point, we sought the man at his house and asked permission to enter. He permitted us. When we entered, we greeted him; he returned it and ordered us to sit. We sat, and his house was crowded with people. When the people departed and no one remained except us, he said to us: 'Do you have a need to be fulfilled?'

My master said: 'I shall mention it on the condition that you guarantee its fulfillment.' He said to him: 'Mention your need, for it is fulfilled, if Allah wills.' My master said to him: 'Our need for which we sought you is the jewel you bought in Mecca.' The Merchant said to him: 'I have guaranteed that I will fulfill your need, and I shall fulfill what I guaranteed; but return to me on a day like this.'

My master thanked him for that, and we departed from him. We did not return to him except at the time he promised us. When we came to him and he saw us, his color changed. He ordered us to sit, and we sat. We stayed a long time until no one remained but us. At that point, he said to us: 'For what have you come?' My master said to him: 'Regarding the matter of the jewel for which your promise was previously given.' He said: 'I have forgotten it; return to me at another time.'

My master said to him: 'Allah said: “And mention in the Book Ishmael; indeed, he was true to his promise and was a messenger, a prophet”¹. Allah coupled truthfulness of promise with messengership and prophethood. You have given a guarantee and promised us a promise; if you go back on your word, we shall turn away from you and not return to you.' He said to us: 'I am not one who goes back on what I promised you both.'

Then he ordered the servant to lock the doors, and they were locked. He opened a room of his that he had set aside for his rest, rose, and ordered us to follow him. We followed him and entered a sitting room that had been furnished for him. He sat and we sat. He ordered wine to be