overcome him.” So he went in and killed her, then carried her away and buried her beside the mountain. As he was burying her at night, the devil came and seized the edge of her garment, leaving a portion of it exposed above the soil.

Barsisa then returned to his hermitage and devoted himself to prayer. Her brothers came to check on their sister, as they would visit from time to time, asking about her and commending her to his care. They said, “Barsisa, what has become of our sister?” He replied, “Her devil came and took her away, and I was unable to overcome him.” They believed him and departed.

That evening, while they were deeply distressed, the devil came to the eldest brother in his sleep and said, “Woe to you! Barsisa did such-and-such to your sister, and he buried her in such-and-such a place.” The brother thought to himself, “This is merely a dream, and it is the work of the devil. Barsisa is better than that.” The dream was repeated to him for three nights, but he paid it no attention.

The devil then went to the middle brother with the same message, and he said what the eldest had said, disclosing it to no one. Then he went to the youngest with the same message. The youngest said to his two brothers, “By Allah, I have seen such-and-such.” The middle brother said, “By Allah, I too have seen the same.” 160/A The eldest then said, “And I have seen the like of it as well.”

So they went to Barsisa and said, “Barsisa, what has become of our sister?” He said, “Have I not already informed you of her condition? It is as though you suspect me!” They said, “By Allah, we do not suspect you.” Ashamed before him, they departed.

Then the devil came to them and said, “Woe to you! She is buried in such-and-such a place, and the edge of her garment is protruding from the soil.” They went and found their sister exactly as they had seen in their dreams. Then, accompanied by their retainers and servants, carrying axes and spades, they went and demolished his hermitage and brought him down. They bound his hands and took him to the king, where he confessed against himself. This was because the devil had come to him and said, “You kill her and then deny it? Two charges will be brought against you: murder and denial. Confess.”

When he confessed, the king ordered that he be killed and crucified upon a wooden cross. As he was crucified, al-Abyad came to him and said, “Barsisa, do you recognize me?” He replied, “No.” He said, “I am your companion—the one who taught you the supplications by which your prayers were answered. Woe to you! Did you not fear Allah with regard to the trust placed in your care? You betrayed her family, though you claimed to be the most devoted worshipper among the Children of Israel. Have you no shame?” He continued reproaching him, then finally said, “Was what you did not enough, that you also confessed against yourself, disgraced yourself, and disgraced others like you among the people? If you die in this state, none of your peers will prosper.”

Barsisa said, “Then what should I do?” He said, “Obey me in one matter, and I will save you from what you are in: I will blind their eyes and bring you down from your place.” He asked, “What is it?” He said, “Prostrate to me.” [He said, “I cannot.” He said, “Do it.”] (1) So he prostrated to him. The devil said, “Barsisa, this is what I had wanted from you. The end of your affair has come to this: that you have disbelieved in your Lord. Indeed, I am free of you. ‘Indeed, I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds.’” (2)