against me. I struggled with mankind in every way, till high and low submitted to me humbly. The most painful feeling which my heart encloses is (to see) a virtuous man ill-treated by malignant fortune. It is for me grief quite sufficient to see men of an old (and noble descent) reduced to ruin, whilst thrones are occupied by the sons of slaves. Those eyes which were yielding to sleep, I kept open, fearing that you might be ruined when I was no more. But, through the grace of God, the Protector, I shall find consolation in you, whether I live or die. Travel over the earth; search it throughout for knowledge, and may no dire (12) calamity cut short your career! If a man of learning withholds from you (what he knows), humble yourself before him and let your rule be to keep silent. Say that your father freely bestowed his knowledge, and if people ask who was your father, say that he is dead (yamût). May your foes and adversaries acknowledge that you possess learning such as no calumniator can disprove.

Yamût Ibn Muzarrâ went to Egypt at different times; his last visit to that country took place in the year 303 (A. D. 915-6), and he left it the next year. Abû Saîd Ibn Yunus as-Sadâfi (vol. 11. p. 93), the Egyptian, says in his shorter work on the foreigners who came to Egypt, that Yamût Ibn al-Muzarrâ died at Damascus in the year 304 (A. D. 916-7), but Abû Sulaimân Ibn Zain (13) states, in the historical work composed by him, that this event took place at Tiberias, in Syria. God knows best! ---Muhalhil, the son of Yamût, is noticed by the Khatib (vol. I. p. 75), in the History of Baghdad. We there read as follows: "Muhalhil was a poet; he composed pleasing "verses on amatory and other subjects and inhabited Baghdad. He transmitted

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orally (his poetical productions) to others. His poetry was written down under his "dictation by Abû Badâ Ibrahîm Ibn Muhammad, surnamed Tûzûn." After this, the same author adds: "At-Tanûkhi related to us what I here give: "Abù 'l-Husain "Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn al-Abbas al-Akhbâri related to us as follows: "In In the year 326 (A. D. 937-8) I was present at a sitting held by Tuhfa talKuwâla (14), who was a slave-girl belonging to Abd Allah Ibn Omar al-Bâzyâr. I had on my left Abù Nadla Muhalhil, the son of Yamût, and, on my right, Abû “'l-Kâsim Ibn Abi 'l-Hasan, a native of Baghdad. Tuhfa then sung to us from "behind a curtain:

"I am too much preoccupied with him to neglect him, so greatly do I love him; yet be "affects to neglect me. Thinking that I wronged him, he turned away from me and let the 66 same (disdain) appear which he feared in me. He was pleased to see that I was sad on his "account, and I was pleased whem my sadness redoubled.

"Abû Nadla, on hearing these verses, said to me: It was I who composed "them.' Abû 'l-Kâsim, who overheard him and had a dislike for him, told me

"to ask of him an additional verse for the same piece. I made the request to Abû Nadla in a polite manner, and he pronounced these words:

By his beauty he creates such trouble (in our hearts) as gives me who love him every sort of trouble."

The following piece is by Muhalhil:

His charms are so exalted that nothing can be compared to them, and are so great that no one can describe them. Contemplate his beauty and dispense me from describing it; glory to the Creator! glory to the Maker of all! To that youth belongs the humid narcissus (the eyes) and the rose just plucked; in his mouth is the (white) anthemis flower (the teeth), moist in. its brightness. By his glances he attracts my heart to my perdition, and it hastens towards him submissively, obedient to his will. It goes there as the moth rushes towards a burning lamp and throws itself into the flame.

