dînârs. Hearing this, Heraclius, the chief of the Greeks, was enraged with anger and sent the troops to Alexandria and closed its gates; but ʿAmr reduced the city by force.
The poll-tax of the native village of umm-Ibrâhîm annulled. Ibn-al-Ḳattât, i. e., abu-Masʿûd, from ash-Shaʿbi:—ʿAli ibn-al-Ḥusain, or al-Ḥusain himself, interceded with Muʿâwiyah regarding the poll-tax of the fellow- villagers in Egypt of the mother of Ibrâhîm,[1] the Prophet's son; and it was cancelled. The Prophet himself used to recommend that the Copts be favorably treated.
The Prophet recommends the Copts. ʿAmr from Mâlik, and al-Laith from a son of Kaʿb ibn-Mâlik:—The Prophet said, "If ye conquer Egypt, treat the Copts favorably, because they have dhimmah and blood-relationship." It is stated by al-Laith that umm-Ismâʿîl[2] was a Copt.
ʿUmar confiscates ʿAmr's possessions. Abu-l-Ḥasan al-Madâʾini from ʿAbdallâh ibn-al-Mubârak:—ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb used to record the possessions of his ʿâmils at the time of their appointment; and whatsoever was later added was partly or wholly confiscated by him. He once wrote to ʿAmr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi, "It has become revealed that thou ownest commodities, slaves, vases and animals which thou didst not possess when thou wert made governor of Egypt." ʿAmr wrote back, "Our land is a land of agriculture and trade; we, therefore, get as income more than what is necessary for our expenses." To this, ʿUmar replied, "I have had enough experience with the wicked ʿâmils. Thy letter is the letter of one disturbed because justice has been meted out to him. Therefore, my suspicion has been aroused against thee, and I have sent to thee Muḥammad ibn-Maslamah with a view to dividing with thee what thou hast. Reveal to him thy secret,
