RECORD OF THE SLAUGHTER OF THE CHILDREN OF ESRÂIL, AND OF THE DISPERSION OF THE APOSTLES TO CALL THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD [TO PROFESS THE RELIGION OF I’SA—JESUS].

After I’sa—u. w. b., etc.—had ascended to heaven, the Jews captured and persecuted his companions; but the King of Rûm, to whom also the Syrians paid allegiance, heard what had taken place, and despatched couriers to deliver the apostles from the grasp of affliction and to convey them to his country. The King of Rûm instituted inquiries about the Law of I’sa, professed his religion, and sent a large army, who massacred immense numbers of the children of Esrâil. According to several traditions, Shima’ûn-us-safa,* who was on account of his steadfast­ness in the religion also called Shima’ûn-us-sakra,* appointed, according to the injunction of I’sa, every one of the apostles to go on a mission to some nation. He sent one to Rûm, another to the Maghrab, some to the Hejâz, others to Barbary, and so on to the other countries. The angels arrived with vases full of light as I’sa had predicted, and each apostle became acquainted with the tongue of the nation to which he had been sent.*

Wuhub Bin Muniah states that Shima’ûn sent Yahia and Tûmân to Antaqia [Antioch], the king of which city was notorious for arrogance and tyranny. When they took leave of Shima’ûn, he said to them: ‘Be of good cheer, for I am not unmindful of your circumstances, and in case of need my help will reach you.’ When Yahia and Tûmân arrived in Antaqia, they presented themselves at the king’s palace, but obtained no admittance. At last, however, they succeeded in accosting him whilst on a hunting tour, on which occasion they preached to him and represented their mission; but as they had come forward at an improper place, the king was overpowered by anger and ordered each of them first to be scourged with a hundred stripes, and then to be thrown into prison. Shima’ûn having been informed by Divine revelation of what had taken place, hastened to Antaqia. Allah—w. n. b. e.—has said: ‘When We sent unto them two [of the said apostles]; but they charged them with imposture. Wherefore We strengthened [them] with a third.’* When Shima’ûn arrived in that country he associated with the courtiers of the king, was polite and affable towards them, so that great amity and intimacy ensued between Shima’ûn and the grandees, his good qualities and noble manners being spoken of with praise even in the king’s assembly. At that time Shima’ûn intended one night to go into the prison to meet Yahia and Tûmân; but as the guards were extremely numerous, and the gaol very strong, he despaired of being able to see his friends. But the Lord and Opener of all gates ordered an angel to unlock the prison-door,* the gaoler was thrown into a heavy sleep, Shima’ûn entered the prison and reproved his friends as follows: ‘Precipitation in any matter will entail repentance, and your case may be likened unto that of a woman who was barren, but to whom God—w. n. b. e.—vouchsafed a son in her old age. The woman then said to herself: “This infant will not grow by milk only; it will be best for me to give my darling bread and meat.” Thus she fed her child before the proper time, surfeited it, and it died. I have come to devise a stratagem by which I may deliver you from prison.’ Thus all three left the prison, the door of which was, by the command of God, returned to its previous state.

