In high spirits, the caravan drivers packed the animals and resumed their journey to Baghdad. The two merchants kept their word and offered all their wares as well as the robbers’ plunder to ‘Abd al-Qadir, but the latter wanted only his slippers back. He asked the merchants to spend the money as alms, which they did. They built a mosque and a religious school with the proceeds, where the Koran was taught for many years.

Jan Knappert, now retired from London University, was professor of Asian languages. He devotes his time to writing.