Complex sentence: Now Mesrur, a messenger from the Caliph appears, to see if Fatima really is dead, as both the Caliph and his wife want to know who it was who died, and if both, who died first.
Split into simpler sentences: Now Mesrur, a messenger from the Caliph, arrives, to see if Fatima really is dead. Both the Caliph and his wife want to know who it was who died, and if both, who died first.