Bensalem Himmich - The Theocrat

Abu Rakwa had hardly finished speaking before shouts of support and agreement could be heard, strongly encouraged by both Abu al-Mahasin and Shihab al-Din. The imam looked relieved and happy.

“Praise be to God,” he said, “who shows us the best path to our welfare and salvation in both this world and the next! Now in His name I hereby proclaim the first day of Jamadi al-Akhira in this blessed year as the day we will invade Barqa the auspicious, safe and victorious. Those of you present here should inform those who are not.”

These words were a cue for the Banu Qurra to say farewell to their partners. To the sound of fond farewells they all agreed to meet on the great day. Mounting their horses and led by Abu Rakwa, they sped joyfully away to their own encampment.

At dawn on the agreed day, all Abu Rakwa’s followers gathered at the southern entry to Barqa as a single force under joint command. They hastened to implement Abu Rakwa’s directives by investing the city and sending agents to infiltrate the city with propaganda. By the end of the first day the besieging forces had been bolstered by soldiers running away from the army of al-Hakim the Fatimid and also by large numbers of citizens. The next day the stranglehold on Barqa’s troops and its commander, Yanal al-Tawil the Turk, was tightened. Abu Rakwa himself led an assault on the city in an attempt to get the defenders to abandon their lines and fortifications, but he was unsuccessful. He called off the attack and returned to camp disillusioned because his plan had not worked. He retired to his tent to rest and think things through. On the third day, the Banu Qurra and their allies started to get restless and annoyed because they had been ordered just to keep watch and not to attack, whereas Hamad al-Madi was secretly inciting them to action. Abu Rakwa was still cloistering himself in his tent, but word of these developments reached him in the form of protests and tough questions. Abu al-Mahasin helped matters by intervening to cool tempers; he threw his entire weight behind a recommendation for restraint and patience until such time as Abu Rakwa broke his silence and made some new proposals. Just before nightfall people noticed that Shihab al-Din was not in camp. Cries of protest and disapproval were heard, and the atmosphere turned tense. Hamad al-Madi seized this golden opportunity.

“Men of the Banu Qurra,” he said, “are you supposed to be real men or not? Here you gather behind an imam who vanishes when the going gets rough and let yourselves be fooled by one of your own. Is this supposed to be a campaign or a huge joke? If it’s Barqa you want, then unsheathe your swords and attack it. Don’t sit here waiting, hoping, and barking. But if you’re scared of the outcome and realize the kind of vengeance that al-Hakim the Fatimid will exact, then return to your tents and abodes. As far as I can see, that’s the best plan.”

Barely had Hamad al-Madi finished before a redoubtable cavalier from his own tribe started cuffing and kicking him. “You vile wretch!” he yelled, “you provocateur and coward, you look so despicable when times are good and strut obstinately around when things turn bad!”

This cavalier would have killed al-Madi if Abu al-Mahasin had not rushed over to stop him.

“My fellow tribesmen,” he said, “I have just talked to Abu Rakwa in his tent. He tells me that Shihab al-Din has neither turned traitor nor withdrawn. Abu Rakwa has sent him on a mission, the happy results of which will soon be known. Please be patient. As for you, Hamad al-Madi, you’ve made your choice. You are not of our number, nor we of yours. By dawn tomorrow you and your group will imitate Umm ‘Amr’s donkey and disappear.”

With that a degree of tranquility was restored among the troops, and they were more prepared to wait. As they were getting ready for sleep, they heard their guards announcing the approach of three men, with a fourth in front carrying a torch and a white cloth. With that Abu Rakwa came out of his tent.

“Good news, my fellow tribesmen,” he shouted, “good news! God willing, that will be Shihab al-Din, bringing us Yanal, the enemy commander, alive. Before the morrow you will enter Barqa safe and sound!”

They did not believe him till they saw Shihab al-Din for themselves. With that all their doubts vanished.

“Tribesmen,” said Shihab al-Din, “Here I am returning to you. With God’s own support I have carried out our imam’s idea by arresting the garrison commander, Yanal al-Tawil the Turk. I was helped and guided by this Kutami soldier; he disguised me in clothes like his own and was one of the first to join our number.”

With that Abu Rakwa went back to his tent, followed by Shihab al-Din with his captive. They both had to decide what to do with this man who would be able to surrender the Fatimid positions inside the city without any bloodshed.

“I’m sure you would rather stay alive,” Shihab al-Din said to Yanal.

“As long as I’m a prisoner of yours,” he stuttered in dismay, “I’ve no desire to stay alive.”

“If you send instructions to your soldiers to lay down their arms, we’ll release you.”

“The only way to convince my soldiers to do that would be to send them my fresh-cut head. If you prefer to release me, al-Hakim will have me killed.”

“Issue the order, and you can stay here under our protection.”

“A huge gap separates you and me, one that’s loaded with perils.”

“How so, you obstinate man!”

“You’re Maghribi and I’m a Turk. Like Turks, you all want power and authority. I cannot envisage coming out victorious on your side, but rather with my Turkish colleagues who are on their way.”

“Ill spoken, you purveyor of bad news! Do you want my hand to take the initiative and slay you now?”

“I wish you had done so already! Shall I slap your master or spit on him so you can dispatch me quickly?”

Abu Rakwa now broke his silence. “I saw no slaps and spit in my dreams,” he said with a frown. And with that, he grabbed Shihab al-Din’s sword and struck off Yanal’s head right in front of the people standing by the tent’s exit. Everyone stood there thunderstruck, Shihab al-Din most of all.

“Did you really do what we have just seen?” he stammered. “How could you use such unprecedented violence to cut off his head with your own noble hands? By God, I never expected such behavior of you. From now on I’ll make sure that our acquaintance only involves non-aggressive issues.”

Abu Rakwa wiped the sword and handed it back to its owner. “I shall behave this way and even more so with anyone who closes doors in my face and leaves me no way out. Now take this damned head back so the Fatimid soldiers in the garrison can see it. Take with it a proposal for them to consider: either they surrender or anticipate certain death.”

“What you and we desire will come to pass before morning breaks.”

That was Shihab al-Din’s response as he staggered his way out of the tent to carry out the imam’s instructions. He consulted the shaykhs, and they suggested asking for two volunteers to carry out the task along with the Kutami soldier who would serve as their helper and guide. Many men volunteered, and it fell to Shihab al-Din to choose two who were both strong and astute, one from his own tribe and the other from the Zanata.

Only a few hours went by before they returned accompanied by the Fatimid soldiers; they were holding their arms above their heads and carrying a white flag as a plea for safe passage. Their surrender came at dawn; the news spread through the camp just as the sun’s rays were beginning to appear above the horizon. Everyone gathered around the imam’s tent, and an infectious joy pervaded the scene. One group banged on drums and played the flute, another chanted and sang, and a third danced and played with swords and canes. This total chaos only quieted down when they all noticed Abu Rakwa getting on his horse and yelling, “God is great!” They all repeated, “God is great!” many, many times in a ringing unison and then stopped to listen humbly to what he had to say.