When the [good] report about Shima’ûn had penetrated to the court of the king, the latter summoned him to his presence, and after having convinced himself of his high education, good manners, and great intelligence, Shima’ûn was distinguished by admittance to the society of the king. One day the former said to the latter: ‘I have heard that in the prison of your majesty there are two men who pre­tend that God—w. n. b. e.—had sent them on a mission, and that they have met your majesty; but I do not know to this day what they have said, and what your majesty has replied to them.’ The king replied: ‘When I con­versed with those two individuals, I was so influenced by anger that I did not understand what they said; but if thou art so inclined, we shall produce them both, that thou mayest institute inquiries about their intentions.’ Shima’ûn continued: ‘My anxiety to see them and to hear their conversation is not very great, but I shall enter into a disputation and discussion with the prisoners to please your majesty.’ Accordingly the king ordered Yahia and Tûmân to be produced from the gaol, whereon Shima’ûn addressed them as follows: ‘Who has sent you?’ They replied: ‘He who is omnipotent.’ Shima’ûn said: ‘You must inform me of His power and magnificence.’ Yahia and Tûmân rejoined: ‘His station is higher, and His degree more exalted, than the tongue is able to explain or describe. We shall, however, condense His description in two sentences: “Allah doeth as He listeth, and judgeth as He willeth.”’ Shima’ûn continued: ‘If you are able to establish the truth of your assertion, I shall intercede for you with the king, to withhold the hand of injury from you, or else he will send you back to prison, and torture you with various chastisements.’ Yahia and Tûmân replied: ‘We shall comply with any requirements, tending to the manifestation of the greatness of the Omnipotent Nourisher of the inhabitants of the world.’ Shima’ûn said: ‘I have seen a boy who has no cavities for the eyes. If you are by your prayers able to cause him to see, I shall intercede for you.’ They assented, and the child having been produced, Yahia with Tûmân prayed outwardly, whilst Shima’ûn did so mentally for the boy. After they had finished their devotions and supplications, they took some earth, made mud of it, forming of the latter two little balls like filbert nuts; they also drew two black lines in the place of the eyes, and placed the two bullets upon them, whereon these two bits of mud were transmuted into eyes. The king was so amazed that he turned to Shima’ûn and said: ‘I am of opinion that these two men are sorcerers.’ Shima’ûn replied: ‘Acts such as these cannot be per­formed by magic; but I shall ask for another miracle, and if they are able to accomplish it, no doubt will remain that Yahia and Tûmân are of the righteous.’ Then Shima’ûn said to them: ‘Pray that a person buried since seven days be resuscitated to life; then we shall place faith in your pretensions and believe in God.’ They agreed, and accord­ing to tradition the son of one of the servants of the king, surnamed Habib the carpenter, was brought out of his grave after having being buried seven days. When the corpse was brought into the assembly, Yahia and Tûmân prayed openly, and Shima’ûn secretly, to the Benign Sovereign for the resuscitation of the child; and that very moment the shroud upon the corpse burst, the son of Habib began to move, and a little afterwards sat up. The king asked him about his state, and the boy replied: ‘After I had died, the angels examined my case, found me to be an idolater, dragged me every day to another valley of fire, and inflicted new torments upon me, which I had not felt in any previous valley. But this day, before Allah—w. n. b. e.— had granted me the favour of [renewed] life, and before I arrived in this place, I heard the words, “Look upwards”; I obeyed and beheld a youth, who had grasped a leg of the throne [of God] with his hands, and also these three men [now present], one of whom was old, the second middle-aged, and the third young, namely, Shima’ûn, Yahia, and Tûmân, who interceded [for me]. Then the allocution reached me: “This individual who is near My throne has with reference to [the prayers of] his three companions besought Me, and interceded for thee, and has delivered thee from hell.” O king! this is my case, which I have explained without adding anything to, or taking anything from it.’

According to traditions, the king and great numbers of the people then made profession of the religion [of Jesus]; but the remainder of the population intended to kill Yahia and Tûmân. Habib the carpenter said on that occasion: ‘O my people, follow the messengers [of Allah]; follow Him who demandeth not any reward from you; for these are rightly directed.’* The infidels asked whether he believed them, and he said: ‘What reason have I that I should not worship Him who hath created me?’* When therefore the flagitious unbelievers became convinced that Habib had professed the religion, they slew him in the cruellest way, but the Most High—w. n. b. e.—conveyed him to the gardens of paradise, whereon he said: ‘O that my people knew how merciful He hath been unto me! For He hath highly honoured me.’* Hasan Bossri says that this man who had advised his people whilst alive, and [thus] kindly remembered them after he had died, was Habib the carpenter.

It is related that after the murder of Habib, Shima’ûn received the Divine revelation that all the monotheists were to leave the city on account of the impending destruction of the idolaters. Shima’ûn accordingly departed in the night from Antaqia [Antioch] with the Musalmâns, and when the dawn broke Jebrâil arrived at the gate of the city, and uttered a shout, in consequence whereof all the evil-doers were translated to the abode of perdition. He whose magnificence be glorified has said: ‘And we sent not down against this people, after they had [slain] him, an army from heaven, nor [the other instruments of destruction], which we sent down [on unbelievers in former days]; there was only one cry [of Gabriel from heaven], and behold they [became] utterly extinct.’*