abandoning them. (1) He then says: “Like Satan, when he says to man, ‘Disbelieve.’ Then, when he disbelieves, he says, ‘Indeed, I am free of you.’” That is, the example of the hypocrites in their deceiving Banu al-Nadir and then abandoning them is like that of Satan.

This is related by ‘Ata’ and others from Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: There was a monk in the period between prophets called Barsisa. He worshipped in his hermitage for seventy years, never disobeying Allah even for the blink of an eye. Iblis had exhausted every stratagem in dealing with him. One day, he assembled the rebellious devils and said, “Can none of you spare me the trouble of Barsisa?”

Al-Abyad said—he was the devil assigned to the prophets, and it was he who confronted the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, appearing to him in the form of Gabriel in order to whisper to him under the guise of revelation; but Gabriel drove him away to the farthest reaches of India—al-Abyad said to Iblis, “I will take care of him for you.”

He then set out, adorned himself in the garb of monks, shaved the middle of his head, and came to Barsisa’s hermitage. He called out to him, but Barsisa did not answer. Barsisa would not conclude his prayer except once every ten days, and he would break his fast only once every ten days.

When al-Abyad saw that he would not answer him, he began worshipping at the foot of Barsisa’s hermitage. When Barsisa had finished his prayer, he looked out from his hermitage and saw al-Abyad standing in prayer, finely attired in the appearance of a monk. When he saw his condition, Barsisa inwardly regretted not having answered him. He said, “You called me while I was occupied. What do you need?”

He replied, “What I desire is to be with you, that I may learn proper conduct from you and draw from your deeds and knowledge; and that we may worship together, so that you may supplicate for me and I may supplicate for you.” Barsisa said, “I am too occupied for you. But if you are a believer, Allah will grant you a share in that for which I supplicate on behalf of the believers, if He answers me.” He then returned to his prayer and left al-Abyad.

Al-Abyad continued praying, while Barsisa paid no attention to him for forty days. When Barsisa had finished his prayer, he saw him still standing in prayer. When Barsisa saw the intensity of his devotion, he asked him, “What do you need?” He replied, “What I need is for you to permit me to come up to you.” So he permitted him, and al-Abyad ascended to him in his hermitage.

He remained with him for a year, devoting himself to worship. He would break his fast only once every forty days, and would conclude his prayer only once every forty days; sometimes he would extend this to eighty days. When Barsisa saw his devotion, he considered himself deficient in comparison to him, and he was impressed by al-Abyad’s state.