وَكَانَAndلِلْبَرَامِكَةِfor the Barmakidsفِيinهَذَاthisالشَّأْنِmatter
And the Barmakids had in this matter
مَاwhatلَمْnotيَكُنْwasلِأَحَدٍfor anyoneمِنَofالنَّاسِthe peopleمِنْهَا،of it,
what none of the people had of it,
إِنَّهُمْindeed theyكَانُواused toيَخْرُجُونَgo outبِاللَّيْلِat nightسِرًّاsecretly
they used to go out at night secretly
وَمَعَهُمُand with themالْأَمْوَالُwere the fundsيَتَصَدَّقُونَgiving charityبِهَا،with them,
and with them were funds giving charity with them,
وَرُبَّمَاand perhapsدَقُّواthey knockedعَلَىonالنَّاسِthe people'sأَبْوَابَهُمْdoors
and perhaps they knocked on people's doors
فَيَدْفَعُونَso they hand overإِلَيْهِمُto themالصُّرَّةَthe pouchفِيهَاin itالثَّلَاثَةُthe threeالْآلَافِthousandإِلَىtoالْخَمْسَةِthe fiveالْآلَافِthousand
and hand over to them the pouch containing three thousand to five thousand
وَالْأَكْثَرَand moreمِنْthanذَلِكَthatوَالْأَقَلَّ،and less,
and more than that and less,
وَرُبَّمَاand perhapsطَرَحُواthey threwمَاwhatمَعَهُمْwith themفِيinعَتَبِthresholds ofالْأَبْوَابِ،the doors,
and perhaps they threw what was with them in the thresholds of the doors,
فَكَانَsoالنَّاسُthe peopleلِاعْتِيَادِهِمْdue to their habitذَلِكَof thatيَعْدُونَwould hastenإِلَىtoالْعَتَبِthe thresholds
so the people, due to their habit of that, would hasten to the thresholds
إِذَاwhenأَصْبَحُواthey woke in the morningيَطْلُبُونَseekingمَاwhatأُلْقِيَwas castفِيهَا.in them.
when they woke in the morning seeking what was cast in them.
وَمِنْهُمْAnd among them wasخَالِدُKhalidبْنُson ofبَرْمَكَBarmak
And among them was Khalid ibn Barmak
فَإِنَّهُfor indeed heحَدَّثَنَاnarrated to usيُوسُفُYusufبْنُson ofسَلَّامٍSalamالزَّعْفَرَانِيُّal-Za'faraniقَالَ:who said:
for indeed Yusuf ibn Salam al-Za'farani narrated to us, saying:
حَدَّثَنِيNarrated to meأَبِيmy fatherقَالَ:who said:
My father narrated to me, saying:
قَالَSaidخَالِدُKhalidبْنُson ofبَرْمَكَBarmakيَوْمًاone day
Khalid ibn Barmak said one day
وَهُوَwhile heبِالرَّيِّwas in Rayyوَأَرَادَand wantedالْخُرُوجَto go outإِلَىtoمَجْلِسٍa gatheringلَهُfor him
while he was in Rayy and wanted to go out to a gathering of his
وَإِخْرَاجَand to take outدَوَابِّهِhis mountsإِلَىtoالْخُضْرَةِthe greenery
and take out his mounts to the greenery
وَنَحْنُwhile weقِيَامٌwere standingبَيْنَbeforeيَدَيْهِ:him:
while we were standing before him:
مَنْWhoيَخْرُجُwill go outمَعَwithهَذِهِtheseالدَّوَابِّ؟mounts?
"Who will go out with these mounts?"
