Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalifahs/How Ibn-Harimah was saved from Punishment

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Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalifahs by Muhammad Diyab al-Atlidi, translated by Alice M. Frere How Ibn-Harimah was saved from Punishment

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HOW IBN-HARIMAH WAS SAVED FROM PUNISHMENT.

TBN-HARIMAH went into the presence of el-Mansiir, and offered him congratulations. And el-Mans6r said to him, "Ask of me thy desire." So he replied, " That thou shouldst write to thy vicegerent at el-Medinah, that should he find me drunk he is not to punish me."

"There is no means of escaping that," said el-Mansiir.

" I have no other wish," said Ibn-Harimah.

So el-Mans6r commanded his scribe, " Write to my vicegerent at el-Medtnah : If the son of Harimah is brought to thee drunk, flog him with eighty strokes, but flog him by whom he is brought with a hundred strokes."

And the guard found him drunk ; but they said, " Who would buy eighty with a hundred?" So they passed on and left him.