Amina al-Sirafi, #1
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
by Shannon Chakraborty
Contents
A Notice to Suleiman Batawiyna on the Dissolution of the Apprenticeship of His Son
Overview
A formal notice from Kilwa reveals Majed abandoned his apprenticeship and is wanted for questioning over ties to an accused smuggler. His debts are shifted to his family. A scrawled addendum portrays Majed as a restless wanderer who repeatedly disappears to sea, complicating efforts to bring him home.
Summary
The chapter is a documentary interlude: a formal notice announces that Majed ibn Suleiman Batawiyna has abandoned his apprenticeship under Ibrahim Shirazi and Sheikh Dawud al‑Hasan in Kilwa. Authorities instruct that, if Majed returns, he be taken to the local qadi for questioning about possible criminal assistance to the accused smuggler Saad al‑Sirafi. His unpaid debts for board and supplies are reassigned to his father, totaling eighty‑four dirhams.
Beneath the notice, a second hand adds a personal appeal to Suleiman Batawiyna. The writer claims to have tried—and failed—to salvage Majed’s position, conceding that Majed’s hunger for exploration has repeatedly led him to ship out with dubious captains.
The addendum concludes with a warning: if Suleiman can bring Majed home, he should bind him to a landlocked trade and marriage, as any sight of a ship sends Majed fleeing back to sea. Together, the documents depict Majed as unreliable, indebted, and potentially entangled with criminal elements, raising the stakes for anyone seeking him.
Who Appears
- Majed ibn Suleiman BatawiynaRunaway apprentice from Kilwa; wanted for questioning over a smuggler; compulsively ships out.
- Suleiman BatawiynaMajed’s father; notified that Majed’s debts are transferred to the family.
- Ibrahim ShiraziMaster cartographer in Kilwa; former teacher whose apprentice Majed abandoned.
- Sheikh Dawud al-HasanTeacher in Kilwa; his pupil Majed deserted, prompting official notice.
- Local qadi of KilwaJudge designated to question Majed if he returns to the city.
- Saad al-SirafiAccused smuggler; authorities suspect Majed may have aided him.
- Unidentified letter-writerAdds a plea and warning to Suleiman, describing Majed’s restless seafaring habits.