THE ENCOUNTER

R.B.R. BARRETO

Sometimes, the best prayer to Allah is a common action to help others...

Kadir was already leagues away from his tribe. A night had passed and now, once again, the day was slipping away quickly. He had reached a flat site with some dunes newly formed by the wind. It was not a comfortable place but, he had already decided to spend the night there. Suddenly he noticed something white floating at a distance of three meters. What could it be? He considered the possibility that one of his animals had gotten loose and moved away. But he looked around and everyone was there, marching in line, guided by the rope that tied them. He strained his vision there was, but at that distance he could make out nothing but a lighter mass standing out on the plain. Then, he approached carefully, to avoid unpleasant surprises. His heart was beating faster, pumped by fear. What could he find ahead? However he was brave enough to restrain himself until his eyes distinguished the two shapes that were fallen in the sand - the figure of a man and his horse. The white cloth he had seen fluttering was the clothing of the unfortunate traveler who had been overcome by wind and fatigue. Not the poor man or his animal didn't pose any danger. The wanderer was half buried in the sand and covered by his own clothes, with which he had probably tried to protect his face. Kadir slowly bent over him and lifted him carefully. The unfortunate man let out a weak sigh, indicating that he was alive. When he removed the folds of the Albornoz that covered him, he realized that he was a very young man, almost a boy.

– By Allah! – He thought out loud – What is this poor guy doing in this lost corner of the desert?

The horse also showed signs of life, although it was very weak. He seemed to have succumbed to thirst and fatigue. Kadir looked over the young man's belongings. The canteens were empty, and in the bag where he should have stored the food, there were only some remains of dried bread, aged cheese and some herbs.

– How crazy is it to face the desert like that? Without large provisions, without a tent, without anything?? – He thought in amazement

Then he shook his head and smiled wryly. He had almost forgotten that he himself, in his euphoria about leaving, had also forgotten many details of survival. If it weren't for your grandfather's care, perhaps he himself would be in these same conditions.

Kadir decided to spend the night right there. He erected his tent as quickly as he could and went to help the wanderer. He knelt down next to the young man and moistened his lips, little by little, with one of the corners of his own cloak. Only when he moved more vigorously did he allow him to drink water in small sips. He carefully wiped the dust from his face, looking for any injuries, and then dragged him into the tent, which could only fit one person. He, Kadir, would sleep on the sands tonight.

He also helped the animal, which soon showed that it was much stronger than it seemed. If he had been more attentive to his tribe's belongings, he would have recognized old Taiff, but to him, all horses were the same.

The night progressed and Kadir noticed that the young man breathing had normalized, indicating that a restful sleep was replacing the faintness. He sighed with relief, the desert hadn't done that much damage. Only after finding out that both patients were calm did he finally fall asleep.

In the morning he woke up with a start from movement in the tent. The memory of the day before made him get up immediately. The young pilgrim was babbling in a strange language and trying to get up, still looking dizzy. Finally he managed to raise himself a little and push aside the edge of the camel skin that covered the tent with one hand. He muttered a few more incomprehensible words and looked inquisitively outside. With the other hand he tried to balance himself and stay upright. Kadir, who was watching everything, approached. He was used to saying his prayers as soon as he woke up before anything else, but this time, he was forced by circumstance to attend to the strange guest first.

The pilgrim upon seeing him approaching, looked at him with a frightened look and retreated into the tent. Trying to reassure him, Kadir said:

_ Are you better! Praise be to Allah! - He said

The young man wasn't look at him, and he kept his head down hidden between the clothes.

"Poor guy – thought Kadir – must have faced bad times".

Then he continued:

– You don't need to be afraid anymore. I'm here to help you. Can you understand me?

After some time, still in a withdrawn attitude, the young man replied in a trembling and hoarse voice:

– Yes, my Lord, I can understand you... I am fine... and I thank you...

– Salam Aleikum!! – greeted Kadir

The young man made a brief bow in response while examining the surroundings of the tent. Then he continued:

— But my,... my horse? – he stammered.

Kadir smiled, pointing to the bay that was competing for the meager food with his other mounts:

– Your animal looks a little better than you, my friend! He is standing and trying to eat.

Upon realizing that the young man was making a huge effort

to stand, Kadir calmed him with a gesture:

– Don't try so hard now! Rest a little longer as you need to gather more strength. I'm going to say my morning prayers and then come prepare something for us to eat. If you want to say your prayers, say them right there. You are still very weak, Allah is understanding.

As soon as Kadir walked away, young Aisha could sigh a little more relieved at not having been recognized. She left, she fell to the ground and remained cowering, watching the prince from a distance. The little wanderer tried to hide in the shadows of the tent. The food and the night's sleep did her good, but she was still weak. On the one hand, her heart was glad that her plan had worked out so well. However, she knew that now she would need to be extra careful not to betray yourself. She couldn't let anything slip that would make the young prince suspect his true identity. The proximity of the young man, for whom she ventured into the desert, compensated for the tiredness and agony of the previous two days, when she imagined that was going to die and that all her efforts were useless. She was at the limit of her strength when the young sheik found her. Looking now at him, filled with fervor, according to his faith, the young gypsy's soul was infected and she would also like to pray if she only knew how. She carefully observed the ritual employed by Kadir, trying to memorize his movements. She was not Muslim and had no other religion. Raised in servitude, with no moral training other than that imposed by her masters, Aisha's ethics were founded on self-preservation and the almost irrational feeling she felt for Kadir. She couldn't assess whether it was love or not, as she had no other reference. She felt a very strong connection that forced her to follow him, like a call from destiny. In the name of this strange feeling, she had transformed herself into a beardless young male Bedouin from the desert, willing to practice the Islamic faith, study the Koran and make a pilgrimage to the end of the world.

Transformed into the young man desert wanderer, what she needed now was to remain calm and firm in her intentions to develop a convincing plan that explained why she was there. Soon the little sheikh would end his religious practice and come to seek explanations that would allow him to continue the journey at his side.