Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty, and Deceit. Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women 9783879974207, 9783112208977

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Caspi / Greene / Jiyad (eds.) Red Pomegranates

Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

ISLAMKUNDLICHE UNTERSUCHUNGEN • BAND 313 begründet von Klaus Schwarz

Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

herausgegeben von Gerd Winkelhane

Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

ISLAMKUNDLICHE UNTERSUCHUNGEN • BAND 313

Mishael M. Caspi / John T. Greene / Mohammad Jiyad (eds.) with Bshara Marjiyah

Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty, and Deceit

Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women

Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliohek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available in the internet at http://dnb.dnb.de

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© 2013 by Klaus Schwarz Verlag GmbH Berlin First Edition Editing: James McKeane / textintegration.de Cover: J2P Berlin Printed in Germany on chlorine-free bleached paper ISBN 978-3-87997-420-7

Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

Contents

Preliminary Remarks Concerning Poetry and Narrative about Arab Women....................................................................................................7 General Introduction.................................................................................................9 A Flame of Love........................................................................................................19 Introduction.........................................................................................................19 Reflection on the Arab Woman: A Socio-Cultural and Religious Perspective................................................24 The Arab Woman During the Jahiliyyah Period........................................26 The Arab Woman During the Islamic Period..............................................30 The Notion of Love in Love Poetry................................................................32 Al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri (Courteous Love)..........................................................35 The Characteristics of al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri in the Islamic Time.............42 Al-Ghazal al-Hissi: Sensual (Passionate) Love Poetry...............................49 The Image of the Woman in Early Arabic Poetry: A Historical Perspective...................................................................................57 The Woman Between the Ideal and the Real..............................................65 Oral Poetry ................................................................................................................74

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Women’s Deceit A Qur’anic Perspective with Medieval Commentary ...................................103 Introduction.......................................................................................................103 Women’s Deceit...............................................................................................124 Poetry of Twenty Female Arab Poets................................................................281 African-American Female Poets: Establishing a Framework ...............281 “Western” Female Poets ................................................................................282 Arab Poetry by Women .................................................................................283 Twenty Contemporary Arab Women Poets..............................................287

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

Dedication

For Gila, my long life best friend, with love (MMC). For Sarah Elizabeth Greene-Bates, Ivorie Merrill Greene-Moore, Vivian Kaye Greene-Weatherspoon, and Carol Lynne Greene-Green, my sisters, all of whom have helped their husbands “see red”. In memory of Janice Dolores Greene, a complex human who experienced death at too young an age (JTG). In memory of my friend Dr. Ayad Haddad (MJ).

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In memory of my parents; with my love to my brother Elias and to my brothers and sisters. To my wife Rima, and to my children, Shadi, Fadi, and Lama (BM).

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

Preliminary Remarks Concerning Poetry and Narrative about Arab Women The title of this book may be somewhat beguiling and misleading, but if so, it can quite honestly be said to be excellent. The writers would disclaim immediately the fact that we were not engaging in politics, statesmanship, or promoting anything other than the poetry and opinions of some the greatest Arab poets, who were moved by their reaction to and praise of Arab women in general, or to a specific Arab woman, to celebrate her in poetry or to explicate her actions in narrative. This is all, well... good – and did we mention honest? However, caveat emptor! May the buyer beware! We discourse on narrative and poetry, and poetry is a strange “animal”. One description of a poet and his or her place in a given society is a person who is totally anchored in that society, and who shares its fate, and will never abandon it, but who, simultaneously, is a point of vocal and literary confluence in that same society. They, in their daily lives, interact with fellow citizens. Observations of their triumphs, suffering, fears, foibles and peccadilloes, and their dealings, articulate, as much for themselves as for others, exactly what the complete society has been heard “saying”. To illustrate this point, Richard Wagner, the great German composer, is said, after hearing one of his famous operas performed, to have remarked: “O einziges, herrliches Volk! Das hast Du gedichtet!”1 Poetry may be likened to a multi-layered cake. One would do well to focus on the entire concoction, but at the same time, failure to realize that each layer has its own existence and taste, which contributes to the overall flavor of the cake, would be a mistake: one would miss much. Although the writers assume that a primarily Western readership will be interested in this work, we, nevertheless, do not assume a knowledge of the history of Western women to be a mirror to be held up to Arab women for the purposes of comparison. Employing, therefore, the language of the philosopher Immanuel Kant, here we study the Arab woman an sich, that is for/in herself, as a woman in her own right and in her own social sphere. The authors also make a distinction between the Arab woman, women in the Muslim world, women in Islam, and women who, as captured slaves, especially from, but not limited to, East Africa, have a long history in Arabia. 1

Lehmkuhl, Josef, Der Kunst-Messias: Richard Wagners Vermächtnis in seinen Schriften. Würzburg: Königshausen & Neumann, 2009, p. 129. “Oh unique, glorious people, you composed that (collectively)!”

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

While the focus has been on discrimination against her, especially in the areas of personal restrictions and human rights, interest in these areas alone does not warrant the study undertaken herein: one could study the history of women the world over, and, with the exception of the history of Amazonianism, find the same story. It would be equally true. It would likewise be true that Amazonian society did not enjoy a flawless polity either. There exists no paucity of literature that studies adroitly the veracity of the preceding issues. There is also no paucity of literature that points to improvements, major in some parts of the Arab world, and minor, especially in the greater Muslim world, as with the Taliban – but here the focus is not just on women – in others. These studies (while not ignoring her former status) focus, as they should, on what has happened to the Arab woman since the advent of Islam: reforms to improve her position/ condition – early and late; employment; education; politics; women’s suffrage; travel opportunities; economic role; and most recently the issue of how both the Arab and the Muslim woman should dress, especially in public, both at home and abroad. The Western reader may find it ironic, and spend numerous hours pondering exactly what he meant and how sincere he was, but from the mouth of no less than the late, defunct dictator of Iraq we read:

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The complete emancipation of women from the ties which held them back in the past, during the ages of despotism and ignorance, is a basic aim of the Party and the Revolution. Women make up one half of society. Our society will remain backward and in chains unless its women are liberated, enlightened and educated...2 The reader will no doubt observe that the contributing and opining poets cited and quoted herein form no literary, solid wall against the issues stated above as not being the focus of this work. Once we delve into them, we notice that they are easily divisible into a number of “schools” of poetic opinion concerning the Arab woman. But this is as one should expect it to be: no two men react to any one woman in exactly the same way. Giv en the fact that we are all the sum total of our life experiences, we can all be expected to be different; and this is just for this encounter; an hour later it will be a quite different “we” than an hour earlier. This flux of poetic emotion, and how poets deal with it, are explored in depth below. A unique feature of this book, however, is that it includes studies of women by women. It thus breaks free from the restrictions of a view of women refracted through a solely male “prism.” 2

1981; cf. Al-Ali, N.S., Iraqi Women. London: Zedbooks, 2007, p. 131.

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

General Introduction In our search for poetry that expresses images of beauty and love, we found many poems dealing with descriptions of a lover’s physical attributes. In the male-dominated written tradition, a woman’s body needs to have “mathematical proportions” to be considered beautiful. The wise said the following increase the beauty of a woman, Blackness in four; eyes, eyebrows, eyelashes and hair. Whiteness in four; teeth, skin, the parting of hair and alba. Redness in four; tongue, lips, cheeks and buttocks. Roundness in four; face, head, knees and heels. Length in four; height, eyebrows, neck and hair. Fragrance in four; mouth, nose, underarm and vagina. Width in four; forehead, breast, eyes and hips. Narrowness in four; ears, nostrils, navel and vagina. Smallness in four; palms, mouth, teeth and feet.3 From women’s oral poetry, the images of beauty and love concern a man’s intellect and the relationship between the lover and the beloved: My beloved, Love has overtures and manners. Love is tender Sessions and sweet pleasure…

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My beloved, Love has wisdom and cunning tricks Like the oil Absorbed by the wick… My beloved, Love, like a match, lights the flame Love can do the same With the glance of the eyes… Love is a venture, Even for the wise. Sometimes it brings pleasure And sometimes otherwise… 3

Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuti, in: Ahmad b. al-Amin al-Shanqiti, ad-Durar al-lawami‘ ‘ala ham‘ al-hawami‘. Cairo 1328 h.

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

Other expressions of love and beauty in classical Arabic poetry embrace motifs of remembrance and similes of certain body parts, like in his Mu‘allaqa (Stay, Let Us Weep):

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Her coal-black hair falls on her back, long and thick like clustered dates on a palm tree. Its locks twisted beautifully above her head, disheveled and tied with silk ribbon. Her waist tapers like a twisted cord, her legs tender like a watered palm tree. She dispenses with soft and delicate fingers like the white crimson worm of Dabia or dentifrice of Ishalwood. She lights the darkness of the evening, like a minaret for a devout hermit.4 The shift from classical Arabic poetry to modern Arabic verse spans four centuries. Between both poetic traditions, the period of neo-classical Arabic poetry in the second half of the nineteenth century was a time when Arabs, after the centuries of Ottoman domination, began to communicate a determination to revive and catch up with the rest of the world. The reawakening of Arab creativity touched the art of poetry so deeply that Arab poets found themselves, instead of moving forward with innovation, falling into the spells of nostalgia and cultural pride. As a result, their poetic achievement was molded by the classical techniques and rhythms by which they could evoke the spirit of grandeur which they had lost. The images of beauty and love in Arabic poetry create a picture of the Arab woman at the time of composition. We note from the poetry that the Arab woman, during the Jahiliyyah period, became associated with the whiteness of angels. Angelic images are contemporary with images of women capable of lighting the flame of anger and passion. The images of women in early Arabic poetry portrayed women as sacred beings, since they were thought to be the only ones responsible for procreation. Even after society realized that men contributed to procreation, they continued to think of women as holy. Although the early Arabs were not an agrarian society, unlike the ancient Greeks, who associated fertility with the soil, nevertheless, Arabs looked to the sun (in Arabic, the sun takes a feminine form). Imru’ al-Qays sings: Shining like the sun on a bright day She lights the room of dusky night… 4

Imru’ al-Qays, Diwan. Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-‘Arabi, 2006.

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

Perfumes within her slurs and soft words, Tenderness in her rolled hips, slowly walking. During the Jahiliyyah period, poets were interested in portraying women as real. The similes were not of the sun or worshipping gazelles, but of her as a vessel for pleasure, along with the effects of wine and music:

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He produces whores like gazelles, Knotted in the thicket, Galloping every way.5 Looking at the poetic structure of the narrative poems, we notice that they parallel the journey lovers undertake; beginning with the confession of love to the beloved, a response from her, a catastrophe, separation, and tragic end of both lovers. If we look at the images of beauty and love in oral poetry of women from the Islamic world and written Arabic poetry, we find similarities. Scholars of literature deny the relationship between oral and written poetry, relegating oral poetry to a sub-genre. Yet, we question this hypothesis, because the similarities we find between the two expressions point to oral tradition being a foundation. Examination of oral poetry has shown through oral-formulaic rhetoric that the written tradition was initially recited orally. The oral poet may employ less obvious images of beauty than the poet of written tradition, thereby giving the appearance that orality has little to offer the written work. One example of where orality and literacy meet is the examination of the kharja, that is the exit of the poem, especially in the genre of muwashshahat, which Ibn Sana’ al-Mulk, an Egyptian theoretician of the twelfth century (1155–1212), stated was the salt and the sweet of the muwashshahat – its highest climax. According to him, the muwashshahat are performed at weddings or at any kind of celebration. This last stanza was written using the colloquial language of the respective community. Hence, the poet who writes his poetry was supposed to be familiar with the oral tradition, so that he could translate the oral into the last written stanza. The closing lines bring the reader back to the oral source as a gentle reminder of its foundation. Historically, the written text may have been in juxtaposition with elements of orality within the work. The written poetry, in a sense, was getting its effects from the oral; however, the written poetry eventually acquired its own style as shown by certain images leav-

5

Al-A‘sha, Diwan.

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

ing the wordly oral sphere and finding expression in the elevated celestial written world. In most areas, classical Arabic poetry continued with its elevated, sophisticated style, while the oral poetry kept faith with the vernacular. There is one exception to this in written poetry of the Yemen in the eleventh and the twelfth centuries. The Yemeni poets of the school of shi‘r alhumayni preferred to write in the vernacular because it was more popular than classical Arabic poetry. By keeping with the vernacular, the school created a new type of poetics. These poetics show that oral poetry and written poetry inform each other. When we examine the semantics of love and beauty in oral and written poetry, we find the admiration expressed in the description of the lover’s physical attributes. A woman’s oral poem, titled Your Image is Like a Tender Branch, shows such desirable physical beauty:

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Your image is like a tender branch And your hair as if covered with purple, Your nose is like an adorned sword In the hand of a fencer. Your smile the light of lightning Shines upon me on a dark night. Your neck is long and Noble with pearl necklace. Your bosoms are like pomegranates, Your belly is overlaid With precious and fine silk Adorned with anklets of Dhuhbani. With the image of love in oral poetry, there is a distinct connection made to the image of beauty and love as we find in written poetry. In a JewisY-Yemenite poem, the poet writes: Hush, my beloved/ Thou art all fair There is no blemish on thee/ Thou art likened unto the sun. Come with me/ to a chamber of my mother’s house She answered from afar/ let us drink love, my beloved. She rose to open/ her hand flowed with myrrh. The winds carried/ to him the sweet smelling myrrh, Or like the aroma of an apple/ of a tree by the dam, By the river of Soreq/ like the fruit of Ein Gedi.6 6

Caspi, M., Daughters Of Yemen. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985, p. 215.

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

There are some poems of the written tradition which, in spite of the sophistication of their language, keep the structure predominately in line with oral tradition. The structure typically consists of a few stanzas broken by a fictional dialogue between two people. This form begins with hyperbolic images of beauty that set up the desire of the speaking voice to join with the beloved. Then, there is a transitional verse which leads to the dialogue. Examples of this structure are found in the following excerpts from In a Dream, and Oh Gazelle, the Valve of my Heart is her Sanctuary: Her beauty flashes like lightning And her image like a glistening sun. Her breasts like red pomegranates, And her eyes the eyes of a gazelle… I saw her and my soul joined her, I yearned to take her prisoner. And the maiden appeared through the cracks and Said: Kill this son of a pauper… In the other poem, the speaker begins with images of beauty followed by a dialogue:

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Oh gazelle, the valve of my heart, her sanctuary A sun, but the clouds in her hair With her beauty she will prey upon the young lion And the light of the sun in heaven will be ashamed at her beauty… He thought me a fool, saying: Why do you torture yourself loving her… It is better to desire a maiden She is like a maid who carries out her mistress’ wish It is better to desire a maiden Who will perform your wish… I answered: How can I substitute her with another one And the Lord glorified her. Her love, say, how can I leave or remove it And my heart is her prisoner… When she passed by us And her fragrance wafts like myrrh Following her as she passes. 13

Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

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We need to call into question the naïve and indiscriminate application of Western civilization’s beliefs onto women’s poetry in the Middle East. Western civilization’s notions of primitivism have been used as a basis from which to interpret much of the customs and traditions of the Middle East. Unfortunately, what has happened is that a fiction has been created around such subjects as oppression and liberation, love and hate, matter and spirit, and how taboo operates in their culture. These tactics by Western scholars used against the Middle East have done nothing but create a situation, not unlike the exploitation by the French, Spanish and British in the South Seas, where they could perceive only confusedly and partially the culture of women in the Middle East. They hold on to their own terms, like oppression and subservience, attempting to describe the Other in the way that is familiar and controlling. The woman as a vessel of pleasure, which is used in the similes of the Jahiliyyah, was changed in modern poetry, yet we still find traces of it. Nizar al-Qabbani continues to introduce a new language and new diction that is appropriate to convey the theme of love and the man/woman relationship peculiar to the modern Arab world. He is credited with the poetic innovation of allowing the poet to speak freely, and fight to establish a concrete body of poetry devoted to women, love, and eroticism. His influence on the new generation of poets is apparent in every part of the Arab world, from Nida’ Khuri in Fasuta (Israel), to the promising creative talents of Mansur Muhammad in Morocco. The poem, Two African Breasts, is shaped by a conscious and calculated use of language. This is a poem that shows a poetic consciousness, a metaphoric ambiance: Woman, who was inscribed in the book of magic before you came? The world was prose; now poetry is born. ... Your feet on the carpet are the shape and stance of poetry. The verses reveal the poet’s powerful verbal inventiveness. In the first five lines above, the poetic voice presents an implicit image of the world as understood and entertained prior and after the presence of the beloved. In her absence, the world is painted in prose; by her coming, the world is turned into poetry. 14

Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

Conventionally, prose is thought to be a medium best suited to present a superficial and panoramic scene of reality. By contrast, poetry throughout history has been considered an immediate instrument that relates humankind to the deepest level of feeling. By associating the birth of the woman with that of poetry, the poet establishes an explicit relationship. The woman is a source of inspiration for the poet, resulting in imagination, in creativity, and, above all, in cultivating the fruit of the art of poetry. The reappearance of the beloved’s breasts, first introduced in the title, is accentuated in the following; they are depicted in this beautiful simile as:

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A Bedouin breath, sweet as cardamom seeds, as coffee brewing over embers, its form ancient as Damascene brass, as Egyptian temples. The images related to the beloved’s breasts do not go beyond the socio-cultural borders which shaped the character and imagination of the poet. Her breasts are Bedouin and not Parisian; they are as ancient as Damascene brass and Egyptian temples which time never effaces. Alongside the female’s power, which made the lover feel and touch the world, she is in the end portrayed as having seductive and magic capacity to make him listen to the seven tongues she speaks. This texture, dominant throughout the narrative, is enforced by an extreme sensuality which appeals to the senses. Nida’ Khuri, a poetess from the Christian village of Fasuta, establishes her status as a poet who uses images and similes characteristic of classical poetry combined with a modern tone. In our introduction two examples are translated from her collection Zunnar ar-Rih. The poems we have selected consider the theme of Night, which is a metaphor for man, the lover, the ironies, ambiguities and paradoxes which constitute the sole devices that characterize the writer’s poetic style. The theme of unrequited love Nida’ Khuri employs is from the tradition of Nizar Qabbani and Adonis.

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

The Silent Night

If the night feels its music, It would dance on my waist. And for the night, every city Would show joy on its lips. If the night knew what its Uproar did to me, It would embrace suicide forever, In a tiresome morning, By the door of my hopes. If the night was awakened by my dreams, It would rain the stars of my clothes, And shine like the moon. If the night slept in my body, The sound of croaking with bloody tears Would put him to sleep, Or desert my seclusion. My voice tears tranquility apart; My kiss burns the night. My mouth smokes love. My voice prolongs time, making it a room of eternity.

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The night suffocates By my breath. It dies While the sun fills me Restless, journeys, and revenge.

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

The Last Moment of Night

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Your eyes are water I sprinkle on my body. Your stinging lips Released in me. I quench you And quench myself in the Challenge of your eyes. Your gargling Moves my dust. The waves of your hands Make me sink. I gather from your fingers My broken body. I disappear, like a viper… I come to you in the last moment of night Crawling towards your glances. Fill me with wine And drink, Taste your drunkenness And set me free. In your eyes A kingdom of ants… Stinging me Provokes my anger. I flow with smoke, With silence, you burnt me You burnt me…

The Silent Night introduces a series of possibilities, the word if becomes a governing motif by which the whole structure of these stanzas is shaped. The poem can be divided into two parts, In the four stanzas, we have the night (a man or lover) as the active force which drives the action in the narrative. In the last two stanzas, the voice of the woman appears and allows her an opportunity to react against the lover. Her voice is so powerful, it wants to tear tranquility apart and her kiss is strong enough to burn the night. These two phrases reveal the woman’s wish to inflict pain on the lover. The last line of the poem, however, best summarizes the attitude and feelings which run through the veins of this female speaking voice. It 17

Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

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communicates very dramatically her sense of restlessness, her illusory journey, and, above all, her desire for revenge. With the second poem, the dilemma of the love and hate constitutes the should of the narrative. The first line begins with an erratic image of love. Man, the lover, is portrayed as aggressive and vicious because he breaks his beloved’s body into pieces. The woman is introduced as resorting to the game of a viper in order to earn her freedom to tear apart my chains. The poem opens with the waters of love and union and closes with the burning fire of man’s silence; it is a metaphor for the rejection of the woman.

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

A Flame of Love

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Introduction The notion of beauty continues to exhaust the human imagination to the extent that one finds oneself unable to reach conclusive criteria by which beauty is judged. Individual poets, philosophers, and the most talented artists have all tended to introduce, in one way or another, comprehensive reflection on the still perplexing concept of beauty. However, it is possible to argue that the underlying ambiguity which governs a fixed definition concerning what is beautiful involves the individual in their relation to what strikes them as containing ornaments of beauty. We can derive a suggestion which might describe one of man’s desires for beauty. The individual often establishes a gradual closeness with a phenomenon in which they see beauty – be it a painting, a scenery, a gazelle, or a woman, and thus it becomes a bridge which connects him to the divine deity. This notion is more developed in mystical tradition which sees in beauty a meditative function through which the individual reaches a stage of fusion with God. For Edgar Allan Poe, only poetry “can elevate the soul”; however, in a mystical consciousness, every place where beauty resides is the path towards God. Eventually, in our search for definitions and reflections on the notion of beauty we come across a series of complex approaches. Diderot attempted to present a philosophical analysis concerning the origin of the nature of beauty.7 He introduces a series of authors who wrote about and discussed the notion of beauty. For Plato, we find him addressing the concept of beauty in two of his major works: Hippias Major and Phaedrus. In the former, he instructs on what is not beautiful rather than what it indeed is; in the latter, he speaks less about beauty than about his views on a natural love for it. In the Greater Hippias there is depiction of the confusion related to a sophist’s vanity, whereas in the Phaedrus beauty is depicted in the pleasant moments one spends with a friend in a delightful place. St. Augustine, on the other hand, argues that beauty, in fact, exists in the unity of the object. He found out that there lies beneath our spirit a certain kind of original unity, which is sovereign, eternal, and perfect. Moreover, this constitutes for him the essential rule to beauty in which

7

Diderot, Denis, Traité du beau. Amsterdam 1772.

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everyone seeks to practice his art.8 St. Augustine concludes that it is this unity which constitutes the form and the essence of beauty in every genre. Christian Wolff,9 however, distinguishes between two sorts of beauty. One is true beauty, and the other exists only in the appearance. While true beauty is born out of real perfection, beauty in appearance remains restricted within the boundaries of appearance. He adds that true beauty consists of powerful perfection which is able to produce pleasure in us. For Francis Hutcheson,10 though, beauty cannot be grasped visually, that is by sight. According to him, beauty can be perceived only through the internal sense, exclusively related to beauty. Hutcheson’s internal sense of beauty is a quality by which we distinguish between beautiful objects, the same way the sense of sight is a faculty by which we distinguish colors and figures. Hence the notion of beauty was not conclusively argued by Plato, since his discussion fell heavily on what is not beautiful rather than defining exactly what beauty is. St. Augustine by contrast discussed beauty, but reduced it to a notion of unity which is inclined more to the essence of perfection than to that of beauty. In contrast to St. Augustine, Chr. Wolff confused the notion of beauty with the pleasure and perfection it creates. F. Hutcheson, moreover, instead of providing the existence of the internal sense (the sixth sense, which he argued was responsible for the human relationship to beauty), went on to propose the existence of two objects: the first, the origin of pleasure we feel towards beauty; the second, his search for qualities which contain a stimulating capacity to produce in us this individual pleasure and consequently appear before us as beautiful. Since the reflections above fall short of providing any satisfactory definition by which beauty could be identified, we find it entertaining to look up how different languages relate to the word beauty. That we choose a limited number of languages does not spring out of any discrim inatory or disrespectful attitude towards the rest of the languages the human tongue possesses. No one can deny that beauty has conquered every language as it continues to conquer every heart since the birth of humankind. Among the definitions the English language contains concerning beauty we find the following: a) Extreme physical attractiveness and loveliness: Perfect combination of characteristics pleasurable to see. 8 Diderot, op. cit. 9 Ibid. 10 Ibid.

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

b) A characteristic or combination of characteristics affording great sensory pleasure. Besides, beauty is also defined as a perfection that excites admiration or delight for itself rather than for it s use: a quality in a consummate thing that induces immediate and disinterested pleasure: Something that is beautiful as determined by subjective awareness and by such reaction as delightful sensation, moral exaltation, or reverie.11 Among the definitions the French language contains concerning la beauté we find the following: It is a characteristic of all which is beautiful. Partial synonyms related to beauty are infinite. To list but a few, we can think of charm, elegance, freshness, nobility, splendor, finesse, and majesty. Yet, in the French sense, ideal beauty means perfection. La beauté n’est que la promesse du bonheur.12 Or la beauté, c’est tout. Platon l’a dit lui-même: La beauté, sur la terre, est la chose suprême.13 Molière in Tartuffe, Act 3, Scene 3 says:

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L’amour qui nous attache aux beautés éternelles N’étouffe pas en nous l’amour des temporelles. On the other hand, the Hebrew language more or less identifies the word for beauty, yofi, with a closeness to anything as containing perfection. It could be a person, a woman, a king, and, especially, the city of Jerusalem. The latter appears in the following biblical verse as being a place in which God’s brightness is manifested. “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined”.14 R. Nathan (fourth century C.E.) reflected on the beauty of Jerusalem in the following way: “There is no wisdom as the one found in the land of Israel and no beauty as that of Jerusalem”. 15 From the second century C.E. we hear that the perfect beauty of a woman rests in her breasts. It is here that in the Hebrew language the word beauty points to the image of a woman whose charm is seen mostly in her breasts. Equally, in Spain, Judah ha-Levi (c. 1075–1141) presented the following image concerning the beauty of a woman: 11 12 13 14 15

Webster’s 3rd New International Dictionary. 1966. Stendhal, De l’Amour. Paris 1822. Alfred de Musset, Après une lecture. Paris 1842. The Fathers According to R. Nathan, p. 2. Babylonian Talmud, Qiddushin, p. 49.

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“With a golden hair and perfect beauty” (She is a gazelle who devours like a lion).16 In the Zohar we find the following image stated: “Shapiru de’itata be’inun shadayim” (The beauty of the woman is the breasts).17 The Arabic language defines beauty, al-jamil, as having roots to any thing beautiful, jamil. In the Qur’an, the word beauty occurs only once, it is found in Surat al-Nahl, which calls attention to Allah’s providence for creation and to his guidance to mankind as a necessary path: He has created the heavens and the earth With truth. High, is he exalted above all that They associate as partners with him. He has created man from nutfah, then behold This same becomes an open opponent. And the cattle, he has created them for you; In them there is warmth and numerous Benefits, and of them you eat. And wherein is beauty for you, when you Bring them home in the evening, and you Lead them forth to pasture in the morning. (16:3-6)18

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The word for beautiful, jamil, by contrast, occurs several times in the Qur’an with various meanings: And we created not the heavens and the earth And all that is between them except with truth And the hour is surely coming, so overlook, O Muhammad with gracious forgiveness. (15:85) Jamil in the above quotation relates to grace, but in the following verse it means a sense of mobility and dignity: Lord of the East and the West; there is no God But He; so choose thou him alone as wakil – And bear with Patience what they utter, and part From them with noble, good way. (73:9-10)

16 Song of songs, Rabbah, p. 4. 17 Zohar I:45. 18 The Noble Qur’an. Riadh: Dar es-Salam 1966.

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Beauty in the Arabic language is understood in the following way: either in things man does rightly and beautifully or in any sign of God’s creation. As a popular saying: Rahim Allah man ‘amala ‘amalan fa atqanahu (ahsanahu) (God blesses the one whose work is righteous and reflects the artistic)

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Ibn al-Athir stated that beauty can be seen in images and meanings. There is a hadith which says: Inna Allaha jamilun yuhibbu al-jamal (God is beautiful and he loves beauty). Actually, this is interpreted as relating to the perfection and righteousness of God. 19 We can infer from this definition and reflections on beauty in the Arabic language an immanent sense of parallelism which can be drawn between God’s beauty and righteousness and that of man’s, the more man is able to artistically and righteously express his genuineness, above all: perfection. Hence, our curiosity to search for definition concerning the beauty and the notion of beauty in different languages leads us to our focal point in this work: why and how images of beauty relating to a female persona in Arabic poetry occupy a considerable part in this poetic tradition. For some scholars, moreover, this female persona forms the nucleus of Arabic poeticity and the mysterious figure by which great Arabic verses are inspired.

19 Lisan al-Arab. Cairo: Dar al-Ma‘arif, 8:285.

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Reflection on the Arab Woman: A Socio-Cultural and Religious Perspective There is a growing tendency today for Arab women to achieve a voice of their own. While some avant-garde women believe that the construction of a voice should involve a process of learning from their western counterparts, others take a totally different view. The latter think that for the Arab woman to achieve a voice of her own which speaks her identity she must be inspired by other women from the past, the ones who represent a set of ideals in Arabic history for the literary historian. The ideal woman haunts the Arabic verse to the extent that most poetic images found in Arabic poetry are in fact about a beautiful female persona. A scholar who approaches Arabic culture from different discourses, be it religious (Qur’an) or secular (prose, folk-tales, and poetry), will find a considerable part relating to women. We note in al-Qur’an the presence of a whole sura devoted to women, which begins with the following: O mankind be dutiful to your Lord, who created you From a single person and from him he created his wife and from them both he created many men and women and fear Allah through whom you demand (your right) of one another and toward the womb (that bore you). Truly, Allah is ever all watchful over you.20

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Also, a reading of The Thousand and One Nights reveals that the protagonist woman, Scheherazade, not only controls the narrative but is also there to guide its progress to her own advantage and that of all women, or, to put it in Sandra Naddaff’s words, she is: The dominant enframing narrative voice… the supreme storyteller in this text and ventriloquist who manipulates the varied voices of the characters whose stories she tells.21 To give as many examples as possible of how women are shown and highly respected, either in the Qur’an or in art, poetry is unable to give a full picture of how Western feminists stand in relation to the views of their Arab feminist students regarding the status of the Arab woman. Nevertheless, an overview of the social-cultural and religious milieu which gave birth to the Arab women from the Jahiliyyah, the time prior 20 Q. 4:1. 21 Naddaff, Sandra, Arabesque. Chicago: Northwestern University Press, Ill. 1991, p. 14.

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to the advent of Islam, would do much to clear the cloudy atmosphere which looms around any particular discussion about her. Arabs in earlier times and especially during the birth of Islam understood that not only the woman had a role in their life, but they were deeply conscious of her as life itself. A close analysis of one of the verses relating to women in the Qur’an shows that the woman is the source of compassion, love and harmony: And among his signs is this that he created for you Wives from among yourselves, that you find repose In them, and he has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for the man of sound knowledge.22 From this verse above, there is a hint that among the best gifts of all is a woman who can share the burden of life with her spouse. For a man who understands the true position of this woman in the Qur’an, she becomes for him a light which appears in the darkest moments of his life, the pillars of his house. Hence, the mobility of the Arab man became gradually judged not only by how wealthy he was, but also by how noble his companion was. The Arab woman as an inspiring and supportive power to men in Arab culture is best understood when the prophet Muhammad received the first revelation. Terrified, he came to find in his home not Khadija as a wife, but rather a human force who balanced his heart and soul. Khadija is quoted as saying to the prophet:

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In the name of Allah you will never be disappointed Since you take the burden of everyone, give to the needy, And you offer help in the most difficult time. That is why Khadija was given the title of Umm al-Mu’minin (the mother of the believers), because she was the first one to embrace his message – Islam. This is how Arabs understood the supporting power of the woman in man’s life. In Khadija’s penetrating and inspiring words, the new faith has been described better than in thousands drawn for the sake of God.

22 Q, 30:21.

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The Arab Woman During the Jahiliyyah Period The Arab woman grew up among people whose culture has been influenced by a great deal of sensibility and terrible conflict to show that they possess honor. The foremost criteria by which a tribe or a community was deemed honorable concerned how noble and respectful their women were. The poet Hittan b. al-Mu‘alla reflects on how precious women are: Our children (daughters) indeed are among us Our lives walking on the ground. If the wind blows on one of them/ My eyes would refuse to sleep. Other verses which show the honor and pride of women are articulated by a noble maiden named Karamah bint Dila‘, who was the mother of Zayd, the heir of the Bakr tribe23; she reflects on family and her mobility in the following:

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We are the daughters of Tariq We walk on pillows. Walking like bright sand grouse Musk in our hair. Pearls on our necklaces Embracing you when you came to us. But we’ll reject you/ if you won’t welcome us.24 Arabic poetic imagination reached a point where the woman became associated even with angels and while ‘Amr b. Kulthum describes a woman as white and beautiful, we encounter limitless references to her as such, when al-Muhalhil b. Rabi‘a, sees her like the surf. If all these images of beauty reveal something, it indeed shows how really prominent the woman has been in Arab life. To say the least, she has been the tone that moves the man’s emotions, the fountain from which he quenches his thirst, the individual who flames both the fire of his anger and love, and above all she remains the favorite prelude to his qasida (ode). 23 Bakr and Taghlib were brothers; their father was Wa’il b. Qasit. Each formed a great nation of his own which would enter into series of wars for the sake of supremacy and sovereignty. 24 Tariq is a planet which is known as possessing magic and charm. It is sometimes called the planet of morning and it is the one mentioned in the first verses of Surat al-Tariq (The Morning Star) which runs in the following manner: By heaven and al-Tariq And what will make you now what al-Tariq is The star of piercing brightness There is no human being who has not a protector over him. (86:1-4) See also al-Bukhari 8:498; ‘Abdallah ‘Afifi, al-Mar’ah al-‘Arabiya. Medina 1932, p. 181.

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When the reader will embrace the rich images relating to the Arab woman in the following presentation, he would think that Arab poets at some point in their lives arrived at a stage where the female became a known individual. But their verses certainly reveal the opposite, since the woman for them is not a goal to be reached, but rather an entertaining and creative subject on which a considerable legacy of their poetry relies. Thus, Arab poets preserved their continuous thinking of the woman as one of life’s mysteries. One that they do not want to demystify in any way, but their attention has been always directed to her as an enjoyed mystery which inspired their creativity and poetic talents. In ancient times, this part of the world called Arabia witnessed the powerful presence of two distinguished women who left behind an enduring legacy, and to whom history paid a special attention. They are Bilqis, the queen of Sheba and Zenubia (Zaynab) the queen of Tadmor (Palmyra). Bilqis, to be noted, is mentioned both in the Old Testament (1 Kings 10) and in the Qur’an 27(Surat al-Naml–The Ants) and 34 (Surat Saba’– Sheba). She is described as being a queen who possessed great wealth, dignity, and power. We find her depicted in Qisas al-anbiya’ in the following way: In my country, said the Yemenite Hoopoe, we have A mighty queen who commands a thousand Leaders, and under each leader are ten thousand soldiers.25

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Moreover, the significant part about the character of the queen of Sheba is that she did nothing without consulting her advisers, which is a sign of her aptitude for ruling: She said; O chiefs! Advise me in Case of mine. I decided no case till You are present with me.26 The story of Sheba’s confrontation with King Solomon, we are told, came to a point where both kingdoms were about to launch into war. However, thanks to her wisdom and vision, she was able to establish better relations with the kingdom of Solomon. The new relations would later give birth to a spiritual understanding. Hence in Bilkis, in both the Old Testament and the Qur’an, we have a clear picture of womanhood, wisdom and cour-

25 W. M. Thackston, The Tales of the Prophets of al-Kisa’i. Boston:Twayne, 1978. 26 Q. 27:32

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age.27 Queen Sheba’s and her people’s contact with King Solomon marked the end of Mazdaism in Yemen. Zaynab (Zenubia), on the other hand, ruled over Tadmur (Palmyra) in two different stages, one as a queen and later as an adviser for her son. The power of this queen, we are told, came from a diversity of qualities she used to possess. First of all, she was an extremely beautiful woman. She was also wise, eloquent, prudent, and loving. In battles, we are told, she was the heroine who appeared inlaid with gems and pearls, holding her spear and fighting like the Greek heroes. Zaynab was also a genius when it came to languages, she mastered, of course, Arabic, Persian, Greek, and Latin.28 From this almost ideal position of the woman in pre-Islamic times, to do justice to history, we must also mention that this period witnessed cruel customs towards the female. Among them, al-saba’ and al-wa’d, which are considered to be the thorns, and not the roses, of Arab history. Al-saba’ are the women captives who fell in the hand of their enemies in the tribal wars. These women were sometimes exploited as maid servants and sometimes they were made to marry their masters. In the latter case, the women were assimilated to the new tribe and its environment and enjoyed equal rights. The poet Hatim b. Abdallah at-Ta’i reflects on this experience of women captives thus:

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They did not offer us their women for pleasure but we won them with our sword and courage. Their captivity did not humiliate them since we did not force them to work or cook. Rather, we did mix them with the best of our women and we made their faces brighter than pearls.29 However, no matter how much love, care, and dignity these women were offered, they still would not stop thinking to flee back to their tribe. Al-wa’d, which was the custom of burying new-born girls alive in the pre-Islamic time, has been considered as the worst inhuman action of the time. Arab scholars list three reasons to this act: 1. An economic crisis whereby an individual loses his wealth and as a result of that his daughter would be liable to become a prostitute.

27 To put it in Yusuf ‘Ali’s words in his commentary on the Qur’an: She is like Una in Spenser’s Faerie Queene. 28 In Arabic history, she is given the nickname of al-Zabba’, which refers to a woman who has thick eyebrows and eyelashes. 29 ‘Afifi, op. cit., p. 40.

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2. Individuals driven by the forces of honor which sometimes transforms itself in their consciousness into a form of blindness and irrationality to commit such abhorrent deeds. 3. Fear of being taken as sabaya (prisoners). Before going further in illustrating the image of the woman at the birth of Islam, it is noteworthy for the reader to acquaint himself with the principal that early Muslims were in fact the children of the Jahiliyyah period, in temporal terms. Even the prophet Muhammad did not cease to speak about his matriarchs with reverence and admiration. To be more precise, when he had to criticize the Jahiliyyah lifestyle, he actually demonstrated discontent with the forms of worship which continued during the lifetime of Arabs of this period. These forms came to be contradicting to the new revelation (Qur’an), which put an emphasis on worshipping God. Thus, the fundamental transformation Arabs embraced as the new faith, which came to operate within their cultural milieu. Among their cultural values is the unique relation that the woman in the poetry remained intact. At one point, the prophet reflects on his love and respect for his matriarchs:

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I am the son of Awatik Sulaim.30 The prophet meant to register in the book of history the ideal image of his matriarchs. A close reading of the original text reveals a tone of pride in Muhammad’s reference to these women. In fact that statement quoted above was declared in the day of Hunain.31 Sulaim, on the other hand, is one of the noblest Arab tribes of the time, and the women (mothers) being referred to, with pride, were three. First, ‘Atikah b. Hilal b. Falij b. Dakwan Umm ‘Abd Manaf b. Qasay. Second, ‘Atikah b. Murrah b. Hilal b. Falij Umm Hashim b. ‘Abd Manaf. Third, ‘Atikah b. al-Awqas b. Murrah b. Hilal Umm Wahib b. ‘Abd Manaf. In fact, ‘Abd Manaf was the prophet’s grandfather from his mother’s side.32

30 ‘Awatik is a plural for three women who had the same name ‘Atikah. 31 Hunain is a riverbed (wadi) situated between Mecca and Ta’if, in which a battle took place during the time of the prophet (630 C.E.). 32 See Lisan al-Arab, 12:25.

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The Arab Woman During the Islamic Period The Qur’an is the source in which the true status of Arab women is to be found. In this text we find laws relating to her rights and duties which include every aspect of her daily life. She is entitled to exercise her womanly power, from her family environment, to her potential in contributing to socio-cultural development. One of the fundamental aspects of life Islam introduced was its attempt to erase the blemish of al-wa’d from Arabic culture. The prophet encouraged people to believe that the new-born baby girl was as much a gift from God as a boy. Those who continued to practice this female infanticide were barred from Islam. The Qur’an discusses people who considered daughters to be a sign of shame and ignominy in the following way: And when the news of the birth of a female is brought to any of them his face becomes dark, and he is lifted with inward grief. He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that whereof he has been informed. Shall he keep her with dishonor or bury her In the earth? Certainly, evil is their decision.33 In other verses, the Qur’an describes the ignorance and loss of those who commit such a crime as follows:

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Indeed, lost are they who have killed their children foolishly, without knowledge, and have forbidden that which Allah has provided for them, inventing a lie against Allah. They have indeed gone astray and were not guided.34 If we read these verses with more security, we would find them holding reverence and divine value for the female, unlike in Jahiliyyah time, where men only viewed their sons as being the symbol of pride and power. Islam tended to establish equality between both sons and daughters. The prophet himself was known for his love for his daughter, he once said: Fatimah is part of me; what makes me sad saddens her, and what makes me happy cheers her.35 In fact, in Islamic tradition, two principals have been followed: the Qur’an and al-Hadith. The latter contains the life of the prophet and inter33 Q. 16:58-59. See also Sahih, 9:395. 34 Q. 6:140. 35 ‘Afifi, op. cit., p. 18.

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pretation of the Qur’an; it is, moreover, an exemplary lifestyle which devoted Muslims tend to follow and imitate. A considerable part of al-Hadith advises on the way Muslims should treat the woman, be it a wife, daughter, cousin, sister- in-law, or any other woman. Everyone dealt with the woman with respect, care, and reverence. As it began to appear in early Islam, social class was not an important issue. Khalif ‘Umar allowed his son ‘Asim to marry an ordinary milk-girl. ‘Umar, the ruler of the Islamic Empire, therefore only saw importance in one aspect of the marriage: that this girl was an honorable young woman with dignity. Such an example shows that the woman was regarded without her social class, origin, or beauty being taken into account. Early Islam also dealt with the problem of jealousy which has long infected the socio-psychological domain in which the Arab individual functions. Islam did not disapprove of jealousy, a quality in every human being, but it warns against and worries about it. In fact, excessive jealousy can destroy one’s life and this would have a negative effect on society. A short sura in the Qur’an summarizes the danger of jealousy in a few verses from Surat al-Nas as follows:

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I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind, The king of mankind, From the evil of the whisperer who withdraws, Who whispers in the hearts of mankind, Of jinn and men.36 In this sura the Qur’an points out the danger which insinuates itself into man and influences him from within. Jealousy still remained a social phenomenon. An Arabic custom was that when an Arab man left the house on business or any other travel, he would tie two branches together. Upon his arrival, if they remained so, it was considered a sign of the woman’s faithfulness. Such stories became known as al-ratimah. Thus, the faith of a woman depended on two small branches, which the wind could blow apart at any time. Islam established strict rules concerning spontaneous false accusations against women. The accuser had to swear an oath and bring four reliable witnesses, and if he were proved lying he would be sentenced to eighty lashes. Such people who made false accusation are known as qadhif al-muhsanat. In the Qur’an, in Surat al-Nur, we find the following verses:

36 Q. 114.

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And those who accuse a chaste woman, and produce not Four witness, flog them with eighty stripes, and reject their Testimony forever. They indeed are the Fasiqun... Verily, those who accuse a chaste woman, who never Even thinks of anything touching their chastity and Are good believers – are cursed in this life and the Hereafter, and for them will be a great torment.37 Revelations concerning women influenced and changed men's relationships with and attitudes toward women. The individual Muslim began to relate to the female in a new light: Islam.

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The Notion of Love in Love Poetry Love poetry as a genre in Arabic literary tradition suggests the presence of the poet communicating to the woman, talking to her, and addressing her with a very eloquent form of speech that tends to move what lies deep in the emotions and feelings. To use the a modern term, it is a pure form of flirt. Love poetry gives a great importance in its textuality to depiction of the woman’s beauty and magic which both attract the lover. Her beauty and magical charm constitute the substance of what the poet indulges in in his verses, through them he can reveal his love, his pain, and his fascination. Whether it is Platonic or sensual love, poetry usually involves the lover’s expression of love towards the beloved. Love poetry depends on the spontaneous reaction of poets and singers in the presentation of what their hearts and mind go through in relation to the world surrounding them, the beloved especially. This, in fact, constitutes a vital aspect of the poetics of Arabic verses, since we often find the poet in a delirious state when he conjures up an imaginary world where we can find the beloved and the different elements which exist in the surrounding environment. All reflect his desire and ecstasy. With the above argument we tended to demonstrate that love poetry has love as its main raison d’être. In fact, we can argue that among the forms of expression that reflect man’s deep feelings, desire, and, above all, love, is love poetry. However, poetry, or any form of writing, raises the problematic question that exists between, on the one hand, the poet and, on the other, the text he creates and the reader’s experience of that text. This question resides in the truthfulness of the poet’s feeling towards the 37 Q. 24:4; 24:23.

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subject he introduced. In other words, is the poet emotionally involved or is he a mere composer, detached from the scenes he creates? For centuries, love preoccupied artists in search of it. Poets, however, were able to capture a larger ambiance because poetry and the power of its language (metaphor, hyperbole, and imagery) allowed them to transcend their deepest feelings and beyond. Of course, other moves of art use these writing devices, but they do not exploit them to the extremes as poetry does. One must bear in mind, nevertheless, that love is not the domain of the poet only, but it is a human quality. Love poetry, therefore, has thousands of faces, since any of us, in one way or another, becomes a poet, using heroes of love that transmit his feeling towards the beloved. Along with this, we must acknowledge that everyone is a poet, but only gifted individuals are able to transcribe their feelings, emotions, and desires into words. Jamil b. Ma‘mar,38 who wrote his poetry in vernacular, ‘Antarah and Abu Nuwas, for example, left their mark on Arabic poetry. There were others who also wrote excellent poetry, but history does not distinguish between rich and poor, noble or lay person. The concept of love has intrigued scholars throughout the ages, with them often finding it a puzzling thing to define. Therefore, they always finish defining it in several and sometimes contradicting terms. Love to some extent, is a mystery. Ibn Hazm once defined love in the following: Love begins as a joke and ends being a serious matter; Its meanings are often delicate to describe and the only Way that reveal to you its truth is when you go Through its pain and suffering. Hence, it is not considered A sin in the eyes of religion, nor it is prohibited by the Shari‘ah.39

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In the same work he described love, regarding it as the meeting point between two souls. He said: Love is what connects the two created souls on This earth, the man’s and the woman’s.40 Love can be marked into two types. One is that through which we satisfy our carnality, thus we search for the best physique in order to enjoy it. The other is the tendency to relate to someone spiritually; therefore, we look for the beautiful and the perfect. Others may argue that it is possible

38 Jamil b. ‘Abdallah b. Ma‘mar, an Arab poet in love with Buthaynahh. died c. 701. 39 Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi, Tauq al-Hamamah fi al-Ulfa wa-l-Ullaf. Damascus n.d. 40 Ibid. One should take into consideration that Ibn Hazm was influenced by the works and philosophy of Plato.

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to find yet another type of love: one which contains both the physical and spiritual as the main source of attraction. Those who argue that there is pure love without any sensual preoccupation are indulging in an imaginary world. For those who view love as having physicality as its main genesis are in fact expressing a mere response to their sexual gratification and are leaving no room for spiritual joy. Whatever types of love we have described, we find ourselves again facing two major categories of love, which both constitute the substance of love poetry. They are subsumed under the category of al-Ghazal. Firstly, there is a type wherein the union of the soul is considered a priori; we term this the platonic or al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri. Second, a type where the union of the bodies is mandatory, thus we call it sensual: al-Ghazal al-Hissi.41 The Ghazal that we defined as platonic is, in its verses, not void of instances where the poet finds himself consciously or unconsciously concentrating on the beloved’s beautiful body. Hence, the poets of al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri did not succeed to restrain themselves from depicting the beloved’s body, which therefore sometimes invites a sensual reading. For example, we find Qays b. Mulawwah describing the juice of the mouth of his beloved Layla, as follows: Her mouth appears as having stored wine mixed with the moisture of the night.42 In spite of the fact that the speaking voice did not taste the juice of the beloved’s mouth, he is still able to create an experience which is merely a self-delusion:

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I taste it, but only with my eye From distant skies I saw its lightning.43 Evidently, from the ideas presented above, our task to come to sharp conclusions concerning the identity and the nature of al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri44 and al-Ghazal al-Hissi45 is impossible. There is no way: when we conduct a close reading of al-Ghazal (love poetry) in general, we cannot place alGhazal al-‘Udhri in one world and al-Ghazal al-Hissi in another. Sometimes, we come across a poem which deals predominately with the theme 41 Our central objective is images of beauty and love of women where the poet addresses the female persona. Thus, we encounter uneasiness to define the two types of love in a definite manner. 42 Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani, Kitab al-Aghani (Book of Songs), 2:32. 43 Ibid. 44 Heavenly, spiritual, and idealistic love. 45 The form of love which involves passion, sensuality, and pleasure.

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of love, conveying the poet’s heavenly and idealistic vision of the beloved. However, we invariably find instances where the poet cannot resist becoming absorbed by the beloved’s flesh.

Al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri (Courteous Love) Al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri may be described as a form of love poetry in which poets attempt to portray and dramatize the intensity of emotion, yearning, and longing for the beloved. In this form of poetry, the poetic voice is often busy depicting the spiritual virtues of the beloved more than a preoccupation with her physical being. The poets celebrate the almost divine qualities of the beloved. In short, al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri reflects the lover’s thirst for the union of the souls, but not his hunger for a union of the flesh. Historically speaking, the birth of this form of poetry can be traced to the Banu ‘Udhr tribe, who were famous for their composition of poetry dealing with spiritual qualities of the beloved as a primordial standard of beauty. We find ‘Urwa b. al-Zubayr, a legal authority, addressing one of the tribesmen: I see your tribe as having the softest hearts when in love. The tribesman responded:

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You are definitely right. Truly I just left my fellow youth Suffering from nothing but the fire of love.46 There is a story about Sa‘id b. ‘Uqba al-Hamadani who once asked somebody about a young man passing by, saying: Where is this man going? The person replied: He belongs to a tribe that, when they are in love, they die. Ibn ‘Uqba said: Then surely he is ‘Udhri.47 Approaching love in such intense attitude was also apparent, we are told, in the social milieu of the tribe called Banu ‘Amir, of whom Majnun Layla is a perfect example. In fact, historians lack proof of the origin of this tribe. However, there is speculation that its origins were in Yemen. If Majnun Layla is regarded as a mythical figure of al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri in his tribe Banu ‘Amir, Jamil b. Ma‘mar is regarded as the leader of that special poetic endeavor in this tribe. An interesting element closely related to this exceptional attitude of non-sensuality towards the beloved is a virtuous 46 Da’ud al-Antaki, Tazyin al-aswaq bi Tafsil Ashwaq al-‘Ushshaq. Cairo n.d., p. 9. 47 Ibid., p. 110.

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quality that stands between the lover and his beloved. This echoed in the words of the prophet, who once praised virtue in the following statements: The one who died of virtuous love, unable to communicate it, is a martyr. The one who loved virtuously and kept it a secret and died, is a martyr. The one who loved virtuously and kept it a secret with patience, God forgives him and opens Paradise for him.48 Ibn Sina on the other hand, claimed that al-Hubb al-‘Udhri, (Platonic love) is not innocently devoid of the presence of kisses and hugs. He attempted to philosophize this sensual inclination in the following:

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If hugs and kisses are for a noble cause that bring intimacy and union since the soul longs for a sensual touch of the beloved after the visual contact and it yearns for a hug and a kiss – it is not sinful, but if they are due to sexual drive, they should be avoided.49 Up to now, we have tried to describe the identity of al-Ghazal al ‘Udhri; a significant thought, however, that comes to our mind is: What are its origins and where did it first witness its beginning? In fact, to historicize this form of poetry is a futile task. Hence, we shall illustrate and explain its nature in the light of previous speculations which range from Greek philosophy to Islamic tradition. It is claimed that al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri has its roots in Plato’s perception of love in ancient Greek philosophy. Arab scholars resolutely oppose this idea on the basis that Muslims, in early Islam and during the Umayyad dynasty, had not yet come into contact with Greek philosophy. However, by that time, Arab poets had developed sophisticated and distinguished skill in this genre of poetry. On the other hand, this form of love poetry is primarily rich in its translation of emotions, and is not a form that celebrates philosophical themes. Moreover, another crucial element that opposes al-Hubb al-‘Udhri (alHubb al-‘Udhri is another way of referring to al-Ghazal al-‘Uhdri) to Plato’s perception towards love is that the latter stands on Plato’s doctrine which focuses on the love between men as an idealistic form of love, while alHubb al-‘Udhri in Arabic love poetry emphasizes the love between man and woman.

48 See al-Raghib al-Isbahani, Muhadarat al-Udaba’. Cairo n.d. 49 Risalah fi l-‘Ishq wa-l-Nisa’, Collection of letters of al-Jahiz (n.d.) p. 83.

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Love, in Plato’s terms, begins, in the different stages he set for it, with the admiration for the beautiful body. The second stage indulges in the admiration of the soul. Then love ascends to a degree where there is admiration of both the body and the soul. In fact, Plato continues with speculation on the nature of love in a very complex manner to the extent that it bears thoughts that have no relation to the commonplace at all. By contrast, al-Hubb al-‘Udhri is limited to a definite circle that turns around one single theme, the woman as body and soul. This type of love, therefore, did not exist in Greek thought and or Europe in general, until much later. In one of Taha Hussein’s critiques, we find him relating al-Ghazal, both sensual and spiritual, to the birth of Islam. He argues that Islamic society witnessed changes in all aspects, especially social and political. In his work Hadith al-Arbi‘a’ he claims;

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People, rich and poor, felt nostalgia towards the Jahiliyyah social life, but when they chose to embrace the rules of Islam, they found themselves influenced by it and the Qur’an in particular… Therefore, a feeling of godliness appeared in their souls, characterized by noble love and devotion. The result was a new attitude towards the woman which becomes as a melody which is not void from pain but is an ascetic melody… This noble flirtation (al-Ghazal al-‘Afif) was, in fact, a faithful mirror of the ambition to reach the perfect example of love…50 However, Taha Hussein does not forget the fact that this form of poetry did not exist in the Jahiliyyah period. He argues that Arab poets in Islamic time understood love poetry better than their predecessors did. Al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri aspired to the description of faithful emotions and feelings which cause pain to the lover. For some poets in this poetic form, pleasure resided in the pains the lover undergoes, especially in the impossibility for him to come close to the beloved, and in his separation from her. More importantly, Taha Hussein claims that al-Ghazal was not a craft a Jahiliyyah poet was typically known for. Instead, it was incorporated as an element within the poetic narrativity of the Jahiliyyah. In Islamic times, by contrast, al-Ghazal detached itself as a poetic discourse from classical Arabic literature and became a new genre. ‘Umar b. Abi Rabi‘ah, therefore, claimed the throne of al-Ghazal al-Hissi, and the poet Jamil b. Ma‘mar of al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri, and both of them became famous artists of this craft. It is to be noted that those who pursue pleasure in their poetry as an art form belong to the luxurious elite of al-Hijaz and al-Muhajirun 50 Taha Hussein, Hadith al-Arbi‘a’. Cairo 1928, 1:185.

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wa-l-Ansar who inherited great fortunes from their forefathers. Those who followed the ascetic life, on the other hand, were Bedouins, and their beloved were Bedouins too. Taha Hussein’s arguments, however, were not accepted by Muslim scholars. Ahmad Muhammad al-Hufi, for example, does not see eye to eye with Taha Hussein’s differentiation between sensual and spiritual love, as each being the subject of a different social classes.51 Moreover, al-Hufi disagrees with him on the birth of al-Ghazal. He claims that this type of poetry is impossible to trace historically, both in its beginning and changes through time. Gibb, on the other hand, in his work Arabic Literature, bases his suggestion that love poetry began during the Umayyad dynasty in his understanding that poets were welcomed into the royal court. In fact, among the first court poets, famous at the time of the Umayyad dynasty, were alAkhtal, Jarir, and al-Farazdaq. When we examine closely the legacy of poetry we have inherited from the Jahiliyyah, it is unconvincing to ascribe the birth of al-Ghazal to the early Islamic period solely. In fact, Jahiliyyah poetry is rich in verses relating to this poetic genre. The richness of al-Ghazal, which became the focus of many poets who made it their profession in Islamic time, must not diminish what poets in Jahiliyyah had introduced into Arabic poetry. A remarkable change, however, is apparent, primarily in the way alGhazal al-‘Udhri became more encouraged by the spirit of the age. That is why there was more richness and talents to it in the poetry of the Jahiliyyah period. Poets of the genre of Platonic love poetry in both Jahiliyyah and Islamic times, share the same themes. Both of them tend to limit themselves to one beloved, praising her spiritual more than her physical beauty, translating their emotion with intensity, and their minute depiction of the pain of separation. Arabs lived in the environment of natural beauty, away from any artificiality. As those who lived in a tribal system in the desert, they were fascinated by the beauty of the natural phenomena, the moon, the stars, the night and the beauty of the gazelle. These all produced individual poets who sought solace in nature and isolated themselves, contemplating love and feeding their hearts and mind with thoughts about the beloved. Moreover, Arabs are sensitive to beauty and fascinated by the clouds and the rain, the lightning and thunder, and most of all the shape of sand dunes and rivers. Thus when their poetry began, it roared from the Jahiliyyah to Islamic times and rumbled like the thunder they heard in the desert. Still, the woman remained the focal point which continued to haunt 51 Ahmad Muhammad al-Hufi, al-Ghazal fi al-‘Asr al-Jahili. Beirut n.d., p. 176.

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their poetic creativity. Arab poets, in general, viewed her personifying beauty in its highest form, or to put it in al-Hufi’s words: The Arab woman reached a position where she became the Sultan reigning over the ports.52 To illustrate the content of al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri, we would like to quote the following story;

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A poet was once asked: How come your heart is like that bird? He replied: What we are able to see in her eyes, you are incapable of seeing.53 Beside the woman’s right to inherit and to own property with control over it without the consent of her husband, she also partook of literary endeavors. Khadija represents an example of how women were financially independent, while al-Khansa’ serves as a perfect type of a literary activist who challenged poets in suq ‘Uqdha.54 In short, we can conclude that women were the source of inspiration for poets’ fine verses as well as for warriors on the battlefield. Stories of amorous relationships involving family ties can be read in the case of Jamil b. Ma‘mar and ‘Urwah b. Hizam who each fell in love with their cousin, to sometimes having tribal life as its root, as in the case of Majnun Layla (Qays b. al-Mulawwah) who used to meet Layla when they were both shepherds. We find other stories that trace the birth of love from the first glance or the first voice the lovers encounter while they are on pilgrimage at al-Ka‘bah. Other stories suggest that there existed women singers who used to meet poets and noble men in nights of pleasure involving wine, dance, and music. Such meetings, after resulting in a love affair, sometimes led to marriage. In fact, scholars are unable to prove that these women singers were solely of Arab origin, because there is some speculation which postulates that they were either from Persia or Greece. We know the story of Sarah who went to the prophet and then converted to Islam.55 It should be noted that Arabic poetry contains realistic aspects in its formation, and when we examine it, it reveals to us lived experience of the poets. 52 Ibid., p. 184. 53 Ibn Qutaybah, ‘Uyun al-Akhbar. n.d., 4:131. 54 For a clear picture of the role of the woman in pre-Islamic times, consult ‘Abdallah ‘Afifi, al-Mar’ah al-‘Arabiyyah fi Jahiliyyatiha wa fi Islamiha; Hodgson, The Venture of Islam vol. I; Reynold A. Nicholson, A Literary History of the Arabs (1970); P.K. Hitti, History of the Arabs. London: MacMillan, p. 149. 55 ‘Ali b. Burhan al-Din al-Halabi, Insan al-‘Uyun. Cairo 1329h.

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The Aesthetics of al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri

In our reading and analysis of the characteristics of al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri in Islamic time, we conclude that it bears not only a resemblance to the Jahiliyyah poetic tradition, but also imitation. In other words, both poetic traditions share the same motifs. Consequently, this suggests that it is possible to hypothesize that this genre of love poetry has its roots in the pre-Islamic period. Characteristics of al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri

We chose to read closely two main figures of the Jahiliyyah who represent best the nature of this genre of love poetry (Platonic love). They are ‘Urwah b. Hizam and ‘Abdallah b. ‘Ajlan. The poet Urwah b. Hizam, famous for his his love of ‘Afra’, composed a poem of eighty-two verses, all of which dramatize his reflection on the spiritual love he felt towards her. The entire narrative depicts the pain and the suffering of the soul, and is void of any physical description of the beloved. He writes:

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Memories of you obsess me and shake my heart/ Creeping between my skin and bones. She suddenly appears before my eyes/ I am speechless, standing still.56 The poet introduces the reader by evoking an image which conveys the absence of the beloved. This is the shadow-like presence that haunts him whenever memories of her strike him. The two verses above contain elements which are characteristic of Ghazal al-‘Udhri. First we have the notion of preparation implied by the key word memories suggesting that the beloved was gone and that the poetic voice is under the spell of loneliness. The only way the poetic voice can break this spell is to touch his beloved through illusions, which is the second characteristic apparent in these verses. In fact the poet captures the sense of longing that drives the lover to break contact with reality and embark on an imaginary journey to meet the beloved. This time, it is only through an illusionary presence. Hence, the poet is able to exploit poetic techniques to the extreme by portraying the speaking voice, the lover, in motion while contemplating the absence of the beloved. However, when she appears in his imagination, the poet depicts him in a state of shock; is he speechless due to her beauty, or is it 56 Kitab al-Aghani 20:155.

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more a manifestation of his intense longings? As we follow, in another poem, the continuous scenes portraying vividly what the lover goes through, we come to a stage where we find him on the verge of submitting to the harshness of the destiny that separates him from his beloved. However, he does not give in completely, because we can still see and feel through his words that there is a glimmer of hope. This time, it is a hope to meet the beloved in the next world.

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If only those who love each other, either souls of humans or beasts, can unite. I aspire for al-Hashr57 when it is said ‘Afra’ and I will certainly unite.58 A careful reading of these verses suggests that the poet is capable to present a lover in very realistic terms. We can almost see, touch, and feel his pain. It is a picture of a lover that is sometimes present in all of us as humans. The poet, moreover, hints that the chains of love can also reach beasts and make them experience the suffering of separation. In fact, when humans, whatever their beliefs might be, are hit by the hardship of life, they attempt to look for the other life. Otherwise, life and the pains of love both become insurmountable and, in short, it is absolute death. Thus there is only one thing that can comfort the lover’s heart: his hope to unite with his lover (in our context, to unite with ‘Afra’). Besides, this call of hope transcends the wordly and penetrates the other world. Here, we can read the possibility that the poet will meet with his beloved in this world; but thanks to divine mercy their union is certain in the world to come, on the Day of Resurrection, when all souls fulfill their desires. Another characteristic that is prominent in al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri in Jahiliyyah time is a commitment to one single beloved. ‘Urwa and his love for ‘Afra’, ‘Antarah and his love to ‘Ablah, to name but a few. Moreover, there are poets who depicted the suffering and wounds inflicted by the arrows of love to the extent that they lead to death. Al-Hubb al-‘Udhri, the Courteous Love, was often defined as deadly love. For some literary scholars, this form of love can be seen as a myth, where the Bedouin tribes al ways glorified death dealt by love. This might be, in Lucien Goldmann’s words,59 “the highest form of one’s self-consciousness”. There is a story about a poet, ‘Abdallah b. ‘Ajlan, who once saw Hind bathing among other maidens. Hind shows her long hair and slim body; the poet soon found 57 The day of resurrection. 58 Abu ‘Ali al-Qali, Al-Nawadir. n.d., p. 158. 59 Goldmann, Lucien, Pour une Sociologie du Roman. Paris:Gallimard 1964.

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himself imprisoned by her beauty and her magical glances. As a result he offered the following description: I was known of being mighty and noble/ If I want I can touch the sky. Then the arrows from her eyes thrust into/ My heart, I wish I could shoot them back.60 If we examine the verses above from a structural point of view, we find the poet writing an evocative device around which the text stands. From one perspective, we have a description of his might and nobility for which the sky is the limit. From another perspective, we see a description of the magic eyes capable of weakening his might. Moreover, the images introduced reflect the impact of love that can reach and hurt one from afar in the form of flying arrows. The story of the poet Ibn ‘Ajlan came to the point where he married Hind, although, after seven years, their relationship came to the end when his father separated them.61

The Characteristics of al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri in the Islamic Time

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It is clear that the transition from Jahiliyyah to the Islamic time marked a radical change in the life of the Arabs, but poetry remained their favorite medium with which to express their feelings, desires, and loves. Ibn Khaldun notes in his Muqaddimah: It is notable, however, that the Qur’an did not condemn or attack poetry for being, but instead was against those that showed disrespect for the new faith. It is said in a hadith (oral tradition) that the prophet once remarked: To have one’s throat filled with pus Is better that to have it filled with poetry. On the other hand, it is interesting to point out the way Mecca and Med ina flourished and consequently influenced the life of Arabs. At the time the opulence and the wealth pouring from the conquests, along with contact with foreign cultures, offered the people la joie de vivre. This lifestyle would last for centuries before Arabs would find their dreams and fantas60 Tazyin al-Aswaq, p. 50. 61 The separation happened because Hind was a barren woman, as well as not coming from a noble family. Since the father wanted his son ‘Abdallah to continue his name, he made him divorce Hind. When he refused her father gathered all the people from the community and forced the separation.

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ies being hit by reality. A very important element Arabs developed in the aesthetics of their poetry during those years is the way they incorporated music. The musical factor in Arabic poetry was fundamentally an outcome of their contact with the conquered lands. Courtier singers became famous in the Umayyad Dynasty. The Kitab al-Aghani (The Book of Songs) by Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani is an exemplary piece of writing wherein one can find how powerfully music became part of the Arabs’ life. What concerns us here, however, is: What kind of relationship music developed with poetry and what is their connection to the al-Ghazal in general and alGhazal al-‘Udhri in particular? The warm welcome Arab poets showed toward music as an art form made love poetry flourish. Poets found love to be the subject matter which best fitted their poetic imagination. The theme of love continued to cover a considerable part of their poems and songs. We must bear in mind, however, that, within poetry as an established literary genre in the Arab life, other sub-genres in this period of transition, like praise, lampoons, laments, witnessed a decline. By contrast, love poetry would flourish in this period and reach its peak with famous poets like Jamil b. Ma‘mar and ‘Umar b. Abi Rabi‘ah. Arab literary scholars regarded the influence of music as a major factor that modified and refined Arabic poetics. In other words, Arabic poetry acquired a new characteristic that would add to its aesthetics and uniqueness. This is usually attributed to the way poets developed an interest in simple and easy language, one that is suited to the taste of the hearer of a new civilized and prosperous society (Mecca and Medina). Some even went so far as to view this new endeavor to improve the poetic roots as removing the dry Bedouin touch from Arabic poetry. Moreover, the New Ghazal poetry did not only differ from the Jahiliyyah Ghazal in its musical and stylistic characteristic but also in the presentation of new meanings. For example, it broke away from those images of Jahiliyyah which used to evoke a motive of al-buka’ ‘ala al-atlal wa ‘ala al-diyar (the crying for the beloved one and the traces of her). This is a poetic device found in the preludes poets use to open their works with it. It usually contains memories and recollections of the beloved and the things she left behind. Before embarking on our analysis of Jamil b. Ma‘mar and Qays b. Dharih as the two examples who will represent the Ghazal al-‘Udhri in the Islamic time, we must pay attention to the social position of women in this new society. We must acknowledge the fact that Mecca and Medina offer the woman a freedom (hurriya) to appear openly to man; thus, eventually to be a central theme for the poets. Yet, in the context of both cultural and religious milieus in which the woman lived, one should distin43

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guish between two degrees of freedom. On the one hand, the woman could exercise a kind of freedom and still keep her dignity and morals; on the other hand, she could demonstrate a degree of freedom to the extent that it reaches al-ibaha (indulgence), by which she becomes a mere object for man’s pleasure. When women appeared in public, they were often the target of the poets’ imagination and creativity. Women, to be noted, admired this subgenre of love poetry which exalted their beauty. Moreover, women could see themselves, reflected in the poems, through the eyes of the poet. Trough this sub-genre they were able to read about their spiritual and physical qualities with immediacy. In fact, the triangular relationship discussed above and which includes the woman (reality), the poet (artist), and the poem (creativity), urges us to discuss the products of poetic creativity in its entirety. We can represent and describe it in the following way:

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Woman --- Reality Poet --- Artist Poem --- Creativity The poet, in the first stage, is inspired by the woman he sees in reality. We can argue that at this level the woman is seen in black and white. At this level, the woman is transformed in the process of the poet’s imagination, fantasies, and creativity. Hence, he produces a colorful picture of her. At this reciprocal level, the woman is able to see herself (reading or hearing the poem) through the eyes of a poet’s and the way he portrays her. The woman, therefore, becomes a created persona within the poet’s imagination. Simone de Beauvoir would see it similarly centuries later: “Si la femme n’existait pas, les hommes l’auraient inventée.”62 We recall stories of how pleased al-Turaggah b. Abdallah al-Amawiyyah in Mecca, Sukaynah bint Husayn and ‘A’ishah bint Talhah in Medina were by these flirtations. Courteous love was the foundation on which al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri flourished. This type of love was sometimes described as an incurable disease that penetrates the lover’s heart, but only a response from the beloved can heal him. In Kitab al-Aghani a considerable part that describes the longing of the lovers can be read. If their thirst for the beloved, consequently, becomes for the angelic reading in heaven and impossible to reach, and thus their poetry becomes a form of ritual. As we mentioned above, we chose to examine some verses of two poets of the Islamic time who composed significant poems of courteous love, 62 Quoted from Pierre Daco, Comprendre les femmes. Paris: Marabout 1974, p. 97.

