It was an amazing surprise!!

How can prisoners in the most powerful prisons in the world escape through a tunnel they dug slowly with tremendous determination and primitive tools, and then come out to be swallowed by the earth and blind their tracks... leaving behind their jailers in a massive shock that cannot be described in words!!

This is not about the famous Hollywood movie "The Great Escape";

Rather, it is about the six owners of the tunnel from the Palestinian militants who were imprisoned in the prisons of the Israeli occupation, who succeeded in escaping from the grip of the jailer and evading his high-accuracy security monitoring network!

In the news that still fills the world and distracts people!

The story of the owners of the tunnel is the story of every opponent of the authority who was forced by circumstances to flee and hide for fear of being overpowered by its might.

In this article, we stop at strange historical scenes and stories, the two sides of which are opponents seeking change or objection, and an authority that wants to impose its word and extend its dominance. Behind every fugitive is a story, and next to every hidden story, the majority of the stories were not without tragedies and tragedies, and many of the pursuers did not lose their ingenuity in concealment and evasion. .

In this escape game, stalker and stalker take turns;

The authority that used to pursue the revolutionaries and pursue the opponents will one day be among the pursuers, and the matter may reach the brink of drama when the pursuer hides in the house of the pursuer.. without the two sides knowing the truth of either of them, then the fugitive turns into a friend and sympathizer of those who were chasing him!!

Also, the stories of the chase were not without prizes that were monitored, causing the fugitives to fall into the grip of power, nor were there creativity in the methods of disappearance and disguise that prove the fugitive’s intelligence and expand his trick, and other stories indicate the security institutions’ expertise in security investigation and diligent follow-up, and we can imagine that despite the geographical borders The Islamic caliphate in the east and west, the chances of survival for many of the fugitives were surrounded by severe dangers!!


Notable exception


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hell and evil Almasir(; (Surat Al-Anfal / Verse: 16). The Arabs also praised the steadfastness in the battle line and the intrusion of horrors, and they were proud of killing, not of being saved. (narrated by Muslim).

However, they differentiated between escaping from a duel or fighting a line, and between escaping from an oppressive authority, a vile conspiracy, or compelling captivity, so they imitated the words of the Prophet of God Moses, peace be upon him: “So I fled from you when I feared you”;

(Surat Al-Shu`ara’, Verse: 21).

They also cited the saying of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali bin Abi Talib (d. 40 AH / 661 AD): “I did not know of any of the immigrants who emigrated except in hiding, except for Omar Ibn al-Khattab (d. 23 AH / 645 AD); as was the case with the Imam, the tribe of Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 654 AH / 1256 AD) in 'Mirror of time'.

Indeed, some of them coined in that sense an eloquent word that expresses the psychology of king-seekers and state-builders, as it requires that enduring “humiliation and torment from kings in the pursuit of kingship is not a disgrace”;

As the historian al-Maqrizi (d. 845 AH / 1441 AD) narrated in his book 'Al Muqaffa Al Kabeer'.

The scholars believe that the Almighty’s saying: “And we were not the destroyers of villages except that their people were wrongdoers” (Surat Al-Qasas / verse: 59) “the legitimacy of escaping from darkness is benefited from it, because staying with them is from throwing oneself into perdition”;

According to Imam Shihab al-Din al-Qastalani (d. 923 AH / AD) in 'Irshad al-Sari to explain Sahih al-Bukhari'.

Hence, the historians of Islam and the writers of the translations of its figures - from all groups and classes - were concerned with documenting the news of the fugitives, the pursuers, the hiding and the disguised, and their positions in the face of the oppressive sultan forces, the delicate security campaigns, and the procedures for inspection and prosecution, and they narrated stories that combine heroism, equanimity, intelligence and good measure.

One of the exploits of our Arabic-Islamic library was that it contained a workbook specialized in this subject entitled: “The Book of the Hidden” written by the modernizer of Egypt, Abd al-Ghani al-Azdi (d. 409 AH / 1019 AD), in which he collected the stories of the disappearance of the revolutionaries who were chased by al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf al-Thaqafi (d. 95 AH / 715 AD), not to mention About the chapters that dealt with this phenomenon in the literature in general, especially the “literature of adversity” such as “Faraj after hardship” by Judge Abi Ali Al-Tanoukhi (d. 384 AH / 993 AD).

The spark of the word


Nothing has disturbed political power throughout history more than the word of criticism or objection;

Every revolution is ignited by a word and led by a word, and corrected or distorted by a word. It is no wonder if that word is the most important cause of political persecution through the ages. Political power - as well as societal sometimes - is fed up with words.

Therefore, the chests of the sultans were still narrow with all criticism or objection since the emergence of the Jabri king in the Islamic state in the middle of the first century AH / eighth century AD.

With the multiplicity of types of political objection and criticism of the authorities, the methods of authoritarian pursuit of his companions varied, and then there were many ways to escape to escape these pursuits, and the pursuers excelled in inventing patterns of disguise and disguise in order to seek security and safety.

These persecutions were distributed among various sects and classes of society.

Starting with those who assumed the positions of caliphate, emirate and sultanate or sought to assume them, through powerful ministers, senior officials and wealthy merchants, and ending with imams of science and judiciary, famous intellectuals and poets, and even the common people who were often harmed by the pursuit of these personalities.

One of the early examples of the king’s students who absconded from the existing authority while trying to overthrow it was the Hashemite revolutionary Yahya bin Zaid bin Ali (d. 126 AH / 745 AD), who participated with his father, Imam Zaid bin Ali Zain al-Abidin (d. 122 AH / 741 AD) in his revolution against the Umayyads in the year 122 AH / 741 AD.

After the failure of their revolution in Iraq and the martyrdom of his father Zaid;

Yahya followed his father's path, continuing his revolution, but from another land and in the midst of a new popular incubator.

His father’s supporters were able to hide him from the eyes of the Umayyad authority that stalked him everywhere, “when the demand (= search for him) dwelt, he marched with a group of Zaidis to Khorasan”;

As narrated by Ibn al-Atheer (d. 630 AH / 1233 AD) in 'Al-Kamil'.

Ibn Katheer (d. 774 AH / 1372 AD) says - in 'The Beginning and the End' - that "Yahya was still hidden in Khorasan... in Balkh until the death of [Umayyad Caliph] Hisham bin Abd al-Malik (d. 125 AH / 746AD)".

Yahya bin Zaid recommended the leadership of the revolution after him to two of his cousins, so he "delegated the matter after him to Muhammad and Ibrahim, the two Imams";

According to al-Shahristani (d. 548 AH / 1153 AD) in 'Al-Milal wal-Nahl'.

The two recommended to lead the revolution are: Muhammad bin Abdullah bin al-Hasan, known as the pure soul (died 145 AH / 763 AD) and his brother Ibrahim bin Abdullah (died 145 AH / 763 AD), who engaged in secret activity seeking to undermine the Umayyad state, an activity that was shared by a group of The Hashemites, with their Alawite and Abbasid branches.

The greatest effort in that revolutionary activity remained for the Abbasids, after most of the Alawites renounced the revolutionary approach, and its management in its decisive phase was in the hands of Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Abbas (d. 131 AH / 750 AD), known as “Ibrahim the Imam”, and he is the brother of the two caliphs. The first two of the Abbasid state were Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah (died 136 AH / 754 AD) and Abu Jaafar al-Mansur (died 157 AH / 775 AD).

And Imam Ibn Asaker (d. 571 AH / 1175 AD) informs us - in the 'History of Damascus' - that this Ibrahim remained throughout his administration of the Abbasid revolution "hiding with a man from the people of Kufa who had dug a tunnel for him in the ground", until he revealed his order to the Umayyads, one of the men of his mission was an officer The connection between him and the field commander of the revolution in Khorasan, Abu Muslim al-Khorasani (d. 137 AH / 755 AD), and then "[Umayyad Caliph] Marwan bin Muhammad (d. 132 AH / 751 AD) stood on his news, so he directed his [soldiers] to him and took him, imprisoned him and killed him!!"

A counter transformation


after the success of the Abbasid Revolution and the fall of the Umayyad dynasty;

The security prosecution department moved from the Abbasids to the Umayyads, as happens when any authority that is not negotiated by peaceful means vanishes, so the Umayyads and their statesmen became subject to chase and escape in order to escape.

According to the historian al-Nuwayri (d. 733 AH / 1333 AD) in 'Nihaya al-Arb'.

The strong Abbasid leader Suleiman bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Al Abbas (died 142 AH / 760 AD) took over the administration of this pursuit, who exaggerated the abuse of them to the extent that he not only killed them, but “threw them on the road and the dogs ate them!!”

One of the disappeared Umayyad men was Amr ibn Muawiyah ibn Utbah ibn Abi Sufyan (died after 132 AH / 751 AD), who tells us about his anguish, saying, according to al-Nuwayri: “The earth became narrow for me, so I went to Suleiman ibn Ali - and he does not know me - so I said to him: The country threw me to you, and guide me. Please, either you killed me and I rested, or you brought me back safely and I was safe, so he said, “Who are you?

I am astonished by what happened to this Amr, the story of his cousin Ibrahim bin Suleiman bin Abdul Malik (d. 99 AH / 719 AD), which the historian Miskawayh (d. 421 AH / 1031 AD) tells us in 'Experiences of Nations'; He says that this Ibrahim was pardoned by the murderous Abbasid Caliph, and even made him one of his regrets, "He said to him one day: Tell me about what happened to you in your disappearance? He said: I was - O Commander of the Faithful - hidden in Al-Hira [southern Iraq]... So, while I was on the back of a house, I looked at black flags that had come out of Kufa wanting to be confused, so I fell into my mind (= myself) that they wanted me, so I left the house in disguise until I came to Kufa, and I did not know anyone in it to hide with him, so I remained agitated (= perplexed) and then there was a large door and a wide room, so I entered it.” .

The strange thing is that the owner of the house in which our Umayyad friend sought refuge was an Abbasid who killed his father during the rule of his Umayyad cousins. Once, our disappeared friend asked him, “I see you addicted to riding, so why?” He said: “Ibrahim bin Suleiman killed my father patiently. I hated life!!

Because of the severity of the honor the Umayyad received in his rank with this Abbasid; He could not help but reveal to his host the truth of his affair: "I said: I am Ibrahim bin Suleiman, the murderer of your father, so take your revenge! He said: I think you are a man whose (= his pain) disappearance has passed, and he loved death! And so because of such-and-such!When he knew my truth, Irbid (= changed) his face and his eyes turned red, and he looked deeply, then said: As for you, you will meet my father and he will take his revenge on you, and as for me, I am not in control (= nullifying) my obligation, so get out of me, for I do not believe in myself on you! A thousand dinars (= today approximately 167 thousand US dollars), so I took it and left him, for this is the most generous man I have ever seen after the Commander of the Faithful!!

Among the leaders of the Umayyad dynasty who suffered great distress from the pursuit of the Abbasids: Ma'an bin Zaida al-Shaibani (d. 151 AH / 769 AD), who "was a brave horse.... He was one of the princes of the Umayyad dynasty, so he was loyal to her on the day of her ordeal, and then disappeared until he appeared during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph al-Mansur. On the day the Khurasanians revolted against him in the Hashemite, he defended the Caliph and did a good job [in his defense], so Al-Mansur secured him and honored him" after introducing himself and Al-Mansur did not know that the one who defended him was his hunt that he was looking for!! Rather, he "took the leadership of some states until the Kharijites killed him." According to Ibn al-Mustafi (d. 637 AH / 1239 AD) in 'The History of Erbil'.


Wars and


Tribulations The Abbasids continued their pursuit of the Umayyads until they distanced themselves from their new king;

Their security efforts - especially during the days of their second Caliph Al-Mansur - turned to chasing after their cousins ​​the Alawites, their partners in the revolution yesterday, and their strong competitors for the caliphate because they believed for themselves an exclusive “right” to it as the sons of Ali and Fatima, the daughter of the Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him.

The pure soul continued his ambition to obtain the caliphate, announcing the revolution against Al-Mansur starting from Medina in the year 145 AH / 763 AD, and his brother Ibrahim bin Abdullah, who led the revolution’s wing in southern Iraq, supported him in their revolution, was supported by a number of senior scholars such as Imams Abu Hanifa (d. 150 AH / 768 AD) and Malik bin Anas (died 179 AH / 796 AD).

But the force of the pursuit and the vigorous security monitoring - which Mansour managed intensively and efficiently - did not leave the pure soul the opportunity to organize the ranks of his followers, so he and his senior supporters lived in a state of permanent disappearance, and relied on a network of informants, among whom was Imam Abdullah bin Jaafar bin Al-Maswar Al-Zuhri (d. 170 AH / 787 AD) who “was a scholar of the battles and fatwas, and Abdullah bin Jaafar was one of the trustworthy Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Hassan (= the pure soul), and he knew his knowledge.. So when Muhammad bin Abdullah came out, Abdullah bin Jaafar went out with him”; According to Ibn Sa`d (d. 230 AH / 845 AD) in 'Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra'.

Ibn Saad says that the pure soul was “when he entered Madinah secretly, he came until he came down to the house of Abdullah bin Jaafar, and he became Abdullah, so he would sit with the princes and hear their words and the news they had and what they were involved in from the remembrance of Muhammad bin Abdullah and the guidance of those who sought him [to arrest him].” Then Abdullah goes away and tells Muhammad all that.. When Muhammad bin Abdullah was killed, he [Abdullah bin Jaafar] disappeared, and he remained in hiding until it was secured for him, so he was believed.”

As for Ibrahim - the brother of the pure soul - he continued the revolution after the killing of his brother the pure soul, but he was forced - under constant security pressure - to work in secret, as we understand it from a novel reported by Jamal al-Din al-Qifti (d. 646 AH / 1248 AD) - in 'Inbah the narrators' - On the authority of Imam Al-Dhabi’s preferred language and literature (died after 171 AH/788 AD).

Al-Qifti said: “Al-Abbas bin Bakkar Al-Dhabi (d. 222 AH/837 AD): I said to Al-Mufaddal Al-Dhubi: How good is your choice of poetry! I return to him with the news, and he orders me and tells me.. He said to me: Keep your books with me so that I can rest to look at them.. [Q] teach these poems.. So I collected it and took it out, so the people said: Choose the preferred!!


