Afterthemiddayprayers,IwaseversoswiftlyyetpleasurablydrawingthedarlingfacesofboyswhenIheardaknockatthedoor.Myhandjerkedinsurprise.Iputdownmybrush.Icarefullyplacedthework-boardthatwasonmykneesofftotheside.Rushinglikethewind,Isaidaprayerbeforeopeningthedoor.Iwon’twithholdanythingfromyou,becauseyou,whohearmefromwithinthisbook,aremuearertoAllahthahisfilthyandmiserableworldofours.AkbarKhan,theEmperorofHindustanandtheworld’srichestshah,ispreparingwhatwillonedaybeealegendarybook.Topletehisproject,hesentwordtothefourersofIslamdominvitingtheworld’sgreatestartiststojoinhim.Themenhe’dsenttoIstanbulvisitedmeyesterday,invitioHindustan.Thistime,Iopehedoortofind,intheirplace,mychildhoodacquaintanceBlack,aboutwhomI’dfotteirely.Backthenhewasn’tabletokeepourpany,hewasjealousofus.“Yes?”

    Hesaidhe’detoverse,topayafriendlyvisit,tohavealookatmyillustrations.Iweledhimsohemightseeitall.Ilearnedhe’djusttodayvisitedHeadIlluminatorMasterOsmanandkissedhishand.Thegreatmaster,heexplained,hadgivenhimwisewordstoponder:“Apainter’squalitybeesevidentinhisdiscussionsofblindnessandmemory,”he’dsaid.Soletitbeevident:

    BlindnessandMemoryBeforetheartofilluminationtherewasblaessandafterwardtherewillalsobeblaess.Throughourcolors,paints,artandlove,werememberthatAllahhadao“See”!Toknowistorememberthatyou’veseen.Toseeistoknowwithoutremembering.Thus,paintingisrememberingtheblaess.Thegreatmasters,whosharedaloveofpaintingandperceivedthatcolorandsightarosefromdarkness,looreturntoAllah’sblaessbymeansofcolor.Art