The Silversmith of Muscat | صائِغُ الفِضَّةِ فِي مَسْقَط
"A master silversmith creates a legendary khanjar for the Sultan while facing a rival's treachery"
صائِغُ الفِضَّةِ فِي مَسْقَط
The Silversmith of Muscat
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: الأَمْرُ السُّلْطانِيُّ
Chapter One: The Sultan's Commission
فِي سُوقِ مَسْقَطَ العَتِيقِ، كانَتْ دُكَّانُ يَحْيَى بنِ إِبْراهِيمَ أَشْهَرَ دُكَّانٍ لِلْفِضَّةِ. كانَتْ أَعْمالُهُ تُزَيِّنُ صُدُورَ الأُمَراءِ وَمَعاصِمَ النِّساءِ النَّبِيلاتِ.
In the ancient souk of Muscat, the shop of Yahya bin Ibrahim was the most famous silver shop. His works adorned the chests of princes and the wrists of noble women.
ذاتَ يَوْمٍ، جاءَهُ رَسُولٌ مِنَ القَصْرِ وَقالَ: «السُّلْطانُ يَطْلُبُكَ! يُرِيدُ خَنْجَرًا لَيْسَ لَهُ مَثِيلٌ فِي العالَمِ!»
One day, a messenger from the palace came to him and said: "The Sultan summons you! He wants a khanjar unlike any in the world!"
ارْتَعَدَ يَحْيَى مِنَ الفَرَحِ وَالخَوْفِ. فَهَذِهِ فُرْصَةُ العُمُرِ، لَكِنَّها أَيْضًا اخْتِبارٌ رَهِيبٌ.
Yahya trembled with joy and fear. This was the opportunity of a lifetime, but also a terrible test.
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: الحَسُودُ المُتَآمِرُ
Chapter Two: The Envious Conspirator
كانَ لِيَحْيَى مُنافِسٌ يُدْعَى نَصْرًا، قَلْبُهُ مَمْلُوءٌ بِالحِقْدِ وَالحَسَدِ. حِينَ سَمِعَ بِالأَمْرِ السُّلْطانِيِّ، قَرَّرَ أَنْ يُفْسِدَ عَمَلَ يَحْيَى.
Yahya had a rival named Nasr, whose heart was filled with spite and envy. When he heard of the Sultan's commission, he decided to sabotage Yahya's work.
تَسَلَّلَ فِي اللَّيْلِ إِلى دُكَّانِ يَحْيَى وَسَرَقَ قِطْعَةً مُهِمَّةً مِنَ الفِضَّةِ الخالِصَةِ. ظَنَّ أَنَّ يَحْيَى لَنْ يَسْتَطِيعَ إِكْمالَ الخَنْجَرِ.
He crept at night into Yahya's shop and stole an important piece of pure silver. He thought Yahya would be unable to complete the khanjar.
لَكِنَّ يَحْيَى لَمْ يَيْأَسْ. أَذابَ كُلَّ ما يَمْلِكُ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ، حَتَّى حِلْيَةَ زَوْجَتِهِ الَّتِي أَهْداها إِيَّاها يَوْمَ زَفافِهِ.
But Yahya did not despair. He melted all the silver he owned, even his wife's jewelry that he had given her on their wedding day.
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: التُّحْفَةُ الخالِدَةُ
Chapter Three: The Immortal Masterpiece
عَمِلَ يَحْيَى لَيْلَ نَهارَ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا. صَنَعَ خَنْجَرًا نَقَشَ عَلَيْهِ آياتٍ قُرْآنِيَّةً وَأَبْياتًا مِنَ الشِّعْرِ، وَزَيَّنَهُ بِأَجْمَلِ الزَّخارِفِ العُمانِيَّةِ.
Yahya worked day and night for forty days. He made a khanjar upon which he engraved Quranic verses and lines of poetry, and adorned it with the most beautiful Omani decorations.
حِينَ رَآهُ السُّلْطانُ، وَقَفَ مَذْهُولاً وَقالَ: «هَذا لَيْسَ عَمَلَ إِنْسانٍ! هَذا عَمَلُ مَلاكٍ!»
When the Sultan saw it, he stood astonished and said: "This is not the work of a man! This is the work of an angel!"
أَمَّا نَصْرٌ، فَقَدِ افْتُضِحَ أَمْرُهُ وَنُفِيَ مِنَ المَدِينَةِ. وَصارَ يَحْيَى صائِغَ البَلاطِ السُّلْطانِيِّ، وَبَقِيَ خَنْجَرُهُ فِي خَزائِنِ السَّلاطِينِ أَجْيالاً.
As for Nasr, his deed was exposed and he was exiled from the city. Yahya became the silversmith of the Sultan's court, and his khanjar remained in the treasuries of sultans for generations.
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End