regarding my affairs, disclose to them my secrets, and enlist their assistance in the duties that Allah—Exalted is He—has placed under my charge.” They therefore recorded for him the name of Ziyad ibn Matar al-ʿAdawi, who had been tried until his sight was gone; and Ghazwan of Banu Raqāsh, who had sworn never to laugh until he knew where Allah—Exalted is He—would cause him to end up. Al-Hasan said, “By Allah, he did not laugh until he met Allah.” They also wrote down Jābir ibn Ashtar of Ghatafān—ʿAbd Allah said, “My father, other than Ḥusayn, said: ‘Ashtar ibn Jābir’”—together with ʿĀmir ibn ʿAbd Qays al-ʿAnbari and al-Nuʿmān ibn Shawwāl al-ʿAbdi.

When they came before him he said, “You are the qurrāʾ (Quran reciters); I have allotted you two thousand each and such-and-such jirib of land.” Al-Nuʿmān ibn Shawwāl—who was the eldest of them, and whom they had appointed to speak on their behalf—replied while the others kept silent: “O Governor, is this for us alone, or for the people of Basra at large?” He said, “It is for you in particular; this wealth is not enough for all the people of Basra.” Nuʿmān said, “Then do you call it ṣadaqah (charity)? If it is charity, it must neither fill our bellies nor clothe our skins. Only the worker may take the price of his labor, while we work for our Lord—Exalted is He—so we have no need for what you possess.” Ibn ʿĀmir retorted, “I see that you are a fault-finder—leave my presence!” He answered, “You have never known me to be one who haunts the doors of governors.”

He then turned to ʿĀmir and said, “I have set aside for you two thousand and such-and-such jirib.” ʿĀmir replied, “Look to the mukātabs who sit at the doors of the mosque; they are more in need of it than I.” The governor said, “I have ordered that none be turned away from my door.” ʿĀmir responded, “Then go to Saʿīd ibn Qarḥā; he is more inclined to approach rulers than I.” The governor said, “Choose whatever woman you like in Basra and I will marry her to you”—for ʿĀmir had never married. He replied, “O Governor, have you considered that when a man has a wife and children they preoccupy his heart?” He said, “Yes.” ʿĀmir said, “Then I have no need of it. I prefer to keep my concern a single concern until I meet my Lord—Exalted is He.”