The Theocrat: A Modern Arabic Novel (Modern Arabic Literature)

by Bensalem Himmich

  “These people are enveloping me with feelings of devotion that I don’t deserve,” he said. “They’re giving me a task I can’t perform. Where are we going to stay?”

  “We’ll stay in a place befitting the imam,” Shihab al-Din replied, his face wreathed in smiles. “That’s the governor’s residence, of course’”

  When the procession reached the governor’s residence, Abu Rakwa dismounted and hurried inside followed by his retinue and the shaykhs. He settled in the closest furnished quarters, sat down, and addressed his retinue in the following terse fashion: “Worthy shaykhs,” he said, “Spend the rest of this wonderful day relaxing and recovering your strength, tomorrow—God willing!—organize our army’s activities both inside and outside the city. The next day we will all pray the Friday prayers together; we’ll give thanks to our Lord and renew the pledge we’ve made in the cause of justice and equity for our Muslim people. God’s peace be upon you all!”

  From the company arose the shout of a redoubtable shaykh. “And peace be upon Abu Rakwa, our noble imam, and welcome to this blessed town! You have called us to good works, and we have responded; to a life of probity, and we have given you our support. The shepherds of this city have prepared for you and your companions a cup of Barqa milk and trays of dates as a celebration of your blessed advent. Do not send them away till you have tasted what they are offering,”

  A senior servant came forward and offered Abu Rakwa some dales and milk, of which he took just a little. The rest of the company descended on the dates and milk with considerable relish. Abu Rakwa got up, went over to the shaykh who had welcomed him, and asked his name and status.

  “My name is Zaydan the Mazati,” the man replied respectfully. “As you know, great imam, the Mazata tribe are Arabized Berbers. This city of Barqa is my birthplace and residence. I have only left it once in order to perform the obligation of pilgrimage. I serve as the community’s mufti for the Hanafi rite and celebrate God’s name in spite of the efforts of al-Hakim the Fatimid and his Shi’ite disciples.”

  Abu Rakwa was clearly much affected by the shaykh’s words. “My dear august man of law,” he said, “may you be blessed, along with your knowledge and wisdom! My dearest wish is for you to stay close by me and to assist me in making God’s word victorious, in revealing the truth and vitiating the false.”

  The shaykh started showing Abu Rakwa to his bed. “Through God’s will,” he said, “tomorrow I will show you the tomb of Ruwayfi‘—may God perfume his grave. There I will pledge to you my support and loyalty.”

  In the early hours of the first Friday morning of Jamadi al-Akhira, Abu Rakwa accompanied the Mazati shaykh to pray at the tomb of Ruwayfi’, the companion of the Prophet. There he heard the shaykh hold forth in emotive tones about justice and the unity of God and the need for a campaign against tyranny and injustice. The shaykh then pledged Abu Rakwa his loyalty and allegiance. The two men stood up and headed toward the mosque which they found packed with worshippers. They performed some supererogatory prayers together, then sat down to talk about matters suited to the location, prophetic accounts and Qur’anic verses.

  Just about at midday the preacher delivered a sermon in which he substituted Abu Rakwa’s name for that of al-Hakim the Fatimid, extolling the former’s religious virtues and praying that he would be both victorious and steadfast. Hardly had the preacher finished before Abu Rakwa sat in the pulpit. An amazing silence descended on the assembly, only interrupted by the sound of his voice which resonated around the porticos and courtyard of the mosque.

  “Praise be to God! We praise Him, we ask for His aid, we ask for His forgiveness, we turn to Him in penitence. In Him we seek refuge from the evil in ourselves and from the evil of our deeds. Whosoever is guided by God cannot be led astray; whoever He leads astray will never find anyone to guide him. I witness that there is no God but God alone and He has no associate, and that Muhammad is His servant and His Prophet.”

