The Path of Truth

The Path of Truth (Final Part)

Story No. 2052

“Indeed, a tree is known by its fruit, and a person is known by his deeds.”

It is true that not every task requires force or coercion. The fact that I am a king does not mean that I may punish anyone as I wish without a crime. True sovereignty belongs to Allah Almighty; who am I to declare someone guilty without His command? I too must answer before Allah on the Day of Judgment, because this rule has been entrusted to me by Allah as a trust, and I will be held accountable for it.

Surely, there must be another solution to this matter.

One day, a merchant was sitting with his friends, enjoying delicious food, while his servant was busy serving his master. When the merchant looked closely at the servant’s face, he noticed signs of deep worry. After the guests had left, the merchant gently called the servant to him and asked with affection, “I see tears in your eyes. I have never seen you so troubled before.”

The servant replied, “My master, you sit with your friends, enjoying fine food and pleasant conversation, while I am hundreds of miles away from my parents and siblings, spending my life counting each passing day in slavery.”

The merchant treated the servant with kindness and compassion, because he had not purchased him with money. Rather, one of his friends had gifted the servant to him.

The merchant then asked, “Since when have you been living the life of a slave?”

Addressing his master, the servant said, “One day, I became heedless of the remembrance of Allah and went into the forest to hunt a deer. It was an extremely hot day. I saw a thirsty deer wandering in search of water. Without caring for my own safety, I chased it on my horse and used all my arrows in the attempt to capture it.

“The deer managed to escape far away, but I did not realize that I had crossed into a territory that did not belong to my homeland. As evening fell and darkness spread, the sun completely set, and nothing could be seen nearby or far away. Then some desert dwellers came upon me, tied me with ropes, and captured me. They kept me for a few days and then sold me to someone else.

“In this way, after being sold from one hand to another, I eventually became the property of your friend, who later presented me to you as a gift. This is my story.”

The merchant was noble-hearted and generous. After listening to the servant’s story, he said, “I set you free. I free you for the sake of Allah.”

Upon gaining his freedom, the servant said, “When I was heedless of the remembrance of Allah, slavery became my destiny. But when I began to remember Allah abundantly, Allah Himself arranged my freedom.”

The merchant said to the freed servant, “You have spoken the truth. Until now, I too had been heedless of Allah, considering the trade of human beings as a means of livelihood. Now that you have made me realize my wrongdoing before Allah, I free all my slaves for the pleasure of Allah.”

The servant’s words had such a deep impact on the merchant that he freed all his slaves purely for the sake of Allah.

From then on, the merchant remained constantly engaged in the remembrance of Allah. He turned away from worldly pursuits and became concerned with the Hereafter, actively participating in good deeds.

As time passed, the king’s royal palace was also completed. After renovating the old palace building, the king dedicated it as a religious school. In this way, the system of education spread throughout the land.

Indeed, a tree is known by its fruit, and a person is known by his deeds.