so draw up a written document for us.’

They then related the remainder of the story and the arrival of several other delegations. They said:

‘The delegation of Najrān also came. The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—had written to the people of Najrān, so fourteen of their dignitaries, all of them Christians, set out to meet him. Among them were three men who oversaw their affairs:

• The ʿĀqib, whose name was ʿAbd al-Masīḥ, a man from Kindah; he was their political leader, the one they consulted, and the authority whose opinion they followed.

• Abū al-Ḥārith, their bishop, their religious head, and the overseer of their schools.

• As-Sayyid, who was responsible for their caravan and travels. Then they entered