“Praise be to Him,” King Sayf said then, “Who created you and gave you form, the One True God, the Eternal and Everlasting.” Still the girls were lost in their sport and song, looking like the flowers of the field. Then King Sayf said: “O Compassionate, All-Concealing One, Who are Yourself shrouded in mystery, conceal me from all eyes and turn all glances from me, Almighty and All-Forgiving One.” And God answered his prayer, hiding him from all eyes by virtue of that which had lain within the knowledge of Almighty God since ancient times, which had been writ by destiny on the brow; and the thing that had been concealed became manifest.
Then King Sayf Ben Dhi Yazan reached out and took the feather robe, placing it within his garments, while the All-Compassionate and All- Concealing One kept him hidden; and he made his way back from the shelter of the trees till he reached the place beneath the wheel, his tongue never ceasing or forgetting all the while to invoke the Lord of Lords Who had aided him in seizing that robe. It seemed to him then that he possessed the world and all that was in it. So things passed with King Sayf.
As for Queen Munyat al-Nufus, she left the water, together with all the maidens, and each maiden, going to her chair, began to take her clothes and put them on. Then, when they had done so, they put on their feather robes, all except Munyat al-Nufus. When she did not find her feather robe, she felt the world closing in on her; she no longer knew what was before her, her eyes rolling upward and mind and reason gone. “Woe to you!” she said to the maidens then.
“Who, wishing to jest with me, has taken my feather robe? Come, bring it here to me.”
“Mistress,” they replied, “of what robe do you speak? None of us, by God, left the water before you.”
“It is my feather robe I mean,” she said. “The one who has done this surely wishes my death. Come, bring it here and put aside this dissembling; for since I came to this place, I have felt my heart hold back and my mind fail me. Some enemy, I think, lies in wait for us in the heart of this garden. If you have not taken the robe, then search this place.”
“Mistress,” they replied, “this garden is enchanted and none may enter it.” But they began to search through the garden, till they had combed every spot and place of concealment, except beneath the wheel, for it creaked as it turned, and the maidens could not endure to draw near it. When she had lost all hope of recovering her robe, she turned to her companions in sport, saying: “I cannot leave this garden except by flight, for the way is too long to pass on foot; and now flight is lost to me. I shall remain here in this place while you strive to traverse the valleys and bring me my other robe from my palace. Make all haste with this, or enemies will overcome me.”
“We hear and obey,” the maidens replied. And with that they flew off toward their country, leaving Queen Munyat al-Nufus in the garden. Entering the building, she sat there deep in thought; while the king, viewing her solitary state from the shelter of the trees, knew that he had attained all he could ever desire or hope for. Then his face sparkled with light, and he approached the door of the building, full of joy at the course things had taken.
“Why do you remain here in this building?” he asked. “Why have your friends flown off, yet you have not flown with them?”
“Who are you,” she replied, “and how have you come into this place? Are you man or jinn? You I believe it was who stole my robe and took away my joy, leaving me in the condition I am in.”
“It was indeed I,” he replied, “who took the robe, to attain my goal and desire from you. Here it is now, comfort of my heart.” With that he took a feather from within his garments as a sign that this was indeed the robe; and when she knew he had taken it, the light before her eyes turned to darkness.
“What has drawn you to such a deed,” she said, “by which you have cast yourself into the way of destruction and the worst of snares? By God Who is great, you have now come to an evil pass.” With that Queen Munyat al-Nufus sprang toward Sayf like a lion, pouncing on him like punishment itself, and he ran from before her, making for the gate without once looking back, summoning all his resolve as she threatened to catch him. Once he stumbled over the roots of some tree, almost falling onto his face; but then he steadied himself, and still he raced on, while Munyat al-Nufus, knowing now that her robe was with him, pursued him in her turn till he had gone out of the garden. Still she followed wherever he went, till two miles or so separated King Sayf from the garden, and he had left the whole enchanted land around forty feet behind him. Then, as she bore down on him, he turned back toward her like a lion and pulled her by the ends of her hair, hardly able to believe his good fortune.
Then Munyat al-Nufus felt sure of drinking from the cup of destruction, knowing there was no longer any release or escape from his hands. Then, her distress growing ever stronger, her heart ready to break, she said: “Sir, now that you have attained your goal, take pity on your captive.” But he gave her no answer or any speech at all, still holding her by the hair till he had brought her to ʿAqisa, who was there awaiting his arrival.
ʿAqisa approached Queen Munyat al-Nufus and greeted her, saying: “Queen of all time, mistress of maidens and women, know that you have attained what none attained before you; for this is the king of the kings of all time, the most accomplished of all knights.”
