The Slave Who Became King | العَبْدُ الَّذِي صارَ مَلِكًا
"A freed slave rises through courage and wisdom to become a powerful ruler"
العَبْدُ الَّذِي صارَ مَلِكًا
The Slave Who Became King
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: القُيُودُ وَالأَمَلُ
Chapter One: Chains and Hope
جِيءَ بِمُبارَكٍ إِلى زَنْجِبارَ عَبْدًا مِنْ أَفْرِيقِيا الدَّاخِلِيَّةِ. كانَ طِفْلاً حِينَ سُرِقَ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، لَكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَنْسَ يَوْمًا أَنَّهُ وُلِدَ حُرًّا.
Mubarak was brought to Zanzibar as a slave from interior Africa. He was a child when stolen from his family, but he never forgot for a day that he was born free.
عَمِلَ فِي قَصْرِ تاجِرٍ عُمانِيٍّ كَرِيمٍ يُدْعَى سُلَيْمانَ. رَأَى سُلَيْمانُ ذَكاءَ مُبارَكٍ فَعَلَّمَهُ القِراءَةَ وَالتِّجارَةَ.
He worked in the palace of a generous Omani merchant called Sulayman. Sulayman saw Mubarak's intelligence and taught him reading and commerce.
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: الحُرِّيَّةُ وَالصُّعُودُ
Chapter Two: Freedom and Rise
بَعْدَ عِشْرِينَ عامًا، أَعْتَقَ سُلَيْمانُ مُبارَكًا وَجَعَلَهُ شَرِيكًا فِي التِّجارَةِ. بَكَى مُبارَكٌ وَقالَ: «لَنْ أَنْسَى فَضْلَكَ يا سَيِّدِي الَّذِي صارَ أَخِي.»
After twenty years, Sulayman freed Mubarak and made him a partner in trade. Mubarak wept and said: "I shall never forget your grace, my master who became my brother."
نَمَتْ ثَرْوَةُ مُبارَكٍ. لَكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَنْسَ العَبِيدَ الآخَرِينَ. اشْتَرَى مِئاتٍ مِنْهُمْ وَأَعْتَقَهُمْ وَعَلَّمَهُمْ.
Mubarak's wealth grew. But he never forgot the other slaves. He bought hundreds of them, freed them, and taught them.
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: السُّلْطانُ العادِلُ
Chapter Three: The Just Sultan
حِينَ ماتَ سُلْطانُ زَنْجِبارَ بِلا وَرِيثٍ، اجْتَمَعَ الأَعْيانُ. قالُوا: «مَنْ أَعْدَلُ وَأَحْكَمُ؟» أَجْمَعُوا: «مُبارَكٌ!»
When the Sultan of Zanzibar died without heir, the nobles gathered. They said: "Who is most just and wise?" They agreed: "Mubarak!"
رَفَضَ مُبارَكٌ أَوَّلاً: «أَنا كُنْتُ عَبْدًا!» قالُوا: «وَأَنْتَ اليَوْمَ أَشْرَفُ رَجُلٍ فِي الجَزِيرَةِ!»
Mubarak refused at first: "I was a slave!" They said: "And today you are the noblest man on the island!"
قَبِلَ الحُكْمَ وَحَكَمَ بِالعَدْلِ ثَلاثِينَ عامًا. أَلْغَى تِجارَةَ العَبِيدِ وَبَنَى المَدارِسَ وَالمُسْتَشْفَياتِ. وَحِينَ ماتَ، بَكَتْهُ الجَزِيرَةُ كُلُّها.
He accepted rule and governed with justice for thirty years. He abolished the slave trade and built schools and hospitals. When he died, the whole island mourned him.
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End