A continuous revolution


then took place between Ibrahim and Al-Mansur, a watershed event in the “Bakhmari” area of ​​Iraq that ended with Ibrahim’s defeat and his death. (d. 356 AH / 967 AD) - in his book 'Muqatil al-Talibeen' - that he disappeared "and hid in the role of [Al-Hassan] Ibn Salih bin Hayy (d. 168 AH / 774AD), and Mansour's request for him was not an urgent request. He was able to do it, so he called for his safety to inform him of that and he would appear, but he reached him and he did not appear!

Imam Ibn Hazm (d. 456 AH/1065 AD) - in Jamrah Ansaab al-Arab narrates - that Jesus bin Zaid "disappeared twenty-eight years", hiding from Banu al-Abbas, and when he died, al-Hasan bin Hayy said to his companions, according to Al-Asbahani's narration: "No one knows of his death, so he reaches The sultan will be pleased with that, but pray for him with his fear and fear of him and his sorrow for him until he dies, and do not make him happy with his death, for he will be safe from what is hated!! Of course, Imam al-Hasan bin Hayy himself was wanted by the Abbasid government, "and he disappeared for seven years until he died... undercover in Kufa"; According to Ibn Sa`d in al-Tabaqat al-Kubra.

After the death of Issa bin Zaid Al Alawi;

The torch of rebellion against the Abbasids was carried by his rebellious son Ahmed bin Isa (d. 247 AH/861 AD), whom Imam al-Dhahabi (d. 748 AH / 1347 AD) - in 'History of Islam' - describes as "the master of the Alawites and their sheikh", and adds that he was imprisoned by al-Rashid (d. 193 AH/809 AD). ... he fled, moved, and disappeared for a long time," after he "appeared... in the Basra and Bwee' districts, then he was unable and fled, and his disappearance lasted for more than sixty years."

As in 'Births of Heraldry' for Golden.

It seems that this Ahmed Al-Alawi had links with the Mu'tazila movement because of its relationship with Zaydism in general;

Al-Dhahabi reported - in 'History of Islam' - that in the year 186 AH/802 AD, "the prisoner of al-Rashid Thumama bin Ashers (d. 213 AH/828 AD) the speaker, because he stood from him on some of the assistance of Ahmed bin Isa bin Zaid."

Perhaps it was those connections that helped him to disappear for six decades, until he broke the record for the length of time he had abstained from pursuing the Abbasid authority.

As Salah al-Din Ibn Aybak al-Safadi (d. 764 AH / 1363 AD) - in 'Al-Wafi with Deaths' - says, "It is not known who concealed and concealed his affair for this whole period except [Ahmed Al-Alawi] this"!!

Among the men of the Revolution of the Pure Soul who spent a period of time in disappearance, then became involved in the administration of the Abbasid state, Yaqoub bin Daoud al-Farsi (d. 187 AH / 803 AD), who took over the ministry to the Abbasid Caliph al-Mahdi after he and his brother aligned themselves with Ali bin Daoud (d. after 157 AH / 775 AD). Ibrahim bin Abdullah bin Hassan at the time of his appearance, and when Ibrahim was killed, they disappeared for a while, then Al-Mansur captured these two brothers and imprisoned them until he died, then the Mahdi granted them [pardon]..., so his command (= Jacob) continued to rise to him until he asked him and delegated matters to him and was empowered”;

According to al-Dhahabi in the 'History of Islam'.


A critical turning point


following the death of Caliph Harun al-Rashid;

The Abbasid state witnessed its first political turmoil, which bequeathed it a weakness that did not completely escape its consequences until its demise after four centuries, and this was represented in the fierce civil war (193-198 AH/809-814 AD) between the Caliph Al-Amin (d. 198 AH/814AD) and his brother and Crown Prince Al-Ma’mun (d. 218 AH / 833 AD).

Despite the victory of al-Ma'mun, which he achieved from his stronghold in Khurasan,

For he remained there for six years, and it was an opportunity to renew ambitions for the caliphate within the Abbasid House, especially after Al-Ma’mun took the crown prince of the Alawites, Ali bin Musa Al-Rida (d. 203 AH / 818 AD), a step that aroused the ire of the Abbasids in Baghdad, fearing for the future of their state.

The Abbasids decided to declare allegiance to Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi (d. 224 AH / 839 AD) in the caliphate in the year 202 AH / 817 AD, which al-Ma’mun and his leaders confronted with great military firmness, “Abraham broke again and again, and when al-Ma’mun arrived in Baghdad.. Ibrahim disappeared and was still hidden for seven years, and In his disappearance, he had wonderful tales, “strange trials and funny situations, which he later told in the councils of the Caliph Al-Ma’mun after he pardoned him and made him one of his regrets, and a part of them was immortalized for us by the good Yemeni historian Bamakhrama Al-Hajrani (d. 947 AH / 1541 AD) in his book “Qila’id al-Nahr” .

like politicians and students of the monarchy;

Wealthy merchants affiliated with an authority were not to be spared from persecution and confiscation when that authority was overthrown, and they sought to help its men to hide from the oppression of the new rulers.

Al-Safadi tells us - in 'Al-Wafi with Deaths' - that the Baghdadi merchant Al-Hussein Ibn Al-Jassas Al-Jawhari (d. 315 AH / 928 AD) "was one of the notable merchants with vast wealth and the left, and when he was pledged allegiance to Abdullah bin Al-Mu'taz (d. 296 AH / 909 AD) for the caliphate, his affair was dissolved and his group and demand dispersed. [The Caliph after him] Al-Muqtadir (d. 320 AH / 922 AD) disappeared with this Ibn Al-Jassas, a small servant of Ibn Al-Jassas slandered him, and Al-Muqtadir confiscated him for six thousand dinars (= today approximately one billion US dollars).”

Exactly a thousand years ago from now;

The Emir of Tunisia, Al-Mu’izz bin Badis Al-Sinhaji (d. 454 AH/1065 AD) in the year 443 AH/1052 AD, abolished his country’s subordination to the Fatimid state, “and sent a messenger to Baghdad to establish the call [of the Abbasid caliphate],” the political and religious rival of the Fatimids;

According to Al-Maqrizi - in his book 'Atta'at Al-Hanafa'.

Multiple patterns,


and this dangerous transformation elicited an angry reaction from the Fatimid Caliph Al-Mustansir Billah (d. 487 AH/1094AD), who unleashed the Bedouin Arab tribes in Upper and Western Egypt to attack the lands of his rebellious Sunhaji prince, so they wreaked havoc until they forced him to leave his capital, disguised and disguised. In women's clothes!

The crowds of those tribes “goed to the homes of Ibn Badis and owned it.., and tightened his noose until he was able to fight them only based on the walls of Ifriqiya (= the city of Tunis).. He did not find a way but to implement the trick in his salvation, so he went out disguised as a woman until he finished.” To Mahdia, so the Arabs seized his sanctuary and his home.., and plundered what was in his homes and palaces, and they spread in the country looting, capturing and killing, and Kairouan was destroyed!!

and three centuries later; A popular revolution broke out in Tunisia against the statesmen of Sultan Abu al-Hasan Ali bin Othman al-Marini (d. 749 AH / 1348 AD), and the historian Ibn Khaldun (d. 808 AH / 1406 AD) tells us - in his travel book, a contemporary of those events - that Abdul Muhaymin bin Muhammad Al-Hadhrami (d. 749 AH / AD) was "the head of the book at that time, and the owner of the mark that is placed on the sultan under decrees and correspondences", and that "the day of the revolution of the people of Tunisia.. Then the sultan escaped.. Abd al-Muhaymin came out of hiding and the sultan restored him to what he had been "of prestige and influence!!"

