by Asen Djinah
‘Am I going to get a promotion and work with Kateb?’ he wondered, feeling more and more nervous.
When he reached the office, he found a large group of his colleagues waiting and his face fell. He could see the same disappointment on all of their faces.
‘Like me, everyone assumed they were going to have a private audience with Ulama Kateb,’ he thought, feeling deflated that he was not going to be promoted after all.
On the other hand, Nuffay was relieved when he had found out on arrival that there were other scholars in attendance.
‘At least Kateb is not going to punish me further for my lack of respect. The meeting must be about something else,’ he realised.
Although Nuffay knew some of the other scholars, no one could tell him the purpose of the meeting. He spotted Safwan across the room and for a brief moment a feeling of bitterness came over him.
‘I really should not resent Safwan for taking my place,’ he thought, feeling guilty, ‘It was my own fault for trying to show off by questioning Ulama Kateb’s ruling.’
When all the scholars had arrived, a guard escorted them to the Hall of Justice. A rug had been laid out in front of the podium and the group of thirty ulamas sat down. They did not have long to wait as Ulama Kateb and Grand Vizier Jaffar along with five senior scholars made their entry and walked onto the podium.
‘Salam Alaikum, dear colleagues. Grand Vizier Jaffar and I thank you for coming at such short notice. You are here because our empire is facing a great danger and our way of life is in jeopardy. Caliph Omar needs your help to protect the nation. Our very existence rests in your hands,’ Kateb began in an emotional tone.
He paused, chewing his toothless lips and waited for the gravity of the situation to sink in.
‘Before I explain the crisis facing our empire, I must ask you to keep this matter confidential as we do not want to cause undue panic among the general public. Remember your oath of allegiance and I beg you to keep this to yourself. You are the chosen few to join us in protecting our nation. Grand Vizier Jaffar will brief you about the threats and I will explain how you can help save our country,’ Kateb continued solemnly.
Everyone in the room felt moved and their sense of patriotism deepened by Kateb’s opening speech. Although intrigued by the mentioned threat, they were ready to do whatever was asked of them.
Grand Vizier Jaffar stood up and for a moment remained silent. He wanted everyone to grasp the seriousness of the situation. When he spoke, his voice was soft and grave. He explained in detail the threat from the Byzantines, the sheer size of their 70,000-strong army and the dire consequences of their impending invasion. He also told the scholars about the limited finance of the empire and spoke at length on the issues regarding the recruitment of fighters needed to bolster the empire army of only 20,000 men.
‘If we don’t find a solution to the problems facing us and get prepared for the mother of all wars, not only will our empire and way of life be erased forever, but our fathers and brothers will be put to death, and our women and children will be taken into slavery,’ he concluded on a chilling note.
There was a long silence in the room. Although the shocked scholars were not military men, with their knowledge of past history they could still imagine the carnage resulting from this forthcoming war. The spilled blood, the looting, the raping of women and the execution of entire male populations had been all too common in the past.
‘My dear colleagues, Caliph Omar, Grand Vizier Jaffar and I, we need your help. The future of our nation is in your hands. History will be written by your actions,’ Kateb said.
‘Chief Ulama, tell us what to do and we will do it,’ Nuffay shouted from the back of the room, carried away by his emotions and feeling that this could be his chance for redemption.
‘Yes, tell us. We are at your service,’ several other scholars joined in chorus.
Kateb was never in doubt that he could count on his loyal group of scholars.
‘In the days of our Holy Prophet, men and women were queueing up to fight by his side and defend him against his enemies. We want you to find out what the Prophet had said to motivate his companions so that we too can galvanise our men to enlist. We want to mobilise as many fighting men as possible to build up our army and be in a position to neutralise the Byzantines’ threat. Time is against us and we must start promptly. The whole nation is counting on you for our survival,’ he explained.
Kateb deliberately avoided mentioning that the Holy Prophet himself had expressly forbidden the collation of his sayings. He was hoping that in the face of impending war, no one among the ulamas would dare question his directive. Kateb cast a glance at Nuffay whom he had spotted at the back of the room. His fears were immediately allayed as he realised that Nuffay’s example would ensure no scholar would ever question him again.
‘We also plan to compile all of the Prophet’s sayings and incorporate them into a set of divine laws which will constitute the basis of our jurisprudence for the years and centuries to come. As the military threat is a matter of urgency, I would like you to start straight away. Over the next four weeks, working in pairs, you will be visiting four different towns. You will write down the sayings in the exact words of the narrator as reported to you, but more importantly you will also document the chain of transmission of each saying over the generations in great detail.’
‘Announcements will be made by imams at all the mosques throughout the territory so that anyone who knows any saying will come to you. At the end of each week I would like you to send us your collection by messenger. Our five senior scholars here will give you more details and assign you the area you will cover. God’s blessing be upon you,’ Kateb explained.
When Jaffar and Kateb turned to leave the room, everyone got to their feet and with their right hand they touched their heart, lips and forehead in respect. The five senior scholars who had been quiet all this time, stepped forward to hand out the assignments and answer any questions.
Like Nuffay, Safwan was excited, his adrenaline level running high. For four weeks he would be free from lecturing at the madrasah or prosecuting court cases. Instead, he would be doing something more worthwhile. Although he had been looking forward to catch up on those intimate moments with his wife now that he was free from worms, his duty towards his country was more pressing.
‘Four weeks will go by quickly. Besides I still have a couple of days before leaving,’ he thought.
As he opened the folder handed to him, he quickly glanced to see which four towns he was to visit when his eyes fell on the name of the ulama with whom he was paired. He could not believe his eyes.
For Nuffay, not only this was an opportunity for him to write history, but it could be a way back into Kateb’s favour. The thought of the terrible threat against the empire sent a shiver down his spine. He grabbed his folder bearing his name and as he opened it, he saw the name of the ulama he had been paired with. Just like Safwan, he too could not believe his eyes.
‘Oh no! I will have to spend the next four weeks in the company of Safwan,’ Nuffay thought gloomily.
Whether it was a mere coincidence or a calculated move by Ulama Kateb or one of the senior scholars, Nuffay and Safwan had been teamed together. The two rivals would have to spend the next four weeks together, visiting the assigned towns. Nuffay’s mind went back to the last time the two of them had been locked in confrontation. Safwan had been the prosecutor in the adultery case and had ruthlessly demanded that the woman be found guilty, while Nuffay had tried desperately to convince the Qadi that Amel was innocent.
‘Well, we have to put our rivalry aside and work together for the sake of the empire,’ Nuffay thought.
Chapter 2
Amel woke up with a start. For a few seconds in the darkness, she did not recognise her surroundings. Then it slowly dawned on her that she was in Asif’s house, where she had been staying for the past few weeks since that dreadful day at the water-well. As she lay in the dark she heard Hayder’s g
entle snoring next to her and felt reassured. Still, she was puzzled as to what had disturbed her sleep.
‘It was not one of those horrible dreams,’ she thought.
Lately she had been troubled by nightmares, waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat. It usually involved people chasing her or trying to hurt her, or finding herself trapped in a dark place. In one of her recurring nightmares she found herself at the bottom of a deep waterhole filled with green brackish water and bones of animals that had fallen in. Every time she attempted to claw her way up, the sandy walls would crumble down on her. Before long, she would be buried waist deep in the wet sand, unable to move.
‘Help me, please! Someone, help me!’ she screamed in sheer terror as the panic took hold of her, engulfing her completely.
She would usually be awakened by Hayder, whose soothing voice would calm her as he held her tightly in his comforting arms. Her clothes would be soaked with perspiration, almost as if she had actually been in the waterhole.
Amel was fully aware that the punishment for adultery was death by stoning, but she had been desperately trying to push this distressing thought out of her mind. Whenever the thought sneaked back to her, she would silently recite verses from the Holy Scripture or perform the special prayer that Imam Yasir had suggested. Even during the day, she sometimes felt a panic taking hold of her body, starting deep in the pit of her stomach and causing her to feel nauseous. Every time Hayder, who kept a watchful eye on her, would rush to her side and attempt to distract her from her anxiety and calm her down. On Asif’s advice, Hayder had put his business travels on hold for the time being. He took his wife daily to the souk and being unrecognisable under her niqab, Amel enjoyed these outings. Getting out of the house was a welcome relief and with her husband by her side she felt safe. Hayder tried his best to keep her busy as much as possible. Amel would spend the rest of her time making baby clothes with the materials Hayder had bought. She found the activity therapeutic and relaxing, keeping her mind free of thoughts. However, it was at night that the suppressed feelings came to the surface in the form of nightmares.
After much thought, without saying anything to his wife, Hayder had dispatched a worker to locate Amel’s tribe in the desert and fetch her younger sister Nabila.
‘I think we should send word for Nabila. It will good for Amel to have her sister around for company,’ Hayder had quietly suggested to Asif.
‘Yes, I agree. It is a very good idea. But I don’t think you should tell her family the truth. They will be worried to death,’ Asif had replied.
‘I will ask the rider to simply tell them that Amel is with child and needs the support of Nabila with the housework. It is the truth anyway. We won’t even tell Nabila when she arrives,’ Hayder had agreed.
However, that particular night Amel was intrigued as to what woke her up for it was definitely not a nightmare. She listened attentively to see whether it was Asif who had gotten up for a drink in the kitchen.
‘Or was it Hayder who has disturbed me while turning in his sleep?’ she wondered.
Then she felt it. It was like a fluttering in her stomach.
‘I must be hungry,’ she initially thought.
Yet it did not feel like the usual rumbling of her stomach. Suddenly it came to her. It was the baby moving. She felt a sense of exhilaration and relief. At long last, since the day she had been assaulted, she finally had confirmation that her baby was safe and sound.
‘I have to tell Hayder,’ she thought as she shook her husband awake.
‘Hayder, Hayder, wake up. I can feel the baby moving,’ she blurted out, excitedly.
Hayder rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his head.
‘No, it can’t be. It is only four months and it is too early for the baby to move. The midwife said so,’ he argued logically.
‘I know, but every night I have been praying for an indication that our baby is fine. And God has finally sent me a sign,’ Amel replied enthusiastically.
‘Let me see,’ Hayder said as he fumbled in the dark, slipping his hand under her garments to feel her tummy.
‘I don’t feel anything,’ he said after a while.
‘You won’t feel anything since it is just a little flutter every now and then,’ Amel explained.
When Hayder’s warm hand touched her, Amel felt a tingling in her body and a longing for her husband. She desperately wanted to feel his naked body against hers, yet she resisted the impulse to reach out and touch him. It had been over a month since the attack and Hayder had not once been intimate with her. Amel was unsure why. In all other ways he was ever so caring and attentive to her every need. He always made sure that she ate regularly and took plenty of rest during the day.
‘Maybe he no longer desires me. Or maybe since I was touched by another man, he feels that I am soiled and no longer worthy,’ she thought in despair.
When his hand felt the smooth and velvety skin of his wife’s stomach, Hayder’s pulse quickened. He wanted so much to make love to his wife and to show her how much he loved her, but he did not know how she would react.
‘With all her nightmares, she must be reliving the attack over and over again. If I make an inconsiderate move and force myself on her, it might trigger the memory of that horrible experience. She definitely needs more time,’ he thought and quickly removed his hand.
