The Father of Locks

by Andrew Killeen

  “So the lion has fed, has gorged himself senseless. Now come the jackals and the hyenas, to pick at the remains of the corpse. Once we were men, proud warriors of the desert. Now all that is left is greed, indolence and depravity …”

  The man and the boy strolled away from the chaos at the waterfront.

  “What will you do now, Newborn?”

  “I do not think I want to be a poet any more. Nor do I want to be a postman.”

  “Neither may be matters over which you get any choice. If you are blessed with the rare freedom to decide on your own path, what will you do?”

  “I would like to go back to being al-Rawiya, the teller of tales. I have an idea, for a story which will contain all the other stories in the world. It will be the tale of someone who must keep telling stories, or die …”

  “Is that not what we all do? Tell ourselves, and each other, our stories anew, every day? It is how we know we are still alive.”

  The two of them walked on, amid the noise and dreams and filth and struggles of the capital of the world. The boy looked up to the older man, with something like sympathy.

  “And what will you do, Father of Locks?”

  “What will I do? Have no concern for me. I am young, and good-looking, and have a small fortune in gold coins. Well actually, I don’t. But that can soon be arranged …”

  This much I can tell you. Only God knows all.

  Historical Note

  The Father of Locks is a work of fiction. Although it is based around historical events and characters, I have changed dates, altered facts and frequently just made things up. Anyone seeking to base a political or religious point on information gathered from its pages is duly warned.

  However, reality has a strangeness to which the imagination can only aspire. The elements of my story that seem most extravagant or impossible are often those which are rooted in fact. The secrets that lie behind the Door That Should Not Have Been Opened, and within the Brass Bottle, are both taken from the pages of history.

  I hope, too, that the story is fundamentally true to the nature of an extraordinary civilisation. While Europe was mired in the so-called Dark Ages, Baghdad was a place of incredible wealth, culturally as well as materially. Poetry and philosophy flourished. The foundations of modern science and mathematics were laid there. Without the Greek and Latin texts preserved in the House of Wisdom, the western Renaissance could never have taken place.

  However, the records of this Golden Age are riddled with gaps, inconsistencies and controversies, leaving ample scope for invention. All the previous great civilisations littered the world with reminders of their presence. Virtually no physical trace of Harun al-Rashid’s Baghdad remains, neither buildings nor inscriptions nor artworks nor monuments. Bar a few coins and ceramics, all that survives are the stories.

  The earliest collection of these stories was made by the scholar al-Tabari (838–923 CE). His masterwork The History of the Prophets and the Kings is nothing less than a complete history of the world from the Creation to his own day. Al-Tabari used the methods of Islamic scholarship in compiling his chronicle. He recorded accounts as he heard them, even if they contradicted each other, and made no judgments about their relative trustworthiness. Instead he simply noted who had told him, and who had told them, and so through several generations of oral transmission.

  Al-Tabari’s history is available in a very readable English translation in the SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies. However, the general reader who wants to sift fact from fiction is advised to seek out the work of Professor Hugh Kennedy, particularly The Court of the Caliphs (also published as When Baghdad Ruled the Muslim World). Other important sources for this novel include Andre Clot’s Harun al-Rashid, and Gaston Wiet’s Baghdad: Metropolis of the Abbasid Caliphate. I also enjoyed Harun al-Rashid, Caliph of Baghdad by Gabriel Audisio, a fabulously over-heated slice of Orientalist melodrama masquerading as history for children.

  All the verse in this novel is based on genuine poems by the characters to whom they are attributed, with the exception of Ismail’s qasida, which is my pastiche of the form. They are however rough approximations rather than accurate translations. For those who want to learn more, Robert Irwin’s Night and Horses and the Desert is the best introduction to the literature of the period. Abu Nuwas: A Genius of Poetry by Philip Kennedy provides a biography and some excerpts from the work of the real Father of Locks. The truly determined can find a more extensive selection in Jim Colville’s Poems of Wine and Revelry, although I find his translations functional rather than beautiful.

  The most important source for this book, though, is not a work of scholarship but a tour de force of the human imagination. The Thousand and One Nights, in its astonishing breadth, variety and brilliance, is the true inspiration and model for my own efforts. My Harun, Ja’far and Abu Nuwas are drawn as much from Sheherezade’s stories as they are from al-Tabari’s. I make no apology for this. The process of mythologising these figures began in their lifetimes, and was entrenched amid the horrors of the civil war that followed Harun’s death. Somewhere between history and legend is where the Father of Locks has found immortality, and that is where my tale is set.

  A Note on Names

  Arabic names of the Abbasid era do not conform to modern Western convention; they refuse to be confined to the boxes marked forename and surname. They evolved in a world of concentric and clashing social circles, best described by the famous proverb: “Me against my brother, me and my brother against my cousin, me and my brother and my cousin against the world.”

  To his intimates, his inner circle, a man might be called by his ism, the name given to him at birth. This was usually the name of a holy man or prophet: Nuh (Noah), Yahya (John) or Ali, for example. Sometimes it described a quality his parents hoped he would possess: Fadl means Generous, and Sa’id means Happy.

  To the wider world, he would most likely be identified by his family line. “Ibn” (or “bin”) means “son of ”, bint “daughter of.” Sometimes the genealogy stretched back several generations. The name of the rebel Zayd ibn Hasan ibn Zayd ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib proudly records his descent from Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet Muhammad’s son-in-law.

  “Abu” means “father of”, but does not always refer to real offspring. If, say, the son of Uthman had no children yet he might be referred to as Abu Uthman, assuming that when he did have a son he would name it after his father. It is also the basis of many nicknames. The notoriously stingy Khalifah al-Mansur was known as Abu’l-Dawaniq, “Father of Pennies” – although never to his face. The name of the poet Abu’l-Atahiyya translates literally as “Father of Madness”.

  It was only the male line that was traced. Nobody was ever defined by their mother or daughter, with one notable exception: Isa ibn Maryam, Jesus son of Mary.

  Between the intimate and the formal were a variety of nicknames, honorifics and insults. Most began with the definite article, “al-”. These names could indicate clan, profession or country of origin. A carpenter might be known as al-Najjar. The historian al-Tabari was from Tabaristan. The name of the musician Ibrahim al-Mosuli started as a joke. Having made one brief visit to the principal city of northern Iraq he became “the man from Mosul” – and the name stuck so fast that he passed it to his son, who probably never went there at all.

  We can therefore deduce much about the poet Abu Ali al-Hasan ibn Hani al-Hakami just from his name. His mother, presciently, called him al-Hasan, meaning Handsome. His father was Hani, his son, at least putatively, was Ali, and his tribe was the Hakami. However he was, and remains, best known by a nickname: Abu Nuwas, the Father of Locks.

  Glossary

  Dates given are Common Era (CE); the definite article “al-” is ignored for alphabetical ordering. All historical characters featured in The Father of Locks are listed here. Any characters not included can be assumed to be entirely fictional.

  Abbas – (Born c.750?, died c. 810?) – Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas ibn al-Ahnaf was a poet
at the court of Harun al-Rashid, who specialised in love poems.

  Abbasid– Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib was the Prophet Muhammad’s youngest uncle. His descendants, the Abbasid clan, seized the Khalifate in the revolution of 750 and ruled the Islamic world for over five hundred years, although their role became increasingly ceremonial as the dynasty declined.

  Abd Allah – (Died 765) – Abd Allah ibn Ali was an uncle of al-Saffah and al-Mansur, who fought with them against the Umayyads but then attempted to take the throne for himself. He was defeated by Abu Muslim, and held under house arrest for the remainder of his life.

  Abd al-Rahman – (Born 731, died 788) – a prince of the Umayyad dynasty who survived the massacre of his family by al-Saffah and al-Mansur, and escaped to the Hispanic peninsula. Here he established himself and his descendants as Amirs of Cordoba, demonstrating a political and military genius that earned him the nickname “the Falcon of Andalus.”

  Abu Ali – Alternative name for Abu Nuwas, used by his friends

  Abu’l-Atahiyya – (Born 748, died 826) – Abu’l-Ishaq Isma’il Ibn al-Qasim, better known as Abu’l-Atahiyya, the “Father of Madness”, was a leading poet of his day. He was also called Jarrar, the Jug Seller.

