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companied with thee, whenas thou foundest none to cheer thee!” And she poured forth tears and recited the following verses:
I weep for one to whom death came, an exile and in pain: Alone he died, without a friend to whom he might complain.
Puissant and honoured and conjoined with those that loved him dear, To live alone and seeing none, unfriended, he was fain.
That which the days conceal shall yet be manifest to us: Not one of us by death, indeed, unsmitten may remain.
O absent one, the Lord of all decreed thy strangerhood, And thou left’st far behind the love that was betwixt us twain!
Though death, my son, forbid me hope to see thee in this life, To-morrow, on the Reckoning-Day, we two shall meet again.
Quoth I, “O Commander of the Faithful, was he indeed thy son?” “Yes,” answered he; “and indeed, before I succeeded to this office, he was wont to visit the learned and company with the devout; but, when I became Khalif, he grew estranged from me and withdrew himself apart. Then said I to his mother, ‘This thy son is absorbed in God the Most High, and it may be that tribulations shall befall him and he be smitten with stress of evil chance; wherefore, do thou give him this ruby, that it may be to him a resource in the hour of need.’ So she gave it him, conjuring him to take it, and he obeyed her. Then he left the things of our world to us and removed himself from us; nor did he cease to be absent from us, till he went to the presence of God (to whom belong might and majesty) with a holy and pure mind.” Then said he, “Come, show me his grave.” So we repaired to Bassora and I showed him his son’s grave. When he saw it, he wept and lamented, till he fell down in a swoon; after which he came to himself and asked pardon of God, saying, “We are God’s, and to Him we return!” and invoked blessings on the dead. Then he besought me of companionship; but I said to him, “O Commander of the Faithful, verily, in thy son’s
