while she was treating a hide. Sleep overtook him and he lay down on a couch in one corner of the house. She said: (1) “Suddenly one side of the ceiling split open, and two birds appeared. One of them settled upon his chest while the other remained where it was. The bird that had alighted split open his chest, took out his heart and split it. The other bird called out: ‘awʿā? (Has he understood?)’ The first replied, ‘waʿā (He has).’ ‘aqbila? (Has he accepted?)’—‘abā (He has refused).’ Then it returned the heart to its place and left. Umayyah followed them with his eyes, saying:

‘At Your service, at Your service; here I stand before You—
not innocent that I might plead, nor possessed of a clan that could defend me.’

The bird came back, alighted on his chest, split it open once more, removed his heart and split it. The upper bird said to the one that had landed: ‘awʿā?’—‘waʿā.’ ‘aqbila?’—‘abā.’ He rose and again followed them with his gaze, saying:

‘At Your service, at Your service; here I am before You,
with no wealth to suffice me and no clan to shield me.’

The bird returned yet again, perched upon his chest, split it open, extracted his heart and split it. The upper bird asked: ‘awʿā?’—‘waʿā.’ ‘aqbila?’—‘abā.’ He got up and watched them go, saying:

‘At Your service, at Your service; here I am before You,
surrounded by blessings, encircled by sin.’

He said: The bird came back once more, settled on his chest, split it open, removed his heart and split it. The upper bird asked: ‘awʿā?’—‘waʿā.’ ‘aqbila?’—‘abā.’ He rose, following them with his eyes, and said: (2)

‘At Your service, at Your service; here I am before You.
If You forgive, O Allah, then forgive abundantly;
for which of Your servants has never erred?’

Then the ceiling closed again (3) and Umayyah sat rubbing his chest. I said, ‘Brother, do…’