Chapter 3
Raihana's sedan chair left the fortress of Banu Quraizah and entered the streets of Madinah and proceeded towards the part of the city which located its orcards and gardens. Raihana didn't wear a veil or covered garments like most women in Madinah. She preferred to share her gift of beauty and youth with an open heart. The attention of people was a source of pleasure for her. She was beautiful beyond words, in her dazzling gown and jewellaries. Her sedan chair was decorated with inlayed gold and precious stones and edged with silk valance. She sat atop it with the bearing of a princess.
Raihana was beautiful without accessories. But such adornment only added to her natural charm. When she passed the streets, passerbyes always stopped to stare. Indeed her beauty was something to behold!
"Raihana" a soft voice called out as Raihana's sedan chair was passing. It belonged to a young woman of her own age.
Raihana turned to look. Her face broke into a smile. "Zeina! Where are you going so early in the morning?"
"Oh nowhere. I had a sudden desire to venture outdoors and here I am. Just walking-about."
Raihana giggled. Her eyes gllitered with mirth. She said, "May God have mercy on you. I hope you are not possessed by a jinn!"
"If that is what you wish to imagine."
"Come with me. Climb in."
"I do so wish it, but you are bad company." winked Zeina.
"Worse company than you?" Raihana raised her brows comically."
"What do I know of mischief-making?"
"I am feeling out of sorts this morning, so I asked you to......"
Raihana signalled her bearer to stop the sedan chair. Her friend mounted into it briskly. Soon they were deep into discussion and laughter, about whatever it is that interests two beautiful young women without a care in the world.
"Where were you really going?" Raihana prodded her friend again.
"I told you. What else would you like me to say?"
"I'm wondering whether you have been put under the spell of a Muslim."
Zeina looked at her friend and smiled, “Who would put a spell on me?”
“That is my question. You are the enchanter. Who presumes to enchant you?” laughed Raihana. “And you know men. They see a pretty face and lose their head. They follow you everywhere with their tongue hanging. It’s quite usual for young men to act such. Some older men are worse. They look at you as if to devour you in a single gulp.”
“You are jesting! Can old men possibly act such?”
“Wait till you are snared by one!”
“Not on my life, you mischief-maker!”
“What mischief am I making?”
“Hmmm……”Zeina chewed her lips in unknown musings, “Have you taken notice of something Raihana?”
“What is it?”
“Our men and the Mushriks of Arabia are really depraved. They are always chasing after women. They have dishonoured many of our sex. One cannot imagine the pain of their shame! On the other hand, look at the Muslims. They respect and honour the womenfolk. They lower their gaze if a woman should happen to be in their view. You would never catch them chasing women.”
“That is true, my beloved friend. You have spoken my very own thoughts. Whenever they see a beautiful woman, the children of Israel and the Mushriks of Arabia make it a mission to defile her. But the Muslims? Put a woman in their line of vision and they would scurry away like frightened mice. Take you and me for instance. They are more likely to avoid looking at me than you.”
“You are jesting again, of course.”
“Indeed they focus on you. But since this humble soul happens to be by your side, they spare me a glance out of pity” Raihana laughed and laughed in abandon.
“If only that were true! Who bothers about me when they can gaze upon you? The truth is, men forget their work when you pass by. As for me, I am just some dust in their eye for which they must curse me countlessly. ‘Tis not only men. I have seen women vying to catch your sight and to engage your attention. Look at me here. Even I await you with the eagerness of a………”
“I see. Some one has taken a dip into wine and poetry!” said Raihana, trying to bait her friend.
“No, no. I detest wine and poetry. And those poets, they turn a hunchback into a hoor with their play on words! But truly, no verse ever written about you does justice to your true beauty. ‘Tis inexpressible through human words!”
“Very well. You may sing my praises as much as you wish.”
“Alas I do not have the rhymes of a poet! You are like a rare flower which cannot be found on this humble earth. A newly blossomed bud whose wondrous fragrance touch the very soul of man and make them mad with yearning.”
They were crossing the earthen paths towards the gardens, talking and jesting with abandon. Nature's morning glory was yet in splendour. The sun was up though its rays yet gentle. Its golden hue spead over the desert sand gave it a jewel like shimmer.
Raihana urged her chair-bearers, "We're some distance away from the city. Hurry now."
They crossed two miles. Soon, groves of date and palm trees came into view. They entered a large garden and stopped the sedan chair at a clearing. Raihana's father owned this garden. The young women climed down from the chair.
The garden also had in cultivation, rows of various fruits other than date and palm. The two care free friends wandered about the garden, collected fallen dates for a feast and ate them gleefully. Dates were the main food of the Arabs as well as the main source of their livelihood and profit.
The garden contained a deep well. Its water was deep inside the ground and could not be drawn without a camel. Water collected in such way was used for irrigation of the garden. In one corner was a large tent. It was made from deerskin. The tent was surrounded by fencing and served as a fortified shelter.
