10 August, 1972.
My name is Jasmine; I have not much to do, so I have decided to resume story writing about the Ismail family. My mind hones in on 'Ali', and, once again, I begin to pick up impulses of him, sitting hunched over that wooden table, writing his story. Images of this man begin to materialize in my mind, and it was at then that I decided to let him resume the writing.
The following is an excerpt from 'Ali's' diary.
10 September 2006
The Ismail's were a very interesting family. I remember them 'standing' out from the others in their town. I suppose you could say they were 'independent-minded', in that they conducted business, as usual, without caring for what others thought of them. I have always felt THAT was their strong point. I mean, it has been my experience that those who care about the thoughts of others, before they undertake decisions, which will affect their lives, wind up making rather silly life choices. I have found that those who cared a damn for what their neighbours thought of them ended up being the real 'winners' in life. Most in their town had the usual arranged marriage, but, Dawfud was different, and he told me about the conditions under which he wed Mariam. He told me that he felt 'God' had joined him and Mariam together. I have heard of the phrase 'marriages are made in heaven', and didn't really think much of it, until I heard Dawfud's story. It's so interesting that it began to make me think of 'divine intervention' in peoples' lives as being a reality, however abstract, and not as a mere theoretical concept. Here is the way the account was afforded to me by Dawfud:
As fate would have it, Dawfud was a young man, who was working for his father's carpet industry, in Baluchistan, a province in Pakistan. He was a very promising, and aspiring young man. I have seen him work, and have noted that there are few men in this world who are as diligent, or as intelligent workers, as he was. Somehow, there seemed to be a special force that drove him! He reminded me of one of those people who were so motivated that they PRESSURED themselves to succeed! In any case, as with all bright men, he had shown this astuteness at a very young age, and his father had taken note of this, and had decided to transfer accounts, and responsibilities to him at a very young age. I do remember him being a much more serious minded person, someone who was very moral, and someone with a demeanour, whom people would take seriously. He had a strong work ethic, as well, which is why I knew he would make a successful businessman. Well, I have taken enough time trying to give you a synopsis of this man's personality, now time for his own account!
10 December 1972
Dear Diary:
IN the name of Allah, The Merciful, and the beneficial, I, Dawfud, am making this journal entry. Something very interesting and auspicious happened today. I had just arisen from my sleeping quarters, when my father called me to my father's office. I, quickly obliged, but when I did so, he slipped a letter in my hand. He informed me that a Miss. Mariam Moises had written it. I was shocked because it's not the custom for women to conduct serious affairs of business, that's more a man's job in this part of the world. I don't agree with such nostrums, myself, but seeing as Baluchistan is in the more tribal areas of the world, which is amazingly resistant to any kind of modernity, which my family, and I so adhere to. I surmised that this woman must come from a progressive [Muslim] family, because a traditional patriarchal family would NEVER let a young woman conduct business!
I opened the letter, and was stunned to find out that this Mariam is a Commerce graduate. She lives in the town of Zahedan, in Sistan via Baluchistan Province in neighbouring Iran! I have never been to Iran, despite the fact that my family's business has a very prominent presence all over the Middle East, and The Gulf!
It appeared, from the letter, that this woman was 20 years old, I am 24, and she was quite interested in doing business with us. Enclosed in the letter, was an order for rugs, and she had specifically requested that I come to her hometown to fulfill the requisition! I was amazed, such must be her boldness, and her independent spirit to proposition an elder man, despite her status of being an unmarried woman[1](
I told my father the message of the letter, and much to my shock, he commanded that I, personally, go by myself to meet her! "But FATHER!" I protested, "What of our family honour[2][3], and our name?" My father answered, "Ask not me, I felt, by reading the letter, that the meeting between Mariam, and you was destined by some sort of 'higher power.' I feel that she is your soul mate!" I was shocked, and had no idea what my father was hinting at. Meekly, I asked, "Dear father, what are you hinting at?" Dawfud replied, "I command you to go to Zahedan to meet her!" I remember a force [the scientific definition for this is adrenaline] rushing through my body, that invoked fear, and shock. I was, literally, electrified with both feelings, and I could feel my cheeks flushing with energy. I became quite florid in appearance, and for the time being, was, literally speaking, beside myself in shock and daze. I stuttered, "Well.well.if.you.want." I could feel an immense rush of shock coming over me, and suddenly, I could see a huge wall of swirling colours surrounding my line of vision, coming together suddenly, resembling dot-like art of the early 20th century in Western Europe. I panted for breath, and I could feel myself hyperventilating. I gasped loudly for air so that I could quell the feeling of shock that I was experiencing. I, blindly, rushed out of my father's office, and hurried down the hall, into my room.
There is an old lamp, which has been a family heirloom for generations, which is my favourite, which is why it is in my room. My father entrusted me with its care, because he trusted me as being a responsible person who would oversee responsible stewardship regarding its care. Often times, late at night, when I am mulling over the 'books' and when I am 'keeping accounts'[4], and I also like to spend many a fair night [and day] reading books, while keeping its friendly fire for my company. So, I marveled at this lamp, once again. The lamp is composed of a metal cylinder, and is has a wooden circular table around the cylinder, approximately four feet above the ground. The table has a donut hole in the center (to accommodate the cylinder), and is varnished. The table is made out of fine mahogany wood. Projecting up from the top of the table is a round cylindrical tube of glass, with an open top. There's a gas burner in the tube, and I turn the gas on in this tube when I want to light the lamp. Today, I turned the lamp on, and I read the letter. 'Ha.ha.so she wants a req of 20 yards of fine carpet?" I was quite impressed that she was writing me.
In any case, I was spent for the evening, so I went to bed.
The following are comments made by Ali
10 August, 2006 Sharjah, UAE
Dear Diary:
So far, there might not be much indication of a spiritual event, but the story gets more interesting. This is JUST the beginning. I was SO amazed by the account that Dawfud, and later his son, Youeuf afforded me, that I, literally, couldn't believe it. In any case, I think you'll find it to be quite interesting. In my next journal entry, I will describe Dawfud's accounts of traveling through the desert. For those of you who believe that 'divine intervention' is nonsense, and 'stuff of legend', don't form opinions so quickly, not until you've read the next journal entry, because, it will, literally, blow your mind!
----------------------- [1] In many Muslim, and 'Traditional' societies, it is not considered proper for a woman, who is not married, to ask an elder man (married or not) to her residence, without the approval of an elder male relative. This convention is changing, what with 'globalization', but, often times, 'old habits die hard.' [2] The concept of Family honour is very valued in Muslim, and in "Traditional" societies. And, the act of Dawfud meeting Mariam would have violated the Ismail's family honour.
[3] This is popular business lingo for basic bookkeeping, and accounting, which all responsible business people do.
My name is Jasmine; I have not much to do, so I have decided to resume story writing about the Ismail family. My mind hones in on 'Ali', and, once again, I begin to pick up impulses of him, sitting hunched over that wooden table, writing his story. Images of this man begin to materialize in my mind, and it was at then that I decided to let him resume the writing.
The following is an excerpt from 'Ali's' diary.
10 September 2006
The Ismail's were a very interesting family. I remember them 'standing' out from the others in their town. I suppose you could say they were 'independent-minded', in that they conducted business, as usual, without caring for what others thought of them. I have always felt THAT was their strong point. I mean, it has been my experience that those who care about the thoughts of others, before they undertake decisions, which will affect their lives, wind up making rather silly life choices. I have found that those who cared a damn for what their neighbours thought of them ended up being the real 'winners' in life. Most in their town had the usual arranged marriage, but, Dawfud was different, and he told me about the conditions under which he wed Mariam. He told me that he felt 'God' had joined him and Mariam together. I have heard of the phrase 'marriages are made in heaven', and didn't really think much of it, until I heard Dawfud's story. It's so interesting that it began to make me think of 'divine intervention' in peoples' lives as being a reality, however abstract, and not as a mere theoretical concept. Here is the way the account was afforded to me by Dawfud:
As fate would have it, Dawfud was a young man, who was working for his father's carpet industry, in Baluchistan, a province in Pakistan. He was a very promising, and aspiring young man. I have seen him work, and have noted that there are few men in this world who are as diligent, or as intelligent workers, as he was. Somehow, there seemed to be a special force that drove him! He reminded me of one of those people who were so motivated that they PRESSURED themselves to succeed! In any case, as with all bright men, he had shown this astuteness at a very young age, and his father had taken note of this, and had decided to transfer accounts, and responsibilities to him at a very young age. I do remember him being a much more serious minded person, someone who was very moral, and someone with a demeanour, whom people would take seriously. He had a strong work ethic, as well, which is why I knew he would make a successful businessman. Well, I have taken enough time trying to give you a synopsis of this man's personality, now time for his own account!
10 December 1972
Dear Diary:
IN the name of Allah, The Merciful, and the beneficial, I, Dawfud, am making this journal entry. Something very interesting and auspicious happened today. I had just arisen from my sleeping quarters, when my father called me to my father's office. I, quickly obliged, but when I did so, he slipped a letter in my hand. He informed me that a Miss. Mariam Moises had written it. I was shocked because it's not the custom for women to conduct serious affairs of business, that's more a man's job in this part of the world. I don't agree with such nostrums, myself, but seeing as Baluchistan is in the more tribal areas of the world, which is amazingly resistant to any kind of modernity, which my family, and I so adhere to. I surmised that this woman must come from a progressive [Muslim] family, because a traditional patriarchal family would NEVER let a young woman conduct business!
I opened the letter, and was stunned to find out that this Mariam is a Commerce graduate. She lives in the town of Zahedan, in Sistan via Baluchistan Province in neighbouring Iran! I have never been to Iran, despite the fact that my family's business has a very prominent presence all over the Middle East, and The Gulf!
It appeared, from the letter, that this woman was 20 years old, I am 24, and she was quite interested in doing business with us. Enclosed in the letter, was an order for rugs, and she had specifically requested that I come to her hometown to fulfill the requisition! I was amazed, such must be her boldness, and her independent spirit to proposition an elder man, despite her status of being an unmarried woman[1](
I told my father the message of the letter, and much to my shock, he commanded that I, personally, go by myself to meet her! "But FATHER!" I protested, "What of our family honour[2][3], and our name?" My father answered, "Ask not me, I felt, by reading the letter, that the meeting between Mariam, and you was destined by some sort of 'higher power.' I feel that she is your soul mate!" I was shocked, and had no idea what my father was hinting at. Meekly, I asked, "Dear father, what are you hinting at?" Dawfud replied, "I command you to go to Zahedan to meet her!" I remember a force [the scientific definition for this is adrenaline] rushing through my body, that invoked fear, and shock. I was, literally, electrified with both feelings, and I could feel my cheeks flushing with energy. I became quite florid in appearance, and for the time being, was, literally speaking, beside myself in shock and daze. I stuttered, "Well.well.if.you.want." I could feel an immense rush of shock coming over me, and suddenly, I could see a huge wall of swirling colours surrounding my line of vision, coming together suddenly, resembling dot-like art of the early 20th century in Western Europe. I panted for breath, and I could feel myself hyperventilating. I gasped loudly for air so that I could quell the feeling of shock that I was experiencing. I, blindly, rushed out of my father's office, and hurried down the hall, into my room.
There is an old lamp, which has been a family heirloom for generations, which is my favourite, which is why it is in my room. My father entrusted me with its care, because he trusted me as being a responsible person who would oversee responsible stewardship regarding its care. Often times, late at night, when I am mulling over the 'books' and when I am 'keeping accounts'[4], and I also like to spend many a fair night [and day] reading books, while keeping its friendly fire for my company. So, I marveled at this lamp, once again. The lamp is composed of a metal cylinder, and is has a wooden circular table around the cylinder, approximately four feet above the ground. The table has a donut hole in the center (to accommodate the cylinder), and is varnished. The table is made out of fine mahogany wood. Projecting up from the top of the table is a round cylindrical tube of glass, with an open top. There's a gas burner in the tube, and I turn the gas on in this tube when I want to light the lamp. Today, I turned the lamp on, and I read the letter. 'Ha.ha.so she wants a req of 20 yards of fine carpet?" I was quite impressed that she was writing me.
In any case, I was spent for the evening, so I went to bed.
The following are comments made by Ali
10 August, 2006 Sharjah, UAE
Dear Diary:
So far, there might not be much indication of a spiritual event, but the story gets more interesting. This is JUST the beginning. I was SO amazed by the account that Dawfud, and later his son, Youeuf afforded me, that I, literally, couldn't believe it. In any case, I think you'll find it to be quite interesting. In my next journal entry, I will describe Dawfud's accounts of traveling through the desert. For those of you who believe that 'divine intervention' is nonsense, and 'stuff of legend', don't form opinions so quickly, not until you've read the next journal entry, because, it will, literally, blow your mind!
----------------------- [1] In many Muslim, and 'Traditional' societies, it is not considered proper for a woman, who is not married, to ask an elder man (married or not) to her residence, without the approval of an elder male relative. This convention is changing, what with 'globalization', but, often times, 'old habits die hard.' [2] The concept of Family honour is very valued in Muslim, and in "Traditional" societies. And, the act of Dawfud meeting Mariam would have violated the Ismail's family honour.
[3] This is popular business lingo for basic bookkeeping, and accounting, which all responsible business people do.