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"And what are those little green birds?," Waali suddenly asked.
"Why did you ask them if they wanted anything else? Truly they
were too embarrassed to answer."
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"These were men a long time ago. And you will ask what
happened to them, won't you? The truth is that they were martyrs.
They fought to protect their families and to protect their faith against
evil. As they died in the battlefield, they were rewarded this way.
Nobody else can roam over the gardens and know all their secrets.
They are free as air and they are so pleased to be able to contemplate
what they wish to that their only wish is to die again and be those
green birds and find shelter and warmth in beautiful lanterns.
However, when one enters the gardens, one has no wish to return
where one came from."
"That is true," said Waali, "this is better than health, but one
needs health to accomplish all this."
"Everybody his destiny," replied the gardener, "besides, you can
be a martyr only by falling from the staircase of your house. A
martyr is a person who dies for the cause of Allah. Anybody can
become a martyr. Martyrs are not afraid of what will become of
them. They know Allah could destroy their enemies and relieve
them from suffering, however one must endure to prove himself;
enemies are necessary to test the true believers."
Then he pointed up stream, showing beautiful habitations beyond the
orchards.
"Look! These mansions are for people who have even a superior
status. They were not martyrs, but their deeds brought them even
higher. These places are for those who used to consider the lack of
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goods for humility, and sickness for reward of their bad actions.
They had total confidence in the purposes of Allah."
They both looked at the heavens, at the special abodes, as one star in
the sky, as one sees a glittering star remaining in the eastern horizon
and the west horizon.
Khadijah
"In this place", continued the gardener, "it is said that people are
honored; dwellers serve other dwellers with their own hands, and
they would be the persons whose
status have been sealed, attested. They are bestowed such things
which no eyes have seen, no ears have heard, and no human minds
would think of. They are people of the best temper. Their clothes do
not wear out, nor their youthfulness fade away, and they will never
die. There is the place where no soul knows the consolation which is
secretly laid up for it. There stands a palace of Qasab. Qasab are
made of pipes of precious stones and pearls which belong to a
woman named Khadija. There, there is no noise, no trouble, and
nobody get fatigued. The green birds are those who report to us on
them. They tell us that Khadija has a mirror, a magic mirror. And in
one of the mansions is this white mirror concealed fom everyone.
And when you are authorized to look in that mirror, you can see
whatever you want, and you can ask any question that occurs in your
mind."
Waali thought for the first time about home. How would he return to
his parents, to his home? Despite his strong desire to stay, he was
grateful to his parents for all the sacrifices they had made for him.
He had to come back to show them more of his gratitude and love.
And he had to prepare good deeds for the after life too.
"I have to find Khadija," he finally declared.
The man answered, "It is easy for you since you are only attached
here by a dream and you are a night's journey to your home. You
must follow the green birds, my child. I might have led you myself,
but you will follow them some place I cannot go."
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