The Rectifier is a historical short story by Seattle-based storyteller Wahab Alansari. The story takes place during the reign of the caliph Sulayman bin Abdulmalik. Alansari is the author of the Arabic Dictionary of American Idioms, and An Anthology of Arabic Poetry. He is one of the participating storytellers.
The Rectifier
In the days of the caliph Sulayman bin Abdulmalik there was a man by the name of Khuzayma bin Bishr who was well-known for his gallantry, generosity, and helping others. He was well-off and continued in his ways of being extravagantly generous to others until he ran out of money and he himself needed the help of those whom he used to assist and support. People whom he used to support did support him for a while but then got tired of him. When he felt that his erstwhile friends were no longer in the mood to help him and their support was no longer forthcoming he told his wife who was his cousin, “O, uncle’s daughter, my friends have changed on me, so I have decided to stay home until I die,” upon which he shut his door, started to eat out of whatever was available at home until all food ran out. He then knew not what to do.
Meanwhile, the governor of Al-Jazeera (in Iraq between the Euphrates and the Tigris) was Ikrima al-Fayyadh. In a gathering at Ikrima’s place with the attendance of some of the folks of the town the name of Khuzayma came up so the governor, Ikrima, asked what was up with Khuzayma. He was told that Khuzayma was in dire straights and that he had shut his door and determined not to leave home. The governor—whose name was Fayyadh (abundance flowing) because he was an abundantly generous person—wondered aloud then, “Khuzayma could not find someone to support and reward him?” But he did not probe further.
When night time came he put four thousand dinars in a bag, ordered that his horse be saddled and left secretly with a lad for an assistant to carry a money bag. He made it to Khuzayma’s door, took the bag from the lad and told him to stand at a distance and walked up to Khuzayma’s door and knocked at it. Khuzayma walked out of the door and Ikrima handed him the bag and said to him “Fix your matters with this.” Ikrima found the bag to be heavy so he put it down and grabbed unto the horse’s bridle and asked, “Who are you may I be your ransom?”
“I would not have come at this late hour if I’d wanted my identity to be recognized,” Ikrima replied. “Then I will not accept this bag unless you tell me who you are.” Khuzayma said. “I am he who rectifies the falls of the noblemen,” replied Ikrima. “Tell me more,” said Khuzayma. “No,” replied Ikrima, and walked away to mount his horse.
Khuzayma walked into the house with the bag and said to his wife, “I have good news, as it looks like God has granted us comfort. Should this bag have money in it then it is a lot of money. Light the lantern.” “We have no way of lighting the lantern,” said she. He began to feel the bag and sensed the roughness of the money.
Meanwhile, Ikrima returned home only to find that his wife had been frantically trying to locate him. When she was told he had ridden his horse alone she became very suspicious and displayed signs of panic and grief (by ripping what she had on and slapping her own face).
“What has befallen you, cousin?” he said when he saw her in that condition. “It is what you have done to the daughter of your uncle (i.e., herself). Why would the governor of Al-Jazeera leave furtively in the quiet of the night, alone with no servants, without telling his wife, if not to see another wife or a slave-girl?” she said. “God knows I did not leave for either,” said he. “You must then tell me,” she said. “If you keep it to yourself,” he said.
“I will,” she said. So he told her the story as it happened and said, “Would you like me to swear that I am telling the truth?” “No need as my heart has now settled,” she said.
In the morning Khuzayma paid his debtors and fixed himself up then prepared to go see the caliph Sulayman bin Abdulmalik in Palestine. When he came to the door of the caliph, the door-keeper told the caliph who it was who wanted to see him and he was well known for his chivalrous ways, so did the caliph know him. When permission was granted he walked and greeted the caliph. “Why did you wait so long to come to visit, Khuzayma?” said the caliph. “The dreadful situation I was in, O prince of believers,” replied Khuzayma. “Why didn’t you come to us (for help in that case)?” asked the caliph. “I was too weak,” replied Khuzayma. “So who helped you fix your situation finally?” “In the quiet of the night, O prince of believers, someone knocked at my door,” and he proceeded to tell him the whole story.
“Did you recognize who it was?” “By God no, as he was disguised, and he only identified himself as ‘he who rectifies the falls of the noblemen’.” Sulayman bin Abdulmalik in that instant was intrigued and eager to know who this mystery man might have been. “Should we know who this man is we will assist him in his chivalrous ways,” said the caliph. The caliph then decreed that Khuzayma be made the governor of Al-Jazeera and all the territory which was run by Ikrima al-Fayyadh and gave Khuzayma much wealth and commanded him to go to Al-Jazeera. When Khuzayma was close to Al-Jazeera, Ikrima and the folks of the town came out to meet him and they all walked back into the town. Khuzayma moved to the governor’s residence and ordered that the previous governor, Ikrima, be audited. Auditing showed that Ikrima owed the treasury a lot of money which he could not account for. Nor could he pay back any of the money he owed the treasury. So Khuzayma ordered that Ikrima be put in jail and once again asked him to repay the money. “I am not one who keeps money to serve himself. Do whatever you please,” said Ikrima. Ikrima was then shackled in tight iron chains for a whole month and his condition worsened as a result.
Ikrima’s cousin (his wife) was saddened and worried by the turn of the events so she called a maid of hers, one who was wise, and told her go that very moment to the door of the governor and say, “I have advice,” and when you are asked what it is, say, “I will only say it to the governor, Khuzayma,” then request that you two be alone. If he agrees say to him “Is this how you reward he who rectifies the falls of the noblemen? By jailing and shackling him?” When Khuzayma heard the maid he said, “Shame on me! Is ‘he who rectifies the falls of the noblemen’ my antagonist?” “Yes,” said the maid. Right away, Khuzayma ordered that his horse be saddled and rode to meet with the main folks of the town and gathered them. They all walked into the jail and Khuzayma entered and saw Ikrima in the middle of the jail, in bad shape and worn out.
When Ikrima looked up and saw Khuzayma and the town’s folks he was embarrassed so he lowered his gaze. Khuzayma fell on his knees and started to kiss Ikrima’s head. “What brings this about (kissing the head)?” asked Ikrima. “My evil reward to your noble deed,” replied Khuzayma. “May God forgive us all!” Ikrima ordered then that the shackles be removed and be put on his own feet instead. “What is it you are trying to do?” asked Ikrima. “I want to be punished as I have subjected you to punishment.” Ikrima put Khuzayma in the bind of an oath that he would do no such thing*. They all walked out of the jail until they made it to Khuzayma’s residence. Ikrima was going to go away but Khuzayma would not allow him to leave. “What do you want?” asked Ikrima. “I want to fix you up and my shame and embarrassment toward the daughter of your uncle is worse than my shame and embarrassment with you.”
They entered the public bath and Khuzayma ordered that the bath be vacated and he served Ikrima in the bath himself. They left the bath and Khuzayma gave Ikrima a lot of money and garments and walked with him to his house. Khuzayma requested to apologize to the Ikrima’s cousin (and wife) and so he did. Then Khuzayma requested that Ikrima would come with him to see the caliph who was staying in the al-Ramlah at that time and so they all went to the caliph. When the door-keeper told the caliph that Khuzayma wanted audience with him he received the news with a bit of a shock. “The governor of al-Jazeera has comes to see us when he we just appointed very recently. Something grave must be the matter,” the caliph thought to himself. As soon as Khuzayma entered and before he had a chance to greet the caliph, the caliph asked him, “What brings back so soon Khuzayma?” “I found him ‘he who rectifies the falls of the noblemen’ and thought it would please to know who he is as you were eager to know who he was,” said Khuzayma. “Who is he?” “Ikrima al-Fayyadh,” said Khuzayma. Ikrima was allowed in and the caliph greeted him and sat him next to himself and said to him, “your good deed towards him cost you a lot. Write down all that you wish for.” Ikrima was granted all that he wrote down, plus ten thousand dinars and other gifts. He then decreed that Ikrima be made governor of Al-Jazeera, Armenia, Azerbaijan and said to him, “The matter of Khuzayma is up to you. You may dismiss him as a governor of Al-Jazeera or keep him in that position.” “I will keep him,” said Ikrima.
They both served the caliph for the duration of the caliph’s rule.
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