Abdallah ibn Ja'far ibn Abi Talib had a singing slave girl called Umara. When Abdallah came to visit Mu'awiya, he brought her out with him. One day Yazid visited him and stayed with him, and he brought her out to him. And when Yazid looked at her and heard her singing, she fell into his heart, and there seized him on her account something he could not master; yet his father's position kept him from disclosing it, together with his despair of ever winning her. He went on concealing it until Mu'awiya died, the power passed to him, and Yazid assumed the caliphate. Then he consulted one of those he trusted about her, who said: "What Abdallah possesses is not to be coveted; you cannot allow yourself to coerce him; and he will never sell her for anything. Nothing will serve in this matter but stratagem."
Yazid said: "Find me an intelligent man from the people of Iraq, quick-witted and cultivated, a man of knowledge and skill."
They sought him out and brought him, and when he came before him he drew him out in talk, and found eloquence, charm, and understanding. He said to him: "I have summoned you for a matter which, if you succeed in it, will be your fortune to the end of your days, and your hand will have its fill of it." Then he told him his affair. The man said: "O
Commander of the Faithful, what Abdallah ibn Ja'far holds can be come at only by guile, and if any man can accomplish what you ask, I hope to be that man — and strength is from God. Assist me, then, O Commander of the Faithful, with money." He said: "Take what you please." So he took, and bought of the finest wares of Syria, and garments of Egypt and its goods for trade, and slaves and mounts and whatever else he needed, and set out for Medina. He halted on the open ground before Abdallah ibn Ja'far's house, hired a dwelling beside him, and then approached him and said: "I am a man of
the people of Iraq, come with merchandise, and I wished to be under your protection and in your shelter until I sell what I have brought." So Abdallah sent to his stewards and said: "Honor our neighbor, and make the dwelling ample for him."
When the Iraqi had settled in, and had greeted him for some days and made himself known to him, he prepared for him a fine mule, garments of the garments of Iraq, and choice gifts, and sent them to him, writing a note in which he said: "My master, I am a merchant; God's favor upon me is ample and I have means. I have sent you a small kindness — it is such-and-such — with garments and perfume, and I have sent a mule light of rein and easy of back: take her for your riding. And I ask you, by your kinship to the Messenger (God bless him and grant him peace), to accept my gift and not to grieve me by returning it; for I hold it my religion before God Almighty to love you and to love the people of your house, and the best thing in this journey of mine is that I should gain the pleasure of your company and be honored by your acquaintance."
Abdallah ordered his gift accepted, and went out to prayer. When he returned he passed by the Iraqi at his dwelling, and the man rose to him, kissed his hand, and greeted him. He kept much company with him, and found in him culture, wit, charm, and eloquence, so that he admired him and rejoiced that he had lodged beside him. And the Iraqi went on sending,