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Qays b. Dharih and Jamil b. Ma‘mar. The poet Qays b. Dharih’s love story begins when he falls in love with Lubna and marries her. When Lubna realizes that she will be rejected, she leaves unnoticed, leaving Qays haunted by her shadow and suffering from their separation. He describes his pain: What I experience in the absence of Lubna/ Is a hell, even wine can’t cool it down. When my soul calls for Lubna/ I’ve become weary looking for an answer. In the two verses above, one notices a remarkable depiction of the lover’s pains. The poet achieved this poetic effects through a series of clichés which range from describing the suffering of separations as hell to the wine which cannot take away the pain. These clichés continue to haunt Arabic poetry through the ages, and we can find them even in modern songs from which we will list but few verses of ‘Abd al-Halim Hafiz who says in one of his songs: She has gone. She took my hope and disappeared. She took my dreams and left… Your love is a fire. Another example where we can see the intensity of longing that inhabits the lover’s heart is when he says:

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To ever sleep I wish myself It offers dreams where I am with you. My dreams tell me I am seeing you If only those dreams would come true. We can still remember from previous comments that the lovers usually come to a point where they break touch with reality. Therefore, dreams and illusions become their favorite (or only) world where they can find comfort and peace. This imaginary world does not only offer peace, but it is also a place where they can meet the beloved. More importantly, this stage marks a complete isolation from their surroundings (reality); and that is where the experience of love becomes a personal journey. It is a journey where the lover finds himself seeing, feeling, hearing, smiling, and touching what his fellow people cannot. Although lovers are called people who have lost their senses, in fact, they have not: it is only a manifestation of their lived (personal) love experience. The verses above offer a good example of a personal journey. We see the poetic voice escaping 45

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from the harsh reality which tortures him in the absence of Lubna, to the illusory world where he can see her. The life story of Qays and Lubna tells that when she knew about his pain, she felt for him and found herself spontaneously addressing the raven saying:

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O beautiful raven, your color is fading away, You are someone feeling the pains of separation. You are still heartbroken, left helpless as you are, I remain helpless too. The poetic structure on which the verses above achieves a considerable degree of poeticity lies in the way the poet conveys her pains through the vivid image she creates of the raven. In fact, if the raven is not a mirror in which her own physical and psychological state is reflected, at least it is an extension of her own self. In the romantic tradition it is not unusual to find lovers revealing their feelings and suffering to nature. Lubna, here, found nobody to soothe her pains except the bird (raven). Certainly, this romantic aspect does not only belong to eighteenth-century Europe, but might also have its roots in Arabic poetry and in the very early verses, the human yearning for love to be sung. Jamil, who grew up in the tribe of al-‘Udhra, was a contemporary of Marwan of the Ummayad Dynasty. He lived his own rawi.63 That is why scholars argue that Jamil’s poetry is the most credible in the ‘Udhri tradition. In Arabic genealogical thought, it is claimed that Jamil acquired his poetic artistry through the teaching of Hudbah b. Khashram, who was the student of al-Hutay’ah; the latter, we know, is the student of Zuhayr who is the author of one of the Mu‘allaqat (the poetry suspended on the Ka‘bah). This school came to be known because of its excellence in the art of poetry and mnemonics. Jamil was known also for his love to Buthaynah. This love witnessed its debut in early childhood, and Buthaynah became the muse of Jamil’s poetic achievement. As they come to a mature age, Buthaynah was deprived of seeing Jamil, though their family knew that the love which united them was a virtuous one. As the result, Buthaynah was obliged to keep away from him, even though she still loved him. This separation, again the prominent theme in Ghazal al-‘Udhri and one of its main characteristics, intensified Jamil’s love for Buthaynah which is subsequently reflected in the verses where he depicts his pains caused by her. In one of his poems he recites: 63 A narrator, a person who memorizes and transmits the poet’s work.

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If she left my mind in my possession, should I still claim it? I conjure the time my mind was in agony. Brethren, have you seen during your lifetime A murdered one crying from love like me? Please, Buthaynah, don’t kill me any more, I can’t understand what blessing is found in killing. In the Arabic tradition, fathers abhor giving their daughters in marriage to those who made them the center of their poetry. Consequently, Buthaynah, according to her father’s wishes, was forced to marry another person. The verse above depicts Jamil not only as a wounded person, but also as a murdered one. He is presented as a voice reaching us from the world of death, a world he was forced into when he lost Buthaynah, and nothing was left for him but to weep endlessly. One can describe this particular situation of the poet Jamil as one who views his beloved as a Paradise Lost, while his actual life, to put it bluntly, is hell. Here are some other verses which also describe Jamil’s pain and suffering:

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From the burning love my heart turned black She is death, or on the edge of it. Buthaynah! Whenever my soul revives you After a time, it becomes ruined.64 Again, the verses above portray the poet as a desperate individual whose love remains unfulfilled. Moreover, the beloved has become associated with the image of death that haunts his days. Yet, the poet often finds himself incapable of controlling his soul whenever it clings to the memories of the beloved. Stories about the love of Jamil for Buthaynah tell us that there came a time when she became a kind of goddess he prayed to until his death in Egypt. When the news of his death reached Buthaynah, she mourned for him the rest of her life. The fundamental aspect all the stories share and which represents the major characteristics of this sub-genre of this love poetry (al-Ghazal al‘Udhri) can be summarized in the following: We have noticed that the structure of these stories might be described as like a journey through which the lovers go, a journey that begins with a confession of love to the beloved, a response

64 Jamil’s verses are taken from al-Aghani, 8:90.

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from her, catastrophe, separation, and the tragic end of both lovers.65 In fact, if one attempts to understand the love experience and the poetry of Jamil,‘Urwah, Qays and ‘Ajlan our chosen subjects for this study, one must not see it in its entirety. Its essential power lies rather in the way we observe it when broken down into sections or stages. Each section communicates a different stage of life and distinguished experience the lovers go through; as this is reflected to a considerable degree in the spirit of the verses composed. This can be seen, for example, in the first section, which marks the beginning of the lovers’ union, either through physical (not the sensual sense, but rather a simple presence together) or spiritual consent. This initial contact is always achieved through the medium of a glance, a smile, or fragrance. At this stage we find the poet cherishing the joy of falling in love. The next stage that follows and solidifies the amorous relationship, is when the lover’s call is answered by the beloved. This response is usually conveyed in a vivid metaphor like: quenching his thirst for her. The love experience reaches a crucial point where uncontrollable forces intrude and derail the progress of the lover’s aspiration to a full physical and spiritual union, provoking catastrophe. These forces are always embodied in the social milieu in which the lovers operate. It is most often the will of the father which stands as an obstacle to their love. This, consequently, leads to their separation which is regarded as a stage where the intensity of love along with poetic creativity reach their peak. The poetic narrative contains, at this climactic point, a depiction of the pains and longing which rule the lovers’ lives. By its very nature, this section tends to be the longest, during which the poet (lover) has only one possible way of encountering the shadow of his beloved. It is in the world of isolation, agony, memories, illusion, and sometimes madness. The only way which offers him comfort is when he arranges his pains in the vase of poetry, because it is a vessel where he can record his woes. Poetry becomes an escape, a favorite medium through which he can express what stirs deep in his soul. The final stage that all the stories of al-Hubb al-‘Udhri (virtuous or courteous love) have in common is the tragic death of the lover, a death from the burning love that nothing, except a reunion with the beloved, can heal. Unfortunately such a reunion has long been buried in a grave marked The Impossible.

65 Dr. Ahmad Muhammad al-Hufi, al Ghazal fi l-‘asr al-jahili. Beirut 1961, p. 164-212.

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Al-Ghazal al-Hissi: Sensual (Passionate) Love Poetry Even to scratch the surface of al-Ghazal al-Hissi as a second sub-genre of love poetry raises several questions about the art of poetry in general. These questions that penetrate deep enough as to shake the long-settled foundations of poetry and make us rethink of the nature and functions that constitute its identity are: What is poetry? And what are its limits? To list but a few. During the period of classical Greece, poetry was considered, more or less, to be a didactic discourse.66 Its aim, in other words, was to teach. The poet was denied the right to speak using the multiple voices that constitute his creative mind as a human being: his sensuality, pleasure, desire and the like. Instead, he was reduced to a promoter of noble feeling. One can sometimes wonder about whether he is an artist or voice of morality. This Greek tradition continued to influence artistic achievement in the Western world, and when exactly its influence ended is debatable. One can understand why, for example, Aristotle constructed the definition of poetry in his Poetics, a fundamental piece of writing that set the goal not only for drama but for artistic endeavors as a whole. Poetry in its essence, however, ran against the rules and visions of Greek artistic tradition. It continued to exercise its freedom and entertain the notion that art, if referred to as such, is for art’s sake. Hence, sensual love poetry was welcomed and developed in many literary traditions in the ages that followed. In Arabic poetry, on the other hand, this sub-genre of love poetry which became known as Ghazal al-Hissi contributed a great deal to Arabic poetics. It generally contains images that typify the aesthetic of genuine Arabic poetry. Some literary scholars view the perfect example of poetic creation as being related to the poet’s commitment to their social convention, religion, and admiration of noble and divine feelings. Others argue that poetry which contains extreme scenes of sensuality must also be considered great poetry. Thus khamriyyat (wine poems, celebrateing the love for wine and what it offers) of Abu Nuwas and al-A‘sha, the legacy of ‘Umar al-Qays, and the talents of Umar b. Abi Rabi‘a in this basic form enriched the content of Arabic poetry and was considered great art. In Arabic tradition, al-Ghazal al-Hissi was defined as an expression of a form of love which is fundamentally motivated by longings for the body of a beautiful woman. Unlike al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri, it has absolutely no dramatization of the beloved’s virtuous qualities or the burning love. More 66 Plato and Aristotle.

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importantly, these longings are not limited to one single woman, which constitutes a fundamental characteristic of al-Hubb al-‘Udhri, but are rather directed to several women. The nature of this love, which is temporary, unlike courteous love, is significantly reflected in the images evoked. By contrast, the poet of al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri indulges in the bombastic images of the beloved. Literary historians argue that the presence of sensual love poetry as a distinctive genre in Arabic poetics goes back as far as the conquest of Yemen by the kingdom of the Habesha (Ethiopia). We can therefore say that it was then that Arabic poetry acquired this genre and continued to develop it. However, one can also argue that traces of Persian as well as Roman influences are apparent. Moreover, if we wanted to expand this argument, we could say that the genre of al-Ghazal al-Hissi is influenced directly by the poetry of Ethiopia, and from this poetry Arab poets in the peninsula borrowed poetic techniques for dealing with sensuality. Thus, we conclude that the Ethiopian influence remains a major element which paved the way for al-Ghazal al-Hissi to flourish. The poet Imru’ al-Qays, who is considered to be the master of this genre, was originally from Kindah, which was a primary destination for many Ethiopian poets. We know also that al-A‘sha had visited the South almost every year, where he had the opportunity to listen to singers coming from Ethiopia. We may even say that the poet ‘Umar b. Abi Rabi‘ah of the Islamic time established contact with artists and art which came from al-Habesha and Yemen. Representing al-Ghazal al-Hissi in the Jahiliyyah time, we will focus on Imru’ al-Qays and al-A‘sha. Imru’ al-Qays describes one of his pleasurable experiences with a beautiful woman in the following way: My nights invite me to pleasure, I answer the call and the eyes of She whom I desired tell me: Enjoy your life, you are but a mortal Of delirium and charming women. White like a gazelle and tawny idols, Which are protected and shine like jewelry.67 A close reading of Imru’ al-Qays’ verses above reveals that the poetic diction he crafted reflects the spirit of sensual love in al-Ghazal al-Hissi as a distinguished form. It is a form that exploits the spirit of sensual love to the extreme. We know that the night is used by some of the poets to make their contact with the sublime (Sufi poets) and by others it is an opportunity to encounter the shadow of the lost beloved (‘Udhri poets). For po67 Imru’ al-Qays, Diwan. Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-‘Arabi 2006, p. 188.

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ets of al-Ghazal al-Hissi, the night is exclusively used to denote all forms of sensuality, pleasure and, above all, sexual delight. Other key words related to what the night denotes haunt the verses: pleasure, eyes, desire, delicious, charming women. The personification of the night, however, became an extension of the female personae who invite and seduce the poetic voice for pleasure. The eyes personified, too, add to the seductive power the night displays. The series of personification devices tends to evoke a vivid image of voices driving him to enjoy every moment of his life in his world fully, since he is a mortal being. The pleasure of this life, according to this context, is reduced to lust for beautiful women. Another poet, whom we consider a perfect example of poets celebrating joy and pleasure, is al-A‘sha al-Kabir, who is known also as Maymun Abu Basir. Some claim that even he embraced the prophet. He continued to exercise his poetic imagination in al-Ghazal al-Hissi, his favorite form.68 On the other hand, he is considered to have composed more poetry relating to the joy of wine than anybody else during the Jahiliyyah period. Besides this, he distinguished himself as a poet who was talented in praise poetry and lampoons. What concerns us more here is his love poetry, which is characterized by a pursuit of sensual delight. A major poetic concept alA‘sha shared with Imru’ al-Qays is al-surah al-qasasiyyah (images of a story), whereby the poet himself or the poetic voice recounts or describes his adventures to reach the beloved ones who are married: I kept following her and he kept guarding her Until I came closer when the night approached. I waited until his eyes became heedless Then I targeted his dearest one in her waist. He is a guard in the day and a negligent man at night Secluded she became for the one who sought her pleasure.69 Evidently, the remarkable coherence that held our attention in these lines is the result of this aspect of al-surah al-qasasiyyah on which the whole narrative is constructed. Furthermore, in our experience of the text we get the impression that we are reading a narrative, as the structure and the verses bear resemblance to the way stories are crafted. A metaphorical reading of this passage, which constitutes the climax of the poem, would reveal to us an antagonistic duel between two knights whose main target 68 A‘sha’s poetry combines characteristics of both urban and Bedouin traditions. He contributed much to the genre of wine poetry and musical instruments. It is said that he did not convert to Islam. See Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature, p. 147. 69 Al-A‘sha, Diwan. Ed. Muhammad Husayn, Cairo: Maktabat al-Adab 1950, p. 23.

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is a woman. On one side, we have the husband guarding her, on the other, we have the intruding lover. One can read it as a troubadour’s song in which the female is the main target, and every man is allowed to reach her. He might seem like a mythical hero who goes on a voyage to save a virgin from her death, save a nation or perform a miracle. However, the lover here is simply going to have pleasure with the beloved. The mood of suspense, the nocturnal setting, and the woman who is the object of this duel all constitute an image of a male machismo par excellence. There is also a sense of heroic maneuver when we view the lover veiling the target, the beloved, with tremendous skill. He stays awake, waiting for her keeper, the husband, to let his guard down, only to make his move to the world of pleasure with the beloved. The heroism of the lover lies, then, not in overcoming the guards of the tribe and his conquest of their milieu, but in defeating the husband (a tougher guard) and conquering the body of his wife. In addition, a bitter sarcasm runs through the narrative in the way the lover mocks the husband who guards his wife in daylight and becomes heedless at night. In another poem, we find a similar adventurous journey to enjoy the beloved whose husband is right beside her. Al-A‘sha describes the way he sneaks in the midst of night to the beloved in the following verses:

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She, like you, was a youthful woman Whose body was anointed with fragrance. I reached out in the dark After a heedless eye, she was aroused. I became her husband’s caliph And a loving master for her.70 To represent the tradition of al-Ghazal al-Hissi in the post-Jahiliyyah period, we will now discuss ‘Umar b. Abi Rabi‘ah and al-Ahwas. The former was born to an aristocratic family of the Quraysh tribe. His father was from Mecca and his mother from Yemen. His life is reflected in his poetry, which is dominated by the glorification of pleasure and sensuality. There are some stories which tell us that several singers, both male and female, resided in his home and sung his poetry. The musical aspect of his poetry allowed his literary works to survive. Hence not only did he die, his diwan was considered the greatest of his time, but he is also viewed as a great in the history of Arabic poetry. An important characteristic of his poetry is his skill in combining poetic language with that of music. He was always able to create melodies, rhythms, and tunes that fit the simple language of 70 Ibid., 51.

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his poetry. At the time of circumambulation of the Ka‘bah every year, ‘Umar b. Abi Rabi‘ah used to target beautiful women. He once described it in the following: People come to circumambulate for mercy And my sins are all gathered in the circumambulation. There are few instances in his poetry where there is a description of his own suffering from love. The dominant factor in his verses is the self-glorification, his arrogance, and his attractiveness. In fact, his love for women and pleasure is limitless and he is not a lover who describes longing for the woman; instead, he always speaks for his beloved yearning for him. The reader should be reminded that a poet (lover) who belongs to the tradition of al-Ghazal al-Hissi does not have one single beloved, but several of them. Here, ‘Umar speaks of the pains and the longings of his beloved: She said when she knew I was desiring her O, ‘Umar, I wish I had died before this day. Thinking of another beloved he said: There is nothing to delight the soul And to please the eyes, but ‘Umar is above it. He rendered the thought of the third one as follows: If people are summoned and choose the most handsome ones I will not choose but him (‘Umar).

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‘Umar’s poetic imagination goes to the extent to depict three sisters discussing his charm. In the following two verses, the reader will be able to see how the poet is capable of reducing the complex feeling of love and attraction they have towards him: The oldest said do you know the lad The middle one answered, yes, it is ‘Umar. The young one said, enslaved by love, We know him, and the moon does conceal.71 Al-Ghazal al-Hissi tends to evoke the desire of women and make them surrender to the will of pleasure by way of the suggestive language he adopts. We have witnessed during the different examples of poets we have discussed that the lover (often the poet himself) is presented as someone 71 ‘Umar b. Abi Rabi‘ah, Diwan (Der Diwan des Umar ibn Abi Rebi’a, ed. P. Schwartz, Leipzig: Olms 1901).

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who is thirsty for the body of the beloved one(s). This is, in fact, a conventional theme that haunts Arabic love poetry. To talk about ‘Umar b. Abi Rabi‘ah is to talk about an exception to this literary tradition, because he creates a picture of his beloved immersed in thought of him, longing for him, and dying for him. Hence, in his poetry, ‘Umar is the beloved, but not a lover. Furthermore, ‘Umar explores every single aspect of love poetry as a genre. His poetic skills range from highly ornamented style to simple language. The latter, however, is what characterizes Umar’s poetic sensibility. In fact, I wish I died before this day… delight of the soul… the moon conceal… might look simple, but this simplicity must not deceive us as sensitive readers of poetry, since it is a form of poetic composition which is capable of portraying a lived and complex experience, of feelings. This type of writing requires prodigious skill and creativity; it is a mode which explores in depth what a sophisticated and bombastic style sometimes cannot. Another poet who represents al-Ghazal al-Hissi well is al-Ahwas (‘Abdallah b. Muhammad). Like ‘Umar b. Abi Rabi‘ah, he led his life in the pursuit of pleasure, which he celebrates in his love poetry. Unlike ‘Umar, who was from a noble family, al-Ahwas was from a poor family; a social position that often made him go to al-Sham (Damascus) and praise the caliphs of the Umayyad dynasty, as in the following example:

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My wealth was not a result of commerce Nor possessed from inheritance. But it was a gift from the blessed leader whose generosity and justice ruled the land.72 An attentive reading of al-Ahwas’ love poetry, on the other hand, reveals that the man is a master of love. To put it differently, he was a poet able to access and play every string of human feeling, invoking desire, joy, and pleasure. Here is a famous verse that best exemplifies to what extend he was in tune with love’s special melodies: If you never loved nor knew what passion means You might as well be a lifeless piece of stone.73 As we notice, the poet is able to articulate an outstanding allusion to the nature of love. Love for him is life, and the one who does not possess this quality like a dead person. This stone metaphor, representing a deceased 72 Al-Aghani. 73 Ibid.

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person, is an extreme association that describes someone whose heart and soul are void of love. In addition, the obscene language al-Ahwas used in his verses made women avoid personal contact with him for the fear of being an object of his creativity: She wants to achieve reverence and divinity, alas Her hiding can protect her from divinity of sin.74 The poet here captures the beloved’s emotional state which is conflicted between her desire to answer his call and her loyalty to the socio-religious milieu. In fact, it is a picture of human struggle shackled by a body-mind duality and its conflict. There is, however, another aspect in al-Ahwas’ life which is seen as characterized by purity of feelings and good intentions when literary scholars evaluate the poetry he composed addressing Umm Ja‘far al-Awsiyah. He once said about her:

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I wander and wander and if not because of Umm Ja‘far I would never find myself wandering around your place. I visited the houses that are next to hers And my heart is yearning for the unvisited house. I have never been a wanderer, but this is love, If it does not call this time, it will call one day.75 Without a doubt, the above verses were written by a poet whom we consider a distinguished figure in al-Ghazal al-Hissi. Nevertheless, they have peculiar aspects which resemble those we encountered in al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri; for example, the elements of distance between the lover and the beloved, his voice desperately trying to reach her, and most of all the sense of loss and bewilderment caused by love. We may recall our argument that al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri was not totally free of some sensual and passionate references to the woman. Likewise, we witnessed in the case of al-Ahwas, representing al-Ghazal al-Hissi, that, though he is a prominent figure in this genre of love poetry, we still encountered valid characteristics of al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri. Consequently, we came to the conclusion that both sub-genres share some poetic images relating either to women as the poet’s source of sensual fantasies or as divine beauties. We cannot imagine al-Ahwas was trying to put on the guise of an ‘Udhri poet and so display an extreme sense of divine sensibility when he says:

74 Ibid. 75 Ibid.

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Her love is a melody in my heart Inhibiting without complaint (speechlessly).76 A universal argument that has resonance in almost every literary tradition is the belief that poets (artists) are the product of their own environment. This has been, equally, an enduring presence during our evaluation of Arabic poetics. As we have seen in our examination of both schools of alGhazal, be it Hissi or ‘Udhri, each communicates a distinguished attitude towards the woman and, in particular, her beauty. Throughout our readings, we saw that al-Ghazal al-Hissi viewed the woman (more or less) for her physique. With al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri, by contrast, we entertained an image of a woman as a divine creature who feeds the soul of the lover whose life without her is, put simply, a hell. There is no doubt that a great number of poets reflect in their work what their social life conforms to. In other words, the poet becomes a symbol or the spokesman for the community, celebrating its values and its shared perception toward beauty. However, the poet might find himself in contrast – sometimes totally – with what his socio-cultural surroundings value. These types of poets are not only present in the Arabic literary tra dition, but also in others. They often find themselves developing a vision towards reality (life, beauty, love, the woman) of their own. When the collective vision of the community finds the poet’s individual vision intolerable, it usually alienates and rejects him. Thus, the poet turns into a rebel. In order to regain a place among his people, the poet tends by all means possible to incite his fellow people, gradually, to tolerate his voice and understand his personal perception of reality, in the hope of bringing considerable change within an already settled set or system of values. In fact, the poet, with all his skills, becomes like a parasitic and subversive phenomenon shaking the stability of the socio-cultural milieu within which he operates. These two types of poets, one a conformist and the other a rebel, are relevant to the ones we studied, some representing al-Ghazal al-‘Udhri, the others al-Ghazal al-Hissi. We know that the fertile soil from which the ‘Udhri poets were able to grow was the woman. The same soil, however, produced al-Hissi poets who went to the other extreme in their portrayal of the woman. Hence, we can argue that poets are individuals who may choose either to entertain the vision of their social milieu towards beauty and life, or to display an opposite attitude if they want to remain faithful to the spirit of their own poetic creativity. ‘Udhri poets, therefore, contin76 Ibid.

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ued to elaborate on a divine picture of those loved and their poetry evoked an image of the beloved as if residing in heaven. Hissi poets, by contrast, continued to explore every aspect of sensuality relating to the beauty of the woman, reducing her to an object of their fantasies.

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The Image of the Woman in Early Arabic Poetry: A Historical Perspective The human quest for meaning has been often confronted by three significant paths: birth, quest for food, that is life, and death. Similarly, these three stages are attached to one’s search for one’s artistic and aesthetic legacy. These notions of birth, life, and death continue to condition every human purpose. A human walks through these three stages. However, among the wandering that this human imagination was able to create, to live, and to achieve a degree of morality are our songs, poems, and what we leave behind us. Our concern shall be directed to the presence of images of the woman found in Arabic poetry, from the classical period to the early stages of the Islamic era. From the early stages of human history, women were considered sacred beings, since they were thought to be the only party responsible for procreation, men’s involvement still being unknown. Thus, man related the mystery of the woman’s fertility to that of the soil. That is why the soil was worshipped as a mother. This belief prevailed for long time even after man discovered that he also had a role in procreation. It is already noticed in Ancient Greece that, when a pregnant woman passes by a man, he bows to her as a sign of acknowledgement of her holiness. In ancient art, we find woman statues sculptured in an exaggerated form with a particular emphasis on her body parts of fertility and motherhood. By contrast, since early Arabs were not an agrarian society, one can hardly find images of a woman as a mother (fertile soil). Arabs were, in fact, inclined to develop a mysterious contact with the sun which is the foremost apparent power in their nomadic lives in the desert. Consequently, they viewed it as a form of motherhood and it remained for a long time as the holy mother in their collective consciousness. Interestingly, Arabic, being a Semitic language, refers to the sun in feminine form. In all the various images found in early Arabic poetry, there is no doubt that the notion of motherhood and fertility in the form of sacred sun (the mother) requires a close analysis. In fact, these images often relate to some life-giving phenomenon: The cow, the gazelle, the mare, the palm tree, and, most of all, women. Indeed, one cannot ignore the religious implications which shaped the minds that created these images. 57

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However, when we follow the evolution of early Arabic poetry, we notice that the religious images underwent, to some extent, a radical transformation, certainly due to the Arab poet’s developing artistic and aesthetic tradition. Arab poets, still, could not detach themselves from religious images relating to the woman. They continued rather to haunt Arabic poetry, and Arab poets found themselves, consciously or unconsciously, reproducing these images of fertility of their worshiped mother (the sun) in their portrayal of the woman. Providing no comfort for my passionate love… Delicate virgins, majestic and voluptuous beautiful faces with tender steps.77

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Bright when she appears at noon and Blows, suddenly, at dusk like Narcissus. When she smiles, she scatters hearts While reclining between throne and veil. She has a lovely body which Gathers both lucidity and nobility.78 An examination of these verses reveals that both poets created an image of the woman with no attentive description of her face. We can argue that during the process of creativity (the poet sculpting the statue with words), there is a close interaction which involves the poet and his subject. In fact, it seems as if the poet responds to the image of the woman (signified) which he was able to introduce with words. His response is often initially directed to the face (sub-sign process of creativity), but quickly shifting to a thorough portrayal of selected parts of the body (neck, breast, and her body movements). Henceforth, there exists in this creative process an image of a woman, a focal point whom we can term, the signified object, or subject. However, beneath the letter there lie several sub-signified subjects with which the poet finds himself absorbed. Among the sub-signified ones on which he concentrates are, fundamentally, the parts of the woman’s body ranging from the neck down to her toes. The face (sub-signified) remains, by contrast, devoid of a detailed description. The reader will encounter, however, some poets in both Jahiliyyah and Islamic times whose main concern is a meticulous depiction of the woman’s face, with only some attention paid to her other physical attributes. We can schematize this interaction 77 Al-Muraqqish, in al-Mufaddaliyyat (an old anthology of Arabic poetry), p. 231. 78 Al-A‘sha, Diwan.

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between the poet and his subject, a subject which constitutes the core of the creative process by which a poem (text) is born:

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Text (Poem) Subject (The Image of the Woman) Poet (The Personality) On the other hand, a closer reading shows the presence of a series of dialectical relationships which suggest fairness and closeness, seen and unseen, the wish to be close and the inability to be so, between the lover and the beloved. The latter is dramatized as appealing to the her man’s passions by never satisfying his visual desire. Fedwa Douglas, a growing feminist voice dealing with Arabic texts, would argue that this is a misrepresentation of the woman, Douglas views Arabic-Islamic literary tradition from Ibn Tufayl’s Hayy b. Yaqzan to Taha Hussein’s al-Ayyam as patriarchal discourse which reduces the woman to a mortal passivity. She reads the story of Hayy b. Yaqzan as elaborating on the world of men with negative representation of the woman. We have Hayy’s mother who rejects him, and when he grows up he is only able to develop a close relationship with ‘Azal and live together on an isolated island (alWaqwaq) void of women. Fedwa Douglas’s active reading deserves acknowledgement. However, it falls short of what the target reader would expect according to their own literary taste. She limits herself to one perspective, that of a feminist reader. To note but a few limitations in her analysis, she, in fact, overlooked b. Tufayl’s realistic portrayal of an abandoned child whose destiny and survival depended much on the gazelle (a powerful metaphor of motherhood), without whom Hayy would have never made it to adulthood and without whom the text would have never progressed. The gazelle, as a life-giver, was necessary for both of these things: on the one hand, she nourished and sheltered Hayy, who is the fundamental character in the story, on the other hand, he was able simultaneously to offer the breath of the continuity in the narrative. Fedwa Douglas’s misreading is, in fact, rooted in her commitment to the new wave of the feminist poetics. She overlooks the prominent position of the female personae in Arabic verse from ‘Antarah to Nizar Qabbani. In fact, she conducts an alienated reading which is out of touch and which overlooks the cultural implications that conditions the spirit of Arabic-Islamic writings. In our reading, by contrast, the woman exists either literally or metaphorically to the extent that any text without the female presence would not fulfill its raison d’être. Again, the image of the woman as a symbol of a worshiped sun/mother occurs in the first two lines by al-A‘sha. The visual image he created of the beloved:

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Bright at noon and yellow at dusk, reflects simply the sun itself. On the other hand, the close linking of the physical image of the woman to dolls or statues has a powerful significance in Arabic poetry of the pre-Islamic time. In fact, it is related to the former religion, where dolls and statues were offered as gifts either in the form of a woman or a horse. Both were considered as having the highest form of beauty and nobility. To go back and examine the word aldumya/al-duman in the different meanings in Lisan al-Arab79 would reveal that it has religious meaning which ranges from an image sculpted from marble: a statue. It also means a sculpted image with a red mark, which is probably a sign of beauty. Besides, in the pre-Islamic time, the word al-duman (dolls) was a form of a vow uttered in the manner la-wadduma. We find this image in A‘sha’s verses:

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I see her among her companions With pre-eminence in amusing the neighborhood. Like a doll whose prayer niche appears With gold in well-shaped marble.80 All these images of the woman being a worshiped doll, statue, and prayer niche reinforce the mythical power of the worshiped sun/mother. Obviously, the question that imposes itself on readers acquainted with Arabic poetics is: how can Fedwa Malti-Douglas and her feminist partisans escape the fact that the woman (a doll, statue, niche of prayer and beauty), is here lifted in Arabic verse to a position of a sacred being associated with the sun and the figure of the mother? A key word in the lines above, which raised some controversy is almihrab (the prayer niche). Beside the fact that its meaning resided in being a place or location for worship, it does not, however, preclude other literal or metaphorical readings. Among these readings, we should take note of those Arab scholars who speculated that the word, in fact, refers to a room found in a house where worship takes place. Beside the worshiped idols which one could find in a common setting, each house placed its own idols in those special rooms. At some point in pagan Arabia, statues of gazelles were set to be worshiped. The story about the digging of the Zamzam tells us how ‘Abd al-Muttalib came across two statues of golden gazelles. Modern scholars view this finding as a proof of existing worship of gazelles in pagan Arabia.81 79 Lisan al-‘Arab, 16:1431. 80 Al-A‘sha, Diwan. 81 Ahmad Kamal Zaki, Al-Asatir. Cairo 1975, p. 83.

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There are limitless images to the woman’s beauty, fertility and sacredness. Among these we note Arab poets, both in Jahiliyyah and Islamic times, who were obsessed with associating her with the image associating her with the gazelle and the palm tree. Abu Du’ad al-Iyadi’s fascination with the beauty of the woman is related in the following verses:

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They are seen on camels, litter like gazelles Unharmed by arrows. Palms of palm of Bisan spread when flowered And paired when sprout.82 There is no doubt that the verses above attest to a complex socio-cultural and religious phenomenon. From the first reading, we are introduced to familiar images relating to the woman. However, an insightful analysis involving an attentive reader would reveal that beneath this familiarity, there existed a web of meanings. This is open to interpretation especially in its continuous change from one literary period to another. The verses above offer two basic visual images pertaining to the beauty of women. On the one hand, they are unharmed gazelles; on the other, they are palms from the palm of Bisan. But the readings they invite, whether multiple or single, can be reduced in the following: the first image which associates women with the gazelles inclines more toward a metaphor of beauty. In fact, as we have seen, historically, it has religious implications. Similarly, the second image is also more than a metaphor of beauty, in the sense that palm trees are associated with worship in ancient pagan Arabia. Thus, both the gazelle and the palm tree were for a long time viewed as symbols of the sun/mother, the ultimate form of pagan worship. Yet diachronic study of these images proves that they have witnessed a change not only in the artistic form according to which they were crafted from one period to another, but more radically in the content in which they were communicated. This requires some explanation. By form we mean that these kinds of images survived because Arab poets continue to view the women’s beauty reflected in the beauty of the gazelle, the palm tree and, the most, the brightness of the sun. On the level of content, however, these images lost completely the meanings celebrated in the pre-Islamic time and in short they broke away from the Jahiliyyah perception of the sun as a worshiped entity. By contrast, the sun continued to haunt Arab poets’ collective creativity as a form of absolute beauty. We noticed in our earlier discussion of the woman as an image of a mother which finds its embodiment in the beauty and the uniqueness of 82 al-Asma‘i, Abu al-Malik b. Qurayb, al-Asma‘iyyat. Cairo 1964, 2:186.

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the sun, that Arab poets, in fact, reflect on ancient rituals in the form of art: the image of the worshiped mother, symbolized by the sun, palm tree, the gazelle, and the wild cow. In doing so, this special representation produced what we would call an ideal image, of the woman. This image, without a doubt, does not relate to an actual woman, though Arab poets continue to give proper names to the female personae in their verses. Some of these names raise controversy for Arab scholars when they tend to speculate on their meaning and historicity. For example, there is the name of Rahab, who was considered to be the goddess of music, Umm ‘Awfa, the goddess of wisdom, and Har, the goddess of sexuality. The characteristics which were attributed to the image of this ideal woman continued to appear in the same manner which sometimes hinted that this image of the woman in Arabic poetry is close to being a series of images generated from one single image: the ideal woman. However, one must not ignore the artistic form of expression found in either one particular period of Arabic poetry or throughout its history. All these forms have the quality of diversity in common. This diversity, nevertheless, does not often break ties with the essence of the ideal female personae which haunt the body of Arabic verse: her face, generally associated with the sun that lights the darkness, her eyes are that of a wild cow, her neck is that of a deer, her teeth are like pearls. Thick hair surrounds her shining face, and in her movements and tenderness she resembles an ostrich, and she is most of all a rare pearl which only a gifted diver could reach from the depths of the sea. A unique image al-A‘sha was able to articulate is found in the following lines: If a dead person lies on her breast He will live and won’t be taken to the grave. People who witnessed would say, then, How marvelous, the dead is resurrected.83 It can be said that the lines above invite multiple readings. However, we would like to limit ourselves to two particular readings which both reflect how the woman is traditionally viewed in Arabic poetics. The first, as we have seen, is the symbol of motherhood and the worshiped sun. The second is her position as an ideal form of beauty and inspiration, actually. The first reading proves that the image of the dead person lying on the woman’s breast reflects a picture of a woman who has a life-giving capacity. The breasts, moreover, stand for fertility, motherhood, and sacredness. This final meaning evidently reflects a religious view of the woman. On 83 Al-A‘sha, Diwan, p. 92.

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the other hand, a more metaphorical reading of these lines would prove that this image does not just involve the theme of the sacred and the worshiped mother. In fact, there is a significant tone of sensuality conveyed by the words. The woman’s breasts, viewed as one of the most tempting parts of the female’s body, are here meant to possess the power to resurrect an important person who is dead. We should like to point out that the hyperbole in these lines, which exceeds the conventional norms of imagination in Arabic poetry, drove some of al-A‘sha’s contemporaries to regard it as the most exaggerated image of the time. 84 Another image which relates to female beauty, aside from her face in general, was that of the mouth. Images which relate to the mouth tend to focus on its fragrance and taste as well as its color in the whiteness of the teeth and the darkness of the gums. The woman as a pearl in its beauty and rarity is another image, parallel to that of her similarity with the sun. In fact, the connection of the pearl with the model of perfect feminine beauty is an ancient one.It originates from the mythical Greek image of Aphrodite. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is also viewed in poetry as being the personification of sexual instinct. In classical times, she was widely accepted as the goddess of the sea. The marvelous image poets were inspired by was her rising from the depths of the sea. In Arabic verse, the image of the pearl continued to have religious connotations, especially when we read the image the poet al-A‘sha created. 85 The religious implications in fact lie in a pearl’s brightness and shine equal to those of the sun. The story of the diver, on the other hand, who risked his life to reach her, dramatizes the story of man in his struggle to reach his goals. He tries to reach it from his childhood onwards until he ages and gains experience. The more difficult he finds it the more his desire grows. In other words, he tries to reach the unreachable, this being determined by metaphysical powers which exceed his own. Moreover, when he succeeds to reach the place she can be found, he finds himself confronted by a devil who guards her. Thus, having to overcome the dangers of the sea he has to overcome supernatural beings, too. When he achieves his goal and gets the pearl, he finds himself having to protect her with all his power. Hence, she becomes the most valuable thing of all. She becomes his life-giver, a secret source, providing him with miraculous power, beauty, and immortality. Among the images Arabic verse contains relating to beauty of the woman and as a symbol sacredness, are those portraying her as a dove or 84 Al-Marzubani, al-Muwashshah. Cairo 1965, p. 76. 85 Al-Mufaddaliyyat, p. 115.

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ostrich. In fact, these types of birds have roots in ancient religion. The dove is a sacred bird for the goddess Aphrodite, who represents the goddess of feminine beauty and sensuality, seeing as they posses a flirtatious quality which attracted man’s attention in early times. The Arab poets continue to regard the link between the dove and a woman in a special way. Among them is the depiction of a woman’s hand and dancing feet of the dove. This fascinating verse of the poet al-A‘sha evokes this fascinating image: She appears with hand of a dove’s dancing feet.86 This visual image created by the poet tends to describe the woman in relation to her soft and gentle movement. Yet the metaphor of a woman/dove also reveals a state of sadness which is noticeable in her cry and her melancholic voice. On the other hand, the metaphor of a woman being an ostrich tends to view the sexual adventures on which she embarks. Thus, we have a presentation of the woman who was worshiped not only for her ideal image, but also as sexuality. The story of Ishtar tells us that she was not only worshiped as goddess of purity and motherhood, but she was also revered as a shepherdess of harlots. There is another image depicting the woman as a warrior, which again has its roots in ancient religion, among them is Ishtar in the Babylonian and Assyrian myth, Athena in Greece, and Neith in Egypt. There is a more plausible image in the story of the war-like goddess in Canaanite mythology which is ‘Anat who was depicted as being involved in the bloodshed as it is expressed by the unknown poet in the following: She reaches down to the knees of the bloody heroes And bloodthirsty she stretches up to the necks of a squadron.

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A quite similar image appears in the poetry of the poet Abu al-Tayyib alMutanabbi praising a historical figure of his time, named Saif al-Dawla: He who strikes the squadron until The neck-bones and the feet are joined together.87 The visual image above tends to reveal a picturesque element which involves quite an analytical heroine entertaining the battle events. This vivid image, moreover, emphasizes the presence of the heroine’s movements. She is not only described as fighting for her survival, but there is also the feeling that she takes pleasure from these actions. Her strategies lie in her ability to reach and to inflict wounds in every part of the enemy. 86 Al-A‘sha, Diwan, p. 50. 87 Abu al-Tayyib al-Mutanabbi, Diwan. Beirut: Dar Sadir 1964.

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She is not combating ordinary soldiers, but fighting her equals: heroes. Indeed, Jahiliyyah poetry is full of images of woman as warrior. This image was inherited from ancient religions, as were other images representing the woman as a mother, sungoddess, and a worshiped gazelle. If we consider these images relating to women as a whole, they give birth to a paradoxical situation. On one hand, we have a life-giving mother and a worshiped goddess, on the other, her force also contains death and destruction. A minute reading of Zuhayr b. Abi Sulma’s Mua‘llaqah would show that the poet was inspired by the evocative image of a woman as a war-like figure. In fact, the way he creates a realistic picture of war lay in his ability to fuse it with the female personae in his verse. Similarly, Imru’ al-Qays describes the cheeks of his beloved like that of the brightness of the sword.88 There is a significant metaphor which really exemplifies this enduring relationship between the features of war and that of woman; it is found in Imru’ al-Qays’ verses:

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The war in its first stages is tender She is attractive to every ignorant person. Until she reaches her blazing fire She then becomes old without lover. With gray hair estranging herself Spreading unpleasant odors, inviting no kisses.89 The poet evokes a parallelism between the woman and war, in a very condensed style he was able to trace the different stages both undergo. Firstly, the attraction to the woman when she is in her prime, which equals that of the tempting elements that attract the ignorant to war. Secondly, there is a portrayal of the woman reaching a degree of blazing fire which equals that of the intensity of war. Thirdly, there is the final stage which can be discerned from the close of the second verse introducing the woman as a fading body, facing the loneliness of old age without a lover.

The Woman Between the Ideal and the Real The Realistic Representation of the Woman in Arabic Verse

A close reading of the Jahiliyyah poetry reveals that poets were not only preoccupied with representing the ideal woman in their verses, but also that they were equally interested in introducing a realistic image of the 88 Imru’ al-Qays, Diwan, op. cit., p. 297. 89 Ibid., p. 353.

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woman. They tended to celebrate a picture of the beloved according to their own experience of her. Such realistic woman was often either a singer, a dancer, or a deceptive wife whom the poet abhors. On the other hand, poets transcribe realistic images of woman into lampoons; realistic women belonged to their enemies. Another type of images found in Arabic verse relate to women who used to work in places were wine was sold. These places usually were owned by Jews, and these women were often called, by the Jahilyya cultural standard, al-qiyan al-baghaya (whores). These places were the sites for the youth who were driven by the forces of pleasure and desire. Quite interestingly, these places started to disappear after the coming of Islam. However, one of the few places in which the Jews were allowed to practice their commerce was subjected to conform to the rules of the new faith in the sense that they were allowed to sell wine to non-Muslims. The poet al-A‘sha paints a picture of al-qiyan 90 in one of his praise verses to Masrur b. Wa’il who used to offer these women to his guests: He produces whores like gazelles, Knotted in the thicket. Galloping every evening…91 Tarafah, on the other hand, gives an accurate account in his Mu‘allaqah of his own youth and pleasurable adventures. He was a frequent visitor of brothels where pleasure was offered. Tarafah considered wine, singers, dancers, and women in general to be a few of the pleasures life could provide. He is quoted as saying:

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If there were not three things in the life of youth I vow I would never celebrate whenever my stitch stands up…92 Tarafah, in fact, meant the pleasure of women, wine and music. Imru’ alQays, though opposed to the presence of such places due to his moral outlook, used to find himself celebrating this irresistible world of pleasure. He reflected on one of his delightful excursions to these places thus: A house of maidens I once penetrated at night Where they were walking around with tender sluggard arms. With lean finger-tips and thin nose And with soft waist beyond perfection.93 90 Al-A‘sha was a poet of the Jahiliyyah time who was supposed to have died around the year 600 C.E. 91 Al-A‘sha, p. 156. 92 Ibn al-Anbari, Diwan, Kuwait: Dar al-Turath al-‘Arabi, 1960. 93 Imru’ al-Qays, Diwan, op. cit., pp. 34-35.

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With al-A‘sha’s, Tarafahs, and Imru’ al-Qays’ verses we note that the image of the woman, when described using the simile of the gazelle or the sun, has no religious connection. This time, the gazelle has no implication of a mother or a worshiped goddess. Moreover, we do not remark that these images contain symbols of sacredness. Instead, the image of the woman does not go beyond a real woman that we might encounter in daily life. Still, this does not mean that she is not idealized. Hence, it is possible to argue that this shift in exploiting the image relating to the woman as a goddess or mother has started to undergo an aesthetic deviation from the inherited religious image of the woman. Arab literary scholars explain that the sudden change in introducing new implications pertaining to the woman as a gazelle or as a sun is related to the divorce between aesthetics and religion. As a result of this artistic innovation, we note for the first time the image of the woman where she is described as being the moon. This was first articulated by the poet al-Aswad b. Ya‘fur al-Nahshali who said:

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And the bright ones walk like the moon and dolls.94 On the other hand, the image above marked for the first time the association of the woman with the moon, the father. The simile of a woman as a moon was not accepted, because poets at that time found themselves unable to perceive the moon as a form of beauty. People of this period used to think in symbols. Since the sun stood for motherhood, fertility, and above all sacredness, it was a very well received metaphor for a woman. It is a justified argument to note that the poet al-Aswad’s new metaphor of the woman/moon can be evaluated as one of the sources of innovative poetic images from which Arabic poetry sprang. Another realistic representation of the woman is to be found in lampoons as a sub-genre of poetry. This poetry was usually directed toward the enemy’s women. The poet often ridicules and mocks a woman in highly satirical verses, as can be seen in the following verses of Bishr b. Abi Khazim: Bani ‘Amir, we left your women Crippled and deformed by dryness.95 The ridiculed woman is also described as wandering and awaiting her fate after the defeat of her tribe, as described by the poet Muhalhil b. Rabi‘ah:

94 al-Mufaddaliyyat, p. 218. 95 Bishr b. Abi Khazim, Diwan. Damascus 1972, pp. 18-19.

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They appear from their quarter grieved Smoothing the hands of orphans.96 Since Muhalhil participated in a very famous conflict (the war of al-Basus) and came out of it a war hero, he was familiar with such scenes. Thus, he was creatively capable of presenting a realistic picture, ridiculing the enemy and their women. The poet Humayd b. Thawr al-Hilali even created a realistic picture of his wife using humor. In one of his verses we can find the following image:

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The mirror revealed injustice to Umm Malik Leaving her annoyed with what she saw. It shows in her cheeks wrinkles… as if Traces of acacia branches afar from a wasteland afar. The humorous image the poet articulates introduces a woman (his wife) and her experience with a mirror. She is described as seeing herself like a crooked acacia branch which reflects the wrinkles of her face. Indeed, this kind of simile would provoke a feminist critique to show their outrage about the false representation of a woman/female. From Simone de Beauvoir to the age of Julia Kristeva, feminist critiques have argued that male literary discourse has failed to give a true picture of feminine identity. Literature written by men from pre-Shakespearian times to Norman Mailer’s novel An American Dream (1965) has been bitterly accused of enforcing the long-established patriarchal tradition which exists in the Western consciousness. Simone de Beauvoir viewed, from a Marxist and existentialist perspective, the position of the woman as an exploited underclass who must struggle against the dominant forces of society to achieve her rights. Though Simone de Beauvoir’s influential work Le Deuxième Sexe 97 has inspired French feminist tradition and she herself is considered to be its founder, she, however, did not claim for herself the title of a feminist until quite late in 1970. Instead, she continued to speak for the rights of women as a class from the Marxist view-point. Julia Kristeva, on the other hand, along with Helen Citaus argues for the last some years for women to create a language of their own: a language where both the female’s voice and body can be felt. Along with other French feminists, they developed a philosophy about feminine lan96 Muhalhil b. Rabi‘ah, Diwan, pp. 12, 79. 97 Paris: Gallimard, 1949.

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guage with which, when composed and crafted skillfully, it could achieve a higher degree of jouissance. While French feminist critiques focused on language, we find American feminist critiques embarking on indefatigable study of how women have been portrayed in Western fiction. We have Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar analyzing, in The Madwoman in the Attic, the false image of women in some nineteenth century fiction. Going back to Humayd’s provocative simile, there is a possibility to argue that while a Western feminist analysis can be allowed, there is a feeling that it would not be as instrumental as a contextual reading. In fact, the Arab woman from pre-Islamic to modern time is kind of a phenomenon whereby any view originating from outside her socio-cultural and political arena would not do her justice. Arab scholars, in fact, consider it a necessity that women develop a voice of their own, a voice that can continue a cry that expresses the Arab woman’s outrage and not that of an outsider’s. Hence, when the Arab woman speaks, she can feel that she is not speaking using another’s voice, but uses her own. That is why scholars like Nawal alSa‘dawi and Fatimah Mernissi are far from welcomed either by men or even women of the intelligentsia since they continue to adopt alien jargon and terminology in their arguments. People in the Islamic world do not only think of this terminology as corrupted, but as a form of colonialism, revisited through the power of the words. There are other images which present a realistic picture of the woman, which sometimes depict her as being immoral, changeable; pleasant and unpleasant; furious and loving. When she is pleasant, she is always described as tender, bright, and caring. However, when she is furious, and changeable and especially unpleasant, she is often described as a mad woman, as the poet al-Humayd writes about his wife: She was touched by quietness, ignoring us A mad woman, who belongs to the people of ‘Urkub.98

The Idealistic Representation of Woman in Arabic Verse

As we have seen earlier, there is a considerable part of Arabic verse which involves a realistic interpretation of the woman. However, the image of the woman as an ideal figure remained dominant in the consciousness of Arab poets and their creativity. Several scholars argue that the continuity 98 ‘Urqub in Arabic culture represents a perfect example of a liar and someone who does not keep his promises. See al-Mufaddaliyyat, pp. 34-35.

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of this ideal image of the woman is mostly related to the ancient religion which influenced the aesthetic of the Arab poets in the pre-Islamic time. We found Jahiliyyah poetry, which we shall evaluate in general and specifically in its relationship to the woman, continues to entertain well defined characteristics of poetic imagery. These characteristics can be divided into two parts: first, a general picture of the physique of the woman; second, particular attention directed towards every minute part of the woman’s body. In the latter, the female is what is aimed at by the poet to view her as a fragmented object capable of offering pleasure. The general picture, however, of the woman tends to introduce her as having a full, tall, well shaped body. On the other hand, when the poets move from the general portrayal of the woman to dealing with each particular part of her, they find that the features of her face take on the absolute side of the value of beauty. Similarly, the features of the face, as we have seen, tend to be conventional, conforming to religious sensibilities. The face shines like pearls or the sun, she is slim and tender like a gazelle, she is white and shining at midday and yellow at dusk (woman=sun). Her eyes are those of the wild cow and her neck like that of the gazelle. This close attention to a particular feature of the face is limitless. In fact, these characteristics tend to appeal to the senses, especially the visual. Thus the poet renders the image of the woman as a vivid and moving doll or sculptured figure. He goes on sculpting in detail every part of her, from her black hair to the sound of her anklets. A significant element can be examined in the poet’s dual portrayal of the woman as real, on the one hand, and as ideal on the other. Frequently, when the poet mimics the image of a real woman, he does not engage in detailed depiction of her physique. He rather concentrates on evoking a picture of her movements, thus she is either serving you wine, or is a dancer or a singer who entertain the drinking companions. By contrast, when the poet attempts to paint an ideal image of a woman, he often chooses to gather all sacred images he has inherited. These would include metaphors and similes relating to the woman as the sun, the gazelle, the wild cow, the palm tree, and the horse. Besides, the ideal representation of the woman introduces her as a motionless body, whose movements are quickened by the poet. This, in fact, relates to the origin of the religious image of the ideal and quiet doll in a prayer niche. Seeing as the gazelle was worshiped as a living being, poets tended to transform her real image, dynamic and full of movements, into an ideal image whereby she is depicted as a statue. An anonymous poet was once quoted as reciting the following:

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What wrong if I mentioned maidens Like the gazelle of the desert in the prayer niches of the chief. The poet tends, for religious reasons, to petrify the image of the woman and present her as a worshiped statue. There are, however, other poets such as Tamim b. Muqbil, who do not create a frozen image of the woman, but one whose slow movements are gentle:

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They walk like camels whose side leans At time they slide, and at others have a good footing on the soil.99 A close analysis of the text shows that the poetic diction is well-crafted. In fact, the sound of every word in this verse reinforces the image of slow walking and gentle, graceful movements. Actually, when we approach the representation of the woman in pre-Islamic verse, one can not deny the fact that there is a considerable, if not excessive, attention on the part of the poets towards every physical part of the woman. This special attention diverted towards the female caused a schism among Arabic literary scholars. On one side, some evaluated this poetic tradition as belonging to obscene literature.100 On the other side, there are others such as ‘Ali al-Batal, who saw beyond the sensual aspect in this poetic tradition relating to women. Unlike Shukri al-Faysal, the latter gave priority to the religious implication found in this poetic tradition, especially that of ancient time. 101 Al-Batal sets forward two ways in which poets approach women. Firstly, he does not deny that there are some poets who deal with their creative image of the female as a form of pleasure and desire which usually includes images associated with al-qinat (whores).102 Secondly, he evaluates the poets who, through the detailed depiction of the woman’s body, are capable of creating a perfect exemplification of the woman’s beauty. This second approach attempts to introduce an idealistic image which serves the role of a goddess offering fertility, life, and inspiration. Thus, the woman is considered to be the sun, the mother goddess, the origin of life and above all the secret of existence and continuity.

99 See Ibn Qutaybah, al-Shi‘r wa-l-Shu‘ara’. Cairo 1966, p. 1458. 100 Shukri Faysal, Tatawwur al-Ghazal baina al-Jahiliyyah wa-l-Islam. Damascus 1959, p. 172ff. 101 ‘Ali al-Batal, al-Surah fi al-Shi‘r al-‘Arabi, pp. 93-94. 102 It is to be noted that while a whore is someone who sells her body, al-qinat in the Jahiliyyah time were women who offered all forms of pleasure; from serving wine to drinking companions, dancing, and singing, to sexual pleasure.

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The Image of the Woman: The Transition From Jahiliyyah to Islamic Time

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As we have witnessed, a considerable part of the pre-Islamic poetry reveals that it had been greatly influenced and inspired by images of sacredness in ancient religions. The image of the woman had been a focal point by which this religious content was dramatized in poetic forms. However, the Arabic area would witness a revolutionary period with the birth of Islam, which brought a change not only to the socio-cultural milieu, but also more deeply to all what forms the Arab collective consciousness. Poetry, being a reflection of life apparent in every corner of Arabia, would also undergo a change in its spirit. In fact, the new faith has influenced the Arab consciousness in many ways, but the foremost system Islam introduced into Arab life is the establishment of a faith by which there is no sacredness; except for one God who was to be worshiped: one who is not embodied in any former statue; unlike ancient religion, but was void from ancient mythology. Hence, poetic images in the birth of Islam started to lose their mythical elements, but still continued to preserve the aesthetic legacy that would last for centuries to come. Moreover, believers of the new faith viewed the Qur’an as a perfect example of the importance of creativity when it came to its poetic aspect. It should be noted that the transition of the idealistic image pertaining to the woman from the preIslamic perception to an Islamic one can be traced in a close reading of alshu‘ara al-mukhadramun.103 The literary historian Taha Hussein views the following verses by Suwaid b. Abi Kahil as representing the bridge between the Jahiliyyah and Islamic poetics. Noble she is, and reveals bright teeth/ Like the glare of the sun between the clouds. Her tender, white face is shining like/ The sun itself and her eyes are black. She offers to the mirror a bright face/ Like sunbeams on a cloudless day.104 From these images above, we notice the poet’s attention towards creating a new relationship between woman (beauty) and the brightness of the sun. While the woman’s face becomes the sun itself which is a powerful metaphor, her teeth are like its glare. The major change that one can notice in the poetic sensibility at this time of transition is a greater emphasis 103 Poets whose life-time spans the time of paganism and that of Islam. 104 al-Mufaddaliyyat, p. 190.

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on the beauty of the sun. The brightness of the teeth is an extension of the same aesthetic aspect introduced in this image of the woman/brightness/ sun. Hence, we can argue that the simile of the teeth and their glare is an integral part of the central image of the woman/sun. In other words, the former plays a role of strengthening the poetic touch found in the latter. A reading of some images relating to the woman’s body by the poets Hassan b. Thabit, and Humayd b. Thawr al-Hilali would reveal that both introduce an exaggerated picture of the woman, mainly her slow movements and heaviness. On one hand, Hassan presents her as marble: She is built on abundant cotton When she sits down, a piece of marble.105 On the other hand, Humayd b. Thawr evokes a dramatic image of her laziness: We told her, Stand up, we are your sacrifice. She replied, No, no, making the efforts to speak.106

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There is no doubt that the verses above involve an image whereby the woman is reduced to a static person who cannot move unless she is asked to. Her refusal not only reflects her unwillingness to take part in the movements of the poetic voice, but she is also portrayed as having to make an effort to even reply. Such images would certainly invite aggressive feminist attacks to claim that the female is reduced to passivity while the poetic voice, which to some extent is the poet himself, is made active. However, an understanding of these lines in their context would reveal that both poets are not interested in the content, but rather in the hyper bolic form in which they approach their most favorite and beloved subject-matter: the woman. The woman, who continued to haunt Arabic verses and its poetics, became for al-Akhtal: A wild cow when she reveals her beauty She lights the darkness like the moon.107

105 Hasan b. Thabit, Diwan. Cairo 1974, p. 107. 106 Humayd b. Thawr, Diwan. Cairo 1951, p. 16. 107 Al-Akhtal al-Taghlibi, Diwan. Beirut: Dar al-Thaqafah, 1968, p. 650.

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Oral Poetry This collection of anonymous poems provides ample proof of the major themes of early Arab society. Both the male and female concerns are expressed beautifully, using economy of expression and phrase. The poets distill that which is of paramount importance in a society so structured on the passing of a young woman from the home of her parents to the new home: the home of her husband and his family. We empathize with the young woman, soon-to-be bride, as she either cannot wait to be with her beloved and counts the moments until she can be with him permanently, or we sympathize with her as she learns that she has left the sanctuary of her childhood home, and has entered a hornet’s nest of matrimonial discontent. There are poems in this collection that express both the female and male view of this radical change in the lives of two families. These are generally very positive in outlook, especially when both groom and bride are convinced that heaven and earth have conspired to guarantee them eternal happiness. Herein are included several poems whose contents are cryptic – double entendre is rife therein. The reader must exercise special caution when attempting to plumb the depths of such poems’ contents. But this is where reading poetry becomes not only enjoyable but also challenging. In all cases, the importance of the poet as point of confluence for his or her society vouchsafes to us, the readers, various intense distillations of that which is driving a particular society at a given, but unspecified time, for some issues are ongoing and occur at all times. No doubt, every reader will, when encountering a given poem herein, want to move to a quiet corner and seek solitude from others who may be about, in order to contemplate more fully the meaning of that poem’s contents. They will have discovered that they, too, could just as easily have penned this poem and will want to savour it privately. Some readers, especially some male readers, will recognize immediately the testosterone-laden contents of some poems and will, no doubt, recognize themselves and their experiences in these. If nothing more, a wry smile will attend their lips as they remember how they felt when sharing their affection for a specific female with their mates. If providing no other service, the contents of these poems will remind readers that the now cynical attitude towards matters of the heart in modern Western society is ill-informend and short-sighted, but that this mind set is a temporary obstruction which can be removed. 74

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List of Poems

In the Name of God, I Shall Begin .......................................................................77 Listen to Me ..............................................................................................................78 Said the Mother of the Daughters .......................................................................78 O Daughter, Tell Me ...............................................................................................78 A Tender Sapling .....................................................................................................79 He Whose Locks are Black ....................................................................................80 Mother, Tell My Father ..........................................................................................81 O Groom, Who Guided You? ................................................................................81 I Went Down to the Creek ....................................................................................81 My Darling ................................................................................................................82 Tell Me, O Gazelle ...................................................................................................82 Our Beautiful Daughter .........................................................................................82 They Say ....................................................................................................................83 Our Groom Is like Rolling Thunder ....................................................................83 Doe, My Younger Daughter ..................................................................................83 O My Brothers ..........................................................................................................84 Blessed Be the Evening ..........................................................................................84 In the Name of the Prophet ...................................................................................84 O Dancer ....................................................................................................................85 O Girl in a Hidden Corner ....................................................................................85 I Shall Begin to Sing ................................................................................................86 Our Daughter is Still Innocent .............................................................................86 O Mother, O Father .................................................................................................87 Coming Down from Her Father’s House ...........................................................88 Your Image Is like a Tender Branch ...................................................................89 Welcome the Guest and Her Family ...................................................................90 Now Is the Time for Mercy ...................................................................................91 I Shall Begin ..............................................................................................................92 Let Me Be Joyful ......................................................................................................93 Two Young Women ................................................................................................94 My Pretty Maiden ....................................................................................................95 O How Beautiful Are You .....................................................................................96 O Handsome One ....................................................................................................97 I Feel Sad for You .....................................................................................................97 I Vow! .........................................................................................................................98 My Heart Desires .....................................................................................................99 Rain Is Falling .........................................................................................................100 It’s Twilight Time ..................................................................................................101 My Beloved .............................................................................................................102 75

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While the reader will most certainly bring his or her personal interpretation to bear on each of the above poems, as they must, they will agree that a full range of human and (in the background) societal emotions are present in these poems. While unfamiliar to Westerners, the doe and the pomegranate express two of the highest images of the beauty of a woman in the eyes of the Arab male. Water located on a high hill or mountain suggests the highest ideal of male-female relationship. And the reader will not fail to appreciate the profound significance of “home” in these poems. One either leaves it, visits it as a guest, or leaves it for another. Sometimes, as read in one poem, “home” is threat-ened by armed men, attacking forces of an aggressive Imam. Equally present are the plethora of intra-relationship relations. That love is present does not guarantee that all goes smoothly. While the majority of the poems contained herein are indeed of the “love poetry” variety, and present either the female titillation and anticipations at the imminence of her changing status and residences, and beautiful poems that are “duets” with both excited bride and fascinated groom speaking positively and with anticipation of a blessed future of unlimited and interminable bliss, there are also poems that express other emotions. These revolve around the “honeymoon is over” syndrome, and remind one that the “ship of love” can indeed run aground on the rocks of relationship, as well. Unrequited love and affection are to be read in sev-eral poems that reflect disappointment where a male lover has lost either his stamina or his interest (or both!) in physical love at the same time as his partner is experienc ing the peak of her sexual prowess. She is, of course, either disappointed to the point that she suffers quietly and alone, or she so upbraids him and his failure to satisfy her passions and physical needs that she wishes him death by shooting. This is one of the more extreme poems in this collection. The theme of rudeness between lovers is also treated herein. This, too, belongs to the “honeymoon is over” phenomenon. A wife asks for a sip of coffee from her husband’s drinking vessel. He replies several times that she should either drink water or juice, although she had asked for a sip of his coffee. He even rudely advises her to drink from the kettle, as opposed to sharing his cup with her. It is tempting for us to comment on each of these carefully-chosen poems, for a wealth of communication theory and praxis is couched within every one of them. We have resisted this temptation. We, nevertheless, are confident that the reader is about to embark on a reading adventure from which they will derive much pleasure and enlightenment.

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In the Name of God I Shall Begin

In the name of God I shall begin, I shall begin with my Lord. He will be my help, From the moment I begin. Said her father, Her father said: ”My daughter is young, Do not frighten her.” Frighten her! Why would you? He had already counted two hundred Into her father’s hand. He had already counted two hundred, Counted two hundred And took the beautiful one. Oh, how wonderful! The first word is, And so it is: I shall ask God To watch over all of us.

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Said his mother, His mother said: ”My son is young, No harm will come to him.” His sister said, So she said: ”My brother is young, His fortune will shine.”

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Listen to Me

Listen to me, O beautiful one, Listen to what I tell you, Heed my words within your ear, And let them not escape your heart. Grind your grain in the early morning, Otherwise he will say: ”You are a lazy one.” Make the loaf larger for him who plows the field, Otherwise he will say: “Daughter of a stingy one.” Paint a bigger beauty mark on your forehead, Otherwise he will say: “You do not know how to.” Beware not to go up on the roof, Lest you cause death... Said the Mother of the Daughters

Said the mother of the daughters: “I went to my daughter and she said: ‘May I be your ransom, welcome!’ When I went to my son, he said: ‘Go away and come back, I must first ask my wife.’” O Daughter, Tell Me

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O daughter, tell me your name. If not, I will ask the shepherd girl. She said: “Why should I tell you my name? You cannot afford my dowry anyway... My price is thirty cows, Each ready to bear its young; My price is thirty she-camels, Whose voices are heard in a forest; My bride price is thirty rifles, And for every rifle a sharp shooter; My bride price is thirty fields, And a worker to water each one; My bride price is thirty herds, With a shepherd for each flock.”

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A Tender Sapling

A tender sapling Casting down Well-watered branches Over many creeks. A tender sapling Mounted on a ass, Take me with you. I no longer need my mother. A tender sapling Mounted on a young camel, Take me with you. I no longer need my family. A tender sapling Mounted on the she-camel, Take me with you, I can no longer wait.

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A tender sapling Climbing down falling rocks, Take me with you, And wealth will save my soul.

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He Whose Locks Are Black

He whose locks are black, His hair in braids down to his loins. Tell him, we know him. His forehead is bright like the moon In the night’s domain On the night of the fifteenth, Lighting the darkness. His eyebrows are arched Like green foliage, His eyes a goblet Of grape wine. His nose is carved like a sword Shaped to the edge, His cheeks pure silver, The work of an artisan. His smile like lightning shines, Recognized by all, His teeth a string of pearls, Like white dewdrops.

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And his neck like a copper vessel, Oh, how beautiful is the work! And his chest like a valley of San‘a And its gardens, Broad enough for horses to gallop, Harnessed in fours.

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Mother, Tell My Father

Mother, tell my father, Tell him, let him know. Mother, tell my father, I do not want to be a shepherd girl. No more pastures in the mountains, No more water in the canal, All the girls have gotten married, But I am still alone. O Groom, Who Guided You?

O groom, who guided you, Who showed you our door? The bright one guided me, The one who looks over the parapet, Who shines through the flowers, Watering the rue and the lizab.

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I Went Down to the Creek

I went down to the creek, Along paths and curves, and behold! A handsome young man Approached me. I said: “Mother, My heart desires him!” She said: “My daughter, His land is far away.” I said: “Mother, The land of love Is never far – But is alluring...”

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My Darling

My darling, my beloved, What shall I do, how shall I treat you? If I carry you on my head, I fear the wind will scatter you. If I put you on my eyes, I fear my eyelashes will blind you. If on my shoulders I carry you, I fear my curls will cover you. If you come to my bosom, I fear my breasts will strike you. If I put you on my belly, I fear my navel will engulf you. If I gird you around my waist, I fear Satan will lead you astray... Tell Me, O Gazelle

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Tell me, O gazelle, What makes you so beautiful? Is it the refined butter? Or from eating well? O gazelle, lend me, I serve the lender faithfully. If you do not recognize me My house is at the city’s edge There is a citrus tree and A pomegranate marks my door. Our Beautiful Daughter

Our beautiful daughter – A pear by the water. No one is able to reach her Yet the learned one has reached her, Picked her and paid her price...

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They Say

They say: There is a maiden among the Bedouins, A diligent young woman, Diligent, a daughter of diligent parents, A woman of valor and courage. I wish her father would marry me to her, Gladly I would pay one hundred, And for her I would give the green fields By the water canal. Our Groom Is like Rolling Thunder

Our groom is like rolling thunder. He never sleeps nor lets others sleep. When he thunders in the East, He melts the salt mountain in the water. When he thunders in the West, He makes horses prance and dance.

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Doe, My Younger Daughter

Doe, my younger daughter, Who will be her groom? She will be for a teacher’s son, Who studied laws and rituals, Who scribed the Shulhan and Zohar, And was careful with the name God... The doe has left the house. Oh, how I pity her for leaving! The doe has left the house, Departing from her mother and brothers.

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O My Brothers

O my brothers, O the four, Let us go out to the desert! If we are barefoot, let us put on Tiger’s skin. If we hunger, let us hunt Deer or gazelle. If we thirst, let us drink From the flow of the rain. And if the sun beats down, Let us seek refuge in the forest shade.

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Blessed Be the Evening

Blessed be the evening. I came to the dove’s house, Its doorpost is gold, And its door made of pearls. I came to bless this place And its guests, I came to bless you with grace, O daughter of my uncle. The candle shines joyfully And you will be adorned. I came to bless you with grace, O beautiful one! O golden vessel, You are an emerald stone. Your brothers are pure, Your cousins are many... In the Name of the Prophet

In the name of the Prophet, I vow, Not for the food have I come forth, I came to rejoice my heart, As the heart is feather light.

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O Dancer

O dancer, O blossoming scent, He who smells this scent, Men! He will offer golden coins. O dancers! O the young one and the old one! The young one is from a fruitful place, And the old one is from the mighty tribe. The young one, peppery, And the old one’s aroma is that of ginger. O dancer, A cane in a field of grain. When the wind blows, You move like the waves. O belt of Hubeish, Its edges beautifully embroidered. Oh, you are a field of many creeks With a bountiful harvest.