  “Servants of God!! Remember, when you were few in number and oppressed on earth, fearing that others would overwhelm you. God gave you shelter, granted you victory, and provided you with good things, that you might be grateful (the true words of Him who alone has the power and discretion). So recall the name of God frequently and bring Him into your debates. He can remove the causes of dispute and rivalry and unite your hearts and ranks. Mention often the name of Him who possesses all majesty, who commits not even the smallest shred of injustice. God the Almighty serves as your sustenance and strength against the forces you fear; He will provide the steadfast spirit needed to hold our ground and resist. I myself mention His name morning and evening, standing, sitting, and reclining. In Him I seek refuge from the dark night of Fatimid tyranny, with all its murders and scandals. In Him I seek refuge as I humbly and submissively beseech Him to bring it about that true religion should prevail rather than schism. And what greater schism can there be than the corrupt line of the Fatimid dynasty who want to use their mouths regulations and lunatic statements about stars and creation? Their sole quest is to pollute the realms of reason and sincerity. They have no other goal than to subdue the country and its people in a display of their own tyranny and whims. How can there be any greater apostasy from God’s true faith than that of al-Hakim the Fatimid who has turned himself into a god, tyrannized people with his cruelty and murder, and governed them through his own obsessions, thus imposing his own mental state on their destiny!

  “Servants of God! This al-Hakim the Fatimid is a complete abomination. He forgets God and the way He dealt with ‘Ad, Thamud, and the Egyptian pharaoh. You see him murdering friend and stranger alike, jurisconsult and Sufi, anyone, in fact, who dares to raise his head in protest or requests some largesse. How many unfortunates have been ruthlessly killed by his criminal hands? This is supreme folly! Neither advice nor preaching can prevail against such tyranny; how could it when pig-skin is never to be tanned?

  “Servants of God! Those in whom I confide know well that I challenge both servility and insult, in that I show a certain amount of hunger but a great deal of rejection. I only pronounce what God orders me to do, and He is the best of pronouncers: ‘My prayer, my devotion, my life, and my death, all these are for God alone, the Lord of humanity.’

  “Those people who encounter me in towns, then turn back and leave me, are fleeing their tomorrow, in that I am reminding them that such a morrow will be full of fear and death. In these regions and others under al-Hakim’s control, no one is asking about their future destiny. No year brings any boons, the whole of humanity has no life, and sustenance comes in crumbs.

  “Servants of God, are we then to remain forever beset by this massive conspiracy and the likelihood of blockade, living by sheer precedent as close as can be to perdition, wasting our lives on disasters, abandoning the laws of God and the rights of humanity, and satisfying our religious instincts with rituals and trivialities?

  “A ruler and his Shi’ah have drugged you; and they have done it well!

  Within the dream-realms of liberty they have planted the poison of treason and nonsense.

  They have positioned themselves above you, over the tents of your own lethargy.

  I have come to know them; in every aspect I have taken an opposite stance.

  Haven’t you seen with your own eyes how they destroy the bounty of this land,

  Frequenting havens of pleasure and ease, inhaling luscious scents,

  Snatching and flashing through touch and illumination?!

  Haven’t you seen them in all those fields that they have taken from your soil,

  Belching as they extol the Giver of all benefits and gifts,

  And living a life of sin and lechery in the midst of both you and God’s signs?!

  “If only you saw and were aware, all the warriors among you would race to enter the fray against tyranny; they would gather the poor together and say to them: ‘Behind you lies death; in front of you is the enemy.’ They would send out a suicide mission against him and light the p
ath for the generations to come, all in obedience to the Creator’s own words: ‘Fight against the leaders of disbelief. There is no faith among them, as though they might come to an end.’

  “For that reason I have embraced your spirit of unity;

  I have embraced it and gathered around.

  With my entire being I have begged the Lord of Might and Majesty, saying:

  The time has come for the one who rules contrary to God’s own book and the practice of His prophet to disappear, for the destruction of the one who holds sway in Egypt, subjecting its people to annihilation and his vile moods

  It is time for the dark night of Fatimid rule to end.

  The River Nile can free the land from the grip of this calamity.

  O God, give us power to assemble the scattered fragments of this community,

  Aid us in emerging from the vaults of gloom and impotence.

