Gharib also said to the True Believers, "Strengthen your courage
and fortify your hearts and seek aid of your Lord, beseeching him
to vouchsafe you the victory over your enemies." They replied, "O
King, soon thou shalt see what we will do in battle-plain where
men cut and thrust amain." So the two hosts slept till the day
arose with its sheen and shone and the rising sun rained light
upon hill and down, when Gharib prayed the two-bow prayer, after
the rite of Abraham the Friend (on whom be the Peace!) and wrote
a letter, which he despatched by his brother Sahim to the King of
the Kafirs. When Sahim reached the enemies' camp, the guards
asked him what he wanted, and he answered them, "I want your
ruler.''[FN#21] Quoth they, "Wait till we consult him anent
thee;" and he waited, whilst they went in to their Sovran and
told him of the coming of a messenger, and he cried, "Hither with
him to me!" So they brought Sahim before Jaland, who said to him,
"Who hath sent thee?" Quoth he, King Gharib sends me, whom Allah
hath made ruler over Arab and Ajam; receive his letter and return
its reply." Jaland took the writ and opening it, read as follows,
"In the name of Allah, the Compassionating, the Compassionate *
the One, the All-knowing, the supremely Great * the Immemorial,
the Lord of Noah and Salih and Hud and Abraham and of all things
He made! * The Peace be on him who followeth in the way of
righteousness and who feareth the issues of frowardness * who
obeyeth the Almighty King and followeth the Faith saving and
preferreth the next world to any present thing! * But afterwards:
O Jaland, none is worthy of worship save Allah alone, the
Victorious, the One, Creator of night and day and the sphere
revolving alway * Who sendeth the holy Prophets and garreth the
streams to flow and the trees to grow, who vaulted the heavens
and spread out the earth like a carpet below * Who feedeth the