There are conventions here which we shall mention later, God willing. ‘Umar – may God be pleased with him – said that there are three types of women. First comes the true Muslim – pious, loving and prolific, who helps her husband against fate rather than helping fate against her husband. The second looks after her children and does no more, while the third is a fetter placed by God on the neck of whomever He wills. Similarly, there are three types of men. One is wise, acting on his own judgement. Another is wiser; he is the man who, when he does not know the probable outcome of a situation with which he is faced, approaches men of sound judgement and acts on their advice. The third is confused; he neither knows the right direction nor will he obey someone who might guide him to it.
In everything there must be justice; even slave girls need it. By way of example, one can point to highwaymen. Their lives are spent in injuring other people, but if they did not act fairly with one another and divide their booty properly, their organization would fall apart. In short, the most princely of noble qualities is generosity allied with good character. How well the poet has expressed it:
Generosity and clemency give a man leadership,
And so to become a leader is easy for you.
Another poet has said:
In clemency is perfection and in forgiveness esteem,
While truth is a safe haven for the truthful.
Whoever uses wealth to search for praise,
Will through his bounty win the race for glory.
After Nuzhat al-Zaman had talked of how kings should exercise power, her audience agreed that they had never heard the topic being discussed so well by anyone else, and they added: ‘Perhaps she will talk to us about something else.’ When she heard what they said and understood what they wanted, SHE SAID:
The topic of good manners is a broad one, as this is the compendium of perfection. One of Mu‘awiya’s companions happened to come into his presence and mentioned the good judgement of the people of Iraq. Mu‘awiya’s wife, Maisun, the mother of Yazid, was listening to their conversation, and when the man had gone, she said: ‘Commander of the Faithful, I would like you to let some Iraqis come in to talk with you, so that I may listen to what they have to say.’ So Mu‘awiya said: ‘Who is at the door?’ and he was told: ‘One of the Banu Tamim.’ He ordered them to be brought in, and they came in, accompanied by al-Ahnaf Abu Bakr ibn Qais. Mu‘awiya told him to approach and had a curtain lowered so that Maisun might hear what they said.
He then said: ‘Abu Bakr, what advice have you for me?’ ‘Part your hair,’ replied Abu Bakr, ‘trim your moustache, cut your nails, pluck the hair from your armpits, shave your groin and use your tooth-pick constantly, as in this there are seventy-two merits. To make the Friday ablution expiates sins committed between one Friday and the next.’
Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the sixty-second night, SHE CONTINUED:
I have heard, O fortunate king, that al-Ahnaf told Mu‘awiya: ‘Use your tooth-pick constantly, as in this there are seventy-two merits. To make the Friday ablution expiates sins committed between one Friday and the next.’ NUZHAT AL-ZAMAN WENT ON:
‘What advice do you give yourself?’ asked Mu‘awiya. ‘I plant my feet on the ground, move them slowly and keep my eyes fixed on them.’ ‘What about when you go to visit clansmen of yours who are lower in rank than the emirs?’ ‘I look down modestly and am the first to say: “Peace be on you.” I don’t talk about what is no business of mine and I say little.’ ‘And when you visit your peers?’ ‘I listen to what they have to say, and if they want to skirmish with me, I don’t reply in kind.’ ‘And when you visit your emirs?’ ‘I greet them without any gesticulation and I then wait for them to reply. If they ask me to approach, I do, but if not, I keep my distance.’ ‘And how about your wife?’ ‘Permit me not to answer this, Commander of the Faithful.’ ‘I insist that you tell me.’ Al-Ahnaf said: ‘I treat her good-naturedly and with obvious intimacy. I spend money liberally on her, for woman was created from the crooked rib.’ ‘And if you want to lie with her?’ ‘I talk her into a good mood and then I kiss her until she experiences pleasure. Then if what you know happens, I throw her on her back. If the seed settles in her womb, I say: “O God, make this blessed and not wretched, and fashion it in the best of forms.” Then I leave her in order to perform the ablution. I pour water over my hands and over my body and I praise God for the favours that he has shown me.’ ‘These are excellent replies,’ said Mu‘awiya, ‘so tell me what you need.’ ‘What I need,’ said al-Ahnaf, ‘is that you should fear God in your treatment of your subjects and deal justly with them all alike.’ He then got up and left Mu‘awiya’s audience chamber. After he had gone, Maisun said: ‘If he were the only man in Iraq, this would be enough for the country.’
