“There is much to be learned everywhere if your mind is open.”
“For a start. The heart takes you the rest of the way.”
“You stargazers. Always escaping into the skies aren’t you?” she smiled.
“They’re the quickest way to Allah.”
“Nasir, I’ll send you to Allah if you don’t get back to work!” Jafar cried.
“We need to get back to work, too. Let’s go, Ezania,” Jabir added.
Jabir and Ezania deliberated over Omar’s suggestion. They knew that in order to get the breakthroughs they were hoping for they would have to make the journey to Damascus. They had gone as far as they could with their own research. They approached Mansur about it, and he agreed. They set off for Damascus together.
Ezania was especially excited because she had never been out of Baghdad. Travel was something completely new for her. Change was something that she embraced rather than feared. She saw it as another opportunity to open her mind.
When they arrived in Damascus, she found it very similar to Baghdad. It was full of life and people. She observed the smell of dust and the sweat of myriads of people in the bazaar. She heard the aggressive roars of the merchants and equally aggressive hagglers. Their learning institutions were just as lively, fueled by rational inquiry and inspired thought. She felt at home, as did Jabir and Mansur.
The only thing that put a cloud on their enthusiasm was the arrival of Khalid and Razi, brimming with enthusiasm and ferocious competition. Jabir, Ezania, and Mansur were not surprised because they knew they would eventually figure out that Damascus had the answers they were seeking. Even though they weren’t surprised, they were quite unhappy about it.
Then Khalid and Razi gave them more reason to be unhappy. One day, one of Jabir’s and Ezania’s experiments went totally wrong. Ezania never made a mistake on a measurement or calculation. Neither did Jabir. Once they perused everything, they realized that citric acid mysteriously made its way into one of their beakers. They suspected this mischief was the work of Khalid and Razi. After that, they never left the lab unattended.
Ezania was furious. Of course, Jabir took it in stride, and that exasperated her even more.
“Ezania, there’s no need to worry. If we get there first, it was meant to be. If they get there first, then that is what was meant to be.”
“I can accept that if everyone does their best work honestly! Not when people are bent on sabotaging the efforts of others.”
“Either way, whatever is meant to happen will happen. It is beyond our control. So, there is no need to upset ourselves.”
“We cannot drink or dance our way out of this one, Sufi,” She teased. “It’s not that easy.”
“Don’t you have any respect for me at all?”
“Of course, I do. I wouldn’t have come this far with you if I didn’t.”
“Then act like it. At least, I believe in something. Unlike you, who only believes in what she can rationalize.”
“That’s not true.”
Jabir just walked away. She thought it best that she did not follow him. She felt uneasy because she knew she went too far, especially when all he was trying to do was comfort her. It was a feeling that was new to her, considering she could care less what most thought of her. With Jabir, it was different, and it was unsettling.
That evening, they all had dinner together. No one said anything for a few minutes. Mansur knew that something happened, but he would not intervene.
Then, Ezania spoke, “I’m sorry, Jabir.”
Mansur almost choked on his food.
Jabir smiled and said, “It’s over. Speak no more of it.”
Ezania returned his smile. Mansur sat and stared at Ezania for a moment. Then, he also smiled and quietly went back to his dinner. Ezania did not notice. She was too busy staring at Jabir.
On a rainy and uninspiring day Ezania, Mansur, and Jabir decided to spend the afternoon at the inn where they were staying. Ezania left the room to have lunch with one of the other guests, the “niece” of one of the caravan merchants. Ezania found her intriguing because she was as scholarly as she was worldly. She found she could engage her on many subjects, only the scholarly ones of course.
While she was gone, Mansur took the opportunity to discuss something that had weighed on his mind with Jabir.
“You’re fond of Ezania aren’t you?” he started.
“What?” Jabir responded, almost missing the chair he was about to sit in.
“It’s alright, boy,” he smiled.
“Why, yes. It’s hard not to be.’
