The following satirical anecdote about a bragging host and his unfortunate guest offers a good look at the daily life of a merchant in tenth-century Baghdad, including details about the merchant's neighborhood, his house, his relations with his wife and servant, his diet, his furnishings, and even his lavatory. The story is from Maqamat al- Hamadhani (The Assemblies of al-Hamadani).

'Isa Ibn Hisham related to us and said: "I was in Basra and ...with me was Abu'1-Fath al-Iskanderi . . . .We were present with him at a merchant's entertainment and there was placed before us Madirah [meat stew] . . . . When it took its place upon the table and its home in the hearts, Abu'1-Fath al-Iskanderi arose cursing it. . . . We thought he was joking, but. . . . He withdrew from the table and abandoned cooperation with his brethren. So we ordered it to...