‘This,’ added Nuzhat al-Zaman, ‘is a small segment of the topic of good manners. Know, your majesty, that in the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, Mu‘aiqib was in charge of the treasury.
Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the sixty-third night, SHE CONTINUED:
I have heard, O fortunate king, that NUZHAT AL-ZAMAN SAID:
Know, your majesty, that in the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, Mu‘aiqib was in charge of the treasury. He happened to see ‘Umar’s son, to whom he gave a dirham from the treasury. ‘After I had done this,’ he said, ‘I went home and while I was sitting there, a messenger came to me from ‘Umar. I went to see him fearfully and found him holding the dirham. “Damn you, Mu‘aiqib,” he said to me. “I have found out something about your soul.” “And what is that?” I asked. “On the Day of Resurrection,” he replied, “this dirham will involve you in a dispute with the people of Muhammad – may God bless him and give him peace.” ’
‘Umar sent a letter to Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari, telling him that when he received it he was to give the people what was due to them and to bring what was left over to him. He did this, and when ‘Uthman became caliph, he sent Abu Musa the same message and he acted on it. This time, Ziyad came with him. When the tax money was placed before ‘Uthman, his son came and took a dirham from it. Ziyad burst into tears and ‘Uthman asked him why. ‘I brought the tax money to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab,’ he said, ‘and his son took a dirham. His father ordered that it be snatched from his hand, but when your son does the same, I don’t see anyone saying anything or taking it away from him.’ ‘And where can you find another ‘Umar?’ asked ‘Uthman.
Zaid ibn Aslam has reported of his father that he said: ‘I went out with ‘Umar one night and we saw before us a fire burning. “Aslam,” said ‘Umar, “I think that these people must be travellers suffering from the cold, so come with me to visit them.” Off we went and when we got there we found a woman who was lighting a fire under a pot and being pestered by two children. “Peace be on you, people of the light,” said ‘Umar, as he did not like to say “people of the fire”. “What is the matter with you?” “We are suffering from the cold and it is dark,” said the woman. “And why are these children crying?” “From hunger,” she replied. “And what about this pot?” “It is what I use to keep them quiet, and on the Day of Resurrection God will surely ask ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab about them.” “What does ‘Umar know about the state that they are in?” asked ‘Umar. “How can he be in charge of the affairs of the Muslims and ignore them?” replied the woman. ‘Umar came up to me and told me to go off with him. We hurried off until we reached the treasury building, from which he took out a bag containing flour and a container filled with fat. “Load these on to me,” he told me. “I will carry them for you, Commander of the Faithful,” I said, to which he replied: “Will you carry my burden for me on the Day of Resurrection?” So I loaded the containers on to him and we rushed back and placed the bag down beside the woman, then brought out some of the flour from it. “Leave it to me,” he told her, and he began to blow underneath the pot until I could see smo
ke coming out through his long beard. When the flour was cooked, he took some of the fat and threw it in. “Feed the children,” he told the woman, “and I shall cook for them.” They ate until they were full and he left the rest with the woman. Then he turned to me and said: “Aslam, I see that it was hunger that made them cry. I had not wanted to leave until I found out the reason for the light which I saw.” ’
Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the sixty-fourth night, SHE CONTINUED:
I have heard, O fortunate king, that NUZHAT AL-ZAMAN SAID:
‘Umar passed by a mamluk who was acting as a shepherd and asked him to sell him a sheep. ‘They’re not mine,’ replied the mamluk. ‘You are the man I want,’ said ‘Umar, and he bought the mamluk and then freed him. The man said: ‘My God, as You have given me the lesser manumission, grant me the greater.’ It is said that ‘Umar used to give his servants milk, while he himself ate the curds. He would dress the servants in soft clothes, while his own were rough. He would give the people their dues and add more. He gave one man four thousand dirhams and then added another thousand. When he was asked why he had not given the same extra money to his own son, he said: ‘This man’s father stood fast at the Battle of Ohod.’*
According to al-Hasan, once when ‘Umar came with valuable booty, he was approached by Hafsa, who said: ‘Commander of the Faithful, I ask for the due of kinship.’ ‘Hafsa,’ he replied, ‘we are told by God to pay the dues of kinship, but not from the money of the Muslims. You have pleased your family but angered your father.’ Off she went, trailing her skirts. ‘Umar’s son said: ‘One year I prayed God to let me see my dead father and I saw him, wiping sweat from his forehead. “How is it with you, father?” I asked. “Had it not been for the mercy of God, your father would certainly have perished,” he replied.’
