well, ma sha Allah. A friend of mine just returned from Egypt and brought me some books that I requested. One of the books he brought for me was al Futuhat al Ilahiyah( published by Dar al Kutub al Ilmiyah) which is the explanation of the Mabahith by Sidi Ahmd ibn Muhammad Ibn Ajiba rahimahullah. Concerning that particular passage, he says regarding it (page 294): I say: From the matters of concern for the Faqir in his beggining, is to flee from the people and avoid them (Ar; Istihash, which could also mean to seek to alone and away from them, coming from the Arabic Wahshah which means to be away and lonely, among other meanings-Allah Alam) until he gains strength to be present with them in the best way. At that point, it is of no harm to him if he mixes with them in his body while being seperated from them with his heart. As far as his inclining toward the people and loving to mix with them, then this is a proof of his bankruptcy, for indeed, seeking intimacy with people is from the signs of bankruptcy... he said a few sentences more before he moved on, but basically he was stating the same point as above(note, i would advise anyone interested to read the book themselves as all i did was an on the spot rough translation). It would seem from his words, that Ibn al Bannas intention was to warn against overly mixing with all of the people. It doesnt seem concievable that he could intend anything even remotely racist with his statement, given that he himself was from Sarqasut and the fact that he included the Arabs in the same line of poetry. Allahu Alam