The Nāṣirī Generations 61.1

61.1

When Da'ud, after leaving the presence of his brother Tughril, came for the purpose of taking possession of Marw and Sarakhs, Sultan Mas’ud was at Balkh, and he sent an agent to him [Da’ud] to see whether or not an accommodation could be brought about. At that time Da’ud was in the neighbourhood of Marw, with his forces, and it was he who was the mover in all this boldness and audacity. He advanced to the gate of Marw. It was at the dawn of the morning, and the Mu'azzin from the top of a Minarah was proclaiming this verse : — “ O Da’ud, verily we have made thee a sovereign prince on earth: judge therefore between men with truth.” Da'ud, hearing his own name, inquired of a learned person what was the meaning of this. The signification was explained to him, upon which he again drew his sword, and pressed forward after the troops of the Sultan, which were in Marw, and put the whole of them to the sword. At this period, when the Sultan's envoy from Balkh presented himself before him, a Mu’azzin at Marw was repeating this verse : — Thou givest dominion unto whom Thou wilt, and Thou takest away dominion from whom Thou wilt.