السُّلْطانُ المُتَنَكِّرُ

The Sultan in Disguise

الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: القَلَقُ المُلِحُّ

Chapter One: The Pressing Worry

كانَ السُّلْطانُ هَيْثَمُ يَجْلِسُ عَلى عَرْشِهِ فِي مَسْقَطَ، يَسْتَمِعُ إِلى تَقارِيرِ وُزَرائِهِ. كُلُّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: «المَمْلَكَةُ بِخَيْرٍ! الشَّعْبُ سَعِيدٌ!»

Sultan Haitham sat on his throne in Muscat, listening to his ministers' reports. They all said: "The kingdom is well! The people are happy!"

لَكِنَّ قَلْبَ السُّلْطانِ لَمْ يَطْمَئِنَّ. قالَ لِنَفْسِهِ: «كَيْفَ أَعْرِفُ الحَقِيقَةَ وَأَنا مَحْبُوسٌ فِي هَذا القَصْرِ؟ يَجِبُ أَنْ أَرَى بِعَيْنَيَّ!»

But the Sultan's heart was not at ease. He said to himself: "How can I know the truth while I am confined to this palace? I must see with my own eyes!"

فَقَرَّرَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مُتَنَكِّرًا فِي ثِيابِ مُتَسَوِّلٍ.

So he decided to go out disguised in a beggar's clothes.

الفصلُ الثَّانِي: رِحْلَةٌ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ

Chapter Two: A Journey Among the People

مَشَى السُّلْطانُ فِي الأَسْواقِ وَالأَزِقَّةِ، يَسْمَعُ ما يَقُولُهُ النَّاسُ حَقِيقَةً. وَما سَمِعَهُ صَدَمَهُ!

The Sultan walked through markets and alleys, hearing what people truly said. What he heard shocked him!

سَمِعَ فَلَّاحًا يَقُولُ: «الوالِي يَأْخُذُ نِصْفَ مَحْصُولِنا ظُلْمًا!»

He heard a farmer say: "The wali takes half our harvest unjustly!"

وَسَمِعَ تاجِرًا يَشْكُو: «الضَّرائِبُ تُخْنِقُنا! لَيْتَ السُّلْطانَ يَعْلَمُ!»

He heard a merchant complain: "Taxes are strangling us! If only the Sultan knew!"

وَسَمِعَ أَرْمَلَةً تَبْكِي: «أَخَذُوا بَيْتِي وَلَمْ يَسْمَعْ أَحَدٌ شَكْوايَ!»

He heard a widow crying: "They took my house and no one heard my complaint!"

الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: العَدْلُ السُّلْطانِيُّ

Chapter Three: The Sultan's Justice

عادَ السُّلْطانُ إِلى قَصْرِهِ غاضِبًا حَزِينًا. فِي اليَوْمِ التَّالِي، اسْتَدْعَى جَمِيعَ الوُلاةِ وَالوُزَراءِ.

The Sultan returned to his palace angry and sad. The next day, he summoned all the walis and ministers.

قالَ لَهُمْ بِصَوْتٍ كَالرَّعْدِ: «لَقَدْ مَشَيْتُ بَيْنَ رَعِيَّتِي! رَأَيْتُ الظُّلْمَ الَّذِي أَخْفَيْتُمُوهُ عَنِّي! مِنَ اليَوْمِ، سَأُحاسِبُكُمْ عَلى كُلِّ دِرْهَمٍ وَكُلِّ شَكْوَى!»

He said to them in a voice like thunder: "I have walked among my subjects! I have seen the injustice you hid from me! From today, I shall hold you accountable for every dirham and every complaint!"

عَزَلَ الوُلاةَ الفاسِدِينَ، وَأَعادَ الحُقُوقَ إِلى أَصْحابِها، وَأَنْشَأَ دِيوانًا لِلْمَظالِمِ يَسْتَقْبِلُ شَكاوَى الفُقَراءِ.

He removed the corrupt walis, returned rights to their owners, and established a grievances court to receive the complaints of the poor.

وَصارَتْ عادَتُهُ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مُتَنَكِّرًا كُلَّ شَهْرٍ، لِيَعْرِفَ حالَ شَعْبِهِ بِنَفْسِهِ.

And it became his habit to go out in disguise every month, to know the condition of his people himself.

تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End