The Hidden Oasis | الواحَةُ المَخْفِيَّةُ
"A caravan discovers a miraculous oasis in the heart of the Empty Quarter"
الواحَةُ المَخْفِيَّةُ
The Hidden Oasis
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: القافِلَةُ الضَّائِعَةُ
Chapter One: The Lost Caravan
فِي قَلْبِ الرُّبْعِ الخالِي، ضاعَتْ قافِلَةٌ مِنْ تُجَّارِ اللُّبانِ. كانُوا عِشْرِينَ رَجُلاً وَخَمْسِينَ جَمَلاً، وَقَدْ نَفَدَ ماؤُهُمْ مُنْذُ يَوْمَيْنِ.
In the heart of the Empty Quarter, a caravan of frankincense merchants was lost. They were twenty men and fifty camels, and their water had run out two days ago.
قالَ قائِدُ القافِلَةِ، راشِدُ بنُ خَلْفانَ: «إِنْ لَمْ نَجِدْ ماءً قَبْلَ الغُرُوبِ، سَنَمُوتُ جَمِيعًا.»
The caravan leader, Rashid bin Khalfan, said: "If we do not find water before sunset, we shall all die."
سَقَطَ بَعْضُ الرِّجالِ مِنَ العَطَشِ. بَدَأَ الأَمَلُ يَتَلاشَى.
Some men collapsed from thirst. Hope began to fade.
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: النُّورُ فِي الظَّلامِ
Chapter Two: Light in the Darkness
فِي اللَّيْلِ، رَأَى راشِدٌ ضَوْءًا خَفِيفًا فِي الأُفُقِ. قالَ الرِّجالُ: «إِنَّهُ سَرابٌ!» لَكِنَّ راشِدًا قالَ: «لا، السَّرابُ لا يَظْهَرُ فِي اللَّيْلِ.»
At night, Rashid saw a faint light on the horizon. The men said: "It is a mirage!" But Rashid said: "No, mirages do not appear at night."
مَشَوْا نَحْوَ الضَّوْءِ ساعاتٍ. وَعِنْدَ الفَجْرِ، وَجَدُوا واحَةً صَغِيرَةً لَمْ تَكُنْ عَلى أَيِّ خَرِيطَةٍ!
They walked toward the light for hours. At dawn, they found a small oasis that was not on any map!
كانَتْ مَلِيئَةً بِالنَّخِيلِ وَالماءِ العَذْبِ، كَأَنَّها جَنَّةٌ وَسَطَ الجَحِيمِ.
It was full of palm trees and fresh water, like a paradise in the middle of hell.
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: سِرُّ الواحَةِ
Chapter Three: The Secret of the Oasis
شَرِبُوا وَاسْتَراحُوا. وَجَدَ راشِدٌ حَجَرًا مَنْقُوشًا عَلَيْهِ كَلِماتٌ قَدِيمَةٌ: «هَذِهِ الواحَةُ هَدِيَّةُ اللهِ لِلضَّائِعِينَ. خُذُوا ما تَحْتاجُونَ وَاتْرُكُوها لِغَيْرِكُمْ.»
They drank and rested. Rashid found a stone inscribed with ancient words: "This oasis is God's gift to the lost. Take what you need and leave it for others."
أَخَذُوا ماءً يَكْفِي لِإِكْمالِ رِحْلَتِهِمْ. وَحِينَ نَظَرُوا وَراءَهُمْ، كانَتِ الواحَةُ قَدِ اخْتَفَتْ!
They took enough water to complete their journey. When they looked behind them, the oasis had vanished!
قالَ راشِدٌ: «لَقَدْ رَأَيْنا مُعْجِزَةً. فَلْنَحْمَدِ اللهَ وَلْنَكُنْ كَرِيمِينَ مَعَ الضَّائِعِينَ كَما كانَتِ الواحَةُ كَرِيمَةً مَعَنا.»
Rashid said: "We have witnessed a miracle. Let us praise God and be generous with the lost as the oasis was generous with us."
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End