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The pilgrims had returned, reverenced and honoured,

giving thanks to God for His compassion and mercy,

from the dangers and hardships of the Arabian journey,

and saved - no doubt - from hell and painful chastisement,

having walked from Arafat to Mecca and answered

the pilgrim s call with joy, having performed

all the duties of the Hajj and retuned home

hale and hearty. I decided to go and welcome them back

but I m afraid I asked too many questions

and put my foot in it. Among the caravan, one

was a particular friend of mine, a dear man.

Tell me how you made it through this dangerous

journey I said.All the time you have been away

I ve had nothing but sorrow for companionship.

Congratulations, Haji! There s no one like you

in our whole province, I m sure. Tell me

how you visited that sacred place, with what

honour and dignity you beheld it. Tell me

about the donning the pilgrim s robe, and what

your inner intentions were at that moment.

Did you prohibit to yourself everything other

than the Eternal Lord?

Well . . . . no , he admitted.

Did you answer the call out of knowledge

and with due reverence? Did you hear the summons

of the Lord, and answer back, like Moses?

Well . . . . um . . .

At Arafat, when in the presence of God, did

you welcome His Knower, and the denyer of your self?

Did the breeze of Gnosis blow upon your you?

. . . uh . . . to tell the truth I . . .

When you sacrificed the obligatory sheep

did you see yourself in proximity to Him

and think of the sheep as your carnal soul?

My what? I say . . .

When you entered the Sacred Grounds were you safe

from the evil of your lower self and from the sorrow

of separation, the chastisement of Hell?

You see, actually . . . .

When you threw stones at the Accursed One

did you fling out of yourself all bad habits

and reprehensible acts?

Umm . . . um . . .

When you prayed at the Station of Abraham

did you, in truth, faith and certitude, submit

the very core of your being to the Absolute?

The what?

At the time of circumambulation, when you

were no doubt running around fast as an ostrich,

did you remind yourself of the circling cherubim

around the Celestial Throne?

Really, Nasir, what . . .?

Did you behold in your purity of heart the Two Worlds

and become inwardly free of both Paradise and Hell?

NO, NO, NO!

Now that you have come back, is your heart

pained by separation from the Kaaba?

Did you bury your selfish ego in the tomb

. . . or are you still no better than a

decaying bag of bones?

I must admit

he answered,that in all these matters

I seem not to have known the true from the false.

Then, my friend , I said,you have not made

a pilgrimage, and have not taken up residence

in the Abode of Annihilation. You have simply

visited Mecca and come back, having purchased

the toils of the desert with your silver.

If you ever go again, bear in mind

all that I have said.