عالِمُ بَغْداد

The Scholar of Baghdad

الفصل الأول: بيت الحكمة

Chapter One: The House of Wisdom

كانَتِ الشَّمْسُ تَغْرُبُ خَلْفَ قِبابِ بَغْدادَ الذَّهَبِيَّةِ حينَ دَخَلَتْ فاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ الحَسَنِ بَيْتَ الحِكْمَةِ لِأَوَّلِ مَرَّةٍ. كانَتْ في العِشرينَ مِنْ عُمْرِها، امْرَأَةً مُمْتَلِئَةَ الجَسَدِ، ذاتَ شَعْرٍ أَسْوَدَ كَاللَّيْلِ وَعَيْنَيْنِ بِلَوْنِ العَسَلِ.

The sun was setting behind Baghdad's golden domes when Fatima bint al-Hassan entered the House of Wisdom for the first time. She was twenty years of age, a woman of full figure, with hair as black as night and eyes the color of honey.

"مَنْ أَنْتِ، يا فَتاةُ؟" سَأَلَها الحارِسُ عِنْدَ البابِ.

"Who are you, maiden?" the guard at the gate asked her.

"أَنا ناسِخَةٌ جَديدَةٌ، أَرْسَلَني والِدي لِأَعْمَلَ في نَسْخِ المَخْطوطاتِ."

"I am a new scribe. My father sent me to work in copying manuscripts."

دَخَلَتِ القاعَةَ الكُبْرى فَوَجَدَتْ نَفْسَها بَيْنَ آلافِ المَخْطوطاتِ وَالكُتُبِ. رائِحَةُ الحِبْرِ وَالوَرَقِ القَديمِ مَلَأَتْ أَنْفَها. وَبَيْنَما كانَتْ تَمْشي بَيْنَ الرُّفوفِ، رَأَتْهُ.

She entered the great hall and found herself among thousands of manuscripts and books. The scent of ink and aged paper filled her nostrils. And while she walked between the shelves, she saw him.

كانَ رَجُلاً في الأَرْبَعينَ مِنْ عُمْرِهِ، طَويلَ القامَةِ، ذا لِحْيَةٍ سَوْداءَ مُهَذَّبَةٍ وَعَيْنَيْنِ عَميقَتَيْنِ كَبِئْرٍ لا قَعْرَ لَها. كانَ يَقْرَأُ مَخْطوطَةً يونانِيَّةً قَديمَةً، وَأَصابِعُهُ الطَّويلَةُ تُقَلِّبُ الصَّفَحاتِ بِرِفْقٍ.

He was a man in his forties, tall of stature, with a neatly trimmed black beard and eyes as deep as a bottomless well. He was reading an ancient Greek manuscript, his long fingers turning the pages gently.

"أَنْتِ الناسِخَةُ الجَديدَةُ؟" سَأَلَها دونَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ عَيْنَيْهِ عَنِ الكِتابِ.

"You are the new scribe?" he asked without raising his eyes from the book.

"نَعَمْ، يا سَيِّدي. اسْمي فاطِمَةُ."

"Yes, my lord. My name is Fatima."

"أَنا إبراهيمُ بنُ يوسُفَ، كَبيرُ المُتَرْجِمينَ. سَتَعْمَلينَ مَعي."

"I am Ibrahim ibn Yusuf, chief of the translators. You will work with me."

الفصل الثاني: الدُّروسُ اللَّيْلِيَّة

Chapter Two: Nocturnal Lessons

مَرَّتِ الأَسابيعُ وَفاطِمَةُ تَعْمَلُ بِجِدٍّ. كانَتْ تَنْسَخُ المَخْطوطاتِ نَهاراً، وَفي اللَّيْلِ كانَ إبراهيمُ يُعَلِّمُها اللُّغَةَ اليونانِيَّةَ القَديمَةَ.

Weeks passed as Fatima worked diligently. She copied manuscripts by day, and at night, Ibrahim taught her ancient Greek.

"قَرِّبي المِصْباحَ، يا فاطِمَةُ،" قالَ لَها ذاتَ لَيْلَةٍ وَهُما وَحيدانِ في المَكْتَبَةِ. "هذِهِ المَخْطوطَةُ قَديمَةٌ جِدّاً."

"Bring the lamp closer, Fatima," he said to her one night when they were alone in the library. "This manuscript is very old."

اقْتَرَبَتْ مِنْهُ حَتّى شَعَرَتْ بِحَرارَةِ جَسَدِهِ. كانَتْ رائِحَتُهُ مَزيجاً مِنَ العودِ وَالمِسْكِ. أَحَسَّتْ بِقَلْبِها يَخْفِقُ بِقُوَّةٍ.

She approached him until she felt the heat of his body. His scent was a mixture of oud and musk. She felt her heart beating forcefully.

"هذِهِ الكَلِمَةُ هُنا،" قالَ وَأَصْبَعُهُ يَلْمِسُ الصَّفْحَةَ، "تَعْني الشَّهْوَةَ في اليونانِيَّةِ. الإغريقُ كانوا يَعْتَقِدونَ أَنَّ الشَّهْوَةَ نارٌ إلهِيَّةٌ."

"This word here," he said, his finger touching the page, "means desire in Greek. The Greeks believed that desire was a divine fire."

"نارٌ إلهِيَّةٌ؟" هَمَسَتْ.

"Divine fire?" she whispered.

نَظَرَ إلَيْها لِأَوَّلِ مَرَّةٍ مُباشَرَةً في عَيْنَيْها. "نَعَمْ. نارٌ تَحْرِقُ الرّوحَ وَالجَسَدَ مَعاً."

He looked at her for the first time directly into her eyes. "Yes. A fire that burns the soul and body together."

الفصل الثالث: المَخْطوطَةُ المَمْنوعَة

Chapter Three: The Forbidden Manuscript

ذاتَ لَيْلَةٍ، وَجَدَ إبراهيمُ مَخْطوطَةً قَديمَةً في صُنْدوقٍ مَخْفِيٍّ. كانَتْ تَحْتَوي عَلى أَسْرارِ الحُبِّ عِنْدَ الإغريقِ القُدَماءِ.

One night, Ibrahim found an ancient manuscript in a hidden chest. It contained the secrets of love among the ancient Greeks.

"يَجِبُ أَنْ أُتَرْجِمَ هذِهِ،" قالَ لِفاطِمَةَ. "لكِنَّها مَمْنوعَةٌ."

"I must translate this," he said to Fatima. "But it is forbidden."

"لِماذا مَمْنوعَةٌ، يا مُعَلِّمي؟"

"Why forbidden, my teacher?"

"لِأَنَّها تُعَلِّمُ فُنونَ المُتْعَةِ الجَسَدِيَّةِ. الخَليفَةُ يَخافُ مِنْ هذِهِ المَعْرِفَةِ."

"Because it teaches the arts of bodily pleasure. The Caliph fears this knowledge."

جَلَسَتْ فاطِمَةُ بِجانِبِهِ وَقالَتْ: "إذاً، عَلِّمْني ما فيها."

Fatima sat beside him and said: "Then, teach me what is in it."

نَظَرَ إلَيْها إبراهيمُ بِدَهْشَةٍ. "هَلْ تَعْرِفينَ ما تَطْلُبينَ؟"

Ibrahim looked at her with astonishment. "Do you know what you are asking?"

"أَعْرِفُ. أُريدُ المَعْرِفَةَ كُلَّها، لا جُزْءاً مِنْها فَقَطْ."

"I know. I want all knowledge, not just part of it."

الفصل الرابع: النّارُ الإلهِيَّة

Chapter Four: The Divine Fire

في تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ، في غُرْفَةٍ سِرِّيَّةٍ خَلْفَ المَكْتَبَةِ، بَدَأَ إبراهيمُ يُعَلِّمُها.

