Granada (14 page)

The chest was so big that until only a few years ago Maryama could fit her whole body inside it. She used to pester her mother to let her sit in the chest, and only occasionally would the mother allow her to do so. There she sat along with the few other things in it: a porcelain jar of water from the Zamzam well her grandfather brought back from the Hejaz when he made his pilgrimage to Mecca; a black, brocaded velvet blanket; a pair of brown wooden clogs inlaid with tiny squares and triangles of shiny mother-of-pearl; two small kohl bottles, one of pure gold in the shape of a peacock, and the other silver, with a tiny, round applicator engraved in a floral design; a small ivory case; and a rare gemstone of a dark pinkish color.

At five years old Maryama would sit inside the chest and hold the objects gently, as her mother cautioned her to do. Sitting in the chest was as pleasant an occasion as a feast day that only came after long periods of waiting, and that only she alone was allowed to do. She would go to great lengths to tell her neighborhood friends whatever popped into her head about the contents of the chest, and they would believe her because they could never see what was inside, since it was always locked with an old heavy metal latch.

After Hasan proposed to Maryama and read the opening verse of the Quran with her father, her bridal trousseau was added to the chest: three new dresses, a pair of leather slippers, a striped scarf and veil, two blouses, four pairs of knickers, a pair of heavy stockings, and a woolen cloak. Her mother folded them and placed them neatly inside with the other things. She also placed in it a small Quran in a green leather binding with the words "Holy Quran" inscribed on the cover and set in an octagonal star surrounded by a
floral design that looked like a rectangular gold necklace, creating a subtle frame of two golden lines in which the green of the binding contrasted nicely with the border of engraved hexagons.

A cart drawn by a team of sturdy mules transported the trunk, Maryama, her family, and a few of their neighbors across Granada and over to Albaicin where a beaming and glowing Hasan awaited his new bride. When she did arrive, everyone flashed smiles of joy and called out their best wishes for a happy life together. But no one from the household nor any of the neighbors shouted a single ululation on account of Abu Mansour's objection that Saad conveyed to Hasan. Hasan agreed and passed it on to his mother, sister, and grandmother who then informed all the women of the neighborhood.

"Saad," asked Abu Mansour, "are you going to hold a wedding in Abu Jaafar's house while the villages of Alpujarra burn and their inhabitants are slaughtered by the hundreds every day?"

Saad lowered his head at a loss for what to say.

"Will the joyous sounds of celebration ring out from Abu Jaafar's house as the freedom fighters in Alpujarra mourn their dead?" Abu Mansour was long past the point of anger. He now merely sat in front of his bathhouse with a downcast expression, speaking only occasionally, and letting his assistants tend to the bathhouse chores.

"You're a sensible and decent fellow, Saad, so do what you think is right."

He went into the bathhouse for a few moments before coming out, as if he couldn't stand to be in a place that was closed off by a roof and four walls.

When Hasan told his mother and grandmother what Abu Mansour had said, it was his mother who responded. "What would the girl's family say, a wedding without music and singing?"

"Her family and neighbors as well as our own neighbors will be coming. How shall we greet them and celebrate with them?" his grandmother added.

"Slaughter the sheep and prepare all the food fit for such an occasion, but no need for ululations and singing," answered Hasan.
The two women were not happy with Hasan's decision, but they passed the word around the neighborhood nonetheless. Some of the neighbors agreed with Abu Mansour while others felt that if there weren't to be any kind of celebrations to warm their hearts and souls, they would all die of grief. But finally, Umm Jaafar spoke up and had her say. "We will celebrate the marriage and we'll all come together and share in Hasan's joy. We won't ululate or sing, but we will be happy." She stood up and turned her back as she spoke these words, so that the neighborhood women wouldn't see the tears trickling down her cheeks she couldn't control no matter how hard she tried.

Only Abu Ibrahim knew that his daughter's wedding would be an unforgettable event throughout Granada and Albaicin. When Hasan told him what Abu Mansour had said he nodded in agreement. "He's right, but I wish it were you or I who had said it first." At that very moment he made up his mind, cursing the Castilians to hell with their laws and orders, to sing at his daughter's wedding feast, knowing in his heart of hearts that in so doing something magic would come out of it.

On the day of the wedding, the men sat in the outer courtyard of Abu Jaafar s house as Saad, Naeem, and Maryama's brothers passed around platters of food and distributed small flasks of an almond drink Umm Jaafar had prepared. When the guests finished the meal and the young men took away the leftover food, Abu Ibrahim stood up.

"Come here, Hasan. I want you to sit next to me." Then, raising his voice, he addressed the crowd:

"May I have your attention for just one moment? I'd like to present this gift to my daughter's husband."

The men grew silent and looked over toward Abu Ibrahim who had absolutely nothing in his hands. They wondered what the present could be. Abu Ibrahim flashed a broad smile. "Before we begin," he shouted, "let's pray to the memory of the Prophet." A deafening silence fell over the courtyard as the men craned their necks to get a good look at this most unusual and unexpected offering of a gift. He raised his voice and began to chant:

How
gallant
a
band
of
men
riding
their
noble
camels
to
the
presence
of
the
Merciful
Lord,
They
passed
their
time
remembering
the
traces
of
the
beloved
and
came
to
the
realization
of
the
mysteries
of
the
Quran.
They
inherited
the
Hashemite
Prophet,
chosen
as
the
most
honorable
of
the
Adnani
Arabs,
they
mounted
the
Buraq
of
Love
in
the
sanctuary
of
Hope,
and
traveled
by
night
to
the
Jerusalem
of
Light
and
Proof.
Their
bodies
were
a
sky
at
whose
door
they
rang,
and
its
doors
were
opened,
and
two
eyes
appeared
to
them,
one
eye
whose
port
smiled
when
it
saw
its
sons
in
Paradise,
to
its
left
another
eye
whose
tears
trickled
down
when
it
saw
them
in
the
blaze
of
fire.