قَالَSaidأَبِي:my father:
My father said:
أَنَا،I will,وَلَيْسَand notأَحَدٌanyoneيَجْتَرِئُdaresأَنْtoيَتَكَلَّمَ،speak,
"I will," and no one dared to speak,
فَقَالَ:so he said:اخْرُجْGo outمَعَهَا،with them,
so he said: "Go out with them,"
فَخَرَجْتُso I went outوَكُنْتُand I wasأُحْسِنُtaking good careإِلَيْهَا،of them,
so I went out and I was taking good care of them,
فَلَمَّاand whenرَدَدْتُهَاI returned themحُمِدَwas praisedأَثَرِيmy serviceفِيهَا،in them,
and when I returned them, my service regarding them was praised,
فَقُلْتُ:so I said:أَيُّهَاOالْأَمِيرُPrinceلِيI haveحَاجَةٌ،a need,
so I said: "O Prince, I have a need,"
فَقَالَ:so he said:وَمَاAnd what isحَاجُتُكَ؟your need?
so he said: "And what is your need?"
قُلْتُ:I said:ثَلَاثَةُThreeآلَافِthousandدِرْهَمٍ،dirhams,
I said: "Three thousand dirhams,"
قَالَ:he said:ثَلَاثَةُThreeآلَافِthousandدِرْهَمٍ؟dirhams?
he said: "Three thousand dirhams?"
قُلْتُ:I said:نَعَمْ،Yes,
I said: "Yes,"
قَالَ:he said:أَعْطُوهُGive himثَلَاثَةَthreeآلَافِthousandدِرْهَمٍ،dirhams,
he said: "Give him three thousand dirhams,"
وَقَالَand he saidلِي:to me:اشْتَرِهَاBuy itالْآنَnowوَاعْتِقْهَا،and free it,
and he said to me: "Buy it now and free it,"
ثُمَّthenقَالَ:he said:مَاWhatتُرِيدُ؟do you want?
then he said: "What do you want?"
قُلْتُ:I said:الْحَجَّthe Hajj pilgrimageأَحُجُّI will perform Hajjوَتَحُجُّand she will perform Hajjهِيَsheأَيْضًا،too,
I said: "The Hajj, I will perform Hajj and she will perform Hajj too,"
قَالَ:he said:أَعْطُوهُGive himثَلَاثَةَthreeآلَافِthousandدِرْهَمٍ،dirhams,
he said: "Give him three thousand dirhams,"
قُلْتُ:I said:نَحْتَاجُWe needإِلَىtoخَادِمٍa servantيَخْدُمُنَا،to serve us,
I said: "We need a servant to serve us,"
قَالَ:he said:أَعْطُوهُGive himثَلَاثَةَthreeآلَافِthousandدِرْهَمٍdirhamsلِثَمَنِfor the price ofالْخَادِمِ،the servant,
he said: "Give him three thousand dirhams for the price of the servant,"
قُلْتُ:I said:نَحْتَاجُWe needإِلَىtoثَمَنِthe price ofكِسْوَةٍ،clothing,
I said: "We need the price of clothing,"
قَالَ:he said:أَعْطُوهُGive himثَلَاثَةَthreeآلَافِthousandدِرْهَمٍdirhamsلِكِسْوَتِهِمْ،for their clothing,
he said: "Give him three thousand dirhams for their clothing,"
فَلَمْand I did notأَزَلْceaseأَقُولُsayingوَأَعُدُّand countingشَيْئًاthingشَيْئًاby thing
and I kept on saying and counting thing by thing
حَتَّىuntilقُلْتُ:I said:وَأَحْتَاجُ"And I needإِلَىaمَنْزِلٍhouseوَأَحْتَاجُand I needإِلَىaفَرَسٍ،horse,"
until I said: "And I need a house and I need a horse,"
وَهُوَwhile heيَقُولُwas sayingأَعْطُوهُ"Give himثَلَاثَةَthreeآلَافِthousandدِرْهَمٍ،dirhams,"
while he was saying "Give him three thousand dirhams,"
حَتَّىuntilأَخَذْتُI tookثَلَاثِينَthirtyأَلْفَthousandدِرْهَمٍ.dirhams.
until I took thirty thousand dirhams.
