Section 19: Alexander at the Sanctuary

When the army had all it needed and wanted for nothing, he set out, and not much time went by. At dawn the war drums rang out; the sky turned the colors of a rooster's eye. So many spears and silken banners rose that the stars themselves seemed red, gold, and violet. Alexander came toward the sanctuary; some rejoiced at him, others were downcast. With the wail of horns and the beat of drums he went to the house that Abraham, son of Azar, had raised. For he had built the house of the sanctuary, pouring his hardships and toil into it. God called it the Sacred House; through it every path to God was made complete. For its purity God named it his own home. Praise to the One who summons you before Him. The God of the world has no need of anything, no place for food, desire, rest, or comfort. It is a place of worship, and while it stands, within it people remember God. Then Alexander went toward Qadisiyya, the world-conqueror pressing on to Persian Jahrom. When news reached Nasr, son of Qutayb, through whom Mecca held its glory and grace, he rode out to meet him with battle-hardened chiefs, brave horsemen bearing spears. At that very moment a rider came galloping from Mecca to Alexander, saying: This great one who has come along the road seeks no crown, no treasure, no army. He is the fortunate descendant of Ishmael, the son of Abraham the prophet. When Nasr came before him, Alexander welcomed him and gave him a place of honor. Nasr grew glad and spoke of his lineage, opening all his hidden secrets. Alexander answered him this way: O pure-hearted, truthful, noble man, who among this family now is the leader, other than you, so worthy and fortunate? Nasr said to him: O king who rules the world, Khuza'a is the chief in this place. When Ishmael passed from this world, Qahtan the conqueror came out of the desert, with a vast army of swordsmen, and unjustly seized the land of Yemen. Many innocent people were killed; dark days fell upon this family. This did not please the Maker of the world; the will of the high heavens turned against him. When he turned to dust, Khuza'a rose, but was pure only in suffering and injustice. From the sanctuary to Yemen everything is in his hand; even the fishery in the Egyptian sea is his. He has turned from the path and knows no justice; not one thought of God is in his heart. He holds a whole world clenched in his fist, and the line of Ishmael is drenched in blood by him. Alexander heard these words from Nasr, and every man he found of Khuza'a's stock, even the children, he left no breath of life within them; no one of that seed remained in the world. He wrested Hijaz and Yemen from injustice, through wisdom and men who wield the sword. He raised up the line of Ishmael, everyone who was worthy of leadership. He entered the Sacred House on foot, and the people of Ishmael rejoiced in him. For every step Caesar took along that road, the king's treasurer scattered gold coins.