مُعْضِلَةُ القاضِي

The Judge's Dilemma

كانَ القاضِي خَمِيسُ بنُ راشِدٍ أَعْدَلَ قاضٍ فِي تارِيخِ نِزْوَى. لَمْ يَقْبَلْ رِشْوَةً قَطُّ، وَلَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِالظُّلْمِ أَبَدًا.

Judge Khamis bin Rashid was the most just judge in the history of Nizwa. He never accepted a bribe, and never ruled unjustly.

كانَ يَقُولُ: «القاضِي مِيزانٌ. إِذا مالَ، أَفْسَدَ العالَمَ.»

He used to say: "A judge is a scale. If it tilts, it corrupts the world."

كانَ لَهُ ابْنٌ وَحِيدٌ يُدْعَى سالِمًا، أَحَبَّهُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ حَياتِهِ. لَكِنَّ القَدَرَ كانَ قاسِيًا.

He had an only son named Salim, whom he loved more than his life. But fate was cruel.

ذاتَ لَيْلَةٍ، دَخَلَ سالِمٌ فِي شِجارٍ مَعَ شابٍّ آخَرَ. فِي لَحْظَةِ غَضَبٍ، ضَرَبَهُ بِحَجَرٍ فَماتَ!

One night, Salim got into a fight with another youth. In a moment of anger, he struck him with a stone and killed him!

أُلْقِيَ القَبْضُ عَلى سالِمٍ، وَأُحْضِرَ إِلى المَحْكَمَةِ. وَالقاضِي كانَ أَباهُ!

Salim was arrested and brought to court. And the judge was his father!

قالَ النَّاسُ: «لَنْ يَحْكُمَ عَلى ابْنِهِ! سَيَجِدُ طَرِيقَةً لِتَبْرِئَتِهِ!»

People said: "He will not rule against his son! He will find a way to acquit him!"

جَلَسَ القاضِي خَمِيسٌ أَمامَ ابْنِهِ. نَظَرَ فِي عَيْنَيْهِ فَرَأَى الخَوْفَ وَالنَّدَمَ.

Judge Khamis sat before his son. He looked into his eyes and saw fear and remorse.

دَرَسَ القَضِيَّةَ بِعِنايَةٍ. الشُّهُودُ واضِحُونَ، وَالجَرِيمَةُ ثابِتَةٌ.

He studied the case carefully. The witnesses were clear, and the crime was proven.

قالَ لِنَفْسِهِ: «إِنْ بَرَّأْتُهُ، خُنْتُ اللهَ وَالنَّاسَ. وَإِنْ حَكَمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، قَتَلْتُ قَلْبِي.»

He said to himself: "If I acquit him, I betray God and the people. If I rule against him, I kill my heart."

سَهِرَ ثَلاثَ لَيالٍ، يُصَلِّي وَيَدْعُو اللهَ أَنْ يُرْشِدَهُ.

He stayed awake three nights, praying and asking God to guide him.

فِي يَوْمِ المَحْكَمَةِ، امْتَلَأَتِ القاعَةُ بِالنَّاسِ. الجَمِيعُ يَنْتَظِرُونَ.

On the day of court, the hall was filled with people. Everyone was waiting.

وَقَفَ القاضِي وَقالَ بِصَوْتٍ مُرْتَجِفٍ: «حُكْمِي هُوَ... الدِّيَةُ وَالسِّجْنُ. هَذا ما يَقْتَضِيهِ الشَّرْعُ.»

The judge stood and said in a trembling voice: "My ruling is... blood money and prison. This is what the law requires."

ثُمَّ أَضافَ: «وَأَنا سَأَدْفَعُ الدِّيَةَ مِنْ مالِي، لِأَنَّنِي فَشِلْتُ فِي تَرْبِيَتِهِ.»

Then he added: "And I shall pay the blood money from my own wealth, because I failed in raising him."

بَكَى النَّاسُ، وَبَكَى سالِمٌ، وَبَكَى القاضِي. لَكِنَّهُ قالَ: «العَدْلُ أَغْلَى مِنَ الدُّمُوعِ.»

The people wept, Salim wept, and the judge wept. But he said: "Justice is more precious than tears."

وَصارَ حُكْمُهُ مَثَلاً لِلْأَجْيالِ فِي مَعْنَى العَدالَةِ الحَقِيقِيَّةِ.

His ruling became an example for generations of what true justice means.

تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End