When we reached the first habitations of Andalusia...

When we reached the first habitations of Andalusia, I contracted a severe fever and was unable to walk or move. The Shaykh was highly distraught at my condition but said that he would have to continue the journey without me. So he gave ten dirhams to a person and left me in charge of a man there asking him to convey me to him when I recovered. He also made me promise that when I had recovered, I would come to him.

Then he set out for his native place, which was at a distance of five days’ travel by sea. After the Shaykh departed, I remained sick for three days, after which the temperature came down and my condition improved, I came out of my quarters to inspect the locality. I roamed about in the lanes of that locality and came across a caravan which had arrived from the coastal mountains of the western ocean. They traded in wool and oils.

I inquired about them and was told that they had come from an area near to that of the Berbers and that area was adjacent to the island of the Rafidi. I was sort of pleased and I became eager to visit that island. I also learnt that it was at a distance of twenty-five days’ travel, including two days of total arid wilderness. But after that habitations were present there. So I hired an ass for three dirhams from a person of that group and set out with them.

I was traveling on foot through the inhabited areas when I learnt that three days’ journey remained from the island of Rafidis. On getting this information I set out alone and somehow managed to reach there. I saw a city surrounded by walls having numerous strong edifices and this town stood on the sea shore. I entered the city through the gate called the Berber Gate and continued to roam its streets. I asked some people about the location of the Masjid.

When I reached there, I found that it was a huge building, which stood on the sea shore. I entered the Masjid and sat down in a corner to get some rest. Meanwhile the Muezzin began the Azaan and also mentioned “Hayya Alaa khairil Amal” a distinctive feature of Shia Azaan and also mentioned a prayer for hastening the reappearance of Imam Zamana (a.s.). I was emotionally moved by this. Then people arrived in the Masjid, performed ablution at a well under a tree.

I was pleased to see the manner in which they were performing the ablution; that it was in accordance with the commands of Ahle Bayt (a.s.).