Listen, O fortunate king, to the second section of the first topic, covering accounts of the second category of the followers of the Prophet and other pious men. According to Hasan of Basra, no man’s soul leaves this world without regretting three things. The first is that he did not enjoy what he had collected; the second is that he did not achieve what he had hoped for; and the third is that he had not provided himself with sufficient provisions for the journey on which he was embarked. Sufyan was asked: ‘Can a man be ascetic who owns wealth?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘if he shows endurance when he is put to the test and if he is grateful when gifts are given him.’ It is said that when ‘Abd Allah ibn Shaddad was on the point of death, he sent for his son Muhammad and gave him his last instructions. ‘My son,’ he said, ‘I see that I have been summoned by death. You must fear God both in private and in public. Be grateful for His mercies and tell the truth. Gratitude brings an increase in favours, and piety is the best provision for your journey. This is as a poet has said:
I see no happiness in gathering wealth;
The happy man is he who fears his God,
A fear which truly is the best of all provisions,
And it is to the pious man that God will grant increase.’
Nuzhat al-Zaman went on: ‘Now listen, O king, to the anecdotes from the second section of the first topic.’ ‘What are they?’ she was asked. SHE SAID:
When ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz became caliph, he went to his household and took everything that they owned, placing it in the public treasury. In alarm, the Umaiyads approached his aunt, Fatima, the daughter of Marwan, who sent a message to say that she had to see the caliph. She then came to him at night and he helped her to dismount. When she had taken a seat, he told her to speak first, as it was she who wanted something. ‘Tell me what you wish,’ he said. ‘Commander of the Faithful,’ she replied, ‘it is you who must speak first, for by your judgement you see through what is hidden from the understanding of others.’ The caliph then said: ‘Almighty God sent Muhammad as a blessing to some and a punishment to others. He made His choice for him and then took him to Himself…’
Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the sixty-fifth night, SHE CONTINUED:
I have heard, O fortunate king, that ‘Umar said: ‘Almighty God sent Muhammad as a blessing to some and a punishment to others. He made His choice for him and then took him to Himself, leaving the Muslims a river from which to drink. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq became caliph after Muhammad’s death. He left the river as he found it and his actions were pleasing to God. He was succeeded by ‘Umar, whose actions and exertions were not matched by anyone else. ‘Uthman followed and caused a stream to branch off from the river. Mu‘awiya as caliph diverted more streams from it, and the same process was followed by Yazid and the Banu Marwan, such as ‘Abd al-Malik, al-Walid and Sulaiman, until the main stream dried up. Now that authority has passed to me, I want to restore the river to its former state.’ Fatima replied: ‘I only wanted to talk to you and discuss things with you, but if this is what you have to say, I have nothing to add.’ She went back to the Umaiyads and said: ‘Now you can taste the fruits of what you did by allying yourselves through marriage to ‘Umar.’ NUZHAT AL-ZAMAN WENT ON:
It is said that when ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz was on his deathbed, he gathered his children round him. Maslama ibn ‘Abd al-Malik said to him: ‘Commander of the Faithful, how can you leave your children poor when you have been their guardian and in your lifetime there was nobody to stop you enriching them from the treasury? This would have been better than leaving things to your successor.’ ‘Umar looked at Maslama with anger and surprise and then said: ‘Maslama, I have protected them throughout my life, so how can I lead them to misery after my death? My children belong to one of two types: either they are obedient to Almighty God, in which case He will see that they prosper, or else they are disobedient, and far be it from me to help them to disobedience. I was present, as were you, Maslama, at the burial of one of the Marwanids. I fell asleep there and saw him in a dream subjected to one of the punishments of God, the Great and Glorious. This filled me with terror and dread and I made a pledge to God that, if I became caliph, I would never act as he had done. All my life I have tried hard to keep to this and I hope that I may find God’s forgiveness.’ Maslama said: ‘I attended the funeral of a man who had just died. After it was over I fell asleep and I saw him as in a dream. He was in a garden of flowing streams, wearing white clothes. He came up to me and said: “Maslama, it is for this that rulers should strive.” ’
There are many similar tales. A reliable man said: ‘During the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz I used to milk ewes and once I passed by a shepherd among whose sheep I saw a wolf or possibly more than one. I had never seen wolves before that and I thought that they were sheep-dogs. “What are you doing with these dogs?” I asked, and he told me that they were not dogs but wolves. “Doesn’t having wolves in your flocks harm them?” I asked. “If the head is sound,” he replied, “the body is sound.” ’
‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz once preached a sermon from a pulpit of clay. He praised Almighty God and glorified Him, and then he made three points. ‘O people,’ he said, ‘set your private lives in order that this may be how you treat your brothers in public. Abstain from worldly affairs and know that between those who are alive now and Adam there is no living man, for all are dead. ‘Abd al-Malik died, as did those who lived before him, and ‘Umar will die as will those who live after him.’
Maslama then said to his father: ‘Commander of the Faithful, if we get a cushion for you, you could prop yourself up on it a little.’ ‘I fear that this would be placed around my neck as a sin on the Day of Resurrection.’ Then he groaned and fell down in a faint. Fatima called to various servants to attend to him and she poured water over him and wept until he recovered consciousness. He saw her weeping and asked her why. ‘Commander of the Faithful,’ she said, ‘I saw you fall down before us and I thought of how death will cause you to fall before Almighty God, and of how you will leave this world and abandon us. It was this
that made me weep.’ ‘Enough, Fatima,’ said ‘Umar. ‘You have gone far enough.’ He got up but fell again, and Fatima held him close and said: ‘You are as dear to me as my father and mother, Commander of the Faithful, but we cannot all speak to you.’
At this point, Nuzhat al-Zaman said to Sharkan, her brother, and to the four qadis: ‘This is the completion of the second section of the first topic.’
Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the sixty-sixth night, SHE CONTINUED:
I have heard, O fortunate king, that Nuzhat al-Zaman said to her brother, Sharkan – whom she had not recognized – in the presence of the four qadis, as well as of the merchant: ‘This is the completion of the second section of the first topic.’ NUZHAT AL-ZAMAN WENT ON:
It happened that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz wrote to the Meccan pilgrims: ‘In the sacred month and in the sacred city, on the day of the major pilgrimage, I call God to witness that I have played no part in wronging you or in the injuries inflicted by those who may have injured you, and that I never ordered this or intended it, nor has any news of this reached me or come within my knowledge. I hope that it may serve to win pardon for me that I have never given permission for anyone to be wronged, for if any have, I shall be questioned about them. If there is any governor of mine who has strayed from the truth and acted without the sanction of the Quran and the sunna of the Prophet, you should not obey him so that he may return to the way of truth.’ He also said (may God be pleased with him): ‘I do not want to be spared a painful death, as this is the last thing for which the believer is rewarded.’
The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1,001 Nights: Volume 1 Page 51