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The_Savior_from_Spiritual_Error, page : 98
purifying my soul, improving my character and cleansing my heart with the
constant recollection of Allah Most High, as I had learned from my study of
mysticism. I used to go into retreat for a period in the mosque of Damascus,
going up the minaret of the mosque for the whole day and shutting myself in
so as to be alone.
At length I made my way from Damascus to the Holy House (that is,
Jerusalem). There I used to enter into the precinct of the Rock every day
and shut myself in.
Next, there arose in me a prompting to fulfill the duty of the Pilgrimage,
gain the blessings of Mecca and Medina, and perform the visitation of the
Messenger of Allah Most High, peace be upon him, after first performing the
visitation of al-Khalil, the Friend of Allah, may Allah praise and give him
peace.⁶ I therefore made the journey to the Hijaz. Before long however,
various concerns, together with the requests of my children, drew me back
to my home (country); and so I came to it again, though at one time no one
had seemed less likely than myself to return to it. Here, too I sought
retirement, still longing for solitude and the purification of the heart for the
constant recollection of Allah Most High, as I had learned from my study of
mysticism. I used to go into retreat for a period in the mosque of Damascus,
going up the minaret of the mosque for the whole day and shutting myself in
so as to be alone.
At length I made my way from Damascus to the Holy House (that is,
Jerusalem). There I used to enter into the precinct of the Rock every day
and shut myself in.
Next, there arose in me a prompting to fulfill the duty of the Pilgrimage,
gain the blessings of Mecca and Medina, and perform the visitation of the
Messenger of Allah Most High, peace be upon him, after first performing the
visitation of al-Khalil, the Friend of Allah, may Allah praise and give him
peace.⁶ I therefore made the journey to the Hijaz. Before long however,
various concerns, together with the requests of my children, drew me back
to my home (country); and so I came to it again, though at one time no one
had seemed less likely than myself to return to it. Here, too I sought
retirement, still longing for solitude and the purification of the heart for the