The invasion of a city by invading forces often led to the mass flight of its inhabitants, seeking safety from pillage and murder at the hands of the soldiers of the new power; Among this is what al-Qadi al-Tanoukhi tells us - in 'Nashwar al-Mahazar' - that when the Buyid forces stormed Baghdad in the year 334 AH / 945 AD, "People were afraid of the sword [so] they ran away on their faces, and it was.. children, the elderly and all the people.. they were hostile and wanted the desert - and it was That day is hot - they can't walk!" An eyewitness to the incident is quoted as saying: “I saw countless people of Baghdad destroyed by heat and thirst, and we were running away, so I only likened it to the Day of Resurrection!!”

The matter was repeated in Baghdad also when it was occupied by the Tatars in 656 AH / 1258 AD;

One of the first things they did was liquidate the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mustasim (d. 656 AH / 1258 AD) and then "killed his princes from the last of them, then stretched the bridge and put the sword in Baghdad and the killing continued in Baghdad for thirty days, and only those who disappeared [from its people] were saved.., then After that, we were called to safety, and those who were hiding came out, and many of them died underground with types of calamities.”

As narrated by Taj al-Din al-Subki (d. 771 AH / 1369 AD) in 'Tabaqat al-Shafi'i al-Kubra'.

In the Islamic West;

The leader of the Almohad movement, Abd al-Mumin bin Ali al-Kawmi (d. 558 AH / 1162 AD) extended his control over the capital of his Almoravid opponents, the city of Marrakesh in the year 541 AH / 1147 AD. So those who had disappeared from among her family came out.”

According to al-Nuwayri in 'Nahya al-Arb'.

Revolutionary scholars,


although the authority pursues its opponents in the first signs of the opposition represented by the abstract “word”, it is not surprising that it pursues them when they revolt against it, carrying various types of weapons, and that it continues the pursuit even after defeat, as a punishment for those who opposed it first, and a settlement of the revolution and the hopes of the revolutionaries secondly. And make its violators an example for those who come after them third!

After every political or military defeat, the authority strives to track down the defeated and pursue their remnants, and for fear of meeting them again, and at that time it often finds those who escaped killing in battle spend their lives in hiding, fearful, waiting or exiled far from their family and country, as happened - in the early days of Islam. Many of the revolutionaries against the Umayyad governor of Iraq, Hajjaj al-Thaqafi, after the failure of their revolutions against him.

Among those who were chased by the pilgrims were a number of eminent scholars of the followers, such as Saeed bin Jubayr (d. 95 AH / 715 AD), who mentions al-Dhahabi - in 'History of Islam' - that he "got (= revolted) with the military leader Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Ash'ath (d. 95 AH / 715 AD)" On the pilgrims, then he disappeared and moved in the regions for twelve years, then they caught him and brought him to the pilgrims.” So he killed him in the famous incident.

Al-Hafiz Al-Azdi narrated - in “Kitab Al-Mutawarin” - which was previously mentioned - that Ibn Jubayr said: “By God, I fled until I was ashamed of God Almighty!!”

Among those who disappeared from the oppression of Al-Hajjaj for his participation in the “Revolution of the Jurists” with Ibn Al-Ash’ath: Imam Amer Al-Sha’bi (d. 106 AH / 725 AD), about whom Al-Dhahabi says in “Sir Al-Alam Al-Nabaa”: He disappeared for a while, and he was writing to Yazid bin Abi Muslim (Al-Thaqafi, d. 102 AH / 721 AD) to speak to the pilgrims about it, "to pardon him."

This Yazid bin Abi Muslim was the minister of finance for pilgrims and his special advisor, who did not deviate from his opinion.

Likewise, the great follower, Al-Hasan Al-Basri (d. 110 AH / AD), who tells us his suffering in disappearance from the intelligence services of Al-Hajjaj Abu Al-Arab Al-Tamimi (d. 333 AH / 945 AD) in his book 'Al-Mihna'; He says: "On the authority of Al-Hasan [Al-Basri], he said: I was hidden from the pilgrims, and I was praying with supplication.. God kept him from me, and they entered me six times, so I called upon God Almighty, and He took hold of their eyes!" Imam Ibn Asaker said, "Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf wanted to kill Al-Hassan ... repeatedly, so God protected him from him twice, and he hid once in a house for two years, and once in a grinder in a house!"

And if al-Hajjaj had won Ibn Jubayr and other imams who revolted against him, then some of them were killed and others pardoned; Earth has harbored many of the notables of Muslims, and those executed by warning them power waylaid them as making a righteous man Moses peace be upon him, as it came to him from the far )rgel the city. He said: O Moses said publicly Aotmron you to kill you, I then get out Nasahan(; (Surat Al-Qasas / Verse: 20).

Al-Hassan Al-Basri was among those who received the precious warning before the authority seized them.

It was stated in “Experiences of Nations” by Miskawayh that “Yazid bin Abi Muslim (the advisor of the cultural pilgrims) was the one who warned Al-Hasan Al-Basri to hide until he was safe from the pilgrims, and that is because he met him outside of him and said to him: Go away, Abu Saeed, for I am not safe that you will follow you. himself, so he hid from him and was safe from him, and it was said: He hid for nine years!

And Ibn Katheer narrated - in 'The Beginning and the End' - that "Al-Hasan, when the news of the death of Al-Hajjaj was announced, prostrated thanks to God Almighty, and he was hidden and then appeared!!"

Continuous pursuit


with the leader of the Abbasid state The new authority continued to pursue scholars whose positions are not assured, and therefore the scholars' experiences with the ordeals of concealment and hiding in pursuit of safety were renewed.

Especially that the Abbasids - represented by their ruler over the Levant, Abdullah bin Ali (d. 147 AH / 765 AD) - exaggerated the eradication of all the notables of the Levantine society who had ties to the Umayyad state.

Among them was the imam of the people of Sham al-Awza’i (d. 157 AH / 769 AD), but he hid from sight, fleeing by himself from being killed, so he resorted to the house of his sheikh, Wasil bin Abi Jamil al-Salmani (d. after 132 AH / 751 AD), who admits this, saying: “When al-Awza’i fled from Abdullah bin Ali was hiding from me!"

Al-Awza’i confirms this by saying: “I have never been pleased with someone’s hospitality that I have been honored by! He hid me in my lentils (= storehouse) of lentils.. so he did not bother me, so I congratulated him for his hospitality”;

According to Imam Jamal al-Din al-Mazi (d. 742 AH / 1341 AD) in 'Tahdheeb al-Kamal'.

Among the scholars who disturbed the Abbasid authority by cracking them with the word of truth was Imam Sufyan al-Thawri (d. 161 AH / 779 AD), which exposed him to intense security pursuit, so he fled from Iraq to Mecca Al-Mukarramah, then returned secretly to Iraq, where he hid until “he died in Basra, hidden from the Mahdi, because he was a preacher of truth, Severely denying the darkness, do not take the blame of the blamer for God's sake."

According to Haji Khalifa (d. 1067 AH / 1657 AD) in 'The Ladder of Access'.

The authoritarian security pursuits were not limited to politicians and imams of knowledge, but also included senior intellectuals of poets and writers, who were critical of the authority or were affiliated with a previous authority, even if it was within one state.

