He came across some rocks in the shade of a hill and among...

He came across some rocks in the shade of a hill and among them some rainwater had gathered, but he said to himself that he would never drink until his friend, the Prophet of Allah, had drunk. He filled his water-skin, slung it also on his back, and hastened off in the direction of the Muslims. In the distance they espied a figure. "O Messenger of Allah! We have seen a distant figure coming towards us! " He said that it had to be Abu Dharr.

He came nearer -yes, it was Abu Dharr, but exhaustion and thirst took his feet away from under him. He was afraid he would collapse. The Prophet said to give him some water quickly, but he said with a feeble voice that he had water with him. The Prophet said: "You have water, but you are near to dying from thirst!” "Yes, O Messenger of Allah! When I tasted the water I refused to drink any before my friend, the Messenger of Allah.

“[^1] In all truth, in which of the world's religions can we find such a state of captivation, such restlessness and such unselfishness? * * * Another of these enamoured and selfless people was Bilal al-Habashi. The Quraysh were subjecting him to insupportable torture in Mecca, and they were tormenting him under the burning sun by laying him on scorching stones.

They wanted from him that he say the names of the idols and declare his belief in them, and that he renounce, and say he would have nothing to do with, Muhammad. In the sixth part of the Mathnawi, Rumi has related the agonising story of Bilal, and he has justly made a masterpiece out of it.

He says: Abu Bakr counseled him to hide his belief, but he did not have the fortitude for dissimulation for "love was ever rebellious and deadly." Bilal was devoting his body to the thorns: His master was flogging him by way of correction, (Saying:) "Why dost thou celebrate Ahmad? Wicked slave, thou disbelievest in my religion!

" He was beating him in the sun with thorns (While) he cried vauntingly "One!" Till when Siddiq (Abu Bakr) was passing in that neighbourhood, Those cries of "One!" reached his ears. Afterwards he saw him in private and admonished him: `Keep thy belief hidden from the Jews. He (God) knows (all) secrets: conceal thy desire.

" He (Bilal) said: "I repent before thee, O prince.” There was much repenting of this sort, (Till) at last he became quit of repenting, And proclaimed and yielded up his body to tribulation, Crying: "O Muhammad! O enemy of vows and re-pentance! O thou with whom my body and all my veins are filled!