(On the back of General Gordon’s letter.) Reply to General Gordon.
In the name of God the Merciful and the Compassionate.
From Abderrahhmân en Najoomi and Abdallah en Noor to Gordon.
Yesterday we sent you an answer to your letter brought to us by your messenger, who is going back, in which we told you to come out of the fortress to meet us in fight before the arrival of the standards (troops) sent to us from the Imâm Mahomed, the Mahdi, on whom be peace, as we are now near to you—within eyesight. And (as) probably you will not have another opportunity after these two days. But you have not done so.
Even to-day we have received your letter and proclamation, both sealed and signed by you, which are not satisfactory answers to our letter. But you put in them nonsense—like unto dreams.
But we are better informed than you; for the hands (power) of the Mahdi, on whom be peace, are over the whole world; and he receives news from all parts thereof.
We are not inside a fortress listening to the sayings of hypocrites, who run away like slaves, and the like—on whose authority you issue lying and deceitful proclamations.
You mention in your answer[275] that you have received a letter from the troops; but on looking at it we find (that it is) a proclamation from you, with your own seal, and not from the army.
How can you say so, and contradict yourself? From this we learn that all your sayings are lies. And after this let there be no more letters or communications between us and you; but (only) war.