Among the stories mentioned in this is what Al-Safadi narrated - in 'Al-Wafi with Deaths' - that the scholar of literature, Hammad bin Abi Laila al-Kufi (d. 169 AH / 786 AD), known as "Hammad al-Noorah", was one of the writers of the Umayyad court in Damascus, because he was "an expert in the days and realities of the Arabs." And her hair, and the Umayyads used to advance and influence him and loved to sit with him..., and Hammad's interruption was to Yazid bin Abdul Malik (d. 105 AH / 724 AD), and [his Crown Prince] Hisham (bin Abdul-Malik d. 125 AH / 744 AD) dried him. In his house he does not go out!"

And it came in the “Majma’ of Adab” by Ibn al-Fawti al-Shaibani (d. 723 AH / 1323 AD) that “when [the Abbasid Caliph] al-Ma’mun Da’bal (Khuza’i al-Sha’er d. : I


came to you intercession for no reason ** to you except for the sanctity of literature, so


settle my resentment, for I am a man ** not pressing you to ask, so he


hired him and allowed him (= reward him) with the amount of sixty thousand dirhams (= today approximately 75 thousand US dollars)!!


Intellectual trials, and


if the authority’s pursuit of its political opponents - whether they use striking force or are satisfied with the angry word - is understood and contained in general;

It remains reprehensible that the security forces chase those with scientific opinions for ideological reasons or doctrinal choices, or restrict them to those who refuse to take up their job positions in asceticism and pardon them, or as a polite objection to the style of governance itself and the intellectual background of its owners.

فالإمام المحدّث ابن حِبّان (ت 345هـ959) يفيدنا -في كتابه ‘الثقات‘- بأن الإمام التابعي إبراهيم بن يزيد النَّخَعي (ت 96هـ/715م) "مات وهو متوارٍ من الحجاج فدُفن ليلا"، دون أن يذكر لنا ابن حِبّان سبب ذلك التواري!

لكننا نجد تعليلا طريفا لذلك أبعد ما يكون عن السياسة وغوائلها، وقد ساقه أبو العرب التميمي -في كتابه ‘المحن‘- بقوله: "كان الحجاج يقتل من قرأ [القرآنَ] قراءةَ عبد الله (بن مسعود الصحابي ت 32هـ/654م)، فكانوا يكتتمون بها، ومات إبراهيم النخعي مختفيا منه، وكان يقرأ قراءة عبد الله"!! ولذا "قال حماد بن أبي سليمان (ت 120هـ/739م): لما أخبرتُ إبراهيم النخعي بموت الحجاج بكى من الفرح"!! حسب ابن كثير في ‘البداية والنهاية‘.

ومن ذلك أيضا أن معمر بن عباد البصري (ت 215هـ/830م) كان في المعتزلة "أحدَ كبارهم ومتبوعيهم"؛ كما في ‘تاريخ الإسلام‘ للذهبي الذي يضيف أن معمرا هذا كانت له آراء كلامية غريبة لا يرضى عنها حتى أبناء فرقته "وعلى هذا طلبته المعتزلة بالبصرة عند السلطان، ففرّ إلى بغداد وبها مات مختفيا..، وكان بينه وبين [إبراهيم] النظّام (إمام المعتزلة ت 229هـ/844م) مناظراتٌ ومنازعات في مسائل".

وحين اندلعت المحاكمات السلطوية في "محنة القول بخلق القرآن" خلال الفترة 218-232هـ/833-847م؛ نال أذاها عددا وافرا من أئمة العلم في العراق والشام ومصر سجنا أو اختفاء أو هما معا، وكان ممن توارى فيها عن عيون السلطة إمامُ المالكية بمصر أصْبغ بن الفرَج الأموي (ت 225هـ/840م) الذي "توفّي مختفيا من المحنة" أيام الخليفة المعتصم العباسي (ت 227هـ/842م)؛ وفقا لابن عبد العليم الخزرجي (ت بعد 923هـ/1529م) في ‘خلاصة تهذيب الكمال‘.

ومثْل أصبغ في محنة الاختفاء الإمامُ المقرئ خلف بن هشام البغدادي (ت 229هـ/844م) الذي يفيدنا علاء الدين مُغُلْطاي (ت 762هـ/1361م) -في ‘إكمال تهذيب الكمال‘- أنه "مات ببغداد.. وكان مختفيا أيام الجهمية"، وهم تيار فكري من المتكلمين في العقائد يشملون المعتزلة وآخرين، وكانوا متهمين بأنهم وراء تبني السلطات العباسية لمقولة "خلق القرآن" وما تمخض عنها من محاكمات فكرية شائنة.

ازدواجية مؤلمة
وربما اجتمعت على أحدهم كربة التخفي ومحنة السجن كما جرى للإمام أحمد بن حنبل (ت 241هـ/855م)؛ فقد روى ابن أبي يعلى الحنبلي (ت 526هـ/1133م) -في ‘طبقات الحنابلة‘- أن إبراهيم بن هانئ النيسابوري (ت 265هـ/879م) كان تلميذا للإمام أحمد، وأنه قال: "اختفى عندي أحمد بن حنبل ثلاث ليال ثم قال: اطلب لي موضعا حتى أدور (= أنتقل)، قلت: لا آمن عليك يا أبا عبد الله! فقال لي: النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- اختفى في الغار ثلاثة أيام ثم دار، وليس ينبغي أن نتبع سنة رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- في الرخاء ونتركها في الشدة"!!

وممن نالته محنة خلق القرآن فاجتمع له التخفي والسجن: عباس بن موسى بن مسكويْه الهمذاني (ت نحو 270هـ/883م)، الذي كان كما يصفه الذهبي -في ‘تاريخ الإسلام‘- "أحد الأئمّة الحفّاظ… جليل القدْر سُنّيًا..، وكان امتُحِنَ أيّام [الخليفة العباسي] الواثق (ت 232هـ/847م) ودخل بغداد وتوارى بها، ونزل على أبي بَكْر الأعْيَن، فأُخِذَ من داره، وجرى عليه أمرٌ عظيم" من تلك المحنة!!

وفي مصر الفاطمية عُرف "محدِّث الديار المصرية" عبد الغني بن سعيد الأَزْدي (ت 409هـ/1019م) بـ"اتصاله بالدولة العُبَيدية (= الفاطمية).. [حتى إنه] وَلِيَ وظيفة لهم" رغم مباينته لنظامهم مذهبيا؛ حسب الذهبي الذي يعلل ذلك -في ‘السِّيَر‘- بأنه كان "مداراةً لهم، وإلا فلو جمح عليهم لاستأصله الحاكم خليفة مصر" الفاطمي (ت 411هـ/1021م).

لكن الحافظ الأزدي انتابه الفزع إثر قتل الخليفة الفاطمي صديقيْن له عالميْن كانت بينه وبينهما "مودة أكيدة واجتماع في دار الكتب ومذاكرات"، فما كان منه إلا أن "استتر.. بسبب ذلك خوفا أن يُلحق بهما، وأقام مدة مختفيا حتى ظهر له الأمن"؛ وفقا للصفدي في ‘الوافي بالوفيات‘. ولقد كانت في محنته تلك منحة عظيمة إذْ جعل منها فرصة لتأليف مصنَّفه الطريف "كتاب المُتوارين"، الذي عالج فيه هذه الظاهرة الإنسانية المثيرة التي نتناولها اليوم في هذا المقال بعد ألف سنة من كتابته هو عنها!!

