Part 96

His call spread throughout Syria and Egypt; artisans and craftsmen at the border point of Alexandria took part of their earnings to him, and women sent some of their wealth to him.687 Books and writings were found in his possession that were indicative of blatant disbelief.688 Thus Salah ad-Deen — by the grace of Allah and then by virtue of his patience and strong leadership — was able to put an end to this conspiracy which finally prompted him to make a decisive move with regard to the remnants of the Fatimid state, namely the caliph's family, the senior officials, the courtesans and the Sudanese troops.689 The poet 'Amarah ibn 'Ali al-Yamani Adh-Dhahabi said concerning him that (his name was) Abu Muhammad 'Amarah ibn 'Ali ibn Zaydan al-Hakami al-Madhhaji al-Yamani Al-Shafi'i al-Fardi, the poet and author of the famous Diwdn. He was born in 515 AH and studied Islam in Zubayd for a while. He performed Hajj in 549 AH, and the emir of Makkah, Qasim ibn Faleetah, sent him as a messenger to al-Fa'iz in Egypt, whom he praised in verse. He had a clear and strong belief in Abu Bakr and 'Umar, and 'Amarah narrated that Salih ibn Ruzayk debated with him and said, "What do you believe concerning Abu Bakr and 'Umar?" 'Amarah said, "I believe that were it not for them, there would be no Islam for us and for you, and that loving them is obligatory," and he laughed. He was kind and smart, and learned from the Sunni scholars. Adh-Dhahabi said, "This is a sign of patience on Salih's part, despite the fact that he was a Shiite."690 Ibn Wasil said concerning the reason for 'Amarah al-Yamani's loyalty to the Fatimids: 'Amarah ibn 'Ali al-Yamani was fanatically devoted to them, because he came to them from Yemen and they treated him well and gave him many gifts. So he never forgot that and tried to repay them. As they say, man is beholden to good treatment. He did not follow their madh-hab; rather he was a Shafi'i and Sunni. When their state ended, he eulogized them in the best poetry and defended them verbally, because he was not able to defend them physically. Then when a group took action in an attempt to restore them, he was one of the people who helped that effort, out of gratitude to them for their kind treatment. That led to him being hanged.691 — As we have seen above. 'Amarah mentioned his inclination towards the Fatimids in an ode in which he said: Their generous deeds were like those of the Sunnis, even though they differed from me by holding Shiite beliefs.692 Adh-Dhahabi commented on this poetry, saying: "Would that it had only been Shiism; rather would that it had been only Rafidism. Rather his attitude was one of utter heresy."693 'Amarah said, eulogized the Fatimids and al-'Adid: I grieve for the time of Imam al- 'Adid as the barren woman grieves for the death of her only child. I sat with his viziers and accompanied his emirs, those who deserve eternal praise. I feel sorry for the rooms of your palace which are now devoid, O son of the (Messenger (SAAW), of the crowds of delegates. And for your separation from your troops who were like the waves on the calm sea...694 I am astonished by 'Amarah al-Yamani's eulogy for the Fatimids and his nostalgia for their innovations, festivals and palaces, his challenge to the new Sunni state in Egypt and his defence of the Fatimids and their lies and false claims to be descended from the (Messenger (SAAW) . Does love for the transient conveniences of this world do to sound belief what it did to 'Amarah al-Yamani? Do gifts, status and position make a man give up his sound belief and weep for the demise of the Rafidi, Shiite Fatimid state and get involved with a conspiracy against the Islamic mission to resist the Crusaders in the Muslim lands?