Death
of Abu Muslim
When Mansoor heard that Abdullah bin
Ali was defeated and Abu Muslim looted his camp and took a large amount of
spoils of war, he sent his servant Abu Khaseeb to record the valuables. Abu
Muslim was annoyed that Mansoor did not rely upon him and sent his own men for
the purpose of accounting. When Mansoor was informed of Abu Muslim's
displeasure, he felt concerned that he might go to Khorasan. So, he wrote a
certificate of governorship of Syria and Egypt in Abu Muslim's name and sent it
to him. Abu Muslim was aggrieved from this even more and he thought that he was
being separated from Khorasan in order to make him helpless and powerless. So,
he left Jazirah and went to Khorasan. When he found out about Abu Muslim's
movement, Mansoor left Ambâr and went to Madain and sent for him. Abu Muslim
refused to come to him, saying, "I shall obey you from a distance. I have
subdued all your enemies. Now that all your dangers are over you do not need
me. If you leave me alone, I shall keep obeying you and shall remain committed
to my oath. But if you pursue me, I shall announce the cancellation of the oath
and oppose you." After going through the letter Mansoor wrote to Abu
Muslim very softly and affectionately, "I have no doubts about your
loyalty and obedience. You are very efficient and worthy of reward. The devil
has poured poison of suspicion into your heart. Purge yourself of all these
suspicions and temptations and come over to me." Mansoor dispatched the
letter through his liberated slave Abu Humaid and instructed him to induce and
entreat him to visit Mansoor and threaten him with Mansoor's anger in case of
refusal. When the letter reached him, he consulted Malik bin Haitham. He said,
"Don't go to Mansoor. He will kill you." But Mansoor had already
persuaded Abu Dawood Khalid bin Ibrahim in exchange for the governorship of
Khorasan to convince Abu Muslim to come to him at any cost. Due to Abu Dawood's
advice Abu Muslim prepared himself to go to Mansoor. Despite this he took
precautions by first sending his minister Abu Ishaq Khalid bin Uthman to Mansoor
to get more acquainted with the conditions and situation there. Abu Muslim had
a deep trust in Abu Ishaq. When he reached the caliph's court, all the leaders
of Banu Hashim and noblemen of the court came to receive him. Mansoor treated
him with great respect and love and won his heart with his soft speech, then he
said to him, "Prevent Abu Muslim from going to Khorasan and convince him
to come to me. In exchange I shall give you the governorship of Khorasan."
Abu Ishaq yielded. He came to Abu Muslim and persuaded him to visit Mansoor.
So, he left his army under the command of Malik bin Haitham at Halwan and with
3,000 men moved to Madain. When he reached Madain, a man visited him at
Mansoor's instance and said to him, "Please recommend me to Mansoor and
ask him to give me the governorship of Kaskar (in the Northwest Frontier
Province of present day Pakistan). Also, Mansoor is very displeased with his
minister Abu Ayyub. Please say a few words in his favor." Abu Muslim was
pleased to oblige him and all doubts about danger that he harbored in his heart
vanished. He entered the court with honor and went back to his resting place
with equal honor. When he visited the court the next day, Mansoor had already
hidden Uthman bin Naheek, Shabeeb bin Rawah, Harb bin Qais and others, behind a
veil and instructed them that when he clapped, they should come out and kill
him. Abu Muslim came to the court and Caliph Mansoor in the course of
conversation inquired of him about the two swords he had taken from Abdullah bin
Ali. Abu Muslim had one of those two swords at his side. He at once handed it
over to Mansoor. He kept looking at it for a while and then he put it under his
thigh and began to complain to Abu Muslim about his actions then he mentioned
the death of Sulaiman bin Katheer and said to him, "Why did you kill him
though he has been loyal to me since before you had joined this work."
First Abu Muslim offered excuses in a humble and flattering manner but when he
found that Mansoor's rage was rising moment by moment and that he was no longer
secure he courageously answered, "Do what you may. I fear none except
Allâh." Mansoor abused Abu Muslim and clapped his hands. On hearing the
clapping Uthman bin Naheek and the others came out and killed him.
This occurred in 25 Shabban 137 A.H.
After Abu Muslim's death, the minister went out and sent back Abu Muslim's men
saying, "Your Amir will remain with the Amir al-Muminin at present. You
may go back." Then Isa bin Musa came to the caliph's court and inquired about
Abu Muslim. When he understood he was dead, he exclaimed إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ. This touched Mansoor
and he said, "No one was a greater enemy to you than Abu Muslim."
Then Mansoor sent for Jafar bin Hanzla and consulted him about killing Abu
Muslim. Jafar advised him to kill him and Mansoor said, "May Allâh give
you a good reward!" and then pointed to the dead body of Abu Muslim. As
soon as he saw it he said, "Amir al-Muminin you are caliph with effect
from today." Mansoor simply smiled and kept quite.
Abu Nasr Malik bin Haitham to whom
Abu Muslim had handed over his wealth, left Halwan and was on his way to
Khorasan planning on going to Hamadan. Then he came back to Mansoor. Mansoor
reprimanded him, saying, "You advised Abu Muslim not to come to me."
He said, "As long as I was with him, I gave advice. Now that I have come
to you, I shall keep trying to do good for you." Mansoor sent him as the
ruler of Mousil.
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