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O Girl in a Hidden Corner

O girl in a hidden corner What are you drinking? She said: “Here I am, Caught in my sorrow, Thinking of my father and mother, And where they have brought me.” They have brought me to a place I do not know, nor am I known here. They dressed me in white clothing And said: “Beautiful garment.” They put a colored necklace on me And said: “You are adorned with jewels.” Their slave chastized me, When I went out, They said: “Who is this stranger?” When I went up to the roof, Others said: “How voluptuous and delightful!”

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I Shall Begin to Sing

I shall begin to sing, of You O Lord, Above all firmaments! O Lord, my true support, My heart is full of longing and full of sighs. O mother, I will not tell the sorrows, Like a camel lying on my heart And like daggers stabbing. O my mother, my family, How they abhorred me. They sent me to a land I do not know, nor am I known here. To a distant land they sent me And abused me indeed! When I walked atop the roof Others said: “How voluptuous and delightful!” And when I came down to the yard They said: “Who is this stranger?” Our Daughter Is Still Innocent

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Our daughter is still innocent, O Lord, ease her life! Do not fear, O mother-in-law, I shall hold her and pamper her, I shall build a loft for her Above, way up high. I shall call the birds of the sky To come down for to gladden her. O Lord, I ask of you, Shed light on this poor one.

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O Mother, O Father

O mother, O father, How could you have sold me! Sell the flock, sell the cattle And the wealth could redeem me. O my mother who bore me, Your heart knows me no more! Is it because of the distance Or the sons that you since bore? O the one who bore me, If only one roof we could share, I would gladly be your maid, Your maidservant forever. If the one who bore me My sobs and cries could hear, If you knew your infant’s life, The one you nursed and reared. O the one who bore me, My heart is burnt dark Like black ink On plain paper.

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O Sind, O Hind, If rainfall at night reaches your ears Think not that it is the rain – But a river of my tears. I have sighed a sigh Like a camel carrying steel! I have killed my own soul, To no one can I appeal. My sigh came up – And shook every bone! O merciful God, No one to pity me!

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Coming Down from Her Father’s House

Coming down from her father’s house, Up to the house of the neighbors, Dressed according to fashion – Joy and happiness in her eyes: He said to her: “Allow me to see, O beautiful one! Allow me to see your hair!” She replied: “Go away, poor one! My hair is rope for camels.” Coming down from her father’s house... He said: “Allow me to see, O beautiful one! Your image is like a tender branch, Allow me to see your forehead!” She replied: “Away from me, poor one! My forehead is like the full moon.” Coming down from her father’s house... He said: “Allow me to see, O beautiful one! Allow me to see your eyebrows!” She replied: “Go away, poor one! My eyebrows are lines of a pen.” Coming down from her father’s house... He said: “O beautiful one, show me, Allow me to see your eyes!” She replied: “Away from me, O poor one! My eyes are like amber.” Coming down from her father’s house... Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

He said: “O beautiful one, show me, Allow me to see your nose!” She replied: “Away, poor man! My nose is like a sultan’s sword.” Coming down from her father’s house... He said: “O beautiful one, show me, Allow to watch your lips!” She replied: “O poor one, stay away! My lips are a mosaic of coral.” Coming down from from her father’s house...

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He said: “O beautiful one, show me, Allow me to see your neck!” She said: “Go away, poor man! My neck is like the gazelle of the garden.” Coming down from her father’s house... He said: “O beautiful one, show me, Allow me to see your bosom!” She replied: “Away from me, O poor man! My bosom is as smooth as a racetrack.” Coming down from her father’s house... He said: “O beautiful one, show me, Allow me to see your breasts!” She replied: “Away from me, O poor one! My breasts are a garden of pomegranates.” Coming down from her father’s house... Said he: “O beautiful one, show me, Allow me to see your waist!” She replied: “Away from me, O poor one! My waist is like wool and linen.” Coming down from her father’s house...

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Your Image Is like a Tender Branch

Your image is like a tender branch And your hair as if covered with purple, Your nose is like an adorned sword In the hand of a fencer, Your smile the light of lightning Shines upon me on a dark night, Your neck is long and Noble with a pearl necklace, Your bosom is like a racecourse, With breasts like pomegranates – Your belly is overlaid With precious and fine silk, Your legs are crystal Adorned with anklets of Dhuhbani.

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Welcome the Guest and Her Family!

Welcome the guest and her family! Behold her garments, Garments of precious silk And roses in her cheeks... Welcome to you and your family, Even if they count four hundred, Even if they count four times four, Your master’s house is spacious. Welcome the student one’s mother! Welcome the scented flower! Treat her like your own child, As she is dear to you. O moon, take off your veil. Behold! See who is coming with you, Your brothers and your cousins, On your right and on your left. O moon, in the night of the half month, Haloes around your fullness, Widen your steps, Your dowry is already fulfilled.

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O my brothers, O my cousins, I wanted to be amongst you. I am well built, One of you could have enjoyed me. I am a flower in the hair, One of you could be adorned with me.

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Now Is the Time for Mercy

Now is the time for mercy And the devils are afar High on top of Mount Sin And drowned in the depths of the sea. Envelop me with blessings, O mother, More and more blessings, Burn incense By the gate and in the streets. The houses of San’s applauded you From the lofty windows, And lit waxed candles just for you, In European candelabra. You estranged me without pity, my father, You estranged me, who incited you? Maybe the red grain of wheat, Or the boiled butter of the cows?

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He said: “My daughter, what shall I do? He has already brought a bull from the cattle?” Give him two bulls instead of one, And keep me with you, father of mine. Open your gates, son of nobles, Your doors are made of iron. Welcome the guest and her family, Behold his dress and his beauty, The beauty of his garments and his clothes. His nobility is widely acclaimed. Many desire you, O moon, But who could pay the dowry? Only the learned could pay, He shook the rock and moved the mountain.

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I Shall Begin

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I shall begin with the creator of clouds And of the mountains, He who creates in the sky The light of the sun. I shall desire only my beloved, A branch of scented lizab, He who found a palace in my heart And entered it. I went up to the mountain top To plead with God, There I found the seven Sons of God. They said: “Let us have a public prayer.” I said: “In the name of God.” They said: “Depart from the beloved.” I said: “God forbid.” I went to the mountain top And I sighed, And behold! Here is the beloved Whom I sought so long. Young and gentle, He shepherds on the slopes, Shepherding black goats, O thunder, roar! “O Shubata, With two upright bushes, Gather your shoots From the path of the two.”

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Let Me Be Joyful

Let me be joyful, Let joy be mine While I am still young And my spirit jubilates. Let me be joyful A year and I’ll return, My soul gratified From the honey and desired food. Let me be joyful And keep death away, Who ever hates me, Gouge out his eyes. My heart is yearning And singing full of joy, By God, I wish I had a music box with me. The sun comes up, Would that we could stop it. No one can halt the soul’s desire.

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O moon, Surrounded by its halo, “He who laughs,” They say, “is in love.” O stormy brook, Its current drowns me, My heart is glad, Woe to those who quarrel with me.

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Two Young Women

Two young women sang, Their voices were so sweet, They left my heart Neither living nor dead... I heard a woman sing High on a mountain top, Dark and slender was she, With breasts like pomegranates! I tremble in excitement, Roused by your voice, a harp. You left me, As thunder leaves behind the cloud! Behold, O charming singer, I heard your voice in song. Your voice is very close to me, But you are fat... I swear to you. Come down here to the plain. You excited me, I am on a mountain top – I shall fall!

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In nocturnal routes I travel With the singer, And every day A new life I shall behold!

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My Pretty Maiden

O my pretty maiden, O my mountain doe, Who combed and trimmed your hair? Who straightened your long curls? O my beautiful maiden, Wrapped in lovely garments, I wish I were your teacher, To teach you what the pen writes. O my mountain doe, Stride slowly, I am neither a gunman Nor a hunter. The herald has proclaimed, O pretty one, listen. They are hunting for maidens In the twilight and the dusk. God shall not love Him who does not love women. When they come my heart is glad, And when they leave, it’s surely sad.

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O greening one, All green is beautiful, O maiden, The verdant in the field And everything that grows on earth. For the beautiful one, I shall give money, Abu Tair. I shall pay one hundred And no one will snatch her.

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O How Beautiful You Are

O how beautiful you are, young woman, Your father’s house is pretty. Your father’s house would not be pretty, Were it not for your glow and beauty. O young woman, my bright one, O the one who glows, For you, sweet sessions And parties flow. O young woman, my light, Striking beauty you are. To be struck by a sword, yes. To be separate from you, no. O young woman, my only one, Why do you shed tears? Your beloved is not far. Behold, here he is with us. O dear child, light of my life, How beautiful are your breasts. Beware of the sons of man, Let them not play with you! O young woman, charming one, Water my thirst from your jar. Unbutton your dress for me, And show me your breasts! Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

O young woman, my only one, If your father comes while I am in, Cleverly say to him, He is still young, a mere child.

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O Handsome One

O handsome one, Tell me, what is your desire? Your curls are thick And you have been here a while. O handsome one, If that’s how you are –we claim you, And if you are a scented bush atop the roof, We’ll water you. O my handsome one, Tied to his horn, I might kiss him Gently on the eyes. O my handsome one, O beautiful like the night dew, Your eyes, Like the waves in the depths. O handsome one, Your breasts are like the flower buds, And silver bells Atop the burning coals.

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I Feel Sad for You

I feel sad for you, young man, Love causes you much suffering. I shall fly on a bird And carry your letter. My heart is with the lovers Who fly and hum their love, With those who spend dark nights Never finding sleep. In the name of God, O singer, What makes you so morose? Are you singing out of joy Or sorrow pressing close?

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My heart is with the lovers Who fly and hum their love, With those who spend dark you so morose? Are you singing out of joy Or is sorrow pressing close? The handsome one Sitting in the shadow of a candle. I wish I knew, Is he crying, is he aching? O lovers, I know the lover’s voice, His heart beats fast, And his eyes shed tears. O beloved of the heart, Why are you sad and anguished? An adornment on the breasts Will soothe and heal your sorrows. O pure of body, Your tears melt your shirt. Why are you so worried? We shall journey together. I Vow!

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I vow! Even if the whisperer whispered for years, Love Will wash away all sins. In the name of God, Even if a hundred bonds were tied, You are my beloved Whether or not they comply. I have taken a vow, To plotters I shall not bow, Friendship I shall not forsake, Nor my love for you betray!

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My Heart Desires

My heart desires coffee But coffee husks are scarce. You, my beloved, Have plenty of them. I said: “Give me a sip, My scented bush.” I said: “Grant me a sip. Do not deny me.” I said: “Grant me a sip.” He said: “Drink from the kettle. You certainly do not find A patient one like me.” I said: “Give me a sip.” He said: “Drink raisin juice.” I said: “Be witness, O men, How can I ever be at peace with him?” I said: “Grant me a sip, Give it to me in a jar. Woe to him who makes a pretty one suffer, He deserves a bullet.”

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I said: “Grant me water From your sweet lips. My love and yours In heaven is made.” I am thirsty And the water is atop the mountain. Everyone drank And I remained, pleading.

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Rain Is Falling

Rain is falling, Watering al-Ghauf and its surroundings. God will curse you, O love of fear. My heart loves joy But I am too frightened to sing. I’m afraid of the soldiers And our house is at the town’s edge. O maiden, O bright one, O lovely, slender one, Get away from the window, For today the soldiers will come. I am thirsty And the water is atop the hill. I said to him: “Grant me a sip of water.” He said: “Beware of the law, my beloved.” I swear by God, Even if the Imam comes with his army, I shall enjoy the handsome one And rob him of his sleep.

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By God, I swear, Even if the imam camps with his soldiers, I will not leave you, O you, sweeter than lemon candies.

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It’s Twilight Time

It’s twilight time And I am on Mount Girbub. My searching eyes Cannot find my beloved. He said: “Woe to injustice, Everyone has a beloved And for me none other than the Creator, Who will never forsake me.” My heart loves beauty, Do not withhold it from me. I do not have a beloved To love me and to please me. O Shawhata on the mountain, Where is your beloved? The rain is coming And its current will sweep you away.

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Leave me, let me go, My spirit is low. I have neither sweets Nor a joyful heart.

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My Beloved

My beloved, Love has overtures and manners, Love is tender sessions And sweet pleasures... My beloved, Love has wisdom and cunning tricks, Like the oil Absorbed by the wick... My beloved, Love requires logic and planning, Thoughts of regret are in vain When defeat sets in... My beloved, Love, like a match, lights the flame, Love can do the same With a glance of the eyes... Love is a venture Even for the wise, Sometimes it brings pleasure, And sometimes otherwise...

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I entered the sea of love, Thinking it was shallow, I drowned; they said of me, “Aha, he fell down dead!” You, who buried love in the core Make it surface! Well’s wheel and jug repair Offering her water! You, who buried love Rebuild its door! You who buried love know its willfulness!

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Women’s Deceit A Qur’anic Perspective with Medieval Commentary Introduction The Will of Allah is the prism through which all intentions and actions are refracted

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Male Überpiety, Hyperpiety, and Fear of Women in Medieval Islam

This chapter is a translation of ‘Ali b. ‘Umar al-Batnuni al-Busairi alHanafi's (al-‘Unwan fi al-Ihtiraz min) Maka’id al-Niswan (Women’s Deceit), a work he completed circa 1495 C.E.108 Employing a writing style typical of scholars of Qur’anic literature and medieval commentaries, al-Batnuni embarks on a quest to document the theme of women’s deceit in Islam and its etiology in the Qur’an. His work is not only a personal view, but is documented almost blow-by-blow from either the Qur’an itself, or from distinguished medieval Muslim commentators, his contemporaries, who opined on this same topic in a collected oral tradition.109 While at the beginning of his work al-Batnuni provides the reader with an explication of why he has written his tract, 110 it may be said that his “authority” for doing so is found in Surat al-Ma’ida, 5 of the Holy Qur’an. This sura discusses what is lawful for numerous aspects of Muslim life – these are known as al-tayyibat (those things that are good), and those that are unlawful or forbidden, such as blood, flesh of swine, and meat that has been sacrificed to a god other than Allah, for example. These are classified with al-maytatah (dead animals). Here we call attention to ayah 5 which contains specifics concerning al-tayyibat, but now with the focus on women who belong to this category. The sura states: “Lawful to you in marriage are chaste women from the believers and chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians), before your time, when you have given their due 108 Ali b. Omar b. Ali b. Hussam al-Din al-Kabir al-Busairi al-Hanafi al-Shadhili is commonly referred to as Ibn al-Batnuni. There is uncertainty as to the dates of his birth and death. 109 See endnote to this chapter. 110 See the quotation in endnote.

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mahr,111 desiring chastity, (i.e. taking them in legal wedlock), not committing illegal intercourse, nor taking them as girlfriends.” As he proceeds with al-Batnuni’s work, the reader will see that he never loses focus on these lines of al-Ma’ida, 5. Yet, the work ends with an interesting twist that can only have been intended by al-Batnuni early on in his writing. It is to be expected that Western readers will initially become impatient as they grapple with al-Batnuni’s narrative style. This is generally due to the Western tendency to narrate in entertaining short bits of information, rather than tell a complete story. The Westerner expects a novella or short story-style narrative; al-Batnuni is a novelist. He knows his subject well, anticipates his readers’ questions, and provides answers before they are even ready to ask them, as he builds his thesis of the deceit of specific women. Mining the Qur’an’s own narrative chronology, al-Batnuni uses this anthology’s own style and rhythm as a metronome for the cadence of his own story-telling style. Thus, while his narrative seems verbose, removal of one word would cause his carefully-constructed narrative edifice to simply crumble; such is his economy of words. On page 146, for example, after discussing every pertinent and related piece of information, al-Batnuni writes: “Thus, you (my reader), may Allah have mercy on you, see how great was the slyness of this woman whose name is Zuhrah.” Prior to writing this, he had left no literary “stone” unturned while piecing together her involvement in a sex scandal that even brought down mighty angels. Al-Batnuni is not just a teller of tales, maintaining scholarly distance from the thesis he formulates, however. He injects his own studied vignettes of learned, personal opinion as well. After relating several interpretations of the account of Kan‘an having been cursed by Noah during the Flood, he opines: “I tend to accept the first story of Ham violating the sanctity of the ark by having sex with his wife” (p. 147). The student of biblical, midrashic, apocryphal and pseudepigraphal literature will appreciate the Qur’an and its commentators for pointing out gaps in specific literary narratives and moving to fill in those gaps with “complete answers” with their Muslim commentaries. The story of why one hears next to nothing about a “Mrs. Noah”, or why if Ham dishonored his father by regarding his nakedness, it was Kan‘an who was cursed in 111 Similar to a dowry, except that mahr denotes money given to the bride by the groom.

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Noah’s hung-over and indignant state. It is the Swiss-cheese-like version provided by the account in the Book of Genesis that necessitated further explication and/or justification for the curse. Almost like a legal reporter, al-Batnuni moves deftly from incident to incident as he assembles data from the Qur’an and its medieval commentators about the “indiscretions and deceit” of specific women. Eve and Mrs. Noah, as well as Zuharah, are focused on as singular actors, while Saduq and Unaitira in the story of the miraculous she-camel created by Allah demonstrate that certain women conspired against the will of Allah and his prophets – in this case, Salih. Sometimes the story can be amusing, as in the case of an anonymous husband of the Bani Israel whose wife was named War of Basus. She wanted, with her husband’s favorable response, to become the most beautiful woman of the Bani Israel. After Allah granted this wish, she became overly proud and even disrespectful to her husband. Accordingly, Allah turned her into a barking bitch. Only after fervent prayer on the part of her husband was War of Basus restored to her former self. At other times, the story can solicit only revulsion, as in the case of the anonymous wife of the seer or prophet, Bal‘am. He was asked by the king of his people, against whom Moses and the Bani Israel were planning to march militarily to destroy them, to intervene with his prayers to Allah. When the prophet or seer refused, stating that whatever Allah wills would surely come to pass, his wife was prevailed upon to influence him by being plied with numerous gifts. She seduced Bal‘am and caused him to deny his duty to Allah. When failure to disable Moses’ army resulted in defeat, the wife of Bal‘am decided upon the stratagem of sending beautiful women into the Bani Israel camp to seduce the soldiers of Moses. When one of the soldiers of the Bani Israel took one of those seducers to his tent and began to engage in sexual congress with her, an indignant and loyal soldier of Moses’s host ran both of them through with his spear. Moses moved on to fight and defeat this people, execute their king, and confiscate the gifts (bribes) that the wife of Bal‘am’s had accepted. Zulaikha, the wife of the Pharaoh, attempted to beguile and seduce Joseph. He had been promoted by his king to a high position in the court. Zulaikha fell madly in lust (not love!) with him, but he spurned her advances and admiration, and remained loyal to the king. Thus rejected, she became gravely ill, lost weight, took to her bed, but could not sleep. Eventually, Zulaikha asked an old woman at court for advice on how to convince Joseph to become her lover. The woman agreed to help her, but for a great sum of money. The money was used to build an elaborate house designed as a love nest where Zulaikha’s womanly wiles could be practiced. 105

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Nevertheless, Joseph, with Allah’s help and protection, was saved from weakness and being seduced. However, this story provides the reader with a new development. In all of the previous stories the women involved never repented of their deceit, nor did they (or their associates) ever confess to wrongdoing. Zulaikha’s ladies-in-waiting said of Joseph: “No evil know we against him!” 112 And the would-be seductress of a righteous man, Zulaikha herself, confessed: “It was I who sought to seduce him. He is indeed of those who are (ever) true and virtuous.”113 Nevertheless, Joseph was put into prison for many years, as a result of the scandal with Zulaikha. He was only released when the king had such an upsetting dream that only Joseph could unravel its true meaning. Having done so, he promised the king that he would go through with its solution. The king died and Joseph reigned in his stead. He had promised to feed the kingdom during a period of great famine. As a king who had, indeed, saved his people, Joseph decided to keep his other promise and organize a great party of celebration for his people. He invited both the high-born and the low-born. However, one of his subjects refused to attend. Joseph was told by the Angel Jibra’il that Allah would not allow the celebration to commence until this person attended the celebration also. This person was an old woman who lived near the river on the edge of the city. Joseph went to collect her personally. It turned out that Allah was engaging in teaching Joseph a very valuable lesson concerning justice and forgiveness. That old woman was Zulaikha. She had certain conditions to be met before she would attend Joseph’s celebration: she desired to be made young again, and she demanded to be beautiful and desirable again. When Allah granted these wishes, Joseph’s ardor for her grew even stronger. Now it was he who pursued her to satisfy his lust. She, however, refused all of his advances. Even after he married her, she continued to spurn his advances. In the end, the tables were turned on Joseph. Yet, the story has a happy ending: Joseph and Zulaikha reconciled, had numerous children, and the results are considered one of Allah’s miracles. A similar story about lust to that of Zulaikha and Joseph is that of David and the female friend of one of his warriors and ministers, Uriyah. That al-Batnuni discusses it immediately upon completing his account of the vicissitudes and triumphs of Joseph calls to mind recent scholarship that suggests that Joseph was a literary harbinger of the story of David as 112 Q. 12(Yusuf):51. 113 ibid.

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told in biblical literature. The argument holds that the Bible is essentially a David-centric anthology whose brilliant editors shaped to show all history leading up to the period of his reign and then to explain subsequent historical developments in ancient Israel after his death until the late Persian Period, followed by the Greco-Roman Period (which would include the Gospels of the New Testament).114 The reader intuits almost immediately the defensive posture taken by the commentators whenever it is speculated upon that David, a prophet of Allah, ever acted improperly. In the main, this was not done: they remonstrated. Nevertheless, David desired this beautiful woman (who remains nameless in the Islamic versions), especially after having viewed her naked making her ablutions in a glen. He sent servants, made inquiries as to who she was, and when he learned that she was to be betrothed to Uriyah, designed machinations to have him killed while making it appear that he had fallen in a great and fierce battle against a foreign land. When it was reported to the king that Uriyah had fallen in battle, David married the woman. Despite the defense of numerous commentators, Allah knew the truth, and while, in His infinite mercy, He forgave David, He nevertheless shunned him to a large degree until David made amends for his treachery as a prophet. He was ordered to fully confess his crime twice to the dead Uriyah lying in his grave. In biblical literature King Solomon is critiqued seriously by the Deuteronomist historian for having had numerous wives and concubines. These, he maintained, caused the king to dissipate his loyalties to gods other than to just the god of Israel, Yahweh. Other than the Queen of Sheba, and the daughter of Pharaoh (from whom Solomon received the district of Gezer as part of her dowry), the spotlight does not focus on any particular women in his harem. True, prior to his being confirmed as regent, he does consult with his mother, Bathsheba, who, in concert with Nathan the prophet, convinces the aged and ailing David to proclaim him publicly as his successor. Bathsheba is never named in the Uriyah account. The Qur’anic account, however, does mention a wife by name, Jarada. Being one of Solomon’s favorite wives, whenever he went to use the water closet he would take off his ring that granted him certain powers and hand it to her. When he returned he would put it on again. One day a clever jinn named Sakhr al-Marid appeared to Jarada in the form of Solomon while he was using the water closet and Jarada, thinking it was her husband, gave the ring to Sakhr al-Marid. He then, posing as the king, 114 Jonathan Kirsh 2001 referencing Gerhard von Rad.

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began to perform all of the public, official duties of Solomon. Yet, the people noticed that something was amiss. The judgments rendered by the disguised jinn did not attain the standard to which the people had become accustomed and for which Solomon was famous. It fell to Asif b. Barhiya, Solomon’s minister, cousin, and loyal servant of Allah, to bring Sakhr al-Marid’s subterfuge and masquerade to light. However, this did not restore Solomon’s powerful ring to him. When the name of Allah was mentioned by Asif, Sakhr fled from the throne and flew over the sea, and, while doing this, dropped Solomon’s ring into the water. Happily, by the coincidence of one of Solomon’s friends having purchased a fish which he shared with Solomon at dinner, the man’s wife had discovered the ring within the fish while preparing it, and gave it to her husband, who gave it to Solomon. Thus was the issue resolved. Sometimes the reader gets the impression that al-Batnuni sacrifices focus on deceitful women (in the same way as the Qur’an) for the sake of focusing on prophets of Allah such as David, Solomon, and others, and their vicissitudes. Moreover, often the women who are mentioned are in no way guilty of any form of deceit. Such is the case, for instance, with the daughter of Talut, David’s wife, who saves his life, or the mother of the young advisor to Talut who eventually facilitates a conversation between the deceased Samuel and a greatly troubled Talut. We may add to this list the wife of Solomon’s friend who retrieved Solomon’s powerful ring from a fish she was preparing for his dinner as her husband’s guest. Neither was Solomon’s young wife to be held culpable of being deceitful, for she was beguiled by the powerful jinn into giving him Solomon’s ring while he was using the water closet. These examples certainly do not belong to a list of deceitful women. They play, rather, the role of facilitators of the stories in which we encounter them. Yet, at least concerning a second daughter of Talut, there is another account that claims she was the most beautiful woman of her time. She fell in love with the most handsome man who happened to pass by the palace one day. His name was Thuban. She conspired to be with him sexually by claiming to her father she wished to go to the mountain and worship Allah for an extended period of time. However, she wished to be accompanied by a spiritual adviser and guide to explain to her the proper rituals. Discussing this with her father, Talut, he chose and then summoned Thuban to the royal palace. Upon arriving and hearing the king’s command to accompany his daughter, Thuban asked to be excused from this assignment. When told that he had to go, he asked for some time to prepare for the journey.

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It is certainly with this story that al-Batnuni returns fully to his subject of the deceitful woman. As the reader learns, Thuban, expecting such deceit from such a beautiful woman, takes draconian measures to guard against her planned deceit. As expected, when they are alone and at worship in their respective corners of the mountain shrine, she comes to him, interrupts his prayers, and proposes sexual intercourse to him. When he refuses, she threatens him with exposing him as a rapist; when Thuban is nonplussed by the threat, the lustful woman finds a shepherd and makes a tryst with him instead. The result is that she became pregnant. Eventually, the pregnancy was noticed and brought to the attention of the king who made inquiries. In the end, the innocent Thuban was exonerated by his own clever but extreme stratagem. His reputation as a faithful believer was restored and the king’s daughter was married to the shepherd. When al-Batnuni discusses Tha‘ban the judge, his wife, and the matter concerning the jumping fish, we find rather than a woman’s deceit outright a case of a man disguised as a female house servant who is sleeping with the judge’s wife. On learning this the judge divorced his wife and never remarried. A Persian magus threw a drinking party, got drunk, and had sex with his sister. Recovering from his stupor, and realizing the potential harm to his ability to rule should this information become public, he attempted to quash the matter. His sister, equally culpable, suggested that he proclaim it a normal relationship between men and women, and that he should encourage others to do so too. Muslims, in this interpretation attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)115 explained why contemporaneous Persian magi married their sisters. Nevertheless, the Prophet (PBUH) argued that every time a magus married his sister he submitted to the deceitful practice of the first magus-sister relationship. The major deceit, he argued, was in the woman having caused a sister-wife relationship which would follow them to the Day of Judgment. An excellent example of Muslim story-telling and the genius of combining formerly independent stories at different historical periods is that to which al-Batnuni turns next. It begins with an anonymous king and a prophet named Yahya b. Zakariyya.116 The king was in love with his niece, and her mother (presumably his sister) encouraged the affair. When the prophet gave his opinion concerning the forbidden plan to marry her, her mother encouraged the king to have him executed; he was beheaded 115 A common abbreviation in Islam, meaning ‘Peace be upon him’. 116 In the West, Yahya b. Zakariyya is more commonly known as John the Baptist.

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in a public execution and the king ordered that his head be brought to his royal bedchamber. When it arrived, he and his niece, who were already in bed, made love. Feeling victorious, the king chided the head by asking it rhetorically who said that he could not marry his niece. Surprisingly, the head replied twice that it was still forbidden. The king’s reaction to the talking head provides the segway to his next story. The tide turned against the king when another stubborn and tyrannical king named Nebuchadnezzar led his troops to conquer Jerusalem. He is said to have been ruler of a Roman land and when he entered the city he “destroyed the al-Aqsa Mosque, burned the Torah and made the place into a garbage dump” (p. 194). It is said that Allah sent this king as His instrument to avenge the wrongful death of the Prophet Yahya. Nebuchadnezzar took numerous Jerusalemites into exile. Seventy years later those exiles’ descendants were allowed to return under the patronage and protection of one Antonius. However, the returnees’ unfaithfulness to the Will of Allah caused Nebuchadnezzar to invade a second time, burning the Torah again, and making the city a garbage dump for the second time. According to this account, the city remained in ruins until the period of Islam’s second caliph, ‘Umar b. al-Khattab, who rebuilt the city. Here, one woman’s unfaithfulness to the Will of Allah caused Nebuchadnezzar to invade a second time, burning the Torah again, and laying the city to waste once again. According to this account, the city remained in ruins until the period of Islam’s women’s deceit led to the terrible consequences of the destruction of a people and a society. Nebuchadnezzar’s attacks and exiles served to reinforce Allah’s law that men may not marry their nieces. Students of the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the history of Roman Palestine will have noticed that the storyteller has consolidated the separate stories of the persecution of a single prophet (Jeremiah 29:21 [Ahab and Zedekiah roasted to death]; Jeremiah 26:20-23; 1 Kings 18:3; Deuteronomy 18:20; 2 Chronicles 24:22; Acts 7:52 and 1 Thessalonians 2:1415), the execution of John the Baptist (ca. 30 C.E.), the neo-Babylonian conqueror, Nebuchadnezzar II’s 597 and 587 B.C.E. conquests of Jerusalem, Titus Vespasianus’s destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem during the First Jewish Revolt in 70 C.E., as well as Hadrianus’s rebuilding the city, but as a non-Jewish, Roman city named Aelia Capitolina around 135 C.E., after the Bar Kokhba Revolt. Since these accounts all existed well before the advent of Islam, the story-tellers had plenty of material from which to craft this account of the workings of the Will of Allah, and how that was sparked by the deceit of certain women. By factoring into it the substitution of the al-Aqsa Mosque as the destroyed religious structure and the lack of rebuilding of the city until the period of the second caliph, 110

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all of these stories were tailored to serve the needs and cause of Islam. It is an example of literary and historical syncretism at some of its very best. Life and art become wed in al-Batnuni’s account of a deceitful woman who was involved in the assassination of Imam ‘Ali b. Abi Talib. Her motivation was revenge, for during the Battle of Nahrawan, her father and brother were killed. To avenge their deaths, she manipulated the affections of a man who, enchanted by her beauty, desired greatly to marry her. He was Abd al-Rahman b. Muljam. She would not marry him unless he killed the imam. Since he was a man of means, in addition to murder, as additional parts of her mahr she also demanded 3,000 silver Dirhams, and both a male and female slave. The man indeed assassinated Imam ‘Ali with a sword blow to the head. He was pursued as he attempted to flee the scene of his crime, was captured, and after the Imam’s eventual death, was executed; his remains were cremated. Once again, Allah’s Will was vindicated and the woman received nothing, save her revenge. The case of the young man who argued his case before the Caliph ‘Umar demonstrates that not all incidents of beguiling and deceit come as a result of sexual desire. His complaint was that his mother had disavowed him and had kicked him out. When summoned before the caliph, the woman, accompanied by her brothers and numerous character witnesses, disclaimed parenthood of the young man. She claimed to be childless and still a virgin. The caliph sent the lad to jail upon the completion of hearing the testimony of both, as well as that of the witnesses. On the way to jail he encountered the Imam ‘Ali. After laying his case before the imam, ‘Ali instructed the jailers to return the lad “to the Prince of Believers” (p. 199). Before the caliph, ‘Ali engaged in a test of justice that recalls the reported ruling of King Solomon with two mothers disputing motherhood of a child. ‘Ali ruled that the disputants should get married and return to court with legal proof of the marriage. From his personal wealth he gave the young man forty Dirhams to give to the woman as a dowry. It was then that the woman, horrified, admitted that she was indeed the lad’s birth mother, but that she had been influenced by her family to disavow parenthood of him. She confessed that she really loved her son. Al-Batnuni’s editorializing comments following this account will not be welcomed by many female readers of this chapter. A sad story about two brothers makes use of a most popular motif in Middle Eastern literature. One of the brothers was married, the other single. It was the habit of the married brother to travel often on business. Whenever this was necessary, he asked his brother to look after his family. His sister-in-law fell in love with him and asked him to make love to 111

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her. In the tradition of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, Joseph and the Pharaoh’s wife, the Egyptian Story of the Two Brothers, that is Anpu and Bata, and the king’s daughter and Thuban, the honorable brother refused her advances. When her husband returned, the spurned temptress denounced her brother-in-law as a sexual harasser and would-be rapist. Believing his wife’s complaint, the angry man broke off all family relations with his brother, who nevertheless chose to remain on the periphery of the family’s activities. When they went on a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca, the outcast brother was also a member of the larger group traveling. On the way, however, and while the party was resting at a camp, this brother fell ill and died. He was buried there and the pilgrims continued their journey. After the Hajj and on the return trip, the pilgrim party stopped at the same rest area. The surviving brother’s wife, believing that she had heard the voice of her deceased brother-in-law, became frightened and confessed to her husband that she had wronged her brother-in-law by having lied. Her husband divorced her immediately. Now inconsolable, he pitched his tent on the grave of his brother, fell ill, and died there also. It became known as the “Two Brothers’ Graves”. A similar story is told of two friends, one from Medina, the other an ‘Iraqi, who so enjoyed each other’s company that each would spend a year in the country of the other out of such comradeship. The wife of the one from Medina, however, became jealous and plotted with her brother to discredit the ‘Iraqi in the eyes of his friend. She convinced her brother to pose as a friend of the ‘Iraqi, and to confess to him his love for a particular woman. He asked the ‘Iraqi to write a few lines of poetry that would explain to this “anonymous” object of his love how he felt about her. Out of kindness, he agreed to write the poem and gave it to the man who posed as his friend. He gave it to his sister. When her husband came home she feigned being upset about something, but would not say exactly what. The husband grew impatient with her and threatened divorce if she did not tell him immediately the cause of that which was upsetting her. Before she did, however, she extracted from him a promise that he would not kill her in anger. After learning of her plot, he divorced her. In the meantime, the betrayed ‘Iraqi (who had learned of the wife’s plot) headed for home. Saddened by what had occurred, her former husband pursued his friend to reinstate their friendship. By the time he found his friend, the ‘Iraqi had died and had been buried. He found this out from witnesses. As in the previous account, he also pitched a tent over his friend’s grave and mourned him until he, too, died and was buried there. This place became known as the Grave of the Two Friends.

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The monk Jarih of Bani Israel became well-known because of his asceticism, life of prayer, and the simple monastery he built in the wilderness. A tale of deceit and mean-spiritedness is told of how a woman of Bani Israel desired to simply bring the highly-respected monk down from his distinguished position by seducing him. When the pious Jarih refused her advances, she found a shepherd nearby and made love to him. Later, as her pregnancy became evident, she was asked to name the father. She replied that it was the monk Jarih, whereupon the Bani Israel set upon him in anger and disgust that such an ascetic would do such a thing. Jarih, not content to sit idly by and be victimized thus, had the child brought to him; he put to it the question of who was his father. The child replied that it was the shepherd ’so-and-so’. Ashamed at their actions, the Bani Israel offered to restore to Jarih a monastery of gold. He merely wanted his simple monastery of mud brick and stone restored to him. Modern viewers of television news (and this extends to other media forms as well) ask why most, if not all, of the news is negative, about ter rorism, murder, rape, treachery, embezzlement, predatory business practices, and political misconduct. The usual reply is that stories about an excellent teacher who helped the “light” turn on in the understanding of a young pupil who had thought acquiring an understanding of some principle, or a school for young women opening in some remote village in Afghanistan designed to teach them good business techniques so that they may become self-sufficient, or a youth counselor (formerly a gang member himself) having helped young would-be gang members to understand that protecting their neighborhood turf could also be accomplished better through community service rather than community violence and destruction, or even that a seventy-year old grandmother graduated from high school with her youngest grandchild just does not keep the viewers’ interest: these things just do not sell newspapers or guarantee a market share and good ratings in the news business. It appears that the three immediately preceding stories were obviously derived from a set of stories that circulated orally and were tailor-made to suit the needs of the narrator. The image of women as deceitful, low, heartless creatures was far more popular and was used as a ready device to make a story interesting than merely focusing on the piety of a monk, the loyalty of a friend, or the fidelity and reliability of a brother. Yet, a negative view of women is inculcated in the reader, although it is these three types of exemplary humanity which is really the focus of these stories. One has to ask whether it was really necessary to make the stories interesting at women’s expense.

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An account in Kitab Sirr al-Asrar 117 holds that an Egyptian merchant bade his wife goodbye before departing for a trip. A friend convinced the merchant to spend an enjoyable evening with associates before departing on his business trip the following morning. The friend, his guests, associates, and the invited merchant were to spend the evening dining, being entertained by music, and in company of women, there to make the evening even more pleasant and enjoyable to the men who were present. When they arrived at his friend’s house, each of his guests was enjoying the companionship of an accommodating woman reveler. The merchant told his friend he’d like to have an “escort” for the evening, as well. His friend, anxious to be a good host, left and within the hour returned with a woman dressed for a soirée. She turned out to be the merchant’s wife. At this point of the story, the ethics of the situation became crystal clear for some readers, murky for others, or downright disgusting. At any rate, the reader gains great insight into both the male and female (mediated through a male writer) world views of Middle Eastern thinking when a person finds themself in such a situation. The heated exchange between the couple and al-Batnuni’s concluding remarks is instructive. I invite the reader to also serve as judge. Two friends traveled to Mecca. Before entering the city, one friend made camp and set up a tent for resting; the other went into the city to purchase provisions. While he was away, an Arab woman who lived on the nearby mountain noticed how handsome the friend who had remained in the tent was. She desired him sexually, came down from the mountain, entered his tent, and unveiled herself. When he, thinking she needed food, offered it to her, she refused it, and told him she was there for sex. Sulayman, for that was his name, refused her advances and told her that she was a tool of Iblis.118 When his friend returned, Sulayman retailed the incident to him. His friend began to wail and confessed to his friend his happiness at not having been there when the woman came, yet simultaneously his regret, for he admitted proclivities toward temptations of the flesh in such situations. A humorous conclusion to this tale has Sulayman entering Mecca, falling asleep, and dreaming. In the dream he has a conversation with Yusuf (Joseph) during which they exchange observations about having been approached by forward women, and having successfully resisted their machinations. A rather lengthy account involving the fury of a woman scorned is set during the days of the Caliph ‘Umar. It follows several short stories of 117 Pseudo-Aristotle. Also know as Secretum Secretorum, or the Secret of Secrets. 118 The Devil.

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women’s deceit that serve as a bridge to this episode. In it, ‘Umar, the Prince of Believers, receives an anonymous note telling him that one of the most devout ascetics of his circle is instead a dastardly fellow who visited the cemetery at night, dug up corpses, and took their burial shrouds. The ascetic is named Fadlun. What occasions the note is a woman who covets the company of Fadlun. After she encounters him on his way to the mosque to pray with with the Imam ‘Umar, she pulls him aside and confesses her love for him, he asks her not to say such things, and determines to avoid future encounters with her on the way to, or when returning from prayers. The young woman, a virgin named Nabatah, is completely smitten with Fadlun, who is reputed to be one of the four most handsome of Allah’s believers – the other three having been Adam, Yusuf, and the Prophet. ‘Umar investigates the allegations personally and discovers Fadlun’s activities in the cemetery were of a most noble nature, and that the note’s contents were mere slander. However, this was not to be the end of the matter. Fadlun makes the Hajj to Mecca. Nabatah, upon learning of his intention to do so, joins the caravan of pilgrims also. She takes along with her several of her slaves and servants. When she locates Fadlun among the pilgrims, she pulls him aside and offers him 1,000 Dinars to sleep with her. He refuses her a second time. Moreover, she suggests that because he is so concerned about having been offered money (like a prostitute) that he could, out of his concern for charity, give the money to the poor: that way he could pay off the sin of sexual impropriety. He explains to her that no amount of money is worth the punishment of Hell for committing adultery. Thus spurned, she returns to her tent and conspires with a servant girl to destroy him and his reputation. Promising the girl 100 Dinars, as well as her freedom, she is to observe Fadlun’s tent until it is evident that he was asleep. She is then to sneak into his tent, steal his skin bag containing all of his possessions, and bring it to her lady. Nabatah removes the bag’s contents (simple foods for the journey given to him by Imam ‘Umar) and replaces them with 1,000 Dinars and a necklace valued at 1,000 Dinars also. The young woman returns the bag to Fadlun’s tent. True to her word, Nabatah manumits her. As soon as the servant girl had accomplished this, Nabatah begins to scream, beats herself about the face, and claims that someone has stolen money and jewels from her. It is decided that one of the members of the caravan, Salman al-Farisi, who had been one of the Prophet’s companions, and who is also part of the caravan, should inspect everyone’s bags. He checks every bag except that of Fadlun, for it would have embarrassed 115

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him to do so. Finally, compelled by the fellow pilgrims to inspect Fadlun’s bag as well, Salman discovers the money and jewels that had been placed there. All are shocked, and Salman says that this case is so grave that it needs to be adjudged by the Prince of Believers himself; no one present is qualified to do so. Again, the matter does not rest there. Still determined to destroy Fadlun’s life and reputation – for they were one and the same – for having refused her, the next phase of Nabatah’s scheme is, after the caravan has advanced another day’s journey, to pitch her tent next to that of Fadlun. This done, she promises another servant, this time a black, male slave, his freedom if he will deflower her. After relinquishing her virginity, she returns to her tent, takes a knife and slits the throat of another of her female slaves. Feigning sudden discovery of the foul deed, she begins to scream and cry once again. Fadlun, being her closest tent neighbor, is the first to respond to her pleas for assistance. When he arrives she seizes him by the throat and denounces him as both a rapist and a murderer as more pilgrims arrive in response. She has already accused him of being a thief. The pilgrims put him in chains; he and they complete the pilgrimage and return to Medina. Back in Medina, Fadlun is now tried by the Imam ‘Umar. He is flogged (on suspicion of being an adulterer) and then sentenced to having his hand cut off (on suspicion of being a thief). Before this second sentence is served, however, Fadlun asks that it be postponed for an hour. Umar grants a postponement of the trial for one day. It is during this period that Fadlun refortifies his faith in both Allah and, more immediately, that the Imam ‘Ali b. Abi Talib will come to his rescue. However, one apparent problem for Fadlun is that Imam ‘Ali is in the city of al-Kufa some dis tance from Medina, and it is deemed all but impossible for him to travel that distance in time to serve as a character witness on the accused’s behalf. Nevertheless, Imam ‘Ali, cousin of the Prophet, has known for some time that he would rescue Fadlun from calamity, although he was 20-days’ journey away by horseback. In a manner that recalls the miraculous activities of the Prophet Elisha of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), Imam ‘Ali, accompanied by his servant, Qanbar, who, he claimed, slowed him down, miraculously traveled this distance in 17 steps – the Imam complained that had Qanbar not been with him, he would have completed the journey in one step! It is at this point, Qanbar becomes the narrator. Arriving and greeting Imam ‘Umar affectionately, Imam ‘Ali asks for a summary of the charges against Fadlun. Learning this, ‘Ali summons Nabatah immediately to appear before the court by sending Qanbar to fetch her. When Qanbar ar116

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rives at Nabatah’s home and speaks with her, she attempts to bribe him with 100 Dinars and get him to say that he has not seen her when he returns to the trial. Brushing this attempt aside, he tells her that if she does not come along willingly, he will take her to the trial by force. Only then does she decide to accompany him. Once there, Imam ‘Ali, as defense counsel, asks whether she is willing to submit to the court’s decision. ‘Ali places a magical steel rod that had once belonged to the Prophet on the protruding abdomen of the pregnant Nabatah, and asks the foetus questions concerning all of her allegations against Fadlun. The foetus speaks and reveals the truth. Ultimately, Fadlun is exonerated, Nabatah is sentenced to death, the baby is stillborn, ‘Ali returns to al-Kufa, and Fadlun continues his life as a pious Muslim until his death. Sometimes, the deceitful scheme involves two women conspiring against one unsuspecting (pious) man; or the Yusuf motif is operable, as in the case of a second young man, like Fadlun who also prays behind Imam ‘Umar. In this account, ‘Umar appears to have been more trusting of the young man’s integrity and fidelity to Allah than he shows in the case of Fadlun. In fact, in this story he seizes the initiative to produce a “line up” of several old women from which the accused correctly identifies correctly the old woman (the co-conspirator) who had asked him to help her milk her goat, in order to induce him to enter the courtyard of her home. There, the young woman waits for the unsuspecting man. Al-Batnuni views this collaboration as a demonstration of conspiratorial solidarity among women, both young and old. Al-Batnuni follows this account with another case of collaboration, this time between a married woman and a witch to gain access to the bed of a young man. This account ends in tragedy, for the bewitched young man, attempting to ressist the witchcraft, dies of madness while having been tied and locked up by his father who was attempting to help him resist the temptation to fornicate. Just as one is all but convinced from reading Al-Batnuni that only women take the initiative in approaching (chaste and righteous) men, he relates the following story. A young man wanted to marry a certain woman. She refuses his offer, but counters it by stating that she is nevertheless willing to sleep with him without obligations and conditions. It is in this account, recounted to al-Batnuni by al-Asma‘i, that we find a most succinct explanation of al-Batnuni’s raison d’être for assembling and relating these stories:

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“Anyone who loves for pleasure is like someone who takes Satan as a brother. Believers should be pure and free of dishonourable qualities.” His book is a multifaceted commentary, accompanied by numerous examples according to the following theme: “A good woman is rarer than a white-footed crow” (p. 226). Probably the most uncomplimentary statement made concerning women is credited to the Prophet as quoted by Usama b. Zaid. A twist on the motif of the “two brothers” is told of the Umayyad Caliph, Yazid b. ‘Abd al-Malik, and his more responsible brother, Musallama. The caliph owned two beautiful slave women for whom he paid an enormous sum of silver Dirhams. He was so pleased by and attracted to them that he neglected his duties as caliph and Prince of Believers, and spent the majority of his time in bed with these women. His brother came to him and attempted to reason with him about his obligations, especially in light of the fact that the Caliph ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz had only recently died, and that the memory of his distinguished caliphate was still very fresh in the minds of his subjects and visiting diplomats. His people needed him and depended on him. Moreover, he advised that his rule could be in danger of being overthrown. Nevertheless, all of this was to no avail. Not wanting to hear his brother criticize, Yazid sent him away. His slave women came to him and serenaded him in order to console him. Wine was ordered, and he proceeded to get very drunk. While reveling with his women, the slave named Hababa choked on a pomegranate seed and died. At this point the story takes on grizzly, horrible aspects that involve an unusual kind of mourning for the dead that are better read by the reader than narrated by me. In the end, the grieving caliph died 17 days after Hababa. Al-Batnuni thereafter launches into a rationale for how deceitful women can be. However, this will immediately cause a Westerner to ask how it is that either of the slave women (they were slaves, after all, with neither power nor rights) were culpable in the tragic death of this leader who had such great potential. Rather than an example of women’s deceit here, the conclusion reached by the Westerner could be that of gross misuse of power and sexual excesses on the part of a sex-addicted caliph. What may be an expansion on the same theme is a somewhat involved story. Here, al-Batnuni takes up the case of a beautiful woman named Su‘ad or Sa‘da and her unnamed Arab husband, and Marwan, governor of Medina, who administered on behalf of the Caliph Mu‘awiyah b. Abi Sufyan, who lived in and ruled as Prince of Believers from Damascus. 118

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Su’ad/Sa’da was so beautiful that Marwan, upon seeing her one day, said of her poetically: “For if you had seen her, your eyes would have cried in front of everyone... For she looks like sun, neither humans nor jinns have anything or anyone like her” (p. 236). Thus smitten, he took the Arab’s wife away from him, married her himself, and sent the former husband away in disgrace with a pittance as “compensation.” In this way, he, with all of his power and responsibility, dealt with one whom he had sworn to defend and protect. When the man traveled all the way from Medina to Damascus and had an audience with the Caliph Mu‘awiyah, and informed him of all that had happened, Mu‘awiyah reacted with indignation in a manner reminiscent of King David after the Prophet Nathan had informed him of the “ewe lamb” incident. Marwan had taken the man’s wife using his official power due to his own lust for her. His description of Sa’da’s/Su’ad’s beauty and effect on men was contained in a letter, written in self-defense, he had sent to his caliph after he had disciplined him and ordered him to send the woman to him. Her husband awaited her return. When she arrived, accompanied by two of the caliph’s most trusted servants, and he gazed upon her, he was also smitten by her beauty. Having her husband, the Arab, summoned before him, he offered him three virgin slave women and a handsome sum of money to renounce his claim to his wife. Moreover, he guaranteed him an annual pension if he would but accept his offer. The man, disappointed that his caliph to whom he had appealed for justice was now himself victimizing him once more with his power, wealth, and greed, was compelled to leave for somewhere he could go to find justice and protection from the one who was supposed to protect him, his family, and his rights. Mu‘awiyah’s responsibilities and sensibilities returned to him once again when the woman stated to him that she was her husband’s friend and that despite the riches offered them that her love for her husband would not end. He restored them to their former status as a legally married couple and awarded them 10,000 silver Dinars in compensation for the wrongs done to them by those, including himself, in positions of power. Here we should take issue with al-Batnuni, for as he continues his narration, he is still determined to discover, as it were, evidence of deceit and culpability on the part of the twice-victimized Su’ad/Sa’da. Yet, all to which he can point is the fact that – in addition to her unquestionable beauty – she was articulate, loyal, courteous, gracious, poised, and faithful to her husband, although she had been taken from him by force and forced to perform the duties of a wife with her captor(s). If deceit was 119

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there, this writer has missed it. Is being beautiful a crime, or the same as being deceitful? After the preceding episodes – some brief, some long – about relations between men and women, often set against the backdrop of a given caliph’s reign, and sometimes involving the caliph himself, al-Batnuni seems to soften his stance and admit that males engage in just as much deceitful activity as that of which women are accused. The episode of Su’ad/Sa’da is such an example. Eventually, however, al-Batnuni remains the same old woman-fearer and returns to his intractable position that woman and their sexual wiles are the chief causes of men being cut off from communion and communication with Allah. His summary of the lessons to be learned from the immediately preceding episodes which dove-tail each other is to be found on pages 226 and 227 of his text. A characteristic of the string of episodes is al-Batnuni’s inclusion of poetry to support his general thesis, as well as his narrative style. The poetry begins on page 224 of his narrative and certainly is continued through page 252. This is not to suggest that only here does al-Batnuni include poetry in his story-telling narrative. Prior to page 224, poems appear also on pages 131, 133, 139, 142, 198, 201, and 203. This allows the reader to observe in the latter portion of al-Batnuni’s work a marked shift, however, how poetry is used as a vehicle for his own arguments. Essentially, about seven or eight poems appear in the first 82 pages, while 39 poems appear in the following 24 pages.119 Beginning on page 253, al-Batnuni, in addition to employing poetry profusely to narrate, begins to employ another device to underline and support the message of his work. Readers of both the Books of Kings are well aware of formulaic story-telling. Therein, the narrator critiques each of the kings of Judah and Israel from the time of David to the time of Josiah. The kings following Josiah are not presented in the same way. The narrator introduces his comments about each king with the formula: “And King X of Judah/Israel began to rule in the Xth year of King X of Judah/Israel, and he did that which was either good or bad in the sight of YHWH120 (followed by the reasons why).” Once he has completed his critique, the narrator ends with a description of the king in question going to sleep alongside his forefathers and being succeeded by the next king, who in turn is good or bad in the eyes of YHWH. Most of the contents of Kings 1 and 2 are held together by this form of story-telling “glue.” The upshot 119 See our observation concerning poetry and the poet in the foreword to this volume. 120 The so-called Tetragrammaton represents the name of God as it is written in the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible.

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of this method is that the reader has been left with no choice but to view David, Hezekiah, and Josiah as the three greatest kings of the people of YHWH – all of them kings of Judah. Al-Batnuni uses the formula of an advisory council of the companions of the Prophet, as they sit together discussing the Qur’an. While doing so, a man comes complaining to them; he is having trouble with his wife: she does not obey him and his wishes. They offer in turn their advice using the formula: “I heard the Prophet saying...” followed by advice he reportedly gave, as that companion remembered it. All of their comments refer to men and women who are married. Of the fifteen companions 121 present, the comments of Abu Bakr and Abu Hurayrah are typical of the advice offered by each companion one at a time to the troubled husband. Abu Bakr: “...any woman who tortures her husband with her tongue, the curse of Allah, the angels, and the people will fall upon her.” (p. 253) Abu Hurayrah: “...if a woman cooks one of her breasts and barbecues the other, she is still falling short of performing her obligations toward her husband.” (p. 254) Because he is famous for his wisdom in the Islamic tradition, al-Batnuni begins this segment of his work concerning deceitful women with advice given by the famous Luqman to his son. What follows is a series of comments concerning women that only a misogynist would enjoy. This rant, for lack of a better description, is peppered with statements such as:

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Luqman: “My son, never ask for a woman’s opinions, for they have a defect in the brain.” (p. 252) Al-Qadi Sharih: “Women have defects in their brains and religion.” When asked by a woman who hears the comment, resents it, and asks why he said it, he replied: “Lady, by what I said was meant the women of the Prophet’s companions. As for you and your kind, you do not have brains or faith at all.” (p. 253) And: “The Pharaohs of Egypt told Zulaikha that women’s deceit was great. He said that Satan’s deceit was in secret, but women’s deceit was public.” (p. 253) 121 The companions referenced by al-Batnuni were Abu Bakr, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali b. Abi Talib, Ibn ‘Abbas, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, ‘Ammar b. Yasir, Mu‘ath b. Jabal, AlMiqdad b. al-Aswad, Salman al-Farisi, Talhah b. ‘Ubaid Allah, Al-Zubayr b. al-‘Awam, ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Awf, Abu Hurayrah, Abdallah b. ‘Umar, and Abu Ayyub al-Ansari.

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This section from the beginning through to page 245ff. may be viewed as Part I of al-Batnuni’s work. Therein, the stories focus on Bible-related personalities and issues that serve to support his subject of women’s deceit. These discussions were informed by frequent references to the Qur’an. Part II consists of accounts about Middle Eastern Muslims, some against historical backdrops, some a second- or third-hand source of oral traditions, and their vicissitudes involving women. In many of the accounts, only the name of the characters seems to change, while the motif remains the same. And instead of using Qur’anic verses as the dominant reference, literary works by noted thinkers and commentators take their place, although the Qur’an never disappears completely. It would be remiss of us were we not to point out al-Batnuni’s engaging in historiography. Above, we have alluded to certain stories’ presentation against the backdrop of the Prophet and his companions, or during the period of certain caliphs, or even anonymous kings among the Bani Israel (pp. 159-195). One of his most lengthy accounts takes place against the backdrop of the rulership of the Baghdadi, Harun al-Rashid (786– 809 C.E.). Therein, a woman’s deceit set off an entire chain of misfortune for one prominent family, linked to that of the caliph himself. The account runs from page 263 to page 274. Essentially, an insult to the caliph by his half-sister who sexually desired one of his life-long friends, ministers, and officers, resulted in the almost total destruction of that minister’s family, due, according to al-Batnuni, to the deceit of one woman, Maymunah. As we observed in the two previous paragraphs, the Bani Israel are used as a convenient foil for al-Batnuni’s story-telling technique. As early as the second page of his work he refers to a woman of the Bani Israel named War of Basus. She craves to be acknowledged as the most beautiful of the women of the Bani Israel. When Allah grants this wish; however, she becomes excessively proud and arrogantly disrespects her husband in both private and public. Allah transforms her into a barking bitch. As al-Batnuni brings his work to a close, the Bani Israel are referenced one final time. It is here that the reader finds the twist we mentioned in the final paragraph of the first page of this introduction. To discuss it here would spoil its impact on the whole chapter.

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ENDNOTE

Al-Batnuni begins his work with a statement accentuating the reason for him to deal with the subject of women’s deceit. He writes:

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“Here is what the poor slave of Allah, ‘Ali b. ‘Umar al-Busairi alHanafi, had to say, may Allah treat him with kindness and guide him all through. Some friends have asked me in the name of Allah the Great, to write a book that includes some advice vis-a-vis women. They asked me that because I have good knowledge of women’s ignorance toward tradition, because women have not paid attention to their marital obligations, because they spend all of their energies on short living pleasure, and because of their bad behavior...” Concerning the manuscript, it falls into the category of many helpful works of antiquity that do not appear in full manuscript form, but has rather been rendered in the writings of others whose works are better known. It is a situation analogous to many of the writings of so-called heretic leaders of movements in Christianity, who challenged the orthodoxy of the Church Fathers. We know of what they wrote because their words (with some editing, of course) were preserved in the writings which criticized them. Although it is known that al-Batnuni’s work was completed in 1495, we depend for knowledge about it because the historian Isma’il Pasha al-Baghdadi discussed al-Batnuni’s work in his book Hadiyat al-‘Arifin 1:739. Likewise, Idhan al-Maknun, 2:10 and Kashf alDhunun, 2:987 are helpful through their contents. Carl Brockelmann has quoted and commented upon al-Batnuni in his work Arabische Literatur Gal, G11 p. 151, S11 p. 152. Al-Batnuni’s work is found in three microfilms in the National Library, the Oriental Section, in Paris: 1. ARABE 3564, written by Ahmad b. Mulakhkhis al-Shafi‘i, completed in 1680. Each page consists of 12 lines written in clear Naskhi calligraphy. 2. ARABE 3565, consists of 193 pages of fifteen lines on each page, and was written by ‘Abd al-Wahhab ‘Abd al-Halim al-Ashmuni in 1723. Here, we find some corrections and commentaries. 3. ARABE 3566, consists of 133 pages. Also with Naskhi calligraphy without vowels. There are some corrections and commentaries, written by a scholar named Muhammad in 1859. Mohammed Jiyad’s translation is based on the first manuscript with references to the other two whenever it was needed.

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Women’s Deceit

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Al-Batnuni

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Thanks to the Lord of the universe. The good reward will be for Allah-fearing people. Allah has called upon us to resist aggressors and aggression. Peace be upon our Prophet Mohammed, his family and companions! While admitting inability and shortage of knowledge, here is what the poor slave to Allah, Ali b. ‘Umar al-Batnuni al-Busairi al-Shadhili al-Hanafi, had to say. May Allah treat him with kindness and guide him through all. Some friends have asked me, in the name of Allah the Great, to write a book that includes some advice vis-à-vis women. They asked me to do this because I have good knowledge of women’s ignorance regarding traditions, because women have not paid attention to their marital obligations, because they spend all their energies on short-lived pleasures, and because of their bad behavior. Women put their efforts to their own demise and spend their life doing things that bring Allah’s curse on them. May Allah fight and defeat them! How great is their ignorance in their religion affairs! How strong are their desires and selfishness! How far they have gone astray from what could have done them good! They deserve from Allah all that they deserve, ‘They are the Party of Satan. Truly, the Party of Satan will lose’.122 This certainly will happen because it was mentioned in the Qur’an. Just remember what the Pharaohs of Egypt said: “It is a snare of you women! Truly, mighty is your snare!”. 123 It is also reported in the traditions that the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), who showed the nation what was right and what was wrong, had said that: “No temptation that I have left to my nation which is more destructive to men than women.” He was also quoted to have said: “You women have deficiency in your brain and faith.” Having deeply thought about and contemplated this question, I began to collect materials to answer this question so that it would become a reminder to my friends and comrades. I have brought attention to the women’s tricks and plots, weakness in their brains, and how much they deserve serious warnings and severe punishment. All this has been reported in the Qur’an, the traditions of the Prophet and his companions. I 122 Q. 58(al-Mujadilah):19. 123 Q. 12(Yusuf):28.

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gave it the title: “Beware of Women.” I concluded it with a short chapter about those good women who were mentioned in the books of religious exhortation. The purpose is to get Allah’s blessing by mentioning them, admitting their contributions, and also expressing surprise for how so different they are from their sisters. When I began this book, I asked Allah the Great for assistance from Him. He is the One to whom we all will return. I depend on Him and leave my destiny in his hands. I say that He may extend his support to us and you, and may lead us and you to the right path to realize our aims. A true servant to Allah should believe and rest assured that whatever He wants will happen. Anything that He does not like will not be realized. No one can step in the way of His will. He is entitled to lead whomever to the right path or to the wrong path. No human can judge Him, but He can ask us to account for whatever we do. Great is He who can grant happiness to those He favors, and unhappiness to those whom He condemns. He said in His book: “Of those (gathered) some will be wretched and some will be blessed.”124 It was also reported that the Prophet was asked about the timing of the Day of Judgment. He said that it would be when both the people of Heaven and those of Hell were prepared. That is the time when tricks were no longer played and the anger of Allah would descend on those who disobeyed Him. Now, let us return to the discussion of the issues of good and bad women; meaning those who are evil. They are those whom the shar‘iah law advises the believers not to trust, orders to avoid and to beware. Allah said in His Book: “O ye who believe! Truly, among your wives and your children are (some that are) enemies for yourselves: so beware of them!”125 That means that some of them will act like your enemies by stopping you from doing the right things. Therefore, beware of them and avoid them. Notice that this verse limits this to “some” of your wives and children. ‘Ata’ b. Muslim al-Khurasani was quoted as saying that this verse was in reference to ‘Auf b. Malik al-Ashja‘i, whose wife and children discouraged him from jihad for Islam and joining the Prophet in Medina. They tried to stop him from doing the right thing, therefore causing him evil by not letting him join the Prophet’s jihad. Only enemies would do something like that. Muqatil b. Hayyan said that the verse was in reference to the Hijra, (emigration from Mecca in 622 C.E.), when the infidels began to harass the believers.

124 Q. 11(Hud):105. 125 Q. 64(al-Taghabun):14.

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At that time, both women and children would plead with men not to leave by saying: “How could you leave your family, tribe, and possessions and go to Medina where you have neither family nor money?” Therefore, they tried to stop those men from emigrating. The man would say: “If Allah brings us together in the house of emigration in Medina, I will not be able to do you good.” Allah had warned those men and advised them against listening to their children and wives. However, when those family members were finally able to join their men in Medina, Allah reminded the men to forgive. He said in the Qur’an: “But if you forgive and over look, and cover up (their faults), verily Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”126 ‘Ikrimah said that a number of men from Mecca became Muslims. When they wanted to emigrate, their wives and children prevented them. Eventually those men were able to join the Prophet in Medina sometime later. Having found that they had missed an opportunity to improve their understanding of Islam due to their staying behind, those men felt bad and wanted to punish their wives and children. Thus, Allah inspired the verse quoted above to forgive and forget. This story was close to the story the narrators reported about Adam and Eve. When Allah housed Adam in Paradise and then created Eve from him, He prohibited them from eating the fruit of the tree. However, they did eat, and it was Eve who started first. Al-Kalbi reported the story as follows. Iblis, may Allah curse him, was jealous of Adam and Eve being in heaven. He, may Allah curse him, was exiled to earth. He wanted to enter heaven to trick Adam, to tempt both of them with wicked suggestions so that they would eat the fruit of the tree. He begged every animal to let him hide inside it so that when that animal crossed the gates of Paradise, Iblis would find an easy pass. All animals declined, except for the snake. The snake was the most beautiful animal in Paradise, with many colors. It looked like a camel and walked on four legs. Iblis was able to convince the snake and thus was able to enter Paradise inside it, concealing himself in its head. Once the snake passed through the gates of heaven, Iblis came out and began to call on Adam and Eve. He asked: “Hey, Adam and Eve, what is Allah’s order to you? What did he prohibit you from doing in heaven?” They said: “He ordered us to eat every kind of fruit from every kind of tree, except this one tree.”127 Then Satan began to whisper suggestions to them in order to reveal to them their shame that was hidden from them (before). He said: “Your Lord 126 Q. 64(al-Taghabun):14. 127 Q. 2(al-Baqarah):35.

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only forbade you this tree, lest you should become angels or such beings as live for ever.” And he swore to them both that he was their sincere advisor.128 Iblis, may Allah curse him, lied in that. However, Eve rushed to the tree. Eve said: “All right, take this!” Adam said: “Woe unto you, don’t you know that Allah has forbade us from eating its fruit, and promised us punishment if we do?” She said: “But He is Most Merciful!” She ate a little, and gave Adam some. He ate, too. When the fruit reached their bellies, their clothes began to disappear. Their clothing was nothing but light. Allah said: “When they tasted of the tree, their shame (shameful parts) became manifest to them.” 129 Ibn ‘Abbas said that when Adam entered Paradise he was dressed in light, had a garland of gold and rubies, two bracelets of small and large pearls. When they tasted the fruit from the tree they lost their clothes and their private parts were exposed. So they began to collect leaves to cover themselves. The Qur’an reports the event thus: “So by deceit he (Satan) brought about their fall when they tasted of the tree, their shameful parts became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the Garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: “Did I not forbid you that tree[...]?”130 In his interpretations of the Qur’an, al-Imam al-Qushayri said that there was no place more honorable than heaven, and there was no man with better manners than Adam. There was no advice more elegant than that of Allah, and there was no one with stronger determination than Adam. However, when Allah’s decree was or is ordered,. no one could or can object to it. At the time when Adam was in Paradise he was extremely well, but when the problem started, the gate of blessings was shut, and the gate of ordeal became wide open. This took place because Adam followed what Eve had suggested. Adam was carried by angels, and they bent down to him. He had around his waist the belt of being close to Allah, and around his neck the necklace of sycophancy. Nobody was higher than him in rank, and none came close to his supremacy. Allah kept calling upon him, saying “Oh, Adam! Oh, Adam!” Now, Allah had taken away his clothes, and with it he took his happiness. He changed where Adam was and confused his sense of time. In his book‘Aqa’iq al-Haqa’iq, Abu al-Najm Rukn al-Din quoted a saying that when Allah created Adam, He brought him to heaven. The angel 128 Q. 7(al-A‘raf):20-21. 129 ibid. 22. 130 ibid. 22.

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Radwan and the gate keeper received Adam and gave him the keys to all the heavens. Allah said to Adam: “Oh, Adam! This is the eternal house where one will not get bored with ones’ wives. It is a property that cannot be transferred. Look at these respectable blessings. But, on the way there is a temptation. Don’t you two ever come close to this tree! If you go closer it will be the reason for your misfortune.” Adam sat down on the bed of his kingdom looking up at the throne and reciting the greatness of his creator. Allah pulled out a rib from Adam’s left side kindly and gently. Adam did not feel any pain. Allah created Eve from the rib. Great is He who has created everything perfect... Heaven was enlightened with Eve’s radiant face. She had six hundred braids and wore seventy garments of different colors. These were transparent, so that you can see the color of each garment. These seventy garments were not heavy, but something like standing in the shade of a tree. Truly, one would not feel the weight of that tree. Eve was loaded with all kinds of jewelry and precious stones that no one can describe accurately. Adam turned around and found that Eve was sitting next to him on his bed. Her light was brighter than the moonlight. She was surrounded by four thousand virgins of Paradise. If you look at one of them you will give up on the moon and the sun. Each one of them was nothing but a single light in comparison to Eve, who looked like the sun. Adam asked: “My Creator, what is this?” Allah said: “Oh, Adam I created her from you, and she is yours.” Adam said: “But she is sitting far from me.” Allah said: “Until you pay her dowry.” Adam said: “All garments and the precious stones that you have offered me are her dowry!” Allah said: “Oh Adam, her dowry is more superior and expensive than all that. Look at the throne!” Adam looked at the throne, and on it he saw a phrase written in light which said: “No God but Allah, Mohammed is the messenger of Allah.” Allah said: “Pray once for this messenger, and that will equal the dowry of your wife, Eve. Furthermore, I will make it the case for your offspring that to each one of them who offers his prayers for him among Muslims, I will promise seventy virgins of Paradise. I have made the prayers for this prophet of mercy equal the dowry for those seventy virgins of Paradise.” When Adam offered his prayers for Mohammed, Allah made Adam closer to Him, chose him, and sealed his marriage to Eve. Allah ordered the tree of blessing to shower Adam with pearls and said to him: “My servant, I have married you off to my slave girl.” Adam looked at the side of 128

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the bed and noticed a wheat plant which he did not like. He ordered the bed to fly away, and the bed flew over pastures and gardens for a thousand years. When he landed, he noticed that the wheat plant was still there. Though he was afraid of leaving again, he ordered his bed to take off, and it flew for a thousand years. When it stopped the wheat plant was still there. Adam ordered the bed to take off seventy times. Each time the bed stopped, Adam noticed that the wheat plant was standing in its position. Finally the wheat plant said to him: “Oh Adam, you cannot run away from your fate. Forgiveness is granted, and I am attached to you for ever.” Adam said: “Oh God, you forbade me but you put the tree next to my bed. Where will I get strength to resist fate? You put it next to me and left its temptation in my heart. You ruled that I would have no option. What can I do in my present situation?” The voice came to him and said: “While it is true that I put the tree next to your bed, it is also equally true that I have promised you forgiveness when and where you commit a mistake.” Adam continued his attempts to protect himself by avoiding the tree. However, Satan tempted him and he committed the sin. When the taste of the tree was felt in his mouth, his heavenly clothes disappeared. When Adam’s hand reached the tree that the Angel Radwan had planted, Radwan screamed: “My God, Adam has disobeyed!” Paradise echoed: “Adam has disobeyed!” and the heavens repeated: “Adam has disobeyed!” The call had arrived to earth, and the earth echoed that same call. Allah said: “Be quiet! Yes, it is true that Adam has disobeyed, but it is Satan’s fault.” Adam began to run and turn his head right and left out of fear. Even trees began to avoid and run away from him because of one single mistake. What was the condition of someone who had filled his page with seventy years of recorded sins without even one single good act? What would this man do on the Day of Judgment? How could he taste the water of the river in Paradise? All kinds of good people would avoid him like the trees which avoided Adam. He would be exiled in order to be away from those who knew the truth, and would be exposed to all people. He would not find anyone who would comfort him. It was reported that Adam began to look around and offered his apologies, then began to run with caution. He was told that it was not a place where one could offer his apologies. He had to go somewhere else. When Adam left heaven, a black cloud came over him. He cried and showed humility. The angel Jibra’il said: “Oh Adam, don’t be frightened. The Most Gracious light will guide you.”

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Adam turned around to Eve and said: “Where should we go now? Now that we are leaving Paradise, where should we get water?” Eve said: “I will follow you wherever you go, and will listen to whatever you say.” The angel Jibra’il separated them and said: “This is a route on which you cannot take a companion. All of you should leave now. I mean both of you, Adam and Eve; Iblis, the snake, and the peacock.” Adam cried and his tears which fell down in the mountain side became wheat and cloves and those that fell on fields that were not tilled became salt. His tears which fell down on the valleys became medical plants and herbs, and these are the signs of someone who fears Allah. When Eve cried, her tears that fell on the desert region of Arabia became henna; those that fell down in the sea became beautiful pearls for her daughters to wear and to be treasured. When Iblis, may Allah curse him, cried, his tears which fell down on prairies became ghouls, the desert demon appearing in ever varying shapes. Those tears that fell down on islands became devils, those that fell down in the sea became crocodiles and crayfish. When the snake cried, its tears that fell down on the ground became scorpions, and those tears that fell on the salty land became fire ants. When the peacock cried his tears that fell down on the island became coffee trees, those that fell down on trees and dates became worms, and those that fell down in the sea became carnelian. Finally, the snake ended on top of the mountain, Iblis came down accompanied by jealousy, and Adam came down accompanied by deep regret, destined to be worried and confused. It was also mentioned that when Adam and Eve came down from Paradise, they did not know where to go. Adam turned to Eve and said in tears: “You see, Eve, what you have done to yourself and me! You caused us to be kicked out of Paradise and leave the neighborhood of our Master. You assisted Iblis to hurt both of us.” Eve said: “Oh Adam, it was destined for both of us.” Adam said: “You are right! There is no power nor means without the assistance of Allah.” Abu al-Faraj b. al-Jawzi said that it was Eve who ate first from the tree, and she tempted him to eat as well. That was the reason why he was kicked out from Paradise. This agrees with what the fourth Rightly Guided Caliph, al-Imam Ali b. Abi Talib, said: “Beware even when you are in the company of the best of them.” Abu al-Faraj b. al-Jawzi was also quoted as saying that when Adam disobeyed, he heard a voice while he was grieving.

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The voice said: “Why are you grieving? Was this my reward for asking the angels to bow down to you, for making you reside in my Paradise, for marrying my slave girl? Truly, it was a bad reward. You disobeyed me, and therefore you are not fit to be near me nor live in my house. Leave my Paradise, all of you! It was Iblis who caused all this trouble for you. I made him my enemy because of you, and you obeyed and followed his suggestions too!” Adam heard this and his cry and regret became even stronger. He heard again. The voice said: “Why are you crying and regretting? Truly your situation has become more complicated and out of your control.” Adam said: “I swear by Your power that I am not regretting for being kicked out of Paradise. My regret is for being separated from you and being far away from you.” The voice said: “Your crying will last for a long time. When you settle down on earth, then you will miss Paradise. When you become acquainted with someone else, then you will realize your loss.” Then the voice recited a few lines of poetry:

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You will remember me when you try someone else, You will learn that I was your treasure, Your cry will be long on earth, And you will realize that your opinion was truly a defect. Get out of here! Adam turned to Eve and asked in tears: “Oh Eve, where do we turn now? Where should we go?” It was reported that Allah indicated to two angels that they should show both Adam and Eve the door, and out of His sight because they disobeyed Him. Both Adam and Eve cried. The angels asked them to get ready. The angel Jibra’il approached Adam and removed the crown from his head. The angel Mikha’il removed the wreath from Adam’s forehead. While the two angels were conducting their assignment, Allah asked: “Oh Adam, what kind of a neighbor was I to you?” Adam said: “My Master, you were the best.” Allah said: “Get out of here! You disobeyed me.” Adam’s clothes fell off and his shameful parts were exposed. Adam looked at them and started to run and hide behind the trees. He picked one branch and covered himself with it. Allah asked: “Are you running away from me?” Adam responded: “No, Master. I am simply ashamed!” Allah said: “Leave my Paradise, all of you! Adam, you disobeyed and broke my command.” 131

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The angels asked: “Our God, are you talking to someone who disobeyed you?” Allah responded: “Oh My Angels, if I do not talk to my disobeying slave, to whom should I talk? It is in the nature of human beings that they become angry and stop talking if someone disobeys them. In My case, if My slave disobeys me and comes back and says ‘My God!’ I will respond, ‘Yes, My slave.’ If he expresses regret and asks for my forgiveness, I will grant him that. I will respond to his repentance. Now, take them out!” The angels began to push them forward. Then the winds came and carried them down to earth. Adam landed on the top of a mountain in the valley of Sarandib in India. Eve landed on the seashore near Jeddah in Arabia. Iblis landed in Bisan in Palestine and the snake landed in Asbahan in Iran. It was said that when the snake lost its limbs, it said it did not care and would crawl on the ground the same way a whale swims in the water. It was told that it should not even dare to talk while it was losing its limbs, and then it caused its own tongue to be cut off. Therefore, it was unable to talk after that, though it did not loose its ability to hear. They all were kicked out from the proximity of Allah in heaven. They all became exiled, scattered, and confused. From one side, one of them (Iblis) would shout: “Lord, I swear by Your Greatness that I will tempt all of them.” From the other side, another voice would say: “Our Lord! We indeed did ourselves much harm.” Allah would say to the first one: “Go, you have My curse until the Day of Judgment!” To the couple He would say: “Now that you will have expressed your regret you will have My Forgiveness. But everyone should leave Paradise, though.” Every time Adam recalled Paradise, he would pass out. So, Allah sent him an angel who touched his heart with his hand, reduced his anxiety so that he would recover. When Adam landed on the mountain in India, he was able to hear the angels’ prayers and was close enough to smell the fragrance of heaven. Therefore, Allah sent the angel Jibra’il who put his hand on top of Adam’s head and pressed down. Adam became much shorter, to the point that he would not be able to hear the prayers nor smell the fragrance. Adam cried and Jibra’il came once again and asked: “Oh Adam, what made you cry?” Adam said: “I used to enjoy hearing the angels’ prayers and smell heaven’s fragrance. Now, I cannot do either of these!” Jibra’il said: “This is the punishment for disobedience and lack of gratitude to the One who loved you.” Nothing can describe Adam’s condition better than these lines of poetry: 132

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I have been standing at the door for a long time, Every time I attempt to reach them, they ignore me, I deserve to be shunned, but you made me think that A communion in love is possible. I deserve not such a communion, But listen to what I say so that you have mercy on me, Open up to me and I promise to not disobey again, If I do then you can part company with me. Calamities became Adam’s share and problems came to him from every side. He suffered from hot weather as well as from cold conditions. He endured stings and bites of insects and animals. He cried and Jibra’il came down to him and asked: “What are you crying for?” Adam said: “I came out of the house of comfort and ended in the house of difficulties and suffering.” Jibra’il said: “Oh Adam, how fast you have forgotten Allah’s warning to you, ‘So let him not get you both out of the Garden, so that you are landed in misery.’”131 Adam recalled the past and groaned because he missed those days. He asked: “Oh Jibra’il, What can I do?” Jibra’il said: “Cry a lot!” Adam asked: “Would He restore my condition back if I cry?” Jibra’il sad: “Yes. Your Lord likes those who cry out of their fear of Him.” Adam sat on top of that mountain and cried for the next hundred years. Clover and medical herbs grew out all over the valley. That is why herbal medication always comes from India. The deer ate those herbs and developed musk in their stomach. Cows ate those herbs and developed ambergris in their stomach. The whole world was filled with pleasant fragrance. Adam asked: “Oh Jibra’il, what is this pleasant fragrance?” Jibra’il said: “This is the fragrance of the tears of the disobedient.” So, when Adam was crying while he was in India, Eve was crying on the seashore near Jeddah. He did not know where she was, and neither did she know his whereabouts. So finally Allah inspired Adam to walk on toward the Holy Land. Jibra’il came down and showed Adam the way to the Holy Land. Jibra’il came to Eve and asked: “What makes you cry?” Eve said: “I miss Adam.” So, Jibra’il showed her how to get to the Holy Land. 131 Q. 20(Taha):117.

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Both Adam and Eve began to walk towards the Holy Land. Finally they met on the top of ‘Arafat Mountain. When Adam and Eve met, they recognized each other. Soon they complained to Allah about their bodies’ nakedness. Allah sent them a number of rams. Eve collected some wool and knitted it into garments that had a rough feel. The coarseness of their clothes reminded them of the beautiful days in Paradise and they cried. In the morning, the angels were standing by bowing and attending to Adam’s and Eve’s needs. The same angels led them out of Paradise in the afternoon. In the morning they enjoyed eating fresh fruit of the trees in Paradise, and now in the afternoon they lacked even the smallest morsel. In the morning, Adam was sitting on his bed happy and content, and now, in the afternoon, he was sitting on top of a mountain and crying. In the morning he had seventy transparent garments, and in the afternoon he was putting pieces of wool together in order to cover his shameful parts. In another account, it was said that when the wind had landed Adam on top of Sarandib Mountain in India, Adam cried for his sin. He cried so much that his tears formed pools in the valley. The eagle took a sip from one pool and came to Adam and said: “Oh Adam, I have never tasted fresh water like your own tears. Why are you crying?” Adam said: “I cry for my sin and disobedience to my Lord.” He told the eagle his story in full. The eagle said: “Oh Adam, I am speechless! I cannot believe what you have done. Allah created you with his own hands, married you to Eve, his slave girl, gave you residence in Paradise, and made his angels bow down to you. He gave many things that none before you had been blessed with, and you go and disobey Him? You dared to disobey Him? You have committed a great sin. I wish I had not tasted your tears and mixed them with my blood and flesh.” The eagle’s word fell harshly on Adam, even worse than his original sin. Allah made the eagle pronounce: “Allah is my witness, Adam, that I will never taste any plant again.” The eagle lived until the time of the Prophet Solomon. When all the birds paid a visit to Solomon and he asked them a question, the eagle moved forward and said: “Peace be upon you, the King of the World! I have never seen a king who has a greater kingdom than yours. I was in the company of your father, Adam. I consoled him when he used to cry, to the point that I drank his tears. I was the first to know of his arrival on earth, and I was with him when Allah granted him His forgiveness. He had told me that at some point in time birds will bow down to some of his offspring. He told me to give his greetings when I had the chance to meet that grandchild of his. Now that I have delivered his message to you, Prophet of Allah, you should hire me. I have an extensive knowledge vis-à-vis the mountains and the caves. I have also 134

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heard him reciting a great verse that my tongue kept repeating. It is: “Allah! There is no god but He, that is certain. He will gather you together on the Day of Judgment.”132 There is no doubt about that. Both the eagle and Solomon prayed to Allah at that moment. When the eagle looked up, Solomon made him the king of birds. It was also reported that a sparrow landed in front of Solomon and greeted him in three languages: the language of Adam and those of Noah and Abraham. She said: “Oh, Prophet of Allah! I am the one whom Noah chose and carried with him on his ark. All the sparrows in the world are my offspring. I am telling you that Adam, peace be upon him, had said to me: “You sparrow, you and your offspring will be blessed. You will meet one of my grandchildren whose kingdom is like mine. Allah will make birds, wild animals, lions and jinn obey his orders. When you meet him, give him my regards.” You, prophet of Allah! Let me tell you of a chapter that only your father Abraham had heard. So I came to him and was able to win his trust. He taught me that chapter. Would you like to hear it?” Solomon said: “Certainly.” The sparrow recited: “In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah The Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds; Most Gracious, Most Merciful: Master of the Day of Judgment. You do we worship And Your aid we seek. Show us the straight way, The way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, Those whose (portion) Is not wrath. And we go not astray.”133 The sparrow raised her voice when she said the word: “Amen!” The sparrow bent down in prayers, and so did Solomon. That sparrow was of the black kind which people name: “sparrows of Paradise”. Solomon talked to the raven next. The raven said: “Oh, Prophet of Allah! Allah had favored you above all Adam’s offspring. He taught you things that you had never known before. God’s blessing on you is unlimited. Oh Prophet of Allah, I want you to know that my color was originally white but it was turned black when I heard the infidels say: “Allah 132 Q. 4(al-Nisa’):87. 133 Q. 1(al-Fatiha).

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has begotten a son.”134 My color was changed because of what they said. I met your father Adam who prayed for me to have a long life. I heard your father recite a verse from his books and all the spiritual angels nodded in agreement. The verse said: “Every soul will be held in pledge for its deeds.”135 A few hours following Adam’s landing on earth, he reported having felt an internal pain. Jibra’il was still with him, so he asked: “What is the matter?” Adam said: “I feel I am shaking and lack strength. I don’t think I can even worship like this. I feel a sensation like ants’ creeping between my skin and flesh.” Jibra’il said: “Oh! That is something called ‘hunger’”. Adam asked: “How can I get rid of it?” Jibra’il said: “By Allah’s willing, I will show how.” Jibra’il disappeared for an hour, and came back with two bay oxen, some equipment, a hammer and a bellows. He put everything in front of Adam, and then disappeared for another hour. When he came back, he brought with him a spark from hell. He put it in Adam’s hand. The spark flew away and fell into the sea. Jibra’il extended his hand, grabbed the spark and gave it back to Adam. Seven times the spark flew a way and Jibra’il brought it back. That is why the Prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, said: “Compared to the fire of hell, this fire of yours is only one portion out of seventy.” When Jibra’il brought the spark back for the seventh time, it said: “Oh, Adam! I am not going to feed you, and on the Day of Judgment I will take revenge on any one of your children who might dis obey Allah...” Jibra’il said to Adam: “She will not obey you, but you have to keep her for she has so many advantages for you and your children.” Therefore, Adam put the fire inside the stones and the iron. That is why Allah said: “See you the fire which you kindle?”136 After showing Adam how to make a plough out of iron, Jibra’il brought three wheat seeds and said: “All right, Adam! Two for you and one for Eve.” That is why when it comes to inheritance, men in Islam get twice the share of women. Every seed weighed something like 3.12 grams. Adam asked: “What do I do with these?”

134 Q. 2(al-Baqara):116. 135 Q. 74(al-Muddaththir):38. 136 Q. 56(al-Waqi‘a):71.

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Jibra’il said: “Take them! You were kicked out of Paradise because of them; they will satisfy your hunger, use them for your sustenance. They will help you and your children to survive disturbances and hard times.” Jibra’il ordered Adam to break pieces of wood, put them around the two oxen, and plough the ground. Adam was the first to plough! The oxen cried of this hard labor, and remembered the easy life they had in Paradise. When their tears hit the ground they became peas, which began to grow. When the peas grew, they produced lentils. Adam broke up the three wheat seeds into small pieces to increase the number and spread them in his field. Soon the wheat plants began to grow. It was said that at some point Adam hit one of the oxen. The oxen asked: “Oh Adam, why did you hit me?” Adam said: “Because you disobeyed me.” The ox said: “Did anyone one hit you in Paradise when you disobeyed Allah and ate from the forbidden tree?” Adam felt ashamed and said to Allah: “You see, Lord! Even animals reproach and remind me of my sin.” In response to Adam’s complaint, Allah made all the animals mute since that moment. As soon as the wheat plants started to grow, Adam asked Jibra’il if he could eat them. Jibra’il responded that Adam had to wait until they grew spikes. When spikes began to show, Adam repeated his question. Jibra’il said that he should wait until the spikes had fully grown. A few weeks later Adam asked if it was time to eat; Jibra’il told him that he had to harvest first. When Adam finished his harvest, he and Eve sat down to eat, but Jibra’il told them that they needed to step on the ears to separate the seeds. They did so and thought it was the time to eat finally. Jibra’il recommended that they grind and sift next. Adam did that, spread the bran in his field and barley plants started to grow. Jibra’il showed Adam how to make dough from the flour. He instructed him to dig a hole in the ground, collect dry branches inside the hole and start a fire. He showed him how to spread the dough over the fire to make bread. When that was done, Adam asked if it was time to eat, jinn told him to wait until the bread became cold. Finally Adam was able to eat, but he began to cry. He asked: “Oh Adam, all this labor was only for making bread?” Jibra’il said: “This is what Allah has destined for you for eternity. Remember what He said: “So let him (Iblis) not get you both out of the Garden, so that you are landed in misery.”137 137 Q. 20(Taha):117.

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In his book, Al-Mawrid al-‘Adhb, Ibn al-Jawzi said that Adam met with Iblis and said: “You kept coming after me until you and I were kicked out of the Garden to this place where there is hard work, treachery, and suffering.” Iblis said: “Talking about the past is like leaving wax in the sun. If you believe that I caused you to be kicked out, who do you think caused me to be kicked out?” However, Abu l-Najm Rukn al-Din reported in his book entitled ‘Aqa’iq al-Haqa’iq that when Adam and Eve lost their clothes their private parts were exposed. Therefore, the exposed private parts became shameful. Adam and Eve ran to the trees for cover. All trees began to run away from them except the fig tree which stopped and let them collect some of its leaves with which they covered themselves. The other trees were surprised and asked the fig tree why it had done that. The fig tree said: “I learned from the Lord how to be generous. He never stopped talking about Adam. I believe that honoring Adam by mentioning his name was more important than my leaves.” The fig tree was told that it will be honored by Muslims who will swear by it, as per the verse in the Qur’an which says: “By the Fig and the Olive.”138 This is how Allah honored someone for helping an individual that He blamed. Can you imagine the honor He will bestow on someone for helping an individual that He has chosen? So, when Adam landed on earth covered with fig leaves, wild animals came to greet him. A deer was the first to arrive. Adam took a piece of leaf and fed it to the deer. The deer became musk. When the deer went back to the animals and told them of Adam’s generosity they rushed to meet him. Adam fed them with the fig leaves but they did not turn into musk. They complained to him and asked why the deer was different. Adam did not have an answer so he turned to Jibra’il for an explanation. Jibra’il said: “The deer came to greet you and get your blessings. The other animals came and they had their own motivation.” Both Mujahid and Ibn ‘Abbas reported that Adam entered Paradise on Friday just a little before afternoon. He was kicked out just before the sunset. Therefore, he stayed in heaven for eighty three years. They also said that after Adam landed on earth, Allah inspired him to make a pilgrimage to His house in Mecca and spend a week performing all the rituals. The purpose of such a trip was to win Allah’s forgiveness. Allah sent Jibra’il to show Adam the way to Mecca. When Adam got there and his eyes captured the scene of the old house, they were filled with tears. He spent a 138 Q. 95(al-Tin):1.

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whole week crying while ambulating around it. He began to wade through his own tears. He stood on top of Mountain ‘Arafat then on top of the Mountain Mina. He threw the stones and performed the rituals. He went back to Mecca to conclude his ambulating. Once he was done, the angels met him in Mecca and wished for his sake that Allah would accept his pilgrimage. They also told him that they had been ambulating around the old house two thousand years prior to his creation. Adam performed the pilgrimage seventy times, coming all the way from India to Mecca and Mount ‘Arafat. Al-Shaykh Abu al-Qasim al-Junaid said that in his dream he saw Adam crying. He said to him: “Now that Allah has forgiven you and promised to let you go back to Paradise later, why do you cry?” Adam handed him a piece of paper with a few lines of poetry written in Arabic. They read like this:

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Will You toast me in hell, my utmost hope? My fire of loving You is stronger than fire itself I am in love with the neighbor, not his house I am crying for the neighbor, not for the house If He has not given me the hopes of His promise, I would have perished. As you see from this strange story, our mother Eve was the reason why Adam was exiled from Paradise. She was the first to eat from the forbidden tree, and she was the one who tempted him to eat, as well. Of course, all of that was their fate, which was determined for them by Allah. This is similar to the story of Adams’s two boys, Qabil who killed his brother Habil.139 He did that because of their sister. The story is reported in the Qur’an when Allah said: “Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam.” 140 That means that Allah had urged the Prophet Mohammed to go and tell the story to his people, especially those who believed in the books of Allah. Some of them would be jealous of him and would plan and extend their hands to murder him. The Prophet Mohammed was urged to tell them the story of Adam’s son and what his reward was. He was banished in this world and the hereafter. The Prophet Mohammed was asked to tell the true story so that people would consider and remember. That way, they would not believe any silly stories that were circulated for purposes of pleasure. According to the interpretations

139 Known in the Bible as Cain and Abel. 140 Q. 5(al-Ma’ida):27.

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of al-Nasfi, the Prophet Mohammed was strongly advised not to be negligent of those people’s jealous intentions. Ibn ‘Abbas was quoted to have said that Eve used to give birth to twins, always a boy and a girl. She gave birth five hundred times. The first twin was Qabil and his sister Iqlima. After two years, she gave birth to Habil and his sister Leoda. When they became teenagers, Allah ordered Adam to marry off Qabil’s sister to Habil, and Habil’s sister to Qabil. Habil agreed to such an arrangement, but Qabil refused to marry Leoda. He would not agree that his sister Iqlima, more attractive than Leoda, would marry Habil. Adam suggested that each of the boys offer a sacrifice. The one whose sacrifice was accepted would marry Iqlima. Habil took a fat heifer and milk and butter from the best of his sheep, while Qabil took the worst grain spikes from his farm. They headed to the top of the mountain. On the way, Qabil said to himself that he did not care if Allah accepted his sacrifice or not! Habil would not marry Iqlima. On the other hand, Habil said to himself that he would be satisfied with Allah’s satisfaction and would accept His verdict. A fire came down from heaven and Habil’s sacrifice was accepted. They went down the mountain, and each went his way. A few hours later, Qabil approached his brother while he was attending to his sheep. He told Habil that he would kill him: “Behold!” They each presented a sacrifice to Allah. It was accepted from one, but not from the other. Said the latter: “Be sure I will slay you.” “Surely”, said the former: “Allah does accept the sacrifice of those who are righteous.”141 Qabil said: “I will kill you!” Habil asked: “Why?” Qabil said: “Because Allah has accepted your sacrifice, not mine. You will marry my beautiful sister, while I marry your ugly sister! People will talk and say that you are better than me. Your children will despise mine, and there is no way in the world that I would allow that to happen.” Habil said: “Allah accepts the sacrifice of those who are righteous. He accepted mine because I am good in heart, and rejected yours because you are not good in heart.” Al-Sa‘di said that Qabil was older than Habil. When Adam was planning to go outside Mecca for some reason, he asked heaven to take care of his family and children. Heaven declined. So, Adam turned the soil then mountains, but both declined. Qabil offered to take that responsibility, with Allah’s assistance. The story was reported in the Qur’an: “We did in141 Q. 5(al-Ma’ida):27.

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deed offer the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains; but they refused.”142 According to al-Sa‘di, Adam visited the old house prior to his trip outside Mecca. Habil came to his brother Qabil and said: “I want to marry your sister.” Qabil said: “I am older than you and my father made me in charge of the family.” Habil said: “Listen, you are not better than I. Let us offer a sacrifice and he whose sacrifice is accepted is better and should have the choice.” Qabil said: “All right. You’ve got yourself a deal.” Qabil was a farmer and Habil was a herder. So, Qabil gathered and took some grain spikes and Habil picked up one of his fat rams. A fire came down from heaven and took the ram and left the grain spikes behind. Qabil was filled with jealousy and said that he would kill his brother. Habil contented himself by saying that Allah had accepted the sacrifice of the one who was righteous. People said that Allah had accepted Habil’s sacrifice to glorify him. However, Allah had denied Qabil’s sacrifice to express his disdain for him. When choosing to give a sacrifice one has to be careful that that sacrifice should be something worth while and dear to those who give it. The Qur’an said: “By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give freely of that which you love.” 143 Qabil had accumulated all the bad characteristics: ungratefulness towards his father, jealousy of his brother, trivializing of sacrifice, and paying no attention to punishment on the Day of Judgment. Therefore Qabil became an infidel. Qabil came to his brother and said:“I am going to kill you.” Habil said: “If you extend your hand in order to kill me I will not extend mine. I am fearful of the Lord of the Worlds. I will submit, be patient, and will not object.” Resisting someone’s attempt who wanted to commit murder was forbidden at that time. Habil told that he truly feared Allah and would not take any action that was forbidden. While Habil was sleeping, his brother approached and smashed his head with a big stone. The Qur’an said: “The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother.” 144 That means that Qabil’s jealous soul led him to commit such an action without fear or thinking. Qatada said that Qabil’s jealous soul “tempted” him. Mujahid said he, Qabil, was “encouraged,” while Abu ‘Ubaida said that he was “supported”. However, Ibn Yahya said that Qabil was just responding to his jealous soul. Al-Kalbi said Qabil was led or was made bold to commit his action. So, he killed his brother and became a loser; meaning that 142 Q. 33(al-Ahzab):72. 143 Q. 3(Al ‘Imran):92. 144 Q. 5(al-Ma’ida):30.

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he would loose this world and the hereafter. He made his father mad, killed his brother and made Allah angry. So, he went to Hell. In another story, Qabil did not know how to kill. Therefore, Iblis came to him in the form of a bird. That bird took another bird and cut off its head. Then he took the head, put it between two stones and crushed it. Iblis’s purpose was to show Qabil how to kill his brother. Qabil had decided to kill his brother. He left and found him sleeping in the shade of the mountain while the sheep were grazing. Qabil took a stone and hit Habil’s head hard with it. Therefore, Habil was the first victim of murder on earth. The Prophet Mohammed said that no soul should be the victim by aggression. ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar said that Qabil was the father of Yajuj and Majuj. ‘Ali b. al-Hasan said that Allah assigned two angels to guard Qabil following the murder of his brother. The two angels kept watch over him from sunrise until sunset. They would give him warm water when the sun was hot. This would last till the Day of Judgment. Ibn ‘Abbas said that Adam was in Mecca when Qabil killed his brother, Habil. Trees would carry thorns, fruits became sour, water became bitter and the earth’s surface became dusty. Adam left for India, repeating to himself the following stanza of Arabic poetry:

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The earth and its inhabitants have changed The face of earth is dusty Every taste and color is changed All beautiful faces are no longer so How come I have not shed heavy tears For Habil who is now resting in his tomb I will spend the rest of my life in grief I will not have a moment of rest He said that wild animals used to trust Adam’s two boys. However, when the murder took place, wild animals became shy of humans, the wind blew up and the atmosphere became dark. Adam was carrying out his pilgrimage when he noticed this. He said to Jibra’il: “What is going on?” Jibra’il said: “This was a result of your son’s misfortune. Qabil has killed his brother, Habil.” Adam cried and never laughed once during the next hundred years. It was also said that he had not touched Eve after the crime. Ibn ‘Abbas added that when Qabil killed his brother, he did not know what to do with his body. Allah sent the raven that began to dig and move the dirt around in order to show Qabil how to bury his brother’s decomposed body. Qatada said that a raven killed another raven and began to cover it with dirt. Ibn ‘Abbas said that a raven came to the corpse of a dead one and be142

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gan to cover it with dirt. Al-Hasan said that Allah sent a raven that began to dig the dirt with his beak and, thererfore, Qabil had the idea of burying his body. Only Allah knows the truth. Qabil said to himself: “Woe to me! I am not even as smart as a raven.” This indicates that Qabil was sad and regretted his actions. Ibn Munabbih, however, said that Qabil carried the body of his brother for three days without knowing what to do with it, until Allah sent him the raven. Al-Kalbi said that Qabil carried the body for a year, but Mujahid said that he carried it and walked around in the country for a hundred years. AlKalbi said that Qabil’s remorse was for carrying the body for a long time, not for the killing itself. If he regretted the murder, Qabil’s repentance would have been accepted. Al-Hasan b. Fadl said that Qabil did regret the killing, but at that time people were not forgiven when they expressed repentance. They were punished for their crimes, regardless. He quoted the story of those who worshipped the calf and regretted it. They were punished by being led to commit suicide. Forgiveness for showing repentance was a privilege only granted to Muslims. It was reported that when he killed his brother, Qabil was told that he would be scared and would trust no one for ever. He would think that anyone he met had the intention to kill him. It was mentioned that his face turned black. When Adam saw him he asked: “Where is your brother, Habil?” Qabil said: “How should I know?” Adam said: “You killed him! That is why your face has turned black.” Out of fear, Qabil hurried off aimlessly. Anyone who saw him would cast a stone at him. One of his children saw him and threw a stone at him and killed him. It was said that Allah had ordered the wind to carry him to the hottest place on earth so that he would suffer during summer. The wind would carry Qabil to the coldest spot so that he would suffer during winter time. It was also mentioned that Iblis came to him in the form of a human being. Iblis asked Qabil: “Do you know why you brother’s sacrifice was accepted?” Qabil said: “No.” Iblis said: “Well, he worshiped fire, and that is why the fire consumed his sacrifice. You need to kneel down for the fire.” Qabil kneeled down and therefore became the first human to worship the fire. Muhammad b. Ali al-Tirmidhi said that Qabil was created from the power of a seed from the fruit that Adam ate from the forbidden tree. That is why the boy was born corrupted. He fathered Yajuj and Majuj who would needlessly fill the world with sins before it would come to its end. 143

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Qabil would be in Hell forever, together with Iblis. The people of Hell would say: “And the unbelievers will say, ‘Our Lord! Show us those among jinns and men, who misled us. We shall crush them beneath our feet so that they become the vilest.’”145 What they meant by saying “the jinns” was Iblis, may Allah curse him. By “men” they meant Qabil who was jealous and would be in Hell for ever. This account was reported in the interpretations of al-Imam al-Nasfi. Historians had also mentioned that Eve gave birth to a girl who was born not as one of twin babies, which was the usual way of Eve’s pregnancies. Her name was Umm ‘Awaj. She was a deformed baby. She had two heads and ten fingers in each of her hands. Every finger had two truly sharp nails like claws. ‘Ali b. Abi Talib said that she was the first prostitute on earth. She was the first to commit sins openly and employed devils in her witchcraft practices. Allah had sent to Adam an amulet to grant the devils’ obedience to him. Adam passed it to Eve so that she would use it to protect herself and her children. Eve was very careful not to loose that amulet, but her daughter ‘Ina” took advantage of her and stole it while Eve was sleeping. Therefore, ‘Inaq was able to have control over the devils, made her disobedience to Allah public, and misguided many of Adam and Eve’s children. Adam and Eve turned to Allah for assistance, and He sent her a huge lion, the size of an elephant, that ripped her (‘Inaq’s) body to pieces. People felt relieved. Historians also mentioned that her son, ‘Awaj the Great, was huge and tall. The flood level came up to his knees only. He tried to reach Noah’s ark to drown it and he lived until the time of the Pharaoh. He cut a piece of rock large enough to kill Moses’ army which numbered two hundred thousand, but Allah sent a bird to peck out his eyes and his neck. ‘Awaj froze and Allah commanded Moses to kill him. Moses was ten arms tall and could jump up ten arms more. His cane was also ten arms in length. Therefore, Moses had a reach of thirty arms. However, Moses was only able to reach ‘Awaj’s ankle. He struck him hard and ‘Awaj fell down and the huge rock fell on top of his head and caused the ground to shake. Moses offered prayers of thanksgiving to Allah. ‘Awaj was 3,333 and a third arms tall. Once, he lay down on the Nile and his body became a bridge that people and animals used to cross the river for a long time. People used a thousand carts and two thousands oxen to pull his body and they dumped it in the Red Sea, where Pharaoh had drowned. Some said they cut him to pieces, while others said that

145 Q. 41(Fussilat):29.

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they left his body there but covered it with rocks and dirt. It is the great mountain in Egypt’s desert. ‘Awaj lived for 3,750 years. I will mention briefly the story of the star Zuharah (Venus) and Harut and Marut. It was said that the angels came to Allah and said: “You have created these people and provided them with means of survival. Instead of being grateful they are disobedient. If we take their place, we will not disobey you.” Allah said: “You need to select two angels to represent you.” The angels selected both Jibra’il and Mikha’il, but they both asked and prayed to Allah to be allowed to decline. Allah agreed and the angels chose Harut and Marut instead. Allah provided these two angels with three desires; food, drink and lust. He assigned them to mediate issues between husbands and wives. Furthermore, He warned them of committing any sins. The two angels did their duties diligently for some time. They used to spend the night in heaven but they came down to earth during the day. One day, a very beautiful woman whose name was Zuharah came to them while she had her hair loose. She was dressed in a silk garment and her braids were dangling loosely on her shoulders. She reported to them a problem she had with her husband. The two angels fell in love with her, but neither of them let the other know his feelings. Eventually, they began to harass her sexually. She declined, but said that she would agree if they taught her the secrets of their shuttle trips between heaven and earth. They taught her the secret. She went to her house, cleaned and purified herself, and prayed before she started her journey. Allah transmuted her into a star. Some accept this because Allah had transmuted many nations into different things earlier. Some would not agree and believed that Allah had created that star before and it would shine till the Day of Judgment. Some said that she was tortured in Hell like all others who were transmuted. It was also reported that Allah sent Jibra’il and ordered him to prevent Harut and Marut from coming back to Paradise because they disobeyed Him and sexually harassed Zuhrah. Some reports said that they fornicated, drank alcohol, and murdered someone. Jibra’il said to them that Allah had given them the option of staying in this world with its sufferings, and that Allah would consider their case on the Day of Judgment. The other option was Allah would postpone punishing them, but they would be surely punished. They asked Jibra’il for advice and he recommended the first option. It was reported that they chose Babylon, where they were tied up and hung inside a well with their heads upside down. When they felt thirsty they would not be able to reach water, and would stay thirsty 145

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till the end of time. Some reported that Harut and Marut were in Damawand near Kufa. Allah said in the Qur’an: “But neither of these [the two angels] taught anyone (such things) without saying: ‘We are only for trial; so do not blaspheme [by learning magic].’”146 So Harut and Marut did not teach magic. They would explain it but would advise people not to practice it. In this way they would warn people, and leave it to them. Some would argue, why would they explain magic, to begin with? Others would say people would avoid doing things if they knew them better. They would say if you gave a Dirham as a loan to someone with a promise he would pay you two instead, that was usury. If someone slept with another man’s woman, that was committing adultery. Some claimed that he would prefer to know what was evil beforehand to avoid doing it. One who had no knowledge of evil would fall into it. So, people would learn how to distinguish and separate between the two. It was like separating between a man and his wife, not necessarily a result of hatred. Allah said: “But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah’s permission.” 147 This meant that those who were learning magic would not harm anyone secretly without Allah’s knowledge. Allah continued to say: “And they learned what harmed them, not what profited them.”148 That meant that whatever hurt them in this world would not benefit them in the hereafter. One should consider what had happened to those great angels; the great suffering and humiliation as a result of the action of that woman whose name is Zuharah. Someone might ask, what wrong had she done? She was harassed and she did not yield. Some would answer such a question in this way. If she was innocent, Allah would not have transformed her into a star and thrown her into Hell to suffer more. How could someone say that she committed no sin? Allah had created her, created the test for her, created the choice for her, and she could have avoided all the trouble. She was the reason why those two angels were exiled from Heaven. She approached them with her loose hair spreading all over her shoulders, dressed in a silk garment, and her face was shining with light and beauty. That was how she stirred the sexual desires of those two angels. That was how she tempted them. If she had covered her head and dressed modestly, all that would not have happened. Instead she revealed her face and beauty and came to them, walking proudly. Thus, you (my reader), may Allah have mercy on you, see how great was the slyness of this woman whose name is Zuharah. You can see how 146 Q. 2(Al-Baqara):102. 147 Ibid. 148 Ibid.

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she tempted those two great angels and caused them all those painful sufferings. May Allah protect us from their cunning, for their deception is limitless! A case in point was the story of Noah’s boys; Sam, Ham and Yafith. When every one went on board, Noah ordered his boys not to have sex with their wives while the ark was on its voyage. He told them that the ark was a miracle of Allah, and they should not blaspheme it. Allah wanted that ark to be an example of His will and be pure. The boys agreed and said that they would obey his command. When the trip took some time longer, Ham’s wife began to tempt her husband until he had sex with her. When Noah learned of this, he prayed to Allah that Ham, his wife, and their children be turned black until the Day of Judgment. He asked Allah to make their hair frizzy, no prophet would rise from their ranks, and would be slaves to the children of their uncles, Sam and Yafith. Another account said that, while Noah was in a deep sleep on the deck of his ark, a wind blew up, removed his garment and revealed his private parts. His sons were sitting next to him, and Ham laughed. Sam disapproved his brother’s laughing loudly. Noah woke up and Sam told him of what had happened. Noah got angry at his son Ham and prayed to Allah to turn him and his children black. I tend to accept the first story of Ham violating the sanctity of the ark by having sex with his wife. In regard to the story of the ark and the marvelous things that were related to it, it was reported that Noah became completely disappointed with trying to get his people believe in Allah. Allah had hinted to Noah that his efforts were useless and He ordered Noah to build an ark: “But construct an ark under Our eyes and Our inspiration.” 149 Noah had prayed earlier that Allah may destroy Noah’s unbelieving people: “And Noah said: ‘Oh my Lord! Leave not of the unbelievers a single one on earth.” 150 Therefore, Allah responded to Noah’ prayers and commanded him to construct his ark. He also told Noah not to mention this in his prayers again because the unbelievers would be drowned: “And address Me not in favor of the wrong-doers, for they shall be drowned.” 151 Noah asked: “What is an ark?” Allah said: “It is a house made of wood which will float on water. You and those who come with you will get on board, and I will drown those who disobeyed me. I will purify My earth of them.” Noah asked: “My Lord, but where is the water?” Allah said: “Oh Noah, I am able to do whatever I want.” 149 Q. 11(Hud):37. 150 Q. 71(Nuh):26. 151 Q. 23(al-Mu’minun):27.

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Noah asked: “Where do I get wood?” Allah said: “Plant trees!” Noah planted trees and watered them and took care of them for twenty years. He stopped calling his people to obey Allah, so they left him alone and did not hurt him. However, they were making fun of him due to his farming of trees. When the trees matured, Allah ordered Noah to cut them down. Noah did that and he laid down the lumber to dry it out. Noah asked Allah: “My Lord, how do I build this (ark)?” Allah said: “Build it in the form of a rooster: head, body, and tail.” Allah sent Jibra’il to show Noah how to construct his ship, with a message to hurry up because Allah was very angry and he wanted to destroy those people who were worshipping someone other than Him, but at the same time enjoying the means that He had provided on earth. Noah hired two men to help him and his three sons. In another account it was reported that Allah sent Jibra’il to Noah. Jibra’il took Noah’s cane and planted it on the bank of the Tigris. Noah asked: “What is all this about?” Jibra’il said: “It is a secret and it is not time to reveal it to you.” A tree, forty thousand arms high, grew out of the cane. Jibra’il cut it down and, thus, provided enough lumber to build a seven story ship. Jibra’il told Noah to get ready for the flood. Noah asked: “How will I know when the flood is coming?” Jibra’il said: “Watch for fountains of earth, gushing forth from the baking oven.” The baking oven, originally cast of iron, belonged to Adam, and Noah inherited it from him. One day, while the wives of Sam and Ham were baking bread for the family, a stream of water gushed forth through the fire inside the oven. Noah was praying. Adam commanded him to ask the wild and domesticated animals to respond to Allah’s call and get on board. Allah drove all the animals to the area with a blink. Noah selected one male and one female from each species. Al-Sha‘bi reported that Noah carried on board 124,000 holy books, equal to the number of the prophets. Each book bore the name of the prophet who would preach it. Jibra’il dictated the names and Noah wrote them down. He also ordered Noah to put aside four notes carrying the names of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and ‘Ali. Jibra’il instructed Noah to hang the note which carried the name of Abu Bakr on the starboard side of the ship. The note that carried the name of ‘Umar was hung on the port side of the ship. The note that carried the name of ‘Uthman was put in front of the ship, and the note that carried the name of ‘Ali was hung on the stern of the ship. Noah did as he was in148

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structed. Allah told Noah to cover the outside of the ship with tar. Noah paid the two carpenters who helped him. He wanted to take one of them on board, in case there was some problem. The man said to Noah: “You madman! Give me my pay. My gods, Wad, Suwa‘, Yaguth, Ya‘uq and Nasr, will save me of your god’s plan.” Noah got pieces of silver from the people who were already on board and paid him. He said to him: “Tomorrow you will know, you madman, when the suffering touches you.” Allah had commanded Noah to take a pair from each species, and destroyed the rest. This included Noah’s own wife and his son Kan‘an. The wife was an unbeliever who convinced her son not to sail with his father. She assured him that his father was a madman. She said softly that they would be safe if they climbed up to the top of the mountain. The son followed his mother’s advice, and the waves swept them away. She was the reason for her son’s and her own demise. This would agree with the theme of what we have already said in this book. Among the creatures that went on board the ark were the snake and the wolf. Adam asked Allah: “My Lord, how could I have the snake with human beings, and the wolf with sheep on board?” Allah said: “He who put animosity in their hearts would be able to replace it with affection.” Noah said: “You have ordered me to get a pair from each species, and I have done my best. However, how could I reach other wild animals, lions and birds?” Allah said: “I will take care of that immediately.” Allah sent Jibra’il to collect them. Those couples that he touched with both his left and his right hand were allowed to go on board. He would touch the male with his right hand and the female with his left. The rest of the animals licked Noah’s feet and pleaded with him to take them as well. Noah apologized and said that he was ordered to take only a pair of each species. The ark Noah built had three decks with a secure entrance to each of them. He put the lions and the beasts on the lower deck, and the prey animals and birds on the second, and saved the upper deck for himself and his offspring. Allah made the lion sick with fever, and it was busy with that for the length of the voyage. The donkey was the last animal that got on board. It hesitated and was a bit confused because Iblis, may Allah curse him forever, was hanging onto its tail. Noah said to the donkey: “Come on! Get on board!” The donkey was still hesitant. Noah said once again: “Come on! Get on board, even if Satan is in your company!”

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So, the donkey got on board, and with him was Iblis, may Allah curse him. Then Noah asked Satan: “You, the enemy of Allah, how did you get here?” Iblis said: “You just told the donkey: ‘Come on! Get on board, even if Satan is in your company!‘” That was the reason why every time a donkey would bray if it saw Iblis. It was reported that ‘Awaj came to board, but Adam told him to go away and called him: “You, the enemy of Allah.” The goose was the first to come on board, and the donkey was the last. Zaid b. Thabit said that the goat gave Adam a hard time, and he held it by its tail. That was why the goat’s tail was pointed up, and its private parts were exposed. Contrary to that, the sheep went on board quietly and Noah touched her tail with his hand. That made the sheep’s tail point down, and thus covered its private parts. The level of the water began to rise until it touched the top of the mountains. The ark did not move. Muqatil was reported to have said that the ark was 1,000 arms high. The water covered about 800 arms. So, Jibra’il said to Noah that ship would move with prayers, not with water. Noah recited the following verse from the Qur’an: “In the name of Allah, whether it move or be at rest! For my Lord is, be sure, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful!” 152 The flood took place on Wednesday, the twelth day of Rajab, and it came to an end on Friday, the tenth of Muharram. Abu al-‘Abbas al-Marwazi reported that the ship sailed 300 times from east to west. One could not see whether it was day or night. It was said that Jibra’il brought a shining precious stone from Paradise. That stone shone like the sun and the moon. In another story, Noah had two shining beads from heaven that he used to work out the time for prayers. If one of them turned black and the other started to shine, he would know that it was time for prayers. The Qur’an said that Noah called out to his son to come on board: “And Noah called out to his son, who had separated himself (from the rest), ‘Oh my son! Embark with us, and be not with the unbelievers”.153 That son was an unbeliever, but Noah was not aware of that. It was reported that the son built himself a house of glass. When the flood came the son took refuge in his glassy house. However, he was drowned in his own urine and excrement. It was reported that when Noah completed building his ship, Allah made it talk. The people heard the ark say: “No God but Allah. He is the God of your ancestors before and of your offspring later.” He who em152 Q. 11(Hud):41. 153 Ibid.:42.

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barks on it will save himself, and he who does not will die. The ark sailed towards Jerusalem and said: “You, Prophet of Allah, this house will be inhabited by the prophets among your offspring.” Then the ark continued its journey to the Forbidden House and circled it while repeating special prayers before entering Mecca prior to pilgrimage. Noah and all who were with him on the ark echoed the prayers. The ark continued sailing, stopping here and there to inform Noah of the names of various places and locations. It went westward then eastward, before it headed to Noah’s original region. When it approached it asked Noah whether he was able to hear the rattle of the chains that were put round the necks of the unbelievers among his people. They were led to hell. It was also reported that Kan‘an, Noah’s son, did not drown but he died in his pre-determined time. Drowning was not a punishment then for young people, animals or birds. It was said that when the water flooded the roads, the mother feared for her son’s safety. She loved him so much. She took him to the mountain. The water reached one third of the mountain, then two thirds, then reached the top. When water reached up to her neck, she raised her hands up, but that did not help. She was covered with water. At this point she put her son under her feet to get her head above the water, but that did not help, either. In his account on al-Hasan al-Basri, Ibn ‘Asakir said that Noah was the first messenger whom Allah sent to earth. He was chosen because his people had committed all kinds of sins and their unruliness was so great. Noah had called on them day and night, openly and secretly. He was so patient and forgiving. No prophet suffered pain to the degree that Noah did. They used to enter his house and beat him up until he was near death. They used to beat him up in public, too. First, he did not pray to Allah to hurt them. He used to call for them to do things that would profit them and be to their advantage. In fact, he prayed to Allah to forgive them. The Qur’an said: “But my call only increases (their) flight (from what is right).”154 Every time Noah approached to talk to one of them, that individual would cover his face with his dress and would put his fingers in his ears so that he would not hear what Noah was saying. They used to beat him until he passed out. When he woke up he would pray to Allah to forgive them because they did not know better. Ibn ‘Abbas said that when they beat Noah, they beat him very hard, to the point that he appeared to be dead. Then they would wrap him in a piece of carpet and throw him inside his house. When he woke up, he would come out again and start talking to them. If someone came by car154 Q. 71(Nuh):6.

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rying his child and holding a cane in his hand, the kid would ask his father to put him down and give him the cane. The kid would take the cane and hit Noah in his face and his head until he bled. Noah would pray to Allah and say: “If there was any hope in these people, please guide them. If there was no hope, please make me patient until there is no sperm left in men and no foetus in women’s wombs.” Therefore, Allah advised Noah to construct an ark: “But construct an ark under Our eyes and Our inspiration.” 155 Then Allah said: “So We opened the gates of heaven, with water pouring forth. And We caused the earth to gush forth with springs. So the water met and rose to the extent decreed. But We bore him on an (ark) made of broad planks and caulked with palm-fiber.” 156 Allah told Noah that his people would not believe him and would think that he was a madman. They would test him with words and threats. Allah said: “Before them the people of Noah rejected (their messenger). They rejected Our servant and said, ‘Here is one possessed,’ and he was driven out.” 157 Then Allah warned Noah that he might be stoned. Noah prayed to Allah to support him for victory: “Then he called on his Lord: ‘I am one overcome: Do You help (me)!’” 158 Noah’s justifications were that his people had mutinied against him and prevented him from making his payers to Allah. He asked Allah to take revenge on them. According to ‘Asim’s account, Allah responded by opening the gates of heaven with water pouring down on one side, and made the earth’s springs gush forth from the other side. A great flood began when the waters from heaven and earth met as per Allah’s decree. The amount of water and the duration of the flood were decreed to be only enough to destroy Noah’s people and all that was recorded in the hidden book. Further more, ‘Asim said that the amount of water that came from Heaven was exactly the same as the amount that came from the ground. Allah then made Noah safe on the ark that was made of wood, that was put together by using palm-fiber. Qatrab and al-Khalil ibn Ahmad agreed that the word “dasar” meant palm-fiber, but al-Farraa’ said that nails were used to hold the wood. Mujahid disagreed with all this by stating that what was meant was not nails, but the posts. Al-Dhahak said that it meant the ends and the body of the ark. Naftawayh said that the word meant the ship itself when it passed, pushing water, as it is said in the Qur’an: “She floats under Our

155 Q. 11(Hud):37. 156 Q. 54(al-Qamar):11-13. 157 Ibid.:9. 158 Ibid.:10.

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eyes, recompense to one who had been rejected (with scorn)!” 159 All that was compensation for Noah’s patience in the face of their harm to him, and their ungrateful way of not thanking him for his efforts to save them. In other words, the ark was a sign from Allah for all people to see how He took care of his messengers. Qatada was quoted as saying that Noah’s ark stopped on al-Judi Mountain where Noah came out and performed the pilgrimage. Going back to the story of ‘Awaj, as you remember, ‘Awaj came to Noah and asked him whether he could go on board. Noah did not approve because he said that he was not given orders to allow ‘Awaj to board. So then rain began to fall down and fountains began gushing forth water for forty days before the waters met and created the flood. Water covered everything on earth and reached the tops of the mountains. When it came to ‘Awaj, the water was about the height of his knees. Therefore, ‘Awaj did not drown. Some said that Allah saved his life because he helped Noah in carrying the lumber when he was building his ark. Some suggested that Allah saved ‘Awaj’s life so that he would tell people of what he had witnessed, and that might make them reconsider. ‘Awaj lived for another 1,300 years past the flood. His death was at the hand of the Prophet Moses. His story was well known. The number of people who came on board with Noah was eighty. In some accounts, the number is seventy nine, including his three sons and their wives. Ham’s wife was the source of trouble between Noah and his son. That, of course, led to Noah’s famous prayers to Allah to turn Ham, his wife, and all their offspring black. She was the one who started to tempt him and he responded to her. By that, he was violating his father’s advice not to make conditions on the ark obscene. May Allah protect us and you from their craftiness. Related to that was the story of the two women who caused that Prophet Salih’s she-camel be butchered. This slaughter made Allah furious and He had those people destroyed and they disappeared from the face of the earth. Briefly, Allah sent the Prophet Salih to call on his people to believe in the unity of God. Salih did that in an aggressive way. He came to their houses, attended their gatherings and waited for them on the roads. Salih did not miss any opportunity to advance his call by attending assemblies and festivals. The more he called them, the more they became against him and his message. Finally, they asked him to show them a marvel of his god. He told them that if he showed them a marvel and they failed to believe him, Allah would be very angry with them. Allah would 159 Ibid.:14.

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send torture and suffering their way. They had an occasion to celebrate their gods. They invited him to show up at that celebration. He would pray and they would see. He asked: “Would you give up on worshipping your gods, if I showed you the marvel?” They said: “Sure.” They went to the festival and Salih went along with them. They thought that they should ask him something that he could not deliver. They said: “We would like you to pray to your god and ask him to create a she-camel from this rock. We want the she-camel to be black with a blaze, thick, healthy-looking hair, solid structure and with good manners. If you get that, we will believe in your message and follow you. However, if you fail, we would like you to leave us alone. We do not want to curse you or hurt you. You have been respected among us. You can continue living among us, enjoy our glory and we will extend our protection to you.” When he heard that, Salih feared failure, in case that he would not be able to deliver. However, he was embarrassed to pray to Allah and ask for a she-camel! He knew that those people had no faith in Allah’s ability. Soon the rock began to move and showed signs as if it were a woman in labor. A she-camel with all the specifications they requested was ‘born’ out of that rock. The camel got on her feet and came to the middle of the crowd. Then she moved on to graze in the valley and the mountains. She grazed during summer time and winter time. She used to drink a lot of water from the well. Sometimes the alley that led to the well seemed to be too narrow to hold in her swollen belly. She produced plenty of milk, enough to fill all the pots and containers people brought. The well for drinking water was around twenty men’s height deep. The camel would drink all the water in it. People would have to wait till the well filled up again. It became clear that people should take turns with the camel. The camel would have the water one day and the people had to wait till the following day to have their share. The camel had created a difficult situation for the people. Had they been patient enough, Allah might have provided them with fountains or even rivers of water. Also, grazing became an issue. When the camel went to the valley to graze, all the animals would run away to the mountain because they feared that camel. Ibn al-Jawzi’s account of the story goes as follows. Salih’s people said to him: “We want you to get us a she-camel out of this white rock. We will believe in you and trust that you are telling the truth.” Salih said: “That is very easy for my god to do. You need to describe the camel you want.” 154

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The king asked: “Who would like to describe that camel?” A man named Dawud b. ‘Amr, who was the attendant of the idols, asked: “Oh King, will you give me permission to describe it?” The king said: “Go ahead! Say what ever you want.” The man approached Salih and said: “Oh Salih, if you are truly a prophet, get us a she-camel with these specifications.” He then began to list the specifications. Another man whose name was Bahr b. al-Shakima jumped up and said: “May the king allow me to specify in more detail, because Dawud’s specifications are incomplete.” The King said: “All right. Go ahead!” Bahr began to offer his specifications. Soon, another man whose name was Labid b. Hawas asked for permission. Permission was granted, yet his specifications were incomplete once again. The king seemed to be bored with those details. So he came forward and said to Salih: “These men have been asking too much. Let me tell you what is in my heart. He began to enumerate the qualities of the she-camel they wanted.” Aside from being healthy, with good bones, thick hair, and giving plenty of milk, he wanted its offspring to have the same qualities. He added that the camel should have a kind voice to announce its belief in the unity of God, and that it would recognize Salih to be His prophet. He said in conclusion: “If you can come up with a she-camel like that we will believe in your call and follow your path.” Allah had inspired Salih to give them that she-camel. He reminded Salih that He would wait for him to start his prayers first. He could have created that she-camel with a blink, for He had power over all things. Salih said: “Allah has promised to give me what I need. If I get that camel, will you become believers?” They said: “On condition that its milk is tastier than butter and sweeter than honey.” Salih asked again: “Will you become believers?” They said: “We want its milk to be cold in summer time and warm in winter time. That milk should make a sick person recover and make a poor person rich.” Salih repeated the question: “Will you become believers?” They said: “It should leave the pastures for our animals and limit its grazing to mountains and valleys.” Salih asked once again: “Will you become believers?” They said: “That it will not compete with us for water. It will go to the well one day and we go the following day.” Salih asked again: “Will you become believers?”

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They said: “Yes, we will, providing that the camel comes in the evening and reminds those who did not show up to get their share of its milk to come out and get it. We also have one more condition; milk should pour into the containers automatically.” Salih said: “Now that you have put forward so many conditions, let me tell you that I have my own, too. My conditions are that no one will ride the camel, throw a stone or an arrow at it. Furthermore, no one should stop her from getting water.” They said: “We agree to all of that.” Salih stood up, performed the ablution, followed that by two prostrations and concluded with a call for help. He then approached the rock and put his hand on it. Soon the rock began to move backward and for ward. Clear water gushed forth from beneath it. It filled the valley under the watch of the men. Salih placed his hand once again on the rock. It be gan to moan as if it were a woman in labor. The camel began to move inside the rock then its head came out, followed by the rest of the body. The camel was ‘born’ amid the total surprise of the men and their king. The camel had all the specifications the king wanted. All this was done by Allah’s power. The camel headed to the valley to graze, but the sheep, goats, cows, horses, and other camels were scared and ran away to the mountain. People did not like to see their animals stampede. Among the people of Salih, there were two extremely beautiful and rich women whose names were Saduq and ‘Unaytira. They owned big herds of sheep, goats and cows. These two women had two confidants who liked and used to talk to them. Saduq’s confidant was named Quddar b. Salif, who had red hair and blue eyes. He was short and moved like a swordfish. ‘Unaytira’s companion was named Masda’ b. Mahraj. He was a proud man who was well respected among his people. He was tall, slender and truly arrogant. Those two women hated Salih so much and they were among the hard-core unbelievers. They instigated their people to butcher Salih’s camel, because that camel did damage to their herds. One day the two confidants came to visit the beautiful women. Saduq said: “We would like to offer you wine, but unfortunately we cannot. As you know, today is the camel’s water day.” ‘Unaytira said: “If our men were really men something like this would not have happened. Salih’s camel is just like any other camel; one can chase it out or even hit it on its face. But there are no real men in the valley.” Quddar said: “Oh Saduq, what would you say if I went today and did exactly what ‘Unaytira has just suggested. I will let you and your herd have water for as long as you want.” 156

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Saduq said: “I will give you myself!” Then she uncovered her face to him and he saw her charming beauty. Having seen that, Masda’ said to the other woman: “And what would I get, Oh ‘Unaytira, if I were to join Quddar and let you and your herd have enough water like Saduq and hers?” ‘Unaytira said: “I will give you myself. In fact you can choose either of us.” She uncovered her face. Her beauty was something only Allah knew. The two men said with one voice: “Well, come on then and give us some wine!” The two women served them pure wine, not mixed with water. When they got drunk, they went out and some other stupid men joined them. Seven men answered, and they formed a team of nine men, armed with swords and arrows. They were Quddar b. Salif, Masda’ b. Mahraj, alHathil b. ‘Atruk, ‘Amim b. ‘Amim, ‘Afir b. Kardam, ‘Asim b. Makhzama, Salit b. Sarfa and Nashit b. Thaqiq. They waited for Salih’s camel to come to get water. When it came they started their attack using their swords. The camel fought back and chased them away. However, Quddar b. Salif managed to get behind it and stroke the right hind leg with his sword while Masda’ put an arrow in its left hind leg. The camel collapsed and Quddar rushed and slaughtered it with his sword. Having seen its mother butchered in front of its eyes, the little baby ran away in the direction of the mountain. It fumed with rage and cried that even Salih’s people felt sorry for it. When they heard that the camel had been slaughtered, people rushed to get pieces of its meat. Salih did not know what had happened. When the news arrived to him that his God’s she-camel had been butchered, cut to pieces and had already been cooked he was filled with anger and rushed to the scene shouting and threatening. He found out that the news was correct. He promised them Hell and they cursed him. Animosity between the two sides became even more intensified. Salih told a few men who were near him to go and look for the baby camel. He said that if they failed to bring it back, Allah’s anger, and therefore their punishment, would be even more severe. They went to the mountain but they realized that the more they climbed the higher the mountain became. When they saw this they realized that they were doomed and would certainly face torture. Salih said: “You will have three days, past Wednesday. So, it might be good for you to enjoy them!” They asked: “What is your sign?” He said: “The first day your faces will be yellow, the second they will be red, and on the third day your faces will turn black. Then torture will fall upon you.” 157

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When Salih threatened them, they thought that he should be killed. The nine men who were involved in killing the camel planned to murder Salih and his family. When they moved to put their plan into action at night time, the angels intercepted and shook them. The nine men were found dead the next morning. When people knew of the nine men’s death, they assembled and sought Salih. When they came to his house some of his relatives asked: “What do you want?” They said: “We want to kill Salih and eight members of his immediate family to match the murder of our nine men.” Salih said: “You should not rush. You should wait those three days. If Allah’s promise was correct, then Allah has fulfilled his promise. If you try anything now, Allah’s anger with you might become even greater.” The men listened to him and the crowd dispersed. Sure enough, their faces turned yellow on Thursday, and then turned red on Friday. On Saturday their faces turned black. The Qur’an said: “On the Day of Judgment will you see those who told lies against Allah, their faces will be black.” 160 They dug holes, held their leather mats in their hands (usually used during executions), closed their doors, and stayed at home. When Jibra’il shouted at them in the name of Allah they became quiet. Then Allah grumbled and sent harm their way and they all perished as a result of their guilt. The punishment was directed at all, including the young and the old. Everything was destroyed on that Sunday evening. Allah said: “But the (mighty) blast did seize the wrong-doers, and they lay prostrate in their homes by the morning.”161 Only one crippled woman was saved. That woman hated Salih and all the believers. However, Allah put strength in her legs and she was able to walk. The purpose of this was so that she would report to other people of what had happened to her people. The woman left and came to the Valley of the Villages to the north on Medina. She told people of the torture, pain, and destruction that fell upon her people. She asked for water. They gave her water and she took a sip. She died immediately. Salih told his people that that area was doomed and that Allah was very displeased with its inhabitants. He advised them to move. They asked: “We share your opinion, what do you want us to do?” Salih said: “You go to the area near the Forbidden House and settle down there. I cannot see any place that would take you.” They collected whatever they had, loaded and fastened it with ropes made of date palm fibers, and set off on their way to Mecca. They ar160 Q. 39(az-Zumar):60. 161 Q. 11(Hud):94.

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rived60 there, performed the pilgrimage, and spent the rest of their lives there. Their cemetery was located to the west of the Ka‘ba between Dar al-Nadwa and the Stone. You have now seen how the deceit of those two women had brought death and destruction on their own people. The two were behind the plot and the reason why Salih’s she-camel, which was a symbol of Allah’s might and power, was butchered. Look at the severe punishment and the eternal shame that had fallen upon those people. Allah said: “So the earthquake took them unaware, and they lay prostrate in their homes in the morning!”162 Jibra’il’s scream in heaven made the earth shake, and on Sunday morning all those people were dead. The earthquake was followed by thunder and fire coming from both the sky and the ground. It turned the bodies of the dead into ashes. They were all gone in a single hour. Praise to Allah who is always victorious over His enemies. Al-Kalbi said that Salih and his followers, who were about 110 people, had left prior to the disaster. Salih was crying, and when he turned back and noticed the smoke, he knew it was over for the 1,500 individuals he left behind. Salih and his followers went back to the area, resided in it and began to multiply until they later all died and ceased to exist. This violent death that fell upon so many people was due to the two women, Saduq and ‘Unaytira. They enchanted Quddar b. Salif and Masda’ b. Mahraj. They incited them to butcher Salih’s camel and promised them sexual favors. The men did exactly what the two women wanted and killed the camel, which was an example of Allah’s power. May Allah protect you and us from their cunning, for their cunning is huge. There is also the story of the wife of Bal‘am. He was a man of knowledge and a good worshipper, whose prayers were always answered. Bal‘am lived at the time of Prophet Moses, who was planning to invade the land of an unbeliever king. The king came to Bal‘am and said: “Moses is a man of determination and he has many soldiers. If he decided to come to us we would be massacred. I want you to pray to Allah to stop him.” Bal‘am asked: “How can I do that? I will lose this world and the hereafter.” The king said: “But we are your people, and Moses wants to kick us out of our homes and have Bani Israel live in them... We are your people and you will have no existence if we go. Life will be of no significance to you after us. Your prayers have been answered. Therefore, you need to go out and pray against them.”

162 Ibid.

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Bal‘am said: “Woe to you! This is the Prophet of Allah who is coming with believers and angels. How could I pray to Allah against them? I know what Allah wants.” They pleaded, begged, and implored, but Bal‘am stood his ground. Bal‘am had a much younger wife. He loved her and shared with her his private and secret matters. They went to her and brought with them some gifts which she accepted. They said: “You are aware of what has befallen us, and we want you to convince Ba‘lam.” She said: “I will do that.” She talked to her husband and said: “Oh Ba‘lam, you owe it to your people by virtue of blood, neighborhood, and esteem. You are not a man who will give up on his neighbors in times of need. They have been kind to you, and you owe it to them to repay and pay attention to their concerns.” Bal‘am said: “If I know that this matter is not coming from Allah, I will have no hesitation in coming to their support.” She went after him and seduced him until he went astray. He got on the back of his she-donkey and went out to the mountain where he could see Bani Israel. He was planning to pray against them. After a short distance his she-donkey seemed to lose strength and fell to the ground. Bal‘am dismounted from the donkey and hit it with his stick. The donkey stood up and walked for another short distance and fell again. He began to hit it, so the donkey said to him: “Oh, Ba‘lam, I am only doing what I am commanded to! Please do not do me harm. Look! Don’t you see the angels in my face, in front of me and standing in my way? They say to me, ‘Are you truly going to take him so that he will pray to Allah against His own prophet and the believers?’” Bal‘am let the she-donkey go and climbed to the top of the mountain where he was able to see Bani Israel. He began to pray but his tongue was tied. Every bad thing he wanted to happen to Bani Israel would happen to his people. Every good thing he prayed would happen to his people would go to Bani Israel. His people asked what he was doing. He said he could not gain control over his tongue. Then a lightning bolt fell on him from sky and blinded him. He told his people that he had lost this world and the hereafter. In another account it was reported that when his donkey collapsed and talked to him, it brought his attention to the angel that was blocking its way. Bal‘am fell on his knees in prayers. He went back to his people and offered a sacrifice. Allah accepted his sacrifice and told him: “Moses is my chosen individual among my creatures! Go home now!” However, Bal‘am’s wife came with an idea. She said: “We have no choice left, but to trick them. Send women to Moses’ army camp and they will charm that army. They are the people of the book, and you need to 160

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have just one of them commit sin. If others do not stop that man, then all of them will be considered sinners and Allah’s punishment will fall upon them. Nothing charms men like beautiful women. Let us have some beautiful women go and pretend that they are selling things. If a man shows sexual interest in any of them, that woman must not resist but let him have his way.” One beautiful woman came by one soldier who liked her. He held her hand, took her inside a tent and made love to her. A man who seemed to have both strength and authority saw this. He followed them to the tent, drew his lance and stabbed them together with one single blow. He pulled and held up his lance in the air, and the rest expressed satisfaction with his action and disapproval of that of the sinners. That was how they were saved from Allah’s rage. Allah protected them with the blessings of Moses, who moved on with his army to fight Bal‘am’s people. Moses conquered, killed, and captured many of them. His army captured the king and executed him. They confiscated the gifts which were given to Bal‘am’s wife. This story was inspired to Prophet Mohammed. “Relate to them the story of the man to whom we sent Our signs, but he passed them by. So Satan followed him up, and he went astray.”163 According to ‘Abu Hafs al-Kabir al-Nasfi, the word “sign” means the name of Allah. Bal‘am was well aware of that. Al-Nasfi discredited some accounts which claimed that Bal‘am was a prophet. He said that such a claim should not have been made and should be denied at face value. Prophets were chosen by Allah: “And We chose them afore-time above the nations, knowingly.”164 Therefore, it was impossible for a prophet to back away from his own message. The word ‘signs’ could also mean the tablets which Abraham kept. It also could mean esteem for someone who looked up and was able to see the throne and would look down and see dust. It could mean ‘a holy man with signs’, but he passed them by. If Allah wanted to protect Bal‘am from making a mistake, He would have done that. According to Mujahid, Allah wanted Bal‘am to stay on earth because he had the inclination to like this world. He would be eternal on earth. Some said that he followed his wife’s advice. By doing that he preferred this world over the hereafter. Some said that he obeyed his Satan. He was like a dog and it is in the nature of the dog to pursue you whether you chase it or leave it alone. Thus was the case of this spiteful man. Ibn ‘Abbas said that a dog does not have power. It would pursue you whether you kick it or leave it alone. Anyone who left the right path be163 Q. 7(al-A‘raf):175. 164 Q. 44(al-Dukhan):32.

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came powerless. Ibn Qutaybah said everyone pants out of being tired or thirsty. A dog, however, would pant when it is tired or restful, healthy or sick, satisfied or thirsty. Ibn Qutaybah said that Allah had made the dog a case for those who reneged on their faith, and were cautioned but did not listen. It was like what Allah said: “If you call them to guidance, they will not obey. For it is the same whether you call them or you keep silent.” 165 It was Bal‘am’s bad judgment that led him to reject the sign of Allah. He was safe when he followed them, and when he abandoned that sign, Satan followed him. He was like a thief who would not come close to the sheep if the herders were there. Once the herders left, that thief would have a free hand to steal at will. Bal‘am was exactly like that. He was ignorant of what Allah had given him, and did not value the blessings properly. Therefore, Allah’s opinion of him came to change, for Allah said the He could not change people unless they began to change what was inside their souls. The reason why Bal‘am rejected the blessings of Allah was because of his wife and her inclinations to this world. Therefore, he just got the ephemeral things of this world. Nothing was more harmful to the world than greed. Allah said that many monks ate of people’s treasures illegally. Allah said that: “They chose (for themselves) the vanities of this world.” 166 He reminded the prophets that He was not asking them for a reward. Regarding the comparison with dogs with its intended meaning, a dog was much better than a thousand of Ba‘lam. A dog knew Allah, believed in His unity and would not be punished by being sent to Hell. Ba‘lam, on the other hand, was a blasphemer who would be subjected to eternal punishment. Al-Imam al-Qushairi said that if Allah wanted to help Ba‘lam, He would have made him live in eternal happiness. He who had such a history of giving up on his faith would find it impossible to be saved. Allah said that earth should be the place for Ba‘lam. Adam lived in Paradise, but when his greed led him to seek eternity he was exiled to earth. All this was in response to Allah’s will. Ibn al-Jawzi was quoted by Ibn ‘Abbas as saying that the verse regarding War of Basus was in response to a prayer by a believer from Bani Israel. In fact, that man was granted three favorable responses to his prayers. He was married to a woman whose name was War of Basus and they had many children. She asked of him that one of those favorable responses concern her. The man agreed and asked: “What do you want?” She said: “I want to be the most beautiful woman in Bani Israel.” 165 Q. 7(al-A‘raf):193. 166 Ibid.:169.

