The Killing of Qutayba ibn Muslim

مقتل قتيبة بن مسلم

Marw

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.