That night, in a secret room behind the library, Ibrahim began to teach her.

"الإغريقُ كانوا يَقولونَ إنَّ الجَسَدَ مَعْبَدٌ،" هَمَسَ وَهُوَ يُزيلُ حِجابَها بِبُطْءٍ. "وَكُلُّ لَمْسَةٍ صَلاةٌ."

"The Greeks used to say that the body is a temple," he whispered as he slowly removed her veil. "And every touch is a prayer."

كانَ شَعْرُها يَنْسابُ كَالحَريرِ الأَسْوَدِ عَلى كَتِفَيْها المُمْتَلِئَتَيْنِ. أَخَذَ خُصْلَةً مِنْهُ وَقَبَّلَها.

Her hair flowed like black silk over her full shoulders. He took a strand of it and kissed it.

"أَنْتِ جَميلَةٌ كَآلِهَةٍ إغريقِيَّةٍ،" قالَ. "مُمْتَلِئَةُ الجَسَدِ كَأَفروديتَ نَفْسِها."

"You are beautiful like a Greek goddess," he said. "Full-bodied like Aphrodite herself."

خَلَعَتْ ثَوْبَها فَظَهَرَ جَسَدُها الأَبْيَضُ المُمْتَلِئُ في ضَوْءِ المِصْباحِ. نَهْداها كَبيرانِ مُسْتَديرانِ، وَبَطْنُها ناعِمَةٌ مُنْحَنِيَةٌ، وَوِرْكاها عَريضَتانِ كَما تُحِبُّ الشُّعَراءُ أَنْ يَصِفوا.

She removed her garment and her white, full body appeared in the lamplight. Her breasts were large and round, her belly soft and curved, and her hips wide as poets love to describe.

"يا اللهُ،" تَنَهَّدَ إبراهيمُ. "أَنْتِ أَجْمَلُ مِنْ كُلِّ ما قَرَأْتُ في الكُتُبِ."

"By God," Ibrahim sighed. "You are more beautiful than all I have read in books."

الفصل الخامس: الاتِّحادُ المُقَدَّس

Chapter Five: The Sacred Union

وَضَعَها عَلى الفِراشِ الحَريرِيِّ بِرِفْقٍ كَأَنَّها مَخْطوطَةٌ ثَمينَةٌ. قَبَّلَ عُنُقَها، ثُمَّ كَتِفَيْها، ثُمَّ صَدْرَها المُمْتَلِئَ.

He laid her gently on the silken bed as if she were a precious manuscript. He kissed her neck, then her shoulders, then her full chest.

"في المَخْطوطَةِ القَديمَةِ،" هَمَسَ بَيْنَ القُبُلاتِ، "يَقولونَ إنَّ المُتْعَةَ الحَقيقِيَّةَ تَبْدَأُ بِالصَّبْرِ."

"In the ancient manuscript," he whispered between kisses, "they say that true pleasure begins with patience."

أَخَذَ وَقْتَهُ يَسْتَكْشِفُ كُلَّ شِبْرٍ مِنْ جَسَدِها الفاتِنِ. لَمَسَ بَطْنَها الناعِمَةَ، وَقَبَّلَ وِرْكَيْها العَريضَتَيْنِ، وَتَحَسَّسَ فَخِذَيْها المُمْتَلِئَتَيْنِ.

He took his time exploring every inch of her enchanting body. He touched her soft belly, kissed her wide hips, and caressed her full thighs.

أَنَّتْ فاطِمَةُ بِصَوْتٍ عَميقٍ. "يا مُعَلِّمي، أَشْعُرُ بِالنّارِ التي تَحَدَّثْتَ عَنْها."

Fatima moaned with a deep voice. "My teacher, I feel the fire you spoke of."

"هذِهِ هِيَ البِدايَةُ فَقَطْ، يا حَبيبَتي."