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So the man prayed and Allah responded by making the woman the most beautiful in Bani Israel. Once she was granted beauty she became haughty and began to look down on her husband. The man got mad, and he prayed to Allah to change her into a barking bitch. So, Allah turned her into a barking bitch, and she began to bark at people. Soon his children became embarrassed and confused. People began to insult them and reminded them that their mother was a barking bitch. They pleaded to him to pray to Allah to turn her into a human being again. The man prayed to Allah and the woman was restored to her previous condition. So, this good man had wasted all his three favorable responses on his wife. Now, compare this to the suffering for missing the right path which Bal‘am had gone through. Allah took faith out of his heart because he accepted his wife’s advice. It was reported that when Moses learned of Bal‘am’s intentions to pray against him and his people, Moses counterprayed and asked that Allah might take faith out of Bal‘am’s heart. Allah responded to Moses’ prayers and faith left Bal‘am’s chest in the form of a white pigeon. In addition, his tongue came out of his mouth and hung down over his chest. His face turned black. He knew that faith had been taken out of his heart. He picked a stone and began to beat his chest with it while saying: “Oh my religion, oh my Islam, oh my faith in the unity of Allah!” He kept doing this until he died. Al-Imam al-Nasfi said that Bal‘am was at least able to make one call, that Moses and his people would be lost in the desert. However, many people did not give credit to this account and concluded that it had no base. Surely, Allah only knew the truth. Remember how War of Basus had caused her husband to waste all his three favorable responses! The man parted with his wife and prayed to Allah to make him happy, but he did not get any favorable responses because he already used his share. Because Allah did not respond, the man finally died, but not as a Muslim. This was because of his wife’s slyness. May Allah save you and us from their artful plots, for their deception has no lim its. Let us now turn to the story of Joseph with Zulaikha, the pharaoh’s wife, who sought and almost succeeded in seducing him. It was Allah’s obviation that protected him, “but she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him.”167 In his interpretation of the Qur’an, al-Nasfi said that “seduction” was an act between two people with one of them trying. There could be resistance, hesitance, and pushing like when Zulaikha had sought Joseph’s assistance to commit sin. The selection of the verb (pattern II) was meant to indicate being careful not to be surprised or give Joseph a 167 Q. 12(Yusuf):23.

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chance to escape the trap she set up: “And she secured the doors, and said: ‘Now come’. He said, ‘Allah forbid!’ Truly (your husband) is my lord. He made my sojourn agreeable! Truly to no good come those who do wrong.”168 Zulaikha said: “Come on!”, meaning: “I am yours.” Joseph reminded her that her husband was his master, who treated him kindly, and that he would not betray him and violate his honor. He told her that any attempt like hers was wrong, and those who did wrong should not expect reward. He pleaded that if he were to betray the honor of the man who took care of him, it would be like violating his own honor. He told her that sinners would not be able to escape Allah’s punishment. Zulaikha fell badly in love with Joseph. She lost weight, looked pale, and lost strength and sleep. People in her house were troubled by her condition. An old woman asked Zulaikha for the reasons why she looked like that. Zulaikha told the old woman of her feelings for Joseph and asked her for assistance in finding some way to achieve her goals. The old woman said: “Tell him of what is in your heart, and show him your beauty.” Zulaikha said: “He does not come close to me and he avoids looking at me. When he enters the house, he closes his eyes.” The old woman said: “I will make a plan to trick him, but that requires a lot of money.” Zulaikha said: “Money is not an issue. I will provide whatever you need.” Zulaikha made the money available to build a house made of marble. Images of Zulaikha and Joseph were engraved on the ceiling and the walls of the house. Top quality furniture was brought in and kitchenware and vases were put out for decoration. As planned, Zulaikha was dressed in her most beautiful garments and placed on her head a crown with shiny precious stones. She sat on a bed that was made of red gold decorated with sapphire. Joseph was invited to come in. Once he stepped inside, all the seven doors were shut. She said to Joseph: “You are so handsome!” Joseph said: “That is the way my Lord created me.” Zulaikha said: “Your hair is so beautiful.” Joseph said: “It is the first thing that will fall off when I am placed in my tomb.” Zulaikha said: “You are gorgeous.” Joseph said: “So that I can look well when I stand before my Lord.” Zulaikha said: “Raise up your eyes and look at me.” 168 Ibid.

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Joseph said: “I am afraid I’ll become blind at the end of my life.” Zulaikha said: “Come in and enter this compartment. I made it especially for you.” Joseph said: “Nothing can hide me from my Lord.” Zulaikha said: “Come and satisfy my needs.” Joseph said: “I will loose my chance of getting to Paradise.” Zulaikha asked: “Oh Joseph, why do you disobey me?” Joseph said: “I seek to be able to satisfy my Lord.” Zulaikha said: “You are my slave and I bought you. Now you are looking down at me.” Joseph said: “You bought me because of someone else’s sin and crime.” Zulaikha said: “I wish I had not seen you.” Joseph said: “It was all the fault of my brothers.” Zulaikha said: “Put your hand on my breast.” Joseph said: “I cannot tolerate the way my body being roasted on a fire.” Zulaikha pleaded: “Come on and water the thirsty garden.” Joseph said: “Only he who has a key to the garden is entitled to water it.” Zulaikha threatened: “If you do not obey me, I will hand you over to those who will torture you until you become as thin as me.” Joseph said: “That is fine if it brings me my Lord’s approval.” Zulaikha asked: “Why are you not attracted to me?” Joseph said: “I fear my Lord who owns the heavens and his authority includes earth. He is a witness to you and to me.” Zulaikha said: “My lord’s authority is on this earth. I will hold the cup that is made of peridot in my left hand and the cup that is made of pearls in my right hand. I will water him from the first cup. His flesh will fall down into my hands and then I will bury him in the foundations of my house. As for your god in the heavens, I have more precious stones than he can carry. I will give all this in sacrifice and your god in the heavens will forgive you.” Joseph said: “God forbids! He who commits sin will have his face turned black on the Day of Judgment. His hidden secrets will be revealed and his body will be roasted in Hell. Please, don’t be the reason for my face to turn black and make me ashamed before my parents. Please, don’t bring my Lord’s rage on me and have Him inflict the fires of Hell on my body.” At that moment, Zulaikha pulled the curtains together and closed the doors. Al-Qushayri said that when Zulaikha closed the doors, Allah opened for Joseph the doors to victory and safeguarding. So, she could not 165

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hurt him by closing the doors since Allah opened another door for keeping his body pure. Allah immediately blessed Joseph with safeguards. The Qur’an says: “And (with passion) did she desire him, and he would have desired her.”169 Al-Imam Abu Mansur took issue with some interpreters. They claimed that the verse meant that she submitted to him, and he had desires for her to the point that he began to undo his belt. He thought that all this talk was nothing but a fabrication. One should not think that way for the following reasons: 1. Allah said via the words of Joseph that she desired him. “It was she who sought to seduce me.”170 2. Allah said that He would protect Joseph from bad behavior and sins because he was a faithful worshipper. “Thus, (did We order) that We might turn away from him (all) evil and indecent deeds. For he was one of Our chosen servants.”171 3. Allah said that He would not betray Joseph. “This (say I), in order that he may know that I have never been false to him in his absence.”172 4. Allah said that the women (Zulaikha’s friends) gave a testimony that Joseph had done nothing wrong. “The ladies said: ‘Allah preserve us! No evil know we against him!’”173

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5. Allah said that Zulaikha herself finally admitted that it was she who tried to seduce Joseph. “Said the wife of ‘Aziz, ‘Now is the truth manifest (to all). It was I who sought to seduce him. He is indeed of those who are (ever) true and virtuous.”174 All these Qur’anic verses are clear and there is no hidden meaning in them. It is true that there was a reference to the fact that “she did desire him, and he would have desired her.” But Joseph stopped when he got a hint from Allah. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the angel Jibra’il came to Joseph and said: “Oh Joseph, the son of Ya‘qub, your name is listed in the Book of the Prophets, and you are on the list of the pious men. Don’t you ever do the deed of the sinners!” It was also reported that Jibra’il came to Joseph in the form of his own father. The father was biting on his finger. When 169 Ibid.:24. 170 Ibid.:26. 171 Ibid.:24. 172 Ibid.:52. 173 Ibid.:51. 174 Ibid.:51.

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Joseph saw this image, he ran to the door. Muqatil b. Muhammad reported that Joseph saw a line of writing on the ceiling which read: “Nor come nigh to adultery.” Ja‘far al-Sadiq said that the proof of prophethood which Allah had put inside Joseph’s chest was the reason to protect him from doing any thing that would bring Allah’s rage on him. It was also reported that when Joseph glanced at the first wall, he saw a pen which wrote on it: “In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Nor come nigh to adultery.”175 When he looked at the second wall, he saw a pen which wrote: “In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds.”176 He turned his head towards the third wall. He saw a pen which wrote: “In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. But verily over you (are appointed angels) to protect you.” 177 He looked at the fourth wall and saw a pen which wrote: “In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Allah knows the treachery of the eyes, and all that the hearts (of men) conceal.”178 Joseph looked down at the ground and saw a pen which wrote: “In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. For I am with you. I hear and see everything.”179 Joseph looked at the ceiling and this time he saw the image of his father who looked like he was looking at Joseph and was biting on his finger in warning. Therefore, Joseph ran to the door. Allah said: “Thus (did We order) that We might turn away from him (all) evil and indecent deeds. For he was one of Our chosen servants.” 180 Allah meant that He had saved Joseph from adultery and indecent deeds. Allah repeated this in the following verse: “Know they not that Allah does know their secret (thoughts) and their secret counsels [...]?”181 and also that Joseph was one of the chosen servants. By the word “chosen” Allah meant those who devoted themselves, their hearts, and their actions to Allah. Furthermore, they were the ones whom Allah had purified from riling and singled them out with His blessings. As for racing to the door, it meant that Zulaikha raced to catch Joseph and he raced to save himself from her seduction. As for the verse “And she tore his shirt.”182 Allah meant that Zulaikha took hold of the edge of Joseph’s shirt and tore it. At that moment: “They both found her 175 Q. 17(al-Isra’):32. 176 Q. 74(al-Muddaththir):38. 177 Q. 82(al-Infitar):10. 178 Q. 40(Ghafir):19. 179 Q. 20(Ta-Ha):46. 180 Q. 12(Yusuf):24. 181 Q. 9(al-Tawba):78. 182 Q. 12(Yusuf):25.

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lord near the door.”183 In the Coptic language the word “lord” meant “husband”. It was reported that the Prophet Mohammed said that one had to learn and understand prior to one’s objectives of ruling, meaning that one had to do that prior to one’s getting married. Faced with those circumstances, Zulaikha asked her husband: “What is the (fitting) punishment for one who formed an evil design against your wife, but prison or a grievous chastisement.”184 It was understood that she made it look like it was Joseph who wanted to rape her. The reality was quite different. By stating her account in the form of a question, she hinted and avoided telling a bold lie. Some said that she was afraid that her husband would kill her out of jealousy. She suggested jailing Joseph, and then followed up with another option, that of painful torture, in case her husband might doubt her. Once he heard Zulaikha’s account, Joseph realized that if he kept silent it might be taken as evidence of his guilt. No Muslim would accept an accusation as serious as this one. He was true in demonstrating his innocence, and, therefore, was able to set the foundations for his rule that was based on unification and Shariah law. He said that it was she who tried to seduce him. It was reported that when Joseph ran away from Zulaikha, all the locks on the doors fell to the floor. She was able to catch up with him at the last door. She held his shirt, and he tried to free himself and, thus, caused his shirt to be torn. Her husband met them at that last door. He asked: “What is the matter with you two?” She said: “You allowed a regular thief to enter your house. You entrusted him with your family. I was sleeping when he came to my bedroom and he closed the door. I woke up as he was trying to enter into my bed. I woke up and jumped up trying to catch him. He ran to the door. He tried to escape so that you would not see him.” The husband asked Joseph: “Did you betray me and my family, Oh, Joseph? Did you deceive me by showing how good you are, and how honest and decent?” Joseph said: “She was the one who tried to seduce me. Look at my shirt. She tore the back of it when I ran from her and she tried to hold me.” In his book entitled The Prophets’ Chastity, al-Razi said that Joseph might have kept the matter as a secret if Zulaikha had not accused him. Once she brought the accusation, and therefore the sin, on Joseph, he did 183 Ibid. 184 Ibid.

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not want the king to have the impression that he was a traitor. However, the king soon realized that it was she who initiated that event, not Joseph. The Qur’an says: “And one of her household saw (this) and bore witness.”185 It was reported that the witness was a baby in his cradle. He was a cousin of Zulaikha. The Prophet Mohammed said only three babies in cradles spoke; Joseph’s witness, Jesus, and the companion of the monk Jarih. The witness said: “If it be that his shirt is rent from the front, then her tale is true, and he is a liar! But if it be that his shirt is torn from the back, then she is the liar, and he is telling the truth.” 186 This meant that if his shirt was torn from the front, it was he who approached her and she resisted. If his shirt was torn from behind, then it proved that he was run ning away from her. When the king noticed that Joseph’s shirt was torn from the back he said: “Behold! It is a snare of you women! Truly, mighty is your snare!” It meant that it was all due to women’s tricks when men did not respond to their desires. This quotation was attributed to the king, while some interpreters said that it was pronounced by the witness himself. Some said that such a snare was even greater than Satan’s snare. They claimed that Satan’s snare was weak because it was secret, while women’s snares were stronger because they were open. Moreover, Satan goes away when one prays to Allah and says: “I seek Allah’s protection from Satan’s evil.” The king addressed both of them by saying: “Oh Joseph, pass this over (Oh wife), ask forgiveness.”187 Again, some reported that those were the king’s words. He asked Joseph not to mention the event because he was motivated to protect the secrets of his wife and house. At the same time, he advised his wife to pray for forgiveness. It also could mean that he wanted Joseph not to worry, now that he, the king, was satisfied with Joseph’s innocence. Now, when he asked his wife to pray to Allah for forgiveness, even though she was an infidel, it indicated that people at the time admitted that Allah was their creator. His words: “For your sin, for truly you have been at fault.”188 He meant that she had violated her obligations towards her husband. Al-Imam al-Qushayri said that any believer was vulnerable to tribulation, especially good believers such as Joseph. His was a remarkable case. Though his innocence was clear to everyone, he had to spend twelve years in jail. However, despite the king’s conviction 185 Ibid. 186 Ibid.:25-26. 187 Ibid.:29. 188 Ibid.

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that his wife was one of “those whose snare was truly mighty,” yet the king was still satisfied with advising her to ask for forgiveness. Joseph’s term in jail came to end when the king had a dream and Joseph explained it to him. He then submitted his request to the king by saying: “Set me over the store-houses of the land. I am a good keeper, knowledgeable.”189 The king agreed and ordered his army to follow Joseph’s orders and the army did as they were instructed. Joseph became a king. Then the land suffered many years of rain shortages followed by famine. The king died and Joseph promised that if conditions were to change, he would offer a big sacrifice in the form of a huge banquet for the poor and the needy. As time passed, Joseph forgot his promise. On the orders of Allah, Jibra’il came to Joseph and said that Allah had ordered Joseph to fulfill his promise of sacrifice. Joseph remembered his promise and said that he would fulfill it immediately. However, some scholars suggested that the promise was given earlier; at the time when Joseph was in jail. When he noticed that the poor prisoners were hungry, Joseph had promised Allah and said: “Oh Lord! If you set me free of this jail and you give generously to me, I will bring to my house and feed the rich and the poor, the old and the young.” Certainly, Joseph was serious when he gave that promise. However, it took some time, in fact many years, for Joseph to gain his freedom and become a king who was in control of his kingdom’s affairs. So, Joseph forgot about the sacrifice. Many years passed, and then Jibra’il came to him and said: “You, the son of the most honorable! It is time to offer your sacrifice!” It took Joseph a month to prepare for the banquet and then he sent his messenger who publicly announced the invitation. People arrived. Jibra’il came and said that there were some who could not come. Joseph sent his followers who helped and brought those who were too sick or weak to walk all the way to the banquet. The attendants reported to Joseph who was about to give his orders to serve. Jibra’il came back and reminded Joseph that there was still someone who had not shown up. Joseph asked: “Where can we find him?” Jibra’il said: “At the edge of the city, by the sea, in a cottage that is built of palm tree leaves. There is a blind woman who lives there. Allah will forbid all your guests from touching your food unless she is invited. So, don’t give your orders to have the food served until she comes.” Joseph sent his attendants to bring the blind old lady. They said to her: “The king invites you to come to his banquet.” 189 Ibid.:51.

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She said: “I do not need his banquet. I have seen so many. My eyes are full with banquets. My ears are deaf because of people’s rebuke.” They said: “To obey the king’s orders is a duty.” She said: “A duty for you. You are the ones who enjoy his generosity. Now, if he is serious, he has to come and invite me in person!” The attendant came to Joseph and informed him of what the woman had said. Joseph said that it was always the king who got blamed. He requested that no food be served until he went to see her. She probably had some excuse for talking like that. He said he would walk to her cottage by himself, and do this for the sake of Allah. He walked to her cottage and said to her: “Come on, old lady! Come and join the banquet.” She said: “Now I am an ‘old lady!’ You used to call me ‘my Lady.’” I swear I am tired of what has befallen me. Though I lost my riches and sight, my soul is not broken! We have blessed you and filled your hands with precious stones and scattered them over your feet.” Joseph asked: “What are you talking about? What is the meaning of this humiliation?” Joseph was reminded that the old woman was Zulaikha herself. Joseph cried, for he felt so bad about her conditions. When she walked with him into the place, the word had already spread that it was Zulaikha who was coming with Joseph. People stood up in recognition of her past charity. He ordered that she should be provided with money and gifts. She said: “I do not need that. We owned a lot of it. It didn’t do us any good. Now, I want to ask for something. If you can do it, that is fine. If you can’t, please send me back to my home.” Joseph asked: “What is it that you want?” She said: “I want to get my sight back. I want to enjoy seeing things again. I do not think that is hard for your god to do.” Joseph asked Allah and Zulaikha got back her sight. She added: “I want my youth back.” Joseph asked Allah and Zulaikha got her young looks. She said: “Now my heart is happy. God, I want to marry Joseph.” Jibra’il came down to Joseph and ordered that he should marry Zulaikha. He told him that she was honored for Joseph’s sake, and that Allah wanted Joseph to honor her for His sake. So, the banquet served two purposes. Joseph had fulfilled his promise of sacrifice when he was in jail, and at the same time it was his wedding banquet. Joseph married Zulaikha that night. When he came closer to her she moved away from him. His desire to get her became stronger. He tried again but she moved further away. His desire became even stronger. She ran away from him, and he

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chased her. He took hold of her shirt in the back and tore it. Jibra’il came down to him and said, “Okay Joseph! One for one!” However, her life with Joseph went according to what Allah had destined for them. She finally let him get her. They had a number of boys equal to the number of Joseph’s brothers, eleven to be exact! It was one of Allah’s wonders. As for the Prophet David, he had his share of misfortune due to a woman. She was Uriyah’s woman. Uriyah was his minister. In fact, she was engaged to the man. David saw her and liked her. He thought of her a lot, and asked her to marry him. Reporting the story, Allah said: “And David gathered that we had tried him. He asked forgiveness of his Lord, fell down bowing (in prostration), and turned (to Allah in repentance).” 190 Ibn ‘Abbas said that David turned to Allah and asked him to test him as he had his ancestors. Allah said that David’s ancestors had been put to hard tests. Abraham was put to the test of fire, himself and his son. I did not see anything he had done that I hated. I put Isma’il to the sacrifice test, and he totally submitted, and was saved by My will. I put Jacob to the test of sadness for the loss of his son, Joseph. He did not complain and was patient. Allah added: “If you want to be considered on their level you need to endure tests.” David said: “Oh God, test me with anything you want.” Allah agreed and told him that his test would be on such-and-such day, in such-and-such a month. David began to guess the day and month of his expected test. He put guards outside at the doors, dressed in a wool garment, and then went inside the temple. He opened the book and rested it between his hands. As he was sitting deep in his contemplation, a bird fell between his hands. He thought that the bird was made of gold. He picked it up and put it on a shelf. The bird jumped to another spot on the shelf next to a small window. As David stood up to put the bird back in its place, he looked through that tiny window and saw a grove with many trees. He also saw the most beautiful woman. As she noticed his shade, she jumped and covered her face with her hair. That made him even more astonished at her beauty. David had two young students from Bani Israel. He asked one of them to go out and find out about the grove and the woman. Specifically, he wanted to know if she was married or not. The student came back and told David that she was Uriyah’s woman. Muqatil reported that Uriyah was absent at that time, since he was engaged in a military expedition 190 Q. 38(Sad):24.

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with David’s nephew, Ayyub b. Zeruya. David wrote to his nephew and asked him to assign Uriyah to lead an attack on the land of Balqa’ and fight its people until he conquered it or was himself killed. Muqatil said that Uriyah did what he was told to do and was killed in one of the battles. Sa‘id b. al-Musayyib, however, said that he had heard al-Imam ‘Ali threatened to punish anyone who reported that story with a hundred lashes. Ali was quoted to have said that such punishment was proper for anyone who fabricated stories about prophets. In his interpretation, al-Imam al-Nasfi said that David’s sin was his desire to marry Uriyah’s woman. He was patient and did not ask for her hand. Uriyah’s being away on that military expedition was a coincidence despite the fact that David did not express a sense of loss or sadness when he was told that Uriyah was killed in the battle. That was why Allah put some blame on him. Al-Imam Abu Mansur said that David could have the excuse that he looked at the bird, admired and tried to take it. He was excused to see what was the matter with the bird, since birds were made to obey and respond to him. The Qur’an quoted David as saying: “Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees?” 191 Therefore, when David came close to the small window, he saw the woman by accident. He had the excuse that he liked her, admired her beauty. Abu Mansur did not accept the account the David had stared at the woman because prophets would not do something like that. He also supported David’s motives for sending her husband to war. He believed that the man was sent to fight the enemies of Allah, and Jihad was a religious obligation. Therefore, David did not send the man to war to have him killed. As for Allah, Abu Mansur admitted that He put the blame on David to the point that He sent down some angels to question him. He said that David was forgiven at some later point. He added that prophets were questioned and punished for the slightest wrong thing they did, simply because they were responsible for demonstrating the right path for their own people. Abu Mansur even cited how Yunus was blamed for leaving his people without Allah’s permission, despite the fact that he left with the intention of protecting himself and his religion. In view of that, the blame that Allah had put on David seemed logical. Regarding the team of angels Allah sent to David, Abu Mansur argued that an action such as that had desirable benefits and wisdom. One was that David should have some guards, and secondly he was required to appear before the law to respond to any accusations. He was not left to investigate himself. Thirdly, it showed that angels could come down to earth in the form of human beings. Abu Mansur 191 Q. 27(al-Naml):20.

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said that should be a convincing response to some philosophers/theologians who raised some issues with the account. As for the other story involving David, it was the one regarding the two brothers and their sheep. The story was set to give an example of how a man with 99 sheep would do his brother an injustice if this brother had just one sheep. Therefore, it was meant to be a case of a man against another man. The 99 sheep was simply a metaphor for the number of David’s wives. Arabs used to use words like sheep, cows and camels to refer to women. The verse only said: “Yet he says, ‘Commit her to my care,’ and he overcame me in the argument.” 192 It did not say that he took her. The verse also said: “David said, ‘He has undoubtedly wronged you in demanding your ewe to be added to his ewes.”193 Again, it did not say that he had taken over the ewe. The mistake that David had made was his question as to whether the woman was married or not. When he was told that she was not married, he went out and asked for her hand. In fact, many men had asked to marry that woman, including David’s brother. That was the reason why David was blamed. For Muhammad b. Jarir alTabari, the matter was just a dispute between two individuals. They rushed to the temple in order to see the prophet. They did not ask for permission when they interrupted David. That was why David needed guards to stop such bad manners. David became upset with the two men, then he felt sympathy toward the plaintiff and therefore rushed to the conclusion that the other man had wronged the defendant. That is why Allah said: “And David gathered that We had tried him. He asked for forgiveness.” 194 It was David who concluded this and asked for forgiveness, and Allah granted him that. Then Allah went on to say: “O David! We did indeed make you a vicegerent on earth.”195 That meant that Allah had appointed David as a ruler on earth to look into peoples’ matters like the other prophets before him. He was advised to judge between men in truth and justice according to Allah’s law. He was warned not to follow the lusts of his heart for it would lead him from the path. Abu Mansur posed a question about the wisdom of reporting the wrong-doings of Allah’s prophets and messengers and their appeals for forgiveness. He admitted that Allah had always asked that peoples’ wrong-doings be corrected, but that those who commit them should not be denounced publicly. The only time to announce the sins should be on the Day of Judgment. Now, how did this fit here? He said that Allah 192 Q. 38(Sad):23. 193 Ibid.:24. 194 Ibid.:24. 195 Ibid.:26.

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would do that so the prophets set the examples, to make people see that none would have an excuse, not even prophets, and thirdly, these prophets and other people were subjected to various tests in this life, and when they realized that they had done something that was wrong they had to pray for forgiveness. They should cry, beg for forgiveness, and turn to Allah in repentance. The fourth lesson to be learned was that committing a minor offense should not be used as a reason why one did not qualify to lead and did not mean that one had abandoned one’s religion. The fifth lesson was that Allah would not let go of even minor offenses without holding someone responsible for them. Allah had the choice to punish the offenders. In his interpretation, al-Imam Abu Hafs al-Kabir reported that David: “…fell down, bowing (in prostration), and turned to Allah in repentance.”196 It was meant that he prayed for forty days and nights. He was crying to the point that his tears made grass grow. Allah told him that he was forgiven. It was also reported that every time David drank from a cup one third of the content was water and the rest was tears. It was also reported that on the day of test, David was able to close the doors of his home, but he could not close the avenues to his soul. Allah advised David: “Do not follow the lust (of your heart), for it will mislead you from the path.”197 Allah meant that David should stick to the path of justice because it was the guarantee to Allah’s satisfaction with him. Allah continued his warning: “For those who wander astray from the path of Allah, is a chastiment grievous, for having forgotten the Day of Account.” 198 According to Abu Hafs al-Kabir, those who forgot the Day of Judgment, which would be the day where people should answer who were in fact pretending to forget. The day was meant to show how justice would be served in comparison to justice on earth. Until that time, Allah told David that he would be a ruler on earth and his job was to enforce justice among people. David’s story was mentioned in al-Imam al-Nasfi’s interpretation and accounts of the Imams before him. Al-Imam Abu al-Faraj b. al-Jawzi addressed the same story in his book Suq al-‘Arus. He said that prior to David’s sin he would go to the mountain whenever he wanted to read from his holy book, al-Zabur. Birds would fly around his head, wild animals would gather, and they all would participate in prayers that were echoed in the mountains. When he committed his sin, birds, wild animals, and mountains stopped joining him in prayers. Realizing that his blessings 196 Ibid.:24. 197 Ibid.:26. 198 Ibid.

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were no longer available for him, David began to cry and complain day and night. His tears made grass grow. For the next forty nights David cried, prayed, and appealed. He said: “Oh, my sin had left me as a bird with a broken wing and homeless. Oh, my sin had made me like a drowned person who had no life buoy, like a sick person with no medicine. Oh, my sin, how could earth give me shelter, and skies give me shade? Oh, my sin, the like of which I have not heard, is huge. It has made my face the ugliest, and tied my hands. Oh, You who know my story, show me the way out!” David used to enjoy the times he communicated with Allah. When he committed his sin, that connection came to an end. He said: “Oh my Lord, I am not crying for my soul if it dies now. I am crying for the joy I used to have in your company.” David heard a voice which told him that his sin was forgiven, but that friendly relations no longer existed. Jibra’il came to him and said: “Oh David! Raise your head.” David said: “I will not do that unless and until Allah forgives me.” Allah said: “We forgave him this (lapse). He enjoyed, indeed, a near approach to Us, and a beautiful place of (final) return.”199 Jibra’il said: “Lift your head up! You have been forgiven. You have to stand before the Ever Living and Dominant, who will make a sinner pay back to his victim.” David said: “Now, I feel much better. My tears have been paid for but I have to accept lack of friendship.” Ibn al-Jawzi reported in his book Suq al-‘Arus that David cried until grass grew from the earth from his tears. David was asked what he wanted and he said that he wanted forgiveness. When he was given a cup of water to drink, he would fill it up to the rim first with his own tears. His weeping had replaced that of pigeons in trees. He was assured that he would be given whatever he needed, whether it was food, water, or clothes. Realizing that his sin was not forgiven, he shouted loudly and that shout set the grass ablaze. David collected seven sacks of ashes and flooded them all with his tears. David went out in the desert accompanied by 30,000 of Bani Israel. When he came back there were 10,000 only. The rest had died out of sadness for listening to his weeping. In his second book, entitled Saba Najd, Ibn al-Jawzi added that on the Day of Judgment, Allah would ask David to sing in his beautiful voice songs about His glory. His voice was the equivalent of 99 flutes. Whenever David read from the holy book, al-Zabur, water would stop flowing. 199 Ibid.:25.

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That was prior to his lapse. His voice became hoarse. It was reported that Allah gave an order to David, saying: “Go to Uriyah’s grave and ask him to forgive you. I will make him answer from the depths of his grave.” David felt happy and rushed to Uriyah’s grave and said: “Oh Uriyah!” Uriyah said: “Yes. Who are you?” David said: “I am the prophet of Allah.” Uriyah asked: “What do you want?” David said: “I want you to forgive me the misdeeds that I have inflicted on you.” Uriyah said: “That is no problem. I forgive you!” David was thrilled to hear this. He went back to his house. Soon Allah asked: “Did you tell Uriyah that you have married his woman after his death?” David said: “No, my Lord.” Allah said: “Well, go back and tell him that.” David went back to the grave site and said: “Hey Uriyah!” Uriyah said: “Yes.” David said: “I want you to forgive me.” Uriyah said: “I already did that, didn’t I?” David asked: “Do you know what I have done after your death?” Uriyah asked: “What have you done?” David answered: “I married your woman.” Uriyah did not say anything. David went back to his home crying, sad, and depressed. He cried day and night for some time, asking Allah to forgive him. Finally Jibra’il came down to him and said that Allah had forgiven him. Moreover and out of Uriyah’s generosity and kindness, he would also forgive David on the Day of Judgment. Allah said: “So We forgave him this (lapse). He enjoyed, indeed, a near approach to Us, and a beautiful place of (final) return.”200 Now, look at what happened to David and the constant sadness, crying, and depression he suffered. It was reported that he never enjoyed food, drink, or sleep. His life became horrible, and sadness and depression stayed with him until his death. He prayed and prayed that others’ sins might be forgiven, as well as his. All that happened to him as a result of just one look at that woman. That look made him marry that woman following the murder of her fiancé. It was reported that when David learned of the death of her husband, he did not show any sign of caring, something that was unusual for him. It was also reported that when Uriyah first expressed interest in marrying that woman, David asked him not to do so. Uriyah did not listen to 200 Ibid.

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David’s request. After Uriyah was sent to war to be killed, David married the woman. That is why Allah had some reservations vis-à-vis David’s intentions. We seek refuge in Allah through His generosity and kindness that He might protect us and you from women’s stratagems. As for Solomon, Ibn Qatada reported that once upon a time, Solomon invaded the kingdom of an infidel king. He conquered him and took his daughter as a prisoner of war. He liked her and decided to choose her as wife. Her name was Jarada. He made her live in a separate dwelling and used to go to her on her days, as per his schedule. Solomon had killed her father because he refused to accept Islam. As she became very sad and missed her father so much she asked Solomon to allow her to create an image of her father so that she could look at it. She knew that Solomon liked her, and therefore, she pleaded with him that such a picture would help her overcome missing her father. Solomon expressed no objection, and she made a picture and hung it on the wall. She made the picture in the form of an idol and began to worship it. Solomon was not aware of what his wife was doing. However, the rest of the people knew what was going on, including Asif b. Barkhiya, a devout worshipper and Solomon’s cousin. He knew the Great Name and he was the one who brought Balqis’ throne from Yemen to Jerusalem in the wink of an eye. He used to be the minister of companionship and usually sat on the right of Solomon. AlDmirbat, the minister of jinns, used to sit on the left of Solomon. It was reported that that woman had constantly worshipped the idol for forty days. Someone mentioned that to Asif b. Barkhiya who then asked Solomon to give him permission to preach to the people in the presence of Solomon himself. Solomon gave him the permission and Asif b. Barkhiya immediately went to the pulpit. He began to mention the previous prophets and their virtues. He started with the story of Adam then Idris, then Noah, Abraham, and finally Moses. He ended his ceremony with Moses and climbed down. Solomon asked: “How come you did not mention my story like the other prophets?” Asif b. Barkhiya said: “I will not mention anyone whose household has someone who worships outside of Allah.” Solomon shouted: “Allah is Great! How did that happen?” Solomon jumped to his feet and rushed to his house. Jarada, his wife, was not expecting him to show up that day, since it was not her turn. He found her in front of the idol performing her usual worship. He beat her badly, broke the idol to pieces and burned it. It was usual for Solomon to hand in his ring to Jarada whenever he needed to go to the bathroom. He would take it back from her when he was done. That ring was the sign by which Solomon would have control 178

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over birds, wild animals, people, and jinns. At that time, there was a hardto-control jinni whose name was Sakhr al-Marid. One day, Solomon went to the bathroom, and therefore he gave Jarada the ring. She took the ring and withdrew to another room. Sakhr al-Marid came to her in the image of Solomon and asked to have the ring back. Jarada gave him the ring, and he put it around his finger and left. He came and sat on Solomon’s chair, and soon birds, wild animals, jinn, and people submitted to him. As he began to look into peoples’ matters, they thought that he was Solomon. Now, Solomon came out of the bathroom and asked Jarada to give him back his ring. She said: “You already took it from me.” Solomon said: “I swear by Allah, I did not.” Jarada said: “You are not Solomon. Solomon is now sitting on his throne and running peoples’ matters.” Solomon went out and told people that he was the real Solomon, but no one seemed to believe him. He realized then that Allah had put him to the test. Meanwhile Sakhr al-Marid continued ruling over people for forty days. People had noticed that his rulings did not go with, and somehow were different from, the ones with which they were familiar. They went to Asif b. Barkhiya and complained about the mess. Asif ibn Barkhiya promised to look into the matter. He said: “I will go to him, and will first recite the verse, ‘I seek Allah’s protection from the evil of Satan!’ Furthermore, I will recite something from the Torah. If he is Solomon he will join me in recitation. However, if he is not Solomon he will disappear because he will not be able to tolerate being around when Allah’s name is mentioned.” Asif b. Barkhiya went to where Sakhr al-Marid was sitting. He did exactly what he told the people. Once the name of Allah was mentioned, the jinni disappeared. Sakhr al-Marid flew over the sea and threw the ring into the water so that Solomon would not be able to find it. Solomon had been tending to a grove over those forty days and that grove belonged to one of his attendants. It happened that that man bought a fish from a fisherman on the day Sakhr al-Marid dropped the ring into the sea. The man took the fish to his house and asked his wife to cook it for dinner when he broke his fast. When the fish was cooked, she put it before her husband. As the man and Solomon were eating the fish, the wife came to her husband, took a ring from her pocket and said that she found it inside the fish. The man gave it to Solomon who recognized it immediately. He put it around his finger, and soon birds, wild animals, people, and jinn submitted to him. Solomon went out and sat on his throne and by that Allah had returned to him his kingdom and restored his conditions as before.

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Solomon said: “Oh my Lord! Forgive me, and grant me a kingdom which will not belong to another after me. For You are the Grantor of Bounties (without measure).”201 Allah responded by saying: “When We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, wherever he willed. As also the Satans, (including) every kind of builder and diver. As also others bound. Such are Our bounties whether you bestow them (on others) or withhold them. No account will be asked, and he enjoyed, in deed, a near approach to Us, and a beautiful place of (final) return.” 202 Al-Imam al-Nasfi said that it was probable that when Solomon asked for a kingdom that would not go to another person, he wanted that people would have the opportunity to continue saying kind things about him. Abraham had previously asked Allah: “Grant me honorable mention on the tongue of truth among the latest (generation).” 203 Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet Mohammed told that a jinni came over to him the night before and tried to interrupt his prayers. “However, Allah made me able to overcome him. I was planning to hold and tie him to the mosque post so that you, all of you, will see him.” In another account, the Prophet was quoted as saying: “To have children use him in play. Then I remembered my brother, Solomon, in his prayers, ‘Oh my Lord! Forgive me, and grant me a kingdom which will not belong to another after me.’” As for Solomon’s reference to “the Grantor of Bounties,” he was aiming at the rewards kings like himself deserved. The Prophet said: “An hour of (practising) justice is worth more than a year of worshipping.” It was also mentioned that when Solomon submitted his request, he was sure that he would do a better job than anyone else. He would re-establish the rights of the oppressed vis-à-vis their oppressors. He would build the country and refresh peoples’ lives. He would clean up courts’ procedures and put an end to corruption. Therefore he used to eat bread made of barley, took a job making baskets of palm tree leaves, and sat with the poor. Abu ‘Ubaida said that Allah responded to Solomon’s prayers and made the wind blow gently at his will and by his power. He used that wind to move from one place to another. Al-Hasan said that Solomon would travel from Eilia in the morning, rest at noon time at Yaqil by the Red Sea, and spend the night in Babylon. As for the jinn builders and sea divers whom Allah subjected to Solomon’s powers, as well, he used them to construct high buildings and collect pearls and precious stones from the deeps of the sea. It was mentioned that Solomon was the first man who harvested pearls from sea. As for those jinn who did not do as instructed, Solomon 201 Ibid.:35. 202 Ibid.:36-40. 203 Q. 26(al-Shu‘ara’):84.

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would put chains on them and had them kept under his control. Al-Sa‘di reported that Solomon had those jinn’s hands chained to their necks. AlImam al-Mansur said that that category would only include those jinn who refused to work on construction or refused to go on diving missions. Solomon did what he did to them with the aim of maintaining control and stopping any kind of mutiny. Allah also gave Solomon the freedom to use the bounties with which He blessed him at his will, as well. He could give these bounties generously or hold on to them as he saw fit. No one would ask him why he did give or why he didn’t. No one would ask him the amount he gave or why. Finally, Allah promised him a beautiful place that would be in the neighborhood of Allah in Paradise. Now, let us go back to David, who had had an account with one of the kings, named Talut, in his days. The story was reported in Surat aB-Baqara.204 The story was that for some time Bani Israel were left without a king to rule among them and fight for Allah’s cause. According to Ibn ‘Abbas, prophecy was confined to the tribe of Lawi b. Ya‘qub, but ruling was in the hands of the tribe of Yahuda b. Ya‘qub. It was usual that the king would rule according to the prophet’s advice. However, the king began to rule according to his own opinion, and that lasted for some time. Problems started and became large among Bani Israel. That was because the king disobeyed the prophet. So, Allah sent them Jalut. 205 Bani Israel had enjoyed good life for forty years prior to the rising of the problems. They did not fight war and were saved from their enemies’ attacks. Jalut was a huge man with strong determination. The helmet he put on his head weighed 300 pounds. He equaled a hundred men. His army was made of 800,000 knights. He challenged Bani Israel and came to their land. Bani Israel had inherited from the time of Moses a coffin that had a spear inside. In the past, they would bring that coffin when an enemy attacked them. As soon as they opened up the coffin the spear would take a vertical position. When that happened Bani Israel would feel confident and fight to win. Having committed so many sins and disobeyed so many orders and rules, Allah sent them Jalut and his army. Bani Israel brought the coffin out, but this time the spear did not move, and therefore confidence did not come into their hearts. They were very scared. Jalut won an easy victory which ended in the death of huge numbers of men whose women were taken as prisoners. 440 young princes were captured. Jalut confiscated their coffin, their treasures and belongings. He kicked them out of their land. 204 Q. 2(al-Baqara). 205 Also known as Goliath.

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Many years passed before they came to Samuel b. Alqanah. His mother’s name was Hanna, and he was an offspring of Harun, Moses’ brother. They said to him: “Appoint for us a king that we may fight in the cause of Allah.” He said: “Is it not possible, if you were commanded to fight, that you will not fight?” They said: “How could we refuse to fight in the cause of Allah, seeing that we were turned out of our homes and our families.”206 “Their prophet said to them: ‘Allah had appointed Talut as a king over you.’ They said: ‘How can he exercise authority, and he is not even gifted with wealth in abundance?’”207 So Allah gave their prophet a stick and said to him that any man who could measure up to the length of that stick should be the king of those people. The prophet began to measure the height of his men by using that stick. One day a man whose name was Talut presented himself. He was Talut b. Qays b. Hazar whose linage went back to Binyamin b. Ya‘qub. Talut did not come from a royal line. In fact, he was a man who used to do menial jobs. It was said that he worked as a water carrier, a tanner and a donkey driver. One day he lost his donkey and he and his son went on to look for it. They ended up in an area close to where Prophet Samuel lived. The son suggested that they should pay a visit to the prophet and ask him to pray that they would find their lost donkey. As they went inside, Samuel realized that that was the man who would measure up to the length of the stick. He did measure him and Talut seemed to have satisfied the conditions. Talut was in fact the tallest man in his time, as his head, neck and chest would tower over anyone else. Samuel said to his people: “Talut is the man Allah has chosen to be your king. You have to obey him and get ready to fight your enemy.” They were taken by surprise and asked: “How could he be our king? We come from a royal lineage and, therefore, deserve this honor. Furthermore, he does not have money like us.” Samuel said: “Listen, Allah has chosen him to lead you. Lineage and treasure do not count. He has something that you do not have. He has knowledge and physical strength.” Allah said in his book: “Allah has chosen him above you, and has endowed him abundantly with knowledge and bodily prowess.” 208 Though Samuel admitted that Talut lacked lineage and money, he had knowledge of war, strength of body, physical appeal, and, in addition to that, he was 206 Q. 2(al-Baqara):246. 207 Ibid.:247. 208 Ibid.

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handsome. These were the desired qualities. Leadership should not be based on inheritance or riches. Furthermore: “Allah grants His authority to whom He pleases. Allah is all-embracing, and He knows all things.” 209 That meant that the ultimate power was in the hands of Allah. Since He had chosen Talut, none should raise any objection because Allah knows everything. People’s objection to Talut being chosen as their king made them disobedient in the eyes of Allah. Some reported that the people were truly believers but they were taken by surprise and therefore failed to see the wisdom in choosing Talut as a king. The prophet said to them: “To you the Ark of the Covenant, with (an assurance) therein of security from your, Lord. And the relics left to you by the family of Moses and the fam ily of Harun, carried by angels. In this is a symbol for you if you indeed have faith.”210 Earlier, the coffin was confiscated and taken away by the invaders who buried it in the bed of a dry brook. By the will of Allah, those who were involved in the confiscation and burial of the coffin contacted hemorrhoids. In fact hemorrhoids became a plague that caused the death of most of the people. Five towns were completely annihilated by the plague. They thought that what had happened to them was a result of confiscating the coffin, so they dug it out and sent it back to Bani Israel on the back of a cow. In another account, the coffin was originally stored in one of their temples. When they came the next morning, they found that their idols’ heads were bent down. It was also mentioned that they left it under one of their idols. When they came the next morning they found that the idol was smashed to pieces. Yet, another story said that when they stored the coffin in the temple, anyone who slept in the temple would be attacked by mice. Mice would come and cut their way through the individual’s belly and eat his intestines, therefore causing him to die. As things like those happened, they took the coffin, put it on the back of a cow, and sent it back to Bani Israel. Allah sent a number of angels to lead the cow back to the land of Bani Israel, who were in total surprise to see their coffin sent back to them. Allah mentioned in the Qur’an: “A sign of His authority is that there shall come to you the Ark of the Covenant, with (an assurance) therein of security from your Lord.” 211 That meant that the presence of the coffin would bring out a feeling of security and make their men brave and determined to fight in order to win. 209 Ibid. 210 Ibid.:248. 211 Ibid.

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Ibn ‘Abbas said that ‘security’ was an animal the size of a she-cat with shining eyes which filled anyone who looked into them with terror. When they brought it, it would stick its head out of the coffin, move its hand and made a scream and the enemy army would flee. It was mentioned that the coffin was made of sandalwood and covered with gold. Some said it was made of wood used to make combs. Allah had made it of the same material of which He made Moses’ holy books, emerald. The size of the coffin was enough for two men to carry. Ibn Munabbih said the coffin was three by two arms in dimension. ‘Ali b. Abi Talib was quoted to have said that ‘security’ had a face of a she-cat and two wings, and it would attack the enemies and make them run away. Al-Kalbi reported that ‘security’ was made of either emeralds or hyacinth and had a head of a she-cat. The coffin included: “The relics left by the family of Moses and the family of Harun.”212 The Qur’an said: “Allah did choose Adam and Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of ‘Imran above all people.” 213 The relics included Moses’ stick that was made of heaven myrtle, the remnants of his books, Harun’s turban, a golden washbasin, and Solomon’s ring. It was said that the angels carried it back, while others said the angels only directed the cow which carried the coffin... Yet some said that the angels carried the coffin using the wind, and they placed it at Talut’s home as a sign for Bani Israel in order for them to accept Talut, if they were truly believers. Bani Israel witnessed that and accepted Talut as their king. Talut began to prepare an army of fighters and was ready to lead them. He wanted to go out and attack the enemy. Allah inspired Samuel to talk to Yassa in order for Yassa to bring along his sons. Yassa brought his older son and Samuel liked him. But he said that the older son was not the one whom he sought. Yassa brought along six more of his sons. Samuel asked: “Do you have another son?” Yassa responded: “Yes, I have a younger son who is taking care of my sheep.” Samuel said: “Send for him!” David came and he was as tall as the rest of his brothers. Allah had inspired Samuel with the knowledge that the boy was the one who would kill Jalut. When David was coming back from tending the sheep, he found a stone. The stone talked to David and told him that it was that with which he would kill Jalut. David picked up that stone and put it in his sack. Another stone talked to him, and he picked it up as well. A third stone talked and he picked it up and put it with the other two in his sack. 212 Ibid. 213 Q. (Al ‘Imran):33.

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When David came to Talut, he told him that it was he who would kill Jalut. He told him the story of the stones. Talut asked: “Do you feel strong enough?” David said: “Definitely. A wolf attacked my sheep and I smashed his head.” Talut asked: “Anything else?” David said: “Yes. One day a lion attacked my sheep and I held it by its jaws and opened them wide and broke them. It fell down dead.” Muqatil was reported to have said that Samuel informed Talut that Allah would send a man from his people. That man would kill Jalut. Samuel gave Talut armor and said: “Any man who fits in this metal armor will be the one who kills Jalut. Give him half of your land and your fortune.” When that reached David, he left his sheep in the care of Allah and headed towards Talut. He met the stones on his way. When he got there he said to Talut: “With Allah’s willing, I will kill Jalut. Will you give me half of your land and money if I kill Jalut?” Talut said: “Certainly! And on top of that I will marry my daughter to you. Put on this armor.” David put on the armor and it looked too big for him. He took a deep breath and stood up straight. The armor shrank a little bit. He did this again and it shrank once more. He prayed to Allah and on the third attempt the armor sat fit on him. Talut knew then that Jalut was dead! Muqatil said that David was a short man with sight problems because he had bad eyes. When Bani Israel witnessed all those signs they rushed to join in the fight. Talut said that he did not need everyone. Those who were involved in building something that had not yet been finished were excused. Those who had any type of business or owed money were also excused. Men who were engaged to be married soon were not allowed to join the fight. Talut said that he only needed strong, active young men who were free of any obligation. He made an army of 80,000 fighters and let the others go. When he and his men came to the Valley of Jordan he told them: “Allah will test you at the stream. If any drinks of its water, he goes not with my army. Only those who taste not of it go with me. A mere sip out of the hand is excused.”214 So, when they arrived at the Jordan river it was time for the test. Certainly the army included some who were commited and some who were not, and Talut made it clear to them that they might need to have water after travelling in the desert. But he added that the test was like distinguishing between gold and silver, and he

214 Q. 2(al-Baqara):249.

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warned them that he who would drink would not be a brother in religion or sect. He would not be allowed to be in the company of Talut. Ibn Kathir, Nafi‘ and Abu ‘Umar explained that a sip meant a “handfull of water.” Most of Talut’s soldiers drank from the river because they were so thirsty, having travelled in the desert. The number who took and were satisfied with only a sip was 313 men, exactly the same number of men who were with the Prophet Mohammed (at the battle) in Badr. Those who broke Talut’s orders kept drinking water until their bellies were swollen. 70,000 of them died. He took the 313 men with him and told those who disobeyed and did not die to go home. He told them if they failed to con trol themselves and broke his orders, how could they obey him and fight the enemy. Talut and his fellow believers crossed the river. They told him that they were not ready that day to fight Jalut and his army. That was said by those whose faith was not truly strong. Those who had strong trust in Allah said: “How often, by Allah’s will, has a small force vanquished a big one?”215 Therefore, their confidence was strengthened by Allah’s will because they believed that no one would die unless Allah allowed it to happen. Allah commanded believers to be patient. Muqatil said that those who were not patient and drank from the river were the ones who said that they would not fight Jalut. He said that out of the 70,000 soldiers, only 4,000 obeyed Talut and the rest disobeyed. Out of the 4,000, only 313 were ready to fight. The rest said that they needed rest that day. When they stood ready to fight Jalut and his army, they prayed to Allah to give them patience and make their feet stand strong. Allah mentioned the event in the Qur’an: “When they advanced to meet Jalut and his forces, they prayed: “Our Lord! Pour out constancy on us and make our steps firm. Help us against those who reject faith.”216 Al-Imam al-Qushayri said that they asked for patience then victory not for the purpose of vengeance, but because Jalut and his forces were enemies of Allah. Therefore, Talut and his small number of men won victory. Victory came when David killed Jalut. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that when David moved forward to meet Jalut, Jalut looked at him with spite. David took a stone, put it in his sling, and then swung the sling hard and let the stone go. The stone broke into three pieces and hit Jalut’s forehead, heart, and kidney. He fell down dead. Abu al-‘Aliya was reported to have said that when David came out to fight Jalut, Jalut asked: “You came out to kill me with your slingshot as if I were a dog?” David said: “You are nothing but a dog.” 215 Ibid. 216 Ibid.:250.

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Abu al-‘Aliya added that the stone that hit Jalut’s chest came out of his back and killed many people, probably thirty more men. Muqatil said that as David swung his slingshot, the wind grew stronger and Jalut lost his helmet. One of the stones hit him in the head and killed him instantly. In another account the stone that hit Jalut in the belly came out of his back and killed thirty more men. It was also reported that the third stone was going around hitting every soldier in the head, and it killed them all. Some reported that the rocks in the area had magnets and therefore every soldier with a peace of metal would be motionless. Talut and his army captured the soldiers, massacred them, and confiscated their belongings. David asked Talut then to fulfill his promise by marrying his daughter to David. Talut said that a dowry paid of their enemies is a must for the daughters of kings. By saying that he wanted to have David killed because he seemed to have a change of heart vis-à-vis his promise. David went out, captured 300 of the enemy soldiers and brought them back to Talut as a dowry for his daughter. ‘Akramah said that when Talut became king of the Holy Land, David came to him and demanded what Talut had promised him. Talut gave him a sword and married his daughter to him. Sometime later David expressed interest in power, but the leaders of Bani Israel thought it would split the people. They said that it was impossible to have two kings for one kingdom. Talut accepted their advice. The wise and fair among them went to David. “The Man with Eyes” reported who went to see David, and it looked like Talut had decided something. The news got to Talut’s daughter. They told her that her father wanted to kill her husband. She told David: “You will be killed tonight.” David asked: “Who will kill me?” She said: “My father.” David asked: “What for? Did I do something wrong?” She said: “Someone I trust told me so. You have to get out tonight so that you will see if the rumor is true.” David said: “If your father plans to kill me, then I should stay to find out. I want you to put a wineskin next to you in bed, dressed in my clothes, and I will hide under the bed. If he truly wants to kill me, then we will see.” She did exactly as he had told her. Her father came after dinner. He asked: “Where is your husband?” She said: “He is sleeping in bed.” Talut went inside the bedroom and stabbed the wineskin with his sword, thinking that it was David. When he smelled the aroma of the wine he said: “Oh David! You smell good whether you are alive or dead!” 187

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Talut was ready to pronounce David’s death to the people and prepare for the funeral. However, Talut realized that his plan had failed and, no doubt, David would seek revenge. He asked his bodyguards to close the door and to not let anyone come near him. They did as they were in structed and Talut went to sleep. Allah had temporarily blinded the guards so that David was able to come to Talut’s chamber. David left an arrow at Talut’s feet and went out. When Talut woke up the next morning, he was certain that it was undoubtedly David who was able to put that arrow in his neck. He changed his guards but David was able to get to his chamber the following night. This time he left a sword at Talut’s feet. The next morning Talut found the sword and decided that he should eliminate David. The “Man with Eyes” told him that David usually went to a certain mountain to worship with others. Talut went there immediately but David was able to hide. Talut told the worshippers that he would put them to the sword if they did not tell him where David was hiding. They said that they had no idea. Talut ordered all the men to be massacred, except for one young man whom he liked and kept as a companion. As night time passed he asked the young man: “Did the rooster crow?” The young man asked: “Why does it concern you?” Talut said: “I want to know how much night is left.” The young man said: “You have killed all the roosters, and all the men who can tell time.” Talut cried and asked if the man had an idea that might bring him peace. The young man said: “I have an idea but you need to give your word. I can take you to someone who will help you.” Talut said: “You have my word!” The young man took him to an old woman from Bani Israel. The woman was a believer and Allah usually answered her prayers. He knocked at her door. She said: “Who is it?” The young man said: “It is I.” She asked: “How did you manage to escape from Talut’s massacre? Is there someone with you?” He said: “Yes.” She asked: “Who is he?” He said: “Talut!” She said: “Talut has killed my brothers in Allah, and you have brought him here to kill me, as well. To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return.” He said: “Mother! He is seeking forgiveness and looking for the way out.”

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She said: “I cannot help. Let us go to the cemetery to see if someone can.” She took them to Samuel’s grave and prayed there first. Then she said: “You, who are in there!” Samuel stood up and came out of his grave. While he was removing dust from his head he asked: “Are you Talut?” Talut said: “Yes.” Samuel said: “What did you do after me?” Talut said: “I did all kinds of sins, but I am coming now to ask for for giveness.” Samuel asked: “How many boys do you have?” Talut said: “Ten!” Samuel said: “You have to sacrifice all of them to Allah. They have to be killed in front of your eyes, and one by one. Then you, yourself, should be sacrificed, as well.” Samuel went back to his grave and Talut to his house. The following morning, Talut brought his sons and asked: “Will you sacrifice yourselves for me if you see that I will be pushed into fire?” They said: “Definitely.” He said: “Then you should do as I tell you.” They asked: “What do you have in mind?” He said: “I have done wrong deeds and learned that forgiveness will only be granted to me if I sacrifice every son of mine to Allah. You will be killed in front of my eyes, and I will be the last to be sacrificed.” They asked: “You will be sacrificed too?” He said: “Yes.” They said: “Life’s worth nothing without you. We happily accept your request.” He prepared himself and his sons for the sacrifice. One by one the sons were killed, and then the sacrifice was concluded by the death of Talut himself. The man who performed the sacrificial ceremonies came to David to give him the good news. He told him that he had killed David’s enemy. David responded that that man did not deserve to remain alive, and hit him with a sword. Allah gave David power and wisdom which meant that he became the king of Bani Israel and that was coupled with prophet’s wisdom. Prior to David’s time, the positions of king and prophet were occupied by two persons. On top of that Allah taught him whatever He willed. Al-Hasan said Allah gave him deep knowledge of religion, and some said that He taught him how to make armour, as reported in the Qur’an: “It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your

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benefit, to guard you from each other’s violence.” 217 Allah also said that He made steel flexible in David’s hand. Now, let us report another story related to Talut and David. Talut wanted to kill David because he thought that David was jealous and wanted to take over. Talut had earlier promised David permission to marry his daughter and to make David a partner in the kingdom. David fulfilled his obligations, but Talut did not. That was the reason why Talut and his ten sons were sacrificed. After murdering Jalut, David came to Talut and wanted to marry his daughter, as promised. Talut declined and said that the king’s daughter required a dowry. He told David that he was a brave man, but a poor brave man. He said that he was afraid that people would blame him if he agreed to marry off his daughter to David. He did not want him to marry his daughter, and now intended to kill him. Muqatil b. Sulayman’s account, which was more common than that of ‘Akramah, the servant of Ibn ‘Abbas, reported that Talut’s daughter was the most beautiful woman of her time. There lived at that time a believer whose name was Thuban, who was the most handsome man of his time. One day Thuban passed by the king’s palace gate. When the king’s daughter saw him, she fell in love with him immediately. She asked her father’s permission to go and worship Allah on one of the mountains. She added: “Can you send with me one of Bani Israel’s believers so that I can learn from him more about his religion?” Talut said: “I cannot find someone better than Thuban, the worshipper.” She said: “Send for him to come to see you, then send me with him.” The king sent someone after Thuban, the worshipper. When he came and stood before the king, he said to him: “I want you to help this girl with her worship and teach her whatever she needs to know about her religion.” Thuban said: “Your Majesty, send someone else with her. I do not need it.” The King said: “You must go.” Thuban asked: “Can you give me some time?” The King said: “All right.” Thuban went home, cut off his penis, and cauterized the area to stop bleeding. He put his penis in a box and sealed it with his own seal. He went back to the king with the box and said: “Your Majesty, you want to send your daughter with me. Please take this box and ask your treasurer

217 Q.21(al-Anbiya’):80.

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to keep it for me until I ask for it. I do not want anyone to see what is inside it.” Thuban and the king’s daughter left for the mountain. They worshipped together for a short time. One day while Thuban was worshipping in his corner, the woman approached him and said: “I have planned all this just to be with you by ourselves in one place. I am madly in love with you. You will regret it if you don’t listen to me and do what I ask you. I will tell my father that you have sexually harassed, in fact tried to rape me.” Thuban reproached and advised her not to say anything like that, but she did not listen. One day she went down the mountain and found a shepherd and tempted him. He made love to her and made her pregnant. Three months later both her parents showed up to see how she was doing. She let her father rest for a few minutes then said: “Father, you trusted and sent me with a true sinner and corrupt man. He harassed me many times but I stopped him. However, he came one night and raped me as I was sleeping.” The king became very angry. He went back to his palace and ordered the worshippers’ council to convene a meeting. When they came, he told them the story his daughter had told him. He said: “This man raped my daughter, and therefore shamed her and me at the same time among all kings and people. What should I do with him?” They said: “Your majesty, do not do anything. We know that Thuban is the best among worshippers, and will never do something shameful like this. First, send someone to your daughter to confirm her claim.” The king sent a few women, who came back with the confirmation that the young princess was pregnant. The king sent for Thuban, while the members of the council were still there. They brought Thuban before the king who said: “I am going to enforce the law strictly on you.” The members of the council listened to this while their heads were bowed. Thuban said: “Don’t do that, your Majesty, until you order the box I left with you and your treasurer be brought before everybody.” The king ordered his treasurer to bring the box. The box was brought and presented to the king. Thuban looked at the box and noticed that the seal was untouched. The king opened the box and found Thuban’s penis there. Thuban exposed his privates to the audience for everyone to see that he was innocent. The king was embarrassed and confused vis-à-vis his daughter’s claim. Members of the worshippers’ council were elated. The king went to see his daughter. He said to her: “Allah has exposed your lies to me and your false claim against this poor and religious man. Tell me the truth, or I will have you executed!” 191

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She told him her story with the shepherd. The king sent for the shepherd who confirmed the story, and the Talut married his daughter to him. Only Allah (and Thuban) knew the truth! The second story was reported by Wahb b. Munabbih about a judge named Thahban who was a contemporary to Sulayman b. Dawud. The judge had a wife who served him very well. When she served him meals, she used to pray and say: “Oh God, expose any woman who betrays her husband!” One day she served him a grilled fish, but the fish moved and jumped off the dish and fell to the ground when the woman said her prayers. The judge picked up the fish and put it back on the plate. He asked his wife to repeat her prayers and as soon as she finished, the fish jumped again. The same thing happened when the woman repeated her prayers at the request of her husband for the third time. The judge left his home and went to a man of Bani Israel who was known to be a wor shipper. The man asked: “Do you have someone who you think can fornicate?” The judge said: “Nobody is in my house except my wife and a slave girl whom I bought with my own money.” The worshipper said: “Go back to your house and check out that slave girl.” The judge went back and after checking the servant, he found that it was a man who was disguised in women’s clothes. The judge divorced his wife and promised that he would never remarry. Al-Imam al-Nasfi reported a story regarding a verse the Prophet Mohammed was interpreting. He was once asked about the fire-worshipping Magi (lat., sg.: Magus). The Prophet was reported to have said that they were people of a book which they read and followed just as Christians with their Bible and Jews with their Torah. They had a tyrant king who got drunk one night and raped his sister. When he found about that the following day, he regretted his action and thought of a way out of it. He was afraid that his people would turn against him and revolt against his rule if they knew of his vile deed. When his sister noticed how much worry he had, she said: “Don’t worry too much. I will find you a solution, and if you follow what I tell you, you will be safe of the consequences.” The king asked: “What is it?” She said: “Ask them to assemble and make a speech. Tell them that Allah had made it legitimate for a man to marry his sister.” He said: “That is a great idea.” Therefore, he assembled his people and told them the news that a man could marry his sister, as per a command from Allah. Some accepted this, while others found it impossible to obey. The king ordered a ditch to be 192

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dug and filled it with fire. Those who disagreed with him were thrown into the fire. Wahb b. Munabbih reported that the king ordered seven ditches be dug. Each ditch was forty by twelve arms in length, and he had them filled with oil and firewood. The fire was lit and people were given the option of either following the king’s orders or being thrown into the burning ditches. That is why the magus legally accept brother-sister marriage. So look, may Allah have mercy on you, how terrible was her action, how destructive were her intentions, and how corrupt was her opinion. She misled that king and tempted him until he obeyed what she had ordered him to do. She led him to force his subjects into submission to such an evil deed and caused many of them to be scorched to death. Look at what this woman would answer to, because every time a Magus would sleep with his sister, that woman would carry the same sin as that of this man and his sister-wife. This curse would follow her and them till the Day of Judgment. We seek Allah’s protection from their slyness, for their slyness is great. There is also the story of the prophet Yahya b. Zakariya and one of the kings of his day. This king was stubborn and tyrannical, and in the end he killed Yahya. He killed Yahya because of his niece. Allah sent Mohammed to his people and he “commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil.”218 One of the evil deeds that Allah wanted to forbid was marriage to one’s niece. The king had a niece whom he loved very much, and she loved him, as well. He wanted to marry her, and so he sent after Yahya to hear his opinion. Yahya told him that Allah had forbidden a marriage like that. In his book (Diryaq al-Qulub), al-Imam Ibn al-Jawzi said that the girl had a daily request which the king would always answer favorably. When her mother learned that Yahya had expressed his objection to the marriage plans, she became angry. She told her daughter that when she saw the king the following day, she should ask that Yahya be executed. So when she saw the king in the morning, he asked her his usual question: “What do you want today?” The girl said: “I want you to kill Yahya.” The king said: “Ask for something else.” The girl said: “No. This is my request.” The king said: “All right. I will have it done.” The girl went back to her mother while the king sent for Yahya to be brought before him. The girl told her mother that the king had promised to kill Yahya. The mother dressed her daughter in the best garment she had, decorated her with all kinds of jewelry and sprayed her with the 218 Q. 7(al-A‘raf):157.

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most sensational perfumes. Then she sent her back to the king. Yahya had already arrived and stood before the king at court. When the king saw the girl, he was strongly attracted to her. He took her in his arms and gave her a big hug. He turned to Yahya and asked: “What do say about my niece? Can I marry her?” Yahya said: “Never! You are forbidden.” The king said: “I swear by Allah I will not obey you.” He asked his followers to hold Yahya, to tie his hands, and execute him. Yahya was executed before everyone there. He ordered that Yahya’s head be carried in a basin and brought to his bedroom. He then led his niece to bed and made love to her. He asked ironically: “Who said that a man cannot marry his niece?” Yahya’s head answered: “I told you it is forbidden! I told you it is forbidden!” When the king heard this he became disturbed. He regretted his action, but regret did not help him. The tide turned against him. Another stubborn and tyrannical leader whose name was Nebuchadnezzar led three thousand soldiers from the Roman land and conquered Jerusalem. He entered and destroyed the al-Aqsa Mosque, burned the Torah, and laid the place to waste. He killed one hundred and eighty thousand people. It was said that Yahya’s blood was boiling while the killing was going on. When his blood stopped boiling and Allah was satisfied that His revenge for the murder of Yahya was complete, the invading king took seventy thousand men as prisoners of war. The exile had lasted seventy years when the prisoners were allowed to go back at the hands of Antonius, who saved them. However, they became corrupted once again. So Nebuchadnezzar invaded for a second time. He destroyed the mosque, killed the religious leaders, burnt the Torah and laid the place to waste once again. The city remained destroyed until the time of ‘Umar b. al-Khattab, the second Rightly Guided Caliph, when it was rebuilt by the Muslims. Allah said: “And We decreed for Bani Israel in the Book that twice would they do mischief on earth, and be elated with mighty arrogance. When the first of the warnings came to pass, We sent against you Our servants given to terrible war. They entered the very inmost parts of your homes, and it was a warning fulfilled.”219 As indicated above, Allah had taught Bani Israel in the Torah the wrong deeds which they should avoid. He warned them, but still they committed sins over two different periods in their lives. Allah sent the invaders armed with His will to destroy Bani Israel. Those experienced fighters would defeat Bani Israel, chase them ev219 Q. 17(al-Isra’):4-5.

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erywhere, enter their homes and kill everyone there, and confiscate their treasures and property. All this was destined to continue for some time. It was also destined that Allah gave Bani Israel another chance and provided them with resources, the will, and the manpower to fight their enemies. According to those verses, Nebuchadnezzar entered Jerusalem twice on our behalf to avenge Yahya’s murder. He killed one hundred and eighty thousand people before Yahya’s blood stopped boiling. As indicated above, all this had happened because that woman instructed her daughter to request that the king kill Yahya. The king was an uncle to the young woman. Therefore, the king killed Yahya, and men were allowed to marry their nieces. That practice ended only when Nebuchadnezzar invaded, destroyed the whole country, killed many, and took the rest as prisoners of war. These disasters were brought on Bani Israel as a result of that woman’s evil plans. Stories of this kind were reported even during the era of Islam. I am talking about the woman who caused the murder of Imam ‘Ali. That woman lived in Kufa and she was extremely beautiful and of a higher level of perfection. Imam ‘Ali had killed both her father and brother in the battle of Nahrawan. A man named ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Muljim wanted to marry her. She said to him: “This will not happen until you meet my conditions.” He asked: “What are your conditions?” The woman said: “I want three thousand silver Dirhams, a slave man and a slave woman, and the murder of ‘Ali b. Abi Talib.” He asked: “How can I kill ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib?” She said: “Assassinate him. If you are successful, you will free people from him and his evil deeds. If you fail, you will be a martyr in heaven for ever.” He agreed: “Yes, I will kill ‘Ali b. Abi Talib.” He prepared himself for the attempt. He picked up his sword and went to the neighborhood of ‘Ali b. Abi Talib’s house and waited for him to come out of his house. He planned to kill him as he was going to the mosque to perform the dawn prayers as the Imam usually did. Geese honked when they saw the man, and someone tried to stop them. Imam ‘Ali was reported to have said: “Let them honk. They are female mourners.” As he opened his door, ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Muljim hit him on his forehead with his sword. With the sword sunk deep in his forehead ‘Ali screamed: “I am the winner, by the Lord of Ka‘ba! Catch the man!” Ibn Muljim managed first to run away for some distance by threatening those who tried to capture him with his sword. However, a man whose name was al-Mughirah b. Nawfal managed to make the assassin stumble with a piece of velvet he 195

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had then. As the assassin fell to the ground, Ibn Nawfal sat on his chest and he was captured. They brought him to Imam ‘Ali and asked his permission to kill the assassin. He told them: “No, don’t do that. Put the man in jail, and wait. If I die, then you can execute him, but if I survive, then the wounds will demand retaliation.” The Imam lived for two days. The assassin was executed and his body was burnt. It was reported that the Imam was reciting a famous line of poetry by ‘Amr b. Ma‘di Karb in reference to a man named Qays b. Makshuh al-Muradi. The line said: “I want him to have a (good) life, and he seeks my murder.” It was also reported that Imam ‘Ali was asked: “You have known the man and you are aware of his intentions, why didn’t you kill him?” Imam ‘Ali said: “How can I kill a murderer?” It was also reported that Prophet Mohammed once asked ‘Ali: “Do you know who the most wretched person is?” ‘Ali said: “Oh, Messenger of Allah, I don’t know.” The Prophet said: “The man who slaughtered Salih’s she-camel. Do you know who will be the most wretched man to come?” ‘Ali said: “No.” The prophet said: “Your killer.” In another account, the Prophet was quoted to have said: “The man whose beard will be dyed from his forehead.” Ibn Khallikan said that ‘Ali was the first Imam whose grave was hidden. ‘Ali was afraid that Bani Umayyah would disgrace it. Some said that he was buried in a corner in the mosque, some claimed that he was buried in his house, while some said that it was in some other location. Zuhayr b. al-Arqam said that in his last Friday speech to the believers, Imam ‘Ali had said: “Lord, I am sick and tired of them, and they are of me. I hated them and they hated me. Lord, have mercy on me and them!” He was killed after that. His son, alHasan, reported that he came to see his father the night before his murder as ‘Ali was praying. He said to him: “Son, it seemed that I did not like to sleep because it is the twenty-seventh night of Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr. However, I napped for a few minutes. I had a dream that I saw the Prophet and told him, ‘Oh Messenger of Allah, I have had enough from your people; hurt and distress.’” He said: “Pray to Allah.” ‘Ali prayed to Allah and said: “Oh Lord, give me better people than these, and give them someone who is more evil than me.” Al-Hasan continued to say that he heard the call of prayer coming from the mosque, so his father left and he followed in his steps. He added that his father usually carried a bamboo stick which he used to wake up people from sleep in order to 196

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pray. Ibn Muljim intercepted him and hit him on his head. The sword was treated with poison. People chased the assassin and captured him. Imam ‘Ali was quoted to have said: “Feed him and give him water. If I survive I could forgive him or apply the law of Islam to him, for Allah said ‘We ordained therein wounds for wounds.’ 220 If I die, kill him the way he killed me. Do not transgress limits, for Allah does not like aggressors.” Then Imam ‘Ali ordered a pen and a piece of paper to write his will. He wrote: “In the name of Allah the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is that to which ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib bears witness: that there is no god but Al lah who has no partner, and that Mohammed is His slave and Messenger. He has sent him with guidance and the religion of justice. He made it a complete message, despite the hatred of the infidels. My prayers, my way of life, my life itself and my death are in the hands of the Lord of the Worlds. He has no partner, and that is the way I was commanded as a Muslim.” “My son, Hasan, you, the rest of my family, and anyone who reads this message (will), I want you to follow the path of Allah, pay obedience to Him, and of worship Him the best way. All of you should die as Muslims. Stick together and do not allow anything that divides you. I heard Abu alQasim221 say: ‘To compromise is much better than praying and fasting.’ Take care of your relatives and do not only seek the pleasures of this life. Don’t cry for something that has happened. Always speak the truth. Have mercy and treat orphans kindly. Be an enemy to the aggressor and a support to the oppressed. Follow the Book of Allah and His Messenger’s traditions. Don’t listen to any blame when you are following Allah. That will guarantee you gentle treatment on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet Mohammed wanted you to take care of orphans and neighbors. He wanted you to honor the Qur’an. Don’t let anyone go ahead of you when it comes to good deeds. He wanted you to perform your prayers, as it is the foundation of your religion. Honor the House of Allah and defend it as strongly as you can. Join the fight for Allah’s case with your money and your souls. Pay the alms, for doing just that will reduce Allah’s anger. Honor the offspring and his companions of your Prophet for he had mentioned this. Help the poor and weak among you. Share your fortunes and comfort with them. Take care of the members of your household, for they were the last things the prophet mentioned. Take refuge in Allah when someone intends evil for you. Talk to others kindly, as Allah has asked you. Do not let evil individuals lead you, but follow the calls of the good 220 Q. 5(al-Ma’ida):4-5. 221 A nickname for Prophet Mohammed.

