Another student now asked if it were required to apply Shari'a law to a recusant, whether it involve repentance or killing such a person.
"My brothers," I responded, "during the early conquests of Islam, recanting your conversion to Islam was a case of hypocrisy, indeed an enormous act of betrayal that threatened the very fabric of the young Islamic mission. For that reason the well-known rule in Shari'a law finds full justification. But, now that the blessed mission has grown strong, so that its pillars are firmly planted and its light has spread to many regions, there is no longer any need to worry about isolated acts of apostasy. In any case they occur most of the time in the context of Christian-imposed compulsion and in situations that involve sheer self-preservation. That is precisely what is happening in our beloved Andalus, which is being wrenched from our hands. Whatever the case may be, the moral here is to be found in God's own words in the Sura of the Darkening: `Remind them all; you are only a reminder, and have no authority over them' [Sura 88. v. 21], and in the Sura of Jonah: `If your Lord willed it so, everyone on earth together would believe. Would you compel people until they become believers?"' [Sura 10, v. 99].
At this point 'Adnan made an announcement: "Young men," he said, "that is enough for this session. You have heard a good deal of our master's pearls of wisdom and interpretations. If the general sense is clear, there is no need for repetition. Also I notice that it is time for the sunset prayers."
Everyone looked very satisfied, and I allowed them all to depart. I walked ahead of them all as we made our way with a subtle assurance toward the central mosque. It was drizzling. I could not help asking Al-Sadiq who was the friend of his who was so in love. He told me it was Khalid and then paused for a second before revealing to me that the girl he was in love with was the maid who had served them all in my own personal closet. "So then," I whispered to myself, "Abla is about to pluck the fruit of his desires and my prayers!"
"So," I asked, with `Ali's and `Adnan's ears trained straight in my direction, "when does Khalid want to marry `Abla?"
"If you asked Khalid himself," 'Ali responded immediately, "he would say tomorrow! We're desperately hoping that he'll get better soon. We're concerned about the petition to the governor of Sabta concerning your teaching and the transmittal of your letter to the king of the Christians…"
"I'll consult the girl in question;" I said. "Assuming she agrees, the engagement will be on Wednesday next immediately after the afternoon prayer, God willing."
16
WHEN I RETURNED HOME AT NIGHT, I found my wife waiting for me. I asked her how her aunt was.
"She's not at all well, 'Abduh," she told me with a heavy sigh. "I've brought her here so I can take proper care of her and be near you."
"Let's go to see her now," I said. "Has Ghazlan, I mean Hamada, returned yet?"
"He's with her now. He never leaves her bedside."
"What about `Abla?"
"She's helping serve my aunt."
"And Hafsa?"
"She's in her room. She's ill, or pretending to be."
When I went into her aunt's room, Hamada stood up to greet me, as did 'Abla. Her aunt looked very pale and weak; she was very thin, her eyes looked glazed over, and she was having trouble breathing. When she opened her eyes, it was only to utter some incomprehensible words and not recognize anyone. The young man whispered in my ear that her doctor had given up hope of making her better, and everything was now in the hands of the One who can grant life and death. With that he burst into tears, and my wife and 'Abla both joined in. I could see no point in examining a body wracked by old age and marked by premonitions of life's demise. I read some Qur'anic verses over her, then went to my bedroom without eating anything, fully intending to look into the feasibility of Khalid's being engaged to 'Abla before the aunt died. When my wife joined me late at night, I broached the subject with her, and she was clearly delighted at the idea. She confirmed my notion that, as the saying has it, "the best charity comes quickest."
Next morning Hamada and Abla brought me my breakfast. Without bothering about preliminaries I broached the subject of the engagement.
"If it weren't for the fact that your wife's aunt is so ill," said Hamada, "I would be singing, dancing, and ululating for sheer joy."
`Abla seized my hand, putting it over her heart and then kissing it and bathing it in tears of uncontrollable joy. She raised her hands up high in supplication and gratification: "Master," she said, "your prayers have been answered. You have made me so happy. Now all I ask God is to give you his blessings and bounty!"
And with that she launched into a whole series of other prayers on my behalf. Eventually I asked her when she would like to see the student who had asked for her hand before the engagement was formalized.
"You are my only representative in this matter," she said. "I leave it all in your hands."
"But should we go ahead with the marriage when Fayha" s aunt is close to death?"
"Good heavens, no!" she replied. "All I want is for the young man to be married to me and then take me away with him with no celebration or banquet."
I had not expected such a response, but I proceeded to urge her to be ready for a ceremony the day after next. She accepted with the greatest delight. I now told Hamada where Khalid from Tangier lived and sent him there with a message to the same effect, telling him at the same time not to say a word to anyone. As soon as Hamada had left, Abla frowned and looked grim. She handed me a bottle she was carrying round her neck.
"Take this," she said, "and use it to daub your bedposts. That way, you can keep the poisonous scorpions away."
"My dear girl," I chuckled, "which scorpions are you talking about?"
"If Hafsa finds out that you're the one who's arranged for me to get married," she went on, "she'll go crazy and try to use her poisonous insects to do you harm. Be very careful, master. She's a nasty witch!"
"So, poor girl, it's Hafsa who's been holding you back, is it?"
She nodded her head. With that I let her go, but not before I had calmed her fears and assured her that both she and I would soon be free of this menace.