Sacred Texts Islam Index Previous Next
The Maqámát of Badí‘ al-Zamán al-Hamadhání, tr. W.J. Prendergast [1915] at sacred-texts.com
‘ÍSÁ IBN HISHÁM related to us and said: I was suspected on account of some property I had gotten and so I fled, I knew not whither, until I came to a desert, and my wandering led me to the shade of a tent. I found near the pegs thereof a youth playing in the sand with those of his own age, and reciting a
poem which was in keeping with his condition but did not accord with his powers of improvisation. 1
And I felt it to be far from him to be able to weave its fabric, so I said: 'Young Arab, dost thou recite or compose this poem?' He said: 'Nay, but I compose it.' Then he recited saying:--
I said: 'O young Arab, terror has brought me to thee. Is there, therefore, safety or hospitality with thee?' He replied: 'Thou hast descended in the very house of safety and alighted on the land of hospitality.' He said: 'Then he arose and seized me by the sleeve and I went with him to a tent whose curtains were lowered.' Then he shouted: 'O damsel of the tribe, here is a neighbour whose country has rejected him, and whose ruler has oppressed him. Fame, which he has heard, or a report, which has reached him, has driven him to us, so give him shelter.' The damsel said: 'Stay, O townsman.'
Then the young man took me by the hand to the house which she had indicated. I beheld and lo! there were seven persons in it. But my eye fastened upon none among them except Abú’l-Fatḥ al-Iskanderí. So I said to him: 'Sirrah! in what land art thou?' He recited:--
Said ‘Ísá ibn Hishám: I exclaimed: 'Good gracious! What way of mendicity 1 hast thou not trodden?'
Then we lived together in that abode for a season until we were safe from danger, and then he fared eastwards and I westwards.
110:7 Al-Aswad ibn Qinán: A famous Bedawín Shaikh. He belonged to the family … of whom an account is given by Ibn Duraid in his Kitáb al-Ishtíqáq, p. 240.
111:1 Did not accord with his powers of improvisation: That is, his powers of improvisation were greater than could be expected of a youth of his age.
111:2 And verily though I be young: Metre, rejez. This poem is quoted by Jáḥiz. See Jáḥiz, Ḥaywán, i, 146, and Letters of Abú’l ‘Ala al-Ma‘arrí, p. 66, line 22.
111:3 My demon: (my muse). The ancient Arabs believed that the poet was in league with spirits (Jinn), or satans and that he derived his inspiration and supernatural powers from them. Cf. Qur’án, xxvi, 224-6 on the poets; also, Letters of Abú’l ‘Alá al-Ma‘arrí, pp. 66, 73-4.
111:4 O townsman, stay: Metre, tawíl.
112:1 … Thou wilt make them the even number eight:--
(2) … he made it an odd number.
Example: …
'The people were an odd number and I made them an even number; and they were an even number and I made them an odd number.' Cf. Qur’án, lxxxix, 2. (…) 'By that which is double and that which is single', and Aghání, iv, 176, line 20.
112:2 I have alighted in the house: Metre, sari.
112:3 … So take what is pure: Cf. Text p. 135.
112:4 Nor permit any milk to remain in the udders: … A small quantity of milk in the udder. … plural of … milk remaining in the udder. … throwing cold water upon a camel's udder to make her return or increase her milk. Therefore the literal meaning is to wet the camel's udder with what should remain p. 113 therein. A figure for improvidence, or indifference to the needs of the future. There is a tradition of the Prophet: … 'Leave in the udder what will induce the milk flow.'
113:1 Mendicity: I have read … mendicity being more consistent with the context and the word other editions give preference to, instead of … disagreeable.