Rahima Ali
Junior Member
asalaamu alykum wa rhamatullaahi wa barakaatuh, my well-respected brothers and sisters in islam on this forum,...i wanted to share with you all this beautiful story and i hope you find it beneficial...jazaakallahu khayran and walykum salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.
A qadi, a beautiful woman and a slave named Mubarak
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It is related that at Marv lived a man called Nuh ibn Maryam, who was the qadi of Marv and also held the office of mayor. He was blessed with great wealth and had a very beautiful daughter. Many of the leading officials sought her hand, and the father was at a loss to know on whom he should bestow her. 'If I bestow her on one', he used to say, 'another will be displeased' ; and he despaired (of solving the problem).
He had an Indian slave named Mubarak, and once he told (this slave) to go to his orchard and keep watch over it. He went and stayed in the orchard two months. One day the master came to the orchard and told the slave to bring a bunch of grapes. The slave brought one, but (the grapes) were sour. The master told him to go and bring another bunch. The slave brought one, but (the grapes) were equally sour.
'How is it', the master asked, 'that you cannot get sweet grapes from a garden of this size' ?
'I do not know,' replied the slave, 'for I have eaten no grapes from this garden.'
'Why not?' asked the master.
He replied, 'You ordered me to keep watch over the grapes. You did not tell me to eat them.'
'God on High will keep watch over you likewise', said the judge, recognizing that the slave was scrupulous.
Then he said to the slave, 'I have a plan for your (future).'
He replied, 'I am a (slave), bought for dirhams and an Indian. You are a judge. What plan have you for my future?'
'Listen carefully to what I shall say', the judge told him.
'Give your command', he replied.
'O Mubarak,' continued the judge, 'I have a daughter whom a great many important person wish to wed. I do not know on which of them to bestow her. What do you say?'
'O master,' he replied, 'the unbelievers demand nobility of birth, and the Jews and the Christians look for beauty of countenance. In the time of our Prophet, blessings upon him, (men) looked for religion, and today they demand worldly (wealth). Choose whichever of these for you desire!'
'I have already made my choice, O slave,' replied the judge; 'I have chosen religion, and I bestow my daughter upon you.' 'O master,' he said,
'I am a slave, bought for money. How can you give your daughter to me? She will never want me for a husband.'
'O slave,' replied the judge, 'arise and come home with me.'
When they arrived at the house, the judge said to the girl's mother, 'O wife, this slave is exceedingly worthy and pious. It is my desire to give this daughter of mine to him (in marriage). What do you say?'
'Let me go and ask the girl,' she replied.
The mother went and told the girl, who said, 'I shall do whatever you desire and command.'
So the judge bestowed his daughter on Mubarak, and also gave him much gold and lodged them together.
After a time Mubarak had a son, whom they named Abd Allah; he whose name is celebrated and well known throughout the world and inscribed in the books, and whose asceticism and knowledge will be mentioned as long as the universe continues.
A qadi, a beautiful woman and a slave named Mubarak
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It is related that at Marv lived a man called Nuh ibn Maryam, who was the qadi of Marv and also held the office of mayor. He was blessed with great wealth and had a very beautiful daughter. Many of the leading officials sought her hand, and the father was at a loss to know on whom he should bestow her. 'If I bestow her on one', he used to say, 'another will be displeased' ; and he despaired (of solving the problem).
He had an Indian slave named Mubarak, and once he told (this slave) to go to his orchard and keep watch over it. He went and stayed in the orchard two months. One day the master came to the orchard and told the slave to bring a bunch of grapes. The slave brought one, but (the grapes) were sour. The master told him to go and bring another bunch. The slave brought one, but (the grapes) were equally sour.
'How is it', the master asked, 'that you cannot get sweet grapes from a garden of this size' ?
'I do not know,' replied the slave, 'for I have eaten no grapes from this garden.'
'Why not?' asked the master.
He replied, 'You ordered me to keep watch over the grapes. You did not tell me to eat them.'
'God on High will keep watch over you likewise', said the judge, recognizing that the slave was scrupulous.
Then he said to the slave, 'I have a plan for your (future).'
He replied, 'I am a (slave), bought for dirhams and an Indian. You are a judge. What plan have you for my future?'
'Listen carefully to what I shall say', the judge told him.
'Give your command', he replied.
'O Mubarak,' continued the judge, 'I have a daughter whom a great many important person wish to wed. I do not know on which of them to bestow her. What do you say?'
'O master,' he replied, 'the unbelievers demand nobility of birth, and the Jews and the Christians look for beauty of countenance. In the time of our Prophet, blessings upon him, (men) looked for religion, and today they demand worldly (wealth). Choose whichever of these for you desire!'
'I have already made my choice, O slave,' replied the judge; 'I have chosen religion, and I bestow my daughter upon you.' 'O master,' he said,
'I am a slave, bought for money. How can you give your daughter to me? She will never want me for a husband.'
'O slave,' replied the judge, 'arise and come home with me.'
When they arrived at the house, the judge said to the girl's mother, 'O wife, this slave is exceedingly worthy and pious. It is my desire to give this daughter of mine to him (in marriage). What do you say?'
'Let me go and ask the girl,' she replied.
The mother went and told the girl, who said, 'I shall do whatever you desire and command.'
So the judge bestowed his daughter on Mubarak, and also gave him much gold and lodged them together.
After a time Mubarak had a son, whom they named Abd Allah; he whose name is celebrated and well known throughout the world and inscribed in the books, and whose asceticism and knowledge will be mentioned as long as the universe continues.
