Isam Seif al’Hashim was born nearby Al Sahara Almas, The Desert Jewel. A major Arabian city,
it had a major university of Arabia. But, that is not where our story starts. No- our story starts
with his father, who shall remain unnamed. He was a farmer in a remote part of Arabia, and practiced
subsistence farming- farming just enough to live on. He was alone with his wife, who shall also
remain unnamed. They could barely live on what they could farm, and Isam’s mother was thought to be
barren. However, one day, Isam’s mother gave birth to Isam. She died during the process, and Isam’s
father very nearly sacrificed Isam to Allah in hopes of better crops. However, as he was about to, a
wandering Khatib, or religious minister, came and said that Isam was a Mustafa- a Chosen One. And
so, Isam’s father went to the nearest major city where Isam could make a life out of his meager
beginnings.
Isam was 2 when he and his father arrived in Al Sahara Almas. Though he had been born a year
and a half ago, and Al Sahara Almas was nearby, they could travel neither far nor fast. When they
arrived, Isam’s father met a the wandering Khatib again, whom he became the servant of. Isam was, as
such, also a servant of the Temple, and he immediately began his training. Focusing on speech first,
Isam progressed rapidly. He was literate by the time he was 6, and by the time he was 9, he had the
discipline required to do an all day meditation based on the Salat.
At age 16, however, Isam met a Zaim, a brigadier general in Arabia’s military, and he was
enamored by him. Seeing him come to Al Sahara Almas in an elegant parade and speaking eloquently,
but also coming to see the common folk, of which Isam was one, and his military cadre’s loyalty and
discipline gave Isam a deep respect for both Zaim Asim and the Arabian military. At that point, Isam
decided he would go to the local university and become one of the officers in the military.
Approaching his father with the idea, he was the subject of much pride, but also some despair. The
pride was his father’s happiness at his wanting to live a life of servitude; the despair his not
knowing how he would pay for the tuition.
Isam’s father approached his master, the wandering Khatib, and requested his allowance for
Isam to go to the university. The Khatib, though disappointed, gave Isam’s father both full tuition
for two people and freedom. Isam went to the university, focusing on martial combat and leadership.
He completed his training in two years with much better standing than most got after four. As such,
the local Arabian military, which was closely connected to this particular Khatib, contacted Isam,
and offered him a low-grade officer’s place with them.
Serving under the Zaim Asim, Isam was something of his favored trainee. The Zaim trained
Isam personally. Isam soon became the Fariq, the Lieutenant General, after risking his own life to
save Zaim Asim’s. And, upon the Zaim’s death, he succeeded him as Zaim. Zaim Asim had pacified and
unified Arabian sands- so Zaim Isam set his eyes on new sands. He set off for Egypt with a small
cadre of troops learned and experienced in scouting. As soon as he got there, he realized that they
would have to play the role of spies. And, starting as such, Isam soon realized that Egypt should
not be conquered by combat- it could be integrated by religion and their common search for
perfection. As such, he told his scouts to go back to Egypt, and report to his friend, the wandering
Khatib. A year later, one of his scouts returned, maimed. He bore a message from the Khatib,
saying, “These infidels must be converted- by force!” And so, Isam took it upon himself to save
Egypt. He was Mustafa- a Chosen One- and now he knew what he was Chosen for. He was chosen to
further the Jihad and create unity- through conversion by peaceful methods.