“We have pinned our hopes on you, Commander of the Believers; you have pinned yours on the Syrians, and the Syrians have pinned theirs on Marwān. What, then, are we supposed to do?”

Al-Shaʿbī commented, “I never heard a finer comeback than that.”

Another narrator said: Muṣʿab was one of the people most passionately fond of women, and he obtained a great deal of what he desired in that regard. It is related that a group—including Ibn ʿUmar and Muṣʿab ibn al-Zubayr—once gathered by the Black Stone. They said, “Let each of you stand and ask Allah for what he needs.” Ibn ʿUmar asked for forgiveness, while Muṣʿab asked that Allah marry him to Sukaynah bint al-Ḥusayn and ʿĀʾishah bint Ṭalḥah—two of the most beautiful women of their time—and that He grant him the governorship of the two Iraqi provinces. Allah granted him all of that: he married ʿĀʾishah bint Ṭalḥah, whose bridal gift was one hundred thousand dinars. She was dazzlingly beautiful, and Muṣʿab himself was exceedingly handsome, as were the rest of his wives.

Al-Aṣmaʿī narrated, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī al-Zinād from his father: “ʿAbd Allah, Muṣʿab, and ʿUrwah—the sons of al-Zubayr—and Ibn ʿUmar were together in the Ḥijr. ʿAbd Allah ibn al-Zubayr said, ‘As for me, I wish for the caliphate.’ ʿUrwah said, ‘I wish that knowledge be taken from me.’ Muṣʿab said, ‘I wish for the governorship of Iraq and to be joined with ʿĀʾishah bint Ṭalḥah and Sukaynah bint al-Ḥusayn.’ Ibn ʿUmar said, ‘I wish for forgiveness.’ They all attained what they wished for, and—Allah willing—He has forgiven Ibn ʿUmar. (1)

ʿĀmir al-Shaʿbī recounted: “While I was sitting, the governor Muṣʿab ibn al-Zubayr summoned me and brought me into the government residence. He then drew back a screen, and behind it stood ʿĀʾishah bint Ṭalḥah. I had never seen a sight more splendid or more beautiful. He asked, ‘Do you know who this is?’ I replied, ‘No.’ He said, ‘This is ʿĀʾishah bint Ṭalḥah.’ After I left, she asked him, ‘Who is the man you showed me to?’ He answered, ‘This is ʿĀmir al-Shaʿbī.’ She said, ‘Give him something!’ and so he bestowed upon me ten thousand dirhams. That was the first wealth I ever owned. (2)

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAsākir relates (3) that ʿĀʾishah bint Ṭalḥah once became angry with Muṣʿab, so he appeased her with four hundred thousand dirhams, which she then gave to the woman who had reconciled them.

It is also said that a golden date palm, whose fruit consisted of various precious jewels, was presented to him. It was appraised at two million dinars and had come from the possessions of the Persians; Muṣʿab gave it to ʿAbd Allah ibn Abī Furwah. (4)

And it is said that whenever his brother ʿAbd Allah wrote an order granting someone one thousand dirhams, Muṣʿab would make it one hundred thousand.

Muṣʿab was indeed among the most generous of people, constantly giving and never deeming any gift too large, no matter how great it might be.