Akhlaq Lil-Bay’ (Morality for Sale

In the old streets of Cairo, where the sound of life echoed through narrow alleys and children’s laughter mixed with the calls of street vendors, there lived a man named **Sebaei**. He was a simple government clerk, earning just enough to keep a modest roof over his head. Every morning, he walked to work with his worn briefcase and his tired smile, weaving through the noisy crowds of merchants and workers.

Sebaei was married to **Samiha**, a gentle and beautiful woman who filled their small home with warmth and love. She was his greatest comfort in a world that often seemed cold and unfair. Their apartment was humble, with old furniture and walls that needed painting, but it was rich in affection. Still, Sebaei carried a sadness deep in his heart.

He had always believed that goodness, honesty, and kindness would lead to a better life. Yet, he found the opposite to be true. His honesty made him a target for mockery at work. His colleagues, who lied and cheated, received promotions and praise, while he remained stuck in the same low position year after year. The world, it seemed, no longer rewarded good men.

One rainy evening, after another long day filled with disappointment, Sebaei wandered the streets, lost in thought. As the rain soaked through his jacket, he noticed a dim light glowing from a small shop tucked away in an alley he had never seen before. Above the door hung a strange sign written in golden letters:
**“Akhlaq Lil-Bay’ — Morality for Sale.”**

Curious, Sebaei stepped inside. The air was thick with the scent of old wood and something mysterious. Shelves lined the walls, filled with glass bottles glowing faintly under the light. Each one bore a label written in elegant handwriting — *Courage, Kindness, Patience, Honesty, Wisdom, Confidence, Love.*

Behind the counter stood an old man with wise eyes and a calm smile.

“Welcome, my son,” he said softly. “You seem troubled. Perhaps I have what you need.”

Sebaei hesitated, looking around. “You… sell morality?”

The old man nodded. “Indeed. Every virtue has a price. A few drops can change your life — make you braver, kinder, wiser. You need only choose.”

Sebaei laughed nervously. “And people actually buy this?”

The old man leaned closer. “You’d be surprised what people are willing to buy to feel good about themselves.”

Something inside Sebaei stirred — a mix of doubt and desperate hope. He asked for a small bottle of *Confidence.* The old man handed it to him carefully. “Use it wisely,” he said. “Remember, what comes easily may not stay long.”

That night, Sebaei sat at his table, staring at the bottle. Finally, he opened it and took a sip. A strange warmth spread through his body. The next morning, when he looked in the mirror, he saw a man who stood taller, spoke clearer, and smiled without fear.

At work, his boss noticed the change immediately. Sebaei spoke with certainty, made decisions boldly, and impressed everyone. For the first time, his colleagues respected him. The timid man they once ignored now commanded attention.

Encouraged by this success, Sebaei returned to the shop. This time, he bought bottles of *Courage*, *Kindness*, and *Wisdom.* Each one transformed him. He helped his neighbors, inspired his friends, and became a hero in his community. Even Samiha looked at him with newfound admiration.

But as weeks passed, the effects began to fade. One morning, he awoke feeling empty again — weak, uncertain, and afraid. Panicked, he rushed back to the shop, demanding more bottles.

The old man looked at him sadly. “You’ve taken enough,” he said. “Virtue cannot live in bottles forever. It must come from your heart.”

Sebaei grew angry. “No! You don’t understand! Without these bottles, I’m nothing!”

The old man sighed. “Then you have already lost yourself.”

Before Sebaei could reply, the lights in the shop flickered — and in an instant, the shelves, the bottles, the old man — everything — disappeared. He found himself standing in the dark, alone in the empty alley.

Days turned into weeks. Sebaei searched everywhere, but the shop was gone. The respect he once earned faded, his friends drifted away, and his confidence crumbled. Even Samiha began to worry about the man he was becoming — hollow and restless.

One evening, as he sat by the window, the city lights flickering outside, Sebaei finally understood. The shop had never been real. The bottles had only given him the belief that he could be better — but the true power had always been inside him. He realized that courage, kindness, and love could not be bought; they had to be lived and earned.

He turned to Samiha, took her hand, and said quietly, “I was searching for goodness in bottles when it was already in my heart. I just didn’t believe it.”

She smiled softly and replied, “Now you do. That’s all that matters.”

From that day forward, Sebaei chose to live differently. He faced life’s challenges with honesty and strength. He was still the same man, still poor, still simple — but now he was proud of who he was. The respect he gained came not from magic or mystery, but from being true to himself.

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**Moral of the Story:**
Virtue cannot be bought or borrowed — it grows from within. No magic bottle can replace the power of a good heart, a clear conscience, and the will to do what is right. *Akhlaq Lil-Bay’* teaches that real morality is not something we find — it is something we build, one honest choice at a time.