  “As for you, illustrious Maghribis of time-honored memory, by Him who created the heavens and changes conditions, I can only envisage you as the nemesis of every stubborn tyrant, steadfastly opposing all thoughts of submission and disparagement, and making ready all the forces you can muster in order to extirpate evil and disaster and to fight God’s enemy and yours. Were I to say or promise anything else, I would be talking nonsense. That is why I have urged all the living elements of the community to rise up in one massive unity. I term it the flame of the sea. ‘Surge forth, O flame of the sea,’ I tell it, ‘surge up amid ribs and inside eyes and heads. Muster the brave youths of our community, fire-birds alight and ready; women, row upon row, in revolt, and men standing firm together.’

  “O Lord, You know what we desire and crave: for the rule of Your law among us and the rights of humanity that strives in Your direction;

  “O Lord, do not lead our hearts astray now that You have guided us. Grant us Your mercy.

  “O Lord, open up for us and our people the gate of truth; You are indeed the best of openers.

  “O Lord, it is on You that we rely, to You that we return, and to You that destiny leads.

  “O Lord, forgive us our sins, pardon us for our evil deeds, and grant us to dwell with the righteous.

  “All praise be to your Lord, Lord of Power beyond what they describe. Greetings lo those sent on a mission, and all praise be to God, Lord of the worlds.”

  As Abu Rakwa intoned his intercessions, the men responded “Amen” in unison, sometimes lengthening the vowel sounds, at others shortening them. Then the muezzin gave the call to prayer. Everyone performed the prayer behind Abu Rakwa, lined up humbly in droves that managed to fill the mosque space and the terraces to the side. Once the prayer was over, Abu Rakwa was keen to proceed immediately to the governor’s residence, but on the way out, he had to make his way through crowds of people. They were all eager to see him, shake his hand, and offer up prayers on his behalf, lie made his way through the throng, smiling and clasping hands, all of which took a long time. Shihab al-Din was following close behind, hand on sword and checking carefully in every direction. After a good deal of time and effort Abu Rakwa and his entourage made it to the governor’s residence. No sooner had they arrived than Shihab al-Din upbraided Abu Rakwa.

  “Imam,” he protested, “how can you rub shoulders with that huge mob when we are not sure of their loyalty? How can you risk your life that way when we are only just at the start of our long road?”

  Abu Rakwa was still sweating and out of breath. “We’ve passed the first test,” he said. “People have put their trust in us, and we in tum must trust them back. As one of our saints once said, There’s safety to be found in taking risks.’ Oh, how dearly I would love to retire to the desert confide in my Lord, and seek His counsel regarding the events and duties he has obliged me to take on!”

  “You can do all that,” Shihab al-Din protested, “once you’ve eaten and had something to drink.”

  “Even if God grants us control over the entire earth, my eating needs won’t change, “fell the people in this residence to erect my tent on the roof, and have some food sent to me there.”

  “Your tent? You’ve just entered a governor’s residence, and now you realize that, when it comes to matters of authority, it’s a take it or leave it situation? You’ve entered this city victorious, you’ve expunged the Fatimid name from the Friday sermon, and cursed al-Hakim and his ancestors. Now all you need to do is adopt an official name, appoint a chamberlain, and mint some coinage.”

  “Tell people to call me ‘the revolutionary in God’s name’ if they wish. Ask the senior supervisor of this residence to bring in anyone who wishes to meet me, should he wish to do so. Strike coins in my name, if you like. All I want is a tent on the roof. This residence belongs to God. Anyone who has nowhere to live can reside here, starting with the dervishes and invalids who made it possible for us to capture this town.”

  Shihab al-Din slapped his hands together in frustration. “So be it,” he said as he went out. ‘We’ll do it your way!”

  For two whole months Abu Rakwa did things the way he wanted. The only time he came down from his tent on the roof was to lead prayers or dispense justice in complex disputes. Once in a while he would check up on both civilians and soldiers to make sure that the reports he was getting were accurate. He felt optimistic about the way people were living and enjoying more rights, but at the same time he was worried about unruly elements in the army who were tired of waiting and not fighting; they kept making derisive remarks about the paltry raids they had conducted and the small amount of booty they had collected. Toward the end of the week, just when he was thinking of ways to keep his fighters calm and happy, Abu al-Mahasin and Shihab al-Din arived with news that al-Hakim’s army was approaching to the east of Barqa, close to Dhat al-Hammam.