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ones. Keep means of communication among yourselves and do not let hostility and jealousy make you disassociate or boycott some in your community. Cooperate in piety and righteousness, but disassociate yourself from sin or rancor, for Allah is strict in punishment. Good bye and Allah’s Peace and blessings be upon you.’” He died after he pronounced the Shahada by saying: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.” It was reported that his last words were: “Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it.” 222 His sons, Hasan and Husain, and his nephew ‘Abd Allah b. Ja‘far washed him, put him in a white three-piece shroud. His son, al-Hasan, led the other two in a prayer and they buried him in al-Kufa at night time on Sunday evening the 29th of Ramadan, 40 of the Islamic Calendar. Many Imams and poets eulogized him. Among those eulogies, is a five-line poem; some said that they were composed by Abu al-Aswad al-Du’ali, while others believed that a lady named Umm al-Haytham bint al-‘Aryan al-Nakh‘iya was the composer. They go like this:

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Oh my eye, woe unto you! Please come to my rescue Do cry for the Prince of the Believers. ‘Ali was the best of men who rode horses, Their knight and captains who store ships Do tell Mu‘awiyah ibn Harb that The eyes of the gloating one will never see pleasures. You made a disaster for us in the month of fasting, (By murdering) The most noble among people The tribe of Quraysh wherever its members are Among them you are the best in lineage and religion. You can see how the artful plot of that woman had caused all of the events reported above. She charmed ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Muljim with her beauty. When she realized that she had him, she asked that killing ‘Ali be part of her dowry. Ibn Muljim responded to her demand because he wanted to marry her. Allah interdicted and Ibn Muljim lost this life and the hereafter. May Allah protect you and us from women’s deceit, for their dodge is truly great. There is more evidence in the story of ‘Umar b. al-Khattab (the second Rightly Guided Caliph), as reported by Ibn al-Jawzi in his book Dhamm al-Hawa quoting al-Sha‘bi and ‘Asim b. ‘Umar?. He said that he heard a young man praying: “Oh, You the fairest among all fair judges! Judge be222 Q. 99(al-Zalzala):7-8.

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tween me and my mother by truth!” The Caliph ‘Umar b. al-Khattab heard that and had the young man brought before him. He asked: “Oh young man! Why do you pray against your mother?” The young man said: “She carried me in her belly for nine months. She breast-fed me for two full years. When I grew up and became able to dis tinguish between right and wrong as I am able to distinguish right and left, she disavowed me and kicked me out.” The Caliph asked: “Who is your mother?” The young man said: “She is (so-and-so) from the tribe of (so-and-so).” The Caliph sent for her. She came and brought with her four brothers and forty witnesses. They all supported her claim that she did not know the boy, that his claim was false, and that he only wanted to give her a bad name in her tribe. She added that she was from Quraysh, had never married, and she was still virgin. The Caliph asked: “Ok boy, what do you say to that?” The young man said: “Allah is my witness, she is my mother! Allah is my witness, she is my mother!” The Caliph said to the woman: “Woman, do you hear what your son has said?” The woman said: “I swear by He who is hiding behind light and His Chosen Prophet, I do not know him and I do not know to whom he belongs. He just wants to give me a bad name in my tribe. I am a virgin! I have not been married yet.” The Caliph said: “All right! Take this boy to jail.” The guards took the boy to jail and on the way he met ‘Ali b. Abi Talib. He said to him: “Oh Cousin of the Prophet! I swear by Allah, injustice has been done to me. I am a victim, but ‘Umar ordered that they put me in jail.” ‘Ali said to the guards: “Take him back to the Prince of the Believers!” The guards led the boy back to the mosque and ‘Ali went with them. When they arrived there, ‘Ali asked the boy to repeat what he had told him. The boy stated his case again. ‘Ali asked the woman if she had witnesses. The witnesses came forward and gave their account in support of her claim. ‘Ali said: “I am going to rule in this case in a way that Allah on His throne will like it. The Messenger of Allah taught me that way. You woman, do you have anyone as a guardian?” The woman said: “Yes. These my four brothers.” ‘Ali asked: “Will you accept my ruling in this case?” The woman and her brothers said: “Yes, Cousin of the Prophet. We will accept your rule whether it is for us or against us.”

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‘Ali said to ‘Umar: “Oh Prince of Believers! Do you give me permission to proceed?” ‘Umar said: “Go ahead.” ‘Ali said: “I bear witness to Allah and His Messenger that I have married this woman off to this boy. The dowry is forty Dirhams, which I will pay from my own money.” He turned to his servant Qanbar and ordered him to go home and bring forty Dirhams. Qanbar went home and came back with the money. ’Ali took the money and threw it in the boy’s lap. Then he said to him: “Throw the money in your wife’s lap, then I want you both to leave here. Come back with proof that you are really married.” They boy did exactly as ‘Ali said, took the woman by hand and said: “Come on, now!” The woman said: “Oh Cousin of the Messenger of Allah! Please help me, please help me! You have married me to my son. I swear by Allah he is my son. My brothers married me off and I had this boy. As he grew up, they came and asked me to disavow him. I have to do that in order to satisfy them. I love him more than anything else.” She took the boy by hand and left for her house. ‘Umar said: “If it were not for ‘Ali, ‘Umar would have died.” This story fits well with what we have reported in this book vis-à-vis women and their cunning. When she listened to her brothers and agreed to their evil intentions, she became a partner in their sin. However, I find that this woman’s claim was only half the truth. It is well known that women always tell lies and usually come up with horrendous claims. If this woman was really pressured to disavow her son, she should have come to Caliph ‘Umar, who was well known for being strict and fair. When there was an earthquake at his time, he touched the ground with his bamboo stick and said: “Shut up!” The earthquake stopped. He added: “You are shaking while ‘Umar is on your back. Earthquakes should come at a time when there was an unfair ruler. Once I have died you will have a reason to shake!” There was no earthquake after that until the day he died when the ground began to shake. With a governor like that, that woman had no excuse. She should have complained to ‘Umar and should not have followed her brothers’ plan, if there was a plan to begin with. She was motivated to commit such a sin because her faith was weak and she was a liar, a sinner, and a criminal. If the Prophet had not taught ‘Ali matters like these and showed him how to rule in disputes such as this one, this woman and her brothers could have lost their present life and the hereafter. This is just another sign of women’s deceit.

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A related story was reported by al-Qurtubi in part one of his book alZahir where he quoted al-‘Atbi. The story is about two brothers. One of them used to travel a lot while the other brother would take care of his wife and children. The wife loved her brother-in-law and tried to tempt him. He declined. When her husband came back from his travelling he asked how she was doing. She told him that she had had a difficult time since her brother-in-law was constantly trying to seduce her. The husband said that he would not publicly bring shame on his own brother. Instead, he would boycott him for the rest of his life. Later that year the man and his wife traveled to Mecca to perform the pilgrimage. The brother joined the same caravan. However, the brother became ill on the way. He died and was buried in an area called ‘Wadi al-Daum’. The caravan resumed its trip. After completing the pilgrimage, the travelers headed back home. They camped in the same valley. At night the woman heard a voice repeating two lines of poetry: One day you will pass by Wadi al-Daum but none of its Residents will talk to you, But if you, yourself, were the one buried there, all the living Residents would show welcome.

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She thought that the voice was coming from heaven. Therefore she admitted to her husband that his brother was innocent and had never tried to seduce her. She added that the truth was that she had been the one who initiated temptation, and the brother-in-law declined. The man said: “If I were able to kill you, I would have done it right now! But, I am divorcing you. I am divorcing you. I am divorcing you.” He went back to his brother’s grave and pitched a tent on top of it. He sat down there grieving for his brother and repeating the following lines of poetry: I boycotted you when you were alive, but I am seeking your conversation after you have become dust in your grave I accused you and mentioned many sins of which you were innocent and I was the ultimate aggressor. He stayed there crying and grieving until he became ill and died. People buried him next to his brother. The two graves stood witness and were known as “The Two Brothers’ Graves” A famous story was told of a man from al-Ansar in Medina named ‘Amr b. al-Salt. He befriended another man from Iraq named Muhammad b. al-Hakam al-Thaqafi. The two men shared an interest in poetry, knowledge, and generosity. Their friendship became very close, to the point that 201

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the Medini would spend one year in Iraq and the Iraqi would alternate and go to Medina the following year. The wife of the Medini did not like the idea of her husband leaving her behind every other year and spending the time in Iraq. She went to her brother whom the Iraqi had not met. She complained to him and suggested that he befriend the Iraqi and treat him kindly. Certainly, the Iraqi would return the favor and would ask the man if he needed any assistance. The plan was that at that point the brother would come up with a story. The man said: “Indeed, I need your help badly. You see, I am madly in love with a woman from Medina. I am afraid I will die if I keep it to myself as a secret. Of course, she does not know all of that. So, I want you to write a short poem; just a few lines and a few words that might make her like me the same way that I like her. I want you to tell her that I am staying in Medina for one reason. Just one reason! And that is my love for her.” The Iraqi said: “You have asked me a big thing. I swear by Allah that I am afraid that writing such a thing in such circumstances could be sin. I wish you had asked me something else. However, I will do that.” The Iraqi wrote the following few lines of poetry on a piece of paper: To Allah it is that I complain, not to anyone else, about the stress I hold in my chest. I have been patient to keep it for a long time for myself, Now I feel that my patience has run out. Fearing that death will take me soon, I have decided to unveil the secret and depict my story in poetry. I intend to tell her how much in love I am with her and explain to her why I have been residing here for over two years, For my mind is in love and there is a burning fire that is consuming my heart and guts. He added a few words to express how much he loved her and that she was the reason why he was residing in Medina. He handed the poem to the man who took it immediately to his sister and gave it to her. When her husband came home, she showed sadness and was crying. He asked what the matter was. She declined to answer and kept doing the same thing for the next few days. The husband did not know what to do, as she refused to tell him why she was sad and upset. He told her that he had decided to marry another woman if she did not tell him the reason. She said that she was facing a calamity, and keeping it to herself was making the situation even worse. She gave him that piece of paper and asked if he could recog-

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nize the handwriting. He looked at the poem, read it and was in no doubt that it was his friend’s. He said: “I am going to kill him.” She said: “I do not think that is a good idea. If you do that you will be bringing Shame on both me and yourself. You just need to give him the cold shoulder; he will get it and leave.” The husband went to see the Iraqi friend and mentioned to him the letter and the poem. Now, the Iraqi had realized that the entire story was planned by his friend’s wife out of jealousy of their close friendship. He left for Iraq after he wrote and recited the following lines of poetry:

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The wife of my friend, ‘Amr, had tricked me out of her jealousy. Oh ‘Amr, a woman’s deceit gives me an excuse, but not to you. Your wife’s brother came to me secretly and kindly, He confided to me his false love story and asked me to put it in poetry, Emphasizing the reason of residing in this neighborhood All that was nothing but a plot against me. He sent the poem to his friend and left for Iraq. The husband took the letter and came to his wife and said: “I promised Allah that if you do not tell me the truth of this matter completely I will bury you alive.” Realizing his anger and intentions she asked: “Will you guarantee my wellbeing and life if I tell you?” He promised that no harm would befall her, and she told him of her trick. He divorced her and went off after his friend. People would tell him that his friend was moving ahead of him and he needed to keep on going in order to catch up. The Iraqi man became sick and died somewhere near a water well of Bani Asad. He was buried there. When the husband got there people told him of an Iraqi man who died and had been buried recently. They took him to the grave site. The husband pitched a tent over the grave and cried and mourned his friend until he himself passed away. People buried him next to his friend and the grave site became known as “The Two Friends’ Grave”. May Allah protect you and us from women’s cunning. A similar story was the one reported by the Prophet Mohammed regarding Jarih al-Rahib. Once upon a time there was a monk in Bani Israel named Jarih. He built a hermitage to worship Allah and he kept doing so for some time. Bani Israel were astonished by how much he worshipped. He became famous for his asceticism, constant prayers, and piety. There was among them a woman of exceptional beauty and unmatched charm. She said to Bani Israel: “Do you want me to allure him?” They said: “Go for it!” 203

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First, she tried to get his attention but he ignored her. She tried again and again to entice him but he would not respond. When she lost every possible hope to win him over, she left his hermitage and went down the valley to a shepherd, whom she tempted to have sex with her, which he did. That shepherd usually spent the night near Jarih’s hermitage. So when her pregnancy began to show people asked her about the father of the baby. She told them that it was Jarih al-Rahib’s baby. Bani Israel became angry with Jarih and went and dragged him out of his hermitage, beat him, cursed him, then destroyed his hermitage. Jarih asked them: “What is the matter with you?” They said: “You committed sin with that woman. You made her pregnant, and now she has a baby!” Jarih asked: “Where is the baby?” They said: “Here is the baby.” Jarih stood up, prayed to Allah and moved towards the baby. He prodded it with his finger and asked: “In the name of Allah, baby, who is your father?” The baby answered: “(So-and-so) the shepherd.” Bani Israel went to the woman and punished her. They went back to Jarih, apologized to him, kissed his hands and feet and wanted him to forgive them. They said they would build him a new hermitage of gold if only he would forgive them. He told them he did not want a golden hermitage. He asked them to rebuild it as before with dirt and stones and then he would forgive them. Al-Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Dimashqi reported another story in his book Kitab al-Asrar. It was about an Egyptian merchant who bade his wife farewell as he was going to travel to al-Sham. As he left his house, he met one of his friends who insisted that he should go with him and enjoy a dinner at his house before traveling. The merchant went with him. As they entered the house, he found a number of merchants there. They were drinking wine and there was a woman sitting next to each of the men. They stood up and welcomed the merchant and made a place for him to sit down. As he sat down, he noticed that these men were having good time with the women, as they were joking and carousing with each other. The merchant asked his host to go out and find him a woman, seeing that everyone else had one. The host went out and came back one hour later with a woman who was dressed beautifully and soaked with perfumes. As the woman entered, she noticed that it was a real party! The host asked her to sit next to the merchant, which she did. The merchant quickly found out that the woman was nobody but his wife whom he left at home a few hours ago. He asked: “So this is what you do when I am not around? 204

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You betrayed me in less than one day. You forgot my love and passion for you as quickly as if you do not know me?” He jumped on his feet to hurt her as a result of jealousy. No doubt the wife realized that she was in trouble, but thought fast and concluded that if she kept silent the blame would be put on her. Instead, she jumped on him, took him by the neck and tried to strangle him. He fell to the ground with her screaming: “You corrupt, sinner, and cursed soul! I was sitting in my house where someone came and told me that you were at this house with other men singing, drinking and having fun with these women! I told him it was a lie and I could not believe it, unless I saw everything with my own eyes. When he confirmed the story, I took him by the hand and asked him to bring me to this house. I told him that I would not let him go unless he lead me to the place where my husband was. That was the only way to find out whether that man was telling me a true or a false story. He brought me to the door, and only at that moment did I let him go and your host let me in. And here I find that you are committing these acts of insubordination to Allah. I swear by Allah that I will not let you go unless you come with me to the judge. I would like to expose you before your family and friends, as well.” The other men pleaded with her and said: “Please, please! We ask you in the name of Allah to forgive him. Please forgive his sin. Please do not expose and bring shame on him, because shame will be brought on us, as well.” The more they pleaded the stronger she felt that she had won the case. She felt good that she was a winner and conqueror and he was defeated and humiliated. Finally, she divorced him and went back to her home. She left him scared, despised, and cowering. The other men urged him to leave at night-time for fear that his ex-wife would shame every one of them. The man left and would never go back to his house. May Allah protect us from women’s craftiness, for their cunning is great. Yet another story was reported by al-Imam Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Wasiti in Part 3 of his book (Jam‘ al-Ahbab waMukhtasar Haliyat al-Awlia’). The book was about Sulayman b. Yasar who was said to be the most handsome man in his time. Sulayman traveled to Mecca for pilgrimage, accompanied by one of his friends. They stopped to rest just before they arrived in the city. They pitched their tent. As they were hungry, the friend picked up a basket and went to buy some food. Sulayman remained in the tent by himself. It happened that an Arab woman, who was in her tent on the top of a high mountain, noticed how handsome he was. She went down the mountain fully covered, with a veil on her face and gloves on her hands. As she entered his tent, she removed 205

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the veil and showed a face that looked like a full moon. She said: “Can you help me?” He thought that she was hungry and needed food. He stood up and gave her what was left of his food supply. She said: “This is not what I came for. I need you to give me what a man will offer to his own woman.” Sulayman said: “Iblis has sent you to me.” He put his head between the palms of his hands and began to cry loudly. The woman covered her face and left the tent. Allah had protected him the same way He protected Yusuf. She would have spoiled his faith. When his friend came back, he noticed that Sulayman’s eyes were swollen. He asked him: “What made you cry?” Sulayman told him of the Arab woman. Now the friend began to cry loudly. Sulayman asked: “What makes you cry?” The friend said: “I deserve to cry more than you. I am afraid if I were here I would have been tempted. I cannot control myself in a situation like yours.” So, both of them sat and cried together for fear of women’s temptation. They left the area and arrived at Mecca. As Sulayman was sleeping that night, he saw in his sleep an old man beautifully dressed, the aroma of his perfume filling the air. Sulayman said: “Hey old man, may Allah have mercy on you, who are you?” The man said: “I am Yusuf al-Siddiq.” Sulayman said: “That story of you and Zulaykha was some story!” The man said: “That story of you and the Arab woman was some story, too!” Once upon a time, there was a man from Bani Israel who was devoted to his worship for a long time. Iblis wanted to mislead him. He came to him with a number of bird traps hanging to his belt. The devout man asked: “Who are you?” Iblis said: “I am just passing by.” The devout man asked again: “Why all these traps?” Iblis said: “I do not have a regular job or a steady income. So, when I feel hungry I just set my traps or one of them. When I catch a bird I eat it. This is how I earn my living.” The devout man said: “Of all people I am the one who needs these traps most because I live in this isolated hermitage.” Iblis said: “I will make a good one.” Iblis left and the devout man went down to town. As he passed by a narrow alley, he noticed a woman who was standing at her door. She asked: “Oh, you slave of Allah! Can you read? I received a letter from my husband and I need someone to read it for me.” The man said: “I can do that.” 206

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She let him in, asked him to sit down and locked the door behind her. She sought to tempt him. But he pleaded to her in the name of Allah not to do so. When she declined and insisted on her act, he began to act like a madman. She was forced to let him go and therefore opened the door. As he left the house he came face to face with Iblis. He said to him: “Hey! Where is the trap you promised me?” Iblis said: “I made you a really good trap, but your madness just got you out of it!” The devout man has realized that the hunter was really Iblis himself, may Allah curse him. As you can see, Iblis has been using women as his favorite traps to capture men’s minds. Therefore, they deserve to be in the party of Satan as mentioned in the Qur’an. “They are the party of Satan. Truly, it is the party of Satan that will lose.” 223 So, do not be attracted to any one of them! Do not trust any woman, even if she expresses love to you with words! Beware of her cunning and avoid her evil deeds, even if she is good. Al-Imam ‘Ali said: “Be careful, even if you are with the best of them.” Now you can imagine if you are in the company of the not so good of them! Al-Imam Ibrahim b. Adham said: “He who gets used to women’s legs does not succeeded.” I have learned some of his poetry covering this issue. If a newly-wed man spends a lot of his time with his bride and tastes lust and falls for it, he will not be able to succeed among his people. That is why some Sufi teachers said that none of their followers would stay on his path after marriage. May Allah protect you and us from their deceit. May Allah save you and us from being attracted to them. May Allah keep our attention focused upon Him, and Him only. May Allah keep our hope and rescue us if we so ask. None will be safe unless You make him safe. None will face his demise unless You want him to do so. None will go astray unless You let him go. None will be guided unless You guide him, and none will taste happiness without Your consent. None will go far without Your permission, and none will be closer without your authorization. My own teacher used to pray: “O Lord, fill me with You, and empty me from anything that is not You.” In Part 4 of his book Haliyat al-Awlia’, Abu Na‘im al-Isfahani reported that the Virgin Mary used to pray: “O Lord, fill my heart with your love and veil my face with shyness.” A related story was that of a pious man who had a beautiful wife whom he loved ardently. His heart was full of passion for her. One day he was praying in his prayer niche and as he said: “We worship You,” he seemed to hear a voice which told him that he was a liar because he worshipped his wife. The man went back to his house, paid his wife her late 223 Q. 58(al-Mujadala):19.

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dowry and divorced her. He went back to his prayer niche and resumed his prayers. Again, as he said: “We worship You,” the voice repeated that he was a liar, and that he worshipped his clothes. The man went home and put on cheap clothes. He took his valuable clothes, sold them in the market and offered the money to the poor. He went back to his prayer niche for the third time. As he said: “We worship You,” the voice said he was a liar and that he really worshipped his mare. The man took his mare to the market place and sold it. In its stead he bought a she-donkey. He went back to his prayers and this time as he said, We worship You: “ he heard the voice saying: “Now, you worship Allah.” All of this took place because Allah wanted the heart of that man to be protected. The purpose of the story is to benefit us. Another story was about Ibrahim al-Khalil. It said that Allah told him: “Do not be arrogant because you were honored to be in My company. I swear by My might and My power if I sense in your heart something that might indicate that you like anything else but Me, I will take the Robe of Prophecy from you. The story is long and we do not need to go over the details.” In his book Dhamm al-Hawa, al-Imam Abu al-Faraj b. al-Jawzi quoted Mus‘ab b. Uthman as saying that Sulayman b. Yasar was a handsome man. A woman came to his house and tried to tempt him. He declined. When she tried harder he ran away from his own house. Sulayman said that when he slept he saw Yusuf in his sleep. Sulayman asked: “Are you Yusuf?” Yusuf said: “I am Yusuf who was about to be tempted, and you are Sulayman who was not!” There was also the story of two women among the Bani Israel. The Prophet Mohammed was quoted as saying: “Very strange things happened to the Bani Israel. You are at liberty to talk about that.” The Prophet said: “Do you want me to tell you the story of the two old women?” People said: “Oh Messenger of Allah, please do.” The Prophet said: “There was a man of Bani Israel who had a beautiful wife whom he loved very much. He also had an old mother who was a good believer. His mother-in-law was also old but evil. She always instructed her daughter to mistreat her husband’s mother. Because the man loved his wife she was able to have control over him. She told him one day that she would never be satisfied with him unless he kicked out his mother. Both of the old women were blind. She kept repeating this until he promised to do what she asked him to do. He took his mother out of town and left her there without food or drink. She was even at risk of be208

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ing attacked by lions. An angel approached her at night-time and asked what the noise she could hear around her was. She said that she could hear camels, cows and sheep noises. The angel said, ‘So it will be.’ The angel left and when morning came, the valley around the old woman was filled with camels, cows and sheep. Her son decided to come over to check what had happened to her overnight. When he arrived there, he saw the animals around her. He asked, ‘Mother, what is this?’ She said, ‘A blessing from Allah, now that you have kicked me out of your house, as per your wife’s wishes.’ He took his mother home, and with her he brought that herd of animals. When his wife saw this and learned the full story, she told him that she would not be satisfied with him unless he took her own mother to the same place. He did take his mother-in-law to the same spot. When evening came she was surrounded by lions. An angel came and asked her what kind of noises she could hear, ‘Evil,’ she said. ‘Something like lions snarling.’ The angel said, ‘Lions they will be.’ The angel left and a lion came to the old lady and killed her. When her son-in-law came in the morning to check on her, he only found the bones of her body which remained. He collected the bones and brought them to his wife, who died out of grief for her mother.” In his book, al-Tamhid, Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr reported that al-Hasan b. ‘Ali had died as a result of poison his wife put in his food. It was Bint al Ash‘ath b. Qays al-Kindi who committed this act as a result of al-Hasan having had many wives. When he was about to die, his brother, al-Husain, came to him. He said: “Oh Brother! I have been poisoned three times, but this time is the worst. I feel as if my liver has been cut to pieces.” Al-Husain asked: “Who gave you poison?” Al-Hasan said: “Why do you need to know? Do you want to put them to death?” Al-Husain said: “Yes.” Al-Hasan said: “No. If it is who I think it is, you cannot reach them. If it is not, then I am afraid you are going to kill an innocent person in my name; something that I do not like to have happen.” In Part two of his book al-Zahir, al-Qurtubi said that a woman was among the reasons why Yazid b. Mu‘awiyah killed al-Husain. Mu‘awiyah had written to and commissioned his appointed governor in Medina, Marwan b. al-Hakam, to ask on his behalf for the hand of Umm Kulthum for his son, Yazid. Umm Kulthum was the daughter of ‘Abd Allah b. Ja‘far and Zaynab, and the niece of al-Husain b. ‘Ali. He asked him to offer a dowry equivalent to that of her mother; to pay off her father’s debt regardless of 209

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the amount; to pay him an extra ten thousand Dinars; to pay the mother four hundred Dinars; and also an extra ten thousand Dinars were to be paid to the bride herself. His intention was to strengthen the ties between the two dynasties, Bani Hashim and Bani Umayyah. Marwan got on his horse and went to see ‘Abd Allah b. Ja‘far and to inform him of the content of the letter he received from Mu‘awiyah. He told Marwan that though he was the girl’s father, the matter was really in the hands of her uncle, al-Husain, who was in his hamlet. He said that he would discuss the matter with al-Husain when he met him. He added that he would agree to the opinion of her uncle, no matter what. Five days later, al-Husain came to Medina and ‘Abd Allah b. Ja‘far told him of the offer. He added: “You are her uncle and, in fact, in the position of, her father. I will not dispute your decision.” Al-Husain accepted the entrustment, and so he went to see the young lady. He told her: “Daughter, your father has entrusted me with the decision of whom you should marry. I pray to Allah that I will make a good decision. In the end our destiny is in His hands. What do you think?” She said: “Yes, uncle. I swear by the life of my father and mother.” Al-Husain said: “I pray to Allah to help me select a young man from Bani Hashim, the family of the Prophet Mohammed that you will agree to take as a husband.” Al-Husain immediately went to the house of his other cousin, Muhammad b. Ja‘far. There he met his nephew, al-Qasim. The young man rushed to welcome his uncle and kissed his hands. Al-Husain said: “Oh son of my brother, do you want me to marry you off to someone you would like?” The young man said: “Oh my God, Oh my God! Uncle, I do not have money.” Al-Husain said: “I will take care of that. I will pay the dowry on your behalf.” The young man said: “Then, uncle, do whatever you want.” Al-Husain said: “All right! I want you to come tomorrow to the Bani Hashim council. Be sure to walk to the place!” The next morning, al-Husain and his nephew, al-Qasim b. Muhammad, came with him to the Prophet-Mohammed-Mosque in Medina. The elders of Bani Hashim and Bani Umayyah and many other people were there. Marwan, who was the commissioner of Mu‘awiyah, sat next to al-Husain and spoke on behalf of Mu‘awiyah. He said: “Thanks to Allah! The Prince of the Believers, Mu‘awiyah b. Abi Sufyan, wrote me to come to ‘Abd Allah b. Ja‘far and ask for the hand of his daughter Umm Kulthum to his son Yazid. You all have known Yazid and his generosity, though I am sur210

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prised that he, a distinguished person, would select a non-distinguished bride for himself. It is he whose face is more generous than raining clouds. It is he, who would make us happy, which is more than we can do for him. The Prince of the Believers has commissioned me to make her dowry equivalent to that of her mother’s, to pay her father’s debt regardless of how much. This marriage is intended to make peace and compromise between the two houses, Bani Hashim and Bani Umayyah. By Allah’s willing, I hope that Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Husain has no objection.” Al-Husain responded: “Thanks be to Allah and praise to Him and His Messenger, Mohammed, peace be upon him. Allah accepts nothing but the truth and will only accept true belief from His creations. Islam has given rise to people, regardless of their origin, and completed whatever deficiency they might have. None has the right to blame anyone else unless it has to do with sin. The Qur’an has called for solidarity, its necessity and obligations for Muslims. The solidarity that was meant is the solidarity with us, the family of the Prophet Mohammed. That is our right which we ask from every Muslim.” “Oh Marwan, You have said whatever you wanted, and I listened. Now it is your turn to listen to what I have to say. Regarding the girl’s dowry, you said it should be equivalent to her mother’s. We followed the Prophet’s traditions. We did not make the dowry of his twelve daughters equivalent to twelve ounces of silver, which equaled four hundred and forty Dirhams! You said that her father’s debt will be paid in full. I ask you, when did we make our women pay our debts? You said that this marriage is intended to make peace and compromise between the two houses. We fought you and became your enemy for the cause of Allah. You wondered why a distinguished man chooses a not so distinguished bride for himself. Let me tell you that someone who is more honorable and distinguished than Yazid, his father, and his grandfather has asked for her hand. Yazid might be distinguished today. Tomorrow may be another matter! It is the Prophet Mohammed whose face is more generous than raining clouds, not Yazid. You said that Yazid makes those around him happy, but he does not get the same from them. Well, the difference between his company and ours is that he surrounds himself with ignorance and therefore he is unhappy. But we choose companions with knowledge and generosity, and that is why we are happy.” “Therefore, I have decided to marry this girl off to someone who is closer to her, kinder to her and better entitled to marry her. The young man is al-Qasim Muhammad b. Ja‘far. All of you are my witnesses that on his behalf I have given her my orchard in Baqi‘ as a dowry. The annual income of this orchard is eighty thousand Dinars. The orchard and its yield 211

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are hers. I could not let this girl go to someone who does not qualify to be her husband. I simply cannot tolerate anyone from Quraysh whispering behind our backs that we married her off to someone who does not deserve that honor. I say this and ask for forgiveness from Allah for me and you.” Marwan’s color changed and he remained silent for a long time. Then he said: “Excuse us, Bani Hashim! You insist on animosity.” Al-Husain said: “Wait a minute! You are the most aggressive and filled with betrayal. Listen people! I ask you in the name of Allah! Do you re member when we were in a situation like this before. Do you remember when my brother al-Hasan asked for the hand of ‘A’ishah bint ‘Uthman? Do you remember when this Marwan b. Kharma, himself, was entrusted with making the decision. And you, Marwan, do you remember what you said then that ‘Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr was more qualified to marry ‘A’ishah than al-Hasan? Do you remember that?” Marwan said: “Yes, I do.” Al-Husain asked: “Who started the aggression, then?” They stood up and Marwan approached ‘Abd Allah b. Ja‘far. He said: “I swear by Allah that the Prince of Believers does not deserve this from you.” ‘Abd Allah said: “I told you I cannot agree to this marriage without al-Husain’s approval.” This story was part of the reason why Yazid killed al-Husain a few years later. Ibn ‘Abbas reported a story of a pious man named Fadlun. He said that one day following morning prayers the Prophet Mohammed sat down and rested his back against his prayer niche with his face looking like a full moon. Abu Bakr sat to his right, ‘Umar to his left, and ‘Uthman and ‘Ali in front of him. He was surrounded by Muslims from Mecca and Medina and they were repeating supplication after him. Suddenly Angel Jibra’il came down from heaven and talked to the Prophet. He said: “Peace be upon you, Messenger of Allah!” Mohammed said: “Peace be upon you, my brother Jibra’il!” Jibra’il said: “Your Lord sends you His greetings and respect. He wants to tell you that a man of your people whose name is Fadlun the Pious will be a victim of a vicious trick after your death despite the fact that he is the most pious man in Medina. This will take place when ‘Umar is in power, and ‘Ali b. Abi Talib will be the person who will save him.” Ibn ‘Abbas said of Fadlun that he was the most faithful worshipper, most generous, kindest, and self-denying person. He was also the most handsome man of his time. Ibn ‘Abbas said that after Jibra’il went back to heaven, the Prophet Mohammed kept his position of bowing his head and 212

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looking at the ground. He remained like that for some time. Then he lifted his head and said: “Dear companions, May Allah bless you! You know Allah has created only four perfect men who are the most handsome. The first was Adam, the second was Yusuf, the third is the one who is talking to you, and the fourth is Fadlun.” Then he called upon Fadlun who was among the audience sitting within some distance from the Prophet in the mosque. The Prophet said to him: “Oh Fadlun, I want you to cover your face when you walk in the roads of Medina so that women will not be charmed when they look at you. Satan likes to lead them astray.” Fadlun said: “Yes sir, Messenger of Allah.” Then the Prophet called upon ‘Ali and said: “My brother and cousin! Jibra’il has informed me that Fadlun, the most pious and self-denying man, will be a victim of a vicious ruse at the time when ‘Umar is a caliph.” Fadlun followed the Prophet’s order and covered his face when he walked the roads of Medina. He continued to do that after the Prophet’s death and during Abu Bakr’s and then ‘Umar’s era. One day Fadlun was going as usual to the mosque to perform the morning prayers behind Caliph ‘Umar. He heard a voice calling his name. The voice said: “Oh Fadlun, Oh Fadlun! Please stop and listen to a word from me.” Fadlun looked in the direction of the voice and said: “All right! Hurry up and tell me what you want.” Fadlun looked and noticed that it was the most beautiful and perfect woman. She said: “I want you to know that I am a young woman from Medina. Many famous and rich men have asked to marry me, but I did not respond or pay attention to them. This is because I am madly in love with you. I keep waiting for you to pass by so that I have a look at you.” She extended her hand to take hold of him and tried to pull him inside her house. Fadlun resisted her attempt and said: “You should be ashamed of yourself. Stop this right away. If not, I will complain to Caliph ‘Umar.” Fearing that he might report her to ‘Umar, she let him go. Having ignited a fire in her heart, Fadlun moved on, got to the mosque on time, and performed the Morning Prayer behind ‘Umar. He followed a different route back to his home in order to avoid more harassment. The woman was patient for some time but she could not handle her feelings for him any more. At the same time she was afraid that he might report her to ‘Umar. She thought to herself that she would stand no chance unless she trapped him. She waited until noontime, then came and knocked on the door next to Fadlun’s home. An old woman answered the door and asked: “Yes girl, what is your need?”

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The young woman said: “Oh aunt, it is time for noon prayers and I can not pray on the road. I thought I could pray inside your house.” The old woman was pleased and appreciated that response. She opened the door for her and let her in. The young woman performed the ritual ablution first, then prayed. When she was finished with her prayers, she asked the old woman: “How is Fadlun in his worship, prayers, and asceticism?” The old woman said, “By Allah, he is the most pious man. He fasts during the day and prays at night-time. He dresses himself in black, goes to the cemetery, and prays there until daybreak.” The young woman kept the old woman busy talking for a few minutes more and then said goodbye and went back to her house. She took a piece of paper, a pen and wrote the following message: “In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, ‘You are all shepherds and responsible for the wellbeing of your flocks.’ We plead to you to do something about Fadlun. He goes to the cemetery at night-time, digs up our graves and steals the shrouds of the dead. I have informed you of this. Peace.” She folded the piece of paper, walked to the Prophet’s Mosque and left it at the prayer niche, where Caliph ‘Umar would easily find it. He did find it, read it and understood what was in it. He said to himself: “I cannot believe that Fadlun would do something like that. I never heard of it before and I will only believe it when I see it with my own eyes.” Fadlun came to the mosque dressed in his usual white robes and prayed in the afternoon session behind ‘Umar, who said nothing vis-à-vis the message. Fadlun went back to his house and showed up again for the evening prayers, which he performed behind ‘Umar as usual. The two men did not talk to each other that day. It may be that ‘Umar was begin ning to have some doubts. Fadlun went back to his house and ‘Umar went out and stood in a corner where he could see Fadlun’s door. An hour later Fadlun came out of his house, but he was dressed in black robes. ‘Umar said to himself: “Only Great Allah has the might and the ultimate power! I still need to see with my own eyes and witness what he is doing.” So ‘Umar followed Fadlun to the cemetery and Fadlun did not know that he was being watched. Fadlun dug in the cemetery and took out a skin bag and went to a recent grave. He took out a chain from his skin bag and put it around his neck and legs. Then he began a dialogue with himself: “Oh my soul, remember standing before Allah, the Master of the Universe. Remember hell. Remember the heavy chains and fetters. Oh my soul, remember the darkness and the loneliness inside the grave. Remem214

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ber the angels Makr and Nakir who will do the initial investigation. Remember how gentle the right path is, and remember how sensitive is the scale. Remember how difficult it is to stand before Allah!” Fadlun kept saying his prayers until daybreak. ‘Umar withdrew from the area without being noticed, and Fadlun took the chains off his body, put them back in his skin bag, buried it in its place, and went back to his house. They both showed up for the morning prayers. When the prayers and supplication were completed, ‘Umar took the message out of his pocket and handed it to Fadlun. He read it and understood what was written in it. He said: “Oh Prince of Believers! I swear by Allah I have not done anything like that.” ‘Umar said: “I swear by Allah, you are innocent, my brother. You are the best servant to Allah. God bless you! I have watched you and saw with my own eyes what you do there. If I knew who wrote this message, I would fall upon him. But I hope that Allah will put to whoever wrote it shame.” Fadlun said: “May Allah forgive whomever wrote it. I have no quarrel with him, since it is the time for Hajj. Oh Prince of the Believers, I plan to go on pilgrimage and I want you to pray for me.” ‘Umar said: “In the name of Allah and his blessings, I wish you a successful pilgrimage. I will give you a hundred Dinars to cover your expenses, a she-camel to ride to Mecca and come back on, and I will give you a slave who will attend to your needs on this trip.” Fadlun said: “Regarding money, I do not need it. The Muslims’ treasure house needs it more than I. As for the slave, I hate to have another human being serve me and attend to my needs. Regarding the she-camel, I cannot accept it and prefer to walk all the way. Walking is preferred to riding at the time of pilgrimage. Oh Prince of the Believers, I only want you fill up my skin bag with dried food. Dried food, nothing more.” ‘Umar ordered that Fadlun’s skin bag be filled with dried food and was surprised by the man’s humility and his kind way of declining the offer of the Caliph. Fadlun joined the Medina caravan which was heading to Mecca for pilgrimage. When the young woman, Nabatah, learned that Fadlun went with the caravan, this rich woman hurriedly prepared herself, left quickly and was able to join it. Of course, Fadlun did not know of all this. But as he looked at the person who was walking next to him, he noticed that it was the young woman Nabatah. He thought that she was heading to Mecca to perform the pilgrimage. He did not know that she was coming for him. He said: “Oh Nabatah! It is good of you to go on pil grimage to Mecca. You need it.”

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She said: “I swear by Allah that I only need you. I have come just for you. I have nothing on my mind but you. Take these thousand Dinars and do what I want you to do. Don’t disagree with me!” Fadlun said: “Oh Nabatah, Shame on you! Behave yourself. I swear by Allah that I will not do anything that makes Allah angry with me.” She said: “Fadlun, please do not disagree with me and do what I tell you. Take this money and give it to the poor when we arrive at Mecca. That should be enough sacrifice in order to forgive our mutual sin.” Fadlun said: “Hey, behave yourself! Hell is the only punishment for adultery! I will never do that. Never! Even if you cut me to pieces.” When she realized that he would not yield, she went back to her tent feeling humiliated and rejected. She decided to do something that would bring him trouble so great that earth and sky would not be enough to hold it! She entered her tent and called one of her slave girls. She said: “How would you like a hundred Dinars in your hand together with emancipation?” The slave girl said happily: “Who would decline an offer like that! What do you want me to do? I am ready!” Nabatah said: “You go and hang around Fadlun’s tent. Once he falls asleep, I want you to grab his skin bag and bring it to me immediately.” The slave girl said: “You got it!” She went out and watched Fadlun until he fell asleep. She brought his skin bag to her lady. Nabatah put a small sack filled with a thousand Dinars and a necklace that valued at another thousand Dinars. She gave the skin bag to the girl who took it, put it back in Fadlun’s tent next to his head and went back to her lady. She thanked her and gave her what she had promised, money and emancipation... Fadlun was still sleeping. Nabatah stood up, screamed loudly, began to beat on her face and spread dirt on her head. She asked for help from the people in the caravan. She said that her money and necklace had been stolen. People came to her and asked: “What happened?” Nabatah said: “I am a poor single woman. I do not have a husband or a family. I have left my house on my way to the House of Allah. These are my supplies that have been stolen. I do not know who took it. I don’t know how a Muslim could steal from another Muslim while both are going on pilgrimage!” People said: “We are members of the same caravan. We know each other. There is no stranger among us. But let us go around and have everyone’s sacks and bags inspected. How could this happen?” They asked Salman al-Farisi, who was among them to check everyone’s bags. Salman al-Farisi was one of the Prophet’s companions. He did 216

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go around and check but there was no trace of the lost money and necklace. He did not check Fadlun’s bag because he was embarrassed even to ask him to check it himself. Nabatah said: “What is now? You let aggression fall upon me and you do nothing? People, I lost my money!” They said: “We did inspect everyone’s luggage and we found nothing. We did not check Fadlun’s since we know it cannot be him, God forbid!” Nabatah said: “People, I want you to inspect him. Please do not let my heart fall victim to both aggression and oppression. If he does not have my stolen money and necklace, then I will seek help and consolation from Allah.” People said: “Oh Salman al-Farisi, we know it is very difficult and embarrassing but you need to inspect Fadlun.” Salman al-Farisi said: “He is Medina’s most pious and self-denying worshipper. How can I inspect him?” People said: “He is exactly what you said, and therefore no fear or embarrassment is needed. That is the only way to prove that the woman’s claim is baseless.” Salman al-Farisi came to Fadlun and stood before him, for he was embarrassed to talk, but Fadlun knew what was on his mind. Fadlun said: “Oh people! I only own this skin bag. You take it, inspect it and see what is in it.” Salman al-Farisi took the skin bag and opened it while the people were watching. He found the money and the necklace. People were taken by surprise and did not know what to say. However, they came to a conclusion that this case should be left to the Prince of Believers to solve. Meanwhile the woman took her money and necklace and went back to her tent. She was extremely happy with what she had achieved. The caravan moved on to Mecca. As they camped the following evening, the woman pitched her tent next to Fadlun. When people were sleeping, the woman went to her black slave and told him: “I will set you free for the sake of Allah but only if you deflower me.” The slave did what she had told him, and she went back to her tent. She took a knife and slaughtered her slave girl while she was asleep. Then she began to scream, calling for help. The first man who came to her aid was Fadlun. As he came closer she took hold of his neck and shouted even louder as more people came. She said: “This so-called pious Fadlun, who has no fear of Allah, has stolen my money and necklace last night. This night he came to my tent while I was sleeping, slaughtered my slave girl, raped me and brought shame on me among the daughters of my gender.”

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People wondered at what they heard from her and found it truly disturbing that the slave girl’s throat was cut open. The talked among themselves and concluded that Fadlun had crossed his boundaries and had done things of which Allah and his Prophet would have disapproved. They added: “This is too much and we are afraid that, if left alone, Fadlun might do something else. We should watch him, in fact we need to put him in chains and take him to ‘Umar for he is the one who should determine what to do with him.” They moved on to Mecca but Fadlun and Nabatah were the topic of their conversation. They were convinced that Fadlun was guilty of all the claims Nabatah had come up with. When they entered Mecca, Fadlun was allowed to perform the circumambulation of the Kaaba with his chains. Fadlun did not say anything and it was Allah only who knew the whole story. As night fell, Fadlun prayed to Allah and said: “You the Kind and Generous, You know my case and know what I want to ask You. You know who hates me and You know what I say overtly, and You know my secrets. My Lord, I ask You not to be angry with me, and seek Your protection from anything that sends You away from me. My Lord, You are my hope and my shelter, and on You I depend.” Ibn ‘Abbas said that Fadlun did not complain to anyone. He was patient and satisfied with his fate. The caravan went back to Medina and received a very warm welcome from families, relatives, and friends who came out to congratulate the lucky ones among them who had performed the pilgrimage. Having missed Fadlun so much, Caliph ‘Umar asked about him. He said: “Oh people! Where is the dignified, peaceful, and devout Fadlun?” People responded: “Oh Imam! Do not say anything like that regarding a man who has been expelled from the door of Allah! Don’t say he is de vout and self-denying. Ask instead where the thief, sinner, and murderer is! Allah said: “Nor take life, which Allah has made sacred, except for just cause.”224 He is the one who has done shocking deeds, he who has no respect for all that Allah has prohibited. Oh Prince of Believers! Fadlun committed sin, stole, and killed a soul without just cause.” They told him of all of what they had seen and witnessed. ‘Umar was surprised and shocked to hear all of that. He asked: “You swear on that?” They said: “Oh yes, Prince of Believers. We four hundred good Muslim men who have just visited the Sacred House of Allah do confirm that Fadlun stole a thousand Dinars and a necklace the value of which is another thousand Dinars. Salman al-Farisi took those out of Fadlun’s skin bag 224 Q. 17(al-Isra’):33.

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while everybody watched. In the following night he came to the woman, raped her, and killed her slave girl. We saw her grabbing him by the neck while the blood of the slave girl was still fresh.” ‘Umar left the crowd and said: “To Allah we belong, and to Him we return.”225 He then sent his messengers to the roads of Medina to come and witness the case of the pious Fadlun. Al-Imam ‘Umar had ordered that Fadlun’s hand be amputated for theft, that he be flogged a hundred times for committing adultery, and then put to death for killing a soul without just cause. Ibn ‘Abbas said that they brought Fadlun in his chains and shackles while he was silent. They brought him before al-Imam ‘Umar who ordered that he be flogged first. As the slave took the whip and flogged him once, Fadlun looked at the sky and said: “You can see everything, but none can see You.” At the second lash he said: “You are my hope when there is no hope.” When the slave was about to hit him with the whip for the third time, his hand froze. He dropped the whip and ran. Al-Imam ‘Umar ordered that the slave be brought back. He asked him: “What made you stop from flogging Fadlun?” The slave said: “Oh Imam, my heart tells me that he is innocent.” ‘Umar asked: “How do you know that he is innocent?” The slave said: “Every time I hit him with the whip I heard him say ‘You, You,’ and then I heard a voice coming from heaven saying in response: “Yes. Yes, my slave!” When ‘Umar heard this, he wondered at it and the people wondered with him. They crowded around Fadlun, said gentle words to him, and cried. Ibn ‘Abbas said that since ‘Umar was a strong advocate of applying the rules, he asked another slave to pick up the whip and flog Fadlun. The man did as he was ordered and Fadlun received an additional ninety-eight lashes. ‘Umar then ordered that Fadlun’s hand be amputated. So, they tied him up with ropes. Having seen that he was going to lose his hand, Fadlun looked at heaven and cried. ‘Umar said to him: “Oh Fadlun, you have to be patient and accept what Allah has destined for you. This is the fruit of committing sins.” Fadlun said: “Oh Prince of Believers! I ask for just one thing, and then you can do anything you want with me.” ‘Umar cried then asked: “What is it?” Fadlun said: “To postpone the punishment for just one hour. I want to pray twice, ask Allah to listen to what is inside me; that is to have ‘Ali b. Abi Talib come to rescue me.”

225 Q. 2(al-Baqara):156.

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‘Umar smiled and asked: “How could that happen and ‘Ali is in al-Kufa and you are in al-Medina?” Fadlun said: “Oh Imam, don’t be surprised. The truth will come out.” So ‘Umar responded to that request and ordered that the punishment be postponed until the next day. People went back to their homes, and Fadlun went back to the place where he was being detained. A number of men were assigned to guard him. When evening came, Fadlun started his prayer which lasted all night long. He looked at the sky and said: “I do not have any more patience and none came to support me. Please send ‘Ali b. Abi Talib to rescue me. You, the Rich, the Strong; blessed are Your Names. You the Greatest of the great, the Lord of earth and heavens, these chains and fetters are heavy and distracted me from worshipping you in the morning and the evening.” Ibn ‘Abbas said that as soon as Fadlun finished his prayers, Allah sent sleep his way, and he slept. He saw al-Imam ‘Ali in his sleep. He told him: “Oh Fadlun! For your rescue I am coming and in your direction I am heading. I will get to where you are in the morning, Allah’s willing! Meanwhile, if you are surrounded with distress, just call my name and I will be with you immediately, by Allah’s willing!” Fadlun woke up from his sleep very happy with the dream he had had. He washed and began his morning prayers. Al-Imam ‘Umar came to the mosque for prayers and so did the people. Once they were done with the prayers, they left for the town square. ‘Umar asked that Fadlun be brought forward. People crowded the square and the roads that led to it. They brought Fadlun in chains and fetters. He was supposed to be put to death that day, but first his hand should be amputated for stealing. People cried and felt bad for what Fadlun was going through. Fadlun looked at the sky, prayed and said: “My God, where is Your Promise? I know You will not break Your Promise. You the Lord of the past and the future, bring ‘Ali to rescue me. Oh ‘Ali, help me! Oh ‘Ali, help me! Oh ‘Ali, come to me! Oh ‘Ali, save my life!” People in the square and all over the world repeated after Fadlun again and again. ‘Umar began to cry. The angels in heaven got upset and they said: “Our Lord! Look at your slave Fadlun!” Allah said: “I can see him all the time.” Allah ordered that the wind should carry Fadlun’s cry for help to ‘Ali’s ears. ‘Ali was then sitting in the mosque of al-Kufa, reading the Qur’an. When he heard the voice, he closed the Qur’an, turned towards the direction of al-Medina and said: “All right, Fadlun! I am coming to you!” His slave Qanbar said: “My Master, to whom are you talking and responding?” 220

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‘Ali said: “The pious Fadlun, the self-denying man of al-Medina, has been trapped in a serious matter and has fallen into big trouble. My cousin, the Prophet Mohammed, had told me some time ago to rescue Fadlun and to stand by him at a time like this time and a serious trouble such as this one. He called on me to help him, and I am going to do just that, with Allah’s help.” His slave Qanbar said: “But, sir! How could we get there, to al-Medina? It is more than a twenty-day trip for a serious horse rider.” ‘Ali smiled and said: “You just follow my steps. Every time I raise my foot from the ground, put your food in that place. I am ‘Ali, who inherited the knowledge of the Prophet.” ‘Ali tightened his belt around his waist, wrapped his garment around his body, and left the mosque. Qanbar noticed that the high ground became low and the low ground became high like a wave movement under his and ‘Ali’s feet. Qanbar added that he had counted only seventeen steps that took them from al-Kufa to the date palm orchards outside al-Medina. Qanbar said: “Oh my dear Imam!” ‘Ali said: “I swear by Allah that, if you were not with me, I would have made it in just one step from al-Kufa to al-Medina.” Qanbar reported that when they arrived in the town square, people were everywhere around Fadlun who was still shouting: “Oh ‘Ali! Come to my aid! Oh ‘Ali! Come save me!” He approached him and said: “Good news for you Fadlun. Relax and don’t be scared anymore. ‘Ali, who is the one who solves problems and removes distress, has come to assist you. ‘Ali, who has inherited the knowledge of The Chosen, is here.” Fadlun became so happy. ‘Ali approached Fadlun and assured him not to fear, and that hope would replace the lack of it... When people heard ‘Ali’s talk, they came and greeted him. ‘Umar stood up, hugged ‘Ali, and kissed him between his eyes. ‘Ali asked: “Oh Prince of Believers, what is the story of Fadlun?” ‘Umar said: “He stole and committed adultery. Four hundred men who were in the caravan for pilgrimage have given their testimony vis-à-vis these crimes.” ‘Ali said: “I cannot accept that or believe it.” ‘Umar said: “How is that?” ‘Ali said: “Oh Prince of Believers! You will see that I judge this case in such a way that it will surprise coming generations and angels in Heaven. Qanbar! Go to the neighborhood of Bani al-Najjar and bring me Nabatah bint Kinana immediately!” Qanbar went and knocked on her door. She asked: “Who is there?” Qanbar said: “I am Qanbar, the slave of ‘Ali b. Abi Talib.” 221

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When she heard the name of ‘Ali, her color changed and her tongue movement was no longer free. She said: “Take these hundred Dinars and tell him that you could not find me at home.” Qanbar said: “Shame on you! You try to bribe me? You know that something like this will never happen. Now, either you come with me voluntarily or I will take you by force.” Realizing that she had no chance to convince him, she came with him to meet ‘Ali. She stood before him shamed and powerless. ‘Ali asked her: “What is your claim against Fadlun, the pious man of al-Medina?” She said: “He stole my money, brought shame on me, and on top of that he murdered my slave girl.” ‘Ali asked: “Do you have any witnesses against him?” She pointed to her belly and asked: “What is better witness than this? But, I am willing to give up on my rights just for you! I am willing to forgive Fadlun because you do not seem to want him to be punished.” ‘Ali asked angrily: “Do you think I am taking sides with an oppressor? How long have you been pregnant?” She said: “Seventy-five nights. I can feel the baby inside me.” ‘Ali asked: “Will you accept the fetus in your womb to be a witness for you or against you?” She said: “Yes.” ‘Ali ordered a number of women to come and sit around Nabatah. Then he asked Qanbar to bring the steel rod the Prophet used to have. Qanbar brought the rod and gave it to ‘Ali, who stood up and approached Nabatah. He put the rod on her belly and said: “Oh fetus! Speak with the power of Allah, who makes everything speak! Tell me who is your father? Tell me who stole the money and put it in Fadlun’s skin bag? And who killed the slave girl?” The fetus said from the darkness of the womb: “My father is her slave, Rayhan. He was the man who deflowered her. She is the one who killed the slave girl. She is the one who asked that slave girl to put the money in Fadlun’s skin bag.” People were taken by surprise and so was ‘Umar, as well. People approached Fadlun, freed him from the chains and fetters, and put them on Nabatah, instead. They kissed his hands and feet. ‘Ali ordered that she be put under supervision until the baby was born. Once the baby was weaned (after two years), the law of adultery was to be applied to her and she would be put to death for her crimes. ‘Ali then stood up, went to ‘Umar and asked him for permission to go back to al-Kufa. ‘Umar approved and ‘Ali said goodbye to the Muslims who were there and headed back to al-Kufa. Al-Imam ‘Umar waited for the baby to be born, but it died 222

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immediately after birth. It was a black baby. Then ‘Umar ordered Nabatah to be put to death. Fadlun went back to his worship of Allah until his day came and he joined his Lord. Abu al-Faraj b. al-Jawzi reported in one of his books a story that Hafs b. ‘Umar had mentioned. It was a story of a young man from al-Medina, who used to pray behind the Caliph ‘Umar b. al-Khattab. The Caliph would ask about him if he noticed that the young man was absent. A woman from al-Medina fell in love with him. So, she went to an old relative and told her of her love for that young man. The old lady told her that she would trick him to come inside the house. The old lady stood on the side of the road as the young man was passing by. She said to him: “I am an old lady and I have a sheep that I would like to milk but could not. Will you help me and Allah will reward you!” The young man said: “Certainly.” When he entered the house, he did not see a sheep in the courtyard. Instead, there was a woman behind the door. She closed it as soon as he went in. He realized that there was something unusual, so he sat down in a corner. The woman approached and tried to seduce him. He said: “O woman! Fear Allah. This is not proper.” She did not pay attention and tried again and again. He would not budge, so she began to scream loudly and repeatedly. The neighbors heard her call for help and came to the house. She told them that he came inside her house and wanted to rape her! They captured the young man, tied him up with ropes, and began to beat him. When Caliph ‘Umar finished his morning prayers, he asked why the young man was not there. Soon a crowd came to ‘Umar with the young man in ropes. ‘Umar said: “O Lord! Don’t disappoint me in this young man! What is the matter?” They said: “O Prince of Believers! A woman appealed for help at night. When we came, we found this young man. We beat him badly, tied him up, and brought him to you.” ‘Umar said: “Young man, tell me the truth.” The young man told ‘Umar the story and how the old woman had asked him to help. ‘Umar asked: “Will you recognize her?” The young man said: “If I see her.” ‘Umar brought a number of old women, including that old lady. One by one they were paraded before the young man. He was able to pinpoint her. He said: “O Prince of Believers! This is the old woman.” ‘Umar held his bamboo stick and shook it before her face and said: “Now, you tell me the truth!” She verified every thing the young man had told the Caliph.

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‘Umar said: “Thanks to Allah that we have in our ranks someone like the truthful Yusuf.” Now look at the cunning of this old woman and how she tried to spoil the faith and religion of this young man. She tried to make him fall into adultery, and by that she put piety behind her. She did not fear Allah and did not think of the Day of Judgment. Look at the deceit of the young woman, and how she recruited the old lady to trap the young man in order to achieve her goals. This is their way of solidarity with each other in order to achieve their goals. May they get from Allah what they deserve, and may Allah protect us from their cunning, for it is great. Jabir b. Nuh told me that as he was visiting the holy city, al-Medina, he went to see some friends in the market place. A handsome and well dressed old man came by. My friend, the shop owner, stood up and went to the man, greeted him and said: “Oh Abu Muhammad! I ask Allah the Great to double your reward and seal your heart with patience.” The man responded in poetry: At war, my right hand is supported by my left arm Now I am confused, bewildered and have no other way to go.

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My friend said: “Oh Abu Muhammad! The believer has only patience, and I hope that Allah will reward you for your trouble.” I asked my friend: “What is the story of this man?” My friend said: “He was hit hard with a matter that had to do with his son.” I asked: “What was the reason?” My friend said: “A woman from al-Ansar fell in love with his son, despite the fact that she was married. The young man sent her the following response in poetry: Adultery is a route that I will never take, and will never pass By it as long as I live. Don’t blame me because I will not respond to your desire Better to be in distress. I will hold on to what keeps you untouched, so don’t be ignorant. When the woman got that message, she responded in poetry, and said: Forget what you have mentioned, and satisfy my need, You cruel person Forget about being a devotee, for everything you said Cannot get into my head. 224

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The young man consulted with one of his friends, who advised that he should send someone from his family to advise her and scold her, if necessary. The young man said that he would do so because he could not accept anyone bringing shame on him. He recited the following lines of poetry:

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Shameful acts in this world might bring temporary joy but Will take one to Hell, And I will avoid anything which takes me that way, as long As I live, And I will be patient, counting on my Lord to bring me closer To heaven. However, the woman sent him another message saying: “Either you come to visit me or I will come to visit you.” The young man said: “Have control over yourself, woman! Forget about it.” When she lost all hope, she went to a witch who told her that she would bewitch the young man’s heart on her behalf. One night, the young man was sitting with his father, and suddenly he felt some strong desire for that woman; something he never felt before. He became confused. So, he rushed to pray and asked Allah to protect him from Satan, but that did not help. The father asked: “Son, what is the matter?” The son said: “Father, I don’t know. Father, please help me! I feel that I lost my power to resist.” The father said: “Resist what? Tell me, what is your story?” The young man told his father the story of the woman. The father tied his son with ropes and put him in a room. The young man was shaking and was mooing like a bull. An hour later the noise ended. The father came to check on his son. He found him dead and blood was coming out of his nostrils. May Allah bless him! Al-Asma‘i told a story of a man who liked a woman from al-Basra and fell in love with her. He sent to ask for her hand, but she declined. She said that she was willing to commit adultery with him, instead. The man was surprised and said: “I ask for the right way between a man and a woman, and you ask to commit adultery, which is not good for either of us.” She said: “That is what I want. If you like it, then come over. If not, then go away!” He recited the following lines of poetry: I ask her for the right thing and she invites my heart to The forbidden. 225

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It is like that man who invited the Pharaohs to the right Path but they wanted him to go in the opposite way. He enjoys Heaven forever, and they are in distress in Hell. Seeing that he would not commit adultery, she came to him and said: “Here I am in your hands; do with me whatever you want.” He said: “That is impossible. I do not need someone whom I call to the right path while she calls for disobedience of Allah.” Then he recited the following line of poetry:

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No good is in someone who does not watch for Allah And only occasionally fears Him. Anyone who loves pleasure is like someone who takes Satan as a brother. Believers should be pure and free of dishonorable qualities. So look, may Allah bless your heart, at this woman’s bad intentions and how her love took over her mind and faith, and how she had chosen disobedience over submissiveness, forbidden acts over that which is permissible. In contrast, look at this good man’s virtuousness. He did not respond to her call for sin and declined to accept her as a wife when he learned her initial intentions. Any woman who is used to adultery will not stop committing it, and in the end she would bring shame on her husband’s honor. He did not marry her. He knew that most of them are not proper and there is little good in them, and only very few would truly repent. The Prophet said: “A good woman is rarer than a white-footed crow.” In another report he was quoted as saying “A true believing woman is like a white-footed among a hundred black-footed crows.” The point is that a woman like that is rare. This good man did not desire to have a relationship with this woman when he realized that she had a tendency for forbidden instead of permissible deeds. He would not marry her for fear that she would go back to her corrupt instincts. The Prophet’s warning: “Beware of a beautiful flower that grows near dung!” was on his mind. He was referring to beautiful women who are brought up in a bad environment. There are a few lines of poetry which address the same issue: Women are exactly like horses, so choose the ones you like and love. Take only the pure breed and be the courageous knight on her back. Hold the bridle really firmly, for it might betray you, and avoid believing that it truly loves you. Listen to my words, for I am an experienced man who met 226

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the worst of them. I looked for the one who would protect my honor and keep me from tribulation, but I was told that I had been looking in vain. Usamah b. Zaid quoted the Prophet as saying: “I stood at the gate of Heaven, and the majority I saw were poor, and I stood at the gate of Hell, and most of those I saw were women.” Al-Qurtubi said: “Women who would dwell in Heaven are few because they are attracted to this world due to a defect in their brain. Therefore, they do not work for the other world or get ready for it. In addition, they are among the strongest reasons for men not to go to Heaven, because they are attracted to women and women are not interested in the other world. They are conceited and easily follow their desires.” Al-Imam ‘Ali said: “Oh People! Don’t listen to women’s opinions in any matter. If they were left alone, they would corrupt everything and would renounce their obedience. We found them with no religion: when they are by themselves, their desires are ungodly, falling in love with them is easy, and troubles caused by them are numerous. The best of them are prostitutes, and the faultless are rare. They borrowed from the Jews three qualities: they complain while they oppress others, they swear by Allah when they know they are lying, and they say “No” when they mean “Yes”. So, beware of even the best among them.” The Prophet was quoted as saying: “O women, I have not seen anything that drives serious men mad like you.” Al-Imam ‘Umar b. al-Khattab said: “Consult them, but do exactly the opposite of the thing they recommend.” He added: “Disagree with them, for such disagreement is a blessing.” In his book Islamic Tradition the well known Imam al-Jar’i said that when Allah told the Prophet to “Consult them in affairs (of moment)”,226 Allah meant that the Prophet should consult ten of his companions. It was desirable for a man to consult ten wise men he knew. If he had only five, then he should consult each twice. If he had only one friend, then he should consult that friend ten times in ten different sessions. If he could not find a man to consult, then he could consult his wife, but do exactly opposite to what she would recommend. That would certainly guarantee the best way to achieve one’s goals. That was exactly what motivated al-Imam ‘Umar to say: “Consult them, but do exactly the opposite of what they recommend.”

226 Q. 3(Al ‘Imran):159.

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The story of the Umayyad Caliph Yazid b. ‘Abd al-Malik was a good example of how women could lead men to behave improperly, and in a way that would bring shame and disrespect. Yazid had two slave girls, whose names were Hababa and Sallama. He loved the first one more. He bought her and paid 100,000 silver Dirhams, but he paid only 10,000 silver Dirhams for Sallama. When they came to see him, he recited a poem which began with: Finally she settled down and rested like a traveler coming home after a long trip. Sometimes he used to stay isolated with them for two to three months. He neglected the affairs of his people, and none was able to see him, neither in public nor in private. Finally, his brother Musallama came to him. He blamed and reproached him. He told the caliph that confining himself and spending all his time with those two women was not a proper thing. He said: “Oh, Prince of Believers! Peoples’ delegations and the Arab dignitaries have been coming to your door. You did not give them permission to come in, and you did not come out to meet them. As you well know, the late Caliph ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz died not a long time ago. People still have good memories about him and his excellent manners.” Yazid said: “Oh, please don’t bother me with this talk again!” Musallama left and Yazid went to his bed and lay down. Soon, Hababa joined him and noticed that he was upset. She asked: “O Prince of Believers! What is the matter?” He told her of what his brother Musallama had said to him. She said: “Let us have a good time!” He ordered that food and drinks be brought to them. She gave him a glass of wine and sang:

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If you did not fall in love or experience it Then you are nothing but a senseless and solid rock. He responded to her: I love her and yearn to meet her, As a drinker misses his wine. Sallama also sang: Oh the most generous of Quraysh, Both young and old recognize his generosity. He asked: “Oh Sallama, who is Quraysh’s most generous?” She said: “You, Prince of Believers.” He said: “May Allah curse Musallama and his opinion.”

