This has been a month of lots of work for me. And excitement too, as I read what I’ve found in Tora-Bora’s manuscripts. It starts with some kind of explanation about the reason Bishr Ibn Al Sirri wrote it. I will try to translate it the best I can, but you must be aware that it was written many years ago, and I am not the best person to do this job.
Many of what he wrote seems to be texts taken from the Bible, but with no references like chapters or verses, as we see today. I will do the best I can to translate them, but don’t expect that someone with an Arabian background will be able to identify where you can find those texts in a modern Bible. I leave this work for you to do and perhaps tell me, so I can update my text as the readers go on identifying the scriptures. I don’t have a Bible and will not buy one, because this could call the attention of the officials when I travel to Arab countries. Yes, the Bible is not welcomed in some of them.
The manuscripts begin more or less like this:
“When I decided to write these humble notes, my first purpose was to begin a systematic study of what has called my attention in the last months. I am talking about the purpose God has of glorifying his Son, the lord Jesus Christ, and in regard to the dispensation of the fullness of the times, to bring into one the whole in the Christ, both the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth -- in him. I am sure God will accomplish his purpose according to his son because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of the prophecy.”
That word -- prophecy -- really caught my attention. You see, I live my everyday life looking for tragedies, wars, death and sorrow. If I would go after good news, I would not be able to sell my stories to the newspapers. People is looking for the ugly, the sad, the tragic, not for good things. Interesting, there seems to be an evil little thing in our hearts that rejoice in somebody else’s pain. And after seeing so much disgrace, I am very curious about the future of this Earth. I don’t believe much in those peace talking we see among my people and the jews, because sooner or latter someone will blow a bomb attached to his body in a restaurant, or the jewish army will break into Arabic neighborhoods just shooting everyone. So it called my attention when he wrote about the things that will come to this world. Lets go on reading.
“I don’t want to satisfy my intelect or someone’s else by writing these words, but bring honour to my savior. I am not sure if there are things going on around me today that could match with the events described in the scriptures as prophecy. But one thing I know for sure. The lord Jesus told his disciples that he would come back, because in the house of his father are many mansions; and if not, he would have told his disciples. But he said he would go on to prepare a place for them and if he would go and prepare for them a place, again he would come, and receive them unto himself, that where he is also may be. And he went further saying that whither he went away they had known, and the way they had known.”
Don’t ask me what all this mean. I am quite confused. In the meanwhile I begun reading an online version of the Bible to learn a little about the life of Jesus. Very interesting. So far, the conclusions I have draw are that he should be what he said he was, otherwise he was a lunatic. But nothing shows that. Such an influence that remains for centuries must have some truth behind it. Or have it? I don’t know. All this talking about coming back scares me. “Prepare a place”, “receive them”, I don’t understand much of this. By what I know, he died. And now the text talks about a way and that his disciples knew the way. Would it be dying after him?
