ABU HASSAN AL-ZIYADI AND THE KHORASAN.
Quoth Abú Hassán al-Ziyádi[FN#417]: "I was once in straitened
case and so needy that the grocer, the baker and other tradesmen
dunned and importuned me; and my misery became extreme, for I
knew of no resource nor what to do. Things being on this wise
there came to me one day certain of my servants and said to me,
'At the door is a pilgrim wight, who seeketh admission to thee.'
Quoth I, 'Admit him.' So he came in and behold, he was a
Khorasání. We exchanged salutations and he said to me, 'Tell me,
art thou Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi?'; and I replied, 'Yes, what is thy
wish?' Quoth he, 'I am a stranger and am minded to make the
pilgrimage; but I have with me a great sum of money, which is
burdensome to bear: so I wish to deposit these ten thousand
dirhams with thee whilst I make my pilgrimage and return. If the
caravan march back and thou see me not, then know that I am dead,
in which case the money is a gift from me to thee; but if I come
back, it shall be mine.' I answered, 'Be it as thou wilt, an thus
please Allah Almighty.' So he brought out a leather bag and I
said to the servant, 'Fetch the scales;' and when he brought them
the man weighed out the money and handed it to me, after which he
went his way. Then I called the purveyors and paid them my
liabilities"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Fiftieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth Abu
Hassan al-Ziyadi: "I called the purveyors and paid them my
liabilities and spent freely and amply, saying to myself, 'By the
time he returns, Allah will have relieved me with one or other of
the bounties He hath by Him.' However, on the very next day, the
servant came in to me and said, 'Thy friend the Khorasan man is
at the door.' 'Admit him,' answered I. So he came in and said to
me, 'I had purposed to make the pilgrimage; but news hath reached
me of the decease of my father, and I have resolved to return; so
give me the monies I deposited with thee yesterday.' When I heard
this, I was troubled and perplexed beyond measure of perplexity
known to man and wotted not what reply to make him; for, if I
denied it, he would put me on my oath, and I should be disgraced
in the world to come; whilst, if I told him that I had spent the
money, he would make an outcry and dishonour me before men. So I
said to him, 'Allah give thee health! This my house is no
stronghold nor site of safe custody for this money. When I
received thy leather bag, I sent it to one with whom it now is;
so do thou return to us to-morrow and take thy money,
Inshallah!'[FN#418] So he went away and I passed the night in
great concern, because of his return to me; sleep visited me not
nor could I close my eyes; so I rose and bade the boy saddle me
the she-mule. Answered he, 'O my lord, it is yet but the first
third of the night and indeed we have hardly had time to rest.' I
returned to my bed, but sleep was forbidden to me and I ceased
not to awaken the boy, and he to put me off, till break of day,
when he saddled me the mule, and I mounted and rode out, not
knowing whither to go. I threw the reins on the mule's shoulders
and gave myself up to regrets and melancholy thoughts, whilst she
fared on with me to the eastward of Baghdad. Presently, as I went
along, behold, I saw a number of people approaching me and turned
aside into another path to avoid them; but seeing that I wore a
turband in preacher-fashion,[FN#419] they followed me and
hastening up to me, said, 'Knowest thou the lodging of Abu Hassan
al-Ziyadi?' 'I am he,' answered I; and they rejoined, 'Obey the
summons of the Commander of the Faithful.' Then they carried me
before Al-Maamun, who said to me, 'Who art thou?' Quoth I, 'An
associate of the Kazi Abu Yúsuf and a doctor of the law and
traditions.' Asked the Caliph, 'By what surname art thou
known?'[FN#420] and I answered, 'Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi;' whereupon
quoth he, 'Expound to me thy case.' So I recounted to him my case
and he wept sore and said to me, 'Out on thee! The Apostle of
Allah (whom Allah bless and assain!) would not let me sleep this
night, because of thee; for in early darkness[FN#421] he appeared
to me and said, 'Succour Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi.' Whereupon I awoke
and, knowing thee not, went to sleep again; but he came to me a
second time and said to me, 'Woe to thee! Succour Abu Hassan
al-Ziyadi.' I awoke a second time, but knowing thee not I went to
sleep again; and he came to me a third time and still I knew thee
not and went to sleep again. Then he came to me once more and
said, 'Out on thee! Succour Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi!' After that I
dared not sleep any more, but watched the rest of the night and
aroused my people and sent them on all sides in quest of thee.'
Then he gave me one myriad of dirhams, saying, 'This is for the
Khorasani,' and other ten thousand, saying, 'Spend freely of this
and amend thy case therewith, and set thine affairs in order.'
Moreover, he presented me with thirty thousand dirhams, saying,
'Furnish thyself with this, and when the Procession-day[FN#422]
is being kept, come thou to me, that I may invest thee with some
office.' So I went forth from him with the money and returned
home, where I prayed the dawn-prayer; and behold, presently came
the Khorasani, so I carried him into the house and brought out to
him one myriad of dirhams, saying, 'Here is thy money.' Quoth he,
'It is not my very money; how cometh this?' So I told him the
whole story, and he wept and said, 'By Allah, haddest thou told
me the fact at first, I had not pressed thee!; and now, by Allah,
I will not accept aught of this money'"--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Fifty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth the
Khorasani to Al-Ziyadi, "'By Allah, haddest thou told me the fact
at first, I had not pressed thee!; and now, by Allah, I will not
accept aught of this money and thou art lawfully quit of it.' So
saying, he went away and I set my affairs in order and repaired
on the Procession-day to Al-Maamun's Gate, where I found him
seated. When he saw me present myself he called me to him and,
bringing forth to me a paper from under his prayer-carpet, said
to me, 'This is a patent, conferring on thee the office of Kazi
of the western division of Al-Medinah, the Holy City, from the
Bab al-Salám[FN#423] to the furthest limit of the township; and I
appoint thee such and such monthly allowances. So fear Allah (to
whom be honour and glory!) end be mindful of the solicitude of
His Apostle (whom may He bless and keep!) on thine account.' Then
the folk marvelled at the Caliph's words and asked me their
meaning; whereupon I told them the story from beginning to end
and it spread abroad amongst the people." "And" (quoth he who
telleth the tale) "Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi ceased not to be Kazi of
Al-Medinah, the Holy City, till he died in the days of Al-Maamun
the mercy of Allah be on him!" And among the tales men tell is
one of