Raihana and her friend Zeina finally came to the well after having eaten their fill of dates and their share of jesting and merry-making. A camel stood by the well. Raihana recognised instantly that the camel did not belong to her father.
"Zeina, look! An unknown camel! How did it get here?"
"Perhaps it belongs to an admirer of yours," said Azeina.
"Will you stop jesting?" Raihana tried to conjure an angry expression.
"Who else would dare to enter this garden unless he is mindless with yearning for you?"
"It may be a traveller."
"Why would you head-gardener allow him entry? Why did he not prevent him from coming in?"
"That is what surprises me. If father found out......"
"Let us ask him."
They approached a middle aged Negro slave. This was the overseer of the garden and Qaab's slave. He greeted Raihana.
"Gardener, who owns this camel?" asked Rainhana."
"Last night a traveller came here. He said he would leave in the morning. But he is still asleep."
"Why did you allow him to stay?"
"Forgive me, Malika."
"What will happen to you if father found out?"
"He will surely punish me....unless, you keep it to yourself."
"Why did you not rise him early?"
"He went to rise him but he was in such deep sleep that I did not dare to disturb him."
"Very well. I will rise him." Raihana and Zeina walked ahead, with the Negro slave following behind. they approached the date thee to which the camel was tied. On the other side of the tree, a young man of stong built and handsome appearance layed sleeping on a white sheet in the shade of the date branches. Despite his humble bed, he slept upon it with the ease and majesty of a prince. Raihana keept looking. She did not blink for several long seconds. She forgot to breath. She even forgot the reason for seeking him out.
"Malika, allow me," the slave stepped forward.
"No, stop. Do not wake him." Raihana barred his way.
"What if your father arrives?"
"Let him."
Aeina also studied the young man closely. Raihana returned her gaze upon his sleeping form. An unconscious smile curled his lips as if he was enjoying a pleasant dream.
"Indeed! The slumder of youth. Nothing compares to its pleasure," said Raihana turning away at Zeina.
"Clean the tent. We will use it shortly," said Zeina to her friend's father's slave.
"Ah how handsome...how pleasant he is to look upon!" said Zeina.
"You find him pleasant?"
"I am certain that you do. Otherwise, when your slave went to rise him, why did you......"
"Please do not jest."
"Hmmmm......I think he was dreaming of you!"
"Really?"
"'Pon my soul! You are a fairy! No, correction. You are actually a hoor. If he was to awaken now and find you standing in front of him, he'll surely think he is gazing upon the beauty from his dream!"
Raihana pretended to be riled by her friend's remark and made to hit her playfully when the sleeping man turned on his side.
"Wait. He is waking," said Azeina.
Raihana smiled coyly at the young man as his eyes fluttered open. He smiled back also.
Raihana was beautiful without accessories. But such adornment only added to her natural charm. When she passed the streets, passerbyes always stopped to stare. Indeed her beauty was something to behold!
"Raihana" a soft voice called out as Raihana's sedan chair was passing. It belonged to a young woman of her own age.
Raihana turned to look. Her face broke into a smile. "Zeina! Where are you going so early in the morning?"
"Oh nowhere. I had a sudden desire to venture outdoors and here I am. Just walking-about."
Raihana giggled. Her eyes gllitered with mirth. She said, "May God have mercy on you. I hope you are not possessed by a jinn!"
"If that is what you wish to imagine."
"Come with me. Climb in."
"I do so wish it, but you are bad company." winked Zeina.
"Worse company than you?" Raihana raised her brows comically."
"What do I know of mischief-making?"
"I am feeling out of sorts this morning, so I asked you to......"
Raihana signalled her bearer to stop the sedan chair. Her friend mounted into it briskly. Soon they were deep into discussion and laughter, about whatever it is that interests two beautiful young women without a care in the world.
"Where were you really going?" Raihana prodded her friend again.
"I told you. What else would you like me to say?"
"I'm wondering whether you have been put under the spell of a Muslim."
Zeina looked at her friend and smiled, “Who would put a spell on me?”
“That is my question. You are the enchanter. Who presumes to enchant you?” laughed Raihana. “And you know men. They see a pretty face and lose their head. They follow you everywhere with their tongue hanging. It’s quite usual for young men to act such. Some older men are worse. They look at you as if to devour you in a single gulp.”
“You are jesting! Can old men possibly act such?”
“Wait till you are snared by one!”
“Not on my life, you mischief-maker!”
“What mischief am I making?”
“Hmmm……”Zeina chewed her lips in unknown musings, “Have you taken notice of something Raihana?”
“What is it?”
“Our men and the Mushriks of Arabia are really depraved. They are always chasing after women. They have dishonoured many of our sex. One cannot imagine the pain of their shame! On the other hand, look at the Muslims. They respect and honour the womenfolk. They lower their gaze if a woman should happen to be in their view. You would never catch them chasing women.”