وقبل تحويل الفاطميين عاصمة ملكهم من تونس إلى مصر؛ نالت علماءَ المالكية في بلاد المغرب منهم كروبٌ عظيمة ومحنٌ شداد ألجأت عددا منهم إلى التواري خوفا على حياته، ومنهم العالم الزاهد عمر بن عبد الله بن يزيد المعروف بابن الإمام الصوفي (ت 350هـ/961م) الذي يخبرنا القاضي عياض (ت 544هـ/1149م) -في ‘ترتيب المدارك‘- أنّه لما دخل الفاطميون تونس طُورد وطُلب، فكان "يلبس ثياباً حِساناً ويتزيّا بزِيّ التجار ويتعمم ويمشي بين الناس، ويُخفي بذلك نفسَه فلا يعرفه أحد بذلك الزي" لاشتهاره عندهم بلبس الصوفية!!

ومن عظائم المحن الفكرية في تاريخنا القديم تلك التي عُرفت بـ"فتنة الكُنْدَري" لكونها ثارت بتأجيجٍ من الوزير السلجوقي أبو نصر الكُنْدَري (ت 456هـ/1065م)، وكان هذا الوزير "معتزليا… يؤذي الشافعية ويبالغ في الانتصار لمذهب أبي حنيفة"؛ حسب الذهبي في ‘السِّيَر‘.

فرار جماعي
وقد أدت هذه الفتنة -التي استمرت أكثر من عشر سنوات 444-455هـ/1053-1064م- إلى لجوء جماعي لمئات من كبار الفقهاء والمحدّثين والصوفية والقضاة من بلدانهم بمناطق نيسابور ومرو في خراسان، فبلغ عددهم في سنة واحدة "أربعمئة قاض من قضاة المسلمين من الشافعية والحنفية"؛ طبقا للسبكي في ‘طبقات الشافعية الكبرى‘.

فكان من هؤلاء الفارين من بلادهم جراء عسف السلطة المحدّثُ الحافظ أبو بكر البيهقي (ت 458هـ/1067م)، وإمامُ التصوف أبو القاسم القشيري (ت 465هـ/1073م)، والفقيه الأصولي المتكلم إمامُ الحرمين أبو المعالى الجويني (ت 478هـ/1085م)، فتفرقوا في البلاد "فمنهم من جاء إلى العراق ومنهم من جاء إلى الحجاز.. وتشتت فكرهم..، فمِن عازم على المجاورة [بالحرمين]، ومِن متحير في أمره لا يدري أين يذهب"!!

أما أطرف وأعجب قصص فرار العلماء حين يجدون أنفسهم يُحكَمون من خصومهم الفكريين والمذهبيين؛ فربما كانت حكاية الإمام الأندلسي أبي الوليد محمد بن عبد الله ابن خيرة القرطبي المالكي (ت 551هـ/1156م)، الذي غادر بلده قرطبة بعد أن سقطت سنة 543هـ/1148م في أيدي الموحِّدين بقيادة عبد المؤمن بن علي، وكانوا مناهضين للفقهاء المالكية الذين اعتمدت عليهم دولة المرابطين الذين قوّض الموحدون بنيانها.

ويحدثنا المقّري التلمساني (ت 1041هـ/1631م) -في ‘نفح الطيب‘- عن واقعة فرار هذا الإمام الأندلسي التي تواصلت أحداثها ثماني سنوات، وغطت مساحة تسعة آلاف كيلومتر امتدت من الأندلس إلى الهند؛ فيقول إنه: "خرج من قرطبة.. بعدما درّس بها وانتفع الناس به في فروع الفقه وأصوله، وأقام بالإسكندرية خوفا من بني عبد المؤمن بن علي (= الموحدين)، ثم قال: كأني والله بمراكبهم قد وصلت إلى الإسكندرية!

ثم سافر إلى مصر (= القاهرة).. وأقام بها مدة، ثم قال: والله ما مصرُ والإسكندرية بمتباعدتين! ثم سافر إلى الصعيد.. ثم قال: والله ما يصلون إلى مصر ويتأخرون عن هذه البلاد؟! فمضى إلى مكة وأقام بها، ثم قال: وتصل إلى هذه البلاد ولا تحج؟ ما أنا (كذا؟ ولعلها: ما أراني) إلا هربتُ منه إليه! ثم دخل اليمن، فلما رآها قال: هذه أرض لا يتركها بنو عبد المؤمن! فتوجه إلى الهند فأدركته وفاته بها"!!

احتجاج مبطَّن
ومن أغرب أسباب الفرار من السلطان والاختفاء عن رصد عيونه الإعراضُ عن تولي المناصب الرسمية؛ فربما فرّ بعض العلماء من تولي القضاء خوفًا من أن يُجْبره الحاكم على محاباة طرفٍ أو الحكم بغير ما يمليه عليه علمه ودينه وضميره.

ومن أمثلة ذلك ما وقع للقاضي المشهور بالفقه والذكاء إياس بن معاوية المُزَني (ت 122هـ/741م)، فقد تهرّب من القضاء أولًا، ثم أُلزِم به، فعُيّن قاضيًا لوالي عمر بن عبد العزيز (ت 101هـ/720م) على البصرة عَدِيّ بن أرْطَأة (ت 102هـ/721م)، فتولى القضاء سنةً ثمّ هرب "فتوارى ثم خرج إِلَى واسط" بعد أن خاف بطش الوالي لحكمه في قضية بما يخالف رغبته؛ في قصة طويلة رواها الحافظ المزي في ‘تهذيب الكمال‘.

وغالبا ما كان العلماء يفرّون من تولي القضاء تورعًا وخشية من خطأ الحكم في دماء الناس وأموالهم، حتى إن بعضهم كان يتسبب في حبس نفسه فرارا من إكراهه على تولي القضاء، كما فعل الإمام القاضي شَرِيك بن عبد الله النَّخَعي (ت 177هـ/793م)، وحين نجح أحد ولاة العراق في إكراهه على منصب القضاء التزم الصمت في مجلس القضاء احتجاجا "فجعل لا يتكلم حتى قام فهرب واختفى"؛ طبقا لرواية وكيع بن حيّان الضبي (ت 306هـ/918م) في كتابه ‘أخبار القضاة‘.

ولم يكن التخفي فرارا من تولي القضاء مقتصرا على علماء مذهب فقهي معين، بل تعددت قصصه ونماذجه في جميع المذاهب والأمصار والأعصار؛ ففي مصر العباسية نلاقي الإمام المالكي عبد الله بن وهب الفهري (ت 197هـ/813م) الذي "طُلب للقضاء فتوارى" مدة طويلة في بيت أحد تلامذته؛ حسب الإمام ابن عدي الجُرْجَاني (ت 365هـ/976م) في كتابه ‘الكامل في الضعفاء‘.

وفي مصر أيضا نجد الإمام الحنفي محمد بن عبد بن حرب البصري (ت 313هـ/925م) الذي "ولي قضاء مصر.. ست سنين وسبعة أشهر إلى أن استتر وبقي مستترا عشر سنين"؛ وفقا لابن أبي الوفاء لقرشي (ت 775هـ/1373م) في ‘الجواهر المُضِيّة في طبقات الحنفية‘.

