Stories of the Scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho

Introduction

You may wonder, as do I, and as do people everywhere: how could this great scholar have gained access to such truth, when all of the earlier scholars and the great guides and imams failed to do so? I would reply to you: a person has nothing except what they strive for.

Indeed, people are differentiated through their actions. This is true even for the Envoys (Messengers) and noble Prophets… and there will be a different level for everyone according to their deeds in this world.

Our own great scholar M. A. Sheikho was given awareness and understanding by Al’lah, and he was distinguished by his outstanding deeds and his great and humane sacrifices. Al’lah did not give him anything except that which he deserved. God says, And We sent it down deservedly, and with righteousness it came down.¹

Part One

A Glimpse into the Life of the Eminent Scholar M. Amin Sheikho (His soul has been sanctified by Al’lah)

His Honourable Birth

A splendid full moon appeared over Damascus on a blessed night in 1890 when a baby son was born to a Damascene merchant and his wife… surely a portent of good news! The father loved his son very much because of his admirable and bright companionship, and because, for him, he resembled the full moon in all its heavenly beauty.

All during his young years, the son was an active, clever, and lively child; and his constant cheerfulness and joy radiated out to all those around him, creating a great sense of well-being in them too. Day by day he grew bigger and stronger, and showed an ever increasing level of intelligence and strength of personality, which led his devoted parents to become ever more deeply attached to him. They adored the child and cared for him with great love, affection and understanding. Sadly, however, his loving father died at a young age after suffering an exhausting and painful illness.

The entire family was greatly affected by the death of their husband and father, for he left behind a widow and two sons to grieve his passing. He was also sorely missed by his friends and colleagues for he was a good and honest man. The child, Mohammad Amin was not yet seven years of age when he took on the responsibility of protecting his mother and defending her against the difficulties which surrounded his family after the death of his father, and the departure of his brother Saleem to Turkey.

Even as the only child Mohammad Amin was distinguished for his serenity when faced with the many problems of life. Patiently he bore difficulties that powerful men might never have been able to deal with, because he was a member of a small, respectable family that had faced much adversity.

A Distinguished Young Man and a Glimpse at His Deeds

Because of his honourable lineage that is linked directly to the great Envoy² Mohammad (cpth)³ he had direct access to the hierarchy of the ruling Turkish state of the time, which entitled his family to reside in Sarouja Quarter, known as ‘Little Istanbul’, a residential quarter reserved then for Turkish statesmen. This connection also enabled him to study at Amber, the Royal Ottoman Faculty for police officers in Damascus.

Mohammad Amin completed his studies when he was eighteen years old and graduated with the rank of police officer. He was far superior to his colleagues insomuch as he displayed extreme courage, trust, and integrity; also, his perseverance and dedication to hard work led to distinction. Successively, he became the commanding officer of many of the police stations in various districts of Damascus, thus eliminating the criminal and political chaos rampant in the city at that time. Thereafter he was

appointed as the chief of police in a succession of small towns away from the capital city, where, yet again he established law and order in his unfailing way. In recognition of his professional ability and success he was eventually appointed to the position of director of the citadel of Damascus where the central prison was located. He was a great example to all, for no sooner had he taken up each new position than peace and safety prevailed throughout the entire area under his administration.

By day and by night he was constantly alert and prepared to protect and defend his country.

Whenever the state was confronted by any lawlessness or atrocity, his assistance would be requested. When all manner of evil such as killing, corruption and criminality spread across a region, he was their hope, their saviour, the man they could always rely on to resolve a dangerous situation and liberate people from oppression.

When decay began to nibble at the body of the Turkish state, and the light of Islam was dimmed, corruption and chaos prevailed all over the country to the extent that the level of crime became overwhelming; life became difficult, the daytime was fraught with danger, and the darkness of the night covered many horrific crimes; except in Damascus! Damascus, its suburbs and surrounding countryside, was a haven of calm and safety under the ever watchful eye of the eminent officer Mohammad Amin, whose life was dedicated to peace.

In his work he dauntlessly faced numerous criminals, showing superior courage and audacity, besieging many guerrillas and arresting their leaders. All of the tasks he undertook in the line of duty culminated in success and further support and he was given the nickname Aslan, meaning ‘the Lion’, for his fearlessness in facing adversity. With the Help of God, he was the only officer possessing the courage to confront injustice and terrorism. Fearing his bravery, criminals would surrender to him, and beg for his mercy and compassion.

He rose through the ranks and was moved from one police station to another until eventually he was appointed director of the citadel of Damascus, which contained the city’s warehouses and prisons. He held this position for many years during which he achieved great distinction and demonstrated a level of bravery, the like of which Damascus had never seen before. He took audacious measures when, during the First World War, he freed thousands of prisoners facing the death sentence and put them in the army front lines to defend the country against the invading enemy. This singular decision was the reason that all gallows throughout the country could be demolished. These gallows had originally been constructed on the orders of Jamal Pasha, the Ottoman governor of Syria, known as ‘the Butcher’ for his brutal acts. They were placed prominently in marketplaces and neighbourhoods across the country and were used, rightly or wrongly, to snuff out the lives of hundreds of young men every day. For that reason he was frequently exposed to the threat of death. Thus, by His Greatness, His Mercy, and His Assistance, Al’lah saved Mohammad Amin by enabling him to have this innovative idea.

