Death of Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik

وفاة سليمان بن عبد الملك

99 AH

Al-Tabari records that Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik died in the year 99 at Dabiq on a Friday, ten nights into Safar ¹, and he mentions some of his conduct ². In al-Suyuti he died on campaign at Dabiq. He looked into a mirror, was pleased with his youth and beauty, and said: 'Muhammad was a prophet, Abu Bakr was al-Siddiq, Umar was al-Faruq, Uthman was modest, Mu'awiya was forbearing, Yazid was patient, Abd al-Malik was an administrator, al-Walid was a tyrant, and I am the young king'; before the month was out he had died. Ibn Sirin said that Sulayman opened his caliphate by reviving the prayer at its appointed times and closed it by appointing Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz ³. The book relates that when Sulayman was dying at Dabiq he asked Raja ibn Haywa whom he should name, and Raja proposed Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz; the document was written naming Umar and then Yazid ibn Abd al-Malik after him, and the oath was taken from the people according to what the document said. When the document was read after his death, the faces of the sons of Abd al-Malik changed. He died on a Friday, ten days before the end of Safar, in the year 99 AH, and Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz led the funeral prayer over him ⁴. The book also relates that Sulayman had offered the succession to Umar and then to Yazid ibn Abd al-Malik after refusing to name his son Ayyub; that Raja ibn Haywa took the oath for the document after his death; and that Hisham refused to swear allegiance to Umar ⁵.