 know of a young man from the sons of the book whom a woman of secret upbringing highminded and thickly veiled saw while he was passing by. she saw him in a place from which he could look out which was in her house. she hung him and he hung her and they exchanged letters for a time on a matter more delicate than the edge of a sword. had i not intended in this letter of mine to expose the tricks and mention the plots i would have mentioned from what i have confirmed things that confuse the intelligent and astonish the wise. may god bestow his veil upon us and upon all muslims by his grace and suffice us.
إني لأعلم فتى من أبناء الكتاب ورأته امرأة سرية النشأة، عالية المنصف، غليظة الحجاب، وهو مجتاز، ورأته في موضع تطلع منه كان في منزلها، فعلقته وعلقها، وتهاديا المراسلة زمانا على أدق من حد السيف، ولولا أني لم أقصد في رسالتي هذه كشف الحيل وذكر المكايد لأوردت مما صح عندي أشياء تحير اللبيب وتدهش العاقل، أسبل الله علينا ستره وعلى جميع المسلمين بمنه، وكفانا.