The mountain al-Muqattam.


I had opportunity to participate in a symposium for doctoral students in Uppsala University.
A broad variety or subjects were presented. Behind each of them is an eager student in work.
The future seems brighter when I meet all the individuals that are taking their studies seriously and hear about their results this far. All seems to aim for a better World.




I mentioned al-Muqattam, the mountain in Egypt that gave name to a newspaper in Egypt, mentioned  in my presentation of Mayy Ziyadah and her Writings.

But afterwards the mountain  al Muqattam seemed to have stuck in my mind. What can I learn about it?
A range of hills east of Cairo - is the short explantation by Hans Wehr, author of "The Dictionary of  modern written arabic".
I asked my dear husband Yusuf who surely could have something to tell me.


He retold me from his memory a fantastic episode about this mountain:






During the 1000th Century a muslim caliph ruled Egypt. He was against the Christian believers, persecuted them.
He addressed the patriarch and challenged the Christians to show the credibility in the Words of Jesus in Matthew 17:20:




“For assuredly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible for you.”



-Let us see if this is true about this mountain al Muqattam at the outskirts of Cairo.
I give you three days from now and you can move the mountain or otherwise you have to accept Islam as your religion or leave this country!




The patriarch, deacons, priests and monks went in their despair  to the mountain al-Muqattam and prayed. They were totally exhausted when the third day was coming to its end.
The hour draw near when the truth was going to be revealed...
Just when they were going to say "move from here to there..."  a man in ragged cloths nearby prayed:




 -OH MOUNTAIN, MOVE FROM HERE TO THERE!




The huge mountain started to shake heavily from its foundation. The caliph said:


-It is enough, I believe.


Everyone wondered who had talked with such authority.  The man in rugged cloths stepped forward and began to tell his story:




-"I am a shoemaker. One day a woman came to me with shoes to be mended. She lifted up her skirt a little and under the hem I could glance at her ancle. I was  infatuated by her, felt a strong desire for her.
I then remembered the Words in Matthew 5:29:




"And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you: for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for  your whole body to be thrown into hell."




I took a chisel and pierced my own right Eye, in literary obedience to  my lord Jesus."



When the people heard his Words, he became considered purer that even the patriarch. The people blessed him.
The caliph who had been hating the Christians stopped his persecution of Christians in Egypt.












Don´t neglect a simple Word- it can hide and later reveal a lifetime-story!


I wish each of you readers a Happy midsummer.!