Now If I had prayed in any
one of these churches, the Mussulmans would infallibly take it away from
you as soon as I had departed homeward. And notwithstanding all you
might allege, they would say, This is the place where Omar prayed, and
we will pray here, too. And so you would have been turned out of your
church, contrary both to my intention and your expectation. But because
my praying even on the steps of one may perhaps give some occasion to
the Mussulmans to cause you disturbance on this account, I shall take
what care I can to prevent that." So calling for pen, ink, and paper, he
expressly commanded that none of the Mussulmans should pray upon the
steps in any multitudes, but one by one. That they should never meet
there to go to prayers; and that the muezzin, or crier, that calls the
people to prayers (for the Mahometans never use bells), should not stand
there. This paper he gave to the patriarch for a security, lest his
praying upon the steps of the church should have set such an example to
the Mussulmans as might occasion any inconvenience to the Christians--a
noble instance of singular fidelity and the religious observance of a
promise.
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