“ʿAqisa,” Munyat al-Nufus said then, “is it come to this, that you bring humans to our land, permitting them to enter our garden and view our dress and appearance, and that you spur this scoundrel on to take hold of the daughters of kings? Who now, when my father learns of this, will deliver the two of you from his hands? He will surely give you both the cup of destruction to drink and will lay waste the lands of Qarnar and the source of the Nile, destroying all that live there and sparing none.”
“Mistress,” said ʿAqisa, “this is no scoundrel, but indeed the highest of kings, who has soldiers and helpers among man and jinn alike, whose hand commands wizards and sorcerers and sages and masters of the secret sciences, commanders and supporters. You alone have no knowledge of him, acting according to the common saying that he who knows not the falcon roasts him. But I shall tell you now, O Queen, who he is. This is the king of the kings of Yemen, the vanquisher of infidels and evildoers; this is King Sayf, son of King Dhi Yazan, son of King Tubbaʿ the Yemeni, who is matchless among kings, with none to approach his measure. My brother he is by suckling, a valiant hero and indomitable foe. But do not suppose he has taken you captive; rather, you have made a captive of him, taking him hostage with your beauty.”
“And why,” asked Munyat al-Nufus, “has he come to this place, entering the garden never approached by man or jinn. This place is protected by charms and spells, the skilled work of the wizards of other days.”
“Know, O Queen,” said ʿAqisa, “that, after staying some days at my palace, he asked to be borne to Hamraʾ al-Habash; and then, as we chanced to pass over this place, he asked me to set him down so that he could relieve himself. I descended with him accordingly, and he, leaving me, went on to look into the building. Then love that humbles the mighty cast him toward you; able to endure no longer, he ventured to steal your robe, and all that happened, happened. This is a thing foreknown by God, the Mighty and All-Powerful, Lord of this world and the hereafter. Do not fret at this, O Queen, for he that possesses you well knows your worth and status, and with him you will be honored above all your followers and dependents.”
Still ʿAqisa spoke such honeyed words to her, beguiling her with pleasant smiles, till at last Munyat al-Nufus relented and smiled in her turn, knowing no escape was left to her, that she remained solitary and powerless whatever she might say. “ʿAqisa,” she said then, “why do we not enter the garden, where we can sit and eat and drink and make merry?”
“I have no power to enter, O Queen,” said ʿAqisa. “Rather, I shall seat you in a palace better than the garden.” With that she set the two of them on her shoulders and sought the lofty heavens, continuing thus till she bore them down over the palace of the One-Armed Snatc
her, whom King Sayf Ben Dhi Yazan had slain before, when ʿAqisa sought his aid earlier in this tale. This palace had furnishings of the finest jeweled satin and beds of wood, inlaid with sheets of red gold; and there she seated Queen Munyat al-Nufus on a bed, and King Sayf on another like it, saying: “Converse together while I make arrangements for you to be served.”
With that she called out to the servants and attendants of the palace, commanding them to prepare food to bring health to the body. Then they labored to produce pigeons and hudari and quail, slaying the birds and setting them in the pots. Then ʿAqisa asked for drink, too, and sweetmeats, and served King Sayf and Queen Munyat al-Nufus with fare to smooth away all frowns. And ʿAqisa began to mollify Queen Munyat al-Nufus, saying: “O Queen, you are mistress of this place, my brother Sayf Ben Dhi Yazan and myself your mere servants and attendants. Cast off all care now and be happy. Know that all that happens to a person is ordained from ancient times, and gotten goals are attained only through hazard and endeavor. Had King Sayf Ben Dhi Yazan not been decreed fortune and success by God, he could never have viewed you, never seen your shadow. You, O Queen, have taken possession of his heart and overwhelmed his innermost soul. You are meant only for him and he only for you; for you are endowed with loveliness and worth, splendor and perfection, and he, too, takes pride in his valor and prowess over heroes, his steadfastness in war and combat, his kingdom and sovereignty over cities, regions, and districts, villages, castles, and domains.”
Still ʿAqisa spoke such words to Queen Munyat al-Nufus, till she ate with the gallant King Sayf Ben Dhi Yazan, and they ranged wide in their converse, the queen laughing and smiling. Then ʿAqisa was happy and, placing their hands one in the other’s, she said: “Join hands now and make your marriage contract according to the creed of Our Master Abraham, the Friend of God.” And lawful contract was accordingly made between them.
King Sayf Ben Dhi Yazan, knowing then what he should do, did it to the utmost of his strength, according to the law of those days. ʿAqisa departed from them for a time, then returned with a garment in which she clothed Queen Munyat al-Nufus, so as to make her a bride for King Sayf, and set on her crown and necklace, little as she needed such things; and she became resplendent beyond the sun and the moon.