“I’m going to keep this simple. I want to know Ezania is taken care of should anything ever happen to me. Marry her, if something ever happens to me. Besides me, you’re the only other person who understands her.”
“I will.”
Mansur nodded his head and left the room. Unfortunately for Jabir, Ezania returned, apparently overhearing everything.
“What right do the two of you have to plan my future? Without me, no less! Neither one of you owns me!’
Before he had a chance to respond, Ezania stormed out of the room right to the door of the Siddiquis, who had just arrived in Damascus. Expecting sympathetic ears, she was taken aback when she got lashing tongues.
“What exactly is wrong with you, woman?” Omar began.
“The man loves and cares for you enough to agree to marry you, and you’re angry about that?” Jafar added.
“What is the problem, Ezania? Your father asked Jabir to take care of you should anything happen to him, and he agreed. You love them both. I really don’t know what you’re in an uproar about,” Nasir chimed in.
“You’re all missing the point! I won’t be told what to do or who I should marry,” Ezania answered, now flustered.
“No, it’s you who’s missing the point!” Omar countered. “No one’s telling you what to do. Two men who love you want to make sure you’re taken care of, and you’re angry. I ask, again: What exactly is wrong with you?”
“I’m quite fond of you, but really Ezania, only that saint Jabir would put up with you.” Nasir said.
“You three are wonderful friends,” she pouted.
“Because we are wonderful friends, we’re telling you the truth,” Nasir responded.
“Are you feeling better, now? We want to go drinking, and you’re wasting our valuable drinking time!” Jafar announced.
“Please, don’t let me stop the Siddiqui brothers from their revelry. I’ll stay here for a bit.”
“Yes, you stay here and look inside your own heart. The greatest truths will come from there, even greater than ours,” Omar smiled.
As she sat there pondering everything that was said, the truth that she could no longer avoid came to light. She loved Jabir and would want to marry him. She was afraid of the vulnerability that had already been awoken in her by her affection for him. Then, she cast her fear aside and thought of Jabir. If her heart was safe with anyone, it would be with him. She had no doubt about that.
When she returned to Jabir, he was sitting in a chair, apparently in deep thought. He looked up when she entered the room.
“Are you done?” he asked.
“No, I have a question for you.”
“And what would that be?” he asked, sarcastically.
“Does my father have to be dead for you to marry me?”
Jabir’s jaw dropped. He could not bring himself to believe what he was hearing. He recovered quickly though.
“No,” he answered quietly, taking her hand.
“Forgive my quick temper,” she said.
“I’ll always forgive you anything,” he answered.
Although the chemistry of love was beginning to emerge and an engagement was quietly arranged, work was the foundation of their union. That would continue to be. Of course,
Khalid and Razi didn’t make that work easier. Lucky for Ezania and Jabir, Nasir Siddiqui was setting up his evening experiment.
At sunset, Jab
ir and Ezania had left the lab unexpectedly after an explosion occurred. They went out to see what was happening and Nasir wondered what was happening, too and watched the unfolding with excitement and anticipation. At that moment, Khalid came out of the shadows toward their lab. Unbeknown to him, Nasir Siddiqui was watching the whole time and knew who the culprit was. Quickly, he unscrewed part of the telescope he was carrying and flung it at Khalid, striking him in the back of the head. When he saw that he hit his mark, he cried out, “Stand on your own work, you scoundrel!”
Right then, Ezania and Jabir appeared.
“I’m so glad you’re on our side!” Jabir roared.
After Khalid’s encounter with Nasir, he and Razi decided to steer clear of Ezania and Jabir’s lab and concentrate on their own work. Ezania and Jabir were glad to not have to worry about someone stealing or sabotaging their work. They all worked feverishly and produced results they could be proud of.
Ezania and Jabir got to a place where they felt they could return to Baghdad and combine what they had done there. They were so sure they could develop a drug that could treat tuberculosis. Eventually, they hoped they could develop a cure.
