The Wise Judge and the Two Brothers

A Father’s Last Wish

Hassan and Karim, two brothers, lived with their elderly father, Sheikh Umar, in a tranquil village surrounded by lush green fields. Their father was a wise and kind man, respected by the entire village for his fairness and honesty.

The older brother, Hassan, was honest and hardworking, always helping those in need. Karim, the younger one, was ambitious and clever, but sometimes his desire for wealth blinded his judgment.

One evening, as Sheikh Umar lay on his bed, knowing his time was near, he called both his sons. “My dear sons,” he said weakly, “I have little to leave you, but I want you to always live in peace. Respect each other, and whatever I leave behind, divide it with fairness and justice.”

The brothers promised to honor their father’s words.

A few days later, their father passed away, leaving behind his small house, a piece of land, and a wooden treasure chest that had been locked for years.

The Chest of Gold After the mourning period, Hassan and Karim decided to open the chest. Inside, they found a bag of gold coins and a single diamond, shining like a star.

Karim’s eyes widened in excitement. “Brother, this is our fortune! Let’s divide the gold. You take half, and I take half.”

Hassan nodded, “That is fair.”

Karim then picked up the diamond and said, “And this belongs to me.”

Hassan looked down. “But why should you keep the diamond? Shouldn’t we share it too?”

Karim smirked. “How can we split a diamond? Since I am younger, I should have it.”

Hassan exhaled. “Our father wanted us to divide everything fairly. Let’s take this matter to Judge Ibrahim. He is wise and just.”

Karim agreed after some hesitation. Deep down, he knew he was being selfish.

The Judge’s Wisdom

Judge Ibrahim was a man of great wisdom, known for resolving disputes with fairness. He welcomed the brothers into his court, listened patiently to their arguments, and then said,

“Come back tomorrow. I will give you the fairest solution.”

That night, the judge sat in deep thought. He prayed for wisdom, reflecting on how to teach Karim a valuable lesson without creating hatred between the brothers.

The Test of Greed

The brothers made their way to the court the following day. Judge Ibrahim placed the gold and the diamond before them. He looked at Karim and said,

“Since you want the diamond, you must pay your brother half its value in gold.”

Karim’s smile faded. He looked at the gold he had received and realized that he would have to give up almost all of it to keep the diamond.

Now, the diamond didn’t seem as valuable anymore.

After a moment of silence, Karim sighed. “I understand now, Judge Ibrahim. I was greedy. My brother deserves an equal share.”

Hassan smiled and patted his brother’s back. “Our father wanted us to live in peace. We should honor his wish.”

In the end, the brothers sold the diamond, shared the gold equally, and remained united as a family.

A Lesson Remembered

The tale of Hassan and Karim became a lesson for the entire village as time went on. One day, an elderly Judge Ibrahim met Karim in the marketplace and asked, “Did you ever regret your decision that day?”

Karim smiled. “Not at all, wise judge. That day, I learned that greed blinds us, but fairness brings true wealth. Thanks to you, I kept something far more precious than gold—my brother’s love and trust.”

Judge Ibrahim gave a contented nod. “Then my judgment was fair indeed.”

Moral of the Story:

Greed causes regret, while justice brings peace. True wealth is found in fairness and family, not just in gold and jewels.

Wisdom and patience help solve even the most difficult problems.