PART III: The Traveler

The people fasted for three successive days, the last of which was a Thursday.  At the end of this period the amirs (princes), sharifs (respected families), qadis (judges), doctors of the Law, and all other classes of the people in their several degrees, assembled in the Great Mosque, until it was filled to the overflowing with them, and spent Thursday night there in prayers and liturgies and supplications.  Then, after performing the dawn prayer, they all went to together on foot carrying Qur’ans in their hands; the amirs too, barefooted.  The entire population of the city joined in the exodus, male and female, small and large, the Jews went out with their Book of the Law and the Christians with their Gospel, their women and children with them; the whole concourse of them in tears and humble supplications, imploring the favor of God through His Books and His Prophets....