and He tried His creation by means of him.

Before that they had said to me, “Young man! You have a Lord, and you have a final return. Ahead of you lie the Garden and the Fire—one of them will be your destination. Those who worship the flames are people of unbelief and error; they are upon no true religion.”

When the hour arrived for the prince to leave, I departed with him. The next morning we went back to those men; they repeated the same words, only better, and I stayed with them.

They said to me, “Salman, you are still a youth and cannot do what we do. So pray and sleep, and eat and drink.”

In time the king learned of his son’s conduct. He mounted with his cavalry and rode to their hermitage.

He said, “People! You have lived beside me and I have been a good neighbor to you, never harming you. Yet you have taken hold of my son and ruined him for me. I grant you three days; if after that I gain power over you, I will burn your hermitage down with you in it.”

They answered, “Very well,” and he kept his son from visiting them.

I said to the prince, “Fear Allah! You know that this is the religion of Allah, and that your father is upon something else. Do not sell your Hereafter for someone else’s worldly life.”

He replied, “It is as you say, but I stay away from the group only out of pity for them.” (1)

I visited the men on the day they intended to set out, and they said, “Salman, we had feared exactly what you have just witnessed. So fear Allah and know that the true religion is what we have commended to you; let no one lead you away from your faith.”

I said, “I will not leave you.”

They said, “Then take something to eat, for you cannot endure what we can.”

I did so. I met my brother and hinted to him that I would travel with them, and Allah granted us safety until we reached Mosul. We came to a church, and when they entered the people crowded around them, asking, “Where have you been?”

They answered, “We were in a land where Allah is not mentioned—a land of fire-worshippers. We were driven out, so we have come to you.”

Some time later they said, “Salman, in these mountains there is a people who…"