in Allah — Exalted Glory — that He will protect me from any ugly deed I might commit with my brothers."
Then he said to me: "Read." So, I read until I reached in the Quran His saying, Exalted Glory: «And We placed between them and the cities which We had blessed [many] visible cities. And We determined between them the [distances of] journey, [saying], "Travel between them by night and day in safety"»1. He said to me: "Stop." So, I stopped. He said to me: "O Abu al-Tahir, you had mentioned that you are good at something of the interpretation (tafsīr) of the Quran. These cities that were blessed and the visible cities—what is their interpretation?" I said to him: "As for the visible cities, we have interpreted them as the cities of Mecca; and as for the cities that were blessed, they are the cities of Sham."
He said to me: "O Abu al-Tahir, between the visible cities and the blessed cities, is there any danger from a highwayman, or a terrifying path, or a beast of the earth, or floods, or boundaries, or a wind that pierces the souls of people?" I said to him: "Many." He said: "Then what is the meaning of His saying, Exalted Glory: «Travel between them by night and day in safety2»? And you, O Abu al-Tahir, after you entered the Sanctuary (al-Ḥaram), your luggage was taken; what then is the meaning of His saying, Exalted Glory: «And whoever enters it shall be safe»?3 In the Sanctuary, people are killed, raided, and their wealth is taken. Is this matter for a [general] group of people or for a specific group of people?" He said: I said, "I have no knowledge of that."
He said: "O Abu al-Tahir, I reckon you are not learned in the esoteric interpretation (ta’wīl) of the Quran?" I said: "I used to think so until this hour." He said: "Do you know anything of the differences in the paths of the people and their religions?" I said: "I have a good knowledge of