report that the text naming his brother Abu Ishaq was written by his command, and another that it was written during a faint that befell him. He gives his death as Thursday, twelve nights before the end of Rajab 218 AH. ³

Death of al-Ma'mun

At a glance

Overview

al-Suyuti's account

Sources