I replied, “No.” He asked, “Does he ever break his pledges?” I answered, “No. We are presently in a truce with him, yet we fear that he might betray us. Still, I could not insert into my answer any word that would disparage him, for fear that it might later be held against me.”

He then said, “Have you fought against him and has he fought against you?” I said, “Yes.” He asked, “How goes the fighting between you and him?” I replied, “The fortunes alternate: at one time we overcome him, and at another he overcomes us.”

He said, “What does he command you to do?” I replied, “He commands us to worship Allah alone, associating nothing with Him; he forbids us to continue in what our forefathers practiced; and he enjoins us to establish prayer, to speak the truth, to remain chaste, to keep our covenants, and to discharge…"