and help us secure their release. For mistreating them makes the king answerable under his own religion and the religion of Allah Most High, and answerable to the Muslims. Helping to secure their release, however, is a good deed to his credit in his own religion, in the religion of Allah Most High, and in the eyes of the Muslims. The Messiah was foremost among those who urged such conduct.

It is utterly astonishing that Christians should take people captive—whether treacherously or otherwise—when those people have not fought them, while the Messiah says:

“Whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn your left cheek to him; and whoever takes your cloak, give him your shirt.”

The more captives you hold, the greater the anger of Allah and His Muslim servants. How, then, can we remain silent about the Muslim captives in Cyprus, especially when most of these captives are poor and weak, with no one to work for their release? Take Abū al-ʿAbbās: although he is among the devout Muslims, a man of worship and poverty with standing as a shaykh, even his ransom was secured only with great difficulty.

The religion of Islam commands us to help the poor and the weak. For many reasons, the king has an even greater obligation to help in this, especially since the Messiah urges it in the Gospel and commands mercy for all and goodness that extends to everyone, like sunshine and rain. If the king and his companions help us free the captives and treat them kindly, they will gain the greatest share of benefit from this in this world and the Hereafter. As for the Hereafter, Allah will reward and recompense them for it. This is something about which there is no doubt among Christian scholars