During the French mandate of Syria 1920–1946, as he was a trusted civil security officer, he was returned to his former position as the director of a district or the chief of a police station, until the great Syrian revolution took place. At this time, due to his love for God and his noble wish to serve his country, he became the incomparable driving force of the revolutionaries and the life blood of the revolution. In recognition of his sincerity and commitment to their cause the revolutionaries put the seal ring into his trustworthy hands. He unnerved the French forces with the astounding tactics that he employed to turn retreat into victory. The French forces were further infuriated when he showed his sympathy to the revolutionaries and arranged, to the benefit of the revolutionaries, the greatest arms transfer between France and Greater Syria.

At that time the French had appointed him to the prestigious position of director of Anjar Castle (in Lebanon) where they had stored a great amount of arms. One dark night, Officer Sheikho handed over these arms to the revolutionaries. General Catroux, the governor of Syria at that time, was totally enraged and ordered that Mohammad Amin be executed, but the Almighty God saved him and his accomplice through His Complete Words, and the French came to trust and respect him again despite their original error of judgement.

Guidance and Invitation to Al’lah

When Mohammad was forty years old, God revealed to him the full knowledge of all things, that is, His Omniscience.

He began to envision and to hear the Prophet’s recitation of al-Fatiha (the Opening) Fortress⁴ while he waspraying to God. After that he started to guide his disciples, undertaking this great task with unparalleled strength andgreat worthiness.He used to be called ‘Amin Bey’ for ‘Bey’⁵ is a Turkish word meaning ‘the pure’. His salon attracted the flower of the youth of Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, who came asking tobathe in his Mohammadan well of wisdom. Here they found a rich, dignified and generous spiritual sanctuary.

‘It is sufficient that your noble deeds are mentioned, for us to know that you are the shining example to all of us.’

A Glimpse of Mohammad Amin’s Invitation to Al’lah – His Revelation

Mohammad Amin’s blessed gatherings were distinguished by his captivating and unique revelations which he explained perfectly with plain and realistic meanings. His words flew like an arrow that always hit the target and fell peacefully on the hearts of the listeners, and was like a light that charmed them into allowing their spirits to soar higher and higher.

He drove away darkness, ripped apart all contradiction, and finally obliterated the schools of intrigue and empty debate which created a mental chasm between the people and their God. He made them aware of the reality of God, and the consummation of His Qualities: a Merciful God, Compassionate, Wise, Fair, Conferrer of benefit, Giver, and that He deserved to be worshipped for Himself for He is the Owner of Beauty and Consummation. He should be praised even if a man suffers something harmful because this harm results in a cure and assistance from God. Al’lah has no need of any part of creation nor of man’s allegiance and obedience, because He is Rich and we are poor; our obedience to Him is solely for our own good and benefit. We need to enter His Presence through prayer and good deeds in order to enter the shining stronghold of faith, and to be protected from misfortune and adversity.

The history of Mohammad Amin’s acclaimed life is full of meaning and is a perfect structure for the wonderful revelation that he brought: a revelation which contained facts at which heads bowed in great respect. The reality of his life was like a light: his own behaviour was proof and his true practical application of God’s Word was a guide. His revelation was without equal in world civilizations and the positive laws of contemporary life.

Why are we created?

What is this universe for?

What is the use of religious rituals?

What is the reason for fasting, followed by eating in Ramadan?

What does prayer achieve? And what are its benefits?

Why go on pilgrimage to a dry and barren desert?

Why were we brought into existence?

Where were we before coming to this earth?

What is death for? And what really comes after it? What is the spirit?

What is the soul?

What is the mind? What is Paradise? What is Hell?

What about the question of fate?

What is the pre-material world (the world of spirits)?

People have not allowed themselves to ask these questions because they were taken up with the temptations and deceptions of this human world, and they forgot to search in the files of existence to discover the secrets it holds.

In one of his meetings with other Western scientists, the famous English scientist, Sir John Bennett, a contemporary of Mohammad Amin, said, ‘Indeed, all the sciences that we have obtained do not equal the sea of sciences of that great scholar in the Orient.’

His invitation to follow God’s Path is based on a course of action that never fails, Say, ‘This is my way: I, and whoever follows me, invite you to Al’lah with certainty, for Al’lah is Glorified and Exalted. And I am not one of those who worship many gods.’ ⁶ After Mohammad Amin received such a message through this honourable Ayah (verse), he began to ask for God’s Guidance for all mankind and continued to do so for a period lasting more than thirty years, concentrating on the following points:

And also calling on the tradition of the Envoy (cpth), The discerning person is one who knows his own faults and works towards what comes after death; and the disabled person is one who follows his own whims and asks God to grant whatever he wishes for.

