When the three days had passed and the fourth night arrived, Sultan Zayad
mounted his horse and traversed the city with an escort of cavaliers. Outside of
the city he came to a place and saw a man standing under a tree in the middle of
a flock of sheep and goats. He said to him, "Who are you?"
The man said: "I come from a far-off village, and I am bringing sheep and goats
to the city to sell them, and with their price to buy what I can for my wife and
children. When arrived at this place I was so tired that I could not enter the city,
and was obliged to stay here, with the intention of entering at daybreak and
selling my sheep and goats."
Sultan Zayad, having heard this response, said: "Your words are true, but what
can I do? If I do not put you to death to-morrow, when the news spreads, they
will say Sultan Zayad is not faithful to his word. They will regard me with
disdain, and no one will obey my orders. And the wicked ones will commit
violent acts upon the good ones, and my country will be ruined. Heaven is better
for you than this world." So he had him put to death and ordered that they should
take his head.
During that same night all that he met were killed and beheaded. They say that in
the course of that first day 500 persons were put to death. At dawn he had all
these heads exposed on the highways, and published this proclamation:
"Whosoever shall not obey the commands of Sultan Zayad shall suffer the same
fate."
When the people of the country saw these heads exposed at all sides on the earth,
they were frightened, and a respectful fear of Sultan Zayad filled all hearts.
The second night Sultan Zayad went out again from the city, and that night 500
persons were killed.
The third night he remained out of the city till morning, but he did not meet a
soul.
The following Friday Sultan Zayad went to the mosque, said his prayers, and
declared: "O servants of God, let no one after to-day shut the door of his house
nor his shop. I take upon myself the charge of replacing those of your goods
which shall be destroyed or stolen."