The Killing of Qutayba ibn Muslim

مقتل قتيبة بن مسلم

Khurasan held forty thousand Basran fighters, seven thousand Kufans, seven thousand mawali. Waki' feigned sickness, shins painted with ochre, sending 'I cannot stir'; those sent to fetch him slipped to his side. He called for spear and his son's-mother's veil as banner — 'Idris, Iblis' messenger, met him: Qutayba swore by God he would not come till he brought his head — and closed on the fustat. Salih called for his bow — 'not a bow day' — a Dabbi's arrow struck Qutayba's throat, he was dragged in and finished; Hayyan called the Ajam to Tamim's side; the tent-cords were cut and the faza's pole fell on his skull. Abdallah ibn Alwan took the head — Hisham ibn al-Kalbi says Jahm ibn Zahr al-Jumhi killed him and Sa'd ibn Majd struck him — brothers, household, the deaf umm-walad died with him; Dirar ibn Muslim alone Tamim spared. The Azd took head and seal; Waki' sent it to Sulayman by Salit ibn Atta, forbade Bahila's plunder, and confirmed Lahiq ibn Humayd on Marw. Qutayba was fifty-five.

Overview

Qutayba ibn Muslim was killed in Khurasan after Waki ibn Hassan rebelled against him. Al-Baladhuri relates the account, and says that Qutayba was fifty-five years old when he was killed. ¹

The rising against him

Al-Baladhuri says that Waki feigned illness and stayed at home, and Qutayba kept sending to him and he kept excusing himself. Then he put on his armour and said that he would come to Qutayba only with his head. He set out for Qutayba's tent, where Qutayba was with his household and people who had remained loyal to him. ¹

The killing

The accounts differ on who killed him. In one, the tent's ropes were cut so that the tent's pole fell on his head and killed him, and Abd Allah ibn Alwan cut off his head. Hisham ibn al-Kalbi says that they came into his tent and Jahm ibn Zahr al-Jumahi killed him. ¹

A group of his brothers and household were killed with him, and his slave-mother al-Sammaa; Dirar ibn Muslim escaped. ¹

After his death

Waki was brought the head of Qutayba, and sent it to Sulayman with Sulayt ibn Ata. Waki wrote to Lahiq ibn Humayd with his commission over Merv, and the people accepted it. ¹

Note

This report comes from a single source and needs an additional source.

The Bay'a to Waki' ibn Hassan against Qutayba

Qutayba preached his ihsan, their scant loyalty, and warned of the Ajam he had raised over them — they resolved on war and gave no answer. Al-Hudayn ibn al-Mundhir refused their leadership and pointed them to Waki' ibn Hassan ibn Qays ibn Abi Sud of Tamim — 'none else can bear it: a rough Arab whose tribe obeys him, a Tamimi; and Qutayba slew the Banu al-Ahtham, who seek their blood'. They sought him out, he gave his hand, and they swore him bay'a — Hayyan, Maslama's mawla, having gone between them.

The Killing of Qutayba ibn Muslim

At a glance

Overview

The rising against him

The killing

After his death

Note

Connections

People and things also explored

Sources

Time

The Bay'a to Waki' ibn Hassan against Qutayba