you revive my heart with your company and discourse. This is my intention regarding you, so know that and trust me.’

My Master accepted that. Then the King joined him to himself, made him the closest of people to him, and appointed me over these lands, commanding me to collect the funds for him, to spend them on gates of righteousness, and that no person should depart without my noticing him, and that I investigate his affair. Whoever I found weak, I enriched; whoever I found seeking knowledge or other than that which is found with us, I brought him to it. So I am upon that.

As for the reason for my knowing you both, I was with my father, and you, O Aba al-Tahir, used to frequent Kufa to take the rights of the believers and perform the pilgrimage to meet this Sheikh of yours, Abu Abd Allah. So I recognized you both while I was young with my father. Now I have made known to you both what you wanted to know of me, so tell me now of your story and the reason that disturbed you from your lands, and do not hide anything of it, nor conceal anything of your affair.’

Abu al-Tahir said: ‘At that moment, my Master Abu Abd Allah told him our story from its beginning to its end and did not hide any of our affairs from him. Then he said to him after this talk: "O Ibrahim, it is necessary for you to act with us in the assistance we require, to share your opinion with us, and to guide and direct us to the state we have sought."

Ibrahim said: "The state you have sought and seek to reach is a great state and a major matter. I have not known anyone to intend what you intended or seek what you have sought. I am not one to guide you to a state I do not know and a path I have not trodden. However, I shall write to the King—may Allah prolong his life—and inform him of your report, and make known to him your stations, your virtue, and what Allah has singled you out with of religion, asceticism, and virtue. I will allude to him that you did not travel to these lands out of a desire for wealth or any worldly matter, but that matters have become great for you. I will describe you with some of what you deserve. When I write