would not have exalted their heads by matrimonial alliance; and the daughter of the lord Ali and the lord prophet would never have been in the house of the great _Fáruk_ (Omar), and of the possessor of two lights (Osman). To open the road of contention is not laudable; and if not so according to thy opinion, explain this to me: since the lord, the lion of God (Ali) was informed of all the secrets of the hearts, why did he wage war upon Mâaviah, who was a Muselmán? and why was he the death of so many men, since causing death is by no means right?[46] It is likewise known and admitted by you as true that, when one day a Muselman was selling garlic and onions upon the passage of the prophet, that venerable personage told him: ‘If thou wouldst sit down in a corner, retiring out of my way, it would be well.’ The man made an excuse, and the prophet passed on. Shortly after came Alí, who said to the man: ‘The prophet dislikes the smell of onions and garlic, therefore move out of his way.’ The man answered: ‘O Alí, the prophet told me to rise, and I did not move.’ Alí said: ‘At the prophet’s order thou didst not rise?’ He drew immediately his sword, and cut off the man’s head. Such an action is reprobated by the law, as the lord of the prophetic asylum forbade killing even the hostile unbelievers, saying: “‘Do not exceed in shedding blood, even if thou be a conqueror.’ “And by historical accounts it is known that he has blamed Ibrahim for having driven an unbeliever from his board. Nushírván,[47] who was not crowned with the diadem of the right faith, is celebrated, because he sat upon the throne of justice, and one of his most approved actions was, that he withheld his hand from an old woman’s house, which was an hinderance in the vicinity of his palace, and preferred to waste his own fields; and the lord of the prophetic asylum, because he appeared upon the field of testimony in the time of this king, exalted his fame and glory by these words: ‘I was born in the time of the just king.’[48] “How can it be right to believe that the prophet, the last of the age, should be pleased with the destruction of a Muselman; he who would not disturb the people who, engaged in their trade and occupation, obstructed his passage? he who said: ‘He who kills willingly a believer shall have hell for eternal punishment;’ “He cannot have acted by that rule; he who declares: “‘God will not give to a soul more trouble than it can bear;’