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54 THE TAltJUMAX AL-A.SHWAQ (ill)

G. And address to the red tents on the side of tlie guarded
pasture the salutation of one who longs for you and
is distraught.
7. And if they return thy greeting, once more let the East
wind bring thy salaam to tliem ; and if they are
silent, journey on with thy camels and advance
S. To the river of Jesus, where their riding-camels halted and
where the white tents lie beside the river-mouth,
9. And call Da‘d and ar-Tlabtib and Zaynab and Hind apd
Salma and Lubna, andMi.sten,
10. And ask them whether at al-Halba is Site, the limber
one who shows thee the radiance of the sun when
she smiles.

C o m m e n t a r y
1. ‘ O my two friends,’ i.e. his reason and his faith.
‘ Al-Kathlb,’ the place of contemplation.
‘ La‘la‘,’ the place of bewilderment and amazement, that
he may no more be conscious of love and longing.
‘ The waters of Yalamlam,’ i.e. the fountain of life, since
water is the source of every living thing.
'2. ‘ Thou knowest ’ : he addresses Faith, not Kca.son, for
knowledge of the Es.sence and of its attributes is gained
solely by means of Faith.
‘ And those to whom belong,’ etc., i.e. the Divine attributes.
‘ My fasting ’ : he means the quality of being independent
of food aXaH), as God .said, ‘ Fasting belongs to
yet a man has some part in fasting, .since it entails abstinence
Me,’ i.e. that quality cannot truly be predicated of a man ;

from food and nourishment.
‘ My pilgrimage,’ i.e. a repeated turning towards this pure
Essence for the sake of gaining a ble.ssing at every moment
from the Divine Names. This pilgrimage and visitation
is inces.sant, though a man is momently going from
one Name to another.
‘ My festival,’ referring to the concentration of the
mind when all mystical stations and Divine verities are