PART ONE
1.
as-sayyid entered the dark hut humbly
draping the cloth back over the entrance
adjusting to dim of the candle’s light
he approached with measured steps
and knelt by the elder’s feet
he placed his hand on the aged knee
waiting to be greeted by the touch
of that wrinkled hand
“am i graced by a visit from as-sultaan,”
asked the elder
“the grace is mine
since i am thy child, oh shaykh”
“but still depressed
why should the pride of the clan of amiir
carry such melancholy”
“the wealth of this world
and its fleeting fame
are no lasting sources of happiness
all i have acquired
is like a camp fire contained by rocks
burning the grave of its own demise
in the accumulating ashes and embers
although the flames are vibrant now
if there is no heir to keep them ablaze
they are destined to extinguish
death will not let me take
any tokens of this world beyond it”
“are you keeping your prayers”
“i have not missed a single one in months”
“and your zakaat {alms-giving} breathes
reports i have heard of your continuing kindness”
“yet i let not my left hand know
what the right has given
as you have taught me”
“then patience
these, with unbroken adab {moral character and behavior}
will not have your journey end in dismay
just as allaah has given you good fortune in business
and social affairs
trust that the beloved will grant you
the greater fortune
of a son
“as the prophet luqmaan, alayhi salaam,
says in the qur’aan
“oh my son,
keep up thy prayers
enjoin what is good
and forbid what is wrong
and persevere with patience
whatever befalls thee
that is the steadfast heart of phenomena””
a tear dropped from the eye of as-sayyid
encouraged,
he kissed the hand of the shaykh
and said
“may allaah take my sight too
to be given just a portion of your wisdom
and may allaah grant
that one day
i will repeat these very same words
to a son of my own”
“trust in the beloved
and the beloved will see you through
allaah knows best
even what the beloved denies us
will prove to be for our benefit
if we remain obedient and sincere
yet i sense this denial is only for a season
perhaps to better prepare you,
or the world,
for the coming of a son”
* * *
the perseverance of patience
which seemed like a lock barring fate’s deliverance
became the key which, over many years,
cleansed and cultivated as-sayyid’s heart
to become sensitive and gentle enough
to receive the precious pearl gem placed
within his care
doubt not the power of prayer unanswered
to mold the human being
to a greater divine intention
such that when deliverance came
and the last of the birthing wails were exclaimed
the silene of anticipation filled the home
to give audience to
the muted whimpers of an infant’s cry
which was followed by
the taunt of approaching footsteps
as a servant appeared with a smile
to inform as-sayyid
that he was now the father
of a beautiful baby boy
the patient petitioning was now a hope fulfilled
in joy,
the verse spewed forth from his lips
words of luqmaan
which he had uttered to himself so many times
“oh my son,
though it be but the weight
of a grain of a mustard seed
and though it be in a rock
or in the heavens or in the earth
allaah will bring it forth
behold,
allaah is the knower of the subtle,
aware”
when the father’s eyes were gifted
the first sight of his son
the light of deferred affection
displaced every shadow with love’s brilliance
the new father
humbled
to be made worthy
to serve as caretaker of
this newborn treasure
and all he would become
even as a babe
his smile was a blossoming miracle
already bursting forth
in unrestrained openness
so moved was the father
that he let forth the flow of his riches
to flood the streets with a grand feast
the ripples granting expensive gifts to anyone
who came to pay respects to his heir
yet this parade of giving did not end there
as the care of the wet-nurse
became a charity of its own
basking in her care
the babe drank iimaan,
knowledge from the heart,
in every swallow of milk
he absorbed gentle compassion
from every cuddle and kiss
and he was consumed with these
because he was so cute
such that the streaks of indigo
adorned to his face for protection from evil
concealed the magical dance of his soul
veiling from the unsuspecting eyes of others
the love that overflowed
through his baby breaths
a seal of his destiny
hidden in plain sight
when that first fortnight passed
and the fullness of his moon beamed
his name was given:
qays
a testament to the fullness of his measure
a beauty that did not wane
but instead waxed firmly to its own perfection
so it was
that the first seven years were golden
with even the emergence of peach fuzz hairs
tickling his chin as a thin beard
a forecasting shadow of his deep maturity
a sign of heaven’s blessings and challenges
dawning upon him
in a way he would not be able to escape
❍ ● ❍