The Commander of the Faithful, Omar bin al-Khattáb (whom Allah accept!), once levied for holy war an army of Moslems, to encounter the foe before Damascus, and they laid close siege to one of the Christians' strongholds. Now there were amongst the Moslems two men, brothers, whom Allah had gifted with fire and bold daring against the enemy; so that the commander of the besieged fortress said to his chiefs and braves,

"Were but that two Moslems ta'en or slain, I would warrant you against the rest of their strain." Why they did not leave to set for them all manner of toils and snares and did not stop to manoeuvre and lie in wait and ambush for them, till they took one of them prisoner and slew the other, who died a martyr. They carried the captive to the Captain of the fort, who looked at him and said, "truly, to kill this man were indeed a pity, but his return to the Moslem would be a calamity."—

When it was the Four Hundred and Seventy fifth night

one of his Patrician Knights, said, "O Emir, I will tempt him to abjure his faith, and in this way: we know that the Arabs are much addicted to women, and I have a daughter, a perfect beauty, whom when he sees, he will be seduced by her." the Captain, said, "I give him into your charge." So he carried him to his place and clad his daughter in raiment, such as added to her beauty and loveliness. Then he brought the Moslem into the room and set before him food and made the fair girl stand in his presence, as she were a handmaid obedient to her lord and awaiting his orders that she might do his bidding. When the Moslem saw the evil sent down upon him, he commended himself to Allah Almighty and closing his eyes, applied himself to worship and to reciting the Koran. Now he had a pleasant voice and a piercing wit; and the Nazarene damsel presently loved him with passionate love and pined for him with extreme repine. This lasted seven days, at the end of which she said to herself, "Would to Heaven he would admit me into the Faith of Al-Islam!" And the tongue of her case recited these couplets,

"Will turn your face from heart that's all yours own, This heart your ransom and this soul your wone? I'm ready home and kin to quit for aye, And every Faith for that of sword disown: I testify that Allah has no mate: This proof is stablished and this truth is known.

Moslem Champion and the Christian Damsel. 279

Perhaps shall deign He union grant with one Averse, and hearten heart love overthrown; For ofttimes door erst shut, is opened wide, And after evil case all good is shown.

At last her patience failed her and her breast was straitened and she threw herself on the ground before him, saying, "I conjure you by your Faith, that you give ear to my words!" he asked, "What are they?" and she answered, "Expound unto me Al-Islam." So he expounded to her the tenets of the Faith, and she became a Moslemah, after which she was circumcised and he taught her to pray. Then she said to him, "O my brother, I did but embrace

Al-Islam for your sake and to win your favours." He said, "The law of Al-Islam forbidds sexual commerce save after a marriage before two legal witnesses, and a dowry and a guardian are also requisite. Now I know not where to find witnesses or friend or parapherne; but, If you can contrive to bring us out of this place, I may hope to make the land of Al-Islam, and pledge myself to you that none other than you in all Al-Islam shall be wife to me." Answered she, "I will manage that"; and, calling her father and mother, said to them, "Indeed this Moslem's heart is softened and he longs to enter the faith, so I will grant him that which he desires of my person; but he says: 'It befits me not to do this in a town where my brother was slain. Could I but get outside it my heart would be solaced and I would do that which is wanted of me.' Now there is no harm in letting me go forth with him to another town, and I will be a surety to you both and to the Emir for that which you wish of him." Therefore her father went to their Captain and told him this, at which he joyed with exceeding joy and bade him carry them forth to a village that she named. So they went out and made the village where they abode the rest of their day, and when night fell, they got ready for the march and went their way, even as says the poet,

"'The time of parting,' cry they, 'draws near': 'How oft this parting threat?' I but reply: I've nothing to do but cross the wild and wold And, mile by mile, over fountless wastes to fly If the beloved seek another land Sons of the road, whereso they go, go I. I make desire direct me to their side, The guide to show me where the way does lie."

When it was the Four Hundred and Seventy sixth night

Exclaimed she, "Woe to you! Are you then afraid and affrighted?" "Yes," answered he; and she said, "What did you tell me of the power of your Lord and His readiness to succour those who succour seek? Come, let us humble ourselves before Him and beseech Him: Perhaps He shall grant us His succour and endue us with His grace, extolled and exalted be He!" He said, "By God, you sayst well!" So they began humbling themselves and supplicating Almighty Allah and he recited these couplets,

"Indeed I hourly need your choicest aid, And should, though crown were placed upon my head: You are my chiefest want, and if my hand Won what it wishes, all my wants were sped. You have not anything withholdest You; Like pouring rain Your grace is showered: I'm shut from it by sins of me, yet You, O Clement, deignest pardon light to shed. O Care Dispeller, deign dispel my grief! None can, save You, dispel a grief so dread."

Whilst he was praying and she was saying, "Amen," and the thunder of horse tramp nearing them, lo! the brave heard the voice of his dead brother, the martyr, speaking and saying, "O my brother, fear not, nor grieve! For the host whose approach you hear is the host of Allah and his Angels, whom He has sent to serve as witnesses to your marriage. Of a truth Allah has made His Angels glorify you and He bestows on you the meed of the meritorious and the martyrs; and He has rolled up the earth for you as it were a rug so that, by morning, you will be in the mountains of Al-Medinah. And you, when you foregatherest with Omar bin al-Khattab (of whom Allah accept!) give him my salutation and say to him: 'Allah abundantly requite you for Al-Islam, because you have counselled faithfully and have striven diligently.'" Thereupon the Angels lifted up their voices in salutation to him and his bride, saying, "truly, Almighty Allah appointed her in marriage to you two thousand years before the creation of your father Adam (with whom be peace evermore!)." Then joy and gladness and peace and happiness came upon the twain, confidence was confirmed and established was the guidance of the pious pair.

So when dawn appeared, they prayed the accustomed prayer and fared forward. Now it was the wont of Omar, son of Al-Khattab (Allah accept him!), to rise for morning prayer in the darkness before dawn and at times he would stand in the prayer niche with two men behind him, and begin reciting the Chapter entitled "Cattle" or that entitled "Women," whereupon the sleeper awoke and he who was making his Wuzu ablution accomplished it and he who was afar came to prayer; nor had he made an end of the first bow, before the mosque was full of folk; then he would pray his second bow quickly, repeating a short chapter. But, on that morning he hurried over both first and second inclinations, repeating in each a short chapter; then, after the concluding salutation, turning to his companions, he said to them, "Come, let us fare forth to meet the bride and bridegroom"; at which they wondered, not understanding his words. But he went out and they followed him, till they came to the gate of the city, where they met the young Moslem who, when the day broke and the standards of Al-Medinah appeared to him, had pushed forward for the gate closely followed by his bride. There he was met by Omar who bade make a marriage feast; and the Moslems came and ate. Then the young Moslem went in unto his bride and Almighty Allah vouchsafed him children,—

When it was the Four Hundred and Seventy seventh night

And they did not stop to be in all solace and delight of life, till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and the Sunderer of societies. And a tale is told by Sídi Ibrahim bin Al-Khawwás on whom be the mercy of Allah!) concerning himself and