Damian, the Byzantine emperor’s bishop, gathered whatever eminent and leading men he could, consulted with the most distinguished among their nobles and scholars about the views he had learned from the communities he had encountered on the sea-islands before entering Cyprus, and addressed them concerning their religion, their beliefs, and the arguments they advanced on their own behalf.

The author, speaking through the bishop, relates:

“They said, ‘We have heard that a man from among the Arabs, named Muhammad, has appeared claiming to be the Messenger of Allah. He has brought a Book which he maintains has been sent down to him from Allah. We persisted until that Book finally reached us.’

“He continued, ‘So I said to them: Since you have heard of this Book and this man, and have exerted yourselves to obtain the Book he brought so that it is now in your possession, for what reason have you not followed him—especially when, in that very Book, he says:’”