ABSTRACT
On the day that Hisha¯m – may God have mercy upon him – was leaving the funeral of Tha laba ibn Ubayd at the well-known cemetery of Quraysh in Cordova to go to Tha laba’s house, a dog rushed out of a neighbouring house and sank its teeth into his cloak – a double cloak of Marwı¯ cloth – and ripped it.2 ‘Let the governor (a¯mil ) of Cordova fine the owner of that house a dirham for having a dog in a place frequented by Muslims!’ cried Hisha¯m. But as he left the house Hisha¯m revoked the fine saying, ‘We have distressed the owner of the house more than the damage to our cloak has distressed us.’