Amel felt Hayder pull his hand away hurriedly and it became too much for her. She burst into tears. She had always been a strong woman, always in control of her emotions. However the events of the past month had pushed her to her limits, especially now that she sensed her husband was repulsed by her. For the very first time since they married, Hayder heard his wife sobbing and he was overwhelmed. Taking her in his arms, Hayder was puzzled at her sudden outburst and could not understand why she was suddenly in tears after being so happy just a few minutes ago.
‘Amel my love, why are you crying? You should be happy and relieved that the baby is safe and moving,’ he consoled her.
‘Why do you feel so repulsed by me? It’s not my fault that I was attacked. I wish everything was like it was before,’ she said in between sobs.
Hayder suddenly understood that his wife needed him more than ever and realised he was a fool to have misread the situation.
‘No my darling, I was just trying to give you some time and space to forget that dreadful incident. In fact, I desperately want to make love to you,’ he explained tenderly.
Sobbing and laughing at the same time, Amel felt immensely relieved to hear those dear words. She pulled Hayder close to her and they kissed passionately. They made love with an urgency like never before.
Later, as she rested her head on Hayder’s shoulder, with her bare skin against his and feeling happy for the first time since her attack, Amel felt glad that she broke down. It had given them the opportunity to clear the misunderstanding. It dawned upon her that tonight was the second time she had shed tears since she got married. First on that dreadful night, and now today. It was unusual for her. She remembered the previous time she had cried was a very long time ago. It was when she was nine years old and her mother was dying. It was when her name was Nayila.
Chapter 3
The tribe had set up camp close to the herd and the pasturage, about an hour’s walk from the water-well. They should have left for the next site days earlier, as the grazing was getting low for the large herd. However Katija, the elderly woman who looked after expecting mothers, had advised Abdul-Basir otherwise.
‘Zeynab is due any time now and is in no condition to travel. I strongly suggest that we don’t move camp until after the birth.’
Zeynab’s husband Abdul-Basir, who was the head of the tribe, had heeded her advice and postponed the move for a few days. Although the site was only fourteen miles on the other side of the water-well, the trip would have been too much for the heavily pregnant woman.
So everyone carried on with their usual tasks, typical of the harsh life of nomads. A team of boys was
ferrying water in large goatskins from the water-well to the camp. Carried by a line of camels, the heavy and bloated water bags wobbled obscenely with the pacing gait of the animals. When they reached the herd, the boys emptied the containers into a couple of haubhs – large leather buckets suspended on a wooden frame – from which the animals drank. The water boys took a short break before exchanging the satiated camels for a new, thirsty team to make another trip to the well, but this time stopping at each tent to provide water to the households. Throughout the day, the water boys would alternate between bringing water to the animals and to the families. In the desert, water duty was never-ending and dictated the life of the nomads. As always, water in the desert tasted either of goats, due to the containers made of goatskins, or of camel urine since humans and animals often shared the same water source. Nomads can only taste pure untainted water in their dreams – for a real taste they would have to travel to the springs in the mountains.
Another group of men and boys were tending to the herd, the boys running after goats that had wandered off, while the men checked the rest of the herd. Some goats needed their feet trimmed and a couple of the men were attending to this task. Although the arid and dry conditions of the desert protected the goats from hoof rot or hoof scald, overgrown hooves would hinder the animals’ ability to move and feed on the sparse pastures, often leading to weight loss and reduced milk production. The hooves needed to be trimmed at regular intervals using sharp knives. A third team was checking the goats’ horns which could be dangerous during fights or even when just playing. Male goats were particularly violent towards other males and the horns could easily gore a fatal wound. Goat kids were usually disbudded a week or so after birth. A piece of iron heated in a fire would be applied for about ten seconds to the little buds that appeared a few days after birth. This would burn the buds and cauterise the blood vessels in them, stopping the horns from growing. Despite this, sometimes there would be partial growth and these scurs had to be filed off. The more experienced men were attending to this delicate job, as it could potentially lead to bleeding from the veins in the scurs.
