154 – Abū Zayd al-Numayrī narrated to me; ʿAbd al-Malik ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz al-Mājishūn related to us; al-Mughīra ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Makhzūmī told me, from his father, from Ibn Rukāna—who was the wonder of the people of his age—who said:

“Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiya wanted to face me in a contest of strength and wrestling. When that reached Muʿāwiya he said, ‘I see no clear reason for it, yet I shall look into the matter.’ He then resolved to dispatch a delegation to Yazīd; he formed it and included in it Yazīd ibn Rukāna.

“When I arrived with the group, the proposal was put before me and I was ordered to stay behind with Muʿāwiya’s private entourage. Muʿāwiya pursued the subject, conversing with me and asking after our family; then he mentioned physical prowess, so I described some of it to him and he honored me. I would enter upon him in private until we spoke with Yazīd.

“Yazīd said, ‘I shall not forgo my share of that!’ The conversation then turned until no objection could be raised to our wrestling, and he invited me to it. I refused out of reverence for the Commander of the Faithful, but he said, ‘Never mind.’ ⦗312⦘

“So I girded myself with my waist-cloth, while Yazīd came forward with a soft, saffron-dyed mantle and wrapped it round his waist so tightly that one could scarcely distinguish it from his belly. He came at me briefly; then I lifted him up and was about to set him on the ground when Muʿāwiya cried, ‘Onto my lap, onto my lap!’ So I placed him in his lap.

“I remained with him, and he gave me a private gift and rewarded me along with the rest of the delegation.”