[prayer], which we performed with a single [state of] purity. We continued in this manner for ten days, during which we did not see the King, nor did we look at a slave girl, nor at anything that had been brought to us or surrounded us. The King had been observing our affairs from where we did not know. On the eleventh day, he ordered us to be brought before him, and his assembly was cleared of people. When we stood before him and greeted him, he said to us:

"Which of you is Abu Abd Allah Muhammad bin al-Hasan al-Madani?"

My Master replied: "I am he."

Then he turned to me and said: "And you are Abu al-Tahir Sabur the Ascetic?"

I replied: "I am he."

He said to my Master: "Are you the one who shall listen to my words and take charge of responding to me?"

My Master said to him: "Yes, I am the listener to your words and the one to respond."

The King said:

"Indeed, the worship, devotion, and asceticism I have seen from you both is contrary to what I have heard concerning your reports, and those who hold your belief and follow your religion."