As narrated by Ibn Jarīr, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Ashʿath was killed in this year. Allah knows best.
In this year, Ḥajjāj removed Yazīd b. al-Muhallab from the governorship of Khurāsān and appointed his brother Mufaḍḍal b. al-Muhallab in his place. The reason was as follows: On one occasion, Ḥajjāj had gone to visit ʿAbd al-Malik. On his return, he stopped by a church where there was a learned and elderly monk from among the People of the Book (ahl al-kitāb), and asked him:
– O old man! Do you see anything in your books that informs you about our situation and yours?
– Yes.
– How do you see the qualities of the Commander of the Believers?
– He is a bald ruler. The one who works in his way is dead.
– Who will be ruler after him?
– A man named Walīd will be ruler.
– Who will be ruler after him?
– After him, a man whose name is the name of a prophet will be ruler. Through him, people will attain conquests and abundance.
– Describe him to me.
– I have just described him to you.
– Do you know what my fate will be?
– Yes.
– Who will be governor of Iraq after me?
– A man named Yazīd will be governor of Iraq after you.
– Will this happen while I am alive or after I die?
– I do not know.
– Do you know the qualities of Yazīd?
– He will betray only once. I do not know anything else. Ḥajjāj thought that the man who would rebel against him and betray him was Yazīd
b. al-Muhallab. He traveled for seven days, fearful of what the elderly monk had said. Then he wrote to ʿAbd al-Malik, asking to be relieved of the governorship of Iraq, so that he might learn his standing and worth in the eyes of ʿAbd al-Malik. In the reply, ʿAbd al-Malik rebuked and reproached him for his resignation, criticized him, and ordered him to continue his duty and remain steadfast. Later, Ḥajjāj sat and began to ponder. He summoned ʿUbayd b. Mawhib. When ʿUbayd arrived, Ḥajjāj was drawing something on the ground with a stick. He raised his head and said to ʿUbayd:
– Woe to you, O ʿUbayd! According to what the People of the Book have related, a man named Yazīd will rule over these lands under my authority. I have considered Yazīd b. Abī Kabsha, Yazīd b. Ḥusayn
b. Numayr, Yazīd b. Dīnār... But they are not here. Here, there is no one but Yazīd b. al-Muhallab.
ʿUbayd replied to him:
– They have been honored, their provinces and authority have grown. They are people of high rank, power, and prestige. They are worthy of these positions; if anyone would do this, it would be Yazīd b. al-Muhallab.
Ḥajjāj then firmly decided to dismiss Yazīd b. al-Muhallab from office. He wrote to ʿAbd al-Malik, disparaging Yazīd b. al-Muhallab, warning him of his betrayal, and relating what the elderly monk from among the People of the Book had said. In the reply brought by the messenger, ʿAbd al-Malik said to Ḥajjāj:
"You have spoken much about Yazīd. Now name a man capable of governing Khurāsān, so that I may appoint him as governor." Ḥajjāj chose Mufaḍḍal b. al-Muhallab. ʿAbd al-Malik then appointed him governor of Khurāsān for nine months. During this period, he campaigned against the lands of Abs and other provinces, seizing much booty. Poets praised him, and then Mufaḍḍal was dismissed and replaced by Qutayba b. Muslim as governor.
Ibn Jarīr said: In this year, Mūsā b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Ḥāzim was killed in Tirmidh. The event unfolded as follows: After the killing of his father ʿAbd Allāh, Mūsā could not find a city to take refuge in with the men who remained with him. Wherever he approached, the ruler of that city would confront him and fight him. This continued until he camped near Tirmidh.
The ruler of Tirmidh was weak and sought a compromise with Mūsā b. ʿAbd Allāh. He sent him gifts and presents, and even organized hunting parties with him. Then the ruler arranged a banquet for him and sent word: "Come to the meal with a hundred of your men." Mūsā attended the invitation with a hundred of his best fighters and entered the city. He arrived at the banquet. After the meal, Mūsā reclined in the ruler's palace and said: "By Allah, I will not leave this palace until it becomes either my home or my grave." The men in the palace attacked him, and his soldiers defended him. Then a battle broke out between them and the people of Tirmidh. Many of the people of Tirmidh were killed, and the rest fled. Mūsā then summoned his remaining soldiers to the city, took control of it, fortified it, and defended it against enemies.
The ruler fled the city and sought refuge with his brothers among the Turks, asking them for help. The Turks said to him: "We do not have the strength to fight against the people who drove you out of your land with only about a hundred men." Then the ruler of Tirmidh went to another group of Turks and asked them for help. They sent a few men to Mūsā to listen to his words. When Mūsā heard of their arrival, it was very hot. He ordered his men to light fires, put on their winter clothes, and pretend to warm their hands over the fire.
When the Turkish envoys saw what Mūsā's men were doing on a hot summer day, they asked: "What is this that you are doing?" Mūsā's men replied: "We feel cold in summer and hot in winter." Upon this, the Turks returned and said among themselves: "These are not humans; rather, they are jinn." They returned to their ruler, described what they had seen, and said: "We cannot fight these people."
Thereupon, the ruler of Tirmidh went to another group and sought their help. They came and besieged Tirmidh. Huzāʿī also came and besieged it. Huzāʿī would fight in the morning, and the Persians (ʿAjam) in the evening. Later, Mūsā launched a night raid against them, killing many. ʿUmar al-Huzāʿī became afraid and made peace with Mūsā.
One day, ʿUmar al-Huzāʿī entered upon Mūsā when no one else was present. He did not see any weapons with Mūsā. Advising him, he said: "May Allah set the commander aright; it is not proper for a man like you to be without a weapon." Mūsā replied: "I have a weapon with me." Then he lifted the edge of his bed, and there was a sword in its sheath. ʿUmar took the sword, attacked Mūsā, killed him, and fled. After this, the men of Mūsā b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Ḥāzim dispersed.
Ibn Jarīr said: In this year, ʿAbd al-Malik decided to dismiss his brother ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Marwān from the governorship of Egypt. Rūḥ b. Zinba al-Judhāmī had suggested this to him as a good action. While he was in this state, Qubaysa b. Dhuyayb came to them at night. Qubaysa could enter upon ʿAbd al-Malik at any hour, day or night. He offered condolences to ʿAbd al-Malik for the death of his brother ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz. ʿAbd al-Malik regretted his decision to dismiss him.
The reason that led ʿAbd al-Malik to make such a decision was this: He had decided that after him, his sons Walīd, then Sulaymān, then Yazīd, and then Hishām would be his successors. Ḥajjāj had suggested this to him and devised it as a plan. During his lifetime, Caliph Marwān had appointed his son ʿAbd al-Malik as heir, and after ʿAbd al-Malik, ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz. ʿAbd al-Malik wanted to remove ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz entirely from succession after himself, to leave the rule to his own sons and grandsons, and to ensure that the caliphate remained with them. Allah knows best.