and if you were the owner of the whole earth and had no successor over you and this is very unlikely in the possibility for we do not know of anyone who owned the entire inhabited earth despite its smallness and narrowness in addition to its vastness so how would it be if it was added to the surrounding sphere then think about what ibn alsammak said to alrashid when he called in his presence for a cup of water to drink from and said to him o commander of the faithful if i were prevented from giving you this drink for how much would you be satisfied to buy it? alrashid said to him with all my kingdom. he said o commander of the faithful if i were prevented from giving it to you for how much would you be satisfied to ransom yourself from that? he said with all my kingdom. he said o commander of the faithful do you rejoice in a kingdom that is not worth a urine or a sip of water? and ibn alsammak may god have mercy on him spoke the truth.
وان كنت مالك الأرض كلها ولا خليفة عليك وهذا بعيد جدا في الإمكان، فما نعلم أحدا ملك معمور الأرض كلها على قلته وضيق مساحته بالإضافة إلى غامرها فكيف إذا أضيف إلى الفلك المحيط فتفكر فيما قال ابن السماك للرشيد، وقد دعا بحضرته بقدح فيه ماء ليشربه فقال له يا أمير المؤمنين فلو منعت هذه الشربة بكم كنت ترضى أن تبتاعها فقال له الرشيد بملكي كله. قال يا أمير المؤمنين، فلو منعت من خروجها منك، بكم كنت ترضى تفتدي من ذلك قال بملكي كله. فقال يا أمير المؤمنين أتغتبط بملك لا يساوي بولة ولا شربة ماء وصدق ابن السماك رحمه الله.