Some years ago I was travelling from Antioch to Aleppo in the company of Riza Bey (an Albanian Bey), whose adopted son is the famous Young Turk patriot and hero Enver Pasha. [1] To while away the tedious hours Riza Bey told me the following story:

When Hassereti Isa (Jesus) was once on His way to the mountain to pray it is said that He met a man, who accosted Him saying, "Master, whither goest Thou?"

And Isa answered, "I go to pray to the Father."

"O Prophet," quoth the man, "while praying to the Father do not forget to remember me. For years now have I prayed five times a day from Allah Ar-Rahman (the Merciful) to Az-Zaboor (the Long-suffering), yes, five times each day have I said this three-stringed chaplet and told over the beautiful ninety-nine names of Allah. See how my rosary, originally made from common beach pebbles, has become bright and worn by continuous wear until the beads now look like precious stones."

"In order not to miss the stipulated time for ablutions," continued this most pious man, "I even take two pitchers of water with me, and place one pitcher of water at each end of the field where I daily work. And rather than miss an instant in beginning my daily prayer I would, O Master, use sand, which I have placed for that purpose in the middle of the field, for as you know, O Master, the use of sand is permitted in cases of necessity. Please remind the Father, O Prophet, and tell him I have waited long. Ask him not to forget me. Remember that only once did I ever take the life of an animal. That animal was a rat that was doing harm to my field. I repented as soon as I had killed it. I have done penance ever since, and I hope that I have atoned for the crime. But the deed, O Master, was done. Lo, in proof of my repentance, see these bones!"

Whereupon, taking off and unfolding his turban, he showed Isa the remaining few bones of the rat, which he had worn wrapped up in his turban all those years as a penance.

"Allah is merciful!" repeated this devout man, "Allah is forgiving. He is the hearer of prayer and the judge of judges. Ask him, O Master, to remember me! See the proofs of my repentance, and ask him to give me my reward when the time comes."

Isa promised that when He prayed to the Father He would certainly mention the case of His distressed brother. So saying, he withdrew.

A little further on He met another man who accosted Him in the same manner with: "Master, whither goest Thou?"

And Isa answered him in the same way, "I go unto the mountain to pray."

"O Master," quoth the man, "when You are praying mention to the Father that I am not as other men. I have never broken my fast on the ordained days. I have given regularly to those who have not. No one has knocked at my door without receiving the aid he asked. I have never missed being present at the synagogue to pray, and I have often given alms, as all who know me can testify. When praying to the Father, O Prophet, remind Him of my life's devotion, and when my time comes let Him not forget to reward such a faithful and devoted servant as I have ever been!"

Isa said that when praying to the Father He would not forget to mention this man's request. And He continued His journey to the mountain. He had not gone much further when another man, reeling from one side of the street to the other, accosted Him with a "Whither, O Master?" Imperfectly articulated. The man was unkempt in person, and his garments were soiled with mud and dust. Isa gave him the same answer, "I go to the mountain to pray unto the Father," and the drunkard seemed sobered.

"O Master," said he, "when praying to the Father pray, I beseech you, for me. Tell the Father to be merciful to me. Ask Him if my days of punishment are not nearing an end. Remind him that for years I have been the ruin of all who came in contact with me. My children have gone to an early grave after having suffered on my account from the tenderest age. My home is now the gutter, and my mind is never at rest except when I have satiated that demon of thirst which commands me, tortures me, rules me, but never destroys me. He never, alas! destroys me, but he has destroyed all I loved on earth. Ask, implore the Father to be merciful, and to let me be liberated. I beg that in your prayers to the Father you may mention my sufferings, and the ruin which I have brought on all those who loved me and who were devoted to me. Implore Him, O Master, to grant me release or death!"

When Isa answered that He would remember him in His prayers to the Father the drunkard reeled away laughing and singing.

Had he already forgotten the liberation he had begged Jesus to solicit for him from the Father? Or was it, perchance, the joy he felt in knowing that he would be prayed for by another, and that possibly that other's prayer would be answered though his own spasmodic but earnest prayers had never been heard?

Towards evening Isa descended the mountain, and again met the three brothers who had asked Him to pray for them. To the labourer in the field Jesus said that He had spoken to the Father, who said that there was no reward for hypocrisy. His carrying the water not to be late for the appointed hour of prayer, his telling of his chaplet five times each day, and his wearing of the rat's skeleton in his turban were not pleasing to God. All those things were done for man's approbation, and not for the love of God. The sincere pray at all times, and at all times the Father hears.

Then He turned to the second and said, "When praying to the Father I mentioned you, and your reward is that you got what you gave. You gave few blessings and little in truth or sincerity.

The drunkard turned to Isa and said, "O Master, did you pray for me, and did the Father say that He would liberate me?"

And Isa said to him, "Peace, brother! The demon of thirst has left you, for you were sincere, and your time of repentance has begun. Meanwhile the ear of the Father, the All-Compassionate, the Forgiver, still waits to hear one sincere prayer from these your brethren who pray so much."

Whereupon Isa went his way.