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The subject of this Assembly has so aptly and succinctly been stated by Mr. Chenery in the summary of the 24 Assemblies not translated by him, that any attempt to improve on him would be presumption. We therefore reproduce here the passage referring to it from his Introduction, p. 76 of Vol. I. The Thirty-first Assembly, he says, is a composition of exquisite beauty. Ḥârith makes the pilgrimage to Mecca, and there finds Abû Zayd, who addresses the worshippers first in the usual rhymed prose, and then in verse, on the duties of true religion. The Ḥajj, he tells them, does not consist in hastening on camels to the holy city, or wearying the body, or parting from home and children, but in adding to these performances abstinence from sin, purity of intention, and the practice of virtue; for “washing in fonts cleanses not from im­mersion in sins, the baring of the body compensates not for the laying up of guilt, nor will the donning of the pilgrim’s garb avail him who clothes himself with the forbidden.” The verses which follow are inspired by the loftiest morality. When he has con­cluded, Ḥârith approaches him, but Abû Zayd declares that he has a vow not to associate with anyone during his pilgrimage, nor to make gain, nor to recite his pedigree, nor to ask alms. As the pilgrims pass by on their journey he again addresses them in edifying verse.

Al Ḥârith, son of Hammâm, related: In the prime of my youth and the freshness of vigorous life, I hated making my den in the thickets [towns], and loved slipping out of the scabbard, from my ken, that travel fills the provision bags and produces gain, while cleaving to one’s country hamstrings [houghs] the intellect and lowers the Stay-at-home. So I shook the [divining-] arrows of seeking advice and rubbed the fire-sticks of choosing the best, whereupon I made up my mind firmer than rocks, and started towards the shores of Shâm [Syria] for the purpose of trading. Now when I had tented at Ramlah, and thrown down the staff of travel, I found there montures being made ready for night-faring, and saddles being strapped for [travelling to] the mother of Cities [Mecca]. Then the gale of longing blew strongly within me, and a craving for the holy house seized on me passionately, so that I haltered my camel, and flung from me my engagements and ties,

And said to him who blamed me, “Cut it short, for fain choose I the ‘stand’ [maqâm, the standing-place of Abraham] before the stay,

And spend, what I have gathered, on the gathering-ground [Muzdalifeh], forgetting for the sacred stone the metal cursed.”

Then I strung myself together with a travelling-company like the stars of heaven, who in their faring sped with the torrent’s rush, and coursed in quest of their good with the course of the race-horse. So, between night - journeying and journeying by day, between trotting and ambling, we abated not, until the legs of our beasts had done us rare service, in bringing us to Juḥfah [the station where the pilgrims from Syria assembled, before setting out for the general meeting-place, Muzdalifeh, next to Mecca]. Then we alighted therein, making ready for donning the pilgrim’s cloak, and wishing each other joy in having attained to our desire. But no sooner had we made kneel our beasts in the place, and laid down the saddle-bags, when there came in sight of us from amongst the mountains a person, exposed [bare] of skin, and who cried out: “O ye people of this concourse, hither with you to that which rescues on the day of the mutual call [tanâdî].” Then the pilgrims hastened towards him, and gathered and surrounded him and waxed silent, and when he saw their propping up to him, and their eagerness to feed on his discourse, he ascended one of the mounds, then he hawked, opening up his speech, and said: “O ye company of pilgrims, flocking together from the mountain-paths, do you comprehend what you are about to face and whom you go to meet? Or do you know whom you approach, and what you are under­taking boldly? Do you imagine that Hajj is (means) the choosing of saddle-beasts and the traversing of stations, the taking seat in litters, and the loading of beasts of burden? Or do you opine that piety is the tucking up of sleeves, and the emaciating of bodies, the separation from children and the getting far from your native places? Ay no, by Allah, but it is the shunning of transgressions before preparing the beast, the sincerity of purpose in making for yonder building, and the purity of submissiveness along with the fervour of devotion, the mending of dealings, before working the doughty camels. By Him who prescribed the rites for the devout, and guides astraight the wanderer in the raven-black night, the washing with bucketfuls cleanseth not from being immersed in [the mire of] sin, and the stripping of bodies counterbalances not for being loaden with crime, nor makes the donning of the pilgrim’s cloak amends for being wrapped up in the forbidden. The being plaided with the Izâr profits not, when one is burdened with iniquities, nor avails the seeking of approach [to God] by getting one’s head shaved when one busies himself in shaving mankind. Obsequiousness in clipping the hair (after completion of the pilgrimage) rubs not off the dirt of persistency in shortcomings. None prospers [by visiting mount] ‘Arafât, but he who is endowed with wisdom, nor is any blessed [hallowed] by Al Khayf, who is addicted to injustice. None witnesses the standing place [of Abraham], but he who stands upright, and he rejoices not in the acceptance of his pilgrimage who swerves from the right path. So have Allah mercy upon the man who is sincere [pure], before his running to [mount] Ṣafâ, and treads the road of the divine pleasure, before his repairing to the tanks [of the well Zamzam]; who puts off his dissimulation before doffing his garments, and excels in his beneficence, before his rushing down from ‘Arafât.” Then he raised his shrill note with a voice to make hear the deaf, and wellnigh shaking the mountain-peaks, and indited:

“The Ḥajj is not thy travelling by day and night, and thy selecting camels and camel-litters,

The Ḥajj is that thou repair to the holy house for the sake of Ḥajj, not that thou accomplish thy wants thereby.

That thou bestride the back of righteousness, taking the check of lust for guide, and truth for high-road.

That thou bestow what has been given thee while in thy power, to him who in his need tenders his hand towards thy gift.

A pilgrimage with all this fraught is perfect, but if the Ḥajj is void thereof it proves abortive.

For a losing-bargain of dissemblers it suffices that they plant and reap not, having met with toil and exile,

And that they go without reward or praise, giving their fame a bait to him who censures and lampoons.

Seek then, dear brother, in what sacrifice thou mayest offer up, the face of God, the guardian, going in and out.

For lo, no hidden deed shall remain hidden from the Compas­sionate, whether the servant be sincere or shamming,

And steal a march on death by good deeds sent afore: death’s sudden summons, when it comes, is not put off;

And use humility in frame of mind, such as the nights can, in their turns, not alter, though a crown they gave thee.

And watch not every cloud whose lightning flasheth, though it appear to pour a rain of copious shower.

Not every caller merits to be heard, how many a whisperer shouted fatal news,

And none is wise but he who contents him with a morsel, that makes life’s days to folden by degrees;

For every mickle comes to be a mite, and meek grows every stiff-necked, rage he as he may!”

Said the narrator: Now, when he had fructified the barrenness of our understandings with the witchcraft of his say, I sniffed the breeze of Abû Zayd, and delight made me incline to him with what a thrill of affection. But I kept still until he had completed the expounding of his wisdom, and came down from his hillock, when I slipped towards him, so that I might scan the traits of his countenance, and descry the nature of his accomplishments. And lo, it was the stray for whom I had searched, and the threader of the pearl-strings that he had displayed. Then I clung to him with the clinging of the Lâm to the Alif, and ranked him as recovery is ranked with the sick, and I asked him to join me, but he refused, or to poise me [on my camel], but he declined, saying: “I have made oath in this my pilgrimage, that I would neither ride together nor alternately with any one, neither make gain nor boast of pedigree, neither seek profit, nor companionship, nor else accommodate myself to him who dissembles.” Then he went in haste, and left me wailing, while I ceased not to shelter him in my sight (hoping for his return), nay, would have loved him to walk on the pupil of my eye, until he had climbed up one of the mountains, and stood watching the pilgrims, and when he witnessed the riders faring onward over the sand-hills, he made hand fall upon hand, and broke forth inditing: “He who visits on the back of beasts is not like him who runs on foot,

No, nor is the servant who obeys like him who riots amongst servants.

How, O people, should the toil be like, of him who builds and who pulls down?

Sinners soon will have to call the mourning-women of repentance,

While the seeker of approach to God says, “Hail to him who has done service.”

Send then forward, I beseech thee, soul, deeds of acceptance with the Lord of old,

Scorn the tinsel of this earthly life, for its existence is but naught,

And remind thee of the throw of death, when unawares his stroke befalls,

And bewail thy work of shame, forth shedding tears of blood for it,

Curing it with sore repentance, before the hide all through is rotten.

May then be, that Allah guard thee, against the fire that blazes fiercely,

On the day when sin is cancelled no more, tardy repentance vain.”

Then he sheathed the blade of his tongue, and went on his way. But I ceased not, in every water-station that we came to, and every night-camp where we pillowed, to search for him, but failed, and to ask people to help me seeking him, but they found him not, until I fancied that the Jinn had snatched him up or the earth had cut him off. And never in my pere­grinations suffered I a grief like this, nor was I in any travel tried with its like of sorrow.