قَالَ:He said:وَحَدَّثَنَاAnd narrated to usيَزِيدُYazidالْبَرْمَكِيُّal-Barmakiقَالَ:who said:
He said: And Yazid al-Barmaki narrated to us, saying:
كَسَاclothedخَالِدٌKhalidكُلَّeveryثَوْبٍgarmentكَانَhe hadلَهُfor him
Khalid gave away in charity every garment he had
حَتَّىuntilلَمْnotيَبْقَremainedعَلَيْهِupon himمِنْofكِسْوَتِهِhis clothingإِلَّاexceptطَيْلَسَانَa wornخَلَقٍ،tailasan cloak,
until there remained on him of his clothing only a worn tailasan cloak,
فَاتَّصَلَso reachedخَبَرُهُhis newsفِيregardingكِسْوَتِهِhis clothingبِامْرَأَتِهِhis wifeأُمِّUmmخَالِدٍKhalidبِنْتِdaughter ofيَزِيدَYazid
so news of his clothing situation reached his wife Umm Khalid bint Yazid
وَكَانَتْand she wasبِالرَّيِّin Rayy
and she was in Rayy
فَبَعَثَتْso she sentإِلَيْهِto himبِكِسْوَةٍclothingمِنَfromالرَّيِّRayyطَيْلَسَانَa tailasan cloakمُطَبَّقًاfolded/double
so she sent him a clothing item from Rayy, a folded tailasan cloak
لَمْnotأَرَI have seenمِثْلَهُits likeجَوْدَةًin qualityوَحُسْنًاand beautyوَسَعَةً،and spaciousness,
the likes of which I had never seen in quality, beauty, and spaciousness,
وَكَانَand wasخَالِدٌKhalidذَاpossessor ofبَسْطَةٍample buildفِيinالْجِسْمِbody
and Khalid was a man of ample physical build
فَكَانَso heيَحْتَاجُneededإِلَىtheأَسْبَغِmost ampleثَوْبٍgarmentوَأَتَمِّهِ،and its most complete,
so he needed the most ample and complete garment,
فَوُضِعَso it was placedبَيْنَbeforeيَدَيْهِhim
so it was placed before him
فَنَظَرَand he lookedإِلَيْهِat itثُمَّthenرَفَعَhe raisedرَأْسَهُhis headإِلَيَّtoward meفَقَالَ:and said:
and he looked at it, then raised his head toward me and said:
يَاOيَزِيدُYazidكَيْفَhowتَرَىdo you seeهَذَاthisالطَّيْلَسَانَ؟tailasan cloak?
"O Yazid, how do you see this tailasan cloak?"
قُلْتُ:I said:مَاI have notرَأَيْتُseenمِثْلَهُits like
I said: "I have not seen its like
وَإِنَّand indeedبِالْأَمِيرِthe Princeإِلَيْهِto itلَحَاجَةً،surely has a need,"
and the Prince surely has a need for it,"
قَالَHe saidخَالِدٌ:Khalid:اصْنَعْDoبِهِwith itمَاwhatشِئْتَ،you wish,
Khalid said: "Do with it what you wish,"
قُلْتُ:I said:تَلْبَسُهُYou wear itأَيُّهَاOالْأَمِيرُ،Prince,
I said: "You wear it, O Prince,"
قَالَ:he said:أَنَاIوَاللَّهِby Allahإِلَىtoغَيْرِother thanهَذَاthisأَحْوَجُ،am more in need,
he said: "By Allah, I am more in need of something other than this,"
قُلْتُ:I said:وَمَاAnd whatهُوَ؟is it?
I said: "And what is it?"
