When morning came, Haadi arrived. We were to depart for the next station. I got up, dressed and mounted my horse. My walking stick was in my hand and my sword by my side. Haadi gave me my Visa which he said would be required. We started and were soon out of the city limits. Here the ground was sandy and slippery like encountered in jungles I also saw some odd creatures like monkeys. Then I realised- that they were humans, as they had no tails, walked on two legs, and had no body hair, only their faces were of monkeys. Blood and puss emitted from their private parts accompanied by an unbelievable stink,

I asked Haadi, "Who are these creatures, and what land is this ? The stink is so bad, I feel as if my head will burst." He replied, "This is the Land of Lust and Desire. These people were adulterers. Beware you don't deviate from the straight path or it might well spell the end for you."

Fearful of going astray, I tightened the rein. Though the path was straight it was marshy and slippery quagmire. At times my mount would sink down to his knees in the marshy earth."

I thought," It is indeed a blessing that I have this mount. May God have mercy on my family that they provided this for me, It is indeed true that, "He who marries safeguards half his religion, and he should be watchful of Allah in the other haIf.~²

Now we saw some people resembling animals. They were hanging from nails on posts and their testicles had been nailed to the posts with iron pins. Some were also being whipped with iron rods and they were screaming in pain like yelping dogs. But the men with the whips in their hands would reply

"Go away and keep quiet". "'It was as if the scene in Soora-e Saida verse 12 as in front of us.'

(There is a hint here or how carefully one should live in the world keeping tight rein on his desires especially for women because such pleasure is now a day easily available and if one is not extremely vigilant to restrict his desires to his will, he is sure to indulge, to whatever little extent, in unlawful and forbidden pleasures for which he will have to suffer, and d God forbid he should commit the extreme act. then for such people there is harsh punishment unless they sincerely repent and are forgiven by God. Being married and having lawful means for fulfilling one's natural and instinctive sexual desires helps man to a great extent to reject extramarital temptations. The Arabic word is used to order away dogs.)

"If you see when the sinners stand in front of God, with their heads bent low: God, we have seen and heard. Now send us back that we may do good. We have now attained certainty". These were people who used to indulge in various forbidden sexual pleasures.

Suddenly the Darkies arrived. They literally attacked some people, and tried to frighten the horses. They also beckoned to us to try the land adjoining the path. I saw that the adjoining land was so hard that the horses feet did not even leave an impression on the ground. But I obeyed Haadi's orders. I did not care whether the going was tough or easy. my only aim was to follow the straight path and not to deviate from it. (Because salvation lies only in following the straight path).

I saw that those who had obeyed their Darkies beckoning were able to manage only a few steps before sliding down upto their necks in the marsh. It did not seem possible that they would ever manage to come out. Some did manage it, but they were so filthy black and covered from top to toe with the mire, that they could not be recognised. In a short time, the mire seemed to melt away the flesh from their bodies as ii it was not mire at all but hot charcoal.

This scene scared and subdued me Firmly and carefully, I held the rein and thought: "Praise is for God who prevented me from committing sins."

(Those who deviated from the path were those who had deviated on earth. Sins committed leave their impression on the mind, heart and spirit and spoil ones's self and character.)

I could hear other travellers too loudly thanking God, and expressing their. gratefulness. I remarked to Haadi: "Our Holy Prophet had said that it you see anybody in difficulties, softly' thank God that you are not suffering similarly. But do not thank God loudly, that the other person might overhear and be hurt."

Haadi replied. "Thai was for your earthly life because there, all believers of God are to be respected. But here is the stage of reward and punishment. So thank God loudly in order that those who are being punished may hear and suffer more and also, so that whatever was hidden to them may come out in the open₁ darkness may be replaced with light, blindness with sight and slumber with awakening. And they may realise that the earthly life as they led it was in reality a Dead City of Darkness and as verse 64 of Soora-e-Ankaboot says, "The abode of the hereafter is, in fact, true life."

On hearing this I thanked God in louder tones. Then I saw that the problems seemed to increase for the wretched people around me. The earth quaked, the wind raged, and the sky darkened, Hails resembling stones were falling. All around us was a dreadful scene and the wretched persons seemed to sink further down in the mire. Whenever they would manage to come out a heavy stone would fall from the sky burying them down again. Trembling with tear at this state of affairs I asked Haadi. "Which land is this and who are these people who are being punished so severely?"

