So two hours passed in this demonstration of jubilations when Arkia addressed the monk. Arkia: What should we do?Monk: To seek our Lord we should goto the place indicated to Mirano. (To Isabella:) Look, O girl, truly it is due toyou that the Holy Ghost has descended on us today. Surely just on meeting the Lord you will become a saint and kings will seek blessing at your feet.Mirano: Is it necessary for us to go to that old Church indicated by the Holy Ghost ?Monk: Simple girl, have you still any hesitation when the Holy Ghost has ordered that we should reach there before morning.Mirano: Well, then, lock up Isabella in the underground chamber and prepare to start.Monk: Why ! Should we leave the veryperson behind for whom the Holy Ghost has descended here and given us the honour of seeing the Lord? Look, Isabella has received a special grace of God, just as Holy Peter, despite being the bitterest enemy of the Lord, was the recipient of a special grace. So get up, take Isabella with you and go to the Church.Hanana: If Isabella slips away on theway? Monk (laughing) : Strange! Hasthe Lord called us to his presence for nothing? As if he is not aware of even this that the person whom he has called will slip away.Arkia: I think we should not delay now for the Holy Ghost has directed that we should reach there soon. (Looking at the sky:) See I am already seeing the Holy Ghost. O Lord ! glory to thy Name ! (All join in a loud cry): OLord! glory to thy Name!Monk: Well, I am asking the donkeys of the monastery to be brought and you prepare in the meantime. The donkeys are very fast runners and will take you to the Church in half an hour.The monk then called some servants and ordered them to bring the donkeys. The order was promptly carried out, but he kept his departure a secret. The monk was very happy that Isabella, immediately on reaching there, on seeing the Lord would lift up the Cross of Christ and the holy father (Isabella’s father) would be struck with wonder on seeing this miracle. Now, they were all ready to start and Isabella, Hanana, Mertha, Mirano, Arkia and the monk mounted on fast running donkeys and, at the instruction of Mirano, Isabella was kept in the middle as a precaution. In a quarter of an hour’s time they reached the Church of Saint Peter. In this Church the bones of the martyrs, renowned in Christianity, were preserved and Christian women from distant placescame on pilgrimage to receive blessings.There was yet a long time for the dawn to appear and the awesome atmosphere of the Church filled the hearts of all with awe. Immediately on entering the Church Arkia and the monk prostrated before a large skeleton and began to cry aloud as they hoped that before the morning they will see the Lord and the Holy Ghost will embrace them.While there was weeping in the dead of the night on the one side, Isabella and her three friends were devising their own plans. Suddenly all the four fell upon the monk who was prostrating and weeping before a skeleton and two of them caught his hands and the other two his feet and taking out a rope and rags concealedin their pockets tightly bound the monk’s feet and thrust rags in his mouth. On this sudden and unexpected attack the poor fellow could not even cry for help. Arkia wasprostrating before another skeleton, hoping to see the Lord. After securingsafely the monk they went to Arkia and whispered in here ear: Come, holy sister! we will show you the Lord.Arkia, full of zeal, at once rose and when she approached the helpless monk, she cried in anguish: What is this?Isabella: This is your Lord to see whom you came here.Then the girls warned Arkia of her future and preached Islam to her andsaid that if she wanted to see the soulof truth and the perfect man she should recite, La ilaha ill Allah Muhammad Rasulullah [There is none worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is His Apostle]; otherwise she would never be able to see her imaginary Lord till the Dooms Day. So saying the four girls mounted on the fast running donkeysand quickly left the Church.After their departure Arkia stood transfixed as if she had lost her wit and senses. At last in the dim light of candles, the monk beckoned to her of his plight and Arkia first took out the rags from his mouth and released his hands and feet.Hearing his outcries other pilgrims also came up, but Isabella and her friends were nowhere to be seen.Isabella with her three friends (Mertha, Hanana and Mirano) coming out of the Church of Saint Peter mounted their fast running donkeys and driving them with all speed soon reached Umar Lahmi’s house and informed him and other Muslim divines of all that had happened. Ziad b. Umar was also intimated of these interesting details.All the Muslims were astonished on the wisdom and tact of Mirano and congratulated the four guests on their release from Christian oppression.The four girls came to the meeting of Ziad b. Umar which assembled after early night prayer at which other eminent divines, philosophers, medical practitioners, interpreters of the Holy Quran, traditionists, and historians were present. As nearly allMuslims were aware of the affairs of Isabella and every second or third day Umar Lahmi was informed of theday-to-day happenings, all with great joy were anxious to hear their stories.
No comments:
Post a Comment