The Foolish Son

In the city of Esfahan lived a wealthy merchant with only one son. Despite his young age, the son had already gone down a dark path, becoming shameless and heartless. He associated with unsavory characters and never considered doing anything honest or honorable. No matter how much his father tried to guide him, he remained unresponsive.

The merchant often sighed, "After I die, my son will be beyond saving."

One day, the merchant hid a hundred thousand gold ashrars (Persian coins) in the attic of their house. He then told his son, "My dear, if you ever face misfortune and want to commit suicide, take a rope and tie it around your neck. Stand on this table, attach the other end of the rope to the ring in the attic, and kick the table away. That way, you'll easily die."

Upon hearing his father's words, the son laughed inwardly, thinking, "Is my father insane? Would a wise man ever consider committing suicide?"

Soon after, the merchant passed away. The foolish son recklessly squandered his father's wealth, spending everything with his idle friends within two years. They sold all the valuables in the house, one by one, including furniture and even slaves. They would sell one slave today, another tomorrow, and so on until they sold Kahanooruss, their last slave.

In the end, the young man was left with nothing to sell. One day, he and his friends went for a walk outside the city, and one of them said to him, "We'll be guests in a park, and you must provide for the banquet we will have."

Forced to think on his feet, the foolish son remembered his father's hidden treasure. He led his friends back to his house and climbed up to the attic. But when he found the treasure, instead of using it to provide for his guests, he decided to keep it all for himself.

He began leading a life of luxury, buying expensive clothes and indulging in worldly pleasures. However, his actions did not go unnoticed. The people in the city soon learned about his newfound wealth and began to envy him.

One day, a group of robbers broke into his house and stole everything, including the treasure. The foolish son was left with nothing once again.

Bereft of his wealth, he realized that he had been living a meaningless existence. He remembered his father's words and thought about what he had done wrong. Finally, he came to the realization that he needed to make amends for his foolishness.

He went to the temple and spoke to a wise man, telling him everything that had happened. The wise man advised him to perform acts of kindness and charity to redeem himself. The foolish son took this advice to heart and began to make amends.

He started helping the poor and feeding the hungry. He donated money to build schools and hospitals. Slowly but surely, he became a respected member of society, known for his generosity and kindness.

Years later, the foolish son looked back on his past and realized that he had been given a second chance at life. He recognized the value of hard work and honesty, and he understood that true happiness comes from doing good deeds and making a positive impact on the world around us.

As he continued to give back to his community, the foolish son found a sense of purpose that he had never experienced before. He realized that his true calling in life was not to pursue material wealth and pleasure, but to use his resources and talents to make a difference in the world.

He dedicated himself to helping those in need, working tirelessly to improve the lives of others. And as he did so, he found that his own life became richer and more fulfilling than he could have ever imagined.

Years turned into decades, and the foolish son grew old. But even in his final days, he remained committed to his mission of kindness and generosity. And when he passed away, the people of the city mourned him deeply, knowing that they had lost a true hero and friend.

Yet though he may be gone, the legacy of the foolish son lived on. His acts of kindness and compassion had touched countless lives, inspiring others to follow in his footsteps and make a positive impact on the world around them.

And so, as the years went by, the memory of the foolish son continued to shine brightly, a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations to come.