Haadi who was flying above my head had himself gone pale and weak with tear. He replied, "This is also a Land of Lust, These peoples were homosexuals Now increase your speed, so that we may get out of here as soon as possible.

It we stay here longer I am afraid we too might gel Caught in this punishment. "He who is competent or unobjecting at the deeds of a people and who does not leave them (at once) after being with them. will be included with, and treated as, one of them."

I asked, "Is the slime and mire in tact, the substance of lust which has taken this form here ? My mount cannot even go forward."

He said, Yes, that is so. But there is no other way out. You will just have to strive more. Cover your head with this shield so that the stones do not hit you and whip your mount forward so that with God's blessing you may get out of here. As verse 98 of Soora-e-Nisa says. "Was not the earth of God spacious, that (in order to be able to obey God) you could migrate?"

We travelled only a couple of miles more to find ourselves out of the belevilled place. I thanked God, and gathered myself once more. I whipped the horse a few times and suddenly he was off like a shot.

(In this work' too, one has to struggle and strive continuously against sins and desires and try continuously to improve oneself or else he falls stagnant and his quamies might rest and even recede. Leaving sins and bad habits, increasing religious knowledge and improving on one's deeds is a never-ending struggle.) one decides firmly to leave his wrong ways and takes the right initiative, the rest becomes easy, God has promised that it one goes towards him a little bit, God wilt respond by coming forward a great deal more.)

Haadi who all this time had been travelling right above me like a falcon was left far behind.  (If man conquers his desires then in God's eyes he has a higher rank then even angels.)

"Vie in hastening towards your lord's forgiveness and a garden whose width is as that of the heavens and the earth." (Soora-e-Hadeed verse 21)

Suddenly the accursed Darky arrived. My mount shied and reared at his sight throwing me. I was hurt badly and the horse's forelegs got trapped in the mire and freeing him again was quite a problem. After great difficulty, I succeeded. Haadi arrived just then, and rubbed me gently with his hands healing my bruises, Then he helped me to mount again and secured me safely in the saddle and taking hold of the reins led the way until we were at last out of the place.

I complained to Haadi, "As soon as you leave, Darky arrives and always causes trouble." Haadi replied, "No, it is the other way round. As soon as he arrives, I leave. And this too, is because of your own deeds."

In front was yet another Land of Desire which we entered. Here there were people who used to be very heavy eaters. On the right were those who only ate from rightful and lawful means but always used to overeat and stuff themselves full. Their faces were now like donkeys, and cows, and they were being punished, but lightly. On the left however, were those who had been mindless about right and wrong, lawful and forbidden, about wealth which was their own and that which had been forcibly or fraudulently taken from others. They had greedily laid their hands on all within reach. Now they had huge bellies and lean limbs and their faces resembled those of pigs and bears and they were being severely punished. It was as if their bellies were full of fire. "These peoples are like cattle, in fact more astray. (Soora-e-Araaf, verse 179)

We quickly walked past this place, and reached another. Here was a rest house in a barren and deserted field in which nothing grew. A few travellers of the Hereafter were resting here, and eating from their back-packs. As my limbs were Still very painful due my fall, Haadi took out an ointment from my pack and massaged me with it. Instantly the pain vanished and the bruises healed. I asked Haadi, what medicine is that?"

(One gets carried away by success, (even if it is spiritual) and becomes heedless of the scheming of Satan.)

He said, "This was the hidden praise on earth. Whenever you were blessed with any gift, you used to thank Allah and praise him in your heart. Just as on earth praising Allah is a remedy for everything except death, so in the Hereafter it is a remedy for all difficulties and problems for him who used to praise Allah on earth. In the tradition of Qudsi Allah says, "My servant praised and thanked me, believing that all the bounties he received were from me and also believed that the dispersing and easing of all his problems had been through my blessing. So, O Angels, bear witness that I will increase my blessings and bounties on him on earth and in the Hereafter, and as I solved his problems on the earth so will I help him in the Hereafter."