قَالَ:He said:أَنْ"Thatتَقُومَyou goالسَّاعَةَnowعَلَىtoشَرِيفٍa nobleمِنْofأَشْرَافِthe nobles ofالنَّاسِthe people
He said: "That you go now to a noble of the nobles of the people
أَوْorحُرٍّa free manمِنْofأَحْرَارِهِمْtheir free menفَتُتْحِفَهُand present it as a giftبِهِto him
or a free man of their free men and present it as a gift to him
فَيَقُومَso he standsفَيَلْبَسَهُand wears itكُلَّeveryيَوْمِday ofعِيدٍEid
so he stands and wears it every Eid day
أَوْorيَخْرُجَgoes outإِذَاwhenخَرَجَhe goes outنَحْوَtowardأَهْلِهِhis family
or goes out when he goes out toward his family
فَيَلْبَسَهُand wears itعِنْدَuponقُدُومِهِhis arrivalعَلَيْهِمْto them
and wears it upon his arrival to them
فَيَقُولُand says:هَذَا"This isكِسْوَةُclothing ofخَالِدٍ،Khalid,"
and says: "This is the clothing of Khalid,"
هَذَا"Thisوَاللَّهِby Allahأَفْضَلُis more excellentوَأَشْرَفُand more honorableمِنْthanلُبْسِيmy wearingإِيَّاهُ،it,"
"This by Allah is more excellent and more honorable than my wearing it,"
قَالَ:he said:فَكَسَاهُso he clothed with itبَعْضَsomeعُفَاتِهِ.of those seeking his help.
he said: so he gave it to some of those seeking his help.
يَحْيَىYahyaبْنُson ofخَالِدٍKhalid
Yahya ibn Khalid
فَإِنَّهُfor indeedحَدَّثَنَاnarrated to usعَلِيُّAliبْنُson ofالْحُسَيْنِal-Husaynالْأَشْقَرُal-Ashqar
for indeed Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Ashqar narrated to us
عَنْfromعَبْدِAbdullahاللَّهِibnبْنِAswarأَسْوَارَwhoقَالَ:said:
from Abdullah ibn Aswar who said:
كُنْتُI used toأَخُطُّwriteبَيْنَbeforeيَدَيْthe presence ofيَحْيَىYahya
I used to write in the presence of Yahya
وَكَانَand wasخَطِّيmy handwritingيُعْجِبُهُ،pleasing to him,
and my handwriting was pleasing to him,
فَبَيْنَاso whileأَنَاIجَالِسٌwas sittingبَيْنَbeforeيَدَيْهِhim
so while I was sitting before him
إِذْwhenنَاوَلَهُhanded to himرَجُلٌa manكِتَابًاa letter
when a man handed him a letter
فَثَنَىso he foldedأَعْلَاهُits topوَجَعَلَand beganيَقْرَؤُهُ،reading it,
so he folded its top and began reading it,
فَدَخَلَand enteredالْفَضْلُal-Fadlابْنُهُhis sonفَسَلَّمَand greetedوَجَلَسَand sat
and his son al-Fadl entered, greeted, and sat
ثُمَّthenأَقْبَلَhe turnedعَلَىtoرَجُلٍa manيُحَدِّثُهُconversing with him
then he turned to a man conversing with him
وَطَرْفُwhile the glance ofيَحْيَىYahyaفِيwas uponالْكِتَابِthe letterالَّذِيwhichبِيَدِهِ،was in his hand,
while Yahya's glance was upon the letter which was in his hand,
فَقَالَso saidالْفَضْلُal-Fadlلِذَلِكَto thatالرَّجُلِ:man:
so al-Fadl said to that man:
إِنِّيIndeed Iلَأَعْجَبُam greatly astonishedكَثِيرًاmuchمِنْatأَمْرٍa matterنَحْنُweفِيهِ!are in!
"I am indeed greatly astonished at a matter we are in!
كَانَA manالرَّجُلُused toيَصِلُgiftالرَّجُلَa manبِخَمْسِينَwith fiftyأَلْفَthousandدِرْهَمٍdirhams
A man used to gift a man fifty thousand dirhams
فَتُغْنِيهِso it enriches himوَعَشِيرَتَهُand his tribeفَيَكْتَفُونَand they sufficeبِهَاwith it
so it enriches him and his tribe and they are sufficed by it
وَنَرَىand we seeذَلِكَthatفِيinوُجُوهِهِمْtheir facesوَيَتَبَيَّنُand it is clearعَلَيْهِمْupon themأَثَرُهُits effect
and we see that in their faces and its effect is clear upon them
وَنَحْنُwhile weنَصِلُgiftالرَّجُلَa manبِالْخَمْسِwith fiveالْمِائَةِhundredالْأَلْفِthousandالدَّرْهَمِdirhamsوَالْأَكْثَرِand more
while we gift a man five hundred thousand dirhams and more
فَلَاyet we do notنَرَىseeذَلِكَthatفِيinوُجُوهِنَا!our faces!
yet we do not see that in our faces!"
