The Nāṣirī Generations 95: I. TAHIR, SON OF MUHAMMAD.
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 95
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I. TAHIR, SON OF MUHAMMAD.
95.1
Trustworthy persons have related, that, when the dominion and sovereignty of the Mahmudi dynasty passed away, over to the family of Saljuk, the nobles who were exercising authority in the country of Sijistan acquired power, and, In that same year, Abu Nasr-i-Ahmad, Samani, took possession of Sijistan, and, as he had succeeded in making prisoner of Muhammad, son of ’Ali, brother of Ya’kub, ’Umro, and Mu’addil, sons of Lais, and the Sigizi also, they were despatched to Baghdad, by the Khalifah's directions, and entered it paraded on elephants; and rich presents were sent by the Khalifah to the Samani prince, in return for this service. In 299 H. [some say in 298 H.], Lais, son of ’Ali, died in Fars, and his brother, MU’ADDIL, assumed the sovereignty over Sijistan, and drove out the Samani governor, Abu Salih-i-Mansur, Samani, cousin of Amir Abu Nasr-i-Ahmad, on which, the latter despatched a large army under some of his greatest nobles, such as Husain 'Ali, Marw-ar-Rudi, Ahmad, son of Sahl, Muhammad, son of Muzaffar, Simjur-i-Dowati, &c. Mu’addil, on becoming apprized of this, sent his brother Muhammad for supplies, to enable him to stand a siege, into Zamin-i-Dawar; but, as he happened to fall into the hands of the Samani forces, Mu’addil, on receipt of the news of this disaster, came and surrendered on terms to those leaders, and was taken to Bukhara, from whence he was sent to Baghdad. See page 34.
95.2
In the year 300 H., ’UMRO, son of Ya’kub, son of Muhammad, son of ’Umro, son of Lais-i-Suffar, rose in Sijistan, and assumed the sovereignty. Amir Abu Nasr-i-Ahmad, Samani, again despatched a force under Husain ’Ali, Marw-ar-Rudi, against him. After defending the capital for a period of nine months, ’Umro surrendered on terms of capitulation, and the territory of Nimroz received a Samani governor. In the year 309 H., AHMAD, said by Guzidah to have been the grandson of Tahir, but by others to have been the son of Muhammad, son of Khalaf, son of Abu Ja’far, son of Lais [which Lais is not mentioned, but, if the Brazier be meant, Abu Ja’far must have been a fifth son, but no doubt he was a grandson], who was living in great distress and misery at Hirat, chanced to come under the notice of Amir Abu-l-Hasan-i-Nasr, son of Ahmad, the fifth of the Samani rulers, who bestowed upon Ahmad-i-Suffar the government of his native country, Sijistan.
95.3
Fasih-i, among the occurrences of the year 310 H., says, that by command of the Khalifah, Al-Muktadir, honorary dresses were bestowed upon Tahir and Ya’kub, sons of ’Umro, Lais; but this must refer to Lais, son of ’Ali, son of Lais the Brazier, as Tahir, son of ’Umro, the second of the dynasty, died at Baghdad many years previous to this. In 311 H., according to Fasih-i, Shah Malik, son of Ya’kub-i-Lais, Suffari, with a body of Sigizis, attempted to gain possession of Hirat, but after a time left, and proceeded to Fushanj. He returned to the Dasht of Malan of Hirat again, and invested Hirat for four months, but had to abandon it, and he and his party retired discomfited. Simjur held Hirat on that occasion.
95.4
Ahmad was succeeded as ruler of Sijistan by his son, KHALAF, but the date of the former’s death or the latter’s accession is not mentioned — it was probably in 331 H. — but, in 353 H., Khalaf set out on a pilgrimage to Makkah, leaving as his deputy, his son-in-law, Tahir, son of Al-Husain, to administer the government of Sijistan. Tahir coveted his dominions, and, when Khalaf returned from the pilgrimage, he would not allow him to resume his authority. Khalaf proceeded to the Court of Mansur, son of Nuh, Samani, the eighth of that dynasty, who sent a force with Khalaf, which, after ousting Tahir and reinstating Khalaf, returned to Bukhara. having tendered their allegiance to the Sultans, Alb-Arsalan and Malik Shah, the states of Nimroz came under their sway, and they took possession of those territories. Tahir now returned, and again dispossessed Khalaf, who, a second time, received aid from Mansur, Samani; but, by the time the Samani forces reached Sistan, Tahir was dead, and Husain, his son, had succeeded to the authority. After considerable fighting, Husain retired to one of the fortresses of that territory, and was therein invested. He despatched an envoy to Amir Mansur’s presence, who sent a mandate directing him to appear before him, and so Husain was allowed to proceed to Bukhara. This was at a period when the Samani power was much weakened, and in the same year that Is-hak, son of Alb-Tigin, the Turk, encountered Abu-’Ali-i-Lawik, previously ruler of Ghaznin.
