“…The one who harms you is someone at your very side—(1)
…when mange spreads, even the healthy are overrun.
And more than once a man is seized for the crime of his kinsman,
while the perpetrator himself walks free!”

The petitioner replied, “Governor, I have heard Allah say something quite different—
and the word of Allah is truer than this.”

Al-Ḥajjāj asked, “And what has He said?”

The man recited, “They said, ‘O exalted one! He has a venerable father; so take one of us in his place. We see that you are of those who do good.’ 78 He answered, ‘Allah forbid that we should take anyone except the one in whose saddle-bag we found our property; if we did so, we would indeed be unjust.’ ” [Yūsuf: 78-79]

Al-Ḥajjāj ordered, “Boy, restore his name to the government register, rebuild his house, and pay him his stipend. Then have a crier proclaim: ‘Allah has spoken the truth and the poet has lied.’”

Al-Haytham ibn ʿAdī relates, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: ʿAbd al-Malik wrote to al-Ḥajjāj, “Send me the head of Aslam ibn ʿAbd al-Bakrī, for troubling news about him has reached me.” Al-Ḥajjāj brought Aslam in, whereupon the latter said, “Governor, you are the present witness and the Commander of the Faithful is absent. Allah, Exalted is He, has said: ‘O you who believe! If a profligate comes to you with news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance and then regret what you have done.’ [al-Ḥujurāt: 6] What has reached him is false. Moreover, I provide for twenty-four women who have no breadwinner but me; they are standing at the door.”

Al-Ḥajjāj ordered that they be admitted. When they entered, one said, “I am his maternal aunt,” another, “I am his paternal aunt,” another, “I am his sister,” another, “I am his wife,” and another, “I am his daughter.” Then a girl of a little more than eight and less than ten years stepped forward.

Al-Ḥajjāj asked her, “And who are you?”

She replied, “I am his daughter. May Allah set the governor aright.” Then she knelt and declaimed:

“O Ḥajjāj, you have not witnessed his daughters’ plight,
nor his aunts who mourn him through the endless night.
O Ḥajjāj, by killing him how many will you kill?
Eight, ten, then two—and four remain still!
O Ḥajjāj, who will stand in his stead for us?
Have patience; add no further to our distress.
O Ḥajjāj, either grant us a gracious reprieve,
or slay us together—leave none of us to grieve.”

Al-Ḥajjāj wept and said, “By Allah, I shall neither harm you nor add to your burden.” He then wrote to ʿAbd al-Malik reporting the man’s words and those of his daughter. ʿAbd al-Malik replied, ordering al-Ḥajjāj to release him, treat him generously, show kindness to the young girl, and look after her continually. (2)

[It is also said that al-Ḥajjāj once preached: “People, abstaining from what Allah has forbidden is easier than enduring His punishment.” A man rose and said, “Woe to you, Ḥajjāj! How brazen your face and how little your shame! You behave as you do and then utter words like these? Corrupt is your heart and your effort wasted!” Al-Ḥajjāj ordered, “Seize him.” When the sermon was over he asked, “What emboldened you against me?” The man replied, “Woe to you, Ḥajjāj! You dare to defy Allah, and I should not dare to speak against you? Who are you that I should shrink, when you defy Allah, Lord of all worlds?” Al-Ḥajjāj said, “Release him,” and they did so.] (3)