Musa b. Nusayr Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Lahmī. He was a freedman of a woman from the Lahm tribe. According to another narration, he was a freedman of the Umayyads. He conquered the Maghrib region and seized a great amount of spoils there. It is impossible to enumerate or describe the spoils he captured. He caused extraordinary events to occur there. It is reported that Musa was lame. It is said that he was born in the nineteenth year of the Hijra. He was originally from Hinuttamir. According to another narration, he was from the village of Irāsha in the Beli region. During the time of Abū Bakr, his father was taken captive in Jabal al-Khalil, which was under the jurisdiction of Syria. His father's name was Naṣr, but this name was diminutively used as Nusayr.
Musa narrated from Tamīm al-Dārī. His son ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz and Yazīd b. Masrūq al-Maḥṣubī also narrated from him. As a commander under Muʿāwiya, he participated in a naval expedition. He went to Cyprus and fought there, building fortresses such as Famagusta and Bans. In the twenty-seventh year of the Hijra, when Cyprus was conquered by Muʿāwiya, he was appointed governor there. He participated in the Battle of Marj Rāhiṭ alongside Ḍaḥḥāk b. Qays. When Ḍaḥḥāk was killed, Musa b. Nusayr sought refuge with ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Marwān. Later, when Marwān entered Egypt, Musa accompanied him. Marwān left Musa with his son ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz. When ʿAbd al-Malik took control of Iraq, he left Musa as vizier with his brother Bishr b. Marwān. Musa b. Nusayr was a person of insight, prudence, and intelligence, and he was well-versed in the art of war.
Al-Baghawī said: Musa b. Nusayr was appointed governor of Ifrīqiyya in the ninety-seventh year of the Hijra. He conquered a truly great number of towns, cities, and regions.
As we have mentioned in previous pages, Musa conquered al-Andalus. There were many cities, towns, and villages in al-Andalus. Musa took many captives from the people of al-Andalus and from other regions. He acquired a vast amount of spoils. He obtained so much gold and precious jewels that their quantity cannot be determined. He also seized other tools, goods, and animals as spoils, but there is no need to enumerate them here. Additionally, he took many beautiful male and female slaves as captives. It is said that no other commander ever obtained as much booty from his enemies as Musa did. The people of the Maghrib were subdued by his hand. He spread the religion and the Qur'an among the people of the Maghrib. When he traveled, he had so many belongings that the pack animals could not carry them all, so they were forced to load even calves with baggage.
Musa b. Nusayr conquered in the Maghrib region, while Qutayba did so in the eastern lands. May Allah reward both of them with good. Both conquered many cities and climes. However, Musa b. Nusayr attained a fame that did not befall Qutayba. It is even said that when he conquered al-Andalus, a man came to him and said: "Send a few men with me, and I will show you the location of a great treasure." He sent some of his men with that person, who took them to a place and said, "Dig here." When they dug, they found, beneath the pit, a splendidly colored hall. In that great hall, they found rubies, jewels, peridots, carpets, fabrics, and rugs of such value that they were astonished. The rugs were embroidered with precious pearls sewn onto golden threads. Some rugs were woven with precious jewels. Among the jewels were rubies whose beauty and clarity were unmatched. On that day, a voice was heard, though its source was unseen, proclaiming: "O people! One of the gates of Hell has been opened for you, so be cautious."
It is said that in that treasure they found the table upon which the Prophet Solomon had eaten. The reports of Musa b. Nusayr, his deeds, his valor in battles, were compiled by a man from his own descendants named Abū Muʿāwiya Muʿarriq b. Marwān b. ʿAbd al-Malik b. Marwān b. Musa b. Nusayr al-Nusayrī.
According to the narration of Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAsākir, ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz asked Musa b. Nusayr, who had come to Damascus during the reign of al-Walīd: "What is the most astonishing thing you have seen at sea?" Musa replied:
"Once, we reached an island. There, we saw sixteen jars sealed with the seal of the Prophet Solomon. I ordered four of them to be brought out. When I had one of them opened, a devil shook his head and emerged from the jar, saying (referring to the Prophet Solomon): 'By Allah, who granted you prophethood, I will never again cause corruption on earth.' Then the devil looked around and said: 'I do not see the majesty and dominion of Solomon.' He then sank into the ground. I ordered the other three jars to be returned to their places."
According to accounts of al-Samʿānī and others, Musa b. Nusayr went to the city of Nahhās, located near the Atlantic Ocean at the farthest reaches of the Maghrib. As they approached the city, they could see the brilliance of its walls and fortifications from a great distance. They advanced further and camped; then Musa sent one of his men with one hundred brave horsemen to the walls, instructing him to circle the fortifications and determine whether there was any entrance or gate to the city. It is said that the man and his horsemen circled the walls for a day and a night. They returned to Musa and reported that there was no entrance or gate leading into the city. Musa then ordered his men to pile up all their belongings to try to climb the walls, but even all their possessions together did not reach sufficient height to scale them.
