The best historian is one with sound faith and a pure religion, who records events accurately without omission or exaggeration. Where there is a risk of misunderstanding, they may clarify the truth. A historian must avoid flattery or enmity, writing in a simple, clear, and natural style. Ornate or poetic language often obscures the purpose of historiography, which is why histories written in verse are generally deemed unreliable. A historian must be distinguished in honesty, integrity, truthfulness, and good conduct, avoiding falsehood and frivolity. Compiling history requires immense effort, yet certainty is not guaranteed. A historian must be knowledgeable in astronomy, geography, civilization, and world religions, as well as intelligent, insightful, just, eloquent, and articulate. Despite these qualities, some challenges, such as interpreting ambiguous accounts, remain nearly insurmountable. For example, a report of someone attending a theater could imply various motives—enjoyment of music, admiration of beauty, love for an actress, meeting a friend, researching a topic, opposing theater, undercover work, or even pickpocketing. Each possibility requires corroboration, and a biased historian may favor one conclusion, ignoring contrary evidence and leading readers astray.