Before my birth, my father and mother worked in Saudi Arabia, employed by ARAMCO. I was born on a waxing moon on November 1, 1949, at 13:57 Apparent Solar Time. The place of my birth was Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Some months before my conception, my father had spent the day inspecting a new section of an oil pipeline. He was returning home and noticed an enormous habood (sandstorm) on the horizon ahead, maybe 10 -20 kilometres wide. The height appeared to be over 500 meters. Knowing that such gigantic storms translate quickly approaching 40 km/hr, he knew he needed to find shelter promptly. Fortunately, up the road, a small oasis was nested in a semicircular rock outcropping whose opening faced away from the storm front.
Speeding up, he arrived shortly at the oasis.
He parked the car and saw three Bedouins sitting around a campfire and drinking cups of qahua (Arabic coffee). He approached them and requested, in good Arabic, permission to join them.
The three Bedouins stood up as he approached. The entire conversation was in Arabic.
Extending his right hand, one greeted my father with the traditional “As-Salamu-Alaykum (Peace be upon you).”
To which my father, shaking hands, replied, “Wa-Alaikum-Salaam (And onto you peace).”
He shook hands with the two gentlemen and sat at the campfire.
The Bedouin who first spoke sat across from my father.
He broke the desert silence, saying, “We have been waiting for you since midday. It is we who rose the sandstorm between you and your home. It will be here shortly.”
Sitting to the speaker’s left, the Bedouin handed my father a cup of unsweetened coffee and a small brass plate with dates.
Taking the coffee, my father said, “shukran (thanks).”
“Friend Iidghar (Edgar), six months ago, I noticed an unusual conjunction of the planets with some background stars. I told this to my two friends here, who are accomplished readers of the sky. My brothers and I are holy men living in the desert a long distance from here. After much discussion, we concluded that Allah the Merciful would bring a Musahah (Corrector) to Earth in a human body. For all of us know, Mohammed was the last Prophet, and no more shall be given to the world.”
My father drank his coffee and ate his dates while the elder Bedouin continued.
“Friend Iidghar, in a common dream, the Angel Gabriel appeared, telling us where to find the father of the Musahah to be born. He who is to be is known as the Tadhkir Alhaqiqa (Reminder of Truth). And so, Gabriel told all three of us where to find you, friend Iidghar.”
My father nodded his head, saying, “Please continue.”
The brother to the speaker’s right continued, “This Child will be born on 09 Muharram 1369, 2 hours after the sun reaches its peak in the sky. You shall name him Mikaeel. Though Allah the Merciful sends him, you must allow religion to come to him naturally. His teachings will encompass all approaches to the One Godhead and discredit none. Allah does not want him to fall prey to prejudice against any path of Return.
“But I have more to relate. Before Mikaeel leaves this Kingdom, Allah the Merciful shall reach out His Hand and touch his servant’s heart, infusing it with the Divine Fire of Righteousness. Your son will begin to burn from the inside out and experience a fatal fever, but he shall not die, for he is beloved of Allah. This is a Sign, so you shall not forget. No more can I tell you.”
Soon, they found themselves surrounded by the sand storm, but in the oasis, it was calm. My father told me later that he was most amazed. He had heard of such tales, but he had thought such to be myths of the desert.
You, the reader, must judge based on what is in your heart. My father said the holy men told him many things, but he could not tell me. So, what I tell you is what I heard. Nothing more. The story stands alone, for I cannot verify it independently. But it fits my life.
I can tell you that many years after I left Saudi, my mother told me I suffered a severe sunstroke when I was fourteen months of age. I should have died of a usually fatal temperature. She told me that the doctor at the clinic thought I would die or be neurologically compromised. Neither happened; Allah be Blessed.