had received the sum, he sent to me and had me brought into his presence, and behaved towards me like a raging lion. And he cried, 'Divorce Saida!' But I cried, 'No!' So he gave harsh orders about me to a troop of slaves, who seized me and tortured me with various kinds of torture. And there was no help for it but by divorcing her, so I did it. Then he sent me back to the prison, and I remained there until the legal period of her seclusion[1] had elapsed. Then Marwân married her and released me. And verily have come to thee in hope, and seeking redress through thee, and craving protection from thee." And he recited, saying:
There is desire in my heart,
It is consumed by the fire therein,
And my body is pierced by an arrow,
By which the physician is baffled.
And in my breast are living coals,
And in the living coals are sparks.
And my eye sheds tears,
And the tears flow in torrents.
And only through my Lord
And through the Amîr is help.
- ↑ There is no one word in English, as there is in Arabic, which expresses this period. In the case of a divorcée three months, and of a widow four months and ten days, during which it is unlawful for her to marry again.
