Ahmad is a kid from Massachusetts. One day he crawls into the minbar of the Sulaymaniyyah Mosque, where he meets Toby, a talking ant in a blue hat, green trousers, and a bright yellow cardigan. Toby leads him through a twisting maze of crystal-lined floors that send Ahmad slipping and sliding into Nimrullah's garden. There he meets a host of other talking animals, including the majestic tiger named Nimrullah who sends him on an inner and outer journey full of spies, sword fights, dragons, and swindlers. Outwardly Ahmad must reach the Green Dagger, while evading the Chain Rattlers and the evil Kadhibun, in order to save the talking animals, their way of life, and their environment. Inwardly, Ahmad travels a simultaneous path of self discovery and spiritual growth in hopes of becoming a great master like Nimrullah.