“That is true, my beloved friend. You have spoken my very own thoughts. Whenever they see a beautiful woman, the children of Israel and the Mushriks of Arabia make it a mission to defile her. But the Muslims? Put a woman in their line of vision and they would scurry away like frightened mice. Take you and me for instance. They are more likely to avoid looking at me than you.”
“You are jesting again, of course.”
“Indeed they focus on you. But since this humble soul happens to be by your side, they spare me a glance out of pity” Raihana laughed and laughed in abandon.
“If only that were true! Who bothers about me when they can gaze upon you? The truth is, men forget their work when you pass by. As for me, I am just some dust in their eye for which they must curse me countlessly. ‘Tis not only men. I have seen women vying to catch your sight and to engage your attention. Look at me here. Even I await you with the eagerness of a………”
“I see. Some one has taken a dip into wine and poetry!” said Raihana, trying to bait her friend.
“No, no. I detest wine and poetry. And those poets, they turn a hunchback into a hoor with their play on words! But truly, no verse ever written about you does justice to your true beauty. ‘Tis inexpressible through human words!”
“Very well. You may sing my praises as much as you wish.”
“Alas I do not have the rhymes of a poet! You are like a rare flower which cannot be found on this humble earth. A newly blossomed bud whose wondrous fragrance touch the very soul of man and make them mad with yearning.”
They were crossing the earthen paths towards the gardens, talking and jesting with abandon. Nature's morning glory was yet in splendour. The sun was up though its rays yet gentle. Its golden hue spead over the desert sand gave it a jewel like shimmer.
Raihana urged her chair-bearers, "We're some distance away from the city. Hurry now."
They crossed two miles. Soon, groves of date and palm trees came into view. They entered a large garden and stopped the sedan chair at a clearing. Raihana's father owned this garden. The young women climed down from the chair.
The garden also had in cultivation, rows of various fruits other than date and palm. The two care free friends wandered about the garden, collected fallen dates for a feast and ate them gleefully. Dates were the main food of the Arabs as well as the main source of their livelihood and profit.
The garden contained a deep well. Its water was deep inside the ground and could not be drawn without a camel. Water collected in such way was used for irrigation of the garden. In one corner was a large tent. It was made from deerskin. The tent was surrounded by fencing and served as a fortified shelter.
Raihana and her friend Zeina finally came to the well after having eaten their fill of dates and their share of jesting and merry-making. A camel stood by the well. Raihana recognised instantly that the camel did not belong to her father.
"Zeina, look! An unknown camel! How did it get here?"
"Perhaps it belongs to an admirer of yours," said Azeina.
"Will you stop jesting?" Raihana tried to conjure an angry expression.
"Who else would dare to enter this garden unless he is mindless with yearning for you?"
"It may be a traveller."
"Why would you head-gardener allow him entry? Why did he not prevent him from coming in?"
"That is what surprises me. If father found out......"
"Let us ask him."
They approached a middle aged Negro slave. This was the overseer of the garden and Qaab's slave. He greeted Raihana.
"Gardener, who owns this camel?" asked Rainhana."
"Last night a traveller came here. He said he would leave in the morning. But he is still asleep."
"Why did you allow him to stay?"
"Forgive me, Malika."
"What will happen to you if father found out?"
"He will surely punish me....unless, you keep it to yourself."
"Why did you not rise him early?"
"He went to rise him but he was in such deep sleep that I did not dare to disturb him."
"Very well. I will rise him." Raihana and Zeina walked ahead, with the Negro slave following behind. they approached the date thee to which the camel was tied. On the other side of the tree, a young man of stong built and handsome appearance layed sleeping on a white sheet in the shade of the date branches. Despite his humble bed, he slept upon it with the ease and majesty of a prince. Raihana keept looking. She did not blink for several long seconds. She forgot to breath. She even forgot the reason for seeking him out.
"Malika, allow me," the slave stepped forward.
"No, stop. Do not wake him." Raihana barred his way.
"What if your father arrives?"
"Let him."
Aeina also studied the young man closely. Raihana returned her gaze upon his sleeping form. An unconscious smile curled his lips as if he was enjoying a pleasant dream.
"Indeed! The slumder of youth. Nothing compares to its pleasure," said Raihana turning away at Zeina.
"Clean the tent. We will use it shortly," said Zeina to her friend's father's slave.
"Ah how handsome...how pleasant he is to look upon!" said Zeina.
"You find him pleasant?"
"I am certain that you do. Otherwise, when your slave went to rise him, why did you......"
"Please do not jest."
"Hmmmm......I think he was dreaming of you!"
"Really?"
"'Pon my soul! You are a fairy! No, correction. You are actually a hoor. If he was to awaken now and find you standing in front of him, he'll surely think he is gazing upon the beauty from his dream!"
Raihana pretended to be riled by her friend's remark and made to hit her playfully when the sleeping man turned on his side.
"Wait. He is waking," said Azeina.
Raihana smiled coyly at the young man as his eyes fluttered open. He smiled back also.
posted by »|m|u|n|i|r|a|« at 12:03 AM
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