Muslim sultan, and his adopted daughter, Recha. At the start of the play, Nathan returns to Jerusalem after a long journey, greeted by his housekeeper, Daja. He learns that his daughter Recha was saved from a fire by a young Templar knight, which prompts Nathan to contemplate the nature of gratitude and the importance of human connections over religious identities. The dialogue establishes the themes of mutual respect and the questioning of prejudices, as Nathan expresses admiration for the valor of the Templar, unaware that their paths will soon intertwine significantly beyond acts of heroism. The opening sets the stage for a rich exploration of philosophical and religious discussions that will unfold throughout the play. (This is an automatically generated summary.)