Other pieces by the same author are given in the Khatib's work, but I abstain from inserting them here. The name Muzarra is to be pronounced with an ain after the last r; so it is stated by the shaikh (professor) and háfiz Zaki ad-Dîn Abd al-Azîm Ibn Abd al-Kawi Ibn Abd Allah al-Mundiri (vol. I. p. 89).—Hakîm Ibn Jabala, the person who is mentioned in the genealogy (at the beginning of this article), is named by some Hukaim and his father Jabal. He was one of Ali Ibn Abi Tâlib's partisans. Ali, on being proclamed khalif, received the oath of allegiance from Talha Ibn Obaid Allah at-Taimi and az-Zobair Ibn al-Auwâm al-Asadi. He then resolved to nominate the latter as governor of Basra and the former as governor of Yemen; but one of his female clients, happening to go out, overheard those two chiefs say : "We "have sworn to him with our tongues, not with our hearts." Ali whom she informed of this circumstance, exclaimed: May God reject them! whoever "breaks an oath does so to his own detriment." He then dispatched Othman Ibn Hunaif al-Ansâri to Basra in the capacity of governor and confided the government of Yemen to Obaid Allah, the son of al-Abbas 1bn Abd al-Muttalib. gave the command of the shorta (police-guards) to Hakim Ibn Jabala. az-Zobair then went to Mekka and, having met there Aâisha (the widow of Muham· mad, and surnamed) the Mother of the faithful (Omm al-Muminîn), they concerted matters with her and proceeded to Basra, where Ibn Hunaif was. Hakim Ibn Jabala went to the latter and advised him to hinder the two chiefs from entering into

Ibn Hunaif
Talha and

the city. Ibn Hunaif refused to do so, saying that he did not know Ali's opinion on that subject. Talha and az-Zobair went into the city and, being well received by the people, they posted themselves in the Marbad (or public place) and began to discourse about the murder of Othmân Ibn Affan and the inauguration of Ali. A man of the Abd al-Kais tribe attempted to refute their insinuations, but was ill-treated by them and had his beard plucked out. The people then began to throw stones and raised a great commotion. Hakîm Ibn Jabala went to Ibn Hunaif and asked permission to charge the mutineers, but could not obtain it. Abd Allah, the son of az-Zubair, then went to the city (magazine), where the provisions were kept for the troops, and began to distribute them to his partisans. Hakîm Ibn Jabala went forth at the head of seven hundred soldiers belonging to the tribe of Abd al-Kais, but was attacked by the insurgents and killed with seventy of his companions. It is related that he had said to his wife, who belonged to the tribe of Azd: "I shall "to day treat your people in a manner such as will furnish a matter of talk of all men.”—“ Nay," replied the woman," I think my people will to day strike you "such a blow as shall be a subject of talk for every one." Hakîm was then encountered by a man called Suhaim, who struck him on the neck with his sword and so violently that the head was nearly separated from the body, to which it remained attached by a strip of skin. (Suhaim) then turned the head half-way round, so that the face was directed backwards. This occurred before the arrival of Ali and his army. When he came up, a conflict took place between the two parties, on a Thursday, towards the middle of the latter Jumâda, A. H. 36 (9th December, A. D. 656). The battle was fought on the spot where the castle (casr) of Obaid Allah Ibn Zîâd was (afterwards) built. Then came on the great engagement called the Battle of the Camel, which took place on Thursday, the 19th of the same month (13th December). The first arrival of the insurgents (at Basra) and the death of Hakîm Ibn Jabala had occurred some days previously. The total loss on both sides amounted to ten thousand men. Talha and az-Zubair were killed on that very day, but not in the battle. Were I not apprehensive of being led too far, I should relate how that happened (15). Al-Mâmûni (vol. II. p. 334) says, in his History: "It is stated that "the people of Medina learned on that very Thursday, before sunset, that a battle "had been fought. This they became aware of by seeing a vulture hovering "around the city and bearing something suspended (from its beak). This "it let fall and, on examination, was found to be a hand on which was a

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ring inscribed with the name of Abd ar-Rahmân Ibn Attâb Ibn Asîd. Then, all who dwelt between Mekka and Medina, and all who lived about Basra, far or near, knew that a battle had taken place, from seeing the number of "hands and feet which had been carried thither by vultures."- Kushâjim (vol. I. p. 301) says, in his work entitled Al-Masdid wa'l-Matdrid, that the vulture dropped the hand of Abd ar-Rahmân into the city of Mekka, and the same statement is made in the law-book entitled al-Muhaddab (vol. I. p. 9), in the chapter which treats of the prayer to be said over the dead. Ibn al-Kalbi and Abû Yakzân (vol. II. p. 578) say, in their respective works, that the vulture dropped the hand in (the province of) al-Yemâma.

