Beyond the Sand Dune

by Asen Djinah

  ‘The family business is under threat with the new caliph, especially now that I am no longer the grand vizier,’ he said.

  Chapter 12

  Abdul-Alim truly came from a poor family and was the youngest of three brothers. His father and his two elder brothers worked hard knocking on door after door, selling and repairing copper cooking pots and pans as well as oil lamps to sustain the family. Although his father was illiterate, he saw education as a way up the social ladder. So he enrolled his youngest son in a madrasah and every evening he would make Abdul-Alim tell the whole family what he had learned that day. His parents and brothers would listen in awe at all the new things the young boy would tell them about.

  ‘Do you know that the earth we walk on is not flat like a table, but round like a ball – like the moon?’ he once told them, laughing at their incredulous faces.

  They treated him like royalty, not allowing him to do any chores, but only to concentrate on his studies. The young boy loved the attention and would try to learn new things to tell his family every evening. It was his way of showing his gratitude.

  When Abdul-Alim completed his secondary education, his father sent him to a tertiary level madrasah which was in another town. For the first time in his life, young Abdul-Alim had to move away from home. Although it was a difficult time for the whole family, they tightened the belt in good grace.

  ‘I know it is going to be hard on us financially, but your brothers and mother know it is worth it. There will come a day when you will have enough money to take care of all of us,’ his father told Abdul-Alim on the day he left home.

  There were days when there was no food on the table, yet the whole family endured the hardships in good grace, knowing that one day they would reap the reward. Abdul-Alim was the only one in the madrasah from a poor background, with all his fellow students from the rich privileged class. He excelled in most subjects, especially in business and accounting, where he devised new ways to record and track down income and expenditure which amazed his teachers.

  ‘I know of a businessman who will give you a job. I have already recommended you to him,’ one of his teachers told him when his final studies were over.

  Within weeks of starting his new job, Abdul-Alim made himself familiar with the entire business operation and impressed his employer by answering his questions promptly, without having to consult the ledgers. Soon Abdul-Alim was promoted to take charge of the entire organisation and recruited another bookkeeper to work under him. His business acumen and vision helped his employer to expand the business and increase earnings. With his hefty salary, Abdul-Alim was able to help and support the family.

  ‘We have enough money to set up a market stall instead of going door to door,’ he told his father.

  With the stall, their business grew and soon the brothers started to look for other ways to expand the family metal business.

  ‘We need to import copper blocks from Anatolia and produce our own cooking pots and oil lamps. It will be much cheaper than importing the finished products,’ Abdul-Alim next advised his brothers.

  With a metal forge set up, the brothers soon had to employ a number of people to be able to meet the increasing demand of their cheaper goods and their profits increased significantly. They started selling in nearby towns and very soon across the entire territory. With the family business booming and with Abdul-Alim’s substantial salary from his job, his family soon became well-off and were able to move to better accommodation. Before his father eventually came to pass away from a pulmonary disease, he made his three sons promise never to break their partnership.

  ‘A single twig breaks but a bundle stays strong,’ he said in a weak voice from his death bed.

  The three sons solemnly promised their dying father that they would always look out for one another.

  Some years later, when Caliph Ubayy needed to replace his grand vizier, Abdul-Alim was recommended to the post by Omar who was the caliph’s advisor at the time.

  ‘There is this accountant, Abdul-Alim, who runs his family business and works for several traders. I hear that he is very capable and would be a good choice as grand vizier,’ Omar informed the ruler.

  Unsurprisingly, Abdul-Alim’s intellectual acuity and business experience enabled him to sort out the messy affairs of the caliphate that his predecessor had left behind. Soon he became indispensable to the caliph. After he had sorted out the finances, he devised a new improved system for tax collection, whilst at the same time reducing waste within the administration. The coffers of the treasury were soon replenished. With the many threats facing the empire, he then decided to turn his attention to the military and recommended that the army needed to be modernised. With the advice and help of the generals, he obtained samples of weaponry from the Roman and Samanid armies.

  ‘I want you to make improved versions of these weapons,’ Abdul-Alim told his brothers, handing them the weapons.

  ‘It is a big opportunity for us to supply the army,’ he added.

  His brothers invested heavily in a steel forge and imported wootz steel from the south of India. Over time they began to produce gilded helmets, mail coif used to protect the face and neck of the infantry soldiers, short infantry swords, long cavalry swords, mail armour and arrow heads. Very quickly with the influence of their younger brother as grand vizier, the brothers became the major source of procurement for the military. From making cooking pots and oil lamps, the family business had diversified into the profitable arms industry.

  Abdul-Alim and his brothers soon became very rich and joined the group of influential families in Qadday. They were held in high regard for providing employment to a large number of people in a region where there were limited job opportunities and for boosting the local economy.

  ‘Grand Vizier Abdul-Alim has made our country strong,’ people would say when they learned about the new modern army of the empire.

