52 - شبكة رافـد للتنمية الثقافية

360. Yahya al-San'ani

He narrated on the authority of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, and Ibn Abu` 'Umayr reported on his authority. ¹

361. Yazïd Bin 'Umar

Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him.

362. Al-Yasa' Bin Hamza

He narrated on the authority of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, and Mohammed b. Sandal reported on his authority.

363. Yaqub Bin Sa'ïd al-Kindi

Shaykh al-Tusi numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Rida, peace be on him. ⁴

364. Yaqub Bin 'Abd Allah Bin Jundub

Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Rida, peace be on him. ⁵

365. Yaqub Bin Yaqtïn

Shaykh al-Tusi numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him. ⁶

366. Yunus Bin 'Abd al-Rahman

He was the retainer of 'Ali b. Yaqtïn and was among the leading Shï'ites and one of their eminent men. He saw Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him, between al-Safa and al-Marwa, but he narrated nothing on
____________
1. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 20, p. 119.
2. Al-Tusi, Rijal.
3. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 20, p. 149.
4. Al-Tusi, Rijal.
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.

( 716 )
his authority. He narrated on the authority of Imam al-Kazim and Imam al-Rida, peace be on them. He was the agent of Imam al-Rida and among his close companions. 'Abd al-'Azïz b. al-Muhtadi said to Imam al-Rida`, peace be on him: "I am unable to meet you every time, so from whom shall I take the principle features of my religion?" "Take them from Yunus b. 'Abd al-Rahman," replied the Ima`m, peace be on him. ¹
The narrators said: "Imam al-Rida guaranteed Yunus the Garden three times. ²" He, peace be on him, said concerning him: "Yunus b. 'Abd al-Rahman is like Sulayman (Solomon) in his time. ³" Yunus (b. 'Abd al-Rahma`n) narrated, saying: "Abu al-Hasan Musa died and all those who believed in his Imamate had a lot of money, and this is why they said that he was the Imam who would return, and that they denied his death. (For example), Ziyad al-Qandi had seventy thousand dinars; 'Ali b. Abu Hamza had thirty thousand dinars." He (Yunus b. 'Abd al-Rahman) said: "I saw that and the truth manifested itself to me. I was fully aware of the affairs of Abu` al-Hasan, peace be on him, so I spoke to the people and summoned them (to follow) him." He said: "They (i.e. Ziya`d al-Qandi and 'Ali b. Abu` Hamza) sent for me and said to me: 'Do not summon (the people to follow) this (i.e. Abu` al-Hasan). If you want money, we will enrich you.' They guaranteed (me) ten thousand dinars." Yu`nus said: "So I said to them: 'We have been told on the authority of the Truthful (Ima`ms), peace be on them, that they said: 'If innovations appear, then it is incumbent on scholar to show his knowledge. If he does not do this, the light of faith will be taken from him.' I will never leave struggle (jihad) and Allah's command. Accordingly, they opposed me and showed enmity toward me. ⁴"
Many traditions have been reported from the Ima`ms of guidance concerning praising and lauding, and that he was one of those who had
____________
1. Al-Kashi.
2. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith.
3. Al-Kashi.
4. Ibid.

( 717 )
abundant reverential fear and among the scholars of the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family. Besides these accounts, there are others in which he has been dispraised. These accounts are either fabricated or they have been mentioned in order to decrease his importance during that time when the Shï'ites suffered from bitter kinds of tragedies and ordeals.
Yu`nus compiled a large group of books most of which is on jurisprudence and some of which is on interpretation of the Holy Qur'a`n. He, may Allah have mercy on him, died in Medina and was buried beside the grave of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, praised him, saying: "Look at what Allah has completed for Yu`nus: His grave is in Medina by (the grave of) Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family."

