Evolution of Organized Society
The narrative delves into the socio-political systems that define human civilization at different junctures of an evolving society. The protagonist undertakes pilgrimages that take him across five kingdoms, namely Mashriq, Halba, Haira, Aman, and Ghuroub. These excursions are to prepare him for the final destination in the land of Gebel, purportedly the land of perfection. The allegorical journey aims to make a commentary on the evolution of organized society from the dawn of humanity through the symbolic stages. Each kingdom represents a stage in the history of man, furthermore, their names refer to sunrise, bewilderment, arena, security, sunset, and mountain.
Mashriq symbolizes the dawning of human civilization where religion is still primitive as they worship the moon mirroring ancient paganism. This society practices sexual freedom since they have yet to adopt social institutions such as marriage. The next destination Haira resembles medieval times where they prioritize militarism and tyranny. In Halba, Qindil encounters a liberal and left-wing society that supports individual freedoms but also engages in combat to protect its ideals. On the other hand, Aman characterizes a right-wing communist society that ranks security, discipline, and order as their main concerns.
Tolerance and Understanding
At the core of the narrative is the idea of social justice and spirituality as each realm has its own interpretation. Therefore tolerance and intolerance define the pilgrimage that the protagonist embarks on in search of Gebel. With each excursion, the protagonist encounters a society that is much more advanced than the last however for Halba and Aman it is different sides of the same coin. Gebel as the goal it is meant to be the realm that has reconciled all the social issues and reached perfection. In Mashriq, Qindil learns to embrace their ways but as soon as he introduces his Islamic faith in this pagan society he is exiled. Haira is a less tolerant society that is tyrannical in nature as Qindil is jailed for twenty years for being an obstacle to the god-king’s pursuits. Though the subsequent kingdoms focus on freedoms and justice, their social structures have elements that barely allow for complete tolerance and understanding. They still engage in conflicts and war to protect their socio-political systems while opposing other systems.
Meaning of Life
The pilgrimage is more than a spatial or temporal journey that takes Qindil to different realms and cultures. It is also a personal journey towards a path of self-discovery as he tosses himself into an unknown future. The decision to embark on the journey is due to his disappointment with his homeland and the advice to seek the land of Gebel. Qindil goes through personal growth from the existential crises and struggles in defining the meaning of life. In each kingdom, he has to resolve his own beliefs and those followed in that society. He ceases to impose his own reality on these societies and only observes to learn about his own failings. The journey reveals that each realm has its weaknesses yet does not imply that they lack their strengths. Accordingly, Qindil has a different take on his final destination in Gebel from the one he had during departure.
