Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/187

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ISTORIANS relate that el-Hajjâj-ibn-Yûsuf, es-Thákify, was keeping watch one night with his councillors, Khâlid-ibn-ʾUrfutah being amongst them, to whom el-Hajjâj said, "O Khâlid! bring me a tale-teller from the mosque." [For in those days it was thought necessary that there should be some one continually in attendance at the mosques.] And Khâlid went out and found a young man standing up praying. He therefore sat down until the latter had said, "Peace be upon you!" and then said to him,

"Come to the Amîr."

"Did the Amîr send expressly for me?" asked the young man. And when Khâlid replied, "Yes," he went with him, until, on arriving at the door, Khâlid asked him, "What canst thou narrate to the Amîr?"