Sayyid Ne’matullah Jazairi has said in the book of
Maqamaat: Informed me my trusted brothers in Shustar in my
house, which is close to the Grand Mosque.
He said: When we were in Indian Ocean, there arose a
discussion of the wonders of the sea. One of the trusted persons
narrated: Narrated to me one, whom I trust; his house was at the
shore and there was an island in the sea and between that shore and that island there was a distance of one day travel or less. And
its water, firewood and fruits came from that island.
By chance, as per his routine he boarded a ship with the
intention to travel to that island and took with him rations for a
day. When he reached the middle of the sea, the wind arose and
took him away from his target and tossed him for nine days
without water and food.
Then the wind threw him on one of islands in the sea. He
came out and went into the island and the island had fresh water
and fresh fruit and a variety of trees.
He remained there for a day and took from there whatever
he needed and boarded the boat and set out from there.
When he went some distance away from the shore he saw
that a man was left behind on the island. So he called out to him
and he was unable to go back to the island.
He saw that man having tied up a bundle of firewood and
placed it below his chest and with it he was floating in water and
trying to reach the boat.
The night prevented him from reaching them and he
remained in the sea.
But the people of the boat did not reach home, except after a
few months. When they reached their people they informed the
relatives of that man and they mourned for him.
A year or more passed. Then they saw that the man had
returned to his people. They congratulated one another and the
comrades of the ship gathered and discussed what has passed on
them all.
When the night came between me and you, I stayed in the
water and the waves transferred me from place to place and I
continued to float on that bundle of wood till the waves threw me
on a mountain on the shore. I stuck to a stone and I could not
climb it.
Suddenly I saw a huge python bigger and longer and thicker
than a minaret. It reached that mountain and stretched its head to
the sea to catch fish from the top of my head. I was sure that I
will be annihilated and made supplication to God Almighty.
I saw a scorpion crawling on the back of the serpent. When
it reached on the top of his nose, it swallowed its poison. Then
his flesh began to melt and only his ribs remained and his fangs
were like and huge ladder having many steps and it was easy to
climb them.
I began climbing those fangs till I entered the island and
thanked the Almighty Allah for this great blessing. Till near the
late afternoon I went to that island. There I saw nice houses
whose foundations were lofty, except that there were empty, but
there were signs of human habitation in them. I hid in a place.
When it was the time of Asr, I saw people and servants, each of
them were mounted on mules. They alighted and spread a nice
carpet and started preparing dinner.
When they finished I saw riders, who arrived dressed in
white and green and on their faces effulgence gleamed. They
alighted and food was presented to them. When they started
eating, one, who was most illuminated of them, said:
Take a portion of this to one, who is hiding.
When they finished he called out to me: O so and so son of so and so. Come.
I was astounded and I came to him and he welcomed me.
Then I began to eat that food and it dawned to me that it was
the food of Paradise.
In the morning all of them mounted and said to me: Wait
here.
Then they returned at Asr and I remained there with them
for some days.
One day the most effulgent of them said: If you like you
may stay here with us on this Island, and if you like to return to
your people, I will send someone with you to your place.
Inspite of my hard heartedness, I chose my country.
At night, he ordered a horse for me and sent a slave with me.
After some hours of the night had passed and I know that
between us and my people there was a distance of some months
and a few days. Not a little part of the night passed, but that I
heard the barking of dogs.
That slave said: This is the barking of your dogs. I did not
pay attention until I found myself at my house. He said: This is
your house; get down here.
When I came down, he said: You are a loser in this world
and hereafter. That person was the Sahibuz Zamaan.
I turned to that slave, but did not see him again, and at
present I am among you, regretful of my mistake. This is my
story
Behaarul Anwaar, vol. 53, pp. 307-309