أما "شيخ الشافعية" بالعراق الحسين بن صالح ابن خيران البغدادي (ت 320هـ/932م) فيحدثنا الذهبي -في ‘سير أعلام النبلاء‘- أنه "عُرض [عليه].. القضاء فلم يتقلده" وفرّ من بيته حتى لا يُكرَه على توليه، لكن السلطة العباسية ببغداد أيام الخليفة المقتدر أغلقت باب داره بالمسامير، وفرضت عليها الشرطة حراسة مشددة لتجبره على الاستجابة لتعيينه قاضيا، "وخوطب الوزير في ذلك فقال: إنما قصدنا التوكيل بداره ليقال: كان في زماننا مَنْ وُكِّلَ [الشرطة] بداره ليتقلد القضاء فلم يفعل"!!

وقد وجد ابن خيران مؤازرة استثنائية من الرأي العام المسلم ببلده دعما لموقفه هذا؛ فهذا الإمام أبو بكر بن الحداد الشافعي (ت 345هـ/956م) يقول إنه "شاهد.. ببغداد سنة عشر وثلاثمئة (310هـ/922م) باب أبي علي بن خيران مسمورا لامتناعه من القضاء، وقد استتر! قال: فكان الناس يأتون بأولادهم الصغار [إلى داره]، فيقولون لهم: انظروا حتى تحدثوا بهذا" الأجيال القادمة!!

وتواصلت ظاهرة تواري العلماء فرارا من تولي القضاء إلى قرون متأخرة نسبيا؛ فقد ذكر ابن العماد الحنبلي (ت 1089هـ/1678م) -في شذرات الذهب‘- أن برهان الدّين إبراهيم بن موسى الأبناسي الشافعي القاهري (ت 802هـ/1399م) "كان متقشفا عابدا طارحا للتكلف، وعُيّن للقضاء فتوارى [رافضا له]، وتفاءل بالمصحف [فـ]ـخرج له [حين فتحه قولُه تعالى]: ﴿قال رَبِّ السِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِي إِلَيْهِ﴾"؛ (سورة يوسف/ الآية: 33).

حيَلٌ طريفة
في مواجهة سلطة مطلقة التصرف وذات يد طولى لا ترحم؛ لا بد للمطارَد الخائف من وسائل هرب وأساليب تنكّر يؤمن بها النجاة لنفسه، والأوْلى أن تكون وسيلة استثنائية إما في طبيعتها العملية أو في فكرتها الإبداعية، وقد كان للمطارَدين في تاريخنا طرقهم المتنوعة للإفلات من قبضة ملاحقيهم ورقابتهم، وتراوحت نتائج استخدامها بين الظَّفَر والإخفاق.

ومن ذلك أن الفارّين من الملاحقة الأمنية كثيرا ما راودتهم فكرة اللجوء إلى مرتفعات الأماكن لما تحققه من شعور بالأمان فيها، وإن لم يكن ذلك في جبلٍ شاهق ففي مبنى عالٍ يقوم مقامه، وحبذا لو كان مما لا يخطر على البال استخدامه للتواري عن الأنظار.

ومن قصص الاختباء الظريفة في ذلك الاختباءُ في المئذنة لارتفاعها وبُعدها عن توقعات المراقِبين؛ فقد لجأ إليها الأمير المملوكي حسام الدين لاجين (ت 698هـ/1299م) الذي ذكر الصفدي -في ‘أعيان العصر‘- أنه شارك في قتل السلطان الأشرف خليل بن قلاوون (ت 693هـ/1294م) بمصر، ثم اختفى مع أميرٍ آخر فـ"جاءا إلى جامع ابن طولون واختبآ في المئذنة، وبقيا فيها أكثر من يومين، ونذر لاجين -إن سَلِمَ- أنه يعمر الجامع المذكور، ووفى بنذره" بعد نجاته، ثم إنه تولى السلطنة المملوكية فـ"كان من خيار الملوك في الإسلام".

ومن سعة الجبال ورفعة المآذن إلى ضيق الأفران وظلمتها؛ فقد ورد الاختباء في التنّور في كثير من قصص الفارّين من السلطة، غير أن أكثرها كان ينتهي نهاية مأساوية بالظفر بالهارب والقبض عليه! ففي سنة 321هـ/933م انقلب الخليفة العباسي القاهر بالله (ت 339هـ/950م) على القائد العسكري القوي الأمير مؤنس الخادم التركي (ت 321هـ/933م) الذي أوصله إليه سدة الخلافة فقتله.

ثم شن القاهر بالله حملة ملاحقة وتصفية لرجال مؤنس ودولته العميقة التي وطدها طوال ستين سنة، فكان من الملاحَقين مساعده علي بن بُليق (ت 321هـ/933م) الذي نجح أولا في الفرار والاختفاء، ثم "جاء بعض الفرسان إلى القاهر ودلّه على موضعه، فبعث الرجالةَ في طلبه إلى الدار التي كان فيها فكُبِست (= اقتُحمت)، وفتشوا عليه فلم يجدوه، واختبأ في تنور فاستخرجوه وجيء به" فقُتل!! وسبق ذكر أن الإمام التابعي الحسن البصري اختفى مرة في "طاحنة في بيت"!!

ومن الحيل الذكية للفرار من سجن الأعداء ما فعله والي العراق الأموي عمر بن هبيرة الفزاريّ (ت نحو 110هـ/729م) حين عزله هشام بن عبد الملك وولَّى بدلا منه خالد بن عبد الله القَسْري (ت 126هـ/745م)، وحصلت بينهما مشاحنة "فقيّده خالد القسري وألبسه مدرعة من صوف وحبسه؛ ثم إن غلمان ابن هبيرة اكتروا داراً إلى جانب السجن فنقبوا سرداباً إلى السجن وأخرجوه منه، فهرب إلى الشام"؛ طبقا للمؤرخ ابن تَغْرِي بَرْدِي (ت 874هـ/1469م) في ‘النجوم الزاهرة‘.

قد يكون من المألوف استخدام صناديق الأمتعة العادية لتهريب الخائفين المطارَدين، أما أن تكون تلك الصناديق مما هو مُعدٌّ لخزن مواعين مطابخ الأمراء فذلك أمر جدير بوصفه بأنه "تفكير من خارج الصندوق"! وهو ما لجأ إليه فعلا الوزير الأيوبي بدمشق ضياء الدين ابن الأثير (ت 637هـ/1239م) سنة 592هـ/1198م حين "اختلفت الأحوال به وكثُر شاكوه وقَلَّ شاكروه"، فقرر الفرار من الأخطار المحدقة به "وخرج من دمشق في صناديق المطبخ مختبئا"!!

ومن طرائف حيل التخلص من السجن ذات الصلة بعالم المطابخ ما صنعه الأمير الفارس يزيد بن المهلب (ت 102هـ/721م) من تنكُّر في زيّ الطباخين؛ فقد ذكر ابن كثير -في ‘البداية والنهاية‘- أن الحجاج الثقفيّ سخط على يزيد بن المهلب واثنين من إخوته فـ"أودعهم السجن، ثم خرج الحجاج إلى بعض المحال ليُنْفذ جيشا.. واستصحبهم معه، فخندق حولهم ووكّل بهم الحرس، فلما كان في بعض الليالي أمر يزيد ابن المهلب بطعام كثير فصُنع للحرس، ثم تنكر في هيئة بعض الطباخين وجعل لحيته لحية بيضاء وخرج..، ثم لحقه أخواه فركبوا السفن وساروا نحو الشام"!!