From The Adventures of Sayf Ben Dhi Yazan (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1996).
Translation and retelling by Lena Jayyusi.
Notes on the Translators
The pieces from the initial sections distinguished by general subject category were variously translated as follows. First translators: Lena Jayyusi, May Jayyusi, Faisal al-Khadra, Leila al-Khalidi al-Husseini, Fayez Suyyagh, Matthew Sorenson, and Bassam Abu-Ghazaleh; second translator: Christopher Tingley. The two short surrealistic stories were translated by Hilary Waardenburg-Kilpatrick.
The long texts were translated as follows:
Anecdotes from Al-Jahiz, The Misers, ʿAbdul-Wahid Lulua and Christopher Tingley
Excerpt from The Adventures of Sayf Ben Dhi Yazan, Lena Jayyusi
Excerpts from Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ, Kalila and Dimna, Ibrahim Mumayiz and Christopher Tingley
Excerpts from Ibn Tufail, Hayy ibn Yaqzan, ʿAbdul-Wahid Lulua and Christopher Tingley
Selections from Al-Maqamat (The Assemblies), Roger Allen
Selections from The Epistles of the Brethren of Purity, Fayez Suyyagh
“The Story of Tamim al-Dari,” Bassam Abu-Ghazaleh and May Jayyusi
“Tales of Juha,” Matthew Sorenson, Faisal Khadra, and Christopher Tingley
“A Vision of the Next World,” from The Wahrani Dreams, Fayez Suyyagh
Name Index
* * *
TO FACILITATE RESEARCH, NAMES OF AUTHORS ARE LISTED ACCORDING TO THE WAY THEY ARE KNOWN IN ARABIC HISTORY OR LITERATURE.
Al-ʿAbbas (uncle of the Prophet)
Abbasid period
akhbar in; fables in; linguistic change in; maqamat in
ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbd al-Muttalib (father of the Prophet)
ʿAbd Allah ibn Malik
ʿAbd Allah ibn Salam
ʿAbd Allah Ibn al-Zubair
ʿAbd al-Fadl Ibrahim
ʿAbd al-Hamid al-Katib
ʿAbd al-Malik ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAziz
ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwan (Umayyad Caliph)
Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hakam, Andalusi ruler
ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAbbas
Al-Abnudi, ʿAbd al-Rahman
Abrawiz (Persian king)
Al-Abshihi, Shihab al-Din, al-Mustatraf
fi Kulli Fannin Mustazraf (The Exquisite in Every Appealing Art)
Abu Bakr (first Orthodox Caliph)
Abu ʾl-Dardaʿ, ʿUwaimir ibn Malik al-Ansari (known as “the wise man of the Arabs”)
Abu Dulaf al-Khazraji
Abu ʾl-Faraj ibn Rauhan (Sufi tradition alist)
Abu ʾl-Fat-h al-Iskandari (main protagonist in al-Hamadhani’s maqamat)
Abu Huraira ʿAbd al-Rahman Ibn Sakhr al-Dowsi (pious faqih)
Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Sayyar al-Nazzam (protagonist in Misers)
Abu Jaʿfar Ahmad ibn Yusuf, author of al-Mukafaʾa (Recompense)
Abu Jaʿfar ibn Buhloul (the judge)
Abu Sufyan (father of Muʿawiya, first Umayyad Caliph)
Abu Talib (the Prophet’s uncle)
Abu Zayd (country yokel in al-Hamadhani’s “Baghdadi Assembly” in this volume)
Abu Zayd (al-Surouji) (in al-Hariri’s “Damascene Assembly” in this volume)
al-Abzaʿji, Abu ʾl-Hasan
ʿAdud al-Dawla
Al-Ahwas (ʿAbdallah bin Muhammad al-Ansari) (Umayyad love poet)
Akhbar al-Nisaaʾ (Tales of Women) by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya
Akhbar al-Zurraf wa ʾl-Mutamajinin (Anec dotes of Humorists and Jesters) by Ibn al-Jawzi