  They were proud of the patriotism of the brothers and grateful for their contribution towards the defence of the territory. The business had grown to the extent that the brothers had to employ a couple of accountants to manage the business while they looked for new ways to expand. They soon began to make wooden spears with steel heads, short infantry spears eight feet long, as well as long cavalry spears eighteen feet long.

  ‘I think we should start thinking of making leather products too. We could manufacture armours of hardened leather, heavy leather sandal boots and even large wooden shields. I have heard about a new type of bow, over six feet long capable of a range of four hundred and fifty feet. We need to look into this further,’ Abdul-Alim suggested.

  The brothers were looking into the production of these additional products when the news of Caliph Ubayy resigning on grounds of ill-health broke. The resignation of the caliph was a major blow to their plans as it came at such a critical moment, threatening to undermine the future expansion of the business. The brothers were forced to put their ideas on hold and wait for the situation to clear up. The very night the news broke, the three met urgently to discuss the way ahead.

  ‘We are at a crossroad with the resignation of Ubayy. I suggest we stop our research and wait for the situation to clear up,’ the eldest brother said.

  ‘I think it is just a minor delay in our plans and we should carry on. There is a good chance that the new caliph might keep Abdul-Alim as grand vizier and it will be business as usual,’ the middle brother countered.

  Then suddenly an idea came to him and he turned to Abdul-Alim.

  ‘Why can’t you be caliph, little brother? You are quite capable and have experience of running the empire,’ he pointed out.

  Abdul-Alim did not immediately reply. He quite liked the idea of being caliph. Once for all the family business would be secured, not to mention his family would be the most powerful family in the empire.

  ‘What are we waiting for? We need to start our campaign,’ he replied, breaking into a wide smile.

  The two elder brothers started lobbying
the eminent members of the ruling elite and the scholars about the achievements of their sibling as grand vizier.

  ‘Who single-handedly sorted out the mess left by the previous grand vizier?’ they asked during the meetings they arranged.

  ‘Remember how Abdul-Alim improved the collection of taxes and reduced waste to improve the economy,’ they reminded everyone.

  ‘Who had the vision to modernise our army and improve the defence of the empire against our many enemies?’

  More and more members of the elite group became convinced by these arguments and Abdul-Alim started to believe that he could be the next caliph. The sentiment spread to the general public, who also felt that the grand vizier would be an ideal choice for caliph.

  On the day of the election, Abdul-Alim was not too concerned about any last minute nomination as he felt he had the backing of the majority. Most of the speeches of the delegates were in his favour and he was already thinking about who to appoint as grand vizier when he would be elected as caliph. Underestimating Chief Ulama Kateb was a big mistake on the part of the brothers. The leader of the scholars was the last one to speak and Ulama Kateb made an impassioned closing speech before the casting of the votes.

  ‘Brothers, we are very fortunate to have a strong candidate for the position of caliph. Abdul-Alim has nothing to prove in terms of his intellect and business acumen. We all know how he improved the state of the treasury. His work on the modernisation of our army to ensure our survival as an empire has been nothing but impressive. However, some might say that his lack of military experience and political awareness as well as his superficial knowledge of the teachings of the Holy Prophet are his weaknesses.’

  ‘For this reason, I would like to nominate Omar Ibn Qays as the next caliph,’ Kateb announced to everyone’s surprise.

  Of a humble and gentle nature, Omar himself had never thought of becoming caliph and was surprised when Ulama Kateb nominated him. He did not realise how highly regarded he was amongst many including the chief scholar. With his experience advising Ubayy, he was well aware of the issues facing the empire and felt proud that someone as important as the chief ulama had placed his faith in him. After his initial shock, he stood up and nodded to the delegates present to acknowledge his nomination although he thought that Abdul-Alim was a good choice too.

  ‘Well, let the delegates and scholars decide who will serve the empire best,’ he thought as he sat down to let the chief scholar continue on with his speech.

  ‘Omar has proven himself as a military man, having led his regiment in numerous campaigns. He is popular with his men and knows how to lead by example. He has acquired good experience of business and management through his family business. His service as an advisor to Caliph Ubayy has given him considerable insight and experience in the administration of the empire. However, his knowledge of the teachings of the Holy Prophet is his strongest asset,’ Kateb told the assembly.

  ‘We all know that the tribes of the land were united into one ummah – community, under the wisdom of our Prophet. If we are to succeed in the future as a nation, we must concede that his teachings must be at the forefront of any government we elect. We cannot deny this otherwise we would be failing him. For this reason I endorse Omar as our next caliph,’ Kateb explained his choice.

  As the delegates began voting, Abdul-Alim felt nervous for the first time since his nomination. He was well aware of Kateb’s influence upon the scholars and how it could affect the votes, the scholars being marginally superior in numbers to the delegates of the ruling elite. When the votes were finally counted, Abdul-Alim had lost by a narrow margin. Omar was elected as caliph. Both candidates embraced each other and Abdul-Alim sportingly congratulated the winner. However, his supporters were unhappy at the results and this could clearly be seen in their grim expressions. His two brothers were left deflated. They had been so convinced that their brother would be elected and now they were unsure how this state of affairs would affect their family business.