  Abu Bakr – (Born c.573, died 634) – a close friend and ally of the Prophet Muhammad, his name means “Father of a Camel’s Foal”. He was the first Khalifah, and considered by Sunni Muslims to be one of al-Rashidun.

  Abu Hashim – (Died 716) – Grandson of Ali ibn Abi Talib, son of Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah.

  Abu Muslim – (Born c. 700, died 755) – Abu Muslim Abd al-Rahman ibn Muslim al-Khorasani was a revolutionary and military leader, who was instrumental in bringing the Abbasid dynasty to power. He is regarded as a national hero in Tajikistan, and there is an Iranian football team named after him.

  Abu Nuwas – (Born c.755, died 814) – Abu Ali al-Hasan ibn Hani al-Hakami is widely recognised as one of the greatest poets of the Arabic language. He wrote on many subjects, but his favourite themes were the forbidden pleasures of wine and homosexual love, and as a result he remains a controversial figure in the Islamic world. The nickname by which he is best known, Abu Nuwas, means “Father of Locks” or “Father of Tresses”, in reference to his distinctive long hair.

  The account of his early life in the chapter called “The Education of a Poet” is largely drawn from historical sources, although with some embroidery on my part. The idea that he might have been a spy, on the other hand, is purely my invention. It may seem implausible that a gay alcoholic poet would be recruited to his country’s intelligence service, but the career of Shakespeare’s contemporary Christopher Marlowe is at least one point of evidence to the contrary.

  Abu Ubayda (728–825) – Scholar of Arabic language and history, and teacher of Abu Nuwas.

  Afrit, plural Afarit – a powerful Jinn, particularly one that has been enslaved by a human.

  Agathias Scholasticus – (Born c. 536, died c. 582) – a Greek historian and poet.

  Aisha bint Abi Bakr – (Born 614?, died 678) – wife of the Prophet Muhammad and daughter of his friend Abu Bakr.

  Ali ibn Abi Talib – (Born c. 600, reigned 656–661) – The Prophet’s cousin and also his son-in-law, having married his daughter Fatimah, Ali was the fourth Khalifah and the last of al-Rashidun, the Righteous Ones. Although he is revered by both Sunni and Shi’a Muslims, his place in the succession is the primary cause of the religion’s great schism. The historical record suggests he was a gentle and spiritual man, who would be appalled that people are still killing each other over his status.

  Alid – a descendant of Ali ibn Abi Talib.

  Amir – Also spelt Emir or Aamir – a prince. The word originally referred to a military leader. One of the Khalifah’s titles is Amir al-Muminin, usually translated as “Commander of the Faithful.”

  Angilbert – (Born c.740, died 814) – Priest, poet and politician at the court of King Karol. There is no historical basis to the suggestion that he spoke Arabic, or travelled any further east than Rome.

  An Lushan – (Born 703, died 757) – A Chinese soldier and politician of Iranian/ Turkish origin who achieved great power but rebelled against Tang Xuanzong, seeking the Emperor’s throne for himself.

  Aristutalis – (Born 384BCE, died 322BCE) – The Arabic name for Aristotle, the Greek philosopher who was tutor to Alexander the Great. Aristotle’s wide-ranging curiosity and logical approach were hugely influential on the philosophy and science of the Abbasid era.

  al-Asha – (Born c. 565?, died c. 625) – Maymun ibn Qays al-Asha was a blind poet of the early Islamic era. It is said that he was prepared to give up fornication in order to become a Muslim, but when he heard that he would have to give up wine as well, he decided to have one more year of drinking before converting. However he died before the year was up.

  Banuqa – (Born c. 767, died c. 783) – Daughter of al-Mahdi and al-Khayzuran. She was her father’s favourite, and her early death was greatly mourned.

  Barid – The postal service of the Khalifate, which doubled as its spy network.

  Barmakid – The al-Barmaki clan, Yahya ibn Khalid and his sons Fadl and Ja’far, were the dominant political force at the court of the Abbasid Khalifahs for nearly half a century.

