“Who does this palace belong to?” the traveller asked.

“It belongs to Ibrāhīm bin Adham.”

“Who was here before him?”

“His father.”

“Who was here before them?” the person asked again.

“His father.”

“And who was here before him?” the traveller asked yet again.

“His father”, came the response.

“A traveller’s lodge is a place where one person enters and another leaves. So, this too is a traveller’s lodge.”

Sayyiduna Ibrāhīm bin Adham رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was listening intently, and these words touched his heart. He began to follow the traveller and asked, “Who are you?”

“I am Khiḍr, and I have come to direct you to the path of Allah (i.e. you were not created to live a lavish life as a prince, or to disobey Allah. You were not created to be distant from Him. I have come to place you on His path).”

Sayyiduna Ibrāhīm bin Adham رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه said, “I will come with you and walk any path you instruct me to. Yet, I am a prince and I have many worldly responsibilities. Once I deal with them, I will come with you.”

Prophet Khiḍr عَلَیْہِ السَّلَام responded, “No. The work I am about to give you is more important than the tasks you need to attend to. Complete these first, as your worldly activities will take a great length of time, and it shall be too late by then. Let us leave from here now.”

The great saint, Sayyiduna Ibrāhīm bin Adham رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه then set out for the wilderness with Prophet Khidr عَلَیْہِ السَّلَام. They came across a