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remarkable stamina. They were granted the benevolence of their
owner who was greatly influenced by the Islamic phrase that says
that “all creation is like a family of God; and God loves the most those
who are the most beneficent to His family” [A Haadith].
As I heard several stories about the ancient times, I was
moved by the extraordinary respect of the Muslim warriors for life.
During war, trees were not burnt, nor unjustifiably pulled out, and
women, children, the sick, the elders and unoffending priests or
monks (from any religion) were not charmed or molested. Water and
medicine were given to the prisoners of war and those were released
almost immediately after their capture, usually after they had been
instructed about Islam and given the choice to stay and convert or to
leave as disbelievers. Even if these laws were established in remote
times, the modern Mujahiddin still go by them. Faith is a question of
understanding the wisdom behind rules...
The laws that were true for the warriors are also true for any civilian.
In the sacred territory of the Hijaz, the region encompassing the
territories of Medina and Mecca and where the yearly Muslim
pilgrimage settled, wild leaves are not eaten off, no animal is
slaughtered except during the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca. The
region feels like in a sanctuary.
We continued roaming and discussing between the aromatic
plants and trees growing from the desert ground, and I thought about
the difficulty of life. I remembered the happiness of the old man
while we had contemplated the oasis. And I forgot about the wild
emaciated grass of the desert that we had crossed before; I thought
about them only as a miracle of bloom during the storm sheds I had
read about in books.
Now we were ascending the intricate passages among the
pebbles; a river of stones had been turned into a river of grass and
we used it as a path. In a remote village we passed through, I was
reminded that the women made the trip to the cistern twice a day,
climbing from stone to stone till their feet swelled. The men ploughed
crosswise to old furrows to keep the field level and they cut into the
mountain to build terraces for their fields. All the extra earth was
carried on baskets over the head and disposed of in the valley.
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Despite the hard work, they worked happily because they knew that
whoever works all day and comes back home tired, all his sins are
forgiven. Thus working was the equivalent of reciting prayers.
Every act had the value of an "Ibadah," a good deed in the strength
and delicate handling of the farmers. Everybody made his or her
own Jihad. Jihad actually meant "striving," to rid oneself from
debased actions or inclinations, and exercise constancy and
perseverance in achieving a higher moral standard. The Prophet of
Islam (Peace be upon him) had once said:
"This day we have returned from the minor Jihad (war) to
the major Jihad (self-control and betterment)."
So the best jihad was to struggle against the nafl. And the nafl
meant "the soul" or "the self", our desires. As I looked around, I
thought that this place must have asked a lot of courage and
perseverance.
The scholar touched my elbow and said:
"Come on this way. I want you to see something and I want you
to see the head of learning for yourself."
These words seemed to linger over me like a dagger. Somehow the
head of learning had to play a role in my life. I asked:
"What is this head of learning I have already been asked about
twice?"
“The head of learning? Ah! But first you have to know about the
wonders of learning…"
"And what are the wonders of learning?"
"I cannot tell you that. This, you have to find out by yourself. But
I will help, Insha Allah."
In the next hour, we walked among pebbles that shined under the sky
light like stars on the earth. They led to the front of the walls of an
immense castle. Women were standing at its gate in a small garden
and seated there talking. They greeted us and let us in. Then we
approached a flight of steps.
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