  ‘It is only a matter of time before we lose the procurement contract with the military,’ they were both thinking as they watched delegates surrounding Omar to congratulate him.

  The very next day, the two brothers met with the delegates who supported Abdul-Alim and together they agreed that Chief Ulama Kateb should have been neutral due to his position instead of endorsing Omar.

  ‘This should be enough to contest the election,’ the elder brother said to the group of supporters.

  ‘But who to complain to? There is no independent body. The only one to handle our complaint will be the caliph himself… or Ulama Kateb,’ one of the men pointed out.

  That same day, to make matters worse Caliph Omar appointed Jaffar Ibn Thawfik as grand vizier to replace Abdul-Alim, upon the recommendation of Ulama Kateb. This further intensified the discontent among the delegates, which soon spread to the population creating an uneasy atmosphere as everyone had an opinion on the matter. Many among the general public felt that Abdul-Alim had been wronged and should have remained as grand vizier at the very least.

  For safety reasons, Caliph Omar moved from his family home into the palace and immediately began to hold meetings with the army chief and the various commanders to confirm their support as well as to plan for any possible uprising.

  ‘Caliph Omar, rest assured. My commanders and I will ensure that the result of the election is respected,’ Commander-in-Chief Khalid told Omar.

  Generally, whenever a new caliph was elected into office, there was always a period of uncertainty and tension. But this time, the situation was particularly tense. Caliph Omar was confident that with the military behind him, he would be able to contain any minor uprising. Yet the tension amongst the delegates and the general public was not only a bad start to his caliphate, it also did not augur well for the future of the empire, especially with the Byzantines and the Samanids ever-present threats at the borders. Omar was at a loss on how to manage the situation and quell any uprising, without further alienating sections of the population.

  Chapter 13

  Omar became disheartened. The situation had affected his usual cheerful mood, leaving him depressed by the current state of affairs. For his personal safety he remained cooped up inside the palace with no one to confide to, his brother Numan being busy with the family business. Despite not wanting to burden Maymuna with his worries, he found himself confessing his innermost fears to her. His wife tried to boost his morale and cheer him by trying to distract him from his worries, but to no avail.

  ‘Anyway, it has only been a few days since the election. Feelings are still raw. Things will settle down eventually,’ she tried to comfort her husband.

  At that time, Maymuna was not yet suffering from her migraine and was eager to take an active interest in her husband’s new responsibilities. After some thought Maymuna decided to take matters in her own hand and sent for her trusted servant.

  ‘I want you to go and inquire discreetly what kind of man Abdul-Alim is. Also I want every detail you can find about his family,’ she tasked her.

  When her servant briefed her about her findings the following day, an idea sprouted in Maymuna’s head. She brooded about it overnight before finally making up her mind. That night, when the couple were lying next to each other, she casually approached the matter with her husband.

  ‘Omar, is it true that Abdul-Alim has a procurement contract with the military?’ she asked, trying to sound casual.

  ‘Yes, his family business does and I have no intention of revoking it. Not only it will take time to find new suppliers, but by cancelling his contract I will make the present tense situation even worse. He has a lot of support among the delegates and the public. Many feel that he should have remained as grand vizier. Withdrawing the contract will definitely lead to an uprising,’ Omar replied.

  ‘Well, do you know that he has a daughter who is of age? If you were to marry his daughter, he would become your father-in-law and all this division and tension would end,’
she ventured casually.

  Omar looked at her as if she were crazy. He could not believe his ears.

  When Omar had asked Maymuna’s hand in marriage all those years ago, he had promised her that he would never take any other wife. He was very much in love and knew that she was the only one for him. Yet, he had been manipulated by Maymuna herself to take her cousin Sophiya as second wife, much against his will. And now, she had set out again with her scheming.

  ‘Don’t you start with your matchmaking plans again, woman,’ he reprimanded.

  ‘Well, our Prophet did marry the young daughter of his closest companion. Not only did the marriage strengthen ties between him and his new father-in-law, but it also raised the status of the girl’s father; he became the first caliph after the death of our Prophet,’ she carried on, oblivious of her husband’s exasperation.

  ‘Maymuna, what do I have to do to make you stop?’ he responded angrily.

  ‘For argument’s sake, say you ask for the hand of Abdul-Alim’s daughter. Would he refuse categorically or would he be inclined to accept?’ Maymuna asked as though speaking to herself, seemingly oblivious of her husband’s exasperation

  ‘Well, it would be in his interest to approve, since not only will he acquire a higher status by being the father-in law of the caliph, but also the future of his family business will be assured. And most importantly, it will put an end to the tension and division among the public and delegates. Being the peaceful man I hear he is, he will not be keen to be responsible for a civil war,’ she continued, answering her own question.