  “God be praised!” he yelled. “Here’s news to warm my heart and relieve me of the anxieties that have beset me for the last few days.”

  “You’re right, Abu Rakwa,” agreed Abu al-Mahasin. “Like every army, ours is meant to fight; it’ll only fight to win victories and gain booty. Now we must make it ready to plunge into the very conflict it was meant for. In that cause may God assist us!”

  “Thus far,” Shihab al-Din commented with determination, “our army has only had to combat boredom and undertake minor tasks. Till our forces can score a genuine triumph against a strong army such as the one now facing us, we’ll never be content.”

  Abu Rakwa stood up. “So we’re all agreed then,” he said. “There’s no need for more talk. Go to our people and muster them and our allies for battle. Tell them to fill in the wells and to be prepared to make flanking movements and conduct a series of rapid assaults. And make sure neither of you comes to see me on important business without bringing along one or two Zanati shaykhs as well.”

  Barely an hour passed after their receiving this command before Abu al-Mahasin was back again with two Zanati shaykhs.

  “Imam,” he said, “everything is in excellent order. Preparations are complete, and infantry and cavalry are lined up in rows. Now all we’re waiting for is your order to begin. We all beseech you not to take part in this battle in case something terrible should happen and we should lose you!”

  “Woe to you all! Have you gone mad? Are you all unanimous about something that is not at all what I would wish? Don’t you all realize that someone who stays at the back cannot be an imam? Have you forgotten that the lives of all of us are in God’s hands?”

  Abu al-Mahasin tried to calm the imam down. “We’re unanimous, Abu Rakwa. We’re still at the very beginning of our long road to Egypt. There’s no harm in your agreeing to these terms. We’ve agreed to it because the Zanatis have given us a good reason. They’ve charged these two shaykhs to tell you about it. Now I’ll leave you with them. God willing, I shall return with news of victory.”

  Barely had Abu al-Mahasin left before Abu Rakwa approached the two shaykhs with a smile. “So, Hammu,” he said amiably, “what’s this all about? And you, Yahya? All’s well, is it not?”r />
  “Yes indeed, imam,” replied Yahya somewhat awkwardly. “What we want to tell you is that we Zanatis are particularly concerned about your safety and welfare. You represent the source and guarantor of our union with the Banu Qurra. What made us even more anxious is our fear that a tribal secret of ours might be uncovered, something without which we would never have been able te resist our foes in the past.…”

  “What secret are you talking about?” Abu Rakwa interrupted in amazement. “Are you taking things back to the old days of diffidence and mistrust?”

  “Abu Rakwa,” Hammu explained, “we have a unique knowledge of surface and sub-surface water resources in the Barqa region. When it comes to keeping such resources hidden, we have methods that are still unknown to others. It’s these methods that we want to use today in the desert area between us and Dhat al-Hammam; that way we can make the enemy feel incredibly thirsty before the fighting even starts. Even so, we beg you to preserve your own life for these tribes that you have managed to unite in purpose and served as both witness and trustee of that very purpose.”

  Abu Rakwa rubbed his hands together in resignation. “People worry that I’m going to be killed by a stray arrow, whereas I might well die in my own bed by order of Him who controls all souls. But what can I do when everyone’s agreed that I should stay away from the fighting’.’ Let every warrior do his utmost. I’ll be standing on the bluffs overlooking the desert and watching the battle from close by. I will be watching with pounding heart, as I look forward to a glorious victory brought by you and God Himself.”

  So Abu Rakwa stayed in his tent. He sat there on his rug, calming his worries with fervent prayers to his Lord, beseeching Him that little of the warriors’ blood be shed and that large numbers of enemy be captured. However, soon afterward he was escorted by a squad of guards to a hill overlooking the battlefield; there he stayed pacing back and forth. His head kept throbbing as he watched the armies pound each other in a maelstrom of noise and fire. The only way he managed to calm himself somewhat was by focusing his attention on his own troops as they outshone each other in felling enemy forces. Some of them were breaching enemy ranks and encircling them, while others peppered them with weapons from secure positions; still others led them toward water which was a mere mirage and then easily took them captive.