(1) This passage and the following belong, perhaps, to the extract from the Khatib's work.

(2) According to the author of the Nujum, Muhammad Ibn Yahya Ibn Abd al-Karim al-Azdi died A. H. 252 (A. D. 866-7).

(3) This discourse is in rhyming prose, full of metaphors and uncommon expressions; an imitation, in fact, of the affected and sententious style for which the Arabs of the desert were at that time celebrated and admired.

(4) That is: in simple phrases or in double ones. We would say: in a plain style or in rhyming prose. (5) This was the name of a large canton situated between Wâsit, Basra and al-Anbår.

(6) See vol. I. p. 624.

(7) This poet had been a disciple of the imâm as-Shaft. He died A. H. 259 (A. D. 872-3).—(Nujúm). (8) Two manuscripts have

been followed in this translation.

(ninety) in place of

(seventy). The more probable reading has

(9) This is an allusion to the words of the Koran: "And, unto Solomon (we subjected) a strong wind "which ran at his command." (Surât 21, verse 81.)

(10) Literally mentitus est ille homo, clitoridem matris suæ sugere consuetus. This was a common form of insult with the ancient Arabs.

(11) Literally: You have ornamented the lines of my time.

(12) The reading of the Arabic word is very doubtful; here is its form

(13) One of the manuscripts reads Zaid, another Zain, and another Zir. I can find no information respecting this historian.

(14) This surname seems to signify: The choicest present from among the female speakers.

(15) Talha was mortally wounded in that battle by an arrow, shot purposely at him by Marwan Ibn alHakam, who was fighting on the same side as he. Az-Zubair was flying to Medina when he was slain by Amr Ibn Jarmûz.

VOL. IV.

50

AL-BUWAITI.

Abû Yakûb Yûsuf Ibn Yahya al-Buwaiti, a native of Egypt and a disciple of asShâfî (vol. II. p. 569), was the most eminent of that imâm's pupils and the most distinguished for talent. As long as his master lived, he remained invariably attached to him and, on his death, he filled his place as professor and as jurisconsult. Traditions relating to the Prophet were taught to him by the legist Abd Allah Ibn Wahb (vol. II. p. 15) and by the imâm as-Shâfî. His own authority was cited for Traditions by Abu Ismâil at-Tirmidi (1), Ibrahîm Ibn Ishak al-Harbi (vol. I. p. 46), al-Kâsim Ibn al-Mughîra al-Jauhari, Ahmad Ibn Mansûr ar-Ramâdi (2) and others. During the persecution (of the orthodox musulmans) (3) under the reign of (the khalif) al-Wâthik Billah, he was carried (as a prisoner) from Old Cairo to Baghdad and summoned to declare that the Koran was created. On his refusal, he was imprisoned at Baghdad and there remained in chains till the hour of his death. He was a most virtuous man, living in the practice of piety, devotion and self-mortification. Ar-Rabî Ibn Sulaimân (vol. I. p. 519) related as follows: "I saw al-Buwaiti mounted on a mule; round his neck was a wooden collar; on his legs were fetters; from "these to the collar extended an iron chain to which was attached a clog (4) "weighing forty pounds. Whilst (they led him on,) he continued repeating these "words: Almighty God created the world by means of the word kun (5); now, "if that word was created, one created thing would have created another. By “ ́ ́ Allah! I shall willingly die in chains, for, after me, will be people who shall "learn that, on account of this affair, some men died in chains. Were I brought "' before that man,'-meaning al-Wâthik,—I should declare unto him the truth.' -The hâfiz Abû Omar Ibn Abd al-Barr (see page 398 of this vol.) states, in his Intiká (enucleation), a work treating of the preeminent merits possessed by the three legists (Mâlik, Abú Hanifa and as-Shâfî), that Ibn Abi 'l-Laith, the hanifite kadi of Old Cairo, was jealous of al-Buwaiti and so hostile to him that, during the persecution to which the sacred Koran gave rise, he had him transported from Cairo to Baghdad with the other (doctors) who were sent thither. He was the only disciple of as-Shaft who was expelled from Egypt. On arriving at Baghdad, he refused to