Haadi said, "This is the city 'Huma'. Here people stay in these tents." The pillars and pegs of these tents were of gold and the ropes were of silver. While we were still some distance away Haadi said, "Wait here, I'll go and find your place." I asked, What is this place called. The atmosphere here is so pleasant and peaceful I wish that we could stay here for a few days."

Haadi said, "This is the Valley of me Right and the Sacred Land and you will have to stay here for a few days. Then he opened y portmanteau and took out Hazrat Zehra's gilt. Taking it he went towards a certain tent. My eyes followed him as he approached it, took out a piece of paper from his pocket and read it out aloud. The front flap of the tent was at once pulled open and some beautiful boys and girls came out. They rushed towards me, with Haadi following behind. Haadi took out another wallet from the portmanteau and told me, "Go to your ten: with these attendants. Rest and wait for me. I'll have to go to Aasma to arrange accommodation for you. "I said 'Haadi, I am a stranger here without a single friend. Don't go away."

He said 'Its for your sake that I'm going and consider this to be your own country. Go to your tent. You will not be alone. You will find friends there. 'In the tents are beautiful maidens as yet untouched by humans or jinns.' (Soora-e-Rehman Verse 72)

Saying so, Haadi left. I came to my tent with the attendants respectfully hovering around me. A maiden was sitting inside on a divan. She stood up to greet me. After a while, a handsome lad came in. In his hands were a silver bowl and towels. He helped me wash my hands and lace with rose-scented water.

Now when I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror, I was suprised and pleased to see that I was no less beautiful then the maiden sitting beside me who had been gifted by Allah. "Men have authority over women" (Soora-e-Nisa Verse 34).

We sat down on the divan. I looked around and noticed that the tent was supported on live fillers, the central one being the tallest and firmest of all. It was gold plated and studded with rubies and emeralds.

Wishing to test the maiden sitting beside me, I asked her why there were five pillars in the tent. She replied, "All tents in the Valley have five pillars. This is because Islam also has live pillars: Prayer, Fast, Hajj, Zakat and Khums, and Wilayat (love and friendship of the Ahlebait). The central one is of Wilayat and in fact it is supporting the whole tent. It is more important than others (as it helps to achieve all others),"

I said, "I was under the impression that each of the pillars was symbolical for remembering each of the Panjtan (the immediate family of the Holy Prophet)."

She replied, "They are amongst the Usool i.e. Roots and this is the place for the Furoo or Branches and its connections and it is lust the image of their Pure light. Prophet hood and Vicegerancy, (Imamat) are both part of Usool.

In Safeenatual Bahar Muhaddis Qummi has quoted Imam Baqir (A.S.) as saying that Faith has five pillars, Prayer, Fast. Hajj Zakat and Wilayat. The narrator Zahra asked, Which of these is the best?" lmam (AS.) replied, "'Wilayat because fl is the very soul of the other deeds. "In the end he said U somebody spends his lifetime praying throughout the nights and fasts in the days. spends all he has in the way of God, and performs pilgrimage every year but he does not have an infallible Imam to follow, under whose guidance he has performed these deeds, he will not be rewarded for them and will not be given the rank Of the faith rut" (Because it is almost impossible to expect that without the guidance and teachings of the Imams (A.S.) we can perform deeds correctly with an understanding of the spirituality contained).

They whole Universe and whatever if contains is in fact inter-related as if it has been prepared in one factory for a sole and common purpose. The difference which is observed is only due 10 difference of less with mare, of roots with branches, of light with its rays. Man should by to reach these levels of depth in understanding and himself become a link in this chain of the Secret and Unseen. He would then become the centre and core of all beings and hence the manifestation of the Name of God and hence God's Vicegerent.

Man by nature has this capability but he does not try to know his reality and instead wastes his time on Earth in material pursuits. Soora-e-Asr says that, 'Albeit Man is in loss'.. Elsewhere he is called 'Unjust. Ignorant' and 'Ignorant of Qadr (systems)."

