Ṣuwar min Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābiyyāt - Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha - (56)

She said, “That would be far better for you than to hand yourself over to al-Ḥajjāj of your own accord and let the Umayyad boys toss your head about for sport.”

He answered, “I do not fear death; I fear only that they will mutilate my body.”

She replied, “Once a man has been killed, there is nothing left to fear. A slaughtered sheep feels no pain when it is flayed….”

At that, his face lit up (1) and he said, “Blessed are you, Mother, and blessed are your lofty virtues (2). I have come to you at this very hour only to hear from you what I have just heard. Allah knows I have never wavered or grown weak, and He is witness over me that I have not taken this stand out of love for the world and its finery, but out of anger for Allah’s sake at the violation of His sanctities….

“So now I am going to do what pleases you. If I am killed, do not grieve for me; rather, surrender your affair to Allah….”

(1) Asayir wajhihi (the adornments of his face): mahasin wajhihi (the beauties of his face). (2) Munaqibak (your noble qualities): khalalak (your inner refinement), khasalik (your attributes), and shama'ilik (your noble characteristics).

قالت: ذلك خيرٌ لك من أن تسلم نفسك للحجَّاج مختارًا، فيلعب برأسك غلمان بني «أميَّة». قال: لست أخشى القتل، وإنما أخاف أن يمثِّلوا بي. قالت: ليس بعد القتل ما يخافه المرء، فالشَّاة المذبوحة لا يؤلمها السَّلخ ... فأشرقت أسارير (١) وجهه وقال: بوركت من أمٍّ، وبوركت مناقبك (٢) الجليلة؛ فأنا ما جئت إليك في هذه السَّاعة إلاَّ لأسمع منك ما سمعت، والله يعلم أنَّني ما وهنت ولا ضعفت، وهو الشَّهيد عليَّ أنَّني ما قمت بما قمت به حبًا بالدنيا وزينتها، وإنما غضباً لله أن تستباح محارمه ... وهأنذا ماض إلى ما تحبيِّن، فإذا أنا قتلت فلا تحزني عليَّ وسلِّمي أمرك لله ...

(١) أسارير وجهه: محاسن وجهه. (٢) مناقبك: خلالك وخصالك وشمائلك.