Thereupon arose another man and said to her'O damselhear a few questions from me.'Say on，'quoth she；and he said'What are the conditions of valid [purchase by] payment in advance？'
'That the amount [of the thing bought]the kind and the period[of delivery to the purchaser]be [fixed or] known，'replied she.（Q.）'What are the Koranic canons of eating？'（A.）'The confession [by the eater] that God the Most High provideth him and giveth him to eat and drink and thanksgiving to Him therefor.'（Q.）'What is thanksgiving？'（A.）'The use by the creature of that which God vouchsafeth to him in the manner and to the ends for which He hath created it.'（Q.）'What are the Traditional canons of eating？'（A.）'The [preliminary] naming[of God] and washing the handssitting on the left buttock，eating with three fingers and eating of that which is chewed.'
（Q.）'What are the civilities of eating？'（A.）'Taking small mouthfuls and looking little at one's table-companion.'
（Q.）'What are the heart's stays [or articles of faith] and their correlatives？'（A.）'They are three in numberto wit，（1）holding fast to the Faiththe correlative whereof is the shunning of infidelity（2）holding fast to the Traditional Law and its correlativethe shunning of innovation [or heresy] and（3）holding fast to obedience and its correlativethe shunning of disobedience.'（Q.）'What are the conditions of ablution？'
（A.）'（1）Submission to the will of God（2）possession of discernment of good and evil [or having attained the age of discretion]（3）purity of the water and（4）absence of legal or material impediments.'（Q.）'What is belief？'（A.）'It is divided into nine partsto wit（1）belief in the One worshipped（2）belief in the condition of slavery [of the worshipper]
（3）belief in one Godto the exclusion of all others（4）belief in the Two Handfuls（5）belief in Providence（6）belief in the Abrogating and（7）in the Abrogated（8）belief in GodHis angels and apostles and（9）in fore-ordained Fategeneral and particularits good and illsweet and bitter.'（Q.）'What three things do away other three？'（A.）'It is told of Sufyan eth Thauri that he said'Three things do away other three. Making light of the pious doth away the future life，making light of kings doth away [this] life and making light of expenditure doth away wealth.'（Q.）'What are the keys of the heavensand how many gates have they？'（A.）'Quoth God the Most High'And heaven shall be openedand it shall be [all] doors，'and quoth he whom God bless and keep'None knoweth the number of the gates of heavensave He who created itand there is no son of Adam but hath two gates allotted to him in the skies，one whereby his subsistence cometh down and another where-through his works [good and evil] ascend. The former is not closed，save when his term of life comes to an endnor the latter，till his soul ascends [for judgment].'（Q.）'Tell me of a thing and a half thing and a no-thing.'（A.）'The thing is the believerthe half thing the hypocrite and the no-thing the infidel.'（Q.）'Tell me of various kinds of hearts.'（A.）
'There is the whole [or perfect] heartwhich is that of[Abraham] the Friend [of God]the sick heartthat of the infidelthe contrite heartthat of the piousfearful ones，the heart consecrated to Godthat of our Lord Mohammed（whom God bless and preserve）and the enlightened [or enlightening]
heartthat of those who follow him. The hearts of the learned are of three kindsto witthose that are in love with this worldwith the next and with their Lord；and it is said that hearts are threethe suspendedthat of the infidelthe non-existent [or lost]that of the hypocriteand the constant[or firm]that of the true-believer. Moreoverit is said that the latter is of three kindsnamelythe heart dilated with light and faiththat wounded with fear of estrangement and that which feareth to be forsaken of God.'
Quoth the second doctor'Thou hast said well；'whereupon said she to the Khalif'O Commander of the Faithfulhe has questioned metill he is wearyand now I will ask him two questions. If he answer themit is welland if notI will take his clothes and he shall depart in peace.'Quoth the doctor'Ask me what thou wilt，'and she said'What is religion？'Religion，'answered he'is confession with the tongue and belief with the heart and doing with the members. Quoth the Prophet'The believer is not perfect in beliefexcept five qualities be accomplished in himnamely，trust in Godcommittal of his affair to Himsubmission to His commandmentacquiescence in His decrees and that he do all for His sake；so is he of those who are acceptable to God and who give and withhold for His sakeand he is perfect in belief.'
Then said she'What is the Koranic ordinance of ordinances and the ordinance which is the preliminary of all ordinances and that of which all others stand in need and that which comprehendeth all othersand what is the Traditional ordinance that entereth into the Koranicand that whereby the latter is completed？'But he was silent and made no reply；whereupon the Khalif bade her expound and ordered him to doff his clothes and give them to her. 'O doctor，'said she'the Koranic ordinance of ordinances is the knowledge of God the Most High；that，which is the preliminary of all othersis the testifying that there is no god but God and that Mohammed is His apostle；that，of which all others have needis ablution；thatwhich compriseth all othersis that of [total] ablution from[ceremonial] defilement；the Traditional ordinancethat enters into the Koranicis the separation of the fingers and the thick beard；and thatwherewith all Koranic ordinances are completedis circumcision.'Therewith was manifest the insufficiency of the doctorwho rose to his feet and said'I call God to witnessO Commander of the Faithfulthat this damsel is more learned than I in the Law and what pertains thereto.'So sayinghe put off his clothes and went away，defeated.
