Mortal lack of trust but full of faith for Allah. Lesson Five by Queen Shahrazad
LIMITING THOUGHTS AND ACTIONSA poor old fisherman with a wife and three children had a self-imposed policy – he would only cast his net no more than four times every day.
DON’T BE AN ASS
One day he was fishing and something very heavy seemed to be caught in the net.
However, after incredible effort he landed the catch only to be disappointed with the carcass of an ass.
HEAVY HEART
In response to an ass in his net, he moaned and exclaimed:
“There is no strength nor power but in God, the High, the Great!
This is a strange piece of fortune!"
And he repeated the following verse:
"O thou who occupiest thyself in the darkness of night, and in peril!
Spare thy trouble; for the support of Providence is not obtained by toil!”
PROVIDENCE
Providence is the result of luck or fortunate circumstances, but it has a much deeper meaning and that is the care and guidance of God over earthly creatures. Providence is an influence which is not human in origin but is thought to control whether people receive the things they need. It can mean God governs all!
FAT FISH?
In the name of God, he cast the net again and when he pulled upon it found it more heavy and more difficult to raise this time. It was not full of fish but a large jar.
HEAVY HEART
He was now troubled in his heart and repeated the words of the poet:
“O angry fate, forbear! or, if thou wilt not forbear, relent!
Neither favor from fortune do I gain, nor profit from the work of my hands.
I came forth to seek my sustenance, but have found it to be exhausted.
How many of the ignorant are in splendour! and how many of the wise, in obscurity!”
HEAVY HAND
He threw aside the jar and begging the forgiveness of God for his impatience, returned to sea the third time and cast the net. However, this time he netted broken jars and pots.
FOURTH AND FINAL ATTEMPT
In the name of God, he cast the net again into the sea. This time the net was even heavier. He exclaimed: “There is no strength nor power but in God!” He pulled the net into the shore. Inside the net this time was a brass bottle. The bottle had a lead top bearing the impression of the seal of Lord Suleyman (Suleyman Ibn-Da’ud (Solomon, the Son of David)).
TEN PIECES OF GOLD
The fisherman believed the bottle would fetch ten pieces of gold in the copper market. He felt he must open it to see what was in it. However, nothing but smoke came out of the bottle. The smoke solidified into a supernatural creature known as an Efrit.
THE APPEARANCE OF THE EFRIT
His head was in the clouds, while his feet rested upon the ground. His head was like a dome: his hands were like winnowing forks; and his legs, like masts: his mouth resembled a cavern: his teeth were like stones; his nostrils, like trumpets; and his eyes, like lamps; and he had disheveled and dust-coloured hair.
THE EFRIT’S STORYHe explained that he was one of the heretical Jinn (did not follow the accepted beliefs and standards). He rebelled against Suleyman – refusing to embrace the faith and to submit to his authority. He was then confined to this bottle and thrown into the midst of the sea.
AFTER 100 YEARS
He said in his heart: “Whosoever shall liberate me, I shall enrich him forever. “
No one did.
FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS
He said: “Whosoever shall liberate me, I will open to him the treasures of the earth.
But no one came.
TIME WAITS FOR NO JINN
Four hundred years more passed over him and he said: “Whosoever shall liberate me, I will perform for him three wants.”
Still no one came to liberate him.
NICENESS TURNS TO NASTINESS
The Jinn fell into a violent rage and said: “Whosoever shall liberate me now, I will kill him; and only suffer him to choose in what manner he will die.”
FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE
PARDON ME
The fisherman asked for a pardon because the Jinn should have gratitude for his liberator.
He mentioned an adage: We did good to them but they returned the opposite.
COVET NOT YOUR LIFE
"Do not covet (want it so much) your life because death is inevitable," retorted the Jinn.
HUMAN CUNNING
The fisherman thought to himself – this is a Jinni and I am a man – and he thought of a way to outsmart the Jinni. He asked: “How were you in that bottle?” The fisherman said he would never believe that the Jinni was in the bottle until he saw him in the bottle. The Jinni became smoke and entered the bottle. As soon as the Jinni did this the fisherman closed up the bottle.
UNTIL THE HOUR OF JUDGMENT
The fisherman intended to throw the bottle into the sea, intending to make him stay there until the day of judgment. The fisherman said to him: “Did I not ask you to spare me so that God may spare you? And destroy me not less God destroy you?”
OPEN TO ME
The Jinni promises benefits if the fisherman would open the bottle again but he did not believe him, saying you and I are like the Wezir of King Yunan and the sage of Duban. The Jinni wanted to know what their story was (TO BE CONTINUED).
THE MORAL OF STORY FIVE
Man can outsmart his circumstances if he plans. Man can get out of tight corners when he puts his thinking cap on. Sometimes we have the opportunity to show mercy and if we don't then there will be unfortunate consequences.
Part Three
Part Four
Pic credit: Two pages from the Galland manuscript, the oldest text of The Thousand and One Nights. Arabic manuscript, back to the 14th century from Syria in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris.1300s
- Two pages from the Galland manuscript, the oldest text of The Thousand and One Nights. Arabic manuscript, back to the 14th century from Syria in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris.1300s
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