An interesting incident in history…

After the killing of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (radhi’Allahu `anhu), there was a crackdown on the khawarij and one man in particular named ‘Imran ibn Hattan was being chased. He had escaped from the ruler ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (some say Hajjaj ibn Yusuf) and was being sought out in the land in order to be punished – as he was a khariji who saw the killing of ‘Ali (radhi’Allahu `anhu) to be legitimate. Now ‘Imran, despite his views, was well-versed in poetry and knowledgeable of the Arab tribes and lineages, and one of the reasons he was able to evade capture for so long was that whenever he approached a certain tribe, he would immediately ascribe to a near kindred of theirs, or ascribe to a near clan of theirs. Due to the great number of subclans and branches within a tribe, no-one really suspected him to be lying. This gave him protection under their refuge although in reality, they had no idea who he was and had never seen him before. But as is the age old custom, they honoured the near kindred and hosted him as their guest.

It’s said that during his plight as he fled, he settled with Rawh ibn Zinba’ who was from one of the Yemeni tribes. When Rawh asked about his origin, he said he was from al-Azad, i.e. a Yemeni just like Rawh, and this allowed him to be accepted as near blood. Now, coincidentally, Rawh used to attend the gatherings of ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (the ruler!), and listen to poetry and stories etc. Whenever Rawh heard a peculiar or rare poem, he’d ask ‘Imran about it, and ‘Imran would not only know the rare piece, but he’d also continue in its stanzas and give Rawh more of its rare insights.

Rawh once went to ‘Abd al-Malik and said to him “I have a neighbour from al-Azad who, whenever I hear something from you O leader of the faithful, he seems to know it well and in fact increases in it!” ‘Abd al-Malik said, “Recite some of his poetry to me.” Rawh said a few lines and ‘Abd al-Malik (also of quick intellect) said, “The language is ‘Adnaniyyah (of North Arabia and not Yemen), and I think the man is no other than ‘Imran ibn Hattan!” That night, in their gatherings, they mentioned some lines of poetry but no-one in the gathering who knew the author/poet was:

يا ضربة من تقي ما أراد بها
إلا ليبلغ من ذي العرش رضوانا
إني لأذكره حينا فأحسبه
أوفى البرية عند الله ميزانا

‘It was but a strike from a pious one who intended only
To attain the Pleasure of the Owner of the Throne
I remember him from time to time and think him to be
The closest to Allah when (deeds are) weighed on the Scale’

‘Abd al-Malik said to Rawh, “Ask your friend about these lines of poetry.” When Rawh returned home, he asked ‘Imran about the poem and he said, “These are the lines of ‘Imran ibn Hattan wherein he praises ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Muljim, the murderer of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (radhia’Allahu `anhu)!” He exposed himself without knowing who he was up against! So Rawh returned to ‘Abd al-Malik and told him the answer whereupon ‘Abd al-Malik said, “Your companion is in fact ‘Imran ibn Hattan. Go and bring him to me.” He went and said to ‘Imran, “The leader of the faithful would like to see you.” Imran said, “I too wanted to see him but I was too shy of asking you (!). Go ahead of me and I will follow straight afterwards.” So Rawh went back to ‘Abd al-Malik and told him the news. ‘Abd al-Malik then said, “He will not come and when you return, you shall not find him.” He went back and sure enough, ‘Imran had fled but he left behind him a piece of writing/poem…

يا روح كم من أخى مثوى نزلت به
قد ظن ظنك من لخم وغسان
حتى إذا خفته فارقت منزله
من بعد ما قيل عمران بن حطان

‘O Rawh! How many of a brother’s home have I settled in,
Who thought the same as you from the tribes of Lakhm and Ghassan!
Until I feared for myself and departed his home,
After it was said ‘Imran ibn Hattan!

فاعذر أخاك ابن زنباع فإن له
في النائبات خطوبا ذات ألوان
يوماً يمان إذا لاقيت ذا يمن
وإن لقيت معدياً فعدناني
لو كنت مستغفراً يوماً لطاغية
كنت المقدم في سري وإعلاني
لكن أبت لي آيات مطهرة
عند التلاوة في طه وعمران

Excuse your brother O ibn Zinba’ for he has,
Grave matters of varying colours to attend to!
One day Yemeni when I do meet a Yemeni,
And if I meet an ‘Adnani, then I am ‘Adnani too!
If I were ever to seek forgiveness for a tyrant,
Then I would’ve done so openly and in secret!
But I’ve been halted by the pure verses,
Within the recitation of Ta-Ha and ‘Imran!’

(i.e. he cannot accept the leadership of ‘Abd al-Malik and other ‘tyrants’ due to verses in Surah Ta-Ha and Aal ‘Imran, hence his khuruj against the rulers).

His story goes on to say that he went to settle amongst another tribe and claimed to be an Awza’i (a near tribe of theirs) but he was exposed yet again by someone who had seen him in Rawh’s house and remembered that he was from al-Azad and was not an Awza’i! That same night, he fled and left behind him another poem…

إن التي أصبحت يعيا بها زفر
اعيت عياء على روح بن زنباع
ما زال يسألني حولا لأخبره
والناس من بين مخدوع وخدّاع
حتى إذا انقطعت عني وسائله
كف السؤال ولم يولع باهلاع
فاكفف كما كف عني، إنني رجل
إما صميم، وإما فقعة القاع
واكفف لسانك عن لومي ومسألتي
ماذا تريد إلى شيخ لأوزاع
أما الصلاة فإني غير تاركها
كل امرئ للذي يعني به ساع
أكرم بروح بن زنباع وأسرته
قوم دعا أوليهم للعلا داع
جاورتهم سنة فيما أسر به
عرضي صحيح ونومي غير تهجاع
فأعمل، فإنك منعى بواحدة
حسب اللهيب بهذا الشيب من ناع

Apparently he was never caught as he managed to evade his captures each time by way of wit, deception and quick thinking.

I couldn’t help but think to myself amusingly: imagine if there was a ‘WANTED’ man in the country and each time he fled from place to place, he would leave behind him poetry! It would create such a scene…!