Musa ordered ladders to be made. One man was ordered to climb the ladder and ascend the wall; when he reached the top and saw what was inside, he could not restrain himself and leapt inside, dying as a result. Then a second man was ordered up; he too, upon seeing what was inside, could not restrain himself and leapt in, dying as well. After this, no one else wished to climb the ladder. Thus, no one knew what was inside the walls. Musa and his companions then continued on their way. They reached a lake near the city. It is said that they saw the aforementioned jars there, guarded by a sentinel. When Musa asked who he was, the man replied:
- I am of the jinn. My father is imprisoned in this lake. Solomon imprisoned him. Every year I come here once to visit my father.
- Have you seen anyone leave or enter this city?
- No. Only once a year, a man comes to this lake. He worships here for days, then leaves and never returns. Only Allah knows who he is.
Then Musa returned to Ifrīqiyya. Allah knows best whether this story is true. Responsibility lies with the first narrator.
In the ninety-third year of the Hijra, when famine broke out in Ifrīqiyya, Musa b. Nusayr led the people out to perform the rain dua (supplication for rain). He ordered them to fast for three days before going out. Then he went to the place of supplication with the people. He separated the dhimmīs from the Muslims and separated the animals from their young. When they reached the place of the rain dua, he ordered the people to cry out and lament loudly. He himself supplicated and pleaded with the Exalted Allah. This continued until noon. Then they returned to the city. When he was asked, "Will you not pray for the Commander of the Believers?" he replied: "In such a station, only the Mighty and Majestic Allah is mentioned." Because he said this, the Mighty and Majestic Allah sent rain upon them.
In the last years of his caliphate, Musa b. Nusayr came to visit al-Walīd b. ʿAbd al-Malik. On a Friday, when he entered Damascus, al-Walīd was on the minbar. Musa was dressed in very fine clothes and appeared elegant. With him were about thirty sons of kings whom he had taken captive, along with other captives. He had placed royal crowns on their heads. Around him, his servants and retinue formed a grand and imposing procession. When al-Walīd, delivering the Friday sermon on the minbar of the mosque of Damascus, saw them and the abundance of silk, jewels, and ornaments they wore, he was astonished. Musa b. Nusayr came and greeted al-Walīd on the minbar. He ordered his men to stand on the right and left of the minbar. Al-Walīd praised and thanked Allah, who had granted him such power, vast dominion, and a great realm. His supplication, praise, and gratitude were so lengthy that the time for Friday prayer was almost over. Then he descended and led the congregation in prayer. Afterwards, he called Musa b. Nusayr to his side and bestowed upon him fine rewards and abundant gifts.
Musa b. Nusayr also brought many gifts to al-Walīd. Among the gifts he brought was the table upon which the Prophet Solomon had eaten. This table was adorned with gold and silver. On it were three unique rings made of pearls and jewels. Musa had found this table in the city of Ṭulayṭula in al-Andalus. He also brought a great amount of wealth.
It is reported that Musa b. Nusayr sent his son Marwān as a commander at the head of a military unit to battle, and his son Marwān returned with 100,000 captives. Musa also sent his nephew as a commander at the head of another military unit, and his nephew likewise returned with 100,000 Berber captives. When Musa's letter about this reached al-Walīd, he read that the fifth of the spoils was 40,000 captives. Those who heard this said: "Musa is a fool. He claims that the fifth of the spoils is 40,000 captives—where could he have found so many?" When Musa heard this, he sent 40,000 captives as the fifth of the spoils to al-Walīd. In the history of Islam, no other governor of the Maghrib (North Africa) is known to have taken so many captives as Musa b. Nusayr.
Musa had many astonishing adventures during the conquest of al-Andalus. He said: "If people had followed me, I would have led them to conquer Rūmiyya, the greatest city of the Frankish lands. Then, if Allah wills, my exalted Lord would have granted that city to the Muslims through me."
When he came to al-Walīd—apart from the previous captives—he brought with him another 30,000 captives. This was the fifth of the spoils he had obtained in his last campaigns in the Maghrib. He also brought with him a quantity of wealth, pearls, and jewels so great that it cannot be described or measured. He remained in Damascus until the death of al-Walīd and the accession of Sulaymān. Sulaymān was angry with Musa, detained him, and demanded a large amount of wealth from him. Sulaymān kept him with him until he led the people in the pilgrimage that year. Finally, Musa died in Medina (according to another narration, in Wādī al-Qurā) at nearly eighty years of age. According to another narration, he died in the ninety-ninth year of the Hijra. Allah knows best. May Allah have mercy on him.