Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/301

272 of a traveller's provision-bag that he had with him, and said, "Take this. Verily it contains a prayer of deliverance. Whoso prays it in the morning and dies that day, dies a martyr; and whoso prays it in the evening, and dies that night, dies a martyr." And he added further of its great excellence and rich reward.

So the chief of the guard took it and came with it to el-Mansûr. And when the latter saw him, he cried, "Woe upon thee! Dost thou understand magic?"

He replied, "No, by Allâh! O Commander of the