جوائز مغرية
مثلما تفعل حكومات دول العالم اليوم؛ كان الخلفاء والأمراء يرصدون مكافآت مالية لمن يقدم معلومات تقود إلى اعتقال من يطاردونهم من الشخصيات المسخوط عليها، كما فعل مثلا الخليفة العباسي المهدي الذي "نذر (= أهدَر).. دمَ رجلٍ من أهل الكوفة كان يسعى في فساد دولته، وجعل لمن دلَّ عليه أو جاء به مئة ألف درهم (= اليوم 125 ألف دولار أميركي تقريبا)، فأقام الرجل حينا متواريا ثم إنه ظهر" في بغداد؛ طبقا للتنوخي في ‘المُستجاد من فعلات الأجواد‘.

ويحدثنا الطبري (ت 310هـ/922م) -في تاريخه- أن الثائر العلوي محمد بن القاسم بن علي الحسيني (ت بعد 219هـ/834م) استغل فرصة انشغال سجّانيه بأفراح عيد الفطر سنة 219هـ/834م فـ"هرب من الحبس بالليل..، دُلِّي إليه حبلٌ من كوة كانت في أعلى البيت يدخل عليه منها الضوء"، وما أن علم الخليفة المعتصم بخبر فراره حتى "جعل لمن دلّ عليه مئة ألف درهم، وصاح بذلك الصائح [في الناس]، فلم يُعرَف له خبر" بعد اختفائه!!

ومع تلك الجوائز المالية المُغرية بالدلالة عليهم؛ كان من أشدّ ما يواجه المُطارَدين في الأزمان السالفة تقارب سحنات البشر، ومعرفتهم بعضهم بعضًا، وظهور الغريب بينهم بلا عناء، فتُثار حوله الأسئلة ويسارع السُّعاة في الوشاية تزلّفًا إلى السلطة ورغبةً في مكافآتها المرصودة، فينكشف المطارَد وينتهي أمره، لذلك احتاج الملاحَقون أمنيا إلى التنكّر في صورةٍ تجيب عن أسئلة الفضوليين أو تُبعدها.

ولعلّ أيسر الصور وأكثرها شيوعًا هي الفرار بالتخفي في زيّ النساء، لطبيعة ثيابهنّ الساترة وبعدهنّ غالبا عن إثارة الريبة، وكراهية الناس إطالة النظر إليهنّ والفحص عن أمرهنّ لحرمتهن في المجتمع. ورغم ما في الاختباء بزيّ النساء من "نقصٍ" في المخيال الثقافيّ لكثير من الشعوب؛ فإن قصص استخدامه متظاهرة في كتب تاريخنا الإسلامي، ولم يكن اللجوء إليه بعيدًا عن كثيرٍ من المذكورين بالشجاعة والبطولة، ناهيك عن كبراء الوزراء ومشاهير الشعراء.

ومن أطرف القصص في ذلك ما حكاه الجاحظ (ت 255هـ/869م) -في كتابه ‘الحيوان‘- من أن الشاعر الكميت بن زيد الأسدي (ت 126هـ/745م) أغضب والي العراق الأموي خالد بن عبد الله القَسْري المعروف بقسوته، فأمر بسجنه "وكانت امرأته تختلف إليه في ثياب وهيئة حتى عرفها البوابون، فلبس يوما ثيابها وخرج" من السجن!! ومن ذلك ما سبق ذكره عن أمير تونس المعز بن باديس الصنهاجي حين اجتاحت القبائل العربية البدوية القيروان "فخرج متخفيا في زيّ امرأة حتى انتهى إلى المهدية"!!

نمط شائع
ووصف لنا الصُّولي الكاتب (ت 335هـ/946م) -فيما حكاه عنه الذهبي في ‘السِّيَر‘- النهايةَ المأساوية للوزير العباسي أبي الحسن ابن الفرات (ت 312هـ/924م) وابنه المحسن (ت 312هـ/924م)؛ فقال: "قبض [الخليفة] المقتدر على ابن الفرات وهرب ابنه، فاشتد السلطان وجميع الأولياء في طلبه إلى أن وُجِد، وقد حلق لحيته وتشبه بامرأة في خُفٍّ وإزار..، ثم قتلهما نازُوك (الخادم قائد شرطة بغداد المتوفى 317هـ/929م)، وبعث برأسيهما إلى المقتدر"!!

ومن الأعيان الشجعان الذين احتالوا بالفرار في زي النساء تهربا من مطاردة الأعداء الشيخ علوان بن عبد الله المذحجيّ (ت 660هـ/1262م) الذي يصفه المؤرخ اليمني بهاء الدين الجندي (ت 732هـ/1332م) -في ‘السلوك في طبقات العلماء والملوك‘- بأنه كان "واحدا من أعيان مشايخ الزمن رئيسا شجاعا كريما.. ملك ناحية كبيرة في مشرق اليمن"، ثم إنه حاصرته جيوش السلطان المملوكي المنصور قلاوون (ت 689هـ/1290م) في حصنه "فَنزل متنكرا فِي جملَة حَرِيم لم يشْعر بِهِ أحد"!!

وكثيرًا ما تنكّر المطارَدون أمنيا في أزياء ذوي التعبّد كالصوفية والحجاج والرهبان، لبعدهم عن التهمة واعتقاد الناس الخير فيهم وكراهية أذيتهم، ولذا وردت قصص التنكّر في هيئتهم كثيرًا في كتب التاريخ. ومن ذلك ما جاء في كتاب ‘مَقاتل الطالبيين‘ للأصبهاني من أنه في أيام ثورة زيد بن علي الهاشمي على الأمويين "خرج نفر من أصحابـ[ـه].. متنكِّرين مع الحاج (= الحجاج)، عليهم جِبابُ الصوف وعمائم الصوف، يسوقون الجِمال في زي الجمّالين، حتى أمِنُوا فعدلوا [عن الحجاج] إلى إبراهيم [أخيه بالبصرة]، وكانوا معه حتى قُتل".

وذكر الذهبي -في ‘السِّيَر‘- أن الطبيب أبا علي ابن سينا (ت 428هـ/1038م) عمل وزيرا لبعض أمراء خراسان "ثم مات الأمير فاختفى أبو علي عند شخص..، ثم أُخِذَ وسُجن أربعة أشهر، ثم تسحّب (= انسحب) إلى أصبهان متنكِّرا في زي الصوفية هو وأخوه وخادمه وغلامان، وقاسوا شدائد" في رحلة فرارهم تلك.

وعلى ما يبدو فإن الاختباء في زيّ أهل العبادة كان فاشيًا في الأمم؛ فقد أورد ابن تَغْرِي بَرْدِي -في ‘النجوم الزاهرة‘- ضمن أحداث سنة 658هـ/1260م أن جنود والي المماليك بالشام اعتقلوا "ملك الكَرَج" التي تُعرف اليوم بدولة جورجيا، وقد كان ملكا مسيحيا "خرج من بلاده قاصدا زيارة القدس الشريف متنكّرا في زيّ الرهبان ومعه جماعة يسيرة من خواصّه"، فاكتشفوا أمره "وهو على [مدينة] يافا فبعثـ[ـوا] إليه من قبض عليه"!!