ʿUbayd Allah said to him, “By Allah, I see you are a vile poet!” Yet he soon became reconciled with him and restored the stipend he had previously withheld (1).

Abu Maʿshar and al-Waqidi state: In this same year the people’s pilgrimage was led by ʿUthman ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Sufyan. The deputy governor of Madinah was al-Walid ibn ʿUtbah ibn Abi Sufyan; over Kufah was al-Nuʿman ibn Bashir, with Shurayh as its judge; over Basrah was ʿUbayd Allah ibn Ziyad [and its judge was Hisham ibn Hubayrah] (2). Sijistan was governed by ʿAbbad ibn Ziyad, and Kerman by Sharik ibn al-Aʿwar al-Harithi, appointed by ʿUbayd Allah ibn Ziyad.

Those who died in this year among the notable figures

Ibn al-Jawzi says: In this year Usamah ibn Zayd died, though the sounder view is that his death occurred earlier, as noted above (3).

Al-Ḥuṭayʾah the poet (4)—his given name was Jarwal [ibn Aws] (5) ibn Malik ibn Juʿayyah ibn Makhzum ibn Malik ibn Quṭayʿah ibn ʿAbs (6), Abu Mulaykah (7)—was nicknamed al-Ḥuṭayʾah on account of his short stature. He lived through the pre-Islamic era and embraced Islam during the caliphate of al-Ṣiddiq. He was so fond of invective that it is said he satirized his father and mother, his maternal and paternal uncles, himself, and even his own wife (8).

Among what he said about his mother:
“Step aside—sit far away from me;
may Allah grant the worlds relief from you!
A sieve you are whenever a secret is entrusted,
yet a brazier aflame against those who speak aloud.
May Allah requite you with the worst lot for an old crone
and visit you with the disobedience of sons.” (9)

And he said about his father, his uncle, and his mother’s brother: