The City of Iram

Iram was a city with columns.

Ad b. Us b. Iram had 2 sons who ruled after him:

• Shadid
• Shaddid

Shadid perished. Shaddad became the sole ruler of the realm, and the kings there submitted to his authority.

When Shaddad heard a description of Paradise, he said: “I shall build something like it.”

He lived 900 years and built the large city of Iram in the desert of Aden over a period of 300 years.

It is said to have castles of gold and silver and columns of emerald and hyacinth, containing all kinds of trees and freely flowing rivers. When the construction of (the city) was completed, Shaddad went there with the people of his realm.

But in just one day and night, God sent a clamor from heaven, and all of them perished. This is reported by:

• at-Tabari
• ath-Tha’alibi 71
• az-Zamakhshari 72
• other Qur’an commentators.

They transmit the following story on the authority of one of the men around Muhammad, ‘Abdallah b. Qilabah.

When he went out in search of some of his camels, he hit upon the city and took away from it as much as he could carry. His story reached Mu’awiyah.

Mu’awiyah sent for Ka’b al-ahbar and asked him about it.

He then turned around and, seeing Ibn Qilabah, he said:

No information about this city has since become available anywhere on earth. The desert of Aden where the city is supposed to have been built lies in the middle of the Yemen.

It has been inhabited continuously, and travelers and guides have explored its roads in every direction. Yet, no information about the city has been reported. No antiquarian, no nation has mentioned it.

If the commentators said that it had disappeared like other antiquities, the story would be more likely, but they expressly say that it still exists.

Some identify it with Damascus, because Damascus belonged to the people of ‘Ad.

All these suggestions proffered by Qur’an commentators were the result of grammatical considerations, for Arabic grammar requires the expression, “that of the pillars,” to be an attribute of Iram.

The word “pillars” was understood to mean columns. Thus, Iram was narrowed down in its meaning to some sort of building.

The Qur’an commentators were influenced in their interpretation by the reading of Ibn az-Zubayr who read (not ‘Adin with nunation but) a genitive construction: ‘Ad of Iram.

They then adopted these stories, which are better called fictitious fables and which are quite similar to the (Qur’an) interpretations of Sayfawayh which are related as comic anecdotes.

In fact, however, the “pillars” are tent poles.

If “columns” were intended by the word, it would not be farfetched, as the power of the Ad people was well known. They could be described as people with buildings and columns in the general way.

But it would be farfetched to say that a special building in one or another specific city was intended. If it is a genitive construction, as would be the case according to the reading of Ibn az-Zubayr, it would be a genitive construction used to express tribal relationships, such as:

• the Quraysh of Kinanah, or
• the Ilyis of Mudar
• the Rabi’ah of Nizir.

The Destruction of the Barmecides

Another fictitious story of the historians was the reason for ar-Rashid’s destruction of the Barmecides.

It is the story of al-‘Abbasah, ar-Rashid’s sister, and Ja’far b. Yahya b. Khalid, his client.

Ar-Rashid is said to have worried about where to place them when he was drinking wine with them. He wanted to receive them together in his company.

Therefore, he permitted them to conclude a marriage that was not consummated.

Al-‘Abbasah then tricked Ja’far in her desire to be alone with him, for she had fallen in love with him.

Jafar finally had intercourse with her. She became pregnant.

The story was reported to ar-Rashid who flew into a rage.

This story 78 is irreconcilable with al-‘Abbasah’s position, her religiousness, her parentage, and her exalted rank.

She was a descendant of ‘Abdallah b. ‘Abbas and separated from him by only 4 generations. They were the most distinguished and greatest men in Islam after him.

Al-‘Abbasah was the daughter of Muhammad al-Mahdi, the son of Abu Ja’far ‘Abdallah al-Manslir, the son of Muhammad as-Sajjad, the son of the Father of the Caliphs ‘Ali.

‘Ali was the son of ‘Abdallah, the Interpreter of the Qur’an, the son of the Prophet’s uncle, al-‘Abbas.

Al-Abbasah was the daughter of a caliph and the sister of a caliph. She was born to royal power, into the prophetical succession (the caliphate), and descended from themen-around-Muhammad aril his uncles.

She was connected by birth with the leadership of Islam, the light of the revelation, and the place where the angels descended to bring the revelation.

She was close in time to the desert attitude of true Arabism, to that simple state of Islam still far from the habits of luxury and lush pastures of sin.

Where should one look for chastity and modesty, if she did not possess them? Where could cleanliness and purity be found, if they no longer existed in her house? How could she link her pedigree with (that of) Ja’far b. Yahya and stain her Arab nobility with a Persian client?

His Persian ancestor had been acquired as a slave, or taken as a client, by one of her ancestors, an uncle of the Prophet and noble Qurashite, and all (Ja’far) did was that he together with his father was dragged along (by the growing fame of) the ‘Abbisid dynasty and thus prepared for and elevated to a position of nobility.

How could it be that ar-Rashid, with his high-mindedness and great pride, would permit himself to become related by marriage to Persian clients!

If a critical person looks at this story in all fairness and compares al-‘Abbasah with the daughter of a great ruler of his own time, he must find it disgusting and unbelievable that she could have done such a thing with one of the clients of her dynasty and while her family was in power. He would insist that the story be considered untrue. And who could compare with al-‘Abbasah and ar- Rashid in dignity!

The reason for the destruction of the Barmecides was their attempt to gain control over the dynasty and their retention of the tax revenues. This went so far that when ar-Rashid wanted even a little money, he could not get it. They took his affairs out of his hands and shared with him in his authority.

He had no say with them in the affairs of his realm. Their influence grew, and their fame spread. They filled the positions and ranks of the government with their own children and creatures who became high officials, and thus barred all others from the positions of wazir, secretary, army commander, doorkeeper (hajb), and from the military and civilian administration. It is said that in the palace of ar-Rashid, there were 25 high officials, both military and civilian, all children of Yahya b. Khalid.

There, they crowded the people of the dynasty and pushed them out by force. They could do that because of the position of their father, Yahya, mentor to Harun both as crown prince and as caliph. (Harun) practically grew up in his lap and got all his education from him.

(Harun) let him handle his affairs and used to call him “father.” As a result, the (Barmecides), and not the government, wielded all the influence.

Their presumption grew. Their position became more and more influential. They became the center of attention. All obeyed them. All hopes were addressed to them.

From the farthest borders, presents and gifts of rulers and amirs were sent to them. The tax money found its way into their treasury, to serve as an introduction to them and to procure their favor. They gave gifts to and bestowed favors upon the men of the (‘Alid) Shi’ah 79 and upon important relatives (of the Prophet).

They gave the poor from the noble families (related to the Prophet) something to earn. They freed the captives.

Thus, they were given praise as was not given to their caliph. They showered privileges and gifts upon those who came to ask favors from them. They gained control over villages and estates in the open country and (near) the main cities in every province.