367. Yunus Bin Ya'qub al-Bujayli, al-Dihni

He is trustworthy. In his book al-Risala al-'Adadiya, al-Shaykh al-Mufï~d regarded him as one of the prominent jurists and leading persons from whom people took the lawful, the unlawful, religious opinions and precepts, whom none is able to impugn, and to whom there is no way to dispraise. He narrated on the authority of Ima`m al-Ka`zim and Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on them.¹
Yu`nus died in Medina, so Abu` al-Hasan al-Rida`, peace be on him, sent him scent for embalming, a shroud, and all the necessary things. Then he ordered his followers, those of his father, and of his grandfather to attend his funeral, and he said to them: "This (Yu`nus) was a follower of Abu` 'Abd Allah, peace be on him, and he lived in Iraq." And he said to them: "Be present at the (cemetery of) al-Baqï~'. If the Medinans said to you that he was an Iraqi and that they would not bury him at the (cemetery of) al-Baqï~', then say to them: 'This is a follower of Abu` 'Abd Allah, peace be on him, and he lived in Iraq. If you prevent us from burying him at the (cemetery of) al-Baqï', then we will prevent you from burying your followers at it.' He was buried
____________
Al-Tusi, Rijal.

( 718 )
at the (cemetery of) al-Baqï'.¹ Imam al-Rida, peace be on him, ordered his grave to be showered with water for a month or forty days. ² May Allah have mercy on Yu`nus, for he was successful through his showing friendship and love toward the members of the House ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them.
With him we will end our speech about some companions of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him. It is worth mentioning that the Ima`m's companions were a group of the eminent men of his time, and that they were a group of authors, narrators, and jurists, so they enriched the Ima`mi jurisprudence through their recording the verdicts of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him.
____________
1. Al-Kashi.
2. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith.

( 719 )

CHAPTER XIII
THE TIME OF THE IMAM

The time of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, was called the Golden Time. It was the most brilliant and wonderful of all the times in Islamic history. That is because building prospered; agriculture developed; the Islamic state dominated most regions of the world as well as Baghdad became the capital of Islamic world; rather the capital of the world, for it was the greatest city to which scholars and diplomats from everywhere in the world came in order to obtain an office in the state or to present the needs of their countries in the fields of administration, economy, and science.
We must mention the affairs of that time, for there is a close relationship between them and the research on the life of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him.

The Scientific Life

The scientific life in the time of Ima`m al-Rida` bloomed, and its activities in all kinds of science grew. That was the most developed kind of civilization progress which the 'Abba`sid state reached in all periods of its reign. We will briefly present some aspects of this scientific progress as follows:

The Satellite of Ibn al-Muqanna'

Among the most marvelous inventions of that time was the satellite which was made by 'Ata`' al-Khurasa`ni, better known as Ibn al-Muqanna'. That satellite appeared and the people saw it from a two-month distance, and then it disappeared from them, and concerning it Abu` al-'Ala`' al-Ma'arri has said:

( 720 )
Be watchful! The satellite whose head is masked is error and enticement just as the satellite of al-Muqanna'¹.
The poet Abu` al-Qa`sim Hibat Allah b. Sana`' al-Mulk has referred to it in a poem, saying:
To you, the satellite of al-Muqanna' when rising is not more charming than that of the turbaned one. ²
However our references have not mentioned how that satellite was made and its apparatuses as well as they have not referred to the country where the satellite was made. More likely, it was made in Baghdad, the Capital of the 'Abba`sid government in that time, any how, the making of that satellite is regarded as the greatest scientific achievement in those times.
Yet another example of the scientific achievements in those times was the usage of crystal in making ships. This has been mentioned by some historians.

The Institutes and Libraries

The 'Abba`sid government established institutes and libraries in Baghdad, that Islamic and non-Islamic sciences might be studied therein. The Government founded wherein thirty marvelous schools; the most famous of them was al-Niza`miya³. Moreover it established therein public libraries the most important of which is:

The Depository of Wisdom

Ha`ru`n al-Rashïd brought to it his personal library and added to it the books which were collected by his father al-Mahdi and his grandfather al-Mansu`r. Then al-Ma'mu`n asked the Emir of Siqliya for some philosophical and scientific books. He added these books to the Depository of Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikma) after he had received them as well as he brought to it may books form Khurasa`n. Wherever he heard of a book, he brought the book to it. ⁴
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1. Al-A'lam, vol. 5, p. 29.
2. Ibn khulakan, Wafayat al'yan, vol. 2, p. 426.
3. Rihlat Ibn

