192 Ashraf
father’s murderer. After a patient infiltration of Zabid with the assistance of
resourceful, and varied sympathisers and relatives, Saïd succeeds in dispatch-
ing Ali es-Suleyhi and regaining the throne. However, he is not scrupulous in
his triumph, indiscriminately killing one of his supporters when he slays the
king. After enjoying his sovereignty, Saïd the Squinter is eventually the victim
of a plot that allows the Suleyhi clan to recapture Zabid. His downfall is occa-
sioned by his brother Jeyyash and an unexpected lapse of propriety. A master
chess-player, known as the less volatile, more poetic, cautious, and orthodox
of the two brothers, Jeyyash’s one weakness – for beauty – is exploited by an
enemy whose dignity he has publicly, if justifiably, affronted. Blinded by the
outward beauty of a girl used as a decoy, Jeyyash is brought close to ruin, and
entangled in a romantic quest while enemies trick his brother the king into
marching his army into an ambush. The narrative is marked by thematic har-
mony and balance as a thoroughly humbled and penitent Jeyyash adopts the
guise of a commoner and walks the middle path of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of God be upon him). This prophetic standard is the target that the
novel oscillates towards, symbolized by the color white, which is invoked in the
bloodless coup that Jeyyash stages, regaining the throne, this time with justice
and mercy.33 Experience, bloodshed, and suffering teach the characters of this
novel, or rather lead them to, observance of the sacred Law. The knights of
Araby are not extremely intelligent, but Jeyyash the final victor proves himself
capable of being edified by circumstance.
Pickthall hints at a Ghazalian archetype in Jeyyash, who finds peace in
self-abasement after years of political turbulence. Jeyyash’s development of
character, detaching his subtle self from its desires so that he is guided by his
intellect, heart and soul, recalls to mind the Sufi path in one particular: his
fall from his lofty station as prince during his brother’s reign, upon the lat-
ter’s defeat. After his exile and return to their former kingdom in the guise of a
clean-shaven and humble Hindustani, Jeyyash rubs shoulders with common-
ers in the streets and through plain dialogue with the “quiet folk” and ordi-
nary citizens of Zabid learns of their needs, and wishes for life. In his previous
princely station, he was veiled from the reality of the populace. This lower-
ing of Jeyyash’s nafs from a religious identity that has been punctured and
shown to be false ultimately elevates him. Soon, intending to follow the Way of
the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be upon him), Jeyyash
is king of the realm, having staged a bloodless coup of Zabid’s throne. Self-
abasement is explicitly intended by the new king after he is given his ultimate
33 Pickthall, Knights, 366.