'T^^HE first from among the Benu-'Omeyyah who
-*- reigned over the Khalifate, was Muawiyah, son
of Abu-SufyAn.
One day Muiwiyah was sitting in council at Da-
mascus, and the chamber was open on the four sides ;
the breeze could enter it from all quarters. But the



54 'ILAM-EN-NAS.
day was extremely hot, there was no wind, and it was
the middle of the day, and verily the noontide was
blazing. And it so happened that he looked ^out
in a certain direction, and observed a man coming
towards him, who was being scorched by the heat of
the ground, and limped in his barefoot walk. And
Miiawiyah, after regarding him attentively, said to
those about him, " Has God (may He be praised
and exalted !) created a more miserable being than he
who is forced to walk about in such weather and at
such an hour as this .' " Then answered one of them,
" Perhaps, Commander of the Faithful, he brings a
petition.'' Said Muawiyah, "By All^h ! if he seeks
anything from me, I will certainly give it him, and
take upon myself his affair ; or be he oppressed, I will
surely help him. Ho, slave ! stand at the door, and
if this Arab asks for me, do not deny him access
to me." So the youth went out and met him, and
asked, " What seekest thou .? " He replied, " The
Commander of the Faithful." " Enter," said the slave.
