In another tradition transmitted by al-ʿAbbâs an-Narsi, Saʿd made the following petition, regarding the people of al-Kûfah: "O God, let no ruler be satisfied with them, and let them be never satisfied with a ruler!"
I was informed by al-ʿAbbâs an-Narsi that al-Mukhtâr ibn-abi-ʿUbaid, or someone else, said, "To love the people of al-Kufah is honor; and to hate them is destruction."
Al-Ḥasan ibn-ʿUthmân az-Ziyâdi from ash-Shaʿbi:—After the victory of al-Ḳâdisîyah, ʿAmr ibn-Maʿdikarib visited ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb and was asked by him about Saʿd and whether the people were satisfied with him. ʿAmr gave the following answer, "I left him laying up for them as an ant lays up, having as much sympathy with them as a kind mother. In his love of dates, he is an Arab; in the collection of taxes, he is Nabatean. He divides shares equitably, judges cases justly and leads the bands successfully." "It looks," said ʿUmar, "as if ye both have agreed to compensate each other with praise (Saʿd having before written to ʿUmar in commendation of ʿAmr)." " No, 'Commander of the Believers'," answered ʿAmr, "I rather said what I knew." "Well, ʿAmr," said ʿUmar, "describe war." "It is bitter in taste when waged. He, who perseveres in it, becomes known; but he who grows weak, perishes."—"Describe the arms."—"Ask me about whichever thou wantest."—"The lancet?"—"It is a brother which may betray thee."—"The arrows?"—"Arrows are messengers of death which either err or hit."—"The shield?"—"That is the defense which has most to suffer."—"The coat of mail?"—"Something that keeps the horseman busy; a nuisance for the footman; but in all cases, a strong protection."—"The sword?"—"May it be the cause of thy death!"—"Thy death!"—"The fever has abased me to thee."[1]
- ↑ A proverb applied to the case of abasement on the occasion of need. Lane's "Dictionary" s. v. aḍraʿa.
