Letter to Her Brother

I write to you, my brother, my master and dear one, may God grant you a long life and perpetuate his favor to you, protect you, and not withdraw [his] success from you.

[Dated:] Rosh Ḥodesh Av

I am well and healthy, thank God and praise the Creator, but I miss you terribly.

May God speed up our meeting in the best of circumstances, since He is capable of doing anything He desires.

Your letters reached us in which you write that you are well, thank God, after anxiety and worries [on our part,] and after I fasted and I prayed that God would be gracious to you, as is His wont, which is everlasting.

I ask God to extend your life and to place me as a ransom for you and to protect me, upon your lives! And may He reunite us as we want and desire. My heart is set on this. I ask God not to deprive you, not any of you, of success and not to allow your hopes to dissipate. As far as what you wanted to know is concerned, my brother, regarding the members of your household, they are in the best of circumstances. Najiyya is as you hoped for and even better than that, and likewise Maulat. May God the exalted [fulfill] your hopes for them, may He let me witness a male child of yours very soon, and with all this, my brother, if only I . . . this is hard for you, may God make her fortunate and blessed by your health, God willing. My brother, your letters arrived to your homes that reported your well-being. I went to the courier, and he read to me all that you reported. I was terribly hurt because I did not see regards to me from any of you, not to mention a letter! Yet I was forced to write to you [pl.] because my heart will not allow me to stop writing to you, and actually, I enjoy writing letters to you; it is as though I am talking to you. As for Najiyya, she is constantly mentioning you, may God the almighty and glorious reunite you with her and may your hopes for her be fulfilled, but Maulat is prettier than Najiyya.

Send them, my brother, what is appropriate [gifts], even if you need not be reminded, and do likewise for their mother.

To Abū ’l-Fadl, may God protect him, was born another baby girl, and I named her with my mother’s name, Surūra. [May she enter] a happy and blessed household [when wed], and may they [fem.] be fortunate and blessed. May God grant you [pl.] whatever will uplift [or bring pride to] their hearts. And so Abū ’l-Surūr [Isaac], may God grant him life, had a son born to him, and he named him Barhūn, may God the mighty and glorious grant this child life and permit his father to witness his wedding. There was a large celebration, as we will witness in your case in the near future. And bring him, together with yourself, an appropriate gift.¹ May God allow us to see that He was good to you. I send you regards, and Najiyya and Maulat and their mothers send you regards and health. And Abū Zikrī, may God grant him life and joy, and Abū Sa‘id, may God protect them, send you regards. And Tsedaka, may God grant him a long life, sends warm regards to all of you; and everyone with us sends you [pl.] greetings.

[Above:]

O my brother, Maulat² has wed, and it was a terrible wedding. We read all the good [positive] that you described about Abū Ibrāhīm Ishāq, may God grant him a long life.

May God allow you to witness joy from Maulat and Najiyya. Peace.

Address

[To] my brother, my dear lord and master Abū Ibrāhīm.

May God extend his life, Ismā‘īl ben Barhūn.

May his soul rest in peace and may God be his protector.

From his sister.

May it arrive, God willing.

Source: CUL T-S 12.262.