Justice in the Field

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وَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغَفَّلِينَ مَنْ يَخْطُبُ الْجُمُعَةَ

Among the heedless was one who delivered the Friday sermon,

فَقَامَ أَحَدُهُمْ فَقَالَ بَعْدَ أَنْ حَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ

One of them stood up and said, after praising Allah and thanking Him:

أيها الناس، إن الله خلق السموات والأرض في ستة أشهر، ثم استوى على العرش

O people, indeed Allah created the heavens and the earth in six months, then rose over the Throne.

فَتَعَجَّبَ النَّاسُ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ

The people were amazed at his words,

فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ سَأَلُوهُ مِنْ أَيْنَ جِئْتَ بِهَذَا

When he came down, they asked him: Where did you get this?

قال سمعت القارئ يقرأ ولقد خلقنا السموات والأرض وما بينهما في ستة أيام فظننت الأيام أشهرًا

He said: I heard the reciter reading 'And We created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days,' so I thought the days were months.

وَمِنْهُمْ وَالٍ عَلَى كُورَةٍ

And among them was a governor over a district.

فَجَاءَهُ أَعْرَابِيٌّ يَشْكُو جَارَهُ

A Bedouin came to him complaining about his neighbor,

فَقَالَ الْوَالِي أَحْضِرُوهُ

The governor said: Bring him.

فَلَمَّا حَضَرَ قَالَ لِلْأَعْرَابِيِّ مَا شَكْوَاكَ

When he appeared, he asked the Bedouin: What is your complaint?

قَالَ يَا سَيِّدِي جَارِي أَخَذَ نَاقَتِي وَحَبَسَهَا عِنْدَهُ

He said: O my lord, my neighbor took my camel and detained it with him.

فَقَالَ لِلْجَارِ مَا تَقُولُ

He asked the neighbor: What do you say?

قَالَ نَعَمْ يَا سَيِّدِي نَاقَتُهُ دَخَلَتْ حَائِطِي وَأَكَلَتْ زَرْعِي فَحَبَسْتُهَا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ صَاحِبُهَا

He replied: Yes, my lord, his camel entered my field and ate my crops, so I detained it until its owner comes.

فَقَالَ الْوَالِي لِلْأَعْرَابِيِّ اذْهَبْ فَاقْبِضْ نَاقَتَكَ

The governor said to the Bedouin: Go and take your camel.

فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ إِنَّهُ يَطْلُبُ ثَمَنَ مَا أَكَلَتْ نَاقَتِي

The Bedouin said: He demands the price of what my camel ate.

فَقَالَ الْوَالِي كَمْ أَكَلَتْ

The governor asked: How much did it eat?

قَالَ الْجَارُ أَكَلَتْ زَرْعًا قِيمَتُهُ عَشَرَةُ دَرَاهِمَ

The neighbor said: It ate crops worth ten dirhams.

فَقَالَ الْوَالِي لِلْأَعْرَابِيِّ أَعْطِهِ عَشَرَةَ دَرَاهِمَ

The governor said to the Bedouin: Give him ten dirhams.

فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ لَيْسَ مَعِي شَيْءٌ

The Bedouin said: I have nothing.

فَقَالَ الْوَالِي إِذًا خُذْ النَّاقَةَ وَأَعْطِهِ حِمَارَكَ بَدَلَ الدَّرَاهِمِ

The governor said: Then take the camel and give him your donkey instead of the dirhams.

فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ لَيْسَ لِي حِمَارٌ

The Bedouin said: I do not have a donkey.

فَقَالَ الْوَالِي اذْهَبْ فَأَنْتَ حُرٌّ فِيمَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ

The governor said: Go, you are free concerning what is between you and him.