Hababah (slave)

Hababah (died 724), was a jarya, slave singer and poet of the Caliph Yazid II.

Hababah was a slave, a so-called jarya, bought to the harem of the Caliph Yazid II as a concubine. She entertained him as a singer and a poet. Reportedly, Yazid became so much in love with her that he was described as hypnotized by her singing and poetry.^[1]

The chronicles state one example: 'One day while Hababa was singing, Yazid experienced such great pleasure that he burst out: "I want to fly away!" Hababa told him: "Commander of the Faithful, if you leave the umma and also us, who will take care of us?'"^[1]

When she died due to an accident during a picnic, Yazid II initially refused to bury her and was affected by such a depression that he neglected his duties and died not long after. Yazid's great love for her and sorrow of her death resulted in his name coming in disrepute for centuries before his was rehabilitated, and his neglect of state affairs and religion because of her made Hababah herself considered as an enemy of God.^[1]

References

1. Mernissi, Fatima; Mary Jo Lakeland (2003). The forgotten queens of Islam. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-579868-5.

• Mernissi, Fatima; Mary Jo Lakeland (2003). The forgotten queens of Islam. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-579868-5.