Beyond the Sand Dune

by Asen Djinah

  ‘I like this dish,’ Nayila said, ‘What is it? It is much paler than goat or camel meat.’

  ‘It is chicken,’ the elder of the sisters told her.

  ‘What is chicken?’ Nayila asked, making both girls burst out laughing.

  Every meal would be different, unlike the daily milk and bread that she was used to. Abdul-Basir had his meals with Khadim and his host’s two sons in the men’s dining room.

  As they sat down for dinner on the last evening, Rafiq asked Abdul-Basir to name his price for the treatment.

  ‘Abdul-Basir, my brother, you have saved my life when no one else could. What I have is yours. I am quite well-off. I have a factory making luxury carpets and I export to far-away countries, to kings and queens. You name your price and I will pay you,’ he said, full of emotion.

  Abdul-Basir thought that nothing was more rewarding than treating a patient. He realised that he had probably saved Rafiq’s life. To accept payment would spoil the satisfaction.

  ‘Rafiq, you honour me by calling me ‘brother’. How can a brother charge his brother for anything? Your affection is reward enough for me. Don’t force me to accept further reward,’ Abdul-Basir replied.

  Rafiq knew that it would cause offence if he were to press Abdul-Basir to accept payment and realised that he would have to find a way in the future to return the favour.

  ‘I understand, brother. I will not offend you, but remember that whenever you need any help in the future, the first door you knock upon should be mine. You have to promise me,’ Rafiq insisted.

  He then turned to his two sons.

  ‘Sons, remember Uncle Abdul-Basir. Even if one day I am no longer in this world, you honour him and his family as you honour me.’

  Thus, a deep bond was established between these two men who hadn’t even known each other earlier. And although they could not know it then, Rafiq would play an important part in the survival of the tribe in the future.

  Next morning, the two guests bade farewell to their new friends and made their way back to their ordinary life with Khadim accompanying them, all riding on camels provided by Rafiq.

  Chapter 13

  To say that Rafiq was thrilled to receive an unexpected visit from his friend after such a long time would be an understatement. He embraced Abdul-Basir at length and would not let go, relishing the moment.

  ‘It has been far too long, brother. Why did you take so long to visit? Every day I include you in my prayers and ask God to give you and your family long life and prosperity. And why didn’t you bring Nayila with you?’ he reproached his friend gently, holding him at arm’s length.

  When he finally let go, Abdul-Basir explained that his daughter was now known as Amel and described the circumstances of the change of name.

  ‘May God favour you and Amel,’ Rafiq replied.

  The two friends cherished the moment of seeing each other after such a long time. Since that very first time they met when Rafiq was seriously ill, the intensity and emotion of their encounter had brought the two men close together. Such was the affinity in their temperaments that their personalities clicked instantly. Despite their contrasting backgrounds, they felt comfortable together as though they had always known each other.

  ‘For a long time I have been thinking of visiting you, but since you move around with your tribe, I couldn’t. I have been praying that you would come instead,’ Rafiq told his friend.

  Noticing that Abdul-Basir had been leaning on his travelling companion’s arm when he first walked in, Rafiq inquired worryingly about his health. Abdul-Basir explained how his eyesight had been getting worse over the years and that nowadays he could barely differentiate between faces.

  ‘My eyes must have been affected by the many sandstorms I endured and the glare of the desert sun. There is unfortunately no remedy for eye conditions. I keep praying that my sight does not fail completely,’ he added sombrely.

  Rafiq was saddened that his friend, who once saved his life, now needed the kind of help he could not provide. The two friends sat down, drinking tea and savouring the honey and date cakes while exchanging news about their respective families. Abdul-Basir learned that Rafiq’s sons and daughters were married.

  ‘I will have to start looking for a suitor for Amel too, but I am afraid my romantic daughter wants to marry for love more than anything else,’ Abdul-Basir told Rafiq.

  He then went on to tell Rafiq how Amel would not contemplate marriage unless he himself sought a wife first.

  ‘She is absolutely right, dear brother. It is high time that you find yourself a wife,’ Rafiq replied.

  They chatted away as they had much to share since the last time they met.

  Later when the two friends were alone, with Abdul-Basir’s travelling companion being entertained by Khadim, the tribe leader moved onto more serious matters.

  ‘Rafiq, I have come to seek your counsel about an important matter,’ he began.

  Abdul-Basir went on to describe the details of the findings about the drought and his fears of the anticipated effects on the tribe.

  ‘We sent riders to investigate discreetly the water level in various wells and they all reported that it is lower than usual. That a drought will arrive soon is a certainty, but how long it will last... we don’t know,’ he added.

  He went on to explain how their only hope of survival was for the tribe to migrate across the country to the north, to escape the calamity.

  ‘Although the journey will be hard on the women, children and the elderly as well as on the livestock, I don’t see any other way. What do you think? I would like your advice, brother Rafiq,’ Abdul-Basir asked his friend.

  Rafiq remained silent and thought gravely about what he had just heard. He knew that any drought would have a devastating effect on everyone, but even more so, on the nomadic tribes of the desert whose survival depended exclusively on their livestock. His heart sank, for he could see that the future looked bleak for Abdul-Basir and his people.