I said "May I inquire where you have studied? Your speech is certainly worth listening to," She replied. '"I have been educated in the Holy city of Madina and those green mountains and this invigorating atmosphere are much lower in status than it."

The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) has said, 'I am the city of knowledge, and Ali (A.S.) is its gate.' I have been brought up by Hazrat Fatima (A.S.) who, like her father, is herself a city of knowledge and purity and she is the Blessed Night and the Night of Qadar and is better than a thousand cities of knowledge. It is almost as if Quran was revealed unto her. 'In it come for separation all wise commands' most suits her. That, all matters are decided through her. She is the Olive Tree which is 'neither to the east nor to the west and its oil is close to being lit up though fire has not touched it' She is 'Light upon Light' and it is Fatima (A,S.) on whom 'Angels and spirits come down in the (night of Qadr) by the order of their Lord with all matters'."

She went on eulogising Hazrat Fatima (A.S.) and I sat engrossed listen .g to her. Then she said, "This scroll which Haadi gave me was Hazrat Fatima's (A.S.). In it she has written that one of her sons is coming to me and that I should do everything I can for him as he is to be my owner and Lord. It seems that I'm the fruit and result of the seeds which you had sown on earth. God has perfected your harvest and has given it to you in my form. As He says in Soora-e-Waqea Verse

"Have you seen that which you sow? Do you cause it to grow or do we?" "I praise God and to him indeed belongs all praise and in the end praise is for Allah the Lord of all Universe.

After this, a sumptuous variety of dishes and drinks was brought for us. The meal was too delicious to be described. There were bounties which no human eye has ever seen and nor have ears heard of. Alter eating we reclined on the couch.

I said, "It seems to me that you are not a permanent resident of this place. She replied, "You are correct. I came here lust to welcome you and I brought this tent and its possessions along with me. In fact all the tents that you see here were brought for welcoming its residents who are now staying in them. This is God's guest roam. When you proceed from here, I will go back to my own country'."

I said, "I feel like taking a walk in the garden and seeing the camps, the mountains and the valleys. And I suppose it's possible that I might even meet old relatives here."

She replied. "Of course you may. You are free here to do as you like, But just remember that before you enter any tent you should greet its inmates and take permission to enter. And for your information when I arrived, I noticed your eldest daughter’s tent nearby. For your sake, I visited and be friended her. If you wish, we can visit her."

"Certainly, why not', said I. So we went towards her tent and as we approached it, I called out Salaam to her. Recognising my voice, she rushed out, followed by a train of attendants. We greeted each other and thanked God for our reunion, and that inspite of our numerous sins, he had forgiven and blessed us. Then we went inside and sat down on a Jewel studded couch, lacing each other, since this was better than sitting side by side.

I asked her what had befallen her on her journey and she replied, "The first station and the Land of Jealousy was quite difficult. it seems that most travellers lace problems in these stages, though to varying extent. At certain times it seemed that my salvation was only due to your prayers for my welfare. I also wished and prayed for you. Alter that one of my sisters also had to undertake this journey. Then your time came and I prayed to God not to leave my mother and my brothers and sisters alone in the world."

"What befell your sister?"

"When she came here I saw that she was much higher in rank and station than I was and she told me that she did not have to lace the vanous hardships that we have undergone. She saw the various lands but did not have any difficulty in crossing them."

"This is because she died young. You know that she was only eighteen years old when she died. That is why her journey was so much easier. We with our longer lives have managed to sin more.

Then I went for a walk in the woods. As I would approach a tree, its fruit laden branches would bend down towards me. The fruits were fresh and sweet and did not decrease in number regardless of how many I ate. Melodious voices rang out from the trees, inviting me to eat whatever I liked.

Then we returned towards my tent. From afar, I saw Haadi standing in the doorway waiting for me. I ran to greet him. He smiled. and said, "You seem to be enjoying yourself here, visiting and sight seeing. But get ready for moving again. We are going to the city. The respected scholars and the faithful have received news of your arrival here and are waiting anxiously to meet you.