62

" ' God will not give to>a soul more trouble than it can bear;'

ic Such an action is not that of a virtuous man ; this
however is related (of All) by your learned men,
" and likewise joking and buffooning^ which indi-
cs cates a want of dignity, degraded him." The
Shiah said : " Nevertheless, he was certainly the
6 ' most excellent of all the companions of the pro-
46 phet." The Sonnite asked: " In knowledge or
" in practice?" The Shiah replied: " In both
4 * knowledge and practice," The Sonnite resumed :
" This we do not hold for certain; in what respect
tc was he superior in practice to the chief of the be-
c c lievers, Omar?" The Shiah answered : c 4 Ali used
6t to pray the whole night." The Sonnite rejoined :
" According to your own account, the lord Ali
" wanted a woman every night; and his custom,
c ' (called matdh) 1 was to engage one for a short time ;
44 and so many did he occupy., that he seemed an
c< unceasing bridegroom;2 how could a person so
" employed pray the whole night? unless in your
* * religion you call praying what we call by another
"name." The Shiah interrupted him saying:
" You are liars from the very beginning. Abu Ha-
6 * nifa, your great Imam, was a native of Kabul, and
'c attached himself particularly to the service of

"'ut membrum ejus nunquam
siccum esset."