The guests were startled and confused, like plowmen stunned by a sudden torrent of rain after long years of drought. They wondered what brought on the uncontrollable shivers running through their bodies and the sudden pallor of their faces. Abu Ibrahim went on with his litany to the Benevolent Prophet, the "light of our eyes," "God's chosen one," the "exalted one,""the most noble and honorable of Arabs." The wedding guests sat dumbstruck, not knowing whether they had fallen into the snare of nostalgia or if a demon from amongst the supporters of the Castilians had descended upon them disguised as an angel of heaven. But how could this be in the house of Abu Jaafar?

Abu Ibrahim then chanted the story of King Muhalhal Ibn El-Fayyad with Khalid Ibn El-Waleed. He sang about the Prophet and how one day he was praying with the people when he began to cry as he told them that an enemy was coming to wage battle against them, a massive army of a hundred thousand horsemen, fifty thousand foot soldiers, and forty thousand slave mercenaries.

"What do you say? Muhammad asked them."

Abu Ibrahim said, "The Companions answered:

"
'O,
Muhammad!
We
are
your
sharp
sword,
your
far-reaching
spear,
your
crushing
rock,
your
wounding
arrow,
your
racing
war
horse.
We
will
stand
by
your
side
until
death.'

"Then
the
Prophet
of
God,
peace
be
upon
him,
sent
for
Khalid.

"
'O,
Khalid,
what
keeps
you
from
us?
My
brother,
did
you
not
hear
Bilal's
call
to
prayer
from
the
Grand
Mosque?
May
God
show
you
mercy!

"Khalid
began
to
cry,
and
this
moved
the
Prophet
deeply.
Then
Khalid
spoke:

"
'O,
Messenger
of
God,
for
three
days
now
afire
has
not
kindled
in
my
house,
I
must
play
with
my
three
sons
and
three
daughters
until
they
go
to
sleep
to
distract
them
from
the
hunger
that
threatens
to
consume
them."'

The women who stuck their heads out timidly from the doors were oblivious to their feet rustling them off, one step, two, three at a time, before holding ground. They stopped at the lattice-wood arcade that surrounded the courtyard. The trunks of the trees were strong and sturdy, and the branches swayed back and forth creating stretches of shade under which the men sat cross-legged.

"Among
all
his
disciples
the
Prophet
chose
Khalid
Ibn
El-Waleed
to
carry
his
message
to
Muhalhal.
'My
brother,
Khalid,
if
you
climb
a
moun
tain,
mention
God's
name.
If
you
forge
a
stream,
say
God
is
great!
And
if
darkness
casts
its
shadow
over
your
heart,
then
recite
from
the
Quran,
since
it
is
the
cure
for
the
grief-stricken
heart.
If
you
reach
these
people,
do
not
be
alarmed
and
fear
them
not!'

"When
Khalid
departed
from
the
gates
of
the
city,
he
sped
away
and
never
stopped
for
one
moment,
night
or
day,
until
he
reached
deserted,
hostile
terrain.
The
one
who
enters
it
is
lost,
and
the
one
who
leaves
is
reborn.
It
was
a
land
devoid
of
water
and
cultivation.
His
horse
fell
from
severe
hunger
and
thirst.
Khalid
cried
out
to
his
stallion:

"
'O,
my
companion,
are
you
going
to
abandon
me
and
leave
this
world?)
stallion
looked
at
him
with
sad
eyes
and
Khalid
patted
him
on
the
head
and
belly.
He
took
his
clothes
and
put
them
in
his
pouch
and
lifted
his
saddle
over
his
shoulders.
He
bid
the
stallion
farewell
and
went
off.
He
walked
for
two
miles,
but
feeling
sorry
for
his
horse,
he
returned.
He
found
his
horse
with
eyes
closed
and
in
the
throes
of
death.
Once
again,
he
cried
out:
'O,
Angel
of
Death,
don't
you
know
that
I'm
carrying
a
message
from
the
prophet
of
God?
Leave
my
horse
be
and
depart!
Stand
up,
my
beloved
horse!'
No
sooner
had
these
words
reached
his
lips
than
the
angel
of
death
disappeared
and
the
horse
stood
up
on
all
fours,
tapped
the
ground
with
its
hooves,
and
started
to
move.
Khalid
walked
behind
as
they
continued
their
way
until
they
came
to
a
steep
mountain.
They
ascended
slowly
and
cau
tiously
until
they
reached
the
top.
They
looked
down
and
saw
a
big
valley
with
many
trees
and
rivers
flowing
through
it.
Then
they
made
their
way
down,
again,
ever
so
slowly.
When
they
reached
the
bottom,
Khalid
said,
'O,
my
horse,
eat,
for
this
is
sustenance
from
God.
'After
the
horse
ate
and
drank,
it
regained
its
strength
and
neighed
a
powerful
neigh.