The Siddiquis left Damascus with Jabir, Ezania, and Mansur. Khalid and Razi were not far behind. The race was still on and, everyone was enjoying it, even Jabir, who was not one to thrive on competition. He was excited that it was all good for science.
However, Allah had different plans for all of them. When they returned to Baghdad, they found the House of Wisdom in flames. The Mongols destroyed all that was beautiful and glorious in Baghdad. The rivers flowed black with ink from all the books that were flung into the rivers.
No one could speak. Everyone was in shock and awe over the senseless destruction. All their work and their striving suddenly meant nothing. They had to start all over.
The Siddiqui brothers wept in each other’s arms. Mansur, Jabir, and Ezania could only stare, mouths hanging open.
Finally, Ezania said, “There can be no civilized society where there’s no education. These barbarians are proof of that. How many discoveries and revelations have they snuffed out? It’s not just a loss for Persia. It’s a loss for the world.”
A Soul’s Journey – Shaherazade’s Son
When Gulnare the Fairy was fed up with human beings, she came across Junaid. While she was lost in deep thought pondering their uselessness, pettiness, and downright immorality, she stumbled on a human being who seemed to have a heart beating somewhere in his chest.
Walking through the bazaar, she saw a merchant refusing to accept payment for a beautiful blanket. This intrigued her because most merchants she had seen were amongst the greediest people in the world. She stopped her musings for a moment to watch this most amusing scene.
“No, Hassan. It’s my gift to you.”
“Junaid, please, this is your business. You insult me.”
“You insult me by not accepting my gift. We’re friends, are we not? In the name of friendship, please take it.”
“You’re a rascal. I can’t refuse you anything.”
“My wife tells me the same thing.”
They both laughed, and Gulnare could not help laughing with them. At that moment, she wanted to learn more about this man who seemed determined to show another man kindness. She was intrigued because it was quite obvious that kindness was an ideal that this man lived and breathed in.
“You do realize that you missed something?” she asked.
“What was that?” he responded, fully aware of her meaning.
“Usually, a person chooses something and pays for it. It’s usually not given away. Bad for business, isn’t?”
“Bad for business, maybe but good for the soul definitely. In any case, I made enough money for today. I don’t need the money of a man who has a sick wife to take care of and poor besides.”
“You do realize that I could count on one hand the number of merchants in the world who would have done what you just did? And I would have fingers to spare?”
“I like to think that I am not your average merchant. I like to think that I am not your average anything,” he responded with his dazzling smile.
Gulnare smiled back. As she did this, she wondered if this charming devil in front of her was aware that his smile could rule the world. In the same moment, she realized that he probably did. Judging from his behavior towards his friend, she suspected that Junaid was the kind of man who only used his charms for good, but at the same time, her lack of faith in human beings did not allow her to fully accept this assessment. She was determined to learn more about him.
She returned to the bazaar the next day. She watched him yet again. She saw that every transaction he made was honest. He did not try to rob his customers, yet he made sure he did not incur losses. By the third day, Junaid was quite at a loss because he was not certain as to why this woman continued to watch his dealings. He also realized that if he was aware of her constant scrutiny, then the gossip mongers were too. Then, it would not be long before his wife became aware of her. Normally, his wife was a quiet, unassuming woman, but she could be like a tornado where he was concerned. He did not want to be in the path of her ravings.
He had enough to occupy his mind.
At the close of business, he asked Gulnare what she wanted from him. There was something not quite right about her, but he did not sense any malicious intent from her.
“Madam, I am sure you mean no harm, but you know how people can be with their idle chatter. Who exactly are you, and what do you want of me?”
“Trust me. I understand the vices of human beings. But before I answer, ask me for something. Anything.”
“A jug of wine.”
At that moment, a jug of wine landed in Junaid’s hand. He took a big gulp of it right away. He thought for a moment, and then asked, “Madam Fairy, what will you have of me?”
“Your story. Human beings have been quite a disappointment to me, you see. I have become used to their avarice, their jealousy, and their unreasonable desire for power. I have yet to see any of these qualities in you. I would be quite interested to know why.”
“Madam, you might still see these qualities in me. If by the end of the month, you are still interested in my story, you may have it.”
“I think by the end of a year that I would still be interested in your story, but I accept.”
What she observed of Junaid only intensified her interest. He was quite charming, yet genuine. He had a penchant for exaggeration, but he was easily forgiven for it because it was all for fun, never for subterfuge. He was immensely kind, yet immensely brutal. If a person
crossed him in any way, they would be put in their place as fast as a cobra strikes its prey. Yet even with this paradox, he was adored by all who knew him. He was now adored by Gulnare, but only the way all devotees adore the objects of their worship.
So at the end of a month, she asked him again. This time he complied.
“I received the first obstacle in my life when my mother died, he began. “I was five, and that is far too young to learn the unfairness of life. We were five siblings, and as our father was a travelling merchant, we were sent to live with his brother, who was living a more settled life. We essentially looked after each other as we were constantly reminded that we owed a debt of gratitude, so we tried to stay out of the way as much as possible.
“My sister was married off as soon as she came of age. I have always felt that I didn’t spend enough time getting to know her. But what I did know, I loved. She was the closest I ever came to having a mother.
“Although there was always an air of indebtedness, I found a connection with my cousin, Ali, right away. From the time I was five years old until now, he’s been more of an older brother to me than my real brother. Ali and I have had many adventures together, some of which I may actually tell you.” He beamed his disarming smile.
“My uncle loved me, but I think he was uncomfortable with how much he admired me because I wasn’t his own
son. It was almost as if his love had to stop at a certain point. Otherwise, he would be showing me more love than his own children, at least in his own mind. But I learned to accept love when it is given, even if it is not quite the way I would want or do myself.
“As time went on, I eventually decided to work for my uncle. The work involved much travel and I found it wasn’t for me, that I preferred a more settled life, like my uncle’s. One day as I was walking, I stumbled and hurt my head. I am not sure how long I lay there, but when I awoke I met the first fairy in my life.”
At this, Gulnare shot him a quizzical look. She was almost a bit jealous as she had come to think of Junaid as hers.
“I’m sorry, Madam Fairy,” he smiled, “But my wife, Laila, was my fairy long before you. Not to worry, though. There’s room for you both.”
“I feel so privileged,” Gulnare retorted.
“She took care of me whilst I was recuperating. No human being has made me feel more loved than she. I am almost covetous of her. I simply think of her as mine. Twenty years of marriage and six children haven’t changed that.
“When we had been married fifteen years, trouble ensued in the kingdom where I was born. You’re puzzled? Yes, this is now my home, but I was born in the kingdom of Basra. At the time of my birth, the king was a fair and tolerant man. His son was something different altogether. He was always a power hungry, arrogant sort. He wasn’t a man interested in fair governance. He was only interested in what his legion of sychophants had to say.
“When the lines were drawn, I found myself on the wrong side. My family did not have roots in Basra. So the new king decided that the kingdom of Basra should only be for people who had their ancestral roots in Basra. Never mind those of us whose families had helped to build Basra.
We had no place in a land we had helped to build. We had thirty days to leave or die. I took my family and whatever possessions that were not taken from me and came here to Sanaa.
“It was a difficult time. We only took what we could literally carry on our backs. I had built a reputation in Basra. Here, I had to start all over again, and I knew no one. I took my family to the first inn I could find and set off to make inquiries in the marketplace. I didn’t have enough money to set up another shop so I had to find work as a shopkeeper’s assistant. I went from owning several shops to a shopkeeper’s assistant and with a large family to support. But one must do what one must.
Shaherazade's Daughters Page 17