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By Br. Hasan Hatem
Often what makes anything valuable or precious is its remarkable rarity. And one of the defining attributes of rarity is an inherent inaccessibility, or extreme hardship to locate. Much like how a miner toils throughout his life in search of pure gold and flawless diamonds, the student of knowledge seeks the most pristine rivers to quench his or her spiritual thirst. Unfortunately, like diamonds and gold, these rivers are quickly vanishing from the earth.
The blessed city of Tarim is amongst the last and purest sources that breathes new life into the soul. However, instead of having rivers of knowledge, it has oceans as vast as the eye can see. But the journey to Tarim is not always easy. One should anticipate to be tested with unexpected hardships and constant uncertainty. I certainly didn’t expect to have the “opportunity” to meet with British officials in Heathrow for over two hours. There was also the lingering possibility that after the one-day journey from Seattle to get rejected in Sana’a and sent back as we didn’t yet have visas. And once we got through the security, I certainly didn’t expect to be selected to take a 10-hour bus ride to Tarim after reserving an airplane ticket previously nor did I expect to return to the airport later that day to discover that the entire flight was cancelled and we would all be staying in hotels for the night.
It was when we finally arrived in Hadramowt that I pondered and began to smile about the peculiar situations over the last two days. As it was when I was breathing in the rejuvenating air of Tarim that I truly realized how those obstacles need to be in place. Tarim resembles a paradise on earth, and likewise, it too is surrounded by hardships. It was really in the struggle to reach Tarim that allowed me to appreciate just how rare and precious this opportunity really was. The struggle to leave however is quite different.
After experiencing absolute tranquility, witnessing the highest manifestation of sincerity, and sitting in front of divinely illuminated faces, the struggle to leave was not physically taxing as entering had been. Rather, on a spiritual and emotional level you feel torn. As university and family realities begin to pull you back, you heart remains attached, yearning to remain alive. Things we do and say will be forgotten soon thereafter, but experiences are bound to remain, and those imprinted in Tarim will kindle in your heart throughout life.
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