Arabic (Original)
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو نَصْرِ بْنُ قَتَادَةَ أنا أَبُو الْفَضْلِ بْنُ خَمِيرَوَيْهِ ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ نَجْدَةَ ثنا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ ثنا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ قَالَ بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ حَبِيبَ بْنَ مَسْلَمَةَ غَزَا الرُّومَ فَأَخَذُوا رَجُلًا فَاتَّهَمُوهُ فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ أَنَّهُ عَيْنٌ فَقَالَ هَذَا مَلِكُ الرُّومِ فِي النَّاسِ وَرَاءَ هَذَا الْجَبَلِ فَقَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ أَشِيرُوا عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ نَرَى أَنْ تُقِيمَ حَتَّى يَلْحَقَ بِكَ النَّاسُ وَكَانُوا مُنْقَطِعِينَ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ نَرَى أَنْ تَرْجِعَ إِلَى فِئَتِكَ وَلَا تَقْدُمْ عَلَى هَؤُلَاءِ؛ فَإِنَّهُ لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِمْ فَقَالَ أَمَّا أَنَا فَأُعْطِي اللهَ عَهْدًا لَا أَخِيسُ بِهِ لَأُخَالِطَنَّهُمْ فَلَمَّا ارْتَفَعَ النَّهَارُ إِذَا هُوَ بِهِمْ قَدْ مَلَئُوا الْأَرْضَ فَحَمَلَ وَحَمَلَ أَصْحَابُهُ فَانْهَزَمَ الْعَدُوُّ وَأَصَابُوا غَنَائِمَ كَثِيرَةً فَلَحِقَ النَّاسُ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَحْضُرُوا الْقِتَالَ وَقَالُوا نَحْنُ شُرَكَاؤُكُمْ فِي الْغَنِيمَةِ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ شَهِدُوا الْقِتَالَ لَيْسَ لَكُمْ نَصِيبٌ؛ لَمْ تَحْضُرُوا الْقِتَالَ وَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ وَكَانَ مِمَّنْ حَضَرَ مَعَ حَبِيبٍ لَيْسَ لَكُمْ نَصِيبٌ فَكَتَبَ بِذَلِكَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فَكَتَبَ أَنِ اقْسِمْ بَيْنَهُمْ كُلِّهِمْ قَالَ وَأَظُنُّ مُعَاوِيَةَ كَانَ كَتَبَ بِذَلِكَ إِلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ ؓ فَكَتَبَ بِذَلِكَ عُمَرُ ؓ وَقَالَ الشَّاعِرُ [البحر الرجز] إِنَّ حَبِيبًا بِئْسَ مَا يُوَاسِي وَابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ ذَاهِبُ الْأَقْسَاسِ لَيْسُوا بِأَنْجَادٍ وَلَا أكيَاسِ وَلَا رَفِيقًا بِأُمُورِ النَّاسِ
English Translation
Ibn al-Mubarak narrated from Ibn Abi Dhi'b: It reached us that Habib ibn Maslamah raided the Romans and captured a man whom they accused (of being a spy). He told them: 'The king of the Romans is behind this mountain with his forces.' Habib asked his companions for advice. Some said: 'We think you should wait until reinforcements arrive,' as they were scattered. Others said: 'We think you should return to your main force and not advance against these, as we cannot match them.' He said: 'As for me, I make a covenant with Allah that I will not break: I will engage them.' When the day grew late, they appeared and filled the land. He charged and his companions charged, and the enemy was routed. They obtained many spoils. Then those who had not been present arrived and said: 'We are your partners in the spoils.' Those who had fought said: 'You have no share; you were not present for the battle.' Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, who was among those present with Habib, said: 'You have no share.' They wrote to Mu'awiyah, who wrote: 'Divide among all of them.' And Mu'awiyah apparently wrote to Umar ibn al-Khattab about it, and Umar wrote with the same instruction. The poet said: 'Indeed Habib is a poor ally, and Ibn al-Zubayr has lost his senses...'