  Bashshar – (Born 714, died 784) – Abu Mu’adh Bashshar ibn Burd was an innovative poet, who was a pioneer of the Badi (“avant-garde”) style of verse perfected by Abu Nuwas and his circle. Although blind from birth, poxscarred and extremely ugly, Bashshar was a notorious womaniser.

  Bon – The shamanistic religion of Tibet before the coming of Buddhism. Buddhism spread mostly by absorbing local traditions rather than replacing them, just as early Christianity adapted Christmas and Easter from pagan festivals, and Bon is now considered to be one of the five schools of Tibetan tantrism. Its original beliefs and practices are difficult to disentangle from Buddhist reinterpretation, and the description given here is largely speculative.

  Catwulf – (Born c.750?, died c.800?) – The Irish priest Catwulf appears only briefly in the pages of history. In 775 he wrote a letter to King Karol, saying that God had raised him to the throne “for the greater glory of the kingdom of Europe.” His subsequent career as diplomat and spy is wholly fictitious.

  Cubit – The distance from a man’s elbow to his fingertips, around 18 inches.

  Dinar – derived from the Roman denarius, the dinar remains a unit of currency in many Islamic countries. During the reign of Harun al-Rashid it was a small gold coin weighing one or two grams.

  Dirham – a thin silver coin worth one twentieth of a dinar.

  Eggihard – (Died 778) – The office of Mayor of the Palace was an important one at the Frankish Court, and the death of the holder of this title in the battle of Orreaga would have been a significant loss.

  Fadl ibn Rabi – (Born c. 755, died 824) – The son of Rabi ibn Yunus, Fadl ibn Rabi was Harun’s Hajib, or Chamberlain, and arch-rival of the Barmakids.

  Fadl ibn Yahya al-Barmaki – One of the Barmakid clan, son of Yahya ibn Khalid and brother of Ja’far.

  Farsh – A large, thick rug, used as both seating and bedding.

  Fatimah – (Born c. 605?, died 632) – The Prophet’s daughter, and the only one of his children who lived to bear children herself. The account of her death given here is based on Shi’a sources and is hotly disputed by Sunni Muslims.

  Gao Xianzhi – (Died 756) – a Chinese general of Korean origin, who led the Tang army at the battle of Talas River.

  Ghazal – a love song.

  Ghul – an evil spirit in Arabic folklore. The Ghul inhabits graveyards and eats human flesh. It can live on corpses but will also take on the form of an animal to lure children to its lair. In some accounts the Ghul is a Jinn fathered by

  Iblis to prey on mankind. The word is the origin of the English “ghoul”.

  Hadith – The Hadith, or “Sayings”, are accounts of the life of the Prophet Muhammad and records of teachings attributed to him. After the
Quran they are the main source of Islamic law and theology.

  Hajj – the pilgrimage to Mecca which every adult Muslim is expected to perform at least once in their lives.

  Hani ibn Abd al-Awwal – (Died c.755) – Father of Abu Nuwas.

  Harun al-Rashid – (Born 763, reigned 786–809) – Fifth Khalifah of the Abbasid dynasty, he was the son of al-Mahdi and al-Khayzuran, and succeeded his older brother Musa al-Hadi. Despite a relatively undistinguished reign, he became the subject of innumerable stories, as the model of a wise and just ruler.

  Hashimiyah – A political and religious sect, who believed that the true Khalifate passed from Ali to his grandson Abu Hashim, and then to the Abbasid family.

  Hisham – (Reigned 788–796) – Umayyad Amir of Cordoba, son of Abd al-Rahman.

  House of Wisdom – As with so much about the early Abbasid era, there is debate and controversy about the precise nature of the Bayt al-Hikma, the House of Wisdom. It seems to have been either a library or a university, and may not have been founded until the reign of Harun’s son al-Mamun. Nearly every detail concerning it in this novel, including the Chamber of the Ancients, is invented.

  Hruodland – (Died 778) – Very little is known about the Governor of the Breton Marshes, who died in the Battle of Orreaga. However both he and the battle must have been remembered, either by oral transmission or, as I have suggested, in Latin verse. Four centuries later, with his name and most of the historical facts altered, an unknown author made Hruodland the eponymous hero of the first great work of literature in the French language: La Chanson de Roland.