A Muslim warrior haughtily asked an infidel to allow him time to perform his prayer. The latter granted his request, and the warrior said his prayer; then the battle began again and continued fiercely. Now, the infidel too had a prayer to perform, and in his turn he wished to have a truce. So he withdrew apart; he chose a suitable place, then bowed his head to the dust before his idol. When the Muslim warrior saw his adversary’s head in the dust of the road, he said to himself: “I have now gained the victory.” He therefore wished to strike him treacherously with his sword; but a heavenly voice made him hear these words: “O wholly disloyal man, who disowns thy pledges! Is this how thou pretendest to practise fidelity and keep thy word? This infidel did not draw his sword when he first granted thee a respite; now, if thou strikest him, it is sheer folly. Hast thou not read the words of the Koran: ‘Faithfully fulfil your promises!’ Thou wouldst act unjustly and break thy pledge. Since this infidel has already acted generously, do not fail him in return; he has done thee good—wouldst thou do him harm? Do unto him as he has done unto thee. The fidelity of this infidel has set thy mind at rest; therefore show fidelity towards him, since thou art a true believer. Thou art a Muslim, yet unworthy of trust! In fidelity, thou art inferior to an infidel.”
At these words the warrior stopped and was drenched in tears from head to foot. When the infidel saw his adversary weeping, he was astonished, sword in hand, and asked him why he was shedding tears; and the Muslim confessed the truth to him. “A celestial voice,” he said to him, “has just addressed me and called me an infidel in comparison with you. If you see me astonished, it is because I have been overcome by your generosity.”
When the infidel had heard these very words, he cried out and in his turn shed tears, saying: “Since God thus reproaches His friend, on behalf of His guilty enemy, concerning faithfulness to promises, how could I continue to act disloyally toward Him? Set forth for me the principles of the Muslim religion, that I may embrace the true faith, burn up polytheism, and adopt the rites of the law. Oh! how I regret the blindness that has hitherto kept me from thinking of such a master!”
When the infidel had heard these very words, he cried out and in his turn shed tears, saying: “Since God thus reproaches His friend, on behalf of His guilty enemy, concerning faithfulness to promises, how could I continue to act disloyally toward Him? Set forth for me the principles of the Muslim religion, that I may embrace the true faith, burn up polytheism, and adopt the rites of the law. Oh! how I regret the blindness that has hitherto kept me from thinking of such a master!”
O thou who hast neglected to seek the sole object worthy of thy desires, and hast grossly failed in the fidelity due unto Him! I think indeed that heaven will recall before thee, one by one, thy deeds.