Salmiya

I was somewhat hesitant to post this photo which shows Lady Evelyn Zainab Cobbold. She is featured in a wonderful article in the new issue of Saudi Aramco World . Lady Zainab was the first Scottish Muslim woman who conducted the pilgrimage to Islam's holy city in 1933, at the age of 66 or so. It is in a way touching to read about her life, that she always felt to be a Muslim (so, she never converted), and about her spiritual exaltation when eventually being part of the crowds of the faithful in Makkah. I have got some impressions of spritual mass phenomena when having visited certain holy shrines in Iran, for example the Hazrat-e Masumeh in Qom and the holy shrine of Emam Reza in Mashhad . I experienced a stark feeling of being a complete outsider, and deep inside I felt a kind of regret (but I certainly would not embrace Islam). Being not religious does not mean that I won't be susceptible for deep spiritual thoughts and experiences. It is a pity (but in a way understandable)...