LAUSR

E lias Khoury prefaced his novel, Gate of the Sun, with a parable seasoned with magic: One day, Sheikh al-Junayd set out on a journey and while traveling was overtaken by thirst. He found awell that was too deep to draw water from, so he took off his sash, dangled it into the well until it reached the water, and set about raising and lowering it and squeezing it into his mouth. Avillager appeared and asked him, “Why do it so? Tell the water to rise, and drink with your hands!” And the villager approached the edge of the well and said to thewater, “Rise with God's permission,” and it rose, and the sheikh and the villager drank. Afterward, the sheikh turned to the villager and asked, “Who are you?” “One of God's creatures,” he replied. “And who is your sheikh?” asked al-Junayd. “My sheikh is al-Junayd, though I have yet to set eyes on him,” replied the man. “Then how do you attain these powers?” asked the sheikh. “Through my faith in my sheikh,” replied the man.