Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/245

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ʾILÂM-EN-NÂS.

The narrator adds: And after this Khuzaimah begged ʾIkrimah to go with him to Sulaimân-ibn-ʾAbd-el-Málik, who had then taken up his abode at er-Ramlat.[1] And this being agreeable to him, they journeyed together until they reached Sulaimân-ibn-ʾAbd-el-Málik. And the chamberlain entered, and informed him of the arrival of Khuzaimah-ibn-Bishr. And Sulaimân was alarmed at this, and exclaimed, "The Governor of Mesopotamia has arrived without an order from us! This can only be by reason of some serious tidings." And when Khuzaimah came in, before he could utter his salutation, Sulaimân cried, "What is thy news, O Khuzaimah?" "Good, O Commander of the Faithful!" he replied. "What then has brought thee hither?" asked Sulaimân. "I have discovered Jâbir-ʾAtharât-el-Kirâm," he answered, "for ever since I perceived thy vexation at losing him, and thy desire to see him, I have longed to please thee by finding him." "And who is he?" asked Sulaimân. "ʾIkrimah-el-Fayyâdh," replied Khuzaimah.

So Sulaimân ordered him to be admitted, and when he entered he saluted Sulaimân as Khalîfah. And

  1. er-Ramlat in Palestine, in lat. 31° 55′ N., long. 34° 52′ E.