142 - Harb ibn Isma'il al-Kirmani informed me, saying: I asked Abu 'Abd Allah and said: 'We have fortresses on the edge of the desert where Muslims stand guard (ribat) against the enemy, and they (the enemy) are the Kurds. They (the Kurds) are people of monotheism and they pray, but they commit highway robbery. So what is your view on standing guard (ribat) in this location?' He considered it commendable and said: 'How excellent this is!' I said: 'They are of the people of the Qibla (Muslims).' He said: 'Even if they are of the people of the Qibla, does this not repel them from the Muslims?' He said: I asked Ahmad another time and said: 'There is a location of ribat called Babanidh in the desert, where volunteers (al-muttawwi'a) reside and escort caravans, while the enemy are the Kurds, and they are Muslims.' He deemed that desirable and approved of it, saying: 'Do they not defend the Muslims?' However, he said: 'As long as there is no fighting.' I said: 'They sometimes escort caravans, and the Kurds attack them.' He said: 'If they intend to take them and their wealth, they should fight them.'
١٤٢ - وَأَخْبَرَنِي حَرْبُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْكَرْمَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قُلْتُ: إِنَّ عِنْدَنَا حُصُونًا عَلَى طَرَفِ الْمَفَازَةِ يُرَابِطُ فِيهَا الْمُسْلِمُونَ الْعَدُوَّ، وَهُمُ الْأَكْرَادُ، وَهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ التَّوْحِيدِ يُصَلُّونَ، وَلَكِنَّهُمْ يَقْطَعُونَ الطَّرِيقَ، فَمَا تَرَى فِي الرِّبَاطِ فِي هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ؟ فَاسْتَحْسَنَهُ وَقَالَ: مَا أَحْسَنَ هَذَا؟ قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقِبْلَةِ، قَالَ: وَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقِبْلَةِ، أَلَيْسَ يَرُدُّ عَنِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ؟ قَالَ: وَسَأَلْتُ أَحْمَدَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى، قُلْتُ: مَوْضِعُ ⦗١٦١⦘ رِبَاطٍ يُقَالَ: لَهُ بَابَنِيذُ فِي الْمَفَازَةِ، يَكُونُ فِيهِ الْمُطَّوِّعَةُ يُبَذْرِقُونَ الْقَوَافِلَ وَالْعَدُوَّ وَهُمُ الْأَكْرَادُ، وَهُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ فَاسْتَحَبَّ ذَلِكَ وَحَسَّنَهُ وَقَالَ: أَلَيْسَ يَدْفَعُونَ عَنِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ قَالَ: مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ قِتَالٌ؟ قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ رُبَّمَا بَذْرَقُوا الْقَوَافِلَ فَوَقَعَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَكْرَادُ، قَالَ: إِذَا أَرَادُوهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ قَاتَلُوهُمْ "
