One of the strangest things I have heard is that long ago, when one of the leaders of the Carmathians was on his deathbed and felt death approaching, he gathered his followers and began to say, “I am resolved to migrate. I have already sent Moses, Jesus, and Muḥammad; now I must send someone else.” A curse upon him! He committed the gravest kind of unbelief, at the moment when it is incumbent on the unbeliever to believe and on the traveler to return to his final destination.
Al-Walīd ibn Yazīd
28.1.1
وأما الوليد بن يزيد فكان عقله عقلَ وليد، وقد بلغ سنّ الكهل الجليد، ما أغنتْه نيةٌ سابجةٌ، ولا نفعت البُنابجة. وشُغل عن الباطية، بجريرة النفس الخاطية. دحاه إلى سَقَرَ داحٍ، فما يغترف بالأقداح. وقد رُويت له أشعار، يلحق به منها العار، كقوله:
| أَدْنِيا منّي خليلي | عَبْدَلًا دونَ الإزارِ |
| فلقد أيقنتُ أني | غيرُ مبعوثٍ لنارِ |
| واتْركا مَن يطلب الجنّـ | ـةَ يسعى في خَسارِ |
| سأروض الناسَ حتى | يركبوا دين الحِمارِ |
فالعَجبُ لزمانٍ صيّر مثله إماما، وأَورده من المملكة جِماما، ولعل غيره ممن مَلَكَ يعتقد مِثلَه أو قريبا، ولكن يساتر ويخاف تثريبا. ومما يُروى له:
| أنا الإمام الوليد مفتخرًا | أجُرّ بُرْدي وأسمعُ الغَزَلا |
| أسحَبُ ذيْلي إلى منازلها | ولا أُبالي مَن لام أو عذلا |
| ما العيش إلا سماعُ مُحْسِنةٍ | وقهوةٌ تترُك الفتى ثمِلا |
| لا أرتجي الحُور في الخلود وهل | يأمُل حُورَ الجِنان من عقَلا؟ |
| إذا حَبَتْك الوِصالَ غانيةٌ | فجازِها بَذْلَها كمَنْ وصَلا |
Al-Walīd ibn Yazīd209 he had the intelligence of an infant indeed, though he had reached the age of solid maturity. A firm(?)210 intention did not avail him, nor was the vessel(?) of any use to him. He was distracted from the wine pitcher by the sin of his erring soul.211 He was driven into Hellfire, where he does not ladle cups of wine! Some poems are attributed to him that bring him disgrace, such as:212
Bring me, you two, my friend
ʿAbdal without his loin-cloth,213
For I am certain I shall not
be resurrected and be sent into a Fire.
Let those who seek Paradise
waste their efforts!
I’ll train those people until
they follow the religion of a donkey.214
It was an amazing time that made someone like him the leader of the community and brought him to the brimful well of power! It may well be that other rulers held identical or similar beliefs, but kept them hidden and feared being upbraided. The following is also transmitted as being by him:215
I, al-Walīd, am the imam, and proud of it.
I trail my mantle and listen to love poetry.
I drag my robe’s hem to her dwellings,216
not caring about who censures or reproaches me.
The good life is nothing but listening to a skilled singing girl
and wine that leaves a man intoxicated.
I do not expect to meet black-eyed damsels in the eternal abode.
Does any sensible person hope for the houris of Paradise?
When a pretty girl grants you her favors, reward her
liberally, as someone who bestows a present.217
28.1.2
ويقال إنه لمّا أُحيط به، دخل القصرَ وأغلق بابه وقال:
| دَعُوا لِيَ هِنْدًا والرَّبابَ وفَرْتَنى | ومُسْمِعةً حسْبي بذلك مالا |
| خُذوا مُلككمْ لا ثبّت اللهُ مُلككمْ | فليس يساوي بعد ذاك عِقالا |
| وخَلُّوا سبيلي قبل عيْرٍ وما جرى | ولا تحسُدوني أن أموت هُزالا |
فأُلِب عن تلك المنزلة أيّ أَلْب، ورئي رأسه في فم كلب.
كذلك نقل بعض الرواة، والله القائم بجزاء الغُواة. ولا حيلةَ للبشر في أمّ دَفْرٍ، أعْيت كل حَضرٍ وسَفْرٍ. كان حَقّ الخلافة أن تُفْضي إلى من هو بنُسكٍ معروفٌ، لا تصرِفه عن الرشد صروف، ولكن البليّة خُلقت مع الشمس، فهل يخلُص مَن سكن في رَمْس؟
It is said that when he was besieged218 he entered his palace, shut the door, and said:219
Leave me Hind, al-Rabāb, and Fartanā,220
and a singing girl: that is all the wealth I need!
Take your kingdom—may God not establish your kingdom!—
for after this it isn’t worth a camel’s hobble!
Let me go free before the blinking of an eye
and do not begrudge me a death from starvation!
How