for the same according to that which God has revealed to you." (i.e., in the Kurân.)
The historian then relates that ʾOmar looked upon the young man and said to him: "Verily you have heard. What is your answer?"
And at this the youth's heart was calm and void of apprehension. Truly he flung off the garment of fear, and cast aside the mantle of trepidation. Then he smiled like a pearl,[1] and speaking with a most eloquent tongue, saluted the Prince in beautiful language. Then he went on, saying: "O Commander of the
- ↑ That is, he opened his mouth slightly to laugh, and exposed white teeth like pearls. I may mention here that the people of the East have always been intense admirers of the
payment of a fine to the family of the deceased, and freeing a Muslim from captivity. The next of kin, however—or, in the language of the Bible, "the revenger of blood"—has the option of accepting or refusing such satisfaction, and may insist on having the murderer delivered into his hands to be put to death. Manslaughter must be redeemed by fine, and the freeing of a captive; which atonement if a man be unable to make, he must fast two months together by way of penance. The fine for a man's blood is set down in the Súnnah, or Traditions of the Prophet, at a hundred camels, to be distributed amongst the relations of the deceased. If the person slain be a Muslim of a nation or party at enmity or not in confederacy with those of the slayer, the redemption of a captive is declared a sufficient penalty.
