In the name of God, the merciful the gracious.—God grant his blessing upon our lord (seidna) Mohammed. Blessed be He in whose hand is the kingdom & who is Almighty; who created death & life that he might make you the best of his works; for he is exalted; he is the forgiver (of sins,) who created seven heavens one above the other. Do you discern anything trifling in creation. Bring back your thoughts. Do you see anything worthless. Recall your vision in earnest. Turn your eye inwa

My birth place was Fut Tûr, [↑(Fouta Toro,)] between the two rivers, (Mesopotamia in Africa?) I sought knowledge under the instruction of [↑a] Sheikh called Mohammed Seid, my own brother, & Sheikh Soleiman Kembeh, & Sheikh Gabriel Abdal. I continued my studies twenty five years, & then returned to my home where I remained six years. Then there came to our place a large army, who killed many men, & took me, & brought me to the great sea, & sold me i

The wife of John Owen is called Louisa & an excellent wife she is. She had five children. Three of them died & two are still living. O ye Americans,—ye people of N. Carolina—have you, have you, have you, have you among you a family like this family having so much love to God as they? Formerly I, Omar, loved to read the book of the Koran the famous. Gen. Jim Owen & his wife used to read the gospel, & they read it to me very much,—the gospel of God, our Lord, our Cr