by anger from doing so.” Simon said, “If the king sees fit, let him summon them, so that we may learn what they have to say.” The king therefore summoned them, and Simon asked them, “Who sent you here?” They replied, “Allah, who created all things and has no partner.” Simon said to them, “Describe Him briefly.” They said, “He does whatever He wills and decrees whatever He wills.” Simon said, (1) “And what is your sign?” They replied, “Whatever you wish.”

The king ordered that a boy whose eyes had been obliterated, with the places of his eyes as smooth as his forehead, be brought before them. They continued to pray to their Lord until the places of sight opened. Then they took two small balls (2) of clay and placed them in his eye sockets, and they became two eyes with which he could see. The king was astonished. Simon said to him, “If you were to ask your god to perform something like this, it would bring honor to both you and your god.” The king replied, “I shall conceal nothing from you: the god we worship neither hears nor sees; neither harms nor benefits.”

Whenever the king entered before the idol, Simon would enter with him, offering much prayer and supplication, until they thought that he followed their religion. The king said to the two messengers, “If your God, whom you worship, is able to bring a dead person to life, we will believe in Him and in you both.” They replied, “Our God is capable of all things.” The king said, “Here is a dead man who died seven days ago: he was the son of a landowner. I delayed his burial until his father returned, for he was away.” They brought the dead man, who had decayed and begun to smell. The two men began praying openly to their Lord, while Simon prayed secretly to his Lord. Then the dead man rose and said, “I died seven days ago as a polytheist, and I was placed in seven valleys of the Fire. I warn you against the state in which you are, so believe in Allah.” Then he said, “The gates of heaven were opened to me, and I looked and saw a handsome young man interceding for these three.” The king asked, “Who are the three?” He replied, “Simon and these two,” pointing to his two companions. The king was astonished. When Simon realized that his words had affected the king, he informed him of the matter and called him to faith. The king believed, as did some of his people, while others disbelieved.

It is also said that one of the king’s daughters had died and been buried. Simon said to the king, “Ask these two men to bring your daughter to life.” The king asked them to do so, and they stood, prayed, and supplicated, while Simon joined them secretly. Allah brought the young woman to life, and the grave opened for her, whereupon she emerged and said, “Submit to Allah, for these two are truthful.” She said, “Yet I do not think that you will submit.” Then she asked the two messengers to return her to her place. They scattered dust over her head, and she returned to her grave as she had been.

Ibn Ishaq related from Kab and Wahb that, rather, the king disbelieved, and he and his people unanimously resolved to kill the messengers. This news reached Habib, who was at the farthest gate of the city, so he came running to them, reminding them and calling them to obey the messengers. This is indicated by Allah’s saying:

“When We sent to them two messengers, but they denied them, so We strengthened them with a third, and they said, ‘Indeed, we are messengers to you.’” (14)

Regarding His saying, “When We sent to them two messengers,” Wahb said: Their names were John and Paul. “But they denied them, so We strengthened” means: We reinforced them “with a third,” that is, with a third messenger, Simon. Abu Bakr’s transmission from Asim recites it without consonantal doubling, and it is