( 721 )
Sahl b. Ha`ru`n b. Ra`hbu`n was a scribe in the Depository of Wisdom, and then he was appointed by al-Ma'mu`n as a keeper of the philosophical books which were brought from the Island of Cyprus. When al-Ma'mu`n made peace with the leader of the Island, he asked him to send him the books which were collected by the Greeks in a house and which none came to know except them. So the leader of the Island gathered his retinues and men of opinion and counseled with them about carrying the books to al-Ma'mu`n, and they advised him not to carry them to him except one archbishop who said to him: "I think that you should be quick in sending the books to him, for if these sciences enter a state, they will corrupt it and sow division among its scholars; therefore, send them to al-Ma'mun." Al-Ma'mun became delighted at them and appointed Sahl as a keeper over them. ¹ It is worth mentioning that Ghayla`n al-Fa`risi was the general keeper of the library and was scribe of al-Rashïd and al-Ma'mu`n.
This library continued supplying researchers and scholars with various kinds of science. When Hulagu, the Mongol shedder of blood, occupied Baghdad, he destroyed the library, and hence Islam world lost its most important heritage.

The Translation of Books

Among the aspects of the development of the cultural and scientific life in that time was translating books from foreign languages into Arabic including medical, mathematical, astronomical books as well as philosophical and political sciences. In his book al-Fihrast, Ibn al-Nadï~m has mentioned many names of these books. Hanï~n b. Isha`q was the head of the Translation Department. Ibn al-Nadï~m narrated: "Al-Ma'mu`n exchanged letters with the Romanian King. He turned to him for help, wrote to him, and asked permission to send him what he chose of the old books stored in Rome. He (the Romanian King) responded to him after a refusal. Accordingly, al-Ma'mu`n delegated for that a group of persons including al-Hajja`jj b. Matar, Ibn al-Batrï~q, Salam (the keeper of the House of Wisdom), and
____________
1. Tamhid Li Tarikh al-Falsafa, p. 47.

( 722 )
others. They chose books from what they found. When they brought them to al-Ma'mu`n, he ordered them to carry the books to the Depository of Wisdom. ¹"
Of course, the books translated into Arabic developed Arab and Islamic thought and, in addition, they contributed in improving sciences in Islamic world, for may students worked in studying and understanding them.

The Maps and Observatories

Among the aspects of the scientific progress of that time is that al-Ma'mu`n ordered a world map to be drawn and it was called al-Ma'mu`n's Map (al-Sura al-Ma'mu`niya), and it was the first world map to be drawn during the 'Abba`sid time, as well as he ordered an observatory to be established, and it was established at al-Shamma`siya, a district in Baghdad. ²

The Dominating Sciences

As for the sciences which dominated that time, they were the sciences of the Qur'a`n, which are as follows:

1. The Interpretation of the Qur'an

This science means interpreting the verses of the Holy Qur'a`n, clarifying their meanings, distinguishing the abrogating verses from the abrogated, the unlimited verses from the limited, the general from the specific, and so on. The interpreters followed two ways in their interpretations:
A. Interpreting the Qur'a`n according to transmitted traditions, by this we mean interpreting the Holy Qur'a`n according to the traditions transmitted from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and the good Ima`ms; this method was followed by most Shï~'ite interpreters such as the Interpretation of al-Qummi, al-Burha`n, al-'Askari, and others. The argument of Shï'ites concerning this method
____________
1. Ibn al-Nadim, al-Fihrast, p. 339.
2. 'Asr al-Ma'mun, vol. 1, p. 375.

( 723 )
of interpreting is that it is the Ima`ms who were singled out for the knowledge of the Qur'a`n, and that it is they who were knowledgeable in interpreting it. Ima`m Abu` Ja'far al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, said: "None can claim that he has knowledge of the surface and deep meaning of the Qur'a`n except the testamentary trustees (i.e. the Ima`ms). ¹"
Shaykh al-Tu`si, Shaykh of the Shï~'ite Sect, said: "It is not permissible to interpret the Qur'a`n except with the authentic traditions transmitted from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and the Ima`ms whose statement is an argument like that of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. ²"
B. Interpreting the Qur'a`n according to opinion, by this we mean interpreting the Qur'a`n according to the approved, rational considerations. This method was followed by the interpreters from among the Mu'tazilities and the Ba`tiniya who did not take care of the traditions reported from the Ima`ms of guidance, peace be on him, concerning the interpretation of the Holy Qur'a`n, who interpreted the Qur'a`n according to their approved, rational considerations only. ³ As for interpreting the Qur'a`n according to the surface meanings, it is not regarded as a method of interpretation, but it is not objected.
It is worth mentioning that the first school to be established in Islam for interpreting the Qur'a`n according to the transmitted traditions was at the time of Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, for he was the first interpreter of the Qur'a`n, and under him studied 'Abd Allah b. 'Abba`s, the scholar of the community, and other prominent companions (of the Prophet). Then, after him, the pure Ima`ms began, through their lectures, interpreting the Qur'a`n, the causes of the revelation of the Qur'a`n, and the excellence of reciting its verses.
____________
1. Al-Tabyan, vol. 1, p. 4.
2. Hayat al-Imam al-Baqir, vol. 1, p. 181.
3. Ibid.

