We asked, “And what is the Samrāʾ?”
He replied, “You are not they.”
We said, “Then who are they?”
He answered, “A people who spend the night in prayer and fast by day.”
We said, “By Allah, we do indeed fast by day and stand in prayer at night.”
He asked, “Describe for me your prayer.”
So we described it to him.
Then he said, “And how do you fast?”
We explained that as well.
He questioned us about several other matters and we answered. By Allah, his face grew so dark that it seemed to have been smeared with soot. He then rebuked us and said, “Leave!”
So we left, and he dispatched guides to escort us to the emperor of the Romans.
We travelled on, and when we drew near to Constantinople the envoys with us said, “These animals of yours will not be allowed into the emperor’s city. Wait here while we bring you mules and palfreys.”
We replied, “By Allah, we will enter only on our own mounts.”
They wrote to inform the emperor, and he sent back the order, “Let them pass.”
We girded on our swords, mounted our beasts, and rode in. The people of Constantinople gathered to watch us in amazement. When we approached, we found the emperor seated in an upper chamber, surrounded by the Byzantine patricians. On reaching the foot of the chamber we dismounted, tethered our animals, and declared, “lā ilāha illā Allāh” (There is no deity but Allah).
By Allah, the chamber shook as though it were a palm frond whipped by the wind.
A messenger came hurrying toward us, saying, “You are not permitted to proclaim your religion at my door!”
We ascended, and there before us was a young man already touched with grey, eloquent in Arabic, dressed in red, with everything in the room likewise red.
We entered without offering a greeting. He smiled and said, “What kept you from greeting me with your salutation?”
We replied, “It is not lawful for you.”
He asked, “And what is it?”
We said, “Peace be upon you.”
He said, “And how do you greet your own ruler?”
We answered, “With the same.”
He asked, “And how did you greet your Prophet?”
We said, “With it as well.”
He asked, “And how did your Prophet greet you?”
We replied, “In the same way.”
He then asked, “Did your Prophet inherit anything from you?”
We said, “No. When a man among us dies, he leaves an heir or a relative who inherits; but our Prophet did not take any inheritance from what we left.”
He said, “And your ruler—does he do likewise?”
We answered, “Yes.”
He asked, “What is the greatest statement for you?”
We said, “There is no deity but Allah.”
He jerked upright, opened his eyes wide, looked at us, and said, “Is this the very phrase that made the chamber shake?”
We replied, “Yes.”
He said: