Page:A Moslem seeker after God - showing Islam at its best in the life and teaching of al-Ghazali, mystic and theologian of the eleventh century (IA moslemseekeraft00zwem).pdf/288



" The house of Isa was the banquet of men of heart, Ho! afflicted one, quit not this door! From all sides the people ever thronged, Many blind and lame, and halt and afflicted, To the door of the house of Tsa at dawn, That with his breath he might heal their ailments. As soon as he had finished his orisons, That holy one would come forth at the third hour. He viewed these impotent folk, troop by troop, Sitting at his door in hope and expectation; He spoke to them, saying, O stricken ones! The desires of all of you have been granted by

God:

Arise, walk without pain or affliction. Acknowledge the mercy and beneficence of God! Then all, as camels whose feet are shackled, When you loose their feet in the road, Straightway rush in joy and delight to the halting place So did they run upon their feet at his command."

Many of the miracles, however, are puerile, as in this story: "A certain man accompanied Jesus the Son of Mary (upon him be peace) and said: I would like to be with you as your companion/ So they departed and arrived at the bank of a river and sat down and took their meal. Now they had three loaves, so they ate two and one remained. Then Jesus arose and went to the river to drink and returning did not find the remaining loaf. He said to the man: Who took the loaf? He replied: I know not. So he departed wi