Al-Akhtal (Abu Malik, Ghiyath ibn Ghauth) (major Umayyad poet)
ʿAli bin Abi Talib (fourth Orthodox Caliph; cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet)
ʿAli ibn ʿIsa, Abu ʾl-Hasan (vizier to Caliph al-Muqtadir)
Al-Alusi, Mahmoud Shukri (1856–1942, major Iraqi writer)
ʿAmara the Faqih
Al-ʿAmiri, Murarah ibn Rabiʿa ʿAmr ibn Maʿdi Kareb
ʿAmr ibn Saʿid ibn al-ʿAas (major political personality in the Umayyad period)
Amthal al-Maidani (The Maidani Proverbs) by Abu ʾl-Fadl Ahmad al-Maidani
Al-Andalus/Andalusian
ʿAntara (Ibn Shaddad, pre-Islamic poet)
ʿAqil (ibn Abi Taleb, cousin of the Prophet)
ʿAqisa (Jinni sister of Sayf Bin Dhi Yazan)
Arabian Nights
Arabic script
Asad al-Din (Ayyubi ruler)
Al-Asad wa ʾl-Ghawwas (The Lion and the Diver)
Al-Asbahani (or al-Asfahani), Abu ʾl-Faraj
Al-Aʿsha (pre-Islamic poet)
Al-Ashras, Thumama ibn (narrator)
Al-Asmaʿi, ʿAbd Allah ibn Quraib al-Bahili (known as the Narrator of the Arabs; specialist in language and poetry)
ʿAsr al-Maʾmun (The Age of al-Maʾmun) by Ahmad al-Rifaʿi
Aws ibn Haritha
Ayyam al-ʿArab (Battles of the Arabs)
Baghdad
Al-Bahaʾ Zuhair (late Abbasid love poet)
Bait al-Maqdis (Jerusalem)
Bakhtukin Azadthruweih
Bakkar ibn Rabah (narrator)
Balaghat al-Nisaaʾ (The Eloquence of Women) by Ahmad ibn Abi Tahir Tayfur
Bashar ibn Burd (early Abbasid poet)
Bashir ibn al-Ashtar (lover of Jaidaʾ)
Basra
Al-Bayhaqi, Ibrahim ibn Muhammad (author of al-Mahasin wa ʾl-Masawiʾ [Virtues and Blemishes])
Al-Bijjawi, Muhammad
Bishr ibn Abi Khazim (pre-Islamic poet)
Borges, Jorge Luis
Al-Bukhalaʾ (The Misers) by al-Jahiz
Bulough al-Arab fi Maʿrifat Ahwal al-ʿArab (Attaining the Goal in Knowing the Life of the Arabs) by Mahmoud Shukri ʾl-Alusi
Burgel, J. C.
&nb
sp; Byzantine(s)
China
Cordova
al-Dakhil, ʿAbd al-Rahman (founder of the Umayyad Caliphate in al-Andalus)
Al-Daliji, Abu Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Suleiman (Abbasid state secretary, then ruler of Ahwaz)
Damascus
Dante Alighieri
Dawood (King David) (Hebrew king)
Dawud al-Antaki (author of Tazyin al Aswaq)
Dhu ʾl-Rummah (major Umayyad poet),
Divina Commedia/Divine Comedy (Dante),
Egypt
Epic of al-Dhahir Baibars
Epic of ʿAli al-Zeibaq
Epic of ʿAntara ibn Shaddad
Epic of Hamza al-Bahlawan
Epic of Princess Dhat al-Himma, the Loafer and Her Son, Prince ʿAbdul Wahhab
Epistle of Forgiveness. See Risalat al-Ghufran
Al-Faraj Baʿd al-Shidda (Reprieve After Hardship) by al-Tanukhi
Al-Farazdaq, Humam ibn Ghalib ibn Saʿsaʿa
Frye, Northrop
Ghailan ibn Salama
Ghazoul, Ferial
Ghurar al-Khasaʾis (The Finest Attributes) by burhan al-Din al-Kutubi
Habbaba (accomplished singer; the beloved of Umayyad Caliph Yazid ibn ʿAbd al-Malik)
Haddawi, Husain
Al-Hadi (Abbasid Caliph) Hajib ibn Zirara (Bedouin visiting Khosrow)
al-Hajjaj ibn Yousuf al-Thaqafi, Viceroy of Basra
Al-Hallaj, Husain ibn Mansur ,
Al-Hamadhani, Badiʿ al-Zaman ,
Hamza (the Prophetʾs uncle)
Al-Hariri, Abu Muhammad al-Qasim ,
al-Harith ibn Hammam
Al-Harith ibn Midad al-Jurhumi
Al-Harithi, Ziyad ibn ʿAbd Allah
Haroun al-Rashid (Caliph)
Al-Hasan, son of Imam ʿAli Hatim al-Taʿi
Hayat al-Sahaba (Life of the Prophet’s Companions) by Muhammad Yusuf al-Kandahlawi
Al-Hayawan (Book of Animals) by al-Jahiz,
Classical Arabic Stories Page 43