( 724 )

2. The Hadith (Tradition)

Among the sciences which dominated that time is the science of the hadith, by this we mean the traditions transmitted from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, or from one of his testamentary trustees, the pure Ima`ms, namely their words, their actions, their justifications, for they are part of the Sunna, and in the Sunna¾just as in the Holy Qur'a`n¾there is the general, the specific, the unlimited, the limited, and the like.
The Shï'ites were the first to write down the traditions, for the Ima`ms of guidance urged their companions to do that. In this connection, Abu` Basï~r narrated, saying: "I went in to Ima`m Abu` 'Abd Allah al-Sa`diq, peace be on him, and he said: 'What has prevented you from writing down (our traditions)? You will not memorize (our traditions) unless you write (them). A group of the Basrans asked me about something, wrote them down, and departed. '" A group of the companions of Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, collected the authentic traditions in big, comprehensive books which are the first comprehensive books of the Ima`mi Shï'ites and regarded as the foundation of writing down the four comprehensive books by the three Muslim Shaykhs.

4. Science of Islamic Jurisprudence

Science of Islamic jurisprudence is the greatest of all Islamic sciences and most distinguished of the them, so it was widespread in that time and the rest of times. This honorable science is responsible for rendering knowledge of required, religious duties imposed on the bounded who are responsible before Allah for following and putting them into practice.
The Ima`ms of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on him, played an active role in establishing a jurisprudence school which included the eminent jurists and scholars such as Zara`ra,
____________
1. Hayat al-Imam al-Mohammed al-Jawad, p. 194.
2. Muqaddamat al-Muqni 'wa al-Hidaya, p. 10.

( 725 )
Mohammed b. Muslim, Ja`bir b. Yazïd al-Ju'fi, Abu Hanïfa, and the like. These jurists and scholars recorded what they had heard from the pure Ima`ms in their fundamentals which they are about four hundreds, and which were rectified and gathered in the four books to which the Ima`mi jurists refer for concluding lawful precepts.
The Shï'ites are regarded as the first to record jurisprudence. In this regard Mustafa` 'Abd al-Razza`q said: "The Shï'ites were the quickest of the rest of the Muslims in inclining to writing down jurisprudence. It is rational that the Shï'ites were the quickest in clinging to recording the lawful rules because their belief in the infallibility or semi infallibility of their Ima`ms urged them to write down their legal decisions, their formal and legal opinions. ¹"

4. Science of Fundamentals

Among the sciences which were studied in those times and the like was deriving religious decisions (ijtihad); this science was founded by the greatest Ima`m Abu` Ja'far Mohammed al-Ba`qir, peace be on him. ²

5. Grammar

Grammar was among the sciences which played an important role during the 'Abba`sid time, for some of its matters and researches were the object of heated argument at gatherings held in the palaces of the Caliphs; disputes and heated arguments concerning some of its matters took place among the leading grammarians in the presence of the 'Abba`sid Caliph. A group of great figures specialized in this science; at their head were al-Kisa`'i, al-Farra`', Sï~bawayh, and this science was established by Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, the pioneer of wisdom and knowledge in Islam.

6. Theology

As for theology, it was widespread in that time. The scholars and
____________
1. Tamhid Li Tarikh al-Falsafa al-Islamiya, pp. 220-203.
2. Hayat al-Imam al-Muhammed al-Jawad, p. 195.

( 726 )
the theologians discussed important researches on this science in order to defend their beliefs. On the top of the theologians was Hisha`m b. al-Hakam, the student of Ima`m Ja'far al-Sa`diq, peace be on him, who disproved the beliefs of his opponents and established with his definite proofs the creed of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on him, which Allah has chosen for His servants.
Some Sunni famous theologians were Wa`sil b. 'Ata`', Abu` al-Hudhayl al-'Alla`f, Abu` al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, and Hujjat al-Isla`m al-Ghaza`li.

7. Medicine

Medicine was widespread during that time. Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, was at the head of the scientists in this science, and his dissertation in medicine is regarded as the most marvelous medical research, hence it has been called the Golden Dissertation (al-Risa`la al-Dhahabiya). The 'Abba`sid kings encouraged people to study this science and spent a lot of money on the specialists in it such as Gabriel b. Bakhtishu`', the skillful doctor.

8. Chemistry

Chemistry was among the most important sciences which attained great care in that time. Ja`bir b. Hayya`n, the pride of the Arab east, was specialist in it; he received his researches from the greatest figure of Islamic thought, Ima`m Ja'far al-Sa`diq, peace be on him, whom some western scholars called the thinking brain of humanity, for it was he who established this science.

9. Architecture and Civil Engineering

Architecture and civil engineering reached zenith in that time, for the architects were creative in their designing the palaces of the caliphs whether in Baghdad or in Sa`mra`'. Those palaces were the largest building throughout history. An example of the marvelous architectural designs is the ponds which were made in Sa`mra`', which the poets adored, and which astonished the minds of the scholars, in addition to that there were wonderful paintings and the Hanging

( 727 )
Gardens the like of which has not been made even in this century when architecture and technology have reached top.

10. Astronomy

Astronomy was among the dominating sciences in that time. Al-Ma'mu`n, the 'Abba`sid, was one of those who were specialists in it. These are some sciences which dominated that time, and which represented intellectual freedom and technology in the time of the Ima`m, peace be on him.

The Scientific Centers

1. Baghdad

Baghdad was one of the cities of knowledge in Islamic world, for it was, as we have mentioned before, the capital of the supreme authority and of knowledge; various kinds of culture dominated it; in it spread institutes, schools, the Depository of Wisdom, public and private libraries.

2. Yathrib

As for Yathrib (Medina), it was the most important scientific center in Islamic world, for the school of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, was established wherein, and it included the leading jurists and religious scholars who took care of recording the traditions of the Ima`ms of guidance, peace be on them, especially as it concerns their traditions on jurisprudence, which is the most perfect system in Islam. The school of the next generation (tabi'ïn) was also established therein; it was the school which took great care of the jurisprudence which was narrated on the authority of the companions (of the Prophet).

3. Kufa

Ku`fa was more important than Yathrib, for in it was the greatest mosque (al-jam al-A'zam) which was a public center for Islamic studies and, in addition, there were seminars including hundreds of students who studied under professors specialist in Islamic sciences

( 728 )
such as jurisprudence, the interpretation of the Qur'a`n, the hadith (tradition), and Arabic. The school of Ku`fa objectively took care of the sciences of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them. Al-Hasan b. 'Ali al-Washsha` reported, saying: "I met nine hundred shaykhs in this mosque (i.e. the mosque of Ku`fa) and all of them said: 'Ja'far b. Mohammed related to me (traditions).' ¹"
Important families of knowledge graduated from the mosque of Ku`fa. They are as follows: the family of Hayya`n al-Taghlubi, the family of A'yun, the children of 'Atiya, the house of the children of Darra`jj, and others. ²
A grammar school was established in Ku`fa; one of its prominent teachers was al-Kisa`'i, whom (Ha`ru`n) al-Rashïd entrusted with teaching his two sons, al-Amï~n and al-Ma'mun.³

4. Basrah

As for Basrah, it was an important center of grammar. Abu` al-Aswad al-Du'ali, the student of Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, was the first to establish this school. This school competed with the school of Ku`fa (for Arabic Grammar). The Basran grammarians were called the men of logic in order to distinguish them from the Ku`fans grammarians. Among the leading grammarians of this school was Sïbawayh, who compiled Kitab Sïbawayh (the Book of Sïbawayh) in grammar, which is the ripest of Arabic books and the best of them in depth and originality. Daybu`r said: "If we look at the book of Sï~bawayh, we will find it a ripe work and great effort to the extent that the later authors said: 'The book must be the fruit of cooperating efforts of many scholars just like the Law (qanun) of Ibn Sïna.' ⁴"
Basrah was not only an important center of grammar but also was a school of the science of interpreting the Holy Qur'a`n. Among
____________
1. Hayat al-Imam Musa b. Ja'far, vol. 1, p. 82.
2. Tarikh al-Islam, vol. 2, p. 338.
3. Hayat al-Imam Mohammed al-Jawad, p. 191.
4. Tarikh al-Falsafa fi al-Islam, p. 39.

