ABSTRACT
IN accordance with the covenant of his father Abdul Malik, Walid was succeeded by his brother Sulaiman, who is described as generous and bluff, fond of pleasure and good cheer, "preferring justice," and amenable to the wise and humane counsels of his cousin, the good Omar bin Abdul Aziz, who afterwards succeeded him on the throne. Immediately upon his accession Sulaiman opened the prison-doors of Irak, and gave their liberty to the thousands of beings whom Hajjaj had incarcerated: He removed the revenue-collectors of that tyrant, and abolished most of his oppressive ordinances. Had he rested content with removing the burdens that had been laid upon the people by Hajjaj there would have been nothing unworthy to record of him. But he allowed his vindictive feelings to master his judgment, and his hand fell heavily upon the Modharites who had sup-
75-74 A.C.
