It is told of Ja’afar bin Yahyà the Barmecide that he sat down one day
to wine and, being minded to be private, sent for his boon-companions,
with whom he was most familiar, and charged the chamberlain that he
suffer none of the creatures of Almighty Allah to enter, save a man of
his cup-mates, by name Abd al-Malik bin Sálih, who was behindhand with
them. Then they donned brightly-dyed dresses,[259] for it was their
wont, as often as they sat in the wine-séance, to endue raiment of red
and yellow and green silk, and they sat down to drink, and the cups went
round and the lutes thrilled and shrilled. Now there was a man of the
kinsfolk of the Caliph Harun al-Rashid, by name Abd al-Malik bin
Salih[260] bin Ali bin Abdallah bin al-Abbas[261], who was great of
gravity and sedateness, piety and propriety, and Al-Rashid used
instantly to require that he should company him in converse and carouse
and drink with him and had offered him to such end abounding wealth, but
he never would. It fortuned that this Abd al-Malik bin Salih came to the
door of Ja’afar bin Yahya, so he might bespeak him of certain
requisitions of his, and the chamberlain, doubting not but he was the
Abd al-Malik bin Salih aforesaid (whom Ja’afar had permitted him admit
and that he should suffer none but him to enter), allowed him to go in
to his master. Accordingly Abd al-Malik went in, garbed in black, with
his Rusáfiyah[262] on his head. When Ja’afar saw him, his reason was
like to depart for shame and he understood the case, to wit, that the
chamberlain had been deceived by the likeness of the name; and Abd
al-Malik also perceived how the matter stood and perplexity was manifest
to him in Ja’afar’s face. So he put on a cheery countenance and said,
“No harm be upon you![263] Bring us of these dyed clothes.” Thereupon
they brought him a dyed robe[264] and he donned it and sat discoursing
gaily with Ja’afar and jesting with him. Then said he, “Allow us to be a
partaker in your pleasures, and give us to drink of your Nabíz.[265]” So
they brought him a silken robe and poured him out a pint, when he said,
“We crave your indulgence, for we have no wont of this.” Accordingly
Ja’afar ordered a flagon of Nabíz be set before him, that he might drink
whatso he pleased. Then, having anointed himself with perfumes, he
chatted and jested with them till Ja’afar’s bosom broadened and his
constraint ceased from him and his shame, and he rejoiced in this with
joy exceeding and asked Abd al-Malik, “What is thine errand? Inform me
thereof, for I cannot sufficiently acknowledge thy courtesy.” Answered
the other, “I come (amend thee Allah!) on three requirements, of which I
would have thee bespeak the Caliph; to wit, firstly, I have on me a debt
to the amount of a thousand thousand dirhams,[266] which I would have
paid: secondly, I desire for my son the office of Wali or governor of a
province,[267] whereby his rank may be raised: and thirdly, I would fain
have thee marry him to Al-’Áliyah, the daughter of the Commander of the
Faithful, for that she is his cousin and he is a match for her.” Ja’afar
said, “Allah accomplisheth unto thee these three occasions. As for the
money, it shall be carried to thy house this very hour: as for the
government, I make thy son Viceroy of Egypt; and as for the marriage, I
give him to mate Such-an-one, the daughter of our lord the Prince of
True Believers, at a dowry of such and such a sum. So depart in the
assurance of Allah Almighty.” Accordingly Abd al-Malik went away much
astonished at Ja’afar’s boldness in undertaking such engagements. He
fared straight for his house, whither he found that the money had
preceded him, and on the morrow Ja’afar presented himself before
Al-Rashid and acquainted him with what had passed, and that he had
appointed Abd al-Malik’s son Wali of Egypt[268] and had promised him his
daughter, Al-’Áliyah to wife. The Caliph was pleased to approve of this
and he confirmed the appointment and the marriage. Then he sent for the
young man and he went not forth of the palace of the Caliphate till
Al-Rashid wrote him the patent of investiture with the government of
Egypt; and he let bring the Kazis and the witnesses and drew up the
contract of marriage.