When we first meet Irem, he tells us that he is about thirty years old and was married off to a woman named Mustafa. Mustafa is actually her sister-in-law. They were married in the Islamic religion by their brother-in-law. Irem was then taken to Egypt and sold to the Arabs in Cairo by Mustafa and some other Arabs.
Irem’s father was the leader of the Christians in the area and had been captured by the Arabs many years ago and was sentenced to death. However, he managed to escape and went on to live in the desert with his son and his dog. Later, when the Arabs came back to kill his son and take his belongings, they found I’m hiding with his dog outside a cave and took him captive.
When Irem escapes, he gets himself rescued by the Christians who had followed him and took him back to their headquarters. However, he does not appear to be in great physical condition and the leader tells us that he is in bad health. Nevertheless, he still manages to find the leader and warn him about the Muslims. However, the leader does not want to listen. He insists that there is only one way to get Irem back.
The leader tells Irem that the Muslim authorities will never release him unless he agrees to renounce his faith. He offers to let him come with him on a mission, but I’m telling him that he cannot do that because he will have no time for his own mission.
Then, they go to the place where Irem had married his sister. They tell him that their father has died and that his wife needs a new husband. He tells them that they are very rich and that they can give him everything. The Christians are surprised. They tell him that if he just promises to return to them with money that they would be able to send for his wife.
So, the next morning, they go back to Irem’s home, but this time they tell him that they are going to take him away to go fishing. They say that their prayers and he agree. They also tell him that it will be his wife’s destiny to return to her people and marry her. He says that he has no money and asks for a few grains of sandalwood, but they refuse. and he goes on without much food or water.
Finally, when he falls ill, they are so pleased that they bring him back to Irem’s house and tell him that it is a great idea to make an endowment for his wife. He thanks them and he gives them a small fishing pole. However, they are suspicious that they did not expect this and ask him to give them more.
They also ask Irem for forgiveness and he thanks them again. He also says that he loves his sister and the Christian church. He then leaves with his wife and sister to go fishing.
However, they are not satisfied and decide to follow him. They set up camp outside I’m home and they inform his sister that it is against Islam to leave a man in a tent.
Irem’s sister goes with them but does not have any money with her. Therefore, she goes to a friend who has a horse. She rides the horse around and gets the money she needs. In the meantime, her sister also tells her friends that Irem needs money and they try to get him out of the tent so that they can help him get it.
When they go in, the brother of Irem’s wife tells the Christians to wait and he says that he wants to see Irem first. Irem tells him that he knows why he has been called in here and he says that his sister has gone to the prophet to talk to him about it.