Court Testimony: On Karīma bint ‘Ammār’s Pregnancy (Egypt)

There appeared before us, the undersigned, Abū ‘Alā ha-parnas [the charitable administrator], [who is our] master and teacher Yefet the elder, son of Maṣliaḥ the elder—his rest be in Eden. He testified in our presence, while we were in a session of three judges together, saying:

“I was with the cantor, ‘The Diadem’—may God be pleased with him—when Wuḥsha the broker entered and said to him, ‘You don’t have my misfortune! I slept with Ḥassūn, and I’ve become pregnant from him. We drew up a marriage contract according to Muslim law, but I am afraid that he will refuse to recognize the child.’ Her residence was then in Ibn al-Sukkarī’s house, on the top floor, and he [‘The Diadem’] said to her, ‘Go and find someone to catch you with him [lit., surprise you] so that your statement will be confirmed.’ So she found two people who caught her with him, and her statement was confirmed. She was then pregnant with this Abū Sa‘d from the fornication with Ḥassūn, and know that she was spending the Day of Atonement at the synagogue of the Iraqis, but when the nasi—of blessed memory—became aware of her, he ejected her from the synagogue. And I am stating nothing but the truth in all of this, and I hereby present this truthful testimony.”

There also appeared [before us] Abū Sa‘īd the slaughterer, [who is our] master and teacher Ḥalfon son of Joseph ha-Kohen—his rest be in Eden. He testified before us, saying:

“I lived with Ḥibat Allah ibn al-Sukkarī—may God be pleased with him—on [his] ground floor for many years, and Wuḥsha the broker was residing at the top of the building. And one day she went downstairs to one of the residents, Abū Naṣr ha-Kohen the cantor ibn al-Kamūkhī, and to Ibrahīm al-Muqaddisī, known as Ibn al-Murahat, and she said to them, ‘If you would be so kind and come up with me to my home for something.’ And the two of them went up with her and discovered Ḥassūn sitting with her and in front of him were wine and perfumes . . . and he told him in front of them . . .”

Source: CUL T-S 10J7.10, fol. 2v.