sugar to Madinah; when the stock failed to move and no one would buy any of it, ʿAbd Allah ibn Jaʿfar ordered his steward to purchase the whole lot and distribute it among the people.

It is also reported that when Muʿāwiyah performed the pilgrimage and stayed in Marwān’s house, he said one day to his doorkeeper, “Look outside and see whether al-Ḥasan, al-Ḥusayn, Ibn Jaʿfar, or So-and-so”—and he named a number of men—“are waiting.” The doorkeeper went out but found no one there. He was told, “They are all gathered at ʿAbd Allah ibn Jaʿfar’s house having lunch.” The servant returned and informed Muʿāwiyah, who said, “Then I am merely one of them.” He picked up a staff, leaned on it, went to Ibn Jaʿfar’s door, asked permission to enter, and Ibn Jaʿfar seated him at the head of his couch.

Muʿāwiyah asked, “Where is your lunch, O son of Jaʿfar?” He replied, “Name whatever you desire and I shall have it brought.” Muʿāwiyah said, “Feed us marrow.” Ibn Jaʿfar called, “Boy, bring marrow!” A platter was brought and Muʿāwiyah ate. Ibn Jaʿfar then said to the servant, “Bring more marrow,” and a second platter, brimming with marrow, appeared; this was repeated a third time. Amazed, Muʿāwiyah remarked, “Son of Jaʿfar, only boundless generosity can satisfy you!” When he left, he ordered that fifty thousand dinars be given to him.

Ibn Jaʿfar was Muʿāwiyah’s friend and used to visit him every year; Muʿāwiyah would give him one million dirhams and grant him a hundred requests. When Muʿāwiyah was on his death-bed he instructed his son Yazīd accordingly. Later, when Ibn Jaʿfar arrived before Yazīd, the latter asked, “How much did the Commander of the Believers give you each year?” “One million,” he replied. Yazīd said, “We have doubled it for you,” and henceforth gave him two million every year. Ibn Jaʿfar responded, “May my father and mother be your ransom! I have never said this to anyone before you, nor shall I say it to anyone after you.” Yazīd answered, “No one before me has given you this, and no one after me will give it to you.”

It is also said that Ibn Jaʿfar owned a singing slave-girl named ʿImārah, whom he loved deeply. Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiyah once visited him; the girl sang, and Yazīd was captivated by her but did not dare ask for her. His desire remained until after Muʿāwiyah died, whereupon Yazīd sent an Iraqi agent to look into the matter. The man came to Madinah, lodged near Ibn Jaʿfar, lavished him with gifts and presents, gained his confidence, and in the end took the girl and brought her to Yazīd.

Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī used to censure Ibn Jaʿfar for listening to music, indulging in amusement, and purchasing slave-girls. He would say, “Is it not enough that he is involved in these disgraceful things and others like them, that he even married off a descendant of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to al-Ḥajjāj?” Al-Ḥajjāj himself declared, “I only married her so that I might humble the family of Abū Ṭālib.” It is said that he never consummated the marriage; ʿAbd al-Malik wrote ordering him to divorce her, and he did. ʿAbd Allah ibn Jaʿfar transmitted thirteen hadiths.

Abū Idrīs al-Khawlānī (1), the judge of Damascus—his name was ʿĀʾidh Allāh ibn ʿAbd Allāh—had remarkable spiritual states and virtues. He used to say, “A pure heart in shabby clothes is better than a sullied heart in fine clothes.” He served as judge in Damascus.

We have given fuller biographies of these figures in our book al-Takmīl, and to Allah belongs all praise (2).