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When I saw her, I fell passionately in love with her and going straight up to her, found her seated on a high couch, reciting from memory the Book of God, to whom belong might and majesty. Her voice was like the sound of the gates of Paradise, when Rizwan opens them, and the words fell from her lips like a shower of jewels; whilst her face was of surpassing beauty, bright and blossom-white, even as saith the poet of the like of her:
O thou whose speech and fashions charm with their seductive grace, Longing and wistfulness for thee increase on me apace.
Two things in thee the votaries of passion still consume, David his tones melodious and Joseph’s lovely face.
When I heard her melodious voice reciting the sublime Koran, my heart recited from her assassinating glances, “Peace, a word from a compassionate Lord;”[1] but I hesitated in my speech and could not say the salutation aright, for my mind and sight were confounded and I was become as saith the poet:
Love-longing moved me not to err in speech nor entered I The camp but that the shedding of my blood I might aby;
Nor do I hearken to a word spoken by our censurers, But unto her whom I adore in words I testify.
Then I braced myself against the stress of passion and said to her, “Peace be upon thee, O noble lady and treasured jewel! May God cause the foundations of thy fair fortune to endure and uplift the pillars of thy glory!” “And on thee from me be peace and salutation and honour, O Abdallah, O son of Fazil!” answered she.
- ↑ “Indeed, those [who are destined to be the inhabitants] of Paradise shall that day (i.e. the Judgment Day) rejoice in occupations, they and their wives, in shade, leant upon thrones: therein shall they have fruits and what they desire. ‘Peace!’ a word from a compassionate Lord.”—Koran xxxvi. 55–8.
