Uthman ibn Hunayf's Survey of the Sawad

مسح عثمان بن حنيف السواد

c. 18 AH

In al-Baladhuri: Umar sent Uthman ibn Hunayf (may God be pleased with him) al-Ansari to survey the Sawad — he found it thirty-six million jarib and set on each a dirham and a qafiz, that qafiz being like their makuuk called al-Shaburqan — Yahya ibn Adam saying it was the sealed Hajjaji measure. Via Qatada from Abi Mujlaz: Umar appointed Ammar ibn Yasir (may God be pleased with him) over the Kufans' prayer and armies, Abdallah ibn Mas'ud over their judiciary and treasury, and Uthman ibn Hunayf over the land-survey, allotting them a sheep daily — half with its offal for Ammar, the other half between the two; Uthman surveyed and set ten dirhams on a palm jarib, ten on a vine jarib, six on cane, four on wheat, two on barley, and wrote it to Umar who ratified it. Via al-A'mash from Ibrahim from Amr ibn Maymun: Umar sent Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman (may God be pleased with him) over what was beyond the Tigris and Uthman ibn Hunayf over what was this side — both setting a qafiz and a dirham per jarib. Via Muhammad ibn Abdallah al-Thaqafi: al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba wrote while over the Sawad 'we have crop kinds exceeding wheat and barley' — naming mash, vines, ratba and sesame — so eight each was set and palms waived. Via al-Ayzar ibn Hurayth: Umar set two dirhams and two jaribs on a wheat jarib, a dirham and a jarib on barley, ten on vine, ten on ratba, five on cotton, a dirham on each Farsi palm and on the two daqal grades. Via al-Sha'bi: Uthman ibn Hunayf set five dirhams for a ratba jarib and ten for vine, without bundling what grew beneath.

Overview

Al-Baladhuri relates several reports of the sending of Umar of Uthman ibn Hunayf to survey the Sawad and impose the land tax on it. ¹

The survey

Uthman found the Sawad to be thirty-six million jaribs, and imposed on each jarib a dirham and a qafiz. Yahya ibn Adam says that the qafiz is the Hajjaji measure, sealed. ¹

Distribution in Kufa

From Qatada from Abu Majlaz: Umar appointed Ammar ibn Yasir over prayer and the armies, Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud over judgement and the treasury, and Uthman ibn Hunayf over the surveying of the land. ¹

He imposed on the jarib of palms and vines ten dirhams, on sugarcane six, on wheat four, and on barley two dirhams. He wrote this to Umar, who approved it. ¹

Other accounts

In the report of al-A'mash, Umar appointed Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman over what lay beyond the Tigris and Ibn Hunayf over what lay on this side, and they imposed a qafiz and a dirham on the jarib.
al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba wrote that they had other kinds of grain, and eight of each was imposed.
In the report of al-Iz'ar ibn Harith there are other details of the measures, among them ten dirhams on vines and sugar-cane and five on cotton.
In the report of al-Sha'bi, five dirhams on sugar-cane and ten on vines. ¹

The differences among the reports in the amounts are clear, and the museum does not weigh one above the others. The date is around 18 AH by estimate.

The Battle of Nihawand (Fath al-Futuh)

In al-Baladhuri: when Yazdgard fled Hulwan in year 19, Persians of Rayy, Qumis, Isbahan, Hamadhan and the Mahayn gathered to him in year 20 under Mardanshah Dhu al-Hajib behind the Dirafsh-i Kabiyan — sixty thousand, some say a hundred thousand. Ammar had written Umar, who meant to march himself, then ordered two-thirds of Kufa out with a Basra detachment and charged al-Nu'man ibn Muqarrin — 'not as tax-gatherer, but as ghazi' — with succession running Hudhayfa, Jarir, al-Mughira, al-Ash'ath; al-Hurmuzan had counseled 'Isbahan is the head, Adharbayjan the wings.' The Muslims chained themselves in tens and fives lest they flee; Persian arrows wounded some before battle. Al-Nu'man announced three banner-shakes — ablution, then swords and shoes, then charge with none turning to another — and fought, his armor heavy, the first martyr, the Persian splitting his mule's belly; Ma'qil found him breathing, washed his face, gave him the tidings of victory — 'praise God; write to Umar.' Hudhayfa took the banner and the conquest was named Fath al-Futuh. Abu Uthman al-Nahdi bore the news to Umar, who wept, hand on head. Al-Sa'ib ibn al-Aqra' held the spoils — 'raise no falsehood, withhold no right' — climbed the fortress on Dhu al-Muwaynatayn's word to the Nukhayrkan treasure, two baskets of unmatched jewels sold at Umar's order to the Qurashi youth Amr ibn Harith for the warriors' shares, who resold one at al-Hira for the whole price and kept the other — his first capital. The conquest fell a Wednesday of year 19, or 20, and via Abu Ma'shar 21; al-Nu'man had camped at al-Isbidhar, al-Ash'ath on the right, al-Mughira the left.

Uthman ibn Hunayf's Survey of the Sawad

At a glance

Overview

The survey

Distribution in Kufa

Other accounts

Connections

People and things also explored

Sources

Time

The Battle of Nihawand (Fath al-Futuh)