True Wealth of the World
"O mighty ruler, this young man killed our father and was trying to escape. But we have him a hot chase and caught him. Let him be punished according to law," complained two brothers to the Caliph. They had brought with them the accused, another young man, his hands bound. "What have you to say to this?" the Caliph asked the accused. "My lord, they are not lying, yet I should say that the old man was killed by his own weapon- and by the same force with which he had used it," said the youth. "What do you mean to say?" demanded the Caliph. The young man gave an account of the incident: The young man was a merchant. With his camels, he was proceeding to the town. While passing through a village, one of his camels broke away from the caravan and entered a garden. The young man ran after the camel, but before he could bring it back to the road, the owner of the garden, with great fury, hurled a stone at the camel. It struck the animal on its forehead. It fell dead.
This infuriated the young man. He picked up that very stone and hurled it back at the owner of the garden, an old man with equal fury. It struck the old man dead! "My noble ruler, it is the old man's fury that stimulated fury in me. It is his impulsive action that made me act that madly," concluded the accused. The Caliph heard him with patience. Then he said, "Young man, the way you acted in the heat of the moment was not unnatural, though it would have been wise of you not to act like that. But, by trying to escape, you have worsened your case. With your life, you must pay for your crime." The young man heard the judgment with calmness. Then, bowing down to the Caliph, he said, "O Commander of the Faithful, I have nothing to say upon your decision. But I plead for three day's time. A certain man, while dying, left his infant son under my charge. Also, he confided to me where his wealth lies buried. If I die today, wealth will remain unused forever. I may be allowed to go home and entrust the child and the wealth to somebody." "Who will stand surety for you?" asked the Caliph. The accused looked at the courtiers. There was nobody among them whom he knew. However, when his eyes fell on a nobleman called AbuZarr, a hope flashed on his face. "Sir, I do not know you. Still, I feel that I can ask you a favor. Will you care to stand surety for me?" the young man asked Abu Zarr.
The other courtiers laughed. To stand surety for a man condemned to death was taking a great risk. If the condemned man failed to turn up, one who stood surety for him would die. Why should AbuZarr take the risk for a stranger? But, to everybody's surprise, AbuZarr stepped forward. He declared his readiness to oblige the accused. The young man thanked him and left the court. Three days passed. The two brothers - the accusers - came to the court again. The accused was not to be seen. The Caliph himself felt worried. Abu Zarr was well-known for his wisdom and goodness. The Caliph would not like to lose him. But he ought not to set a bad example by sparing him his life when the law demanded it. "My friend, yours was a foolish action. You should not have heeded the unknown young man's request." commented the Caliph. All the members of the court agreed with him. "My master, please do not hesitate to take my life now that the time granted to the accused has run out," said AbuZarro. With a sigh of distress, Caliph asked his officers to arrange for the execution of Abu Zarr. Many courtiers broke down. Only one thing could save the nobleman-if the accusers pardoned the accused. Several courtiers pleaded with the two brothers to do so. But the brothers were not willing to go without satisfying their vengeance. Just when AbuZarr would be led away to be put to death, the accused arrived. He was sweating and gasping for breath. The court fell silent. Then many people praised the young man for his courage and honesty in turning up to die!
The young man thanked them and said politely, "I had to come so that nobody should say that faith has disappeared from the world! If praise you must, praise the nobleman who stood surety for me. He could have very well refused to do so." "How could have I refused, young man? When, from so many people present here, you chose to vest your faith in me, I had to honor it. Nobody should say that the sympathy had disappeared from the world!" said Abu Zarr. Suddenly the two brothers, the accusers, said, addressing the Caliph, "O our kind ruler, we beg to inform you that we have forgiven, this young man. It will be inhuman on our part to dishonor such noble sentiments by insisting that the accused be punished. Let nobody say that humanity had disappeared from the world." The Caliph was deeply moved. So were all. It was a great day in court. He set the accused free and threw a grand feast in honor of the accused, the accusers, and the nobleman. "The qualities you have shown, gentleman, are the qualities which are the true wealth of the world," the Caliph declared.
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