And when the messenger was about to return, Heraclius asked him: "Have you seen your paternal cousin who is with us? I mean, Jábalah who came here wishing to rejoin our religion?"
"No," replied the messenger.
"Then go and see him," said Heraclius, "and afterwards come to me, and I will give you an answer to your letter."
The messenger relates: So I went to the house of Jábalah, and behold! about it were household officers, and janitors, and splendour, and a great concourse like that around the door of Heraclius. And I did not cease begging with all courteousness for permission to enter until leave was granted me. Then I went in to him, and I found him with a light-
deemed too severe. So afterwards the Muhammadans, on declaring war against a people of a different faith, gave them choice of three courses: to embrace Muhammadism; to submit and consider themselves as subjects of the Khalîfah, and pay an annual tribute and the usual capitation tax of four dinârs a head, in which case they were allowed to profess their own religion, provided it was not gross idolatry; or, thirdly, to decide the quarrel by the sword. If it was decided to fight, and the Muslims prevailed, the conquered women and children became absolute slaves, and the men were either slain or otherwise disposed of according to the will of the Khalîfah, unless they professed el-Islám.
