The tyrant was now overcome with rage, and commanded the youthful Syed to be slain; but his nobles and officers interceded for him, saying, while they bowed their necks before him, “Pardon, pardon; behold our heads and our lives a ransom for his!  For God’s sake accept our intercession, O ameer, for this youth is not deserving of death.”  “Forbear your entreaties,” exclaimed the tyrant, “for were an angel to cry from Heaven, ‘Do not slay him!’ I would not attend.”  Upon this the young Syed said, “Thou ravest, O Hyjauje; who art thou that an angel should be commissioned for thy sake?” The tyrant, struck with his magnanimity, became calm, and commanding the executioner to release the youth, said, “For the present I forbear, and will not kill thee unless thy answers to my further questions shall deserve it.”  They then entered on the following dialogue; Hyjauje hoping to entrap him in discourse.

Hyjauje.  How can the creature approach the perfection of the Almighty?

Syed.  By prayer, by fasting, by the commanded alms, by pilgrimage, and fighting for the cause of God.

H. I serve him by shedding the blood of infidel man.  You pretend that Hassan and Houssain, your ancestors, were descendants of the prophet; but how can that be, when God has declared in the Koran Mahummud was not of your obstinate race; but the prophet of God, and last of divine messengers?

S. Hear the answer to that in the verse following it.  “Hath not a prophet come unto you of your own nation?  Receive him, and from what he hath forbidden be forbidden.”  Surely, then, God hath forbidden the shedding of the blood of him whom he sanctified.

H. Thou hast spoken justly, young man; but inform me what God hath daily and nightly commanded us as obligatory to do?

S. To pray five times.

H. What to observe in each year?

S. To keep the month of Ramzaun as a fast.

H. What to perform in the course of life?

S. To make a pilgrimage to Mecca, the temple of God.

H. Truly said; but what hath mostly dignified and enlightened
Arabia?

S. The tribe of Koreish.

H. Wherefore?

S. Because of our holy prophet’s being a member of it.

H. Who were the most skilful in horsemanship in all Arabia, the most valiant, and of best conduct in war?

S. The tribe of Hashim.

H. Why think you so?

S. Because my grandfather Imaum Ali, son of Abou Talib, was one of it.

H. What tribe of Arabs is most famous for benevolence, and celebrated for liberality?

S. The family of Tai.

H. Wherefore?

S. Because Hatim belonged to it.

H. Which of the tribes have been most disgraceful to Arabia, and most oppressive to its inhabitants?

S. The tribe of Sukkeef.

H. Why so?

S. Because thou belongest to it.

The tyrant could scarcely now contain his anger; but said, hoping to cut the youth off from reply, “Tell me, is the Capricorn of the heavens male or female?” To which he answered, “Shew me its tail, that I may inform thee.”  The tyrant laughed, and continued his questions as follows: