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“Even such a land,” he mused aloud, “did our lord Muhammed (peace to him) inhabit of old. Amid such solitudes did the angel of God converse with him to the salvation of man and jinni.”

The townsfolk had taken seat around him upon the ruins. All eyes were fixed on his face. At those pious words one said: “It is some holy one!” and the whisper ran apace. It startled Shems-ud-dìn, who had forgotten their existence, when the sheykh of the place stood forth and bowed before him, saying:

“Instruct us, O master! We believe; but ignorantly, having but little knowledge of the Way. Teach us now, we entreat thee.”

Then Shems-ud-dìn, looking round upon those eager faces, was moved to pity.

“You can recite the Fat’ha and the belief?” he asked.

Instantly the prayer went up as from one throat, and the shout followed:

“God is greatest. There is no God but God; and Muhammed is the Apostle of God.”

“You are not in total darkness,” said Shems-ud-dìn, with a smile; and he began to tell them of the dealings of God with men from the days of Adam and Nûh and Ibrahìm unto the time of Muhammed, and thence downward even to the present day.