فَالْتَفَتَSo turnedإِلَيْهِto himيَحْيَىYahyaوَقَطَعَand interruptedقِرَاءَةَthe reading ofالْكِتَابِthe letterفَقَالَ:and said:
So Yahya turned to him, interrupted the reading of the letter, and said:
يَا"OأَبَاAbuالْعَبَّاسِal-Abbas,إِذَاwhenكَانَisأَمَلُthe aspiration ofالرَّجُلِa manأَلْفَa millionأَلْفِ(thousand thousand)دِرْهَمٍdirhams
"O Abu al-Abbas, when the aspiration of a man is a million dirhams
وَأُعْطِيَهُand he is givenخَمْسَfiveمِائَةِhundredأَلْفٍthousandلَمْit does notتَقَعْsatisfyمِنْهُhimمَوْقِعًاa significant place
and he is given five hundred thousand, it does not satisfy him significantly
وَإِنَّمَاand ratherيُرَىis seenفِيinوَجْهِthe face ofالرَّجُلِthe manمَاwhatبَلَغَreachedبِهِby itالْأَمَلُ،his aspiration,"
and rather there is seen in the man's face what his aspiration has reached,
فَعَجِبَso marveledأَهْلُthe people ofالْمَجْلِسِthe gatheringمِنْatكَرَمِهِhis generosityوَقَوْلِهِand his statement
so the people of the gathering marveled at his generosity and his statement
وَمَاand theyزَالُواcontinuedيَحْكُونَهُnarrating itعَنْهُ.from him.
and they continued narrating it from him.
وَحَدَّثَAnd narratedابْنُIbnمَزْرُوعٍMazru' عَنْfromأَبِيهِhis fatherقَالَ:who said:
And Ibn Mazru' narrated from his father, who said:
كُنْتُI used toأَسِيرُmarchفِيinمَوْكِبِthe procession ofيَحْيَىYahyaبْنِson ofخَالِدٍKhalid
I used to march in the procession of Yahya ibn Khalid
فَعَرَضَwhen presented himselfلَهُto himرَجُلٌa manمِنَfromالْعَامَّةِthe common people
when a man from the common people presented himself to him
وَمَعَهُand with himكِتَابٌwas a letterفَقَالَ:and he said:
and with him was a letter, and he said:
أَصْلَحَMay Allah rectifyاللَّهُtheالْأَمِيرَ،Prince,اخْتِمْsealهَذَاthisالْكِتَابَ،letter,
"May Allah rectify the Prince, seal this letter,"
فَبَادَرَso rushedإِلَيْهِtoward himالشَّاكِرِيَّةُthe guardsيَزْجُرُونَهُpushing him awayمِنْfromحَوَاشِيthe sides ofمَوْكِبِهِ،his procession,
so the guards rushed toward him, pushing him away from the sides of his procession,
فَقَالَ:so he said:دَعُوهُ"Leave himقَبْلَbeforeأَنْyouلَاcannotتَنْتَفِعَbenefitبِهِ،from it,"
so he said: "Leave him before you cannot benefit from it,"
يَعْنِيmeaningخَاتَمَهُ،his seal,
meaning his seal,
وَاسْتَدْنَاهُand he brought him closeفَخَتَمَand sealedلَهُ،for him,
and he brought him close and sealed it for him,
وَتَعَجَّبَand marveledمُسَايِرُوهُthose accompanying himمِنْatاغْتِنَامِهِhis seizingالْمَعْرُوفَthe opportunity of doing goodوَعَمَلِهِand his actingبِأَفْعَالِwith the deeds ofالرِّجَالِ.real men.
and those accompanying him marveled at his seizing the opportunity of doing good and his acting with the deeds of real men.