Allah, for I laid al-Walīd in his grave and saw him writhing inside his shroud.’

Khalifah (1) said: Yazīd then set out for Khurasan, but he was recalled from there in the year 99 AH. ʿUmar dismissed him and installed ʿAdī ibn Arṭāʾah in his place. Yazīd entered to greet ʿAdī; the latter seized him, sent him on to ʿUmar, and ʿUmar kept him imprisoned until his own death.

Al-Madāʾinī related that Yazīd ibn al-Muhallab used to give one of his drinking companions one hundred dinars every day; when he resolved to travel, he presented the man with three thousand dinars.

I say: The “kings” of our own age are more munificent indeed! Those earlier rulers gave to the worthy and to poets, whereas these lavish sums that surpass the largesse of their predecessors upon people who understand nothing and display no valor.

It was said that Yazīd ibn al-Muhallab ordered one hundred thousand to be sent to a man and wrote to him: ‘I have not mentioned it to parade a favor, nor have I left it unmentioned out of arrogance.’

From him is reported the saying: ‘One known for truthfulness—his lie is accepted; one known for lying—his truth is not accepted.’

Al-Kalbī said: Ziyād al-Aʿjam recited to Yazīd ibn al-Muhallab:
‘Since we beheld Yazīd upon his father’s pulpit,
al-Muhallab has never died.
He has two hands—one pours forth bounty and generosity,
the other rains down tempered iron.’
Yazīd commanded that a thousand dinars be given to him.

It is said that he once performed the pilgrimage; when the barber had shaved his head he gave him one thousand dirhams. The man was astonished and said, ‘Let me go and bring my mother the glad tidings!’ Yazīd ordered, ‘Give him another thousand.’ The barber declared, ‘My wife is divorced if I ever shave anyone’s head after yours!’ Yazīd said, ‘Give him yet another two thousand.’ (2)

It was said that Hamzah ibn Bīḍ entered upon Yazīd while he was in prison and recited to him: