Page:The New Monthly Magazine - Volume 099.djvu/100

88 behold Allah will turn to him, for He is merciful and compassionate.' And He saith, 'Verily, whoso repents and believes and does good works, God will change his (former) evil deeds into good ones, for He is merciful and gracious;' and I will not alter my purpose of taking away thy clothes and thy mule."

And the cadi said to him, "Have you not heard the words of the Prophet, 'Allah has forbidden to touch the property of Mussulmans even as He has forbidden to touch their lives?' and again He saith, 'It is not lawful to take the goods of a Moslem, save with his consent.'"

And the robber answered, "We two are brethren, and is it lawful for you to heap up wealth and costly garments while I am poor and naked, weary and hungry? But dismount and strip, and out short your talk."

And the cadi replied, "Allah does not change the condition of men till they have changed their hearts."

The thief said, "Allah hath spoken truly, but you changed your heart when you were lying on your couch, and came out in the night, and Allah has been wrath with you, and has thrown you into my net, so alight and strip, and hold your tongue, and don't blame me, but blame yourself."

And the cadi said to him, "Fear God—have you not heard that the wrath of God is terrible?"

The robber answered, "He hath said true; but do not yon fear Allah, who devour the property of orphans? Have you not heard respecting those who devour the substance of orphans, that the fire of hell shall consume their entrails, and they shall pray to their own hurt? And you, oh cadi, devour the goods of orphans, wherefore Allah has cast thee into my net; but I will not slay thee, only I will take away thy clothes, and thy mule, and will not leave them to thee."

And the cadi said, "Wherefore wilt thou not be merciful towards me? The Prophet hath said, 'Be merciful and you shall obtain mercy;' and Allah inspired David (the blessing and peace of God be upon him) to say 'Be merciful to the dweller upon earth, and He who dwelleth in the heavens will be merciful to you;' wherefore, oh robber, have compassion on me, and Allah will have compassion on thee."

The thief replied, "Allah and his prophet have spoken truly, but I will not show mercy to thee, for no one has shown mercy to me, save Allah; and I, oh worshipful cadi, have need of your clothes and your mule, and you are rich."

And the cadi said, "What is there between me and between thee? I am a cadi and you are a robber, notorious for your thefts: but listen to the words of the Most High, 'Your riches are in heaven, and all that has been promised you.'"

And the robber answered, "Allah has spoken truly; but have you not read in another verse, 'We have divided the means of subsistence in the life of this world among them, and we have placed some in a higher rank than others?' and as for me, oh venerable cadi, God has given me no portion save theft, wherefore dismount and strip, and cut short your conversation."

And the cadi said, "Let me go, and incur not this blame and this reproach, for by Allah thou art near to perdition, and this arises solely from thy small reverence for Allah, and for me who am cadi of the Faithful, wherefore you desire to strip me unjustly of my clothes and mule."