The Imam and the Thief | الإِمامُ وَاللِّصُّ
"A wise Imam teaches a convicted thief the true meaning of justice and mercy"
الإِمامُ وَاللِّصُّ
The Imam and the Thief
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: المُتَّهَمُ
Chapter One: The Accused
أُحْضِرَ إِلى مَجْلِسِ الإِمامِ فِي نِزْوَى رَجُلٌ مُقَيَّدٌ، مُتَّهَمٌ بِسَرِقَةِ طَعامٍ مِنَ السُّوقِ. كانَ نَحِيفًا كَالعُودِ، عَيْناهُ غائِرَتانِ مِنَ الجُوعِ.
A bound man was brought before the Imam's council in Nizwa, accused of stealing food from the market. He was thin as a stick, his eyes sunken from hunger.
صاحَ التُّجَّارُ: «اقْطَعْ يَدَهُ يا مَوْلانا! فَهَذا حُكْمُ الشَّرْعِ!»
The merchants shouted: "Cut off his hand, O our lord! This is the ruling of the law!"
نَظَرَ الإِمامُ إِلى الرَّجُلِ وَسَأَلَ بِهُدُوءٍ: «ما اسْمُكَ؟ وَلِماذا سَرَقْتَ؟»
The Imam looked at the man and asked calmly: "What is your name? And why did you steal?"
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: قِصَّةُ المَظْلُومِ
Chapter Two: The Story of the Wronged
قالَ الرَّجُلُ وَهُوَ يَبْكِي: «اِسْمِي حَمَدٌ يا مَوْلانا. كانَ لِي بُسْتانٌ صَغِيرٌ، لَكِنَّ رَجُلاً قَوِيًّا سَلَبَنِي إِيَّاهُ. وَزَوْجَتِي مَرِيضَةٌ وَأَطْفالِي جِياعٌ. سَرَقْتُ لِأُطْعِمَهُمْ، لا لِنَفْسِي.»
The man said while weeping: "My name is Hamad, O my lord. I had a small orchard, but a powerful man took it from me. My wife is sick and my children are hungry. I stole to feed them, not for myself."
سَأَلَ الإِمامُ: «مَنْ هَذا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي سَلَبَكَ؟»
The Imam asked: "Who is this man who robbed you?"
صَمَتَ حَمَدٌ خائِفًا. لَكِنَّ الإِمامَ أَصَرَّ، فَقالَ: «هُوَ... هُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّكَ يا مَوْلانا!»
Hamad fell silent in fear. But the Imam insisted, so he said: "He is... he is your cousin, O my lord!"
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: العَدْلُ الحَقِيقِيُّ
Chapter Three: True Justice
سَكَتَ المَجْلِسُ كُلُّهُ. الجَمِيعُ يَنْتَظِرُونَ غَضَبَ الإِمامِ. لَكِنَّهُ قالَ بِهُدُوءٍ: «أَحْضِرُوا ابْنَ عَمِّي!»
The entire council fell silent. Everyone awaited the Imam's anger. But he said calmly: "Bring my cousin!"
جاءَ الرَّجُلُ مُتَكَبِّرًا. سَأَلَهُ الإِمامُ عَنِ البُسْتانِ فَأَنْكَرَ. لَكِنَّ الشُّهُودَ أَثْبَتُوا جُرْمَهُ.
The man came arrogantly. The Imam asked him about the orchard and he denied. But witnesses proved his crime.
قالَ الإِمامُ: «حُكْمِي كَالتَّالِي: يُعادُ البُسْتانُ إِلى حَمَدٍ. وَيَدْفَعُ ابْنُ عَمِّي تَعْوِيضًا عَنْ كُلِّ سَنَةٍ سَلَبَهُ فِيها. أَمَّا السَّرِقَةُ، فَلا عُقُوبَةَ عَلى مَنْ سَرَقَ لِيُطْعِمَ جائِعًا، إِذا أَغْلَقَ المُجْتَمَعُ أَمامَهُ كُلَّ بابٍ.»
The Imam said: "My ruling is as follows: the orchard shall be returned to Hamad. My cousin shall pay compensation for every year he robbed him. As for the theft, there is no punishment for one who stole to feed the hungry, when society closed every door before him."
صَفَّقَ النَّاسُ، وَصارَ هَذا الحُكْمُ مَثَلاً يُضْرَبُ فِي العَدْلِ.
The people applauded, and this ruling became a proverb of justice.
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End