Over the principal door of the golden saloon, or hall of ambassadors: "By the sun and its rising brightness; by the moon, when she followeth him; by the day, when he showeth his splendour; by the night, when it covereth him into darkness; by the heaven, and Him who created it; by the earth, and Him who spread it forth; by the soul, and Him who completely formed it: there is no other God but God."
The gate of judgment was erected by Sultan Abu Yusuff, A. H. 749. or A. D. 1348, as appears from an Arabic inscription over it. On each side of that inscription is a block of marble, containing (in Arabic) "Praise be to God. There is no God but God, and Mahomet is his prophet. There is no strength but from God."
In one of the windows on the right hand of the saloon are the following verses, descriptive of its elegance:—
"I am the ornamented seat of the bride, endowed with beauty and perfection.
"Dost thou doubt it? Look, then, at this basin, and thou wilt be fully convinced of the truth of my assertion.
"Regard, also, my tiara; thou wilt find it resembling that of the crescent moon.
"And Ibn Nasr is the sun of my orb, in the splendour of beauty.
"May he continue in the (noon-tide) altitude of glory, secure (from change) whilst the sun sets and disappears."
At the entrance of the tower of Comares: "The kingdom is God's;" "The tower is God's;" "Durability is God's."
In the middle of the golden saloon: "There is no God but God, the Sovereign, the True, the Manifest. Muhamud is the just, the faithful messenger of God. I flee to God for protection from Satan: the pelted with stones.. In the name of God the merciful, the forgiving; there is no God but He, the living, the eternal; sleep nor slumber seizeth Him. To Him (belongeth) whatever is in the heavens, and whatever is in the earth; who is there who shall intercede with him except by His permission? He knoweth what is before them, and what is behind them; and they comprehend not His wisdom, except what he pleaseth. He hath extended His throne, the heavens, and the earth; the protection of which incommodeth Him not; and he is the exalted, the great! There is no forcing in the faith. Truly, righteousness is distinguished from error. He, therefore, who disbelieveth in (the idol) Tāgūt, and believeth in God, hath taken hold of a sure handle, that cannot be broken. God heareth, knoweth the truth of God."