Caliphate of al-Walid ibn Yazid ibn ʿAbd al-Malik (1)

Al-Waqidi and al-Mada’ini report: The pledge of allegiance to him as caliph was given on the very day his uncle Hisham ibn ʿAbd al-Malik died—Wednesday, six days into Rabiʿ al-Akhir in the year 125 AH.

Hisham ibn al-Kalbi says: The bayʿah was conferred on him on a Saturday in Rabiʿ al-Akhir, and he was then thirty-four years of age. The reason he came to power is that his father, Yazid ibn ʿAbd al-Malik, had arranged that authority should pass after him to his brother Hisham, and after Hisham to this son of his, al-Walid. When Hisham became caliph he honoured his nephew, yet al-Walid’s fondness for wine, his evil companions (2), and his gatherings of frivolity soon became notorious. Hisham therefore sought to curb that, appointing him to lead the Hajj in 116 AH. Al-Walid secretly took hunting dogs with him, hiding them from his uncle—even, it is said, packing them in crates. One of the crates fell; a dog barked, a noise was heard, and they laid the blame on the camel-driver, who was beaten for it.

They also recount that al-Walid had a pavilion constructed the same size as the Kaʿbah, intending to set it atop the Sacred House and sit there with his companions. He took along wines [and musical instruments] and other abominations. When he reached ʿUkkah, however, he lost the nerve to carry out his plan of sitting on the roof of the Kaʿbah, fearing the people and their denunciation. When his uncle realised what he was up to he forbade him repeatedly, but al-Walid would not desist; he persisted in his disgraceful behaviour and vile deeds. Consequently, his uncle resolved to depose him from the caliphate—[and would that he had done so]—and to invest Maslamah ibn Hisham after him. A number of commanders, some of his maternal uncles, people of Madinah, and others supported the move—would that it had succeeded—but the plan never coalesced.

One day Hisham said to al-Walid: “Woe to you! By Allah, I do not know whether you are even upon Islam or not. There is no abomination you have not brazenly and openly committed.”

Al-Walid ibn Yazid wrote back to him:

O you who ask about our creed—
my creed is the creed of Abu Shakir.
We drink it neat and we drink it mixed,
sometimes piping hot, at other times merely warm.