( 729 )
the prominent scholars in this science was Abu` 'Amru` b. al-'Ala`'. Besides Basrah was the school of prosody and linguistics. Among the specialists in these two sciences was al-Khalïl b. Ahmed, the author of the book al-'Ayn, which is the first linguistic dictionary written in Arabic. ¹
These are some aspects of the cultural and scientific life of that time; generally speaking, Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, was the first pioneer of the scientific movement, for the scholars and the jurists gathered around him in order to study his pure sciences, as well as sessions were held in the 'Abba`sid palace including the great scholars whom al-Ma'mu`n summoned in order to test Ima`m al-Rida`, peace be on him, but they went out of the palace and announced the Ima`m's excellence and mentioned with admiration his many scientific abilities.

The Economic Life

Islam takes great care of combating against poverty, for it regards it as a destructive disaster which should be driven away from the public life, and hence it has made it incumbent on Muslim rulers to develop economy, to increase individual income, and to spread welfare among people. Among the things which Islam takes care of is improving economy, so it has made it obligatory on Muslim rulers to spend the state money on the public interest through developing agriculture, establishing public projects and others through which the land is prosperous. It also prevents them from taking something from state treasury for themselves and their relatives. However, the 'Abba`sids turned aside from this creative policy; they seized the money of Allah and enslaved His servants, spent a lot of money on their desires and pleasures, building their palaces and songsters, so this policy led to critical crises and divided society into two classes:
The first class included the capitalists who controlled the wealth of the community, while they had no work except unemployment, amusement, and extravagance in the unlawful.
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1. Hayat al-Imam Mohammed al-Jwad, p. 192.

( 730 )
The second class included workers and farmers. This class was miserable, for poverty and deprivation spread among it. This division among the classes of society resulted in losing the balance of the economic life, tranquillity in both political and social lives. ¹
We will briefly talk about the matters of the public economic life, unhappiness and deprivation which the citizens faced.

The Revenues of the State

As for the returns of the state during the time of Imam al-Rida, peace be on him, they were plentiful, for examples only the incoming of land taxes was counted and it was four hundred million dirhams.¹ It is worth mentioning that money was not counted but weighed because it was abundant, so they said: "It (money) is six or seven thousand quintals of gold. ³"
Unfortunately, this plentiful money was not spend on improving the life of the Muslims, helping the poor and the deprived; rather most this money was spent by kings, their ministers, their children, and their retinues on their pleasures and desires. They spent on their red nights countless money; as well as the singers, the mischievous, and the dissolute became extremely rich.

Extravagance and Wastefulness

The 'Abba`sid kings were so extravagant that they spent the money of the Muslims on their pleasures and desires, for example, al-Ma'mu`n faced financial straits when he was in Damascus, hence thirty million dirhams of the money of land taxes were carried to him, and he ordered twenty-four dirhams to be spent on his companions and the remainder of the money to be spent on his soldiers.⁴
Wasting the money of the Muslims was a dominating phenomenon with the 'Abba`sid kings, for example, al-Mahdi built a
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1. Al-Idara al-Islamiya fi Aiz al-'Arab, p. 82.
2. Al-Muqaddamat, pp. 179-180.
3. Hayat al-Imam Musa b. Ja'far.
4. Ibn al-Athir, Tharikh, vol. 6, p. 433.

( 731 )
park and spent on it fifty million dirhams. ¹ Al-Mutawakkil spent fifty million dirhams on his palace called al-Mahuza, thirty million dirhams on his palace called al-'Aru`s, and twenty-five million dirhams on the lobby (bahu). Al-Sha`bishti said: "As al-Mutawakkil was among the men of taste and sociability, he devoted himself in an amazing manner to building sixteen magnificent palaces in Sa`marra`' and spent on them an unbelievable amount of money.² " Yet a further example of his wastefulness is that he spent eighty-six million dirhams on the circumcision of his sons.

