The Merchant of Salalah | تاجِرُ صَلالَةَ
"A merchant learns that true wealth comes from generosity not accumulation"
تاجِرُ صَلالَةَ
The Merchant of Salalah
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: جامِعُ الذَّهَبِ
Chapter One: The Gold Collector
كانَ عَبْدُاللهِ بنُ مُحَمَّدٍ أَغْنَى تاجِرٍ فِي صَلالَةَ. تِجارَةُ اللُّبانِ جَعَلَتْهُ ثَرِيًّا جِدًّا. لَكِنَّهُ كانَ بَخِيلاً!
Abdullah bin Muhammad was the richest merchant in Salalah. Frankincense trade made him very wealthy. But he was miserly!
لَمْ يُعْطِ فَقِيرًا دِرْهَمًا قَطُّ. قالَ: «المالُ يُجْمَعُ، لا يُوَزَّعُ!»
He never gave a poor person a single dirham. He said: "Money is to be collected, not distributed!"
عاشَ وَحِيدًا فِي قَصْرٍ كَبِيرٍ، بِلا أَصْدِقاءَ وَلا سَعادَةٍ.
He lived alone in a big palace, without friends or happiness.
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: الغَرِيبُ الفَقِيرُ
Chapter Two: The Poor Stranger
ذاتَ يَوْمٍ، طَرَقَ بابَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقِيرٌ مُغْبَرٌّ. قالَ: «أَنا جائِعٌ. أَعْطِنِي لُقْمَةً.»
One day, a poor dusty man knocked on his door. He said: "I am hungry. Give me a morsel."
رَفَضَ عَبْدُاللهِ وَأَغْلَقَ البابَ. لَكِنَّ الرَّجُلَ قالَ: «سَتَنْدَمُ يا عَبْدَاللهِ. سَتَفْهَمُ يَوْمًا مَعْنَى الفَقْرِ الحَقِيقِيِّ.»
Abdullah refused and closed the door. But the man said: "You shall regret, O Abdullah. One day you shall understand the meaning of true poverty."
اخْتَفَى الرَّجُلُ، وَنَسِيَهُ عَبْدُاللهِ.
The man vanished, and Abdullah forgot him.
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: الخَسارَةُ الكُبْرَى
Chapter Three: The Great Loss
فِي السَّنَةِ التَّالِيَةِ، ضَرَبَ الجَرادُ مَحاصِيلَ اللُّبانِ. ثُمَّ غَرِقَتْ سُفُنُ عَبْدِاللهِ فِي البَحْرِ. ثُمَّ سَرَقَ خادِمُهُ ما تَبَقَّى!
The following year, locusts destroyed the frankincense crops. Then Abdullah's ships sank at sea. Then his servant stole what remained!
خِلالَ شُهُورٍ، صارَ أَغْنَى رَجُلٍ أَفْقَرَ رَجُلٍ.
Within months, the richest man became the poorest man.
طَلَبَ المُساعَدَةَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ عَرَفَهُمْ. لَكِنَّ أَحَدًا لَمْ يُساعِدْهُ! قالُوا: «أَنْتَ لَمْ تُساعِدْ أَحَدًا. لِماذا نُساعِدُكَ؟»
He asked for help from those he knew. But no one helped him! They said: "You helped no one. Why should we help you?"
الفصلُ الرَّابِعُ: الدَّرْسُ المُؤْلِمُ
Chapter Four: The Painful Lesson
جَلَسَ عَبْدُاللهِ فِي الشَّارِعِ جائِعًا، كَما كانَ الفَقِيرُ الَّذِي طَرَدَهُ.
Abdullah sat in the street hungry, like the poor man he had turned away.
فَجْأَةً، جاءَ رَجُلٌ وَأَعْطاهُ خُبْزًا. نَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ... إِنَّهُ نَفْسُ الفَقِيرِ!
Suddenly, a man came and gave him bread. He looked at him... it was the same poor man!
قالَ الرَّجُلُ: «أَنا لَسْتُ فَقِيرًا. أَنا مُرْسَلٌ لِأُعَلِّمَكَ. الآنَ تَفْهَمُ؟ الثَّرْوَةُ الحَقِيقِيَّةُ هِيَ القُلُوبُ الَّتِي تُحِبُّكَ. وَأَنْتَ لَمْ تَمْلِكْ قَلْبًا واحِدًا.»
The man said: "I am not poor. I was sent to teach you. Now do you understand? True wealth is the hearts that love you. And you owned not a single heart."
بَكَى عَبْدُاللهِ وَتابَ. عَمِلَ مِنْ جَدِيدٍ، لَكِنَّهُ هَذِهِ المَرَّةَ شارَكَ كُلَّ ما يَمْلِكُ مَعَ الفُقَراءِ.
Abdullah wept and repented. He worked again, but this time shared everything he had with the poor.
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End