, the members of my household. I remind you of Allah concerning the members of my household; I remind you of Allah concerning the members of my household.”’”

I said to the commander: “And every day in our prayers we say:

‘O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Abraham. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. And bestow Your blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You bestowed Your blessings upon the family of Abraham. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.’”

The commander said: “Who, then, hates the Prophet’s household?”

I replied: “Whoever hates them, upon him is the curse of Allah, the angels, and all mankind. Allah accepts neither sarf nor ʿadl from him.”

Then I asked the Mongol minister: “Why did he bring up Yazīd, when he is a Tatar?”

He replied: “They told him that the people of Damascus are Nawāsib—those hostile to ‘Alī.”

I said loudly: “Whoever said that here is lying! Whoever says this, upon him is the curse of Allah. By Allah, there are no Nawāsib among the people of Damascus, and I have never known a single one among them. If anyone were to disparage ‘Alī in Damascus, the Muslims would rise against him. In the past, however, when the Umayyads ruled these lands, some of them harboured hostility towards ‘Alī and reviled him. Today, none of those people remain.”