Al-Adab Al-Mufrad
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 369
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ أَبِي غَنِيَّةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعَجْلاَنِ الْمُحَارِبِيِّ قَالَ: كُنْتُ فِي جَيْشِ ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، فَتُوُفِّيَ ابْنُ عَمٍّ لِي، وَأَوْصَى بِجَمَلٍ لَهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ لِابْنِهِ: ادْفَعْ إِلَيَّ الْجَمَلَ، فَإِنِّي فِي جَيْشِ ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، فَقَالَ: اذْهَبْ بِنَا إِلَى ابْنِ عُمَرَ حَتَّى نَسْأَلَهُ، فَأَتَيْنَا ابْنَ عُمَرَ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، إِنَّ وَالِدِي تُوُفِّيَ، وَأَوْصَى بِجَمَلٍ لَهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، وَهَذَا ابْنُ عَمِّي، وَهُوَ فِي جَيْشِ ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَفَأَدْفَعُ إِلَيْهِ الْجَمَلَ؟ قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ: يَا بُنَيَّ، إِنَّ سَبِيلَ اللهِ كُلُّ عَمَلٍ صَالِحٍ، فَإِنْ كَانَ وَالِدُكَ إِنَّمَا أَوْصَى بِجَمَلِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، فَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ قَوْمًا مُسْلِمِينَ يَغْزُونَ قَوْمًا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، فَادْفَعْ إِلَيْهِمُ الْجَمَلَ، فَإِنْ هَذَا وَأَصْحَابَهُ فِي سَبِيلِ غِلْمَانِ قَوْمٍ أَيُّهُمْ يَضَعُ الطَّابَعَ.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu al-‘Ajlan al-Muharibi said: I was in Ibn al-Zubayr’s army when a cousin of mine died, having bequeathed one of his camels for the cause of Allah. I said to his son, ‘Give me the camel, for I am in Ibn al-Zubayr’s army.’ He replied, ‘Let us go to Ibn ‘Umar and ask him.’ We went to Ibn ‘Umar, and the son said, ‘Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman, my father died and bequeathed his camel for the cause of Allah. This is my cousin, who is in Ibn al-Zubayr’s army. Should I give him the camel?’ Ibn ‘Umar said, ‘My son, the cause of Allah includes every righteous deed. If your father intended the camel for the cause of Allah, then when you see Muslims campaigning against a people of idolaters, give it to them. This man and his companions are on the path of a group of young men, each of whom seeks to place the seal.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The final sentence refers to the army of Ibn al-Zubayr and includes the expressions ‘the path of the young men of a people’ and ‘who will place the seal.’ The English witness interprets the seal as authority to rule; the Arabic wording is obscure, so the translation stays close and flags the interpretation.
فَإِنْ هَذَا وَأَصْحَابَهُ فِي سَبِيلِ غِلْمَانِ قَوْمٍ أَيُّهُمْ يَضَعُ الطَّابَعَ.
The phrase literally mentions young men of a people and who will place the seal; the witness interprets this as a struggle over ruling authority.
Can the final phrase be checked against another edition or historical commentary before deciding how explicitly to render the political allusion?