The Killing of Abdallah ibn Khazim

مقتل عبد الله بن خازم

Tamim rose at Herat and killed Ibn Khazim's son Muhammad; the father took Uthman ibn Bashir ibn al-Muhtafiz and slew him in cold blood, with a Tamimi. Tamim conspired his deposition — Bujayr ibn Waraqa's party shifted to Abarshahr and renounced him as he sent his baggage with Musa to Tirmidh. Abd al-Malik's writ appointing him arrived; he fed the messenger the letter: 'I could not meet God having broken my bay'a to the son of the Prophet's hawari and given bay'a to the son of his exile'. Abd al-Malik gave it to Bukayr ibn Wishah — who had already deposed him, seized arms and treasury, and won Marw's bay'a. Marching for Tirmidh, Ibn Khazim was overtaken by Bujayr near Marw; Waki' ibn al-Dawraqiyya came out in arms and with Bujayr stabbed him, sat on his chest crying 'for Duwayla's vengeance' — his slain half-brother — as Ibn Khazim spat 'curse you: you kill Mudar's ram for a brother not worth a palm of date-stones', and Waki' answered in verse. His sons Anbasa and Yahya fell with him, his mawla Tahman — grandfather of the Mahdi's secretary Ya'qub ibn Dawud — was wounded; Bukayr sent his head to be displayed at Damascus and his severed right hand to Uthman ibn Bashir's sons.