  ‘My dear brother, yours is a tough life and my heart goes out to you and your people. It seems that your idea of going north to escape the drought may be the only solution – and not a bad one after all. For instance, if you start early and break the journey in stages before the drought is upon us, it might ease the ordeal on the elderly and the young. As for the animals, you could consider selling the bulk of your livestock before starting on your journey and use the funds to purchase new livestock once you reach your destination. Let me sleep on it and we will discuss in more detail tomorrow. You go and rest from your tiring journey now,’ Rafiq advised.

  ‘Your suggestions are indeed wise, brother Rafiq. I didn’t think about selling the animals before undertaking the journey. I will take your ideas to the tribe and let them decide,’ Abdul-Basir replied, nodding his head approvingly.

  The following morning, Rafiq took Abdul-Basir to meet his two sons at his carpet factory.

  ‘I don’t spend much time at the factory these days as my sons have taken over the running of the business. You remember them, don’t you? Since they got married, they now live above the factory,’ he explained to his friend.

  Abdul-Basir remembered the two sons from his previous visit, but seeing them after all these years he felt slightly intimidated by the well-dressed young men. Recollecting the fond memories of the man who saved their father’s life, Rafiq’s sons rushed to embrace Abdul-Basir warmly and put him at ease. After the greetings, Rafiq apologised to his friend.

  ‘I have a few things to discuss with my sons. Please forgive me if I leave you with the factory supervisor for a short while. He will show you around,’ he said.

  The supervisor took Abdul-Basir on a tour of the factory and explained the various stages of carpet making. As he gazed upon some of the finished carpets, Abdul-Basir could not help being amazed by the quality and fine details of the colourful designs. This was indeed work of the finest quality and he was not surprised that Rafiq’s clients were from all over the world, or that h
is products adorned the castles of kings and queens.

  ‘We make some of the world’s finest silk carpets here,’ the supervisor told Abdul-Basir proudly.

  He pointed out one of the rooms reserved for women weavers. However, he did not invite Abdul-Basir inside to inspect the working of the looms out of respect for the unveiled women at work. He then took Abdul-Basir into the warehouse where the finished products were stored, awaiting dispatch to their various destinations. Again the tribe leader was amazed at the different colourful and intricate designs on display. After some time, Rafiq finally came out of the meeting.

  ‘Let us go to the souk and have something to eat,’ he told Abdul-Basir.

  After lunch the two men went to the mosque for the midday prayer, before heading back to the villa for the afternoon qailulah. Since they had first talked about the drought the previous night, Rafiq had not uttered a word on the subject and Abdul-Basir felt a little disappointed by his friend’s silence.

  ‘Maybe he has a lot on his mind with his business,’ he conceded.

  It was after dinner in the evening, when the two friends were alone in the courtyard smoking a hookah that Rafiq finally brought up the subject.

  ‘My dear Abdul-Basir, last night I thought long and hard about what you said and I came up with an idea for you in the morning. However, I wanted to discuss it with my sons first, as I didn’t want to give you false hope. Forgive me for leaving you alone with the supervisor. I think this plan will benefit your tribe more than the journey across the country,’ he explained.

  Abdul-Basir’s curiosity was piqued and he was intrigued as to what his friend was going to propose. He himself had racked his brain in vain trying to find an alternative solution to the dreaded journey. He looked at his friend affectionately and felt guilty for doubting him.

  ‘As I understand, in the event of a drought the first to suffer will be the livestock, due to lack of water and grazing. The goats would be affected first as they cannot survive without water, while camels can subsist for longer. So I suggest that you sell all your goats and most of your camels. But the price of livestock will initially plummet, with everyone trying to get rid of their animals before they succumb to the drought. So I advise that you sell them before anyone becomes aware of the drought, while the price is still high,’ Rafiq suggested.

  ‘But how will we survive without their milk and meat,’ Abdul-Basir interrupted.

  Rafiq looked at his friend and saw the lines of worry on his face.

  ‘It must not be easy for Abdul-Basir to be the leader of a tribe with so many lives resting upon his shoulders,’ he thought to himself.

  ‘Patience, brother, wait until you hear the entire plan. So we sell the animals early – at a high price – and keep the funds aside untouched, to be used for replenishing your livestock after the drought. This means your tribe will need to work and earn in order to survive,’ he carried on.

  Abdul-Basir frowned; everyone knew that finding work was notoriously difficult, especially in a time of drought when the entire economy had collapsed. Rafiq put up his hand to stop him from interrupting again.

  ‘For the women, I propose that I provide them with small looms and train them to make smaller, less luxurious cotton carpets for the local market. The silk carpets I produce are of top quality for the export market and are made by my experienced weavers. With a month of training, the tribe’s women will be able to make these simple carpets and they will find it easy to operate the smaller looms. You could set up camp at the edge of town for the duration of the drought. My sons and I will sell the carpets for you. We will not charge you any commission for this and will not even charge you for the looms. We will only deduct the price of the yarns from the sale price,’ Rafiq elaborated.