"This is only the beginning, my beloved."

رَفَعَ ساقَيْها المُمْتَلِئَتَيْنِ وَاسْتَقَرَّ بَيْنَهُما. وَحينَ اتَّحَدا، صَرَخَتْ فاطِمَةُ صَرْخَةً مَكْتومَةً مِنَ اللَّذَّةِ.

He raised her full legs and settled between them. And when they united, Fatima let out a muffled cry of ecstasy.

"أَنْتِ ضَيِّقَةٌ كَالجَنَّةِ،" أَنَّ إبراهيمُ.

"You are tight like paradise," Ibrahim moaned.

تَحَرَّكا مَعاً في إيقاعٍ قَديمٍ كَالزَّمَنِ نَفْسِهِ. كانَ يَدْخُلُها بِعُمْقٍ ثُمَّ يَخْرُجُ بِبُطْءٍ، وَهِيَ تُحيطُهُ بِذِراعَيْها وَساقَيْها المُمْتَلِئَتَيْنِ.

They moved together in a rhythm as ancient as time itself. He would enter her deeply then withdraw slowly, while she surrounded him with her arms and full legs.

"أَسْرَعُ، يا سَيِّدي،" تَوَسَّلَتْ.

"Faster, my lord," she pleaded.

زادَ سُرْعَتَهُ وَقُوَّتَهُ. كانَ صَوْتُ الجَسَدَيْنِ يَمْتَزِجُ مَعَ أَنينِهِما في سَمْفونِيَّةٍ مِنَ الشَّهْوَةِ.

He increased his speed and force. The sound of their bodies mixed with their moans in a symphony of desire.

الفصل السادس: الذُّروَة

Chapter Six: The Climax

وَصَلا إلى الذُّروَةِ مَعاً. صَرَخَ إبراهيمُ اسْمَها وَهُوَ يُفْرِغُ نَفْسَهُ داخِلَها، وَصَرَخَتْ هِيَ بِلَذَّةٍ لَمْ تَعْرِفْها مِنْ قَبْلُ.

They reached the peak together. Ibrahim cried out her name as he emptied himself inside her, and she cried out with a pleasure she had never known before.

اسْتَلْقَيا مَعاً، أَجْسادُهُما مُتَشابِكَةٌ، أَنْفاسُهُما ثَقيلَةٌ.

They lay together, their bodies intertwined, their breaths heavy.

"الآنَ فَهِمْتُ ما قالَهُ الإغريقُ،" هَمَسَتْ فاطِمَةُ. "الشَّهْوَةُ فِعْلاً نارٌ إلهِيَّةٌ."

"Now I understand what the Greeks said," Fatima whispered. "Desire truly is a divine fire."

"وَأَنْتِ، يا حَبيبَتي، أَشْعَلْتِ هذِهِ النّارَ في قَلْبي إلى الأَبَدِ."

"And you, my beloved, have lit this fire in my heart forever."

الخاتِمَة

Epilogue

اسْتَمَرَّتْ عَلاقَتُهُما السِّرِّيَّةُ سَنَواتٍ. في النَّهارِ، كانا عالِماً وَناسِخَةً. وَفي اللَّيْلِ، كانا عاشِقَيْنِ يَسْتَكْشِفانِ أَسْرارَ المَخْطوطَةِ المَمْنوعَةِ.

Their secret relationship continued for years. By day, they were scholar and scribe. By night, they were lovers exploring the secrets of the forbidden manuscript.

وَيُقالُ إنَّهُما تَرْجَما المَخْطوطَةَ كُلَّها في النِّهايَةِ، وَأَخْفَياها في مَكانٍ لا يَعْرِفُهُ أَحَدٌ، لِيَجِدَها عاشِقانِ آخَرانِ في زَمَنٍ آتٍ.

It is said that they translated the entire manuscript in the end, and hid it in a place no one knows, for two other lovers to find in a time to come.

انْتَهَتِ القِصَّة | The End