—all five of them—they would recover the appropriate amounts from one another until they had borne equal amounts. Each would thus have paid one hundred, as required of him towards the original debt, just as if they had encountered him together, as we have described.

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Explanation of the Problem in the Order We Have Described

The first man, who has paid the entire sum or more than his own share of it, encounters the second, then the third, then the fourth, then the fifth, and then the sixth, thereby recovering everything he has paid under his guarantee. The second man, from whom the first has recovered payment, then encounters the third, then the fourth, then the fifth, and then the sixth, likewise recovering everything he has paid under his guarantee. The third man, from whom the first and second have recovered payment, then encounters the fourth, then the fifth, and then the sixth, likewise recovering what he has paid under his guarantee. The fifth man, from whom the first, second, third, and fourth have recovered payment, then encounters the sixth, likewise recovering what he has paid under his guarantee.

The procedure is as follows: when the man from whom the six hundred was collected encounters the second of his fellow purchasers, he recovers three hundred from him, saying: “I paid six hundred, of which one hundred was my own liability towards the original debt. The other five hundred I paid under my guarantee on your behalf and on behalf of your four absent fellow purchasers—one hundred for each of you. Pay me, therefore, the one hundred I paid on your behalf, together with half of the four hundred I paid on behalf of your fellow purchasers, since you share with me the guarantee for them.” Once he has recovered this amount from him, the two have borne equal amounts, both towards their own shares and under their guarantees on behalf of their fellow purchasers. This procedure is explained clearly and in detail in al-Mudawwana.

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If he then encounters the third man as well, he recovers one hundred and twenty-five from him, saying: “Of what I paid, three hundred remains chargeable to me. Of this, one hundred is my own liability towards the original debt, while the other two hundred I paid under my guarantee on your behalf and on behalf of your three absent fellow purchasers—fifty for each one