Lady Narguess Journey to Iraq

On the way to Baghdad

Bashar Ibn Suleiman was a slave merchant and one of Imam Hadi’s loyal Shiite; he lived near Imam’s house in Samera.

One night Imam Hadi’s servant went to the house of Bashar ad told him that Imam Hadi had summoned him to his house. Bashar went quickly to the house of his beloved Imam and saw that Imam Hadi was talking with his son Imam Hassan and his sister, who was behind a curtain.

Imam Hadi said:” Bashar! You are one of Abu Ayyub Ansari’s trusted sons, and we know that you have accepted our Velayat most obediently, and that you have always believed us in your heart. I am going to let you in a secret: you have to go to Baghdad and buy a female slave from the Salve Market… I would like to tell you that this will bring full joy to your heart, and it will increase your rank in the presence of our Holy God.”

Beside the river of Tigris

After that private conversation, Imam Hadi wrote a letter in Latin; he then stamped the letter with his special ring and gave it to Bashar. He gave him a yellow purse inside which were two hundred and twenty dinars; he told him that he should travel to Baghdad and in a specific day at noon, be in the riverside of Tigris. He should wait then for the arrival of a merchant’s boat; he should find a man by the name of Amr Ibn Yazid.

He should wait that this slave merchant begin to expose and present his slaves in the Slave Market; after a while, Amr will bring on a young female slave who wears two thick silk dresses; that slave, in contrast with the other slaves, will not let people see her face; and she will moan and cry in the Roman language [Latin] and say:”Oh, Good God…! I can bear no longer such an insult and such a misery…! “

Suddenly a man from among the people will stand in front of that young slave and will announce:” The purity and the virtuous qualities of this slave, makes me want to buy her; I am ready to give you three hundred dinars to buy your slave…”

But that young slave will respond this man with a fluent Arabic and say:” Even if you were like the Prophet Solomon Ibn Davud and have lots of Djinns around you, my answer would still be “no!” to you! So take pity on your money, and do not waste it vainly! ”

At that moment Amr Ibn Yazid, the slave merchant will say most pitifully:” So what am I supposed to do?! I need to sell you, girl! ”

But the young slave will respond:” Do not hurry… I must find someone who would be good to me. Someone I could trust.”

At that moment, it shall be your turn to go near them and tell them that you have a letter from a nobleman; tell them that your master has described himself in his letter to her, and that he has written that letter in Latin. Then take this letter to the young woman, and let her read it; then tell Amr Ibn Yazid that if the young slave is content and satisfied, you in your turn are ready to purchase her for your master…”

The purchasing of the young slave

With these detailed instructions from his Imam, Bashar Ibn Suleiman went to Baghdad without wasting any more time. He did as he had been told, and found Yazid and his slaves at the right spot; he then waited for his moment…

Bashar Ibn Suleiman was seeing that all the events, according to the description of his lord and Imam Hadi, was realizing piece by piece, just like a puzzle! And when he heard the words of the young slave who told Yazid that he should not hurry too much, he got closer and stood in front of Narguess; he then came to Yazid and announced: ” I have a letter here from a nobleman. My master has described himself in this letter… Please, do give this letter to that slave. If she will be satisfied, I am ready to purchase her for my lord and master.”

When Yazid gave the letter to Narguess, she opened the letter and after having read the first line, she began to cry and said joyfully:” Please! Sell me at once to this man! Otherwise, I will kill myself…”

Bashar and Yazid talked and negotiated for a few minutes about the price of the slave, and Yazid finally agreed to sell the young woman for two hundred and twenty dinars! It was exactly the same price that Imam Hadi had given to Bashar. He then purchased Narguess and took her to his rented place in Baghdad.