（Quoth Abou Bekr Mohammed ibn el Ambari ）I once left Ambaron a journey to Ammouriyehin the land of the Greeksand alighted midway at the monastery of El Anwarin a village near Ammouriyehwhere there came out to me the prior of the monastery and superior of the monks，Abdulmesih by nameand brought me into the monastery.
There I found forty monkswho entertained me that night with the most liberal hospitalityand I saw among them such abounding piety and diligence in devotion as I never beheld the like of in any others. On the morrowI took leave of them and went on to Ammouriyehwhere I did my business and returned to Ambar [without again visiting the monastery].
Next year it befell that I made the pilgrimage to Meccaand as I was compassing the Holy HousebeholdI saw Abdulmesih the monk also ****** the circuit of the Kaabehand with him five of his fellowsthe monks. When I was certified that it was indeed heI accosted himsaying'Art thou not Abdulmesih er Rahib？'Nay，'answered he；'I am Abdallah er Raghib.'
Therewith I fell to kissing his hoary hairs and weeping；thentaking him by the handI led him aside into a corner of the sanctuary and said to him'Tell me the manner of thy conversion to Islam.'It was a wonder of wonders，'answered he；'and befell thus. Know thatnot long after thy visit to usa company of Muslim devotees came to the villagein which is our monasteryand sent a youth to buy them food. He saw，in the marketa Christian damsel selling breadwho was of the fairest of womenand became then and there so passionately enamoured of herthat his senses failed him and he fell on his face in a swoon. When he revivedhe returned to his companions and told them what had happenedsaying'Go ye about your business；I may not go with you.'They blamed him and exhorted himbut he paid no heed to them；so they left him and went on，whilst he entered the village and seated himself at the door of the woman's shop. She asked him what he wantedand he told her that he was in love with herwhereupon she turned from him；but he abode in his place three dayswithout tasting foodwith his eyes fixed on her face.
When she saw that he departed not from hershe went to her people and acquainted them with her caseand they set the boys of the village on himwho pelted him with stones and bruised his ribs and broke his head；butfor all thishe would not budge. Then the people of the village took counsel together to kill him；but one of them came to me and told me of his conditionand I went out to him and found him lying prostrate on the ground. So I wiped the blood from his face and carried him to the conventwhere I dressed his woundsand he abode with me fourteen days. Butas soon as he could walkhe left the convent and returned to the door of the woman's shopwhere he sat gazing on her as before. When she saw himshe came out to him and said'By Allahthou movest me to pity！ If thou wilt enter my faithI will marry thee.'God forbid，'answered he'that I should put off the faith of the Unity and enter that of Plurality！'Quoth she'Come in with me to my house and take thy will of me and go thy ways in peace.'Not so，'answered he'I will not barter the pious service of twelve years for the lust of a moment.'Then depart from me forthright，'said she；and he rejoined'My heart will not suffer me to do that；'whereupon she turned her face from him.
Presently the boys found him out and began to throw stones at him；and he fell on his facesaying'VerilyGod is my keeperwho sent down the Book and who protecteth the righteous！'
At this junctureI sallied forth and driving away the boyslifted his head from the ground and heard him say，'O my Godunite me with her in Paradise！'Then I took him in my armsto carry him to the monastery；but he diedbefore I could reach itand I dug him a grave without the village and buried him there.