95.5
Nothing more is mentioned about Khalaf except his rebellion against Nuh, Samani, and the seven years’ investment of his capital, until the year 390 H., in which year, Bughrajak, the uncle of Mahmud of Ghaznin, was slain by Khalaf’s son, Tahir, at Fushanj. On this, Mahmud marched against Khalaf, who retired for shelter within the walls of the fortress of Tak, and he was invested therein. In 393 H., Khalaf again withdrew from public life, and gave up the government of Sijistan to his son Tahir, but, soon after, he regretted what he had done, resumed the authority, and put his son Tahir to death. Some say he put two sons, Tahir and ’Umro, to death with his own hand. This ruined Khalaf’s affairs, and his nobles rose against him on account of this abominable conduct; and they invested him in the city which he had made his capital, and read the Khutbah, and coined money in the name of Sultan Mahmud of Ghaznin.
95.6
Mahmud, on account of this last act of Khalaf, again entered Sijistan, and Khalaf was defeated and retired once more to the fortress of Tak, but it was taken by assault and Khalaf was captured. It was on this occasion that Khalaf when brought before Mahmud, addressed him by the name of "Sultan" and his life was spared. The district of Juzjanan was assigned for his future residence, and, with his family and dependents, he left Sijistan for ever and proceeded thither. Sijistan was conferred by Mahmud upon his brother Nasr, and that territory continued for a considerable time in the possession of the Ghaznawis. In 398 H. Khalaf was found to have been intriguing against Mahmud with I-lak Khan, ruler of Turkistan, and was, in consequence, confined within the walls of the fortress of Juzdez. He died in the following year; and Mahmud directed that his property and effects should be made over to his son, Abu-l-Hafs. Khalaf was a learned and intelligent man, and, by his command, the learned men of his time compiled a commentary on the Kur’an in one hundred volumes, and at the expense of 100,000 dinars; yet, with all this, he committed the cruel act of slaying his own sons.
95.7
The sovereignty of Sijistan, or Nimroz, having been taken from Khalaf, remained in the possession of the kings of Ghaznin for a considerable time. At length, by the support of the Sultans, Alb-Arsalan, and Malik Shah, a great grandson of Khalaf, TAHIR, son of Muhammad, son of Tahir, son of Khalaf, obtained the government of his native country; and the ruler’s palace in Sistan is called the Sarae-i-Tahiri after him. This is the first of the rulers of Nimroz by our author’s account, but the sixth of chroniclers of authority, after Ya’kub and ’Umro, the founders of the Saffarian dynasty. A few authors When the throne of sovereignty became adorned by the phoenix-like splendour of Sanjar, the territories of Nimroz passed to Amir Tahir; and, in the service of that monarch, he gave proofs of his loyalty and good faith. The Sarae-i-Tahiri, or Tahiri Palace, in Sistan, which was the seat of government, was founded by him. He instituted regulations and precepts of government, brought under his control the different districts and dependencies of the country of Nimroz, reigned for a considerable time, and died. These Maliks claimed descent from the race of Kai-Ka’us. May the Almighty reward them!
95.8
Trustworthy persons have related that Sijistan is called Nimroz for the reason that, in ancient times, the whole of that tract was a sea; and, when Mihtar Suliman, reclining on the couch which the winds used to bear had to pass over that country on his way from Pars to the mountains of Suliman, which are opposite Multan, he commanded that that sea should be filled with sand. The Diws, in the space of half a day, completed the task, and the sea became dry land; and, the name by which it was called was Nim-roz, signifying mid-day, and that designation continued to be applied to that country. God alone is eternal, and His kingdom only is eternal, without intermission and without wane.