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He was by now extremely drunk, so he stood up and began to dance. A few minutes later he reached a moment of excitement and tore a garment with a value of two thousand Dinars to pieces, which he was wearing. He told his attendant not to bother him with any thing regarding issues of government. Sometime later that day, and as they sat down to eat fruits, Hababa swallowed a pomegranate seed the wrong way and died. Contrary to Islam, which urges that a dead person be buried immediately and without delay, Yazid sat and cried next to Hababa’s body for three days, kissing and hugging it. The corpse had by then decomposed and had an offensive smell. People from his family came and reminded him that in order to honor his slave girl, he should have ordered her to be buried. He gave them his permission to bury her. Five days later he missed her so much that he ordered them to have the body exhumed. They dug up the corpse which was rotten. His brother Musallama came and said: “For Heaven’s sake, what are you doing?” Yazid said: “Look at her! Isn’t she the most beautiful woman in the world?” Musallama said: “Oh brother! I swear by Allah if the people of Sham had heard of this, they would think that you had become crazy and they would kick you out of power, and you know it!” Yazid then ordered that the body be reburied. He pushed the dirt onto it and went to his bed. He stayed there until he died seventeen nights later. They buried Yazid next to Hababa, may Allah have mercy on him and her. In his book Dhamm al-Hawa, Ibn al-Jawzi concluded that lovers had gone further than animals in their desire for sex. “Making love is the lowest of desires that brings man’s level next to that of animals. However, man is worse, because human beings involve the mind and make decisions to select one individual partner. In that case, he adds one layer of desire on top of another. That will bring him to a lower level than animals, for animals are motivated by instinct. Man is motivated by instinct and mind through choices. People like that will use their brain to satisfy their desires. Therefore, love will affect one’s life and religion. Falling in love makes one constantly worried and depressed. It brings loss of sleep, and lack of appetite. Love will take over one’s strength, make one’s appearance yellow and sickly, shaky, unable to express oneself freely, and makes one thin and weak. One’s mind is left paralyzed, one’s heart heavy, one’s eyes shed tears constantly, and love leaves one with short breath, sighs, and moaning. In the end one goes mad and dies.” A poet once said: Any man who is commended for being wise 229

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Is nothing but a fool when it comes to love. Any gallant who is leading a miserable life Has not been so unless he tasted love. Abu al-Farah b. al-Wardi said:

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The route to love is a promise, The sweetest love is bitter, Love’s cool breeze is a heat wave, A day in love is like a year in time, Love’s secret is a pronouncement, And love’s pronouncement is only a secret. Love’s damage to faith comes from the fact that it keeps the heart distracted and not thinking of what Allah has created, fearing Him and trying to secure a place near Him. The more man gets satisfaction from his desires, the more he loses his chance in the second world. That will bring Allah’s punishment on him. The closer man is to love, the farther he is from his Master. The Prophet said: “He who fell in love, kept it as a secret, and was virtuous, will be a martyr.” The well known story of al-Majnun of Bani ‘Amir is a very clear indication of how love could make people angry. One day he was sleeping by the sea, when he saw a passing boat. A number of men were singing as they pulled the boat with ropes. Al-Majnun woke up and said: “Oh men! You have disturbed my sleep and woken me up when you sang those words. I thought it was Layla, and you have stirred a fire in my heart.” Another story is that of Ibn Abi Malik, who was one of the wisest of men. He fell in love with a woman who drove him crazy. ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Ammar reported that once he was traveling and met Ibn Abi Malik between al-Hira and al-Kufa. He asked ibn Abi Malik: “What are you doing here?” Ibn Abi Malik said: “Doing as your friend does.” ‘Abd Allah asked: “Who is our friend?” Ibn Abi Malik said: “Al-Majnun.” Then Ibn Abi Malik picked up a stone and chased ‘Abd Allah out of the area. Then he suddenly stopped. ‘Abd Allah came and sat down not far from him. Ibn Abi Malik asked why al-Majnun said: I fell in love with you because my eyes did not see clearly, When I got my sight back I began to blame myself. Ibn Abi Malik then recited his own lines of poetry:

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Love threw me into a very intense darkness. Being without the one I love, it disturbed my life. Patience, for time might bring a thousand loves or sudden death.

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‘Abd Allah b. Idris reported that he had seen Ibn Abi Malik sitting next to a pile of ashes. He began to write with a piece of chalk. Ibn Idris asked: “Oh Ibn Abi Malik, what are you doing?” Ibn Abi Malik said: “I am doing what our friend was doing.” Ibn Idris asked: “Who is our friend?” Ibn Abi Malik answered: “Al-Majnun of Bani ‘Amir.” Ibn Idris asked: “What was he doing?” Ibn Abi Malik asked: “Haven’t you heard him say: ’The evening her people left I had only my stick to write with on dirt where their Tents were pitched. I write and then wipe out what I have written with my Tears, And the ravens surrounded me’.” Ibn Idris said: “No, I have not heard those lines.” Ibn Abi Malik asked: “Have you heard Allah’s words, have you not seen how Allah extended the shadow. If He wants He will make that shadow stand.” Muhammad b. Nasr al-Azdi reported that he had met a madman from Basra. He was in love with a woman. So, he sat on the side of the road repeating these lines of poetry: Oh caravan that is coming from Yemen, Will you stop by me for my love is hurting so much? Let me ask you if someone from Nu‘man Valley enquired about us, For the Nu‘man Valley is the dearest place to our hearts. Al-Azdi asked about the man and was told that the man was from Basra. He fell in love with his cousin who was married to another man. The newly-wed husband took his wife with him to al-Ta’if, and the man lost his mind over his cousin. Muhammad b. al-‘Adil reported a story of Siwar b. ‘Abd Allah al-Qadi, who fell in love and wrote the following lines of poetry: You made my bones lose their flesh, They became naked in their own skin. Then you emptied my inside 231

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And I became like an empty jar. Take my hand and look for yourself How fragile is my body but I am hiding it. Then he asked why we didn’t say something better, like “There is no god but Allah!” It was reported that Harun al-Rashid went to visit Sulayman b. Abi Ja‘far who was sick then. Al-Rashid noticed that Ibn Abi Ja‘far had an extremely beautiful slave girl whose name was Dha’ifah. He liked her very much, to the point that he asked Ibn Abi Ja‘far to give her to him. As expected, he gave him the slave girl, but his health got even worse because he loved that girl so much. He recited the following lines of poetry:

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To Allah on his throne I complain of what I have suffered from the Caliph, Whose justice reached everywhere But came to oppress me by taking Dha’ifah away. The heart is fixed on her, Like a piece of paper that is fixed to a wall. When the Caliph al-Rashid heard of those lines, he returned that girl to Ibn Abi Ja‘far. ‘Ali b. Abi al-Jahr reported that one day he only owned a thin mount and a very thin slave. He looked for his slave but could not find him. Some time later, the slave showed up. ‘Ali asked him: “Where were you?” The slave said: “I was trying to steal some of your mule’s grain, but I swear by Allah it did not allow me anything!” ‘Ali said: “Go now and put the saddle on it!” The slave saddled the mule and ‘Ali rode it and went to see Yahya b. Khalid al-Barmaki. As he arrived to the neighborhood of that important man, he came to encounter the entourage of his son al-Fadl, who asked ‘Ali to join him. They stopped at the gate of the house where a slave brought in a tray full of food. The man pronounced the name of a slave girl to come and take the tray. We stood there for a long time, then al-Fadl gave his orders for the entourage to proceed. As they moved on he asked Ibn al-Jahr: “Do you know why we stopped by?” Ibn al-Jahr said: “No.” Al-Fadl said: “My sister used to have a slave girl whom I loved so much. However, I was embarrassed to ask my sister to give her to me. However, my sister noticed this and she asked the slave girl to dress well, put on her make up and jewelry, and sent her to me. That day was the most beautiful day in my life. However, the caliph sent after me that day 232

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and spoiled my day! So, I pass by and feel comfortable to hear the slave call her name.” Ibn al-Jahr said: “Then you were touched the same way as Majnun Layla, who once composed these lines of poetry: When someone called her name when we were not far from Mina, Without knowing, he stirred my heart’s longings, He mentioned the name of Layla, who was another woman, But I felt like my heart was a bird that flew out of my chest. He asked me to write those two lines on a piece of paper. I had then neither a pen nor a piece of paper. So, I went to a nearby shop and took a loan against my ring to buy a pen and a piece of paper. I wrote the two lines and gave them to al-Fadl, and he thanked me and asked me to go home. His servant asked me before I left to borrow my ring so that he could take out a loan to buy food. I told him that I already used it to take out a loan to write the two lines for al-Fadl. By evening, that same slave came and brought me thirty thousand silver Dirhams as a reward plus ten thousand more as an advanced payment for a regular salary for me in the future. So, I composed the following lines of poetry:

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Who said that one who is close to his love would feel bored soon? That going away would help one out of ardor? We tried everything but could not get better. Being closer to the one you love is much better than being away. It was told that the Prince of Believers, Mu‘awiyah b. Sufyan, was once sitting under a canopy in Damascus. Therefore, it was cool under that canopy and he was able to see in all four directions. It was a very hot day around noontime when the caliph noticed a man was walking quickly as if to avoid the hot sandy ground. The man was barefoot. Mu‘awiyah asked the men around him: “Do you think that there is someone who is more miserable than this man who chose to travel at such an hour?” They said: “He probably seeks to see you.” Mu‘awiyah said: “I swear by Allah, if he is coming to ask for money, I will give him whatever he needs. If he needs my assistance, I will lend it to him. If he is oppressed, I will make him victorious. Guard! Wait at the entrance. If this man wants to see me, bring him in.” The guard stopped the man and asked: “What do you want?” The man said: “Prince of Believers.” The guard said: “Come in.” The man said to Mu‘awiyah: “Peace be upon you!” Mu‘awiyah asked: “To which tribe does the man belong?” 233

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The man answered: “Bani Tamim.” Mu‘awiyah asked: “What brought you here at this time of the day?” The man answered: “I have come to complain.” Mu‘awiyah asked: “About whom do you complain?” The man said: “Against Marwan ibn al-Hakam.” Then he pronounced the following lines of poetry:

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Oh Mu‘awiyah, you the generous, patient, forgiving, Knowledgeable, well-guided, and of excellent pedigree, I have come to seek your help because earth has become Narrow for me. Please do me justice and do not disappoint me, Give me justice from the aggressor who came after me, To the point that I wish he had killed me. He invaded my privacy and took my happiness away. He oppressed me, did me injustice, and abducted my wife. When Mu‘awiyah heard the poetry, he said to him:“Oh brother Arab! Tell me your story and share with me your case.” The man said: “Oh Prince of Believers, I have a wife who is my cousin. I love her so much and was so happy with her as we shared our life to gether. I have a number of camels who provided us and our children with all we needed. Then we had a number of years when rain was rare and grass was hard to find. Gradually, I began to lose my camels one by one, and finally I became totally penniless. Those who wanted to be close to me preferred to stay away, and those who used to visit me stopped such visits. When her father heard of my difficult financial situation, he came and took his daughter. He disavowed me and kicked me out, and said harsh words to me. I went to Marwan, the governor you had appointed for al-Medina, to seek his support. He sent after her father and asked him about my claim.” The father said: “I do not know this man.” I said. “May Allah protect the Prince, if he can send for the woman and ask her.” Marwan sent for my wife. When she came and he saw her, he liked her very much. He became my own opponent. He insulted me and became angry with me. He ordered that I should be put in jail. Then he turned to the father and asked him if he could marry his daughter. He said he would give her a thousand Dinars and the father would get ten thousand Dirhams. He told him that he would guarantee that I, the husband, would not bother the father any more. The father liked the idea, especially the 234

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hefty sum of money. The following day, Marwan sent for me and the guards took me from jail to meet him. When I came, he looked at me as if he were a very angry lion. He said: “All right, man! You need to divorce Sa‘da.” I said: “No way.” He ordered his men to torture me to the point that I finally agreed to his request. I divorced Sa‘da and Marwan waited for the required one hundred days, then he married her. Therefore I come to you filled with hope and asking for your assistance. Then the Arab man recited the following lines of poetry: There is a fire in my heart, and the fire is burning. My body is sick and the doctor is confused why There is coal burning inside my chest And the coal has sparks. My eyes are raining with tears And this rain is constant. Only by Allah and the Prince can I be victorious. Then man shivered, his teeth chattered, and he fell to the ground unconscious. He began to contort like a wounded snake. Having heard the story, Mu‘awiyah said that Marwan had gone beyond his limits and violated Muslims’ sancity. He said to the man: “Oh brother Arab, you have come up with a story that I never heard before.” He asked his attendants to bring him a pen and a piece of paper. He wrote to Marwan:

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It has come to our attention that you have oppressed your subjects and violated Muslims’ sanctity. You crossed religious limits. A governor has to have control over himself and his sexual desires. Then the Prince of Believers recited the following lines of poetry: Shame on you, you have been assigned a responsibility that you Do not deserve. Due to your sins ask for Allah’s forgiveness. If you disobey what I have written in this message, I will have your flesh be fed to my falcons. Divorce Sa‘da and have her ready immediately. Send her (to her husband) accompanied by al-Kumait and Nasr ibn Thubian (as witnesses). He folded the letter and stamped it with his seal. He asked al-Kumait and Nasr b. Thubian to take it to Marwan. He used to trust these two men at 235

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times like this for their honesty. The two men carried the caliph’s letter to Medina, where Marwan lived and ruled. They went to him, told him the purpose of their mission, and handed him the letter. Marwan read it and began to cry. He went to Sa‘da and told her that he could not disobey the caliph’s orders. He divorced her in the presence of al-Kumait and Nasr b. Thubian, had her made ready, and sent her with full supplies to her husband accompanied by the two men, as per the caliph’s order. Marwan wrote a letter to the caliph in the form of the following lines of poetry:

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O Prince of Believers, please do not rush in my condemnation, I deserve an excuse and your kindness and generosity. Give me an excuse, for if you had seen her, Your eyes would have cried in front of everyone. I have not committed a sin, for I married her according to the rules, And how could I be described as a sinner and dishonest, For she looks like the sun? Neither humans nor jinns have anything like her. He sealed the letter and gave it to the two messengers who took the woman, as well. They traveled back to Damascus to meet Mu‘awiyah and they took the woman with them. They gave him the letter. Mu‘awiyah read the letter, and said: “He has done something reasonable and praised the woman extensively.” When the woman was brought before him and when he looked at her, he was fascinated by her beauty, perfection, brilliance, physique, and restraint. When he talked to her, he was struck by her eloquence and logic. He said: “Bring the Arab to me!” When they brought the man, he was in really bad shape. Mu‘awiyah asked: “Will you give up on her if I give you three young virgin slave girls with a thousand Dinars each? I also will guarantee that you will receive an annual support from the Muslims’ Financial House which is enough for you and them.” When the man heard the offer, he made such a long sigh that Mu‘awiyah thought the man had died after it. He asked him: “What is the matter with you?” The man said: “Worse than what one would expect. I came to your aid to rid me from Marwan’s aggression. Now, where do I go to get protection from your aggression?” Then he recited the following lines of poetry: Oh king, may Allah protect you. Do not make like the man who fled from a snake to fall into fire. Give Sa‘da back to a depressed and confused man. 236

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Her memories are on his mind day and night. Then he added: “Oh Prince of Believers! I swear by Allah that if you offer me your position in exchange for Sa‘da, I will decline.” He recited another line of poetry: The heart denies any love but Sa‘da, It hates all other woman with no sin.

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Mu‘awiyah said: “Oh man, you have admitted that you have divorced her, and so has Marwan. Let us ask her. If she chooses another man, we will have him marry her. If she chooses you, then she should be returned to you.” Mu‘awiyah asked the woman: “Will you prefer the Prince of Believers, in his dignity, honor, and palaces, and the luxurious type of life you will have, or Marwan ibn al-Hakam in his oppression and tyranny? Or yet this Arab in his poverty, hunger and the needy kind of life you have with him?” She answered by reciting these lines of poetry: He, who is hungry and penniless Is dearer to me among my people and neighbors Than the owner of the throne, or his agent Marwan, Or anyone who is rich. Then she added: “Oh Prince of Believers! I will not betray him despite time’s changes and bad days. I have an old friendship with him that cannot be forgotten, and love that will not cease. I prefer to be his partner at the time of need as well as the time of pleasure.” Mu‘awiyah was amazed at her wits and faithfulness. He ordered ten thousand silver Dinars to be given to her and that she be returned to her husband. Consider, may Allah protect you, this strange story of how Mu‘awiyah b. Abi Sufiyan was enchanted by that woman’s beauty and love to the point that he almost snatched her from her husband by offering her to choose between himself, Marwan, and the Arab. Think of the witty words that woman used to express her interest in her husband. Certainly it was Allah who guided her to the right path of sticking to her position by choosing to be returned to her husband. Mu‘awiyah was also guided by Allah not to force the man to give up on his woman. If that happened, people would have known and it could have been an issue against Mu‘awiya himself. Therefore, Mu‘awiyah made the right decision by letting the woman go with her husband with a present that totaled ten thousand sil237

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ver Dinars. He had to do so because he thought of what he would say to Allah when he stood before Him. Surely, Allah knew what Mu‘awiyah had in his mind and heart then, despite his kind words to the Arab and the woman. Allah would ask those who would tell the truth to repeat it. What would be the fate of those who would not tell the truth when asked to re peat it before Allah? As for Marwan, the governor of Medina for Mu‘awiyah, his story and that of his father, al-Hakam, and their position in relation to the Prophet were well known. The Prophet had sent his father to exile from Medina to al-Ta’if. He returned to al-Medina at the time of the third Rightly Guided Caliph, ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan when he followed ‘Umar. If silence were not a better option, we would have given a full account of al-Hakam’s acts of animosity towards the Prophet. However, when ‘Uthman sought the Prophet’s approval for al-Hakam’s return to al-Medina, the Prophet said: “You let him come back when you become caliph.” Therefore, when ‘Uthman became caliph, he allowed al-Hakam to return. When some of the companions protested about how ‘Uthman could allow a man who was exiled by the Prophet to return, ‘Uthman told them that earlier he had an approval from the Prophet himself. ‘Uthman came to help al-Hakam because he was his uncle. Can you imagine the attitude of al-Hakam’s son, Marwan? He was openly and strongly anti ‘Ali b. Abi Talib, the fourth Rightly Guided Caliph. Certainly, Marwan feared Mu‘awiyah’s threat. Otherwise, he would not have divorced that woman and agreed to send her to Mu‘awiyah in Damascus. Anyone who would like to read more about this case should read Kitab al-Isti’ab by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr. In my opinion, both Marwan and Mu‘awiyah were driven to fall in love with the Arab man’s wife because they saw her beauty and listened to her words. Therefore, seeing and hearing were the reasons for this kind of love. The author of Rushd al-Labib classified love as existing in two sorts: Purposeful – this being selfish like love between a man and his wife because each has a purpose. The other kind being soul love which was based on mutuality and sharing between a husband and wife. Some wise men said that: “Allah made the heart the prince of the body, and the king of all the parts. All limbs and senses would follow its order. The heart is the manager and the brain is the minister, intellect is an assistant, eyes are the aspirants, and ears are the front line informants.” It was also reported that Plato was once asked: “Which is more harmful: sight or hearing?” Plato said: “To the heart they are like the two wings for a bird. It cannot take off without them, nor can it soar high without their power. If one of them is trimmed, the bird might fly with serious difficulty.”

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Someone asked: “How could a blind man love even though he cannot see?” Plato said: “A bird might be able to take off with one wing. However, it takes two wings to make that bird’s flight more powerful. Love starts with hearing, then sight comes next. It is like smoke which preceeds spark.” Ibn Tahir once asked the poet Abu Tammam if he had taken the idea from someone. Abu Tammam said: “Yes, from the poet who said: O people! My ear is in love with someone in this tribe. Sometimes ears fall in love before eyes. They said: You fall in love with someone you have not seen. I said to them: Ears like eyes, bring satisfaction to the heart. Another poet once said: I am a man who fell in love with you for your virtues That I had heard of, and ears can love like eyes. It was reported that a man once fell in love with a handprint that he had seen on a wall. When his people lost hope that he would recover, they let him go and he passed away. Sometimes someone would see something in his dream that one had never seen before, and fall in love with it. A poet once said:

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My god! Who was she and where did she go? Was it a sunshine or a moonlight? I believe that my brain has created that image, Or was it the soul that brought it out? It was also reported that someone fell in love through a touch, which is a prelude to lust. It was also reported that someone loved through smell. Someone fell in love with a female jinn that he saw in his sleep. She described herself to him, and he claimed that she came to visit him. Abu alFaraj al-Umawi reported that Ja‘far, the son of the Caliph Abu Ja‘far alMansur in Baghdad, fell in love with a female jinn. Many times he woke up from his sleep and screamed. Finally, he died, and his father mourned him for a long time. Ja‘far was a kind of playboy and alcoholic. When alMansur advised Muti‘ b. ‘Iyas, he said: “You need to stay away from Ja‘far!” Muti‘ asked: “What is the point of this? He is totally corrupt, morally speaking!” Al-Mansur responded: “Shame on you! What do you mean by that?” Muti‘ said: “He claims he is in love with a female jinn, and he is serious about asking for her hand in marriage. Some of his friends have been en239

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couraging him. They prepare him for it and make him hopeful of such a kind of marriage. I swear he is good for nothing, neither for seriousness nor for mockery; neither belief nor blasphemy!” Another story of someone who fell in love at hearing about a woman, was reported by al-Jahiz. He said: “One day, I passed by a teacher who looked well and was nicely dressed. He stood up out of respect, greeted me, and let me sit next to him. I asked him about the various ways of reciting the Qur’an and he seemed well versed. I asked him some grammar questions and he showed skill. When we talked about Arabic language and poetry he was perfect. I thought I should befriend this man, and Allah strengthened my will to become his friend. I began to visit him daily. One day, I came but found that his place was closed. I asked about him and the neighbors told me that there was death in the family. I though I should go to his house in order to offer my condolences. I knocked at the door and a slave girl asked: “What do you want, sir?” I said: “I want to see your master.” She said: “My master is sitting by himself, mourning. He does not want to see anyone.” I said: “Go to him and tell him that his friend, so-and-so, wants to see him.” The girl went and a few minutes later she came back and said: “In the name of Allah, please come in.” As I went inside the house I saw him sitting alone. I said: “May Allah give you patience! The Prophet Mohammed was a good example for all of us. This is a route that everyone should follow. Please be patient! Is the deceased your son?” He said: “No” I asked: “Your father?” He said: “No.” I asked: “Your son?” He answered: “No.” I asked: “Who is it, then?” He said: “My love.” I said to myself: “This is the first squalor!” I said to him: “Well, there are plenty of women. Maybe your eyes will catch one of them, and probably she is better than the one you lost.” He said: “You talk as if you assume that I have seen her.” I said to myself: “By Allah, this is the second squalor!” I asked him: “How could you fall in love with someone that you have not seen?” He said: “As I was sitting in my corridor, I overheard a man reciting a line of poetry which said:

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Oh, Umm ‘Amr! May Allah grant you forgiveness. Give me my heart and put it where it was.” So I said this: “Umm ‘Amr must be very beautiful that someone composes poetry about her. She must be rare.” Therefore, I fell in love with her. Two days later I overheard the same man reciting the following line of poetry: The donkey took Umm ‘Amr. Neither she nor the donkey came back. I though she must be dead. So I felt sad and had to mourn her for three days. Al-Jahiz concluded his story by saying that he became determined to discontinue his friendship with that man. Al-Asma‘i said that he once asked a woman about love. She said: “By God, it should be secret. No eyes should see it. It must be protected in the chests like fire under rocks. If you blow it, it becomes stronger, but if you let it sit, it will eventually die out. Among the signs of true love is that the man will always remember the name of his beloved, enjoy it when others tell about her. He should like her relatives, family, slaves, neighbors, and houses, as this line says:

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Oh you who live by the river Tigris Are loved for the sake of my love. Jealousy is one of the numerous signs of love. This includes total silence when the beloved talks. One has to show total amazement at things that are normal. One has to agree even if the beloved is telling lies; support the beloved even when aggression is committed. One has to follow his beloved and hurry to the place where the beloved might pass by, regardless of how busy one is. One has to give up on serious issues and matters in order to be near the beloved. Reasons for falling in love could be a touch of hand when engaged in a conversation. One has also to drink the rest of the water from the cup from the beloved takes a few sips. Signs also include kissing the beloved ‘s sandals when the beloved is not around. The author of the book entitled Rushd al-Labib said that once he blamed someone who kissed some sandals in front of him. The man said: “O friend! You don’t know what joy one can get when one kisses the beloved’s sandals. Have you heard of the poet who said: I pass by the houses of Layla, I kiss this wall and that. It is not the love I have for these houses But the love I have for who occupied them.” 241

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Signs of love include things like when a lover is asked a question, he gives an irrelevant answer, he sighs a lot, and is lazy constantly. He is under total control of his beloved. If the beloved likes knowledge, a lover should make knowledge a priority. If a beloved likes fun and storytelling, a lover should exaggerate in doing the same. If a beloved loves a certain profession, a lover has to rush and try his best to learn it. Among the stories told about lovers was the one who keeps silent every time he saw his beloved, even if he had something to tell her. He would forget everything. Al-Asma‘i reported that once he was not far from a water well when he heard people saying: “She has come! She has come!” He stood up and followed them. He saw the most beautiful face, the most perfect stature, and the loveliest figure. When she noticed the crowd she covered her face, like a cloud covers the sun. Al-Asma‘i asked her: “Why do you do that?” She answered in poetry: If you let your eyes go on a mission You would like to achieve, they will bring you trouble. You have seen something that you cannot handle in its totality, Nor will you be able be patient for part of it. She then left leaving al-Asma’y struck with her eloquence, aside from her beauty and perfection. The author of Rushd al-Labib said that eyes would bring trouble of such a kind. Someone mentioned this line of poetry:

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I love you if they say that your eyes are blue, After all, noble birds have blue eyes. Some lovers fall on the ground when they see their beloved ones. They get confused to the point that they are not able to distinguish between their sandals and turbans! Someone mentioned a line of poetry to describe a friend. He said: He saw her suddenly, his legs weakened And he fell down to the side. A man once said to ‘Umar b. al-Khattab: “I love a woman.” ‘Umar said: “That is something you cannot control. Fear Allah!” Al-Shaykh Shams al-Din b. Qayyim al-Jawziah said that many in the past had interpreted the word “burden” in a verse of the Qur’an: “Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have to bear,” 227 to mean “love” in its broader sense. Ibn Tawus said that in the verse: “For man was 227 Q. 2(al-Baqara):286.

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created weak,”228 what was meant was man’s weakness vis-à-vis women. Men never stop talking about women whenever they see one. Sufyan b. Sa‘id said that he had seen men in love who were brought to the grand mosque and someone was praying to Allah to recover them from love, for they were unable to do so by themselves. Al-Fadl b. ‘Ayad once said: “If Allah were to grant me a prayer, I would ask Him to forgive lovers, because they have no control over their actions.” Someone else said that if it were to him to judge lovers on the Day of Judgment, he would forgive all lovers’ mistakes because their love is compulsory, not optional. Abu al-Sa’ib al-Makhzumi, who was a man with strong faith and knowledge, was seen clinging to the Ka‘ba’s cloth cover while he was praying and asking Allah to strengthen the lovers’ hearts. He said that prayers of this type were better than a minor hajj. This, of course, had to do with those who loved and suffered in secret, not those who loved and committed sins. The Prophet Mohammed was quoted as saying that: “He, who falls in love, keeps it secret, suffers, and dies, is a martyr.” It was also reported that when Yusuf came out to meet the women at the Pharoh’s court, they cut their hands with knives, instead of the apples. Mus‘ab b. al-Zubayr was so handsome that women who saw him would immediately go into their monthly business. ‘Umar b. al-Khattab once said: ”A woman’s white faced beauty is perfected by her black hair.” It was also said that: “Beauty is in the eyes, eloquence in the mouth, grace in the nose, and charm is in the tongue.” Al-Hasan once said that a handsome thief might have saved his hand from amputation if he defended himself by using eloquence and wit. Tallness was appreciated in women’s limbs, body, hair, and neck. Shortness, on the other hand, was appreciated in their hands, feet, teeth, and eyes. That she was careful visà-vis family finance, staying home, would not answer back, and not to be greedy, are valued. Whiteness is liked in their skin, vagina, teeth, and eyes. Redness was appreciated in their tongues, cheeks, and lips. The delicateness of their noses, fingers, waists, and eyebrows were appreciated. Ruggedness in legs, wrists, and backsides is liked. Broadness in forehead, eyes, and chest between shoulders were valued. Tightness in their mouths, nostrils, and other places is highly appreciated. A man reported to have seen a Persian woman with all these specifications. It was reported that the king of China had sent Khosrau, the king of Persia, a present including a woman whose hair could hide her body completely. Khosrau, in ex228 Q. 4(al-Nisa’):28.

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change, sent him a woman who was seven arms tall; her eyelashes touched her cheeks. It looked like there was lightening when she opened and closed her eyes. She had bridles that touched to the ground.” It was mentioned in the Prophet’s Traditions that Allah would not torture those who have beautiful faces and black eyes. This information has been quoted from Rushd al-Labib. I have taken what I needed and did not bother with details. Among the stories mentioned was the one regarding Barsisa who prayed to Allah for two hundred and twenty years. He had about sixty thousand students who could walk on air, with his blessings. He became an infidel after that. The angels were amazed at how much time he spent in worshipping. Allah said to them: “I know what you know not,”229 meaning that Barsisa would become an infidel and be in Hell forever. Iblis heard that, and therefore he hurried to Barsisa’s hermitage and said: “Hey, Barsisa!” Barsisa asked: “Who are you and what do you want?” Iblis said: “I, too, am a worshipper and would like to assist you.” Barsisa said: “You do not need an assistant when you pray to Allah.” Iblis began to pray constantly without drink, sleep, or food. Barsisa said: “I also worship but I stop to eat, drink, and sleep.” Iblis said: “I have committed a sin, and when I stop to eat, drink, or sleep, I recall my sin and immediately get upset. Therefore, I go back to prayer.” Barsisa said: “I would like to pray without stopping like you. What should I do?” Iblis said: “You must disobey Allah. Then pray for forgiveness and He will forgive you.” Barsisa asked: “How could I disobey Allah after so many years of worship?” Iblis said: “When you commit a sin you need to ask for forgiveness.” Barsisa asked: “So what kind of sin would you recommend?” Iblis said: “Commit adultery.” Barsisa said: “No, I cannot do that.” Iblis said: “All right. Then drink alcohol or kill someone.” Barsisa said: “How could I kill an innocent believer?” Iblis said: “Then drinking alcohol is some way out of your confusion.” Barsisa asked: “Where could I find alcohol?” Iblis said: “Go to the village.”

229 Q. Al-Baqara, 30.

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Barsisa went to the nearby village. He found a beautiful woman who sold alcohol. He bought alcohol from her and drank it. Then he committed adultery with that woman. While they were engaged in their business the woman’s husband arrived and found Barsisa on top of his wife. He hit him. Barsisa got up, held the man, and killed him. Iblis came to him in the form of a human and took him to the ruler. The ruler ordered that Barsisa should get eighty lashes for drinking alcohol, a hundred lashes for committing adultery, then execution for killing an innocent man. After they flogged him, they put him on the cross. Iblis came to Barsisa and asked: “So, how do you feel now?” Barsisa said: “He who would follow a bad example should deserve this.” Iblis said: “I have been troubled by your prayers for two hundred and twenty years until this moment. Though, I can save you if I want.” Barsisa begged: “Please save me and I will give anything you want.” Iblis said: “Pray to me, just once even.” Barsisa asked: “How can I pray with my hands tied?” Iblis said: “Just bow down your head in a prayer to me!” Barsisa prostrated himself, and therefore he became an infidel. Iblis said: “I am free of you. I do fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.”230 Look, may Allah has mercy on you, at what Iblis had done to Barsisa. He took him step by step. First, he asked him to commit adultery, for he knew man’s tendency to do so for physical enjoyment. When Barsisa objected to that, Iblis recommended crime. When Barsisa declined because of the seriousness and difficulty in such an action, Iblis came up with the idea of drinking alcohol, which was the mother of all evil deeds. He knew that when Barsisa got drunk and alcohol took control of his mind, it would be easy for him to commit sin and murder. He would be lashed for sins and executed for murder. Barsisa got all this. Barsisa had committed sins and murder because alcohol increases one’s appetite for sins and made murder an easy action in one’s eyes. In the book ‘Aqa’iq al-Haqa’iq, it is recommended that execution for murder be done with a sword, and for adultery one be stoned while half buried. Death by stoning is harsher. Then he added that theft was a serious crime. Certainly, committing adultery was more serious than theft. That was why a thief would lose his hand and an adulterous man would lose his life. Taking life was a serious matter. Therefore anyone who drank alcohol should be flogged, but he who would commit adultery should be stoned. Stoning is a harsher punishment. Cheating others for fi230 Q. 59(al-Khashr):16.

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nancial gain was less significant than committing adultery, because in the first case the plaintiff was another human being, but in the second case the plaintiff is the Lord. It was reported that when two individuals got involved in an adulterous affair, angels would ask Allah for permission to go and punish them on the spot. Allah would say: “Their way is to Me, and they will stand in front of Me.” The author of ‘Aqa’iq al-Haqa’iq said that Allah had created one hundred and twenty-four thousand prophets; twelve thousand were from Bani Israel. The first prophet was Moses and the last was Jesus. Among those there were three hundred and thirteen messengers; the first was Adam and the last was Mohammed. Only seven of them had books. Those included Shin, Idris, Ibrahim, Moses, Dawud, Jesus, and Mohammed. Five of them were Arabs, and those were Hud, Salih, Shu‘aib, Isma’il and, Mohammed. Only four were special, and those included Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed. All prophets were free of committing sins. It was reported that if an adulterer died without expressing regret, they would be late to leave Hell, even after seventy thousand years of torture. An adulterer would be so regretful then. Since adultery was forbidden, all acts that lead to it were forbidden, as well. Those acts included staring, touching, hugging, kissing, and talking to a stranger. Allah said: Say to the believing men That they should lower Their gaze and guard Their modesty: that will make For greater purity for them: And Allah is well acquainted With all that they do. And say to the believing women That they should lower Their gaze and guard Their modesty, that they Should not display their Beauty and ornaments except What (ordinarily) appears Thereof; that they should Draw their veil over Their bosoms and not display Their beauty except... 231 231 Q. 24(al-Nur):30-31.

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Sufyan al-Thawri was quoted as saying: “Don’t even gaze at a female sheep.” He also said: “You can trust me in a house full of treasures, but don’t trust me with a black slave girl.” Yusuf b. ‘Isbat maintained: “If a man trusted me in a house full of treasures, I believe I could do that. However, if he left me with a black slave girl for an hour, I do not think I could trust myself.” Al-Imam Abu al-Faraj al-Jawzi quoted the Prophet as saying: “It is certain that when a man and a woman are left alone, they will think of some forbidden act.” Some asked: “Even if they are religious people?” The Prophet said: “Even if they were Maryam and Yahya b. Zakariya.” Abu Hurayrah and Ibn ‘Abbas said that once the Prophet gave a speech and he said: “Any man who unlawfully makes love to a woman or a slave girl will go to Hell. Any man who unlawfully gazes at a woman, Allah will fill his eyes with fire first and then will send him to Hell. Any man who unlawfully shakes hands with a woman will have his hand shackled to his neck on the Day of Judgment. Any man who jokes with a woman unlawfully will be kept in Hell for a thousand years for every word. Any woman who accepts and allows a man to unlawfully make love to her, kiss her, shake hands with her, or joke with her, would be equally responsible for those sins.” In his book, Abu al-Faraj b. al-Jawzi quoted in his book ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar as saying: “When Allah created the penis for man He told him, ‘I trust you with this. Keep it safe, and only use it where it belongs lawfully.’” ‘Ata’ al-Khurasani said: “Hell has seven entrances and the darkest of them is the one for adulterers.” Miqdad b. al-Aswad quoted the Prophet as saying: “Adultery is an act that is forbidden by Allah and His messenger. Then, if a man commits adultery with a neighbor’s wife it is harder on that adulterer than committing adultery with ten other women.” Jarir b. ‘Abd Allah reported that once he was sitting with ‘Ali b. Abi Talib when the talk was about ‘sins’. ‘Ali asked: “Do you know which of the sins is more offensive?” The men said: “Oh Prince of Believers, sins are sins, and they are all offensive to Allah and His Prophet.” ‘Ali said: “That is true, but when a man commits an act of adultery with another Muslim’s wife, that man is a sinner. Also, he has corrupted the wife of that Muslim. On the Day of Judgment, Allah will send a bad wind that will bother everyone. When people get sick of it, a sound will ask, ‘Do you know what this wind is?’ People will say, ‘No, we do not.’ The sound will say, ‘That is the smell of the private parts of Basri sinners 247

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who have come to meet Allah on this day and they are burdened with their adulterous sins.’” Al-Hasan al-Basri said that a whore of Bani Israel who has one third of the beauty of her time would charge a hundred Dinars. A worshipper liked her very much, so he went out and was able to collect that money. He came to her and said: “I like you very much, to the point that I went out and collected the amount of money you charge.” She said: “Give the money to the pimp to check them.” He gave the money to the pimp, who checked and counted the money. She said: “That is a hundred Dinars.” The whore said to the man: “All right. You can come in now.” She was very beautiful with a lovely body. She had her own room with a bed that was made of gold. The man became aware of what he was do ing and remembered and feared Allah. His desire to sleep with her came to an abrupt end. He said: “I cannot do that. I am leaving and you can have the money.” She said: “What is the matter with you? You saw me and said you liked me and went out and worked hard to collect the money. Now I am here and you say you cannot do it!” He said: “I am scared of Allah’s punishment. He made me dislike you.” She said: “I will not let you go unless you give me a promise to marry me!” He said: “I cannot do that unless I leave this place first.” She asked: “If I come to you, will you marry me?” He answered: “Perhaps.” The man covered his face with his shirt and left the place, heading for his home town. After a while, the woman left the whore house, putting her past behind her, but took her money with her. She came to his town and asked about his house. People took her to his house and told him: “The angels have come to ask about your house and brought them over.” When he saw the woman, he took a deep sigh and died on the spot. She felt sad and thought that she had missed an opportunity. She asked if he had any relatives and they told her that he had a poor brother. They took her to the brother and she told him that she was ready to marry him because of her love for his brother. She asked him if he was ready to marry her. He agreed and they had seven boys who became prophets. Abu al-Faraj also quoted ‘Abd Allah al-Balkhi as saying that once upon a time there was a handsome young man who used to sell baskets. As he was going around selling his baskets, a woman came out of the house of a prince of the Bani Israel and saw him. Immediately she went back to the house and told the prince’s daughter that she had just seen a very hand248

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some young man who sold baskets. The prince’s daughter asked her to bring him in. The old woman went out and brought him in. She closed the first door and then the second door. The daughter received him while she uncovered her face and neck. He urged her to buy some of the baskets. She told him that he was not invited to come in because there was interest in buying baskets. By saying that, she hinted to him about something more. He told her: “Fear Allah!” She threatened him: “If you decline my offer, I will tell the prince that you have sneaked inside my part of the house in order to rape me.” He refused again and she insisted. He finally said that he wanted to wash himself. The prince’s daughter ordered one of her servants to take him to a section on the fourth floor of the palace where he would not be able to escape. That floor was about eighty arms high. When he got there he prayed: “My Lord, I have been invited to disobey you and I have chosen to escape. I am going to jump off this high section instead of committing sins.” As he said: “In the name of Allah,” he jumped to the ground. Allah assigned an angel to take hold of the young man’s shoulders and let him land gently on his feet. As he got to the ground he said: “My Lord, I want you to help me earn my living without selling baskets.” Allah sent him baskets full of gold. The young man took as much as he could of that gold and said: “My Lord, if this gold is meant to be my earnings for this world I want You to bless it. If this is meant to reduce my chances in the second world, then I do not need it.” He heard a voice which said: “This is only one twenty-fifth of the amount we have assigned for you for your patience and willingness to end your life rather than committing sins.” The young man said: “My Lord, I do not want anything that reduces my chances in the other life.” The baskets of gold disappeared immediately. Abu Zar‘ah was quoted as saying that he was once trapped by a woman who came and said to him: “Oh, Abu Zar‘ah! Do you not want to visit someone who is sick? May Allah grant you his blessing for such a kind gesture.” As he entered the house, she closed the door. He realized what she had in mind so he prayed to Allah: “Oh Lord, please turn her black!” The woman turned black and Abu Zar‘ah opened the door and left. When he was on the road he prayed to Allah: “O Lord, please restore her to her original color.” The woman turned white once again, and Abu Zar‘ah was surprised.

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It was also reported that a man married a woman from another town. He went back to his town and left the new wife in her town temporarily. After a few days he sent his servant to the other town to bring the new wife. As the two were traveling, she tried to tempt the servant. The servant declined and turned to Allah and prayed for His help to protect himself from that woman. It was said that that servant became a prophet for the Bani Israel. Abu Dharr al-Ghifari reported a story of a man whose name was ‘Ikaf b. Bishr. ‘Ikaf came to Prophet Mohammed who asked him,“Oh ‘Ikaf, do you have a wife?” ‘Ikaf said: “No. I have a slave girl.” The Prophet Mohammed asked: “Are you rich enough?” ‘Ikaf answered: “And I am rich enough.” The Prophet Mohammed said: “Then you must be a brother of devils. If you are a Christian, then you could be a monk, but as for us, Muslims, our religion requires us to get married. The most dangerous weapon Satan has against good men is women. Marriage protects those good men and keeps them pure. Women are the ones who made troubles for Ayyub, Dawud, Yusuf and Karsaf.” ‘Ikaf asked: “Oh Messenger of Allah, who is Karsaf?” The Prophet Mohammed said: “He was a man who used to live by the sea. He fasted during the day and prayed at night. Then he fell in love with a woman, gave up on his worship, and disobeyed Allah. Come on ‘Ikaf, go and find yourself a wife! Otherwise, you will be among the sinners.” ‘Ikaf suggested: “Help me then!” The Prophet Mohammed said: “All right! I have married Karima bint Kalthum al-Himyari off to you.” Al-Marwazi reported that he heard Ahmad b. Hanbal as saying that: “Bachelorhood is not allowed in Islam. The Prophet Mohammed took fourteen wives, and when he passed away, he left nine widows. If Bishr alHafi were to marry, his case would have been better. If men gave up on marriage who would fight in defense of Islam, and who would perform the pilgrimage? The Prophet has urged Muslims to marry and never take celibacy as an option. Anyone who would not follow this tradition is taking the wrong path. Ya‘qub got married and had babies despite his great sadness. The Prophet has said that: “Marriage is sanctioned by my traditions and those of all the prophets before me. I have nothing to do with anyone who does not follow my traditions.” Al-Imam Abu al-Faraj al-Jawzi said any man who fell in love with a woman should do his best to marry her if it were good and possible for 250

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him. Otherwise, he should look for something that took this matter off his mind. ‘Ata’ al-Khurasani was quoted to have said that it was mentioned in the Torah that a marriage that was not based on prior looks would be nothing but regret and pain till the Day of Judgment. Al-Imam al-Ghazali said in his book on marriage that men should avoid marrying six types of women, the moaning, the ungracious, the compassionate, the gazing, the talkative, and the shiny. He explained this by saying: “The moaning one will always complain and will tie her head pretending that she had headache whenever her husband approaches her. She does this in order to avoid making love. The ungracious wife will remind her husband that he only married her for her money and property: she supports him. The compassionate one is the woman who will always love to have married another man and have a child with him. She will do this when she has any opportunity to do so. The gazer is a woman who keeps eye contact with others and falls in love with things at first sight. Therefore, she will burden her husband by asking him to buy her things. The talkative is the one who would never stop talking. Allah cursed those people specifically. As for the shiny, she is the one who uses a lot of make up in order to attract men’s attention.” The Prophet Mohammed has cursed those who abandon their marriage bed. He said: “A woman who leaves her husband’s bed will be cursed by angels of mercy and tortured day and night.” He cursed women who have tattoos and those who clip their eyebrows to make them very narrow. He also cursed women who cut their hair without their husbands’ approval. Cursed was the woman who had her menses and failed to tell her husband in order to make love to him. Also cursed was the woman who pretended to have her menses in order to avoid making love to her husband. Women have been led to do such wicked acts by silliness of the mind, the incompleteness of their faith. All this makes them deserve curses. They also do that in order to hunt men’s minds, to disturb their peace, and to have control over men’s hearts. May Allah fight and defeat them. How great was their seduction, how harmful was their deception, how strange were their tricks, and how intense was their revenge due to the weakness of their brains! A poet once said: It is a crooked rib. You cannot fix it, Because if you try you will break it Despite this weakness she has an overWhelming power over the lad. And that is the strangeness of having both power and weakness. 251

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They will get from Allah what they deserve, for they are the party of Sa tan, and the party of Satan is the loser in the end. They have corrupted so many minds, changed so many conditions, occupied and have brought worry to so many hearts, seduced so many young and older men, wasted so much money, and conquered so many heroes. We have seen so many intelligent and smart men ask for women’s opinion and follow their advice. They became satisfied whenever their women were, and got angry when their women showed anger. Very likely they will separate a man from his family and so create animosity, friction, tension, hatred, and even fights. Many men with a considerable amount of knowledge and faith had fallen into the trouble because they followed their wives’ opinions and advice, either because they tried to avoid their wickedness or because they loved them so much. Al-Hasan al-Basri was quoted as saying that any time a man would obey and do whatever his wife liked, it was like pushing Allah into hell! Many matters could result from this, like boycotting relatives, disobedience to one’s parents, breaking up with friends, fights among family members, relatives and neighbors among the highly respected as well as the ordinary people in the community. May Allah protect you and us, save you and us, and make all of us aware of this in order to be honored for being close to Him, for He is able to do anything He wants and has an answer to anything. Al-Imam ‘Ali once wrote these lines of poetry: Beware of women’s betrayal, For all of them are traps set in the path to Allah. Don’t you ever trust a female in your life, For even if she swears to be honest, she is a liar at that very minute. Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

Al- Shaykh Muhammad b. al-Zayn wrote: Ask me about women because I am an expert in their matters, like a doctor. When a man’s money goes or his hair turns gray He will have no luck left for him with them. Luqman advised his son by saying: “My son, never ask for women’s opinion, for they have a defect in their brain. If you happen to ask for advice, just do exactly the opposite. Keep them behind strong doors and high walls. My son, a good woman is like red sulfur, and a bad woman is like a smooth touch snake; smooth to the touch but with poison inside.” Al-Qadi Sharih said that he was once talking about women and said: “Women have defects in their brains and faith.” A woman approached him 252

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and asked him why he said that. He told her: “My lady, what I said was meant the women of the Prophet’s companions. As for you and your kind, you do not have brains or faith at all.” The woman left and stumbled in her walk as a result of embarrassment. It was also reported that a woman came to him to complain about her husband. She came to him crying and complaining right after dinner. He told her to come back again in the morning. His reason was that Yusuf’s brothers came to their father after dinner time. They were crying when they reported to him that Yusuf was killed and devoured by a wolf. Their report and tears were false, and he had no reason to believe that hers were different. Al-Imam Abu Hafs said that when Allah compared Satan’s deceit with that of women’s, Allah said that Satan’s deceit was weaker. The Pharaohs of Egypt told Zulaikha that women’s deceit was great. He said that Satan’s deceit was in secret, but women’s deceit was public. Anas b. Malik reported that while the companions where sitting around ibn ‘Abbas as he was interpreting the verses of the Qur’an to them, a man approached the group and said: “Oh companions of Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon you! I have a woman who answers back to me and says insulting things to me. I want you to advise and restrain her.” Abu Bakr turned to the man and said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who tortures her husband with her tongue, the curse of Allah, the angels and the people will fall upon her.” ‘Umar said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who declines her husband’s call to come to bed, Allah’s anger will fall upon her until she regrets and goes back.” ‘Uthman said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who tells her husband that he is good for nothing, Allah will be angry at her even if she fasts during the day and prays all night long. This anger will continue until she regrets her words and denounces them.” ‘Ali b. Abi Talib said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who leaves her husband and she is the aggressor, she will be in the lower level of Hell, together with Haman and Qarun, unless she regrets her deed and comes back.” Ibn ‘Abbas said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who leaves her husband’s house without his permission, Allah and anything under the sun will curse her until she regrets her actions and returns.” Abu Dharr al-Ghifari said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who curses her husband and she is the aggressor, Allah and all his creations will curse her from above the seven skies, unless she regrets her deed.” 253

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‘Ammar b. Yasir said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who cheats her husband, she will carry half of the Muslim nation’s sins, unless she admits, regrets, and asks for forgiveness.” Mu‘ath b. Jabal said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that even if a woman licks blood from her husband’s left nostril and puss from the left nostril, she will fall short of her obligations towards her husband.” Miqdad b. al-Aswad said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who disobeys her husband will be cursed by Allah, angels, and all people until she gives up and returns to her husband.” Salman al-Farisi said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who reminds her husband that she is supporting him and that he eats out of her own money, Allah will not accept her alms even if she gives all the money she has. Any good deed will not be accepted unless her husband is satisfied with her.” Talhah b. ‘Ubaid Allah said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who shows anger to her husband and makes him stressed, Allah will be angry until she receives her husband with a big smile and makes him happy.” Al-Zubayr b. al-‘Awwam said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who worships Allah as seriously and faithfully as Maryam bint ‘Umran, Allah will not accept that and will send her to Hell, unless her husband accepts it.” ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Awf said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who burdens her husband financially and stresses him as a result of this, Allah will not accept any good deeds she performs unless she gives up on that manner and asks her husband for forgiveness.” Abu Hurayrah said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that if a woman cooks one of her breasts and barbecues the other, she is still falling short of performing her obligations toward her husband.” Abu Umama al-Bahili said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that if he had to ask any person to bow down before another one, he would have had asked women to do that before their husbands.” ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that if a woman carries all the gold and silver in the world to her husband’s house and asks him who he was and that the fortune is hers, Allah will not accepts her deeds even if she were the most faithful worshipper, unless she regrets that and goes back to her husband.” Abu Ayyub al-Ansari said: “Tell her that I heard the Prophet saying that any woman who hurts and disobeys her husband, her alms of gold and silver, no matter how much, will not be accepted and she will go to Hell.” 254

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It was reported that the Prophet also said that: “Any woman who disobeys her husband will not smell the fragrance of Heaven even if she lives for a long time.” In his advice to his daughter Fatimah he said: “Oh Fatimah, any woman who complained about her husband will be cursed by Allah and the angels. Any woman who shows anger towards her husband, Allah and the attendants of Hell will be angry at her. If she does not respond to him in bed, she will be cursed by all moist and dry objects on earth. Oh Fatimah, any woman who reduces one Dirham from her financial request from her husband, Allah will credit her pilgrimage to Mecca, and build her a palace in Heaven. Oh Fatimah, any woman who prays and asks Allah for blessing without asking the same for her husband, Allah will not accept her prayers unless she mentions her husband. Oh Fatimah, any woman who dresses up and leaves her house without her husband’s approval, will be cursed by all moist and dry objects on earth. Oh Fatimah, any woman who frowns at her husband will have both Allah and his angels angry with her. Oh Fatimah, any woman who exposes her face to a man other than her husband, Allah will push her face down into Hell. Oh Fatimah, any woman who brings things that her husband dislikes inside her house, Allah will send her seventy scorpions and seventy snakes from Hell into her grave, and they will sting and bite her until the Day of Judgment. Oh Fatimah, any woman who offers voluntary additional prayers without her husband’s approval, Allah will not accept her prayers. Oh Fatimah, any woman who steals money from her husband’s house, will have Allah add seventy years of sins to her record.” It was reported that a poor man from the Bani Israel had a beautiful wife. One of the tyrants of the Bani Israel heard about her. He sent an old woman to invite the beautiful wife to disobey her husband and leave him because he was poor. She would urge the young woman to choose the tyrant instead. He would cover her with gold and silver, dress her in silk, and have servants attend to her needs. The old woman came to the wife and gave her the king’s message. That woman used to make bread and make her bed for her husband. When she heard the king’s offer she stopped performing those tasks and showed indifference to him. He asked her: “What is the matter with you? I have not known this behavior from you in the past.” She said: “Well, this is the way I am. Take it or leave it!” The poor man divorced his beautiful wife, and the king married her instead. As he entered her private quarters, both of them became blind. He extended his hand to touch her, but his hand froze. She extended her hand to touch him but her hand froze, as well. They both lost their ability to 255

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hear and speak. Their sexual desire had died completely. The Bani Israel heard of the story the next morning, that their king and his new wife were blind, deaf, and mute. The news reached Allah who said: “I will not forgive them. They thought that I was not aware of what they had done to the poor man.” They remained in those conditions until they died. Allah sent some other stronger tyrant who was able to remove the king from power. The king and his beautiful new wife became beggars on the streets. Abu Muslim al-Khawlani said that whenever he approached his house he would say: “Allah is Great!” His wife would respond the same way. Then he would open the door and as he got to the courtyard, he would re peat the same sentence. His wife would respond the same way from her room. Then he would go to her room. She would pick up his cloak and shoes, and then would serve him his meal. One evening he came home and said: “Allah is Great!” Nobody responded. As he went in the light was not on but he noticed that his wife was sitting there silently. He asked: “What is the matter with you?” She said: “You are on very good terms with the Caliph Mu‘awiyah. If you have asked him to provide us with a slave, I am sure he will provide that.” Abu Muslim said: “May Allah make blind anyone who turns my wife against me.” It happened that a neighbor woman came to Abu Muslim’s wife and put into her mind that idea: “You are on very good terms with Caliph Mu‘awiyah. If you have asked him to provide us with a slave, I am sure he will provide that.” At that moment, the woman was sitting with her family and she suddenly asked: “Why has someone put the light out?” Her family told her that the light was on, and she realized that she had become blind. She cried a lot and came to Abu Muslim and asked for forgiveness. Abu Muslim felt sorry for her. He prayed to Allah to give the woman her sight again, and the woman recovered her ability to see. The Prophet Mohammed was quoted as saying: “Any woman who made her husband angry and dies afterwards, without being pardoned by her husband, will not be able to see me on the Day of Judgment. She will be driven to Hell face down.” He was also reported to have said: “Any time a woman quarrels with her husband, Satan will shout with joy from the corner of the house. May Allah keep anyone happy who makes me happy!” When a couple makes it after a fight, Satan would leave their house blind and would say: “May Allah make blind anyone who makes me blind!” 256

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The Prophet Ayyub prayed to Allah and said: “My Lord! Please bless me in this world and the hereafter!” Allah responded: “I already blessed you in this world with a good wife, and when one has a good wife it means he is blessed in this world and the hereafter.” Qays b. ‘Abadah reported that a good woman of Bani Israel took good care of her husband. She used to cook his meals and prepare his drinks. She would hold a lamp for him when he ate his dinner. One day the lamp’s wick got burnt, so the woman cut off one of her braids, soaked it in oil and put it in the lamp to provide light for her husband to finish his dinner. The woman was blind in one eye. Allah was so satisfied with her that the next morning the woman was able to see with both eyes. Abu Hurayrah quoted the Prophet Mohammed as saying that if a woman owned Sulayman’s ring and she gave it to her husband, and then took it back from him, Allah would disappoint her for forty days.

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Women are like trees that grow together, Some give sweet fruits, while others give bitter. Even if women were made of gold, They still have a huge ignorance defect. If you tell them not to do something, Rest assured they will do it. If they promise bad thing, They certainly will fulfill that promise, But if they promise you good things Do not count on that. ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari quoted the Prophet Mohammed as saying: “Any woman who is engaged in prayers and her husband asks her to come to bed, but she does not rush her prayers in order to come to bed, will come on the Day of Judgment with glowing coal on top of her head. That coal will fry her brain until it comes out of her nose.” A related story was told about the Sultan Hasan. One day he dressed up in a disguise and left his castle for a walk in the city. He passed by the governor’s mansion, then by his assistant’s. He saw the man sitting on a bench surrounded by his staff and apparently were discussing some issues. The man seemed to have a great presence and enjoyed respect among his staff despite the fact that he was weak and old. The Sultan was amazed at that awe-inspiring appearance. He went back to his castle, rested for an hour, then sent for the governor’s assistant. When the old man came the Sultan asked: “How old are you?” The old man answered: “Almost a hundred years old.” 257

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The Sultan said: “I have seen something that truly amazed me.” The old man asked: “What is that?” The Sultan said: “Your presence, your awe-inspiring appearance, the amount of respect the men have for you despite your fragile body and old age. How long have you been in this job?” The man said: “Since you appointed me when I was in my twenties. I have been an assistant to every governor you have appointed since then. I have learned so much.” The Sultan said: “For example!” The man said: “For example, the story when I was an assistant to the governor so-and-so.” The Sultan said: “All right, come on and tell me!” The man said: “One day after performing my dawn prayers, I went to the governor’s mansion and sat in the hall as usual. None of the assistants and the attendants was there yet. Suddenly, a heavy purse fell into my lap. I jumped and was taken by surprise. I looked right and left but could not see anyone. I took the purse and opened it. I found that it contained many Dinars. I counted them and found that there were fifty of them. The same thing happened the following day and I had another fifty Dinars. On the third day I got the purse with an extra fifty Dinars, but this time I noticed that there was a woman hiding behind one of the pillars. I rushed to her and intercepted her when she wanted to escape. I asked who she was and what she wanted. She answered me without showing any sign of worry or concern. In fact she told me to keep the hundred and fifty Dinars I already had. When I heard that, I wanted to know what she wanted.” She said: “You know that some women sometimes fall in love with other women the same way men do. I am in love with a young woman and I cannot reach her during the day. I need to spend a night at her house and, therefore, I need to have a plan to achieve my goals and I need your support. I will give you anything you want or desire.” I asked: “Who is this young woman with whom you are in love, and where does she live?” She said: “She is the daughter of the chief justice.” I asked: “How could you reach her?” She said: “This is easy. I will be dressed up in my best clothes, have my best makeup on, be wearing my most precious jewelry and stones, and have my best perfume on. Then, I will drink a little bit of wine early in the evening, wait until the roads are empty, and then go for a walk. I will lie down near the hospital entrance. Here’s where you come in. You will be in charge of the street guards that night and should come with the governor when the guards do their regular check. As your guards approach the 258

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hospital, they will see me. I will make sure to make them believe that I am drunk. You will tell the governor that you think that I belong to a wellknown family, probably a member of some prince’s household. You will tell them that I should not be left there, for I might be hurt or violated. Probably someone will steal my clothes and jewelry. You will suggest to them that I need to be taken to the governor’s mansion, or probably better to the chief justice’s house to spend the night there until my situation is cleared the next morning. I am then taken to the house and it is very likely they will let me sleep in the quarter where the daughter sleeps. Using my wits and ability to convince her by giving her all my precious stones and jewels, I will achieve my goals and spend the night in her arms. Then I will give you whatever you want or desire.” “I agreed to that plan and she was carried to the chief justice’s house the following evening. The next morning the chief justice sent for the woman who spent the night in his house, but the woman was gone. Gone with her was an amount of three thousand Dinars that was in a box. The chief justice rushed to the Sultan and told him the story. The Sultan sent for the governor to come immediately. The governor sent for his assistant to join him. The governor confirmed the story of the chief justice except for the missing money. The Sultan gave the governor three days to go out and look for that woman. Otherwise, he had to pay the missing amount. Having so much confidence in me, he turned to me and asked for help. I said I would do my best and set off to look for that woman. I went to the city and spent the whole day checking all its streets and alleys and trying to find a trace of that woman, but with no success. I went back to my house, filled with despair and stress. I slept my night, though I was scared. I did the same thing for the second and third day, but without success. As I was heading to my house at the end of the third day, I heard a voice behind a door saying: “Hey, you!” When I stopped and looked, I realized it was her.” “She said, ‘Do not be sad or scared! Do not carry any worry, because it is an easy matter. I will help you with as much ease as pulling a hair out of dough. Neither you nor the governor will pay one Dinar as a fine. I want you to know that I have taken the money, but I have done that for you, so that I can marry you and carry your name. “I liked what I heard and no longer felt worried or scared. I asked her, ‘What is the plan?’” “She said, ‘It is easy. When you and the governor are invited to appear before the Sultan, it is you who should do the talking. I want you to say the following: Oh our Sultan, Anyone who claims something has to bring or show his proof. Now, the chief justice claimed that money was taken 259

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from his box. The governor and I need to go and do investigation and at least have a look at the area.’ Once you and the governor go inside the house and approach the location where the box is put, look at it and around it. You will notice one floor tile has been slighty removed. I removed that tile, dug under it and left my precious stones, jewelry and some clothes there. I have painted the clothes with blood that I brought along with me in a bottle. Now, you need to remove that tile and pull out and show to everybody there everything under it. You will then turn to the chief justice quickly, raise your voice and ask who was the owner of the stuff, how he killed her, where did he bury her. And how a chief justice could commit a crime as serious as this. You need to pull him towards you and do not fear nor feel sad for him. Eventually he will submit to you, get scared of you, and will ask for mercy. He will apologize and ask for forgiveness. You should press on and insult him, call him names, and command him to come with you back to the Sultan. Tell him that the Sultan needs to fire him from his position and make an example of him for all of those who put forward false claims. Once he hears this, he will offer you a solution. He will suggest signing papers to say that he will withdraw his claim and that the matter is solved to the satisfaction of all parties in volved. You will agree to that and go back to the Sultan and report to him that the case is closed. Once you are done with that, I want you to come back and meet me here at this very place as soon as possible. I ask you that in the name of Allah.’” “I very much liked what she said and went back to my house. I could not sleep that night due to my happiness with the plan that she had proposed. The messengers of the Sultan came for me and the governor. We went to see him and he told us that we had to pay the amount that was stolen from the chief justice’s house. I talked and requested that the governor hold an investigation and have a look inside the chief of justice’s house. The Sultan granted the visit. As we entered the house, I followed the plan step by step. Once I removed the tile, I found the things she left beneath it. I became very happy and proceeded with the plan. I made fun of the chief of justice’s claim, raised my voice, and cursed him. The governor joined me and was carried away with his insults and curses of the chief of justice. The man was overwhelmed by all this and offered to sign papers and withdraw his claim in front of the many people there. We went back to the Sultan, who was happy that the case ended peacefully. I hurried to the place where I was supposed to meet the woman, but she was gone. I looked for her everywhere but with no success. She will be a sigh in my heart until the day I die.”

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Among the stories told was the one reported by the Prince Nasir al-Din al-Tilawi, the ruler of Egypt. He was once asked about the strange things that took place during his era. He said: “By Allah, many strange things took place during my era. Among those is the one which has come to my mind at this moment. One night I was sleeping with my family and heard a gentle knock at my door and a voice was saying ‘Please, please!’ Quickly, I rushed to the small window and looked through it. I saw a man and I asked him, ‘What do you want?’ He said, ‘I am so-and-so (whom I have known). I have come to you with something of extreme importance.’ I opened the door. He said, ‘I want you to know that the daughter of the chief justice has a Jewish man, whose name is so-and-so, at her house. They are drinking alcohol, and he sings for her and she sings for him, and he seems to be having a good time. If you want to go to the house and check that for yourself, it is a good idea. I pray to Allah that He may provide you with riches to the end of your life!’ I liked what he said, and we went to the chief justice’s house together. We stood at the door and heard the beautiful singing. We waited until they stopped then I shouted, ‘Hey you!’ A woman opened a small window and asked, ‘Who is that?’ My companion said, ‘It is the Prince Nasir al-Din!’ She said, ‘Welcome, Prince Nasir al-Din. Do you want to get some amount of money and keep the matter as a secret? There will be some friendship between us, or do you want something else?’ My companion said, ‘I want some money and I will keep the matter secret.’ She said, ‘Fine.’ She asked the slave girls to open the door. As the door opened, the chief justice’s daughter saw me. She came to kiss my feet and said, ‘This is truly a blessed night. You can come inside the house, but your companion should wait outside, and he has to put the lamp out until you return to him. We will let him have his share, as well.’ So I went inside and we climbed up to the second floor where I saw the Jewish man. He was sitting comfortably and was surrounded by all kinds of flower arrangements, drinks, and candles. He seemed to be having a truly wonderful time. He was young, handsome with a strong body and a beautiful moustache which seemed to just have appeared on his face. He was a banker and had huge wealth. When that Jew saw me, he stood up on his feet, rushed to me, and kissed my hands and feet. He was extremely

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frightened. I told him to sit down, and so did the daughter of the chief jus tice. The slave girls were standing at attention and ready to serve. The daughter of the chief justice said, ‘I swear by Allah, this must be a blessed night.’ I said, ‘God willing!’ She picked up a glass and filled it with wine and presented it to me. I emptied the glass and said, ‘You know, I have not come for this. I assume you know why?’ She said, ‘All right.’ She went to a box and opened it. She took a purse which had a thousand Dinars, she wrapped the purse with a silk scarf, and placed it into my lap. She counted a hundred Dinars for my companion who was waiting outside. Then she asked, ‘Oh Price Nasir al-Din, what have I eaten to deserve a drink like this? What is my crime to pay a thousand Dinars, while this wretched man is paying nothing? It is a matter of fairness that he should pay a thousand Dinars, as well. Then you will have two thousand Dinars.’ When the Jew heard that he said, ‘Could you please lend me a thousand Dinars so that I can give it to the Prince, and I will pay you back.’ She said, ‘No way! If you want, you can go to your house, get the money and then come back. Two girls will go with you to make sure that they will get the money before you get inside your house. Then all of you will come back and you will pay the Prince the money in person.’ I said, ‘Sounds like a good idea!’ When the man left with the two slave girls in his company, the daughter of the chief justice asked the other girls to go downstairs, close the door, and come back quickly. They did as instructed, and they came back she said to them, ‘Now I want you to go after this man who pretends to be smart and claims that he is the deputy to the Prince.’ The girls came after me for vengeance. They slapped, kicked me hard, and knocked me down to the ground. My turban fell off my head, and they cut my clothes to pieces, while she was encouraging them. She said, ‘Keep hitting him. This man will not leave until my father comes home. I will tell him that this man was hiding inside our house and attacked us after we closed the door, and that we did not know this until we went to our beds and then he jumped and attacked us. He wanted us to commit the sin!’ When I heard that, I begged her to let me go and said that she could take back her money. I asked for forgiveness and kissed her hands and feet. She seemed to have felt sorry for me, finally. So she told her girls to

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stop beating me. Then she said, ‘All right! That is enough! Open the door, push him out, and close it again.’ When they threw me out, I thanked Allah that I was safe once again. I went back to my house filled with humiliation and bewilderment. God knew the amount of resentment I had then, but I could not tell the story to anyone for many years to come. This was what happened to me as a result of women’s deceit. May Allah protect you and us from their cunning.” A related story was that of the Prince of Believers, Harun al-Rashid, with the Barmakids and their violent murder and elimination. Harun and Ja‘far al-Barmaki grew up together like brothers. In fact, Ja‘far’s mother breast-fed Harun when both were babies. Women came between them and through deceit Ja‘far was beheaded on the orders of Harun. The whole family of the Barmakids and their relatives were eliminated for some reason, reported by Abu Thawr Azhar b. Saqlan. Ibrahim b. Ishaq quoted him as saying that Maymunah bint al-Muhallab, a half sister of alRashid, had strong feelings for Ja‘far b. Yahya al-Barmaki. She began to show her interest by writing to him and asking him to come over to visit. Ja‘far ignored her infatuation for fear that if al-Rashid learned about any secret relationship between him and Maymunah, al-Rashid would be angry and would consider Ja‘far as a violator of his house’s honor. Eventually, she got impatient with Ja‘far for ignoring her calls. So she prepared a meal and asked her brother to come over and share that meal with her. She knew that al-Rashid would come with his close friend, Ja‘far. The two men showed up and were seated. After they had finished the meal and were about to leave, Maymunah said to al-Rashid: “I have brought you the most beautiful slave girl to spend the night with. It will honor me if you do so under my roof.” Al-Rashid asked: “What about my brother, Ja‘far?” Maymunah said: “Do not worry! I have got him another one who is a good match for the one I have chosen for you.” Al-Rashid said: “That was good thinking! You thought of my brother Ja‘far and got him another beautiful slave girl.” As al-Rashid was led to the chamber where the slave girl was waiting as planned, Ja‘far was led to another chamber. Maymunah went to her room and quickly dressed up in her best clothes and make up. She came to the chamber where Ja‘far was waiting. He did not recognize her and made love to her. He though it was the slave girl. As she woke up the next morning she shook him and said: “Wake up! You must be tired of making love to Maymunah all night long!” Ja‘far jumped up and said: “What?”

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She said: “I have been begging you but you would not respond. So, I had to turn to tricks to have you in my arms for this night. You have to come more often now. Otherwise, you will lose your rank and fortune.” Ja‘far said: “My God! I am dead, and so are you!” Therefore, he started to visit her secretly, but the story came to the attention of al-Rashid. Maymunah was killed and buried secretly, and the whole Barmakids family and their relatives were eliminated. Al-Mubarrad reported Abu al-Maristani ‘Abd Allah b. Yahya b. Aktham as saying that that was how the Barmakids lost their influence and became the focus of al-Rashid’s rage. He said that once he was in the company of al-Rashid on the first day of the festival. A big cortege crossed their path. Al-Rashid asked: “Whose cortege is this?” I said: “It is your brother’s, Ja‘far ibn Yahya al-Barmaki.” Al-Rashid looked right and left and then at his own cortege which was very insignificant in comparison. He looked again and asked: “Where did Ja‘far and his cortege go?” I said: “My Master, they went in that direction. He did not see you.” Al-Rashid said: “I think he was trying to show off, and purposefully paraded his soldiers before us.” I said: “Oh Prince of Believers, If he had seen you, he would have come to greet you and apologize to you.” We continued our ride until we came to a prosperous estate with beautiful architecture, large numbers of animals, and huge piles of grain. We had to go around all of this in order to get to the main entrance. Al-Rashid looked at the grain and the animals and the apparent prosperity of the owners. He asked: “Oh Isma‘il, who owns this estate?” I said: “It belongs to your brother, Ja‘far ibn Yahya.” Al-Rashid kept silent for some time, sighed and tried to control his anger. Then we passed by a number of estates; each one of them was better than the previous one. Al-Rashid would ask about the owner and I kept saying: “It also belongs to Ja‘far ibn Yahya!” As we reached the city center he asked his guards to go. I was the only one left with him. He said: “You know, Isma‘il!” I said: “Yes, Prince of Believers!” Al-Rashid said: “I believe we have done something wrong. We let the Barmakids accumulate riches, and made our children poor and left them neglected. I do not think that my children in this city have estates such as the Barmakids’ estates. I wonder how their situation is in other cities.” I said: “Oh Prince of Believers, the Barmakids are nothing but your slaves. Whatever they own is yours.”

