claim that Khâlid ibn-al-Walid ruled in ʿUmar's name a part of Mesopotamia; and once as he was in a bath, at Âmid [Diyârbakr], or at some other place, he daubed himself with a substance containing wine, which made ʿUmar dismiss him. This, however, is not confirmed.
The tax on Mesopotamia. ʿAmr an-Nâḳid from Maimûn ibn-Mihrân:—For some time, oil and vinegar and food were taken for the benefit of the Moslems in Mesopotamia, which tax was later reduced through the sympathy of ʿUmar and fixed at 48, 24, and 12 dirhams. In addition to the poll-tax, every one had to provide two mudds of wheat two ḳisṭs of oil and two ḳisṭs of vinegar.
Mosques erected. I was informed by a number of the inhabitants of ar-Raḳḳah that when ʿIyâḍ died and Saʿîd ibn-ʿÂmir ibn-Ḥidhyam became governor of Mesopotamia, the latter erected the mosque of ar-Raḳḳah and that of ar-Ruha, after which he died. The mosques in Diyâr Muḍar and Diyâr Rabîʿah were erected by ʿUmair ibn-Saʿd.
Muʿâwiyah settles Arab tribes. When Muʿâwiyah ruled over Syria and Mesopotamia in the name of ʿUthmân ibn-ʿAffân, he was instructed by him to settle the Arabs in places far from the cities and villages, and allow them to utilize the lands unpossessed by anyone. Accordingly, he caused the banu-Tamîm to settle at ar-Râbiyah; and a promiscuous multitude of Ḳais and Asad and others, in al-Mâziḥin and al-Mudaibir.[1] The same thing he did in Diyâr Muḍar. In like manner, he stationed the Rabîʿah in their Diyâr. The cities and villages and frontier garrisons he put in charge of some, who received stipends in order to guard them and protect them, and whom he put there with his ʿâmils.
Scorpions in Naṣîbîn. Abu-Ḥafṣ ash-Shâmi from Ḥam-
- ↑ Ḳudâmah, p. 246.
