ابن السماك الواعظ
ابن السماك الواعظ
A preacher who asked al-Rashid, as he raised a cup of water: 'Had this sip been denied you, what would you have paid for it?' 'Half my kingdom.' 'And for its exit from your body?' 'All my kingdom.' 'A kingdom priced at a sip of water is hardly worth contesting' — and Harun wept 1.
At a glance
- Era
- The Early Abbasid Caliphate
- Review
- Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it
Overview
Ibn al-Sammak, a preacher. He entered the presence of Harun al-Rashid and asked for water, and a cup was brought to him. 1
Al-Suyuti relates that he asked the caliph how much he would pay for this drink if it were withheld from him. The caliph said half his kingdom. He then asked the price of getting it out of his body if it were withheld, and the caliph said all his kingdom. Ibn al-Sammak said that a kingdom whose worth is a cup of water is worthy not to be competed for, and Harun wept. 1
Sources
- Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition), p. 468
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “ابن السماك الواعظ”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/ibn-al-sammak/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-17.