20. The Sheikh of Bahawalpur
We proceeded until Allahabad where is buried the Sufi sheikh who was our friend. When we were young he had much love for us mystic and new Muslim youngsters. It is a long time that I had the desire to pray for his soul on his grave.
After six hours travelling through arid landscapes of wildness and deserts, we arrived in a small perfumed oasis, the Mazar of our friend Captain Wahid Baksh Sial Rabbani, The Sheikh of Bahawalpur.
The trees that surround the Mazar are flowering and the perfume that impregnates the atmosphere is delightful.
There is so much vegetation and so much peace, the place is wonderful.
We recited Surah Yasin for the Sheikh, as is customary to do for friends and relatives who have passed away.
Although I was not one of his disciples, I always felt that he loved me like his son and he has always treated me as such. Until now his love and his behaviour are often for me a fount of inspiration for doing the right thing.
To the mazar people also come for their daily prayers in the contiguous mosque, and the children come for learning how to read the Quran in Arabic.
The son of the Sheikh has brought us some food and on our way back we stopped by his sister to give her the rose perfumes that I had brought for her from Italy.