Next morning a maid-servant brought a note from Michael to Isabella which said : Daughter Isabella ! I have to talk to you on something; you should come to me at once leaving all other work. I am waiting for you. Isabella realised that it was in continuation of the previous day’s plan. Informing her mother she left for Michael’s house, where Peter and another well-known monk, highly popular and famous throughout Spain for his ascetic life, were also present.

Leaving the auspicious and glowing meeting at the house of Ziad b. Umar, Isabella took the road straight to her home which ran through the Palace of Martyrs to Suqul Asafir. Isabella’s house was just a few paces away. The meeting had filled her with such joy that, unmindful of everything around, she walked quietly and soberly with downcast eyes. Half an hour later she reached home where her mother was waiting impatiently for her. On enquiry about the cause

In the course of this talk Umar Lahmi addressed Isabella. Umar Lahmi: So for securing forgiveness of sins all kinds of dirty acts have to be narrated? But how did you use to seek forgiveness? Isabella (lowering her eyes with modesty): On a given date everyone has to go to the great church, the same where you had discussion with Michael and Peter and then… Umar Lahmi: Are girls also bound to appear? Isabella: Yes, every adult girl and boy

This was the time when Muslims had started building mosques and schools all over Spain and eminent divines and jurists of Islam had come over to this country. In the capital Cordova the Islamic system of teaching and training had been introduced. Ziad b. Umar was a highly learned traditionist, philosopher and interpreter of the Quran. At the same time he had no equal in offering prayers and, due to his integrity, purity, and unostentatious prayerfulness, he was held in

Let us see what Isabella had been doing in connection with these discussions and what were her activities in the meantime. In fact, all this time her mind was filled with the subject-matter of these discussions and all other engagements and social entanglements were relegated to the background. After ‘the discussion’ between the priests and Umar Lahmi she had come to the conclusion that the priests had no answer to the objections of Muslims and her belief in Christianity had

On Monday the priests began to assemble in the great church. Many Christian women also came with Isabella to hear the discussion. A little later Umar Lahmi, Muaz and some other Muslim divines also arrived and the priests were perturbed on seeing them and they began whispered conversation among them. Just then Umar Lahmi addressed them. Umar Lahmi: As decided yesterday, the Divinity of Christ and Atonement will be discussed today. Since it will be difficult to deal with both

Isabella having left, Umar Lahmi and Muaz went to their houses and began to study the Holy Qur’aan and the Bible and noted down important points to be discussed. Next morning on Sunday the news of this discussion was known all over the city. The Christians had made arrangements that only a few Muslims should be allowed to enter the church. So many Muslims had to return disappointed. Umar Lahmi, Muaz and some Muslim divines came to the church and

A few days later, Isabella again went in the evening to the same garden where she had heard the conversation of two Muslim divines. Soon after she had taken her seat, Umar Lahmi and Muaz also arrived and began to talk on different subjects. Umar Lahmi: I have heard a curious and interesting report today. Muaz (surprised): What is it? Umar Lahmi: The objection, that you raised on a passage of Saint Paul’s Epistle the other day, has reached the

Entering the eastern gate of Cordova the young and beautiful Isabella took to the road which led straight to the Qasrul Shuhada (Palace of Martyrs). The Muslim government of the day had lavishly beautified the whole of Spain. The roads of Cordova were wide and well planned and beautiful lamps at short distances lighted them and, as Dr Draper says, one could walk twenty miles in their light. Isabella walked slowly and gracefully on the wide and bright road of

In a famous garden of Spain, well known for its beauty and freshness vying with the garden of Eden, which was always crowded by sight-seers, two learned men were engaged in a theological discussion in a corner. The sun at this time had completed its round and was preparing to set in the west; while the enchanting songs of birds returning to nests were exhilarating the passers-by. A Christian girl, whose name is given in history as Isabella, was also