Al-Ma'mun takes Bouran in Marriage

Another example of wasting the money of the Muslims is the abundant, astonishing amount which al-Ma'mu`n spent on his taking lady Boura`n in marriage; the like of what he spent on that marriage has not occurred since Allah created the earth.
Al-Ma'mun gave his wife one million dinars as a dower. It is worth mentioning that the value of a dinar was equal to a camel. Al-Hasan b. Sahl, the father of lady Boura`n, stipulated that al-Ma'mu`n should marry his daughter in his village situated at Fam al-Sulh , and he responded to that. When he wanted to marry her, he traveled to Fam al-Sulh and spent one million dinars on the soldiers who were with him. He took with him thirty thousand young boys and seven hundred slave-girls. As for the soldiers who were with him, they were four hundred thousand horsemen and three hundred thousand infantry soldiers. As for al-Hasan b. Sahl, he slaughtered thirty thousand sheep, a similar number of chicken, four hundred cows, and four hundred camels. The people called this invitation the Invitation of Islam, but this title is wrong, for such extravagance from the money of the Muslims does not belong to Islam. The expenditures of al-Ma'mun on
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1. Mu'jam al-Buldan, vol. 3, p. 175.
2. Al-Dirayat, p. 364.
3. Fam al-Sulh, a district north of Wasit. It had a river called Fam al-Sulh, which took water from the Tigeris on the eastern side. Mu'jam al-Buldan, vol. 5, p. 177.

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this marriage were thirty-eight million dinars¹ apart from what he gave to her father, for he gave him ten millions dirhams from the land taxes of Fars (Iran) and the lands of al-Sulh. ²
Anyhow, when al-Ma'mu`n married Boura`n, ambergris hazelnuts were scattered from the roof of the house of al-Hasan b. Sahl, but the people disdained them and abstained from them, so a person called out to them, saying: "Whoever has taken a hazelnut, let him break it, for he will find in it a piece of paper on which it has been written either one thousand dinars or ten silk garments or five garments or a retainer or a slave-girl." Those who obtained pieces of paper sent them to the Divan and received what was written on them. ³Likewise, al-Ma'mun spent one million dirhams on the commanders of his army.⁴ Congratulating al-Hasan b. Sahl, his daughter, and al-Ma'mu`n, al-Ba`hili said:
May Allah bless al-Hasan and Boura`n regarding the marriage. O son of Ha`ru`n, you have gained, but whose daughter is she?⁵
When the hour of wedding came, Boura`n was seated on a mat made of gold. Then al-Ma'mu`n came in to her and he was accompanied by his aunts and a group of the 'Abba`sid women, so al-Hasan b. Sahl scattered three hundred pearls over al-Ma'mu`n and his wife. The weight of each pearl was a weight (mithqa`l). None stretched out his hand to take them, so al-Ma'mu`n ordered his aunts to take them; he stretched out his hand to take one, and thus the 'Abbasid women hurried to take some. Accordingly, al-Ma'mu`n said: "May Allah kill Abu` Nu'a`s! He described wine as if he was present at this gathering of ours; he said:
'Its small and big bubbles are like pearl pebbles on a 'ground of gold! ⁶"
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1. Al-Muwafaqat, p. 98.
2. Nisa' al-Khulafat', p. 68.
3. Al-Tabari, Tarikh.
4. Tazyin al-Aswaq, vol. 3, p. 117.
5. Al-Haa'iq al-Wardiya, vol. 2, p. 220.
6. Hidarat al-Islam.

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Al-Ma'mu`n and al-Hasan b. Sahl spent on his marriage abundant money which was, without doubt, stolen from the Treasury of the Muslims, and which had to be spent, according to Allah's Law, on combating poverty and removing misery from the world of Islam.
It is worth mentioning that when Ha`ru`n al-Rashïd married lady Zubayda, he made a banquet the like of which was not made in Islam. He ordered the gifts to be unlimited, hence gold wares full of silver, silver wares full of gold, pieces of musk and ambergris were offered (to the guests). This is the extravagance and wastefulness which Islam has forbidden in order to protect the economy of the community from collapse.

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