72-3 - The
Will of Almighty Allaah:
Lost and Found
"O
Lord, After some time I left my old house, where Shaad and Shaadee had seen
me working, and went to live in my new mansion. One day they came to
my old house, and when they did not find me there, they asked my neighbors -
"Where is Hasan? Is he alive or dead?" The neighbors said -
"He is now a very rich man and is now called "Master Hasan the
Rope-maker" not "Hasan". They were very happy to hear about
me. Shaadee did not believe that all this wealth was because of that lead
coin. He said to Shaad - "I am very happy to hear about Hasan,
despite the fact that he took 400 gold coins from me and lost them by deceit,
but it is absurd to believe that he got these riches only because of that
lead coin. Still I forgive him and do not grudge over him." Shaad
said - "I know Hasan for quite some time, he would never deceit you.
And I am sure that he has got these riches because of that coin. Let us go
to him what does he say." They came to my mansion and knocked the
door - "Is this mansion of Hasan?"
On
the 623rd Night
So
they came to my mansion. As soon as I saw them, I recognized them. I
immediately ran towards them, kissed their garments. They embraced me and
I led them to a large room and seated them on the highest seat of honor. I
also took my seat opposite to them. Shaadee said - "I am sure that you
must have got these riches out of those 400 coins I gave to you, but tell
me, why did you deceive me twice?" Shaad said - "O Shaadee, I
told you before also that Hasan has not deceived you." Then they
began to quarrel among themselves.
Then I
intervened them and said - "Whatever had happened to me, I told
you; whether you believe me or not. But please trust me and hear my rest
of the story." And then I told them the whole story. At this Shaadee
said - "O Khwaajaa, It seems very strange that you found such a big
diamond in the stomach of the fish; and I think it impossible that a bird
cant fly away with your turban; and your wife should exchange a jar to buy
only clay. You say that it all is true, still I give no credit to your
words. I know that all this wealth is due to those 400 coins."
Then
they arose to leave, so I also arose and said - "I want to thank you
for your favor. As you came to my poor home, now I wish that you take food
in my present home also and spend the night here. Tomorrow I will take you
to a country house I have bought recently." They consented for this.
I ordered the best meals for them in the evening, showed them the
mansion and its furniture till the supper was served. We ate supper, slept
in the night, and next day morning we went to my river house. It was a
lovely house. My friends rejoiced with me and thanked me to bring them to
such a lovely site.
On
the 624th Night
Now it
so happened, that as we sat resting, my two sons were roaming around in
the garden seeking bird's nests. Presently they came upon a big nest. They
wanted to carry it off, but because lack of experience and little practice
they could not reach so high, so they asked a slave boy to climb the tree.
As the slave boy climbed, he was amazed to see that the nest was wholly made of
turban. So he brought down the stuff and handed down to the boys. My
eldest son took it and brought it to me to see and said - "Look
father, This nest is made of cloth."
Shaad
and Shaadee also wondered at this and their surprise increased when I
recognized it as my turban. I said to my friends - "Look at it, and
recognize it as my turban I wore it when you came first time." Shaad
said - "I cannot." But Shaadee said - "If it contains 190
gold coins then it is yours." I opened the folds and found that purse
in which the gold pieces were given to me. I cried showing it to Shaadee -
"Can you recognize this purse you gave to me?" He said it
ashamed - "Yes, I can. Now I believe you; still you must admit that
you have earned one 1/2 of this wealth with the 200 gold coins I gave to
you second time, and the other half your wealth from the lead coin, Shaad
gave it you."
I
could make no answer to this. We then sat down to eat and after eating we
went to sleep in the cool air and in the evening, we rode on our horse
towards Bagadaad. Reaching the city we could not find any shop open to buy
forage for our horses. Then I sent two boys to look for some. One of them
found a jar of bran in the shop of a corn-dealer. He paid for the bran and
promised him to bring the jar next morning. He brought it and emptied it
before the horse.
On
the 625th Night
He
found a cloth bag which was heavy. He brought that bag to me and said -
"Is this the bag you spoke to us often?" I got
surprised to find the bag after such a long time. It was the same bag as
it still had 190 Asharfees. I showed it to Shaadee and asked him to
believe me. My wife confirmed that it was the same jar which she exchanged
for the clay. Now Shaadee agreed that he was wrong, I spoke the Truth; and
only by the grace of Allaah I became the rich man. He begged my pardon for
his mistrust. Next morning they went on their ways."
Now
when the Caliph Haaroon al-Rasheed heard Hasan's story, he said - "I
know you that you are good and fair man, he said, "But this diamond
is now my treasure, so I would send for Shaadee, so that he might see it
with his own eyes and understand that people do not become rich by money
but by their luck.
Now you go to my treasurer and he will write your story and add it to my
other stories.
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