and incomparable city through which you have so long
conducted me, one thing I observe to be lacking. Among all this
multitude of houses, every one of which is well worthy of being styled
a palace, I have not seen, and you have not shown me, a single mosque,
a single building that is,' he explained, 'dedicated to the service of
Allah.'

"'Truly,' said they, looking upon him with amazement, 'some of your
remarks and questions are more surprising to us than anything we can
say or show can appear to you. Is it possible that any people can
build any house that is not to be dedicated to the service of Allah,
and if not, what can be the meaning or necessity of such a building as
you allude to?'

"'Have you, then,' asked Mubarek, 'no religion?'

"'What is that?' said they; 'the word is new to us.'

"'Do you not,' asked Mubarek, 'serve God?'

"'Allah forbid that it should be otherwise,' said they. 'He has
created us and placed us in this world, and what He wills we do. We do
not comprehend your meaning.'

"Perceiving this to be indeed the case, Mubarek did not continue to
speak of religion. With these people to do what they conceived to be
right was part of their life, and to do either less or more was to them
incomprehensible. Their life was their religion, their work was their
prayer, and their enjoyment was their praise.

"Mubarek and the fairy spent a very long period in visiting and viewing
all the beauties and wonders of this strange world. How long a period
they had no means of estimating, since there light is perpetual as on
one bright morning that never knows an end.

"At length, not because they were tired, for weariness is there
unknown, Mubarek determined again to return to the house that had been
given him. He desired to enter upon the regular performance and
enjoyment of the duties of the new existence in this other world. But
they were told that first each might select a wife or partner of his
labours and his pleasures.

"For this purpose a great number of the women were assembled, each more
lovely than the fairest woman man has ever seen, and all clad in such
gauzelike glistening robes as would make the finest fabrics of this
world look coarse and homely.

"In this regard alone, however, are the men in that world stinted.
Each has but one wife. Mubarek found the difficulty great of choosing
only one. Yet, having made his choice, he soon became contented with
his lot. For in that bright