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Al-Rashid looked at me with anger in his eyes and said: “No! It looks like Bani Hashim are the slaves of the Barmakids, not vice versa! I do not think that Bani Hashim have any of these fortunes. Oh Isma‘il, I have told you this and I want you to keep it secret. No one should know this. If they knew about it, then I know it was you who told them.” I said: “May Allah forbid! No one like me would reveal the Prince of Believers’ secret!” I bade him farewell and left. I thought I should do something to reduce that level of feelings of animosity. I came early the next morning, greeted him, and sat before him. He was sitting in a balcony facing the river Tigris on the eastern side of its bank. To the west of that sat Ja‘far’s palace. Army units used to parade in front of the palace. Al-Rashid turned towards me and said: “You see, that is what I was talking about yesterday. Look at the number of army soldiers, guards, and carriages near the gate. You did not see that when you came to my palace, did you?” I said: “Oh Prince of Believers! You do not need to worry about these matters. Ja‘far is your slave, minister, and the commander of your army. If one could not find so many soldiers at his gate, where does one find that? His gate is one of yours.” Al-Rashid said: “Look, Isma‘il, even their animals are turning their back to us when they defecate! This is the ultimate scene of disrespect! I cannot stay quiet. By Allah, I have no more patience.” Then al-Rashid grew even angrier. I held my tongue but I said to myself: “That is destiny which is determined by Allah!” I asked for his permission and left. On the way, I saw Ja‘far who was going to see al-Rashid. I avoided him, hid so that he would not see me. Ja‘far entered the palace and was received with a big smile from al-Rashid. He offered Ja‘far one of his special servants who was both eloquent and wise. Not knowing that it was a plot, Ja‘far was pleased with the gift! That servant was assigned to spy on Ja‘far and report to al-Rashid Ja‘far’s total moves and contacts by the hour. Ja‘far went back to his palace and did not leave it for the next three days. I went to see him and that servant was the first one to see me. I realized that my conversation with Ja‘far would be reported to al-Rashid in its totality. I said to Ja‘far: “Mr. Minister, I have some advice to offer. Will you allow me to speak?” Ja‘far said: “Please go ahead!” Al-Rashid had already appointed Ja‘far to the post of the Governor of Khorasan Region and its surroundings. He gave him gifts, had ordered some army units in Nahrawan to accompany him, and those units were preparing for the expedition.

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I said: “Minister, you are ready to leave for a region that Allah has blessed with so many riches, very big and with a great water system. May I suggest that you give away some of your estates in Iraq to the children of the Prince of Believers! I think that such an act will enhance your status in his eyes.” When Ja‘far heard my suggestion, he gave me an angry look and said: “Oh Isma‘il! By Allah, it is I who has provided the bread that your friend, or call him your cousin, his children, his entourage and citizens have been eating. I have filled his treasure houses with fortunes. I have secured prosperity and security for his rule, and he still has his eyes on what I have saved for my children and their offspring. Instead of getting thanks, I have been looked at with jealousy! I swear by Allah that if he insists, some unpleasant consequences will follow.” I said: “I am sorry, sir! I don’t know why this idea crossed my mind. Please, do not mention this to the Prince of Believers.” Ja‘far asked: “Why this meddling, then, on your behalf?” I did not say anything more, sat for a short while and then went home. I did not visit al-Rashid or Ja‘far, because I thought I had become a source of doubt for both of them. However, I knew that the end of the Barmakids was looming over and could happen any day! One of Ja‘far’s mother’s servants reported to me that the servant whom al-Rashid gave to Ja‘far had reported word by word the conversation that took place between Ja‘far and me. When al-Rashid heard of Ja‘far’s harsh words, he went into seclusion for three days. Apparently, he was thinking what to do with the Barmakids. On the fourth day, he went to his first wife, Zubaydah bint alQasim, and complained to her and shared with her how he felt towards the Barmakids. He repeated to her the conversation I had had with Ja‘far as reported by the servant. I am quite aware of some hostility between Zubaydah and Ja‘far. She found an opportunity to hurt the Barmakids, and that opportunity should not be missed. Certainly, al-Rashid would listen to her advice because he had trust in her. He said: “Give me some advice. I am afraid that once they have their control over Khorasan, things will get out of my own control.” She said: “You and the Barmakids can be compared to someone who is completely drunk and has been thrown into a deep sea. If you are able to wake up from your drunkenness and save yourself from being drowned, I will tell you of something that is even harder and greater than your present situation. If you stay like this, I will not tell you.” Al-Rashid said: “Come on, tell me right away! What is it? I am listening!”

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She said: “It is a crime committed by your minister. It is harsher and more repugnant than your present complaint!” Al-Rashid said: “Hey, come on, tell me! What is it?” She said: “I respect you so much. I cannot tell you in my own words. I would like you to hear it from the chief servant of your family quarters. Bring him, and threaten him. He will tell you the details.” Al-Rashid had given Ja‘far a place in his family that none had; neither his father, nor his brother, and not even his own mother. Ja‘far was allowed to enter the family private quarters without asking for permission, for al-Rashid had introduced Ja‘far in person to his slave girls, his sisters, daughters, and the rest of his household except for his wife. When alRashid and Ja‘far were infants, Ja‘far’s mother breast-fed them. So, the boys grew up like brothers. Ja‘far was never in the area where Zubaydah lived. She never asked him to do her a favor, and neither did he. Therefore, when al-Rashid showed some resentment towards the Barmakids, Zubaydah focussed on it for no love was lost between them. Al-Rashid left Zubaydah’s quarters and asked for the chief servant, ‘Urjuwan, to come immediately. Meanwhile, he ordered that the sword and the carpet for execution be brought, as well. When ‘Urjuwan came, alRashid threatened: “Am I not the son of al-Mansur, and I certainly will kill you if you do not give me a full account of what you know about Ja‘far!” ‘Urjuwan said: “Oh Prince of Believers, will you grant me safety?” Al-Rashid said: “Most certainly!” ‘Urjuwan said: “Then, you should know Ja‘far has violated your honor with your sister, Maymunah. They have been doing this for the past seven years. She had three boys from him. The older is six years old; the second is five years old, an the third one lived for just two years, for he died recently. Ja‘far sent the two boys to the city of the Messenger of Allah, Medina. She is now pregnant with the fourth baby. She allowed him to enter your family quarters any time. She ordered me not to prevent him any time he came, whether day or night.” Al-Rashid said: “She ordered you not to stop him! Why didn’t you inform me when it happened for the first time?” Al-Rashid ordered that ‘Urjuwan be beheaded, and the order was carried out immediately. He then went to Zubaydah’s quarter and said: “You see how Ja‘far has treated me and how he violated my family honor. He has brought shame on me among Arabs and Persians!” She said: “It was through your own desire and will! It was your mis take to bring to your own family quarters a young, handsome man, well dressed with the fragrance of perfume filling the place around him. You gave him the opportunity to meet the daughter of one of Allah’s Caliphs, 267

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though she herself was pretty, well dressed and cleaner than he! She has not met a young man like him. Satan played between them and removed reason and good judgment from their thinking. Satan brought destruction on both of them. This is what you get when you bring together fire and the Caliph’s daughters!” Al-Rashid left her with a truly heavy heart. He sent for his private servant, Masrur, who was cruel, rude, and viscous. Allah had removed mercy from his heart. Al-Rashid said to him: “Masrur, when it gets dark, I want you to bring me ten strong men, and bring two servants together with them.” Masrur said: “Yes, sir!” A little after darkness, Masrur showed up and brought with him ten strong men and two servants. Al-Rashid stood up and walked to his sister, Maymunah’s quarters. He looked at her and noticed that she looked pregnant. He did not talk or blame her. He ordered the two servants to put her in a big box that was in her compartment, together with her dresses and jewelry. She did not say one word. She did not talk or apologize for her sin. She knew that she would face her destiny the moment she heard of ‘Urjuwan’s execution. She knew that she would be next. The two servants closed the box and carried it to the big pit the ten men had already dug in the middle of Maymunah’s quarter. The box was lowered to the bottom of the pit and dirt was removed to cover it completely, while al-Rashid was sitting on a chair watching. Then al-Rashid locked the quarter’s gate and took the key with him. Masrur took the two men and the two servants and had them put inside big sacks that were made heavy with stones, rocks and pebbles and thrown into the middle of the Tigris. He then immediately went back to al-Rashid, who asked him: “Oh Masrur, what did you do with them?” Masrur said: “I paid them their wages and let them go!” Al-Rashid said: “Here is the key. I want you to keep it until I ask you for it. Now, go and pitch the Turkish tent in the courtyard.” Masrur did as he was instructed, but no one knew what al-Rashid had in mind. He came back the next morning, which was Thursday, the day for parade. Al-Rashid said to him: “Masrur, be sure to stay around here!” People began to arrive, line up, then come inside to greet the Prince of the Believers. Among them was Ja‘far b. Yahya al-Barmaki. Al-Rashid smiled at him, greeted, and welcomed him. He showed and read to him the reports that had come from the various parts of the state. He issued a number of decrees and gave orders in response to some people’s requests. Ja‘far asked for permission to leave to Khorasan that day. Al-Rashid asked

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for the astrologer to come forward and asked him: “How much is left of the day?” The astrologer said: “Only three hours and a half have passed of the day.” Al-Rashid took the instrument from the astrologer’s hand and looked at it as if he were calculating the time. He then turned to Ja‘far and said: “My brother! I can see that today is an unlucky day for you. You should not do anything today. Why not wait until tomorrow and then leave after Friday prayers. You will spend the night in the Nahrawan, then you can take off early Saturday morning.” Ja‘far did not seem to like the idea at first. However, he took the instrument from the astrologer’s hand, looked at it, and did his own calculations. He then turned to the caliph and said: “By Allah! You are right. Truly, it is a unlucky day. I’ve never seen a star that burns so fast and has such a narrow path as this one.” He then stood up and left for his palace surrounded by people, army commanders, private and public citizens. They all arrived at his palace, and he sat down and gave his orders and responses to those who came with some requests. The minute the crowd dispersed, Masrur showed up. Apparently, the plan was put into action. Al-Rashid said to Masrur: “Go right away and bring me Ja‘far. Tell him that I have received additional news from Khorasan. Once he passes the first gate, do not let any of his bodyguard come in. None but Ja‘far should walk through that gate. Take him to the Turkish tent, behead him, and bring me his head. None of Allah’s creations should know about this! I do not want you to ask me to have mercy on him. If you do, I will ask someone else to bring me your own head! That is all, and you know how to do your business. Go right now before he gets any news.” As Ja‘far changed and lay down in order to rest, Masrur broke in and said: “Sir, answer the Prince of the Believers!” Ja‘far felt upset and scared simultaneously. He said: “Shame on you, Masrur! I just came from him. What is the matter?” Masrur said: “Sir, more post from Khorasan has arrived and he needs to read that while you are there.” Ja‘far felt a little bit relaxed. He asked his attendant to bring his uniform. He put it on, checked his sword, and left with Masrur. As they approached al-Rashid’s palace gate, the body guards were told to wait. As they passed the second gate, the servants were asked to wait there. As they passed through the third gate, Ja‘far looked back and noticed that there was none but him and Masrur. He realized that he should not have come at that hour. As they arrived to where the Turkish tent was pitched, 269

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Masrur stopped the horse and helped Ja‘far to dismount. He led him to the tent. Ja‘far noticed the sword and the execution carpet. He realized that he was in trouble. He turned to Masrur and said: “Brother, what is the matter?” Masrur said: “Brother! Now you call me ‘brother’ and in your house you said, ‘Masrur, Shame on you!’ You know what the matter is. Allah always gives people a chance but never forgets them! The Prince of Believers has ordered me to behead you, and have your head carried to him now!” Ja‘far cried and kissed Masrur’s hands and feet. He said: “Masrur, you know I have always given you a special status over the rest of the servants and entourage. I never said no to any request you brought before me. You are aware of my position and what I mean to the Prince of Believers and how much I know of his secrets and private affairs. Probably someone told him some false thing about me. How about a hundred thousand Dinars that I will pay you right away if you let me go?” Masrur said: “No way! He is the Prince of the Believers, and I cannot even ask him to have mercy on you. I cannot even plead on your behalf! I know that your time has come!” Ja‘far said: “Why don’t you save my life for just one hour? Go to him and tell him that you have executed his order, and see what he says. Then come back and do whatever you want with me!” Ja‘far was beheaded and his head was carried to al-Rashid. That was just the beginning of his rage. He ordered that Ja‘far’s body be hung on the main bridge in Baghdad. He put his father Yahya and brother al-Fadl in jail, in fact in two ditches. He sent their relatives into exile He confiscated their property and ordered their palaces be looted and burned down. Following that, even bread was unavailable for members of the Barmakids’ family. The army that was in Nahrawan, ready to go to Khorasan, was ordered to return to its garrison in Baghdad. When things settled down, a new governor was appointed to rule the Khorasan region. His name was ‘Ali b. ‘Isa b. Haman. Al-Rashid sent his messengers to al-Medina to bring the two boys; the children of Ja‘far and Maymunah. When they were presented to him, he was impressed with their beautiful looks. When he talked to them, he was captivated by their al-Medina accent, choice of words, and eloquence. He asked the older what his name was, and he said: “al-Hasan”. When he asked the younger one he said: “al-Husain”. He looked at them and cried. He said: “With your beauty and age I find it really difficult. May Allah have no mercy for those who have brought misfortune on you!” The boys did not know what al-Rashid had planned for them, for in re ality he was lamenting them. 270

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He then asked: “Masrur! Where is the key I gave you and asked you to keep?” Masrur said: “Prince of Believers, I have it.” Al-Rashid said: “Give me that key.” He asked a group of strong men to remove the dirt that covered the box which had Maymunah’s body. When they got there he ordered them to bring enough fire wood and put in that ditch and burn it... When the fire matured, he sent for the boys. He seated them in his lap and kissed them while crying. I thought that he might change his mind as he repeated again and again: “May Allah have no mercy for those who have brought misfortunes on you!” Masrur reported to have heard the boys crying and pleading for their lives. He said that his heart was cut into pieces as he watched and heard them say: “O Uncle! Allah, Allah, please have mercy on us. Do not hurt and kill us for the sins of others. Please have mercy and spare our lives.” He cried as the boys were crying. I thought that he would spare their lives. Then he wiped his eyes and said: “Oh Masrur! By Allah, I have to let them go. Sadness is for one hour, and it will be over. Otherwise, I will regret that forever. Take the older one and do to him what I do to the younger.” Masrur said that al-Rashid took one boy and he took the other and they threw them into the burning fire. He said: “I swear by Allah, I heard only their first screams, then nothing. No voice, no flesh and no bone were left of them.” When the fire died out a few days later, al-Rashid ordered that the ashes be collected and scattered over the Tigris on a windy day. He also ordered that no one should mention the Barmakids in his presence. Anyone left of them should not be hired and was not allowed to live in Baghdad. Whoever was left from the family chose exile and left the city in disguise. Sometime later al-Rashid found a piece of paper under his prayer carpet. When he enquired about the source of it, he was told that his chief attendant had put it there. He sent for him. The chief attendant said: “Oh Prince of Believers! I found it in the courtyard. I took it and put it under your prayer carpet.” It looked as if the message was probably written and left in the courtyard by Zubaydah bint al-Qasim so that al-Rashid would eliminate the rest of the Baramika. She wrote the message to stir up al-Rashid’s anger and agitation. He ordered that al-Fadl b. Yahya be brought before him, and al-Rashid flogged him to the point that we thought the man would die. He then asked the guards to add more chains on al-Fadl, who used to live in luxury. He also asked for Yahya, who was an old man, He ordered to increase the number of chains on Yahya, as well. Later Yahya wrote a letter 271

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to al-Rashid asking him to reduce the weight of the chains on him in his cell. It reads as follows: In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. To: The Prince of Believers, the offspring of the Rightly Guided, and the Caliph of Allah; the Lord of the Universe.

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From: From a slave whose sins have delivered him, was captured by his desires, disappointed by his brother, rejected by his friends, betrayed by time, and for whom despair cries for mercy upon him. He, who has ended in a narrow cell after the spacious estates, has to deal with despair after leading a truly happy life. He who has to drink unlimited number of glasses of humiliation. He who has become the focus of anger after being the focus of satisfaction. He whose lack of sleep has become his companion. He who spends his day thinking and the night awake. Oh Prince of Believers, I have encountered death many times, but that was nothing compared to my missing being near you. Two calamities have fallen me. One is status and the other is property. The property is not an issue, for it is yours to begin with. The second calamity is Ja‘far, whose sin and mistakes caught up with him. He should have been wiser than to show disrespect to you. He deserved what he has received. Oh Prince of Believers, forget not my services and save my weakness, bless me with your forgiveness, for I am the one who makes mistakes and you are the one who forgives. I am not apologizing, but I am admitting. I am hoping to win your satisfaction. Please accept my apology, my sincere intentions, my total obedience, and my excuses. I hope that the Prince of Believers will find satisfaction with all of this and see the truth in it, and respond favorably, Allah willing. He then composed eighteen lines of poetry and included them in his message. He added nothing, but was repeating and restating his appeal to alRashid. Al-Rashid read the message and the lines of poetry. He responded with two lines of poetry which said: That is what destiny has brought on you, For the public betrayal of the trust that was endowed unto you, For not listening to your leader’s advice vis-à-vis serious matters.

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Under those lines, al-Rashid quoted a verse from the Qur’an which says: Allah sets forth a Parable; A city enjoying security And quiet, abundantly supplied, With sustenance from every place. Yet was it ungrateful For the favors of Allah. So, Allah made it taste Of hunger and terror (in extremes) (Closing in on it) like a garment (From every side), because Of the (evil) which (Its people) wrought.232

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When Yahya read the response of al-Rashid, he felt total despair and knew that he would never leave that cell. Al-Rashid decided to go to Mecca to perform a pilgrimage that year. He was accompanied by his entourage and an army battalion. Resting camps were put up all the way from Baghdad to the Holy Lands. Luxurious pavilions, which were furnished with fancy carpets and silk coverings and sheets for beds and pillows, were pitched and the caliph and his entourage were moving from one pavilion to the next. As al-Rashid was performing his rituals, death drew closer to Yahya. When he felt that his end was approaching, he wrote another message and asked his son al-Fadl to deliver it to al-Rashid when he came home. It was only a few lines of poetry which said: When we stand tomorrow before the Lord You will realize who the victim of oppression was. People’s unhappiness will come to an end, And their worldly worries disappear. When al-Rashid returned from his pilgrimage, al-Fadl gave him the message. He read it and said: “So, Yahya is now dead! By Allah, generosity, kindness, and unselfishness have all died with him. I swear by Allah that I would have set him free if he were still alive.” Then he ordered the release of al-Fadl and made him a minister to replace his brother, Ja‘far. May Allah have mercy on each and every one of them. Consider, my brother, may Allah have mercy on you, this strange story and the strange things reported in it. Think of the great sin and 232 Q. 16(an-Nahl):112.

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crimes for which responsibility al-Rashid had to shoulder. All of that resulted from his sister, Maymunah, and her schemes which led to her demise and that of those who were innocent. May Allah protect us from women’s stratagems, for their dodge has no limits. Another relevant story was reported by Ibn ‘Abbas. It goes like this: Once upon a time there were seven good worshippers among the Bani Israel. They decided to give up on worldly pleasures, go into seclusion, and devote all their time to worshipping Allah. That suggestion came from the eldest among them. They left the area where they used to live and came to another location not far from a town in al-Sham. One of them said: “This location seems fine. Let us build a house for ourselves here. It is not very far from the town. We need to be near a town.” Another man said: “I ask you in the name of Allah, the Vanquisher, not to settle down here because it is a land of temptation that will not last very long.” The rest said: “It is all right. We need a dwelling to live in, anyway.” The man said: “If you want to dwell here, then you should only build a hut of reeds.” They said: “All right.” They collected reeds and build a hut for themselves. When they were done they asked each other: “How should we earn our living?” The elder said: “Let us make baskets. Four of us will do that, while the other three devote their time for worship. When the baskets are completed and sold, we should take turns. Those who have been worshipping take up the task of basket-making, and the others will go for worship.” They continued doing this for some time. They would make baskets and take them to the nearby town to sell. When they got the price, they would buy olive oil and barley. One day the elder said: “Now that our clothes are torn and we cannot afford to buy new ones, we need to make some clothes of the same material we are using in making these baskets.” So, they put on “clothes” made of reeds and date palm leaves, and spent their time in worship and crying day and night. One of the kings of the Bani Israel heard the story of the seven men. He had a daughter who became an orphan when she was a baby. Her mother died and that king cried for her day and night. One day his little daughter came to him and asked: “Father, how long are you going to be crying?” The king said: “My daughter, you need to know that I have been thinking of this life and the seven men who gave up on worldly pleasures and rejected it because it is temporary. I see now that my kingdom and all it has cannot benefit me. I am thinking of giving up my kingdom and rule to

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join them until Allah decides for me and them. In sha’a Allah, I will do that soon.” The girl cried and asked: “With whom will you leave me? I am your daughter and I have no other relative but you. If you leave me, you will break my heart. My liver will break up into pieces for you! My pain for you will be more than the rewards you hope from your lord.” The king cried and said: “What should I do with you? I cannot take you with me because women should not sit down with men.” She cried and said: “I do not care about men! I am still a little girl. I can dress up in men’s clothes and go with you!” The father cut her a piece of cloth made of goat hair and cut another piece for himself. He took her by the hand and they ran away under the cover of night and headed to join the seven men. They came to the hut where the seven men lived and greeted them. The seven men welcomed the “man” and his “son”, for they did not know who their new companions were. Now, the men would make baskets and the “boy” would take them to town and sell them there. He would buy olive oil and barley for the group to eat. This continued until the day when the man died following a short period of illness. As death approached him they said to him: “Friend, tell us what you see. We heard that the soul will not leave the body before a man sees himself either in Heaven or in Hell.” He said: “Good news, my friends! You will be approaching the Lord of the Heavens. However, I ask you to take care of my son. He is still little and I leave him first in Allah’s custody and secondly in yours. I will ask you about him on the Day of Judgment.” They said: “May Allah reward you. You only spoke the truth. We will take care of your son the same way we took care of you. We will be to him the way we have been to you, and more, Allah willing.” They washed and prepared the dead man for burial, then prayed over his body before they buried it. The boy continued to receive the same treatment as during the days when his father was alive. He continued his task of taking the baskets to town and selling them there. One day as he was heading to the market place to sell his baskets, the king’s daughter, who was sitting with her governess on her balcony, spotted him. She was bowled over by his handsome looks and fell for him instantly. She turned to her governess and said: “Do you see how handsome and attractive this young man is? Can you go and talk to him? Can you bring him over here, please? I will give you anything you want!” The governess went downstairs and rushed to the road. She approached him and said: “Young man! Good news! Allah will reward you if you come with me and help my dying son say the Shahada. As the young 275

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man entered the palace, she closed the doors behind him. She told him to wait, then she went upstairs and told the king’s daughter: “He is there, go for him!” Dressed in her best garment, make up and jewelry, the king’s daughter went downstairs, walking with a proud swagger. She said: “Ask for anything you want!” He said: “I seek refuge in Allah and fear Him! If I disobey him, the light that is on my face will go away, and I will pass up my chance to go to Heaven.” She said: “You have no chance to escape. There is no place whether in Heaven or on earth that can hold you. If you will not do it at will, I will force you.” She extended her hand to him. The boy cried and said: “No God but Allah! I do not like those who disobey Him.” Allah put fear and fright into the heart of that girl. She said to her governess: “Take him out! He is Satan. He does not look like humans.” The governess opened the door, asked him to leave and to take his baskets with him. He went out and took his baskets to the market and sold them. He bought olive oil and barley with the price, as usual. As he was leaving the town’s gate, the king’s daughter saw him and said to him: “By Allah, I will work on your demise, murder, and showing publicly who you really are.” He said to her: “May Allah be the judge between you and me!” He went back to the hut but did not tell the seven men of what had happened to him that day. Now, the king’s daughter needed a man so she said to her governess: “I need a man! I want you to find me one by any means possible.” The governess went out and came back with an adulterer, who was the worst among Bani Israe’il, and made the king’s daughter pregnant. Almost nine months had passed when the mother came to her daughter’s quarters and sat down with her. She noticed that her daughter’s face was pale and that she looked sick. She touched her daughter’s belly and felt the fetus moving quickly. She screamed loudly and passed out. When the slave girls saw that, they rushed to the king to tell him of his wife’s condition. The king came and asked his wife: “What is the matter with you?” She said: “Allah is angry with us?” He asked: “For what?” She said: “Adultery has surfaced in your own palace.” He asked again: “How is that? She said: “Your daughter is pregnant!” The king asked for his daughter to come to him. He said to her: “Tell me the truth. Otherwise, I will have you cut to pieces with knives.” 276

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When she heard that she said: “By Allah, that boy who lives with the seven men has done that to me.” The king’s face turned pale and he began to shake. However, he was able to reach and then sat on his throne. He ordered: “Bring me the police chief and his staff right now!” When they came and stood before him, he said to them: “I want you to go now and bring me the seven men and the boy immediately. I want you to put ropes around their necks, tie their hands, and on the way beat them with stones on their faces. They have committed a huge crime.” The police chief and his staff went to the hut and brought the men and the boy, treating them mercilessly as per the king’s instructions. When they were brought before the king, he shouted at them and said: “You worshippers of Allah are nothing but adulterers who pretend to be religious!” They protested and asked: “Why do you call us adulterers. We swear by Allah that none of us will disobey Allah. Don’t you know that adultery is next to being an infidel?! Tell us exactly what we have done that makes you convinced that we are adulterers who deserve this punishment.” The king said: “I have done that to you because of the boy who is under your custody. He has done something to my daughter which is not acceptable by Allah or our culture.” They said: “By Allah, this is very strange. You make us responsible for the sin of someone else! We know this boy. We have seen only good things from him. When he is not around with us, only Allah knows what the boy does. You have to consider Allah and beware of Him while you are punishing us.” The king cried loudly and said: “Forgive me my mistake!” They said: “He who seeks Allah’s forgiveness should not oppress His people. Your Majesty, Do you want Allah to forgive you?” He said: “Yes.” They said: “Then you have to set this boy free.” He said: “People, I am kind of convinced to have him be tortured badly. But, now I am willing to give an alternative, and that is to be exiled.” They said: “Some options are less severe than others. Kick him out of your land and send him to into exile!” He turned to his chief of staff and said: “Take this boy to the border of my land and leave him there with nothing but the clothes that he has on!” The chief of staff took the boy and left him where the king ordered. When the baby was born, the king’s wife took it to the king and said: “This is the bastard your daughter has delivered. Send it away before Allah becomes angry with us!” 277

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The king turned to the chief of staff and said: “You remember where you left the boy? Take this baby to him for he should be responsible for him.” The chief of staff took the baby and came to the area where he had left the boy. When he saw him he said to him: “The king said that you have to take this baby, for his mother claimed that you are the one who made her pregnant to begin with.” The boy said: “I put my trust in Allah, for He is the One that man has to trust. There is no power and no strength save in Allah.” He (in fact she) took the baby and put it to her right. She began to pray and cry. She said: “My Lord, the Lord of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! I want you to provide for this baby. You know I have nothing to do with it. You provide for him any way You like.” Allah said to Jibra’il: “You go now to the mountain in al-Sham and take a deer from there to where the baby is, and have it provide milk for it. That poor young woman asked Me for this help. My obligation is to re spond to her request. She never complained about her dilemma except to Me. I swear by My Pride and Power that if she had asked me to move mountains from their locations, I would have done that. I owe her a lot!” Jibra’il went to that mountain, called for one deer and told it to go to the area where the baby was and feed it. The deer went to the area, found the baby and fed it. She continued do this for some time. One day the young worshipping woman asked Allah to take the baby so that it would not distract her from worshipping Allah. The baby died and the young woman felt relieved. She kept performing her worship while birds would bring her food items in order to eat and survive. This continued for some time and her story became known to people. They said that Allah would respond to that young worshipper’s prayers. A delegation decided to go and talk to the king in order to have the young worshipper return to their town. They said: “Your Majesty! The young man that you sent into exile is a good worshipper and Allah responds to his prayer. We ask you to allow him to come back to us.” The king said: “That is fine with me, if you want that.” The said: “But we cannot tell him to come. He knows that you are the one who sent him into exile.” The king said: “All right. Let my chief of staff go to the area where he left the boy and bring him back!” The chief of staff went and brought the boy back. When he was presented to the king, he asked him: “Do you want to stay with me, or will you choose to go with your friends?” The boy said he wanted to be with

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his friends. He was taken to them. They greeted and welcomed him. He stayed with them for sometime, but one day he became ill. They sat around him and asked: “What do you want us to do?” He said: “Fear Allah as if you see Him, for He is watching over you. Stay away from disobedience.” They said: “May Allah reward you. What else do you want?” He said: “I want you to bury me with my current clothes.” They said: “But we have to wash and clean your body prior to burial.” He said: “In that case, let the oldest among you take a knife and sharpen it on a stone. Then he needs to cut the top of my shirt just under my throat and then look down there. Then you do whatever is needed.” The boy died and they mourned him greatly. The elder took a knife and did exactly as per the boy’s will. Suddenly, he threw the knife and pulled back in shock. He said: “It is a girl!” They said: “Look once again.” He said: “I cannot do so. It would be a deliberate look and that is forbidden.” They asked: “What should we do?” He said: “We need to have women come and look at her. Why don’t you go to town and bring some women to do it.” They went to the town and brought a number of women. When they checked the deceased and found it was a woman, they began to scream loudly. When news spread, other people heard it and they crowded around the house. Even the king and his entourage came to find out about the story. The women told him that the deceased was really a young woman. He asked his wife to go inside and check for herself. She went and came out to verify the story. When she told him that, the king dis mounted and began to spread dirt over his head. He said to the crowd: “Let me put the shroud over her. It was my own mistake and I fear that Allah will torture me for it.” They let him do this. He ordered a shroud to be brought to him. He also ordered that his daughter be arrested and put in chains. As women came to wash and prepare the deceased, they found that she had already been washed and shrouded. They said to the king: “Allah gave you back your shroud. Her present shroud came from heaven.” The king cried loudly and strongly. He wanted to put his shroud over the one that was already on the deceased, but the shroud did not fit. When they dug a grave for her, they found that it smelled like musk. Angels prayed, and among them there was one who looked like a young knight on a chestnut horse. People heard the echo of the angels’ prayers. When the burial was concluded, the king ordered his daughter to be beheaded 279

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and he assigned his minister to perform the task. He said to him: “When you finish beheading her, put her head in a wash basin. Have someone carry it around the street of this city. Let it be known that this is the punishment for anyone who commits adultery and accuses the worshippers of Allah of such crimes.” People heard this, and it was a great day in that city. This is how this book ends. We seek protection from Allah against women’s deceit and slyness.

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Poetry of Twenty Female Arab Poets

African-American Female Poets: Establishing a Framework Every culture has its celebrated female poets. While often not as wellknown as their male counterparts, knowledge and appreciation of their work ensures that it continues to be preserved for posterity. Test your knowledge: With how many of the following African-American poets are you familiar? Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911) was celebrated for her financial independence, national acclaim as a poet, essayist, writer of fiction, and for her public readings and lectures; these were made in the name of racial equality, the rights of women and children, and Christian morality and temperance. Her poem, Bury Me in a Free Land, expresses fully the attitude she held throughout her adult life: Make a grave where’er you will, In a lowly plain, or on a lofty hill, Make it among earth’s humblest graves, But not in a land where men are slaves.

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Henrietta Cordelia Ray (1852-1916) produced a poem honoring Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (1837-1863), commander of the famous Massachusetts 54th Infantry Volunteer Regiment233 and its heroic efforts at Fort Wagner, North Carolina, during an action of the American Civil War. She wrote: When War’s red banners trailed along the sky, And many a manly heart grew aflame With patriotic love and purest aim, There rose a noble soul who dared to die, If only Right could win.234 These Civil War-Era giants of poetry were either preceded by Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), or followed by Maya Angelou (b. 1928), Gwendolyn 233 Sometimes referred to as a “colored” unit, the regiment was composed of AfricanAmerican troops. 234 The subject of this Fort Wagner incident was made into an excellent movie (Glory, 1989) with the actor Matthew Broderick as Col. Shaw, in a role supported by the talents of Denzel Washington, Andre Braugher, and Morgan Freeman. Edward Zwick, Director.

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Brooks (1917-2000), Ai Ogawa (1947-2010), Lucille Clifton (1936-2010), Rita Dove (b. 1952), Nikki Giovanni (b. 1943), Audre Lorde (1934-1992), Wanda Phipps (b. 1960), Natasha Trethewey (b. 1966), and Alice Walker (b. 1944). Maya Angelou wrote and read a poem at the inauguration of President William Jefferson Clinton and also at that of President Barack Hussein Obama. This had usually been the role of male poets such as Robert Frost at John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s inauguration. For a female poet to be so honored reflects the public’s awareness of their important role in society. Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Sylvia Plath, and Amy Lowell were never so honored. African-American female poets are wellknown and well-respected voices in the community, as are their male counterparts and colleagues. So, how well did you do?

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“Western” Female Poets There are some 177 female poets that have been acknowledged by the West,235 and the African-American poet is counted among them. But of these, Ho Xuan Huong (1772-1822), one of Vietnam’s greatest poets, Sarojini Naidu (1879-1949), the brilliant Indian poet who passed the matriculation of the University of Madras aged twelve, and Oodgeroo Noonuccal (1920-1993), and Australian Queenslander, who advocated for Aboriginal rights, have been included in this list of famous poets. “Western”, therefore, is here used with great elasticity of meaning. More to the point of our Introduction, there are only three poets on the list whose names reflect Arab origins: Suheir Hammad (b. 1973), born in Amman, Jordan, to Palestinian refugees, but who emigrated to the U.S. at the age of five, Naomi Shihab Nye (b. 1952), born to a Palestinian father and an American mother, who lived for a time in Jerusalem; and Nima Nawwab, (b. 1966), a Saudi Arabian poet. The twenty poets presented in this chapter are important in that they make the West aware of the contribution to world poetry by women of Arab descent who write in Arabic and not necessarily for Western recipients.

235 The list and photos of these female poets are available at http://www.famouspoets andpoems.com/poets_women.html, 2012.

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Arab Poetry by Women

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The Modern Female Arab Poet: A Contest For Equality With Male Poets

Arab poetry is the oldest form of literature in Arabia, and is a part of Bedouin heritage. For a long time, Arab secular poetry has been focused on two main themes: love and tribal pride. Nabati poetry follows a newer trend which deals with social issues, especially current events in the Arab world. In a recent article in the Middle East Online,236 the writer posed the question: Would the best Arab talent poet be a female? The article began: “One week left to know the best poet of the Arab World as the final phase of Arab’s biggest Nabati poetry TV competition “Million’s Poet” has started last Wednesday.” This informed enthusiasts that five of the poets competing had become finalists in the contest. These poets were from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Originating from Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage-sponsored poetry competition began with forty-eight competing poets in the category known as Nabati or dialect poetry. Hissa Hilal, a Saudi poet known for her criticism of misused Fatwas in the Islamic world, was among the finalists. Delivering a poem that critiqued the media as force for both good and evil, Hilal advocated an enlightened media that fought against those who would throttle free speech through censorship, and praised journalists who risked and/or sacrificed their lives in an effort to report the truth. From the judging panel she was awarded a score of twenty-eight out of a possible thirty points. The male-dominated Nabati competition has thus received its first challenge from Hilal’s talents. Another of the finalists, “Jazaa al-Boqami from Saudi Arabia, delivered a poem on women; praising this magical creature” who has suffered “over the ages from ignorance and injustice.”237Here, then, was a poem about women, but written by a man. But as early as January 2010, during the fourth season of the “Million’s Poet” contest, three female poets had qualified to participate, for the first time in the history of the competition, in addition to Hissa Hilal, mentioned above, Roba al-Douekat from Jordan, and Halima Abadi of Jordan. An online article from the Khaleej Times entitled “Female Poets Break the Trend in

236 Middle East Online http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=38065, 25th March 2010. 237 Middle East Online http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=38065, 25th March 2010.

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‘Million’s Poet’ Contest”238 highlighted the poetic success of these three women. The Telegraph newspaper compares the poetry contest to the popular American television program “American Idol” by referring to it as ‘Arabic Idol.’ The article of March 2010, entitled Female poet uses ‘Arabic Idol’ to attack Muslim clerics refers to the poetry of contestant Hissa Hilal. More is said therein about her powerful poem containing “a blistering attack on Muslim preachers ‘who sit in the position of power’ but are ‘frightening’ people with their fatwas, that is their religious edicts, and ‘preying like a wolf’ on those seeking peace.”239 That Hilal has received death threats from Islamic militant groups because of her provocative poetry readings has certainly come as no surprise to her. “My poetry has always been provocative,” she said. “It’s a way to express myself and give voice to Arab women, silenced by those who have hijacked our culture and our religion.” Her poem was a specific response to Shaykh Abdul-Rahman al-Barrak, a Saudi cleric, and his issuing of a Fatwa saying that those who advocate the mixing of men and women should be considered infidels and punished by death. 240One sees, then, that Arab poetry is alive and well and that modern Arab women have earned the right to membership of the highest ranks that produce it.

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The Classical Female Arab Poet

We must remind ourselves constantly that we generally only know fifty percent of history, any kind of history – that which is refracted through the historiographical (in)sensibilities of men. In modern times, women writers have responded to the lack of the other fifty percent by filling in the blanks, as it were by the genre we describe as: “What she (any woman) would have said had she been given the opportunity to respond, also.” I recall the collection of poems written by Carol Ann Duffy entitled The World’s Wife. The work provides female perspectives on numerous subjects concerning how women responded to men in specific, as well as general situations. It is, of course, what the writer holds those women would have said had they been allowed to be included. While reckoned as fantasy, on the one hand, those authors who give life to this genre of literature hold hands sensibility- and emotion-wise with their “sisters” the 238 Khaleej Times http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/theuae/ 2010/January/theuae_January378.xml§ion=theuae&col=, 14th January 2010. 239 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/saudiarabia/7509031/Femalepoet-uses-Arabic-Idol-to-attack-Muslim-clerics.html. 240 Ibid.

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world over, and attempt to provide “voice” for those still unable to give rise to it, on the other. My favorite among Duffy’s “vocal women” is Delilah. As if providing testimony in a court of law, Delilah provides a rationale as to why she dealt with Samson in such a cold and treacherous way. Like the paid agent of the Philistines that she was, she explains her reasons using unemotional language. The reader is on the verge of considering her a heartless person until almost the very end. It is there that Delilah let slip certain terms that reveal a tender-hearted, compassionate side that was also interpretable in her dealings with the judge and hero. Duffy’s work appeared in 1999. In the late 1980s, one of us had the pleasure of touring Cologne and Hamburg, Germany. At the time of our Hamburg sojourn, the city was hosting what was called Theater der Welt (The World’s Theater). Two performances I attended still remain close to me. One was a one-man show where the actor played numerous roles, both male and female. He was a white South African, and voiced stinging critiques of the South African regime and its Apartheid policies; I learned much from him and his different characters. There was also a highly memorable session entitled Ungehaltene Reden ungehaltener Frauen. Beware that there is a subtle shading of meaning or ambiguity in the German wording. A workable rendering, however, would be Speeches not Delivered/Unbridled Speeches by Unfettered Women. Similar to Duffy’s Delilah, famous women give vent and voice to their frustrations, observations, associations, dreams, and triumphs. One of the “speakers” was Katarina von Bora, the ex-nun and wife of Martin Luther. Suffice it to say that Luther should be deemed incomplete by his biographers until one has “heard” what his wife has to say. Were the poetry of Arab women read more frequently, and over a long period of time, one would learn that this genre I have described has long been alive among them. Unlike the Ungehaltene Reden, however, their voices have been clothed in poetic garb. Like their Western counterparts, the “public voice” had its volume greatly lowered, but was never muted. Closer To Our Own Time

Nazik al-Malai’ka (1922-2007) was recently lost to us. She had been an Iraqi poet, and had been considered one of the most influential, female poets, especially for her use of free verse. She studied in both Baghdad and Madison, Wisconsin. Among her books of poetry are “‘Ashiqat al-Layl” (“Night’s Lover”), “Shazaya al-Ramad” (“Sparks and Ashes”), “Qararat alMawja” (“ Bottom of the Wave”); her final work was “Tree of the Moon” which was published in 1968. After the Ba‘th Party’s ascent to power in 285

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Iraq, she and her family left the country and settled in Kuwait, and remained there until Saddam Hussein invaded the neighboring country in 1990, provoking the so-called “Gulf War.” Leaving Kuwait, she and her family spent the rest of her life in Cairo, Egypt. She was 84 when she died. There were some notable Arab female writers who were recognized for their talents. Many of them are the subject of a list generated in 2007. Commentary concerning them occupies some thirty-two pages of text which are worth reading.241

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— ‘Asma’ bint Marwan (Arabia) (She purportedly wrote poems against the Prophet Muhammad.) — al-Khansa’ (Arabia) (Considered the greatest Arab female poet – we have discussed her above.) — Layla bint ‘Abdullah al-Akhiliyya (Arabia) (like the preceding two, a 7th Century C.E. poet) — Wallada bint al-Mustakfi (Andalusia) (994-1091 C.E.) — May Ziade (Lebanese-Palestinian) ( 1886-1941 C.E.) — Daisy Al-Amir (Iraq) — Wafa’ Abed Al-Razzaq (Iraq) — Siham Benchekroun (Morocco) — Nathalie Handal (Palestinian)242 — Farrah Sarafa (American)

241 Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Arabic-language_women_writers 2011. 242 Among Nathalie Handal’s work is an anthology she edited entitled The Poetry of Arab Women: A Contemporary Anthology. Northampton, MA: Interlink Publishing, 2001.

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Twenty Contemporary Arab Women Poets

‫عشرون شاعرة عربية معاصرة‬ Contents

Saliha Ghabish, United Arab Emirates..............................................................288 Liana Badr, Palestine.............................................................................................289 Hamda Khamis, Bahrain.......................................................................................292 Amal al-Jubouri, Iraq.............................................................................................293 ‘Aisha al-Busmait, Shaarqa..................................................................................296 Saida Khatir al-Farsi, Lebanon............................................................................297 Turkiya al-Busa‘idi, Oman...................................................................................300 Hamda Khamis, Bahrain.......................................................................................301 Zulaikha Abu Risha, Jordan.................................................................................303 Najat al-‘Adwani, Tunisia ...................................................................................305 Muna ‘Abdul ‘Azim, Egypt..................................................................................309 Su‘ad Drayar, Morocco.........................................................................................311 Badriyya al-Wahaibi, Oman................................................................................313 Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

Rasha Omran, Kuwait...........................................................................................314 Ibtisam Ashruri, Syria...........................................................................................317 Najat ‘Ali, Egypt.....................................................................................................319 Badi‘a Kashghari, Saudi Arabia...........................................................................321 Wadad bin Moosa, Morocco................................................................................323 Khulud al-Mu‘alla, Yemen....................................................................................324 Basima al-Anizi, Kuwait.......................................................................................326

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Saliha Ghabish, United Arab Emirates A Listening Woman

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Before the celebration began You came to talk to me just like that And rub over the silence With my throat And love your sculpture, A heart By defeating a listening woman And I rest by the shores Hope shivers In the evening And my note books fall Amid your frivolous surprise And then your panting stories Will calm down A woman shrine – Near your coffee shop – A night will never meet there Any rose And all the dew falls My sorrow rubs over Between a river’s name And a deep regret sobbing A poetess Yawns at your shores So that poetry in you lets go Of all the sea gulls And when the night fell she slept You let her boat sail in your tears

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Liana Badr, Palestine

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At Jerusalem Check Points

On the steps of the “Old City” I came to sing with the Mamluki Domes That were visited by yester time I massage my soul mosaic And see you only as Fetters and Chains carriers. Next to McDonald And Pepsi Cola And Diet Coke We are not there. Every night In my sleeping field Every night I find Shining flowers I wonder in the street of my Childhood You wear looks of hate And bitterness That brand our skin with fire You want to live Every where. Regarding the Traffic Law My only Soul mate Mends the ceiling of absence With date palm trees crowns Only The aging ravens Refuse to fly And moan like fighting roosters By herself My lifelong friend Sends her suffocated cries 289

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Like a floating bottle On the sea surface At Aires check point Or was it at Ram Or Rachel Dome check point I always be stopped I try to find a wisp Of my mother’s hair Inside Jerusalem Walls. As for the legitimacy of us entering Jerusalem Had my mother’s womb asked your Permission before it let me slip out Like a white rose And have me dwell In this world? Your eyes’ colors are different Your languages are disparity Your complexions are yellow, Red and dark But you have one common objective In hating me. I feel thirsty I feel Sodom’s salt melting in my mouth People on balconies Look at us “A deer horn” Hung on the next house entrance Stares at me with Sad eyes Knowing that I have indeed been late My secret words forget Their excuses Crucified on the TV screens I wait under the sun blaze And heat In the way of the southerly wind Alone The violets At my home entrance 290

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Do not ask me? The peppermint, the sage And the reed On the creek banks They do not ask for your permission to grow Nor would they care about your licenses And so the giant mulberry tree Among its branches where I grew up. I am required to have a long beard And let my sideburns dangle To enter Jerusalem Where the Angelical star is Under which I was born Men in black hats And heavy coats Occupy my neighbors’ houses When they see us they pretend We do not exist. They do not even shrug their shoulders Many young bodies Carrying weapons They fodder on hormonic food Like flocks of chicken In preparation for the upcoming Wars At Ram Check point The TV correspondent appears With his curious face And blue eyes Asking about …

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Hamda Khamis, Bahrain In memory of my close friend Saadallah Wannous I Am Not There

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When you wake up And start your stroll in the morning quietness I am the noise of The sparrows’ wings As they suddenly take off But gently flew into tranquility. I am in the slenderness of the far stars As they gleam Into the sky depth I am in the shiver of creation The surprise of love I am not resting under ground I am a thousand winds When they blow in the longing seasons I am the glitter of precious stones On a snow coat I am the light That brings the grain spikes into ripeness I am in the gentleness of the heavy rain As it falls In Autumn evening I am in the branches In the grass In the extended silence In brilliancy I am in the dew In the nightingales’ singing And in the fresh air

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Amal al-Jubouri, Iraq

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An Opening to the Myrtle Speech

It dominantly grows Over the never rusting mornings And skies not wearing helmets And what is left over mourning And thirst that makes me drink The last drop of the Euphrates When the date palm tress swung Among daggers They are dressed in black And note book s and jails Every thing is distained To fall: life/ grave/ and dawn History and future, The punctured heart With rattling of children’s throats Even children there Have fallen into hunger and gloom All things are up for extended grief For the lone unity Everything is quenched as if It were not a pile of bravery It is an elegy that life crawls into Failing friendships And naked mediations slip Regret into my body I have nothing new Now because wars have embraced and wasted me Because wars have consumed me Lost me Lost me. I have not changed, it is My tear that has frozen When things fell down Things that screamed, Resisted , revolted and took sides Finally became disloyal 293

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The shape of the stone Every thing is becoming Stone, this love is resisting Madness. Resisting lovers’ disloyal moon And the booty flowers By a horizon tranquility Like a concrete sky, black laughs And a moisten hand of a certain heat. Longing to you would tell you all secrets To you everything is violent even grass Come to my heart hole And fall like ashes, because earth is not bright Penetrated by daylight, By blind stupidity That was born on the plate of my expectation Poems that do not fit the size of defeats and Freedom mirage This gypsy Has run away When people like me sneaked into her temple You are the marble for comfort And blame You are deception And bellowing The jail took you and we named it The state Death took you and we called it Ever lasting sadness Exile is a hurricane which I do not Know when it would explode As if I am rolling among Its ribs and the world’s evil Everything is up to be quenched A fire that has started By an accidental air pocket But the lamps are waiting to surrender light To darkness Snow to melting away And eternity to anxiety. Every path inspire us 294

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With silver, and the time that Comes over us But there was no one And I have to wait for anyone. The sea exile defeats me The fables of slogans Over shadow My heart And they seize me by throats That are not mine: and ever growing Graveyards In old friendships day And its dead end and deserted alleys I said: my friend Shower me with this country! Don’t put me off with Unknown happiness For sadness is the homeland of words, Give me the utter oblivion So that I stone you with memories

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‘Aisha al-Busmait, Shaarqa

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Whenever Heaven Sings

In order to see you In dream And when I I wake up … Water … The vociferous street Sweeps away the soul Desire pivots Your presence In absence That is heaven singing Who would listen To my songs?! Seasons’ Spring Mornings wait for Flowers Birds chirping To your generous life I approach within the possible desires Hide under Allah’s roof In order to reach you Don’t move away … In order for me to reach you Don’t move away Water … A space hymn A soul guitar A soul liberation From its summer So that your beloved image rises up When Heaven Sings When I doze I keep your company Water … Hugging my white bed sheets Is what knows me 296

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Saida Khatir al-Farsi, Lebanon

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Struggle

It walks proudly in the folds of My realization Dupes me over the evening’s Longing To leave Sits on my shoulders And weighs heavily on me But My eyes are full with tears Rolls down With those tears Freezes under the water Wakes up my musical pulse To keep my company My heart glimpses The Sharisha* Which utterly dazzles eyes The scythe in his hands Turns green Turns into a Greek vessel Which Aurora** carries To charm the onlookers Eyelids with golden array Withdraws Rides on its violent Autumn Thunders Flashes Shakes me It pours down before it says good bye “You have not yet reached the top”

* Sharisha is an evergreen bush common in Lebanon; it survives on air humidity. ** Aurora is the dawn goddess that heralds to the world the first beams of sunlight. 297

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Black rain Is quietly falling from time’s cloud Glitters like a tear On the moon’s pillow Or a daisy Totters in a winter funeral

My Black Half

Some winged crescents Their light is iris We shake hands with its perfume Its heart is a hermit’s praise song In his love When his heart palpitates and his limbs are lame Some of us are heaven’s tear Sparkles in the eyes of Heavenly supremacy A perfumed breeze On Able’s tomb And the trembling of his pure blood

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Some of us sing for the devil As he likes Teaches him malice To unveil his secrets He swings where wind picks up Stones Sharpen them Threw them at The perfume’s pure back Some of us are like thorns in A flower bush Like a poisonous thought Of cursed desires Smell with depravity 298

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Cain’s hands are stained with blood His stars fell down From heaven Heavy with sins Bloods curse him in its circulation And dress in black He ridiculed it And scraped its wounds Some of us have the Devil kiss their cheeks And kneel down begging for an advice. Scandalous are the ambitions of that some

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The Devil has studied under them.

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Turkiya al-Busa‘idi, Oman Poems

(1) When I have decided to love you I did not ask anyone Where you came from Nor who are you Nor when you were born I did not ask city dwellers Nor villagers, not even Tribes but I Draw you on the map Of my forehead, mind and heart

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(2) On my right hand a ring I wrote you a poem In my notebooks The king on my heart’s wedding I did not know how you trace back I built you a forbidding fortress No one is allowed to enter it but you Any day you wish Any section you choose Any time you select

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Hamda Khamis, Bahrain Curves

The clouds look like Cotton in the sky No, the sea Broke into sobs They tended to his wounds And broke into sobs The young pine tree Its dark shadow in water Complained that The old pine Has covered it with a cummerbund!

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The white poplar has two faces Silvery And dark green Light has two faces Gold And fire! Light will Close Its eyelids We no longer rely on it To reveal the darkness secrets Shades let down their maturity of age In the evening On our soul As we sleep! Grass Will rise After us Following the morning Rain And moves Like a drop from a cloud 301

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Our loneliness gets wet With dew As if we never had had A gloomy moment! Go to pieces? You told me: go to pieces I said “our paths to love are different.”

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The forest Is a supercilious being Mysterious yet familiar The seasons female And compassionate twilight Whenever rain Appears on its horizon It welcomes it with rustling! Palm trees are Loaded with dates Various shades Ornament its charm with many colors The water is heavy with dew And ornaments its beauty with Exploding springs The heart Is heavy with love Its beauty is Revealed by The body’s twitch!

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Zulaikha Abu Risha, Jordan Sa‘di Yousif

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Sa‘di has come here Always comes from there Sa‘di who entered the bar Of the thinking monkey And has not yet left This time he came out to The world The impossible cold world The world that is crowded With dolphins And words cymbals. Sa‘di has come To nakedness this time. He is no longer with the woman Who would replace him when he is gone She would care for the Indian fig trees In his garden Sa‘di has come here Without the woman Who attended to the Indian fig trees In his garden Sa‘di threw matches Into the English fire place That was without logs.

An Abominable Woman

I am a detestable woman Do not abate to my laziness Have in mind that one day I might leap like A grasshopper And peck you up tirelessly till The bones. Listen I am a horrible woman 303

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And a rare, too Those women who Were like grasshoppers have Regretfully died out. Stretch your body under My desire Read your papers well Before I reveal your photos The photos that you have taken And gave me when I was Young And innocent like A young stork Learning to fly The raven that I can see now Over the church cross Is a dead raven It has a feminine smooth voice And is also skinny Therefore I do not fear it And have not thought Of the bad omen it might bring. Stretch your body Under my suspicion Because I would like to search it For any malicious thoughts Or plans to escape And not be bothered by The sea gulls clamor For they only get excited At the sight of dead bodies Rest assured that – no matter How much Repulsive I amI will not present you to them. I now Pull off your fingers from my destiny So that those predatory birds Would not see you and Satisfy themselves with A free meal 304

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Najat al-‘Adwani, Tunisia

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Balcony over Your Ruined Soul

Look into my eyes And contemplate about the ruins Of your soul For when a womb exploded And I was swallowed by A widow’s scream I came to this world deaf Spell out my steps With half an eye she gave me a stare A woman who was hiding In the heart’s smoke. So, you who is high and far off Dispatch with your fingers A cloud that has overcastted Over the sun’s forehead Send me to my wedding processing In the love howdah As a dove Let your love in feather Hatch And with dove’s singing I will dandle Your closed sorrow window on your cold wounds. Longing hurricanes Shake the distances crystal vase. And at the borders stamps Trembled At my anxiety feet My fire-made garment Holds your sins Drags you towards me Like a she hermit flute Which sends into the wind A happy song Embraces date palm leaves And flies away. Open the night window 305

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Kiss the lablab bushes. Time would send our poems into exile And the alleys become narrow Nights stretch I knit from time spikes Covers for the heart You look for The lost voice of A Bedouin girl in the wheat piles. In my blood they burned cities Between my lips they strangled A song That feeds on my loving breast … From my forefathers’ bones I fashion a necklace to ring life Into the homeland broken memory With what remains of my Fingernails would slap The masculinity of time which began To display effeminacy By telling lies … I shed tears mixed with the Tribes’ smell And the caravans’ chanting Because I am what is left Of the Bedouins …. I travel Towards Nihility

Rasputin Time

Rasputin, you brazen song In Lady Caesar’s eyes I am a teenager At your talisman’s doorsteps. Feelings of hate Scratch my blood I wrap the weak With an odious look 306

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And earth with a gaze That painfully slit it open And makes it demisable I pelt the sky with an arrow Which explodes its dead heart I hate a woman who wrestles with me And when I wrestle her down despite my fatigue She rubs her trembling mouth Under my feet And bewailed. When I call you Come through all doors As if my soul is molded into Your strongest rib Send into the flood Ships like my wedding procession To a world which brings us together: You, Lady Caesar and destruction, me. Your time is here therefore come forward And throw the heart With your shamelessness embers Women as a pleasure Have disappeared Off all places … Explode the hidden love In us And show us cities That the shrine’s hypocrite attendants Have closed Tell me: Who am I? Describe my mixed features For faces have put up their masks Early. In the mirror I can see a white Scarf That might indicate some tears Shed by two eyes That were surrounded with black circles …. Rasputin The lord of this time Come forward 307

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And spit out your devilish Whisper In my blood Like a flame on green Desires

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Muna ‘Abdul ‘Azim, Egypt Loneliness

The aging godfather Was facing them The music noise gets louder To cover their emptiness The young singer was repeating “A man without sorrow Is only a memory”, They find joy In his sorrow They feel intoxicated With dancing feverishly

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My sorrow rolled over My table Where am I? After all these ages I am at the same place! The circle is enclosing …. How to get out? How to scream? The pain was transparent To the point that I was watching it By myself Only And around me there rose Thick Smoke! With water bubbling My screams were coming out like fire Smoke forms images I know I shut myself up In order to check them out.

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Inside my cocoon There was no one but the aging godfather – In his own picture frame – To share My sadness.

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Su‘ad Drayar, Morocco

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Dove’s Death

A sad Coo A neighing A rustling A chirping A moaning A parting A sad coo And a sad flute Playing its distant steps A collapsed bridge A painful night A broken rib And a broken leg is over there Darkness prevails Doves die At the heart’s obsequies Its lilac skies have extended As far as the sobs Doves die I die like the hundreds At Jerusalem’s Temple And the Babylonian roads I die, and there is nothing in my hand but a string of fire Nothing in my vein but a string of fire Nothing behind my ribs but a string of fire Its wraps a lark’s prayer That travelled in my blood It travelled in my mouth but choked me It quietly moved with my dream waves And became a tear in my eye corner In my chest there was a rattle And fire I die right here And a sun falls down And hundreds more hid behind clouds Which look like heavenly armed with death And death is taking over with anger 311

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Where plants would not grow No dreams would flourish Nights are moonless No, no There I saw a group which I failed to join There is no, no There I walked my heart Not far from lack of torture There I noticed a wise old man Wrapping an old wound with a slipper There I walked and saw with my own eyes A thousand and one hands Which would steal the dream And pluck out the songs. I am here Am I going to die Under the wing of absence and be delirious? Distressed doves die Bid the dream bridge good bye And say a thousand prayers We die and rave Given to the glass of letters Our broken wings would not help The resting ink and papers Doves die Their bed is the hearts that kiss them And die Doves die The doves’ land turns green Blood and tears The doves’ cooing plucks the eye of the sky there Or was it here With a hug Doves die A kiss extends over the horizon Doves die I die Or is it me raving here “Long live Gaza’s sparrows” “Long live Iraq!”

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Badriyya al-Wahaibi, Oman Yesterday Brook

Shut your mouth with mine … How sweet is the whisper elation

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I look for the tear’s meaning While I hug a shower of sadness I burn like an oleander flower I melt inside an empty crucible I fell to the bottom of memory Bubbles are only what I reaped In bays … that are made canals by my sadness You Mr., Who has come to my heart as a lance Let me hold you in my huge wounds Have you seen open wounds With pride? My face wake up carrying last night sadness Like a brook … Begins its day with a broken sob And crying Without a memory... like a trip of The innocent sleeping on the side walks Sink into a labor pain of fornication Beginning of perdition Rituals and swindles I scatter over distances And could not find my soul In my body I sold my heart … The end of my oriental demise has come I strangled the child of shyness with my hands All men know me Like a staggering poem Between neighing and singing

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Rasha Omran, Kuwait

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Life Gave Me Its Keys

I told you That life offered me its keys But I could not find doors to open them I only found a huge and wide hall With open walls And dangling from the ceiling Are millions of dead dreams I told you about the silence that was attached to me It was horrible at the end of night When I closed the door behind you It was never locked Suddenly you are not here Nothing left but an idiotic neutrality For a momentary whim I was kneeling on my knees Cities that I do not know Residents of those cities Were no aware of my whims And I talk to them about Confused nights Long night I put my head between My knees Did I tell you about The residents of those cities??? The stone that fell off a wall Was nothing but a bright bias to my confusion And I am looking for mistakes in the cracks Mistakes that I have not yet committed Also in love I choose losing bets The long shawls that I often buy Connect between my bets And the beginning fancies This dose happen always For reasons that I do not try To understand 314

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How could I collect faces Which were embalmed? I said perhaps The walls had been embalmed And the faces were Only hallucination That would disappear by the end of night And I had to watch for the change Through the air hole Another change of sand At the bottom of the closed door The separation of light And thick fog I have to wait what comes up A new day. That is what I do In your absence Let us drink for the beginning If I am always like that Do not pay attention to my mocking steps As if all I know About the ground Is merely secrets With dust That I try to avoid it With no success Something that makes The streets around me One way Something that makes my shadow Extends to all directions Heading towards new routes Like this The falling rain drips Through my fingers Down to new routes Down to your skin Is it raining where you are? I asked you You pointed to it in the balcony 315

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I believed you Your stature Was in the balcony

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Ibtisam Ashruri, Syria Cleopatra

I am The Occident’s soul I am Cleopatra The queen of the ancient land Isis’ daughter I announce that I have not died But I transmigrated to another body The Distant Room The door opened I went up a windy stairs Until I reached the distant room The door opened I saw Cleopatra sit At the edge of bed When I approached her She turned around It was me

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Winds

A feeling of fear used to take over me Every time I see Egypt It looked to me as if it was going to collapse As if its people were about To die The streets were coming down I was afraid of evil When I came back some time later Its desert wind scorched me Memories and tombs When I arrived at the pyramids I lost consciousness

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Travel

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When I left my horse by the river I travelled inside my body I walked along alleys Which led me to other alleys I heard Cleopatra Calling to me I saw my palace My pool where I used to swim The dried flowers The perfumes I used to see my room I see myself in the mirror I put my naked arm on my shoulder I was in the Pharaohs era And Cleopatra said to me You are Me

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Najat ‘Ali, Egypt

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The Match

He was never alone But the cursed Her hair has turned white She still even when she meet him unexpectedly Would throw her cane at his face And screamed “I am your victim” He would push her aside with his cold smile And would say without looking at Her ghost “I don’t know you” At least his comrade Who was certainly less cruel than him Was the one who would call her At night He was the one who sneaked To her bed Three times To teach her love And with his mouth Would engrave his name on her breast. But now She no longer remembers his features Would no longer remember the car which hit her As she ran after his shadow On the road Christ enemy She wanted it to break her into two parts When it hit her As she was kissing him His thick eye glasses Were like his heart Which didn’t see her. He was like a Bedouin Who spent all his life In a distant desert Was never dandled by his mother 319

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Never buried his nose in a woman’s breast Was never captured by her eyes Which grew harder with desire For him. She would not understand What made her, When she pulled rusted blades From her breast, Made the connection between him and her father And the “enemy of Christ”

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The Rival

She would never curse her Exactly the opposite She would consider her miserable Her beautiful rival Whom she would give at her A few centimeters a way Sharp looks And prepared herself For a new match. In order to get the valuable catch She would look like her In every thing The deep eyes The senses that were damages By love The body that became blind. However, her rival Was less evil than her She did not write poetry In the internet cafes I would no longer hear her Voice The fat who deserted me And got lost in The internet cafes Talking to ghosts That she trusted And shared with coldness and lies. 320

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Badi‘a Kashghari, Saudi Arabia

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Diaries of a Woman Returning to Her Country

Give me a candle To put it off ….. to put on darkness on this place And a glass In order to pour it in my loneliness And drink it mixed with the bitterness of emptiness That I do not understand its being! When we leave our home where we housed our souls Whatever left is “hell” Of the first heaven ….! (This is how I felt when I left Dhahran to Canada just about 9 years Ago) Is my arm enough to measure parting? What is left to the senses except for passion That left traces on memory? What is left except for pieces of papers with poems Like a field of painful longing And the names of those whom I know in the city Following my shocking return from over seas For the first time I see the sea escapes from its blue color My room in the 5 stars hotel that faces it Is like a glass prison I arranged nightmares of what I have missed I shouted in the emptiness that was full of the crazy traffic lights in Jadda’s night Where are you “Oh, Ottawa of my life” Which I got used to as an exile, but became my stable life Where are the close friends on the river bank “Which used to warm my balcony with a smiling rain. How often leaves grow at his eye corner As he listened to her complaints at sun sets!” “Is Autumn the last looks Who left homes and incomplete manuscripts Bushes that played with memory and colored what the soul loved No … no, I don't see the son of a naked soul That is whipped by the memory of departure I do not want the moon to draw My body’s groan that is piled up on the “sidewalk of a cultural 321

Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

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Shock”! And suddenly came to mind those bodies As they moved in a marvelous pattern behind their identity of black Hijab Behind that voluntary “selected darkness” I saw eyes escaped other eyes Tongues spoke a language that was not theirs I saw fear ahead of the sound to ears The ears ahead of light and sound to “nothing”! In the celebration of Jeddah I looked for the thick trees, longing of separation, and the question Of their Strong emotion. I only saw fire crack shooting in the empty air Of relationships and connections I looked for “the air” So that my memory could be covered with it I could only see the hail of dark clouds From their leisurely smoke and settled down on their night sweets In the (Lost City) specifically where some relative invited me one Evening The bodies Which were dressed in black “have truly lost” their souls Not to occupy myself with the sweets And fly high in that sky But to pump more clouds of poisonous smoke As if to say to its physical surroundings: twice to hell Like that as worry was the master of the place And the ruins were the compass of silence I have decided to leave a lot of white spaces In my writings Perhaps I might light up heavy loneliness which sat on my chest before places White spaces looked like the snow of the Atlas Mountain Whose whiteness might be disturbed by many feet That tried to conquer the unknown And pushed by regular steps day and night

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

Wadad bin Moosa, Morocco

Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

Getting Intimate with Mistakes

….. Except for my mistake Now that it is the time for the big mistake I have gone too far in my doubt I plead for your forgiveness I have no option but to plead Any mistake is mine. Ignorance Mistakes are like diamonds on the roads Where passers by step on them mocking their gleam Mutiny I did not postpone my mess till the end I am always wrong I only regret quietness which inspires death Philosophy My sins are countless Like an abyss that one cannot avoid Therefore, the world you need to learn from me How can I put a mistake with another to sew victories So that I fly above the other sinners Mistakes without identity I stopped to count the mistakes: First my boiling youth And the last of them is my falling tears And between the two my mistakes that were without face or name I only found them through my labor And my scattered regret. Give and take My mistakes made me beautiful Oh, how often did I use them as a make up? Weakness I will try my best to do you wrong How happy I am when I kneel down And you forgive, Notion The joy of mistakes is the mistakes themselves The lust for them is to commit them A late regret 323

Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

Khulud al-Mu‘alla, Yemen

Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

A Certain Thing

A certain thing That cuts me deep when I walk Tip toe in the middle of the day A certain thing in the place gives me a lot of gaiety Therefore, Let me travel to a country with a kind sun Resided by rain So that I can freely chase the cloud The coffee color I noticed that the coffee color becomes prettier On a rainy morning Certainly I have no reason to be sad Some wisdom I am destined to live alone Therefore I wake up every morning with an amount of wisdom Because I feel that I can say anything At any time What a happiness! Fear In the air, there is something that scares me What makes me sadder That I remain sleeping day and night When I decide to wake up Get rid of my thoughts To help myself walk within the fences Dog days are in my house My door closed its eyes when the dog days get hotter The tree that shades it has lost its leaves The sun burns what is left of my shades There is no trace of life during these times The sparrows have left my windows None knocks at my door

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

When a passer-by comes around like a string of smoke I wrap it around my body I climb my soul’s mountain to urge the clouds The summit which taught me the world’s language Has changed its dictionary.

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

Basima al-Anizi, Kuwait Narcissists Do Not Wait for Anyone

There is an invitation for two on the table One of them will show up The other one is not guaranteed What is distinct is that none will show up We are a couple A face looks at the world And a shade trying to escape from its loneliness

Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

The Narcissusists who are humble like a trick Who are in love with their own qualities Who begin but will never end Who are moody Who are worried for no reason Who constantly complain Who are not obliged by anything Who succeed with the first try Often argue It is not proper to treat them like others My annoying daughter When would she grow up So that my days become quiet I fear long distances A flood of silly inquiries would come Consistent and trouble-maker inquiries They are not prohibited by the end of the road Nor would they stop because of my lack for answers My wait Is a field of expectations Which creates a free care moment Bundles of questions and answers! The man of the house does have The house keys Therefore they hang their timid dreams 326

Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

On their open doors Before they go to bed Innocence Is what is crowned With ice

Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

Your foot prints on the beachWill not last Your sand castles Will not stand at the time of an arrogant tide

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter

Books on the Muslim World Yuriy Malikov

Tsars, Cossacks, and Nomads The Formation of a Borderland Culture in Northern Kazakhstan in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries Berlin 2011. Pb 321 pp., 978-3-87997-395-8 Fawzi Habashi Prisoner of all Generations My Life in the Homeland Egypt Berlin 2011. Pb 293 pp., Illustr., 978-3-87997-350-7

Ariela Gross Reaching „Waʿy“ Mobilization and Recruitment in Hizb al-Tahrir al-Islami. A Case Study Berlin 2011. Pb 320 pp., 978-3-87997-405-4 Papas / Welsford / Zarcone (eds.)

Central Asian Pilgrims Hajj Routes and Pious Visits between Central Asia and the Hijaz Berlin 2012. Pb 331 pp., 978-3-87997-399-6 Matthias Weinreich

»We Are Here to Stay« Pashtun Migrants in the Northern Areas of Pakistan Berlin 2010. Pb 120 pp., Illustr., 978-3-87997-356-9 Eliane Ursula Ettmüller

Copyright © 2020. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.

The Construct of Egypt's National Self in James Sanua's Early Satire & Caricature Berlin 2012. Pb 328 pp., 978-3-87997-411-5 Suhanna Shafiq

Seafarers of the Seven Seas The Maritime Culture of the Kitab Ajaib al-Hind by Buzurg Ibn Shahriyar (d.399/1009) Berlin 2013. Pb 181 pp., 978-3-87997-424-5

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Caspi, Mishael M., et al. Red Pomegranates: Love, Beauty and Deceit : Arabic Poetry about, for, and by Women, Walter de Gruyter