Cairo Genizah : Letter

Abū Saʿd

Cairo Genizah

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>Letter from Abū Saʿd in Ashqelon to his brother, Abū l-Bahā, in Bilbays, to say that he has been trying to assist Musallam b. Abū Sahl in redeeming Musallam’s sister from the Crusaders in Nablus. He had travelled there with Musallam and gained permission from the Crusader captor to take the woman away (in order to then raise the very high sum of 60 dinars still due for her ransom). Abū Saʿd was then unable to raise the money in Ashqelon, even after attempting to give his son as collateral for a loan, so Musallam and his sister have travelled to Egypt to try to raise the money (probably by arranging a marriage for the former captive). Abū Saʿd has not heard anything further from Musallam and his sister, but the Crusader captor has travelled from Nablus to Ashkelon, demanding either the 60 dinars or that the woman be returned to him. Ca. 1153 CE.</p></p>