  ‘What do you think so far?’ he then asked excitedly, forgetting that he had just asked his friend to hear the plan in full.

  Abdul-Basir was lost for words. His mind went a few days back to the time when Basim had first told him about the possible drought. Inexplicably, his immediate thought had been to seek counsel from Rafiq, whom he had not seen for years.

  ‘It must have been God himself who put the thought of Rafiq into my mind,’ he thought to himself.

  ‘Oh brother Rafiq, you are being too generous, I can’t accept this. But will this income be enough to feed the whole tribe?’ Abdul-Basir asked as he felt the excitement getting to him as well.

  ‘I think it will, but there is more. When I stated earlier that the funds from the sale of the livestock would be untouched and kept aside, I must confess that was not entirely true. Let me explain. As you know, in periods of drought crops fail and the price of basic food – as well as dairy products – goes through the roof. I suggest that we rent a number of warehouses and use the money to stock supplies of various grains, flour and labneh. Labneh is stored in jars of olive oil and will keep well without spoiling, just like the flour and grains. When the drought is in full force we can sell our stock at higher prices,’ Rafiq further explained.

  ‘The men will be in charge of this business, buying the stock in small amounts to avoid drawing attention. They will also have to guard the warehouses against looting, which generally happen in times of calamities. My sons and I will send buyers your way and my bookkeeper will help you and your brother in keeping up-to-date records. The younger boys can look after the running of the camp. It is sad to say, but you will probably end up much better off by the time the drought is over,’ Rafiq concluded.

  Abdul-Basir was left speechless by the comprehensive plan. Rafiq and his sons had obviously thought out every detail and he would not be surprised if they had already started to look for available warehouses for rent.

  ‘Brother Rafiq, this is a brilliant idea. You have set out a detailed plan. I will put it to the council of elders, but I am sure that they will happily agree to it,’ he said emotionally.

  Rafiq also became emotional at seeing the tears in Abdul-Basir’s cloudy eyes. He had felt frustrated by his inability to help his friend, ever since he learned of his eye condition. But now, at last, he felt the weight on his shoulders somehow lessened by being able to help his tribe and family instead.

  As the details of the plan sank in, Abdul-Basir felt a pang of guilt.

  ‘Rafiq, I don’t feel comfortable in making money on the back of others’ sufferings, so I would like to use some of the profit we make to set up a soup kitchen for the poor and needy. Hunger will drive many tribes to town during the drought and we need to help them,’ Abdul-Basir said.

  Rafiq’s heart swelled at the selflessness of his destitute friend who never ceased to surprise him. He was lost for words.

  ‘God has sent an angel in the form of this simple and humble man in my life to show me the right path,’ he thought.

  And the older man made a silent vow to follow the same course as his friend and do much more to help and support the poor, especially now that all his four children were married and settled.

  His mind went to one particular verse of the Holy Scripture: "And do good unto your parents, and near of kin, and unto orphans, and the needy, and the neighbour from among your own people, and the neighbour who is a stranger, and the friend by your side, and the wayfarer."

  ‘This is what life is truly about,’ he thought philosophically.

  ‘Brother Rafiq, I will take leave tomorrow and inform the elders of your plan. I will come back soon with their decision,’ Abdul-Basir said, unaware of his friend’s profound reflection.

  Rafiq, overwhelmed by emotion, made an on-the-spot decision.

  ‘No Abdul-Basir, time is of the essence. I will accompany you to your camp and together we will set up the different teams among your people for the various tasks ahead. So when the plan is approved by your elders there will be no delay and we set things in motion straight away,’ he said.

  There were no words left to say to each other, so the two friends simply embraced in silence, each one thankful for the other’s friendship.

/>   Chapter 14

  Amel and two other bright girls were selected for training at the carpet factory. Due to limited space in the women’s section, Rafiq’s sons could only accommodate three girls from the tribe.

  ‘The idea is that once you have learned the basics in the next four weeks, you will in turn train the others. Make sure you master these new skills,’ Basim told them.

  On Rafiq’s insistence the three girls stayed at his villa, while the rest of the tribe visited the nearby towns to sell their livestock, a few heads at a time so as not to affect the price. Meanwhile, a team of buyers was making purchases of the specified commodities, while another was in charge of transporting the grains and flour into storage at warehouses which Rafiq’s sons had rented earlier. Another group was discreetly standing guard over the stores, armed with clubs and swords. When the drought reached full effect, with the prices of goods reaching record highs, the number of guards would be increased to match the growing risk of looting. The operation was in full flow and every evening Basim would report to the council about the progress made.

  ‘We are paying good prices for the various commodities. As it is summer and harvest time, the prices of grains and flour are at their lowest,’ he told the council.

  The elders had been caught up in the excitement since the time Rafiq had explained his plan to them. Ever since, there had been an upbeat air around the camp. Each and every member of the tribe had been assigned a specific duty and they got on with their tasks with renewed vigour and purpose. With the men busy, it fell upon the young boys to look after the logistics and welfare of the camp as they moved from one town to another. The women were eager to get as many chores as possible out of the way, so as to be able to concentrate on the carpet business and their training in a few weeks’ time.