PZ 1654/31 'Mr Philby's conversion to Islam' [‎44r] (39/58)

Copy
No.1954/1242/11.
(E 5011/4728/91).
Personal and Confidential.
JEDDA,
August 30, 1930.
Dear Rendel,
Further to my letter 1874/1242/10 of the 19ths
Phllhy has been down here for a few days from Talf,
whither he has now returned to sit at the foot of hi. Xoslw
Mentor.
1 eaw him once alone, when he asked me round to tea.
He made no pretence whatever that his conversion was spiritual.
He had been deliberating the step for four years, ever since
the first hot momenta of his rage against H.M.O’s Arab policy.
This had now cooled and the process had left him without
rancour, but his di.assool.tion from British ideals remained and
he had felt increasingly cut off from things British and
increasingly drawn to things Arabian.
His embrace of Islam now embraces for hi , all r oia
and, he hopes, Pan- Arabia.
The King himself had urged him to mark time and do
nothing rashly, but had always declared himself readj to
receive him into Islam when the time came. Hence the aelay,
hence also his unique entry into Mecca, there to make his
first profession of faith. The details were arranged between
Philby and Fuad duping the latter'^ vUit to Jedda of
August 1 to 4; Philby*s letter of request to the King being
drafted in Talf and delivered to him to sign tel quel. F uad
met him half way to Mecca, placed a tent at his disposal in
which to perform the major ablution and don pilgrim garb,
conducted him straight to the Great Mosque. It all v,ert
like clockwork. \
,Rendel Esq.
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/He
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