The years that this pure man spent striving and seeking closeness to Al’lah were of the greatest benefit. And through this closeness to God he achieved great prominence and fulfillment; he brought about wonderful things, undertook work that was full of bitter conflict, and made great humane sacrifices. So his life was the greatest example of perfect behaviour, in that he supported what is right through the unequalled heroic deeds that he did to defeat and destroy all falsehood.

Mohammad Amin devoted his valuable life to the service of mankind. He fought against the passing of time and radiated light as did the sun in the sky. At his hands, the dark, shadowy Damascus nights seemed as bright as day because of the glittering light of his works and the blessed grace brought by his sacrifices. He worked tirelessly, by night and by day, taking little time to rest. He rarely closed his eyes except to take short naps as his over-riding driving force was to save his human brethren who were mired in spiritual sorrow and pain. He gave no thought to the risks and dangers he faced, knowing that he might be punished or even put to death for his teaching and endeavours to lead mankind to God. He made many concessions and despite his previous wealth, he became penniless. Due to Mohammad Amin’s unique virtue it is no wonder that God chose to reveal to him that clear revelation one divine night so that he could witness the Realm of God and his spirit could rise to the sacred lofty worlds of Mohammad (cpth) which were prepared for him because of his truthfulness, endeavours and great sacrifice undertaken to bring the Word of God to mankind. Similarly, anyone who does their utmost to follow this example and is honest in their love and their quest for God and the Envoy (cpth), will find the door open for them along with all their comrades, if they too choose to follow this path.

Joining the Highest Comrade – the Death of Mohammad Amin

In this wonderful way, Mohammad Amin spent a beneficial life, brimming with the knowledge of God, that makes the heart feel secure, and without which humankind will never achieve true happiness. He was like a lamp that lit generations on their path towards achieving bliss through the Book of God (the Qur’an), and the light that guided mankind to great joy, fulfillment, integrity, and the virtuous life that comes only from knowing God. He carried out this unique work until he left this world to join Al’lah, man’s highest Comrade, during the first days of Rabi’ al-Thani in the year 1384 A.H. (1964 A.D.). He was buried in the cemetery of God’s Prophet, Dhi al-Kifl, in the al-Salhiyeh district of Damascus.

God says, And who can say anything better than the one who invites others to follow the Words of Al’lah, does good deeds, and states: ‘I am a Muslim’.¹⁴

The Great Saint

Once upon a time, more than one hundred years ago, people lived a simple and happy life. Their Arab houses were made of clay and built around large inner courtyards; the rooms were lit by oil lanterns at night, since there was no electricity at that time.

The courtyards were adorned with beds of fragrant, colourful flowers; roses and all manner of other sweet- smelling plants were irrigated by the musical sounds of trickling streams that lifted the spirits and delighted the eyes.

Surrounding the houses were beautiful orchards full of fragrant flowers and tall trees which cast welcome shade on the ground beneath their spreading branches. Life was good, the rains were abundant, and the earth gave generously of its produce. People slept early and rose at dawn to pray; there was no excessive noise, no pollution from cars or factories, and no traffic accidents or unforeseen disasters. Tranquility and peace prevailed; people lived in harmony with each other and were united for the common good.

This was the time during which our story is set.

Ismael, the hajji¹⁵ was pacing the hallway waiting impatiently for the imminent birth of his child. He was a noteworthy, religious merchant, a man of high principles and excellent conduct. He was truly noble and generous, and a man of great courage.

Within a few hours, his wife Um Saleem¹⁶ their son, easily and with little pain.It was a boy! gave birth to A new child had come into this world: his beauty surpassed even that of the full moon and was without any equal. When he was informed of this happy news, Ismael the hajji was overjoyed.

Um Saleem said, ‘Al’lah has just given you a male child… he is more beautiful than the moon… so, what will you name him?’

He said, ‘Thank God… thank God, all praise is to God. His name will be Mohammad Amin, if it pleases God.’

The young master Mohammad Amin grew up basking in his mother’s love, and enveloped by his father’s tender feelings.

He was greatly admired by all who had the good fortune to meet him, and was showered with gifts.

As the baby grew into boyhood his father continued to

dote on him so much that every morning before leaving his house to go to work, he used to give the child’s mother awhole majeedi¹⁷ coin, which was equal to half a golden lira, saying, ‘Um Saleem, take this majeedi as pocket money for our son today. Give it to him when he goes out to play in the neighbourhood.’

She would take the money and hide it.

When it was time for the adventurous child to go out, he would come to his mother and hold out his hand without saying a word, and so she would put the majeedi coin into his sweet little hand. Then she would bend down and kiss him, telling him to take care of himself, so that he would come to no harm.

After receiving his spending money, he would dash off to his little friends, who greeted him warmly. This was no wonder, as he was their kind champion, and an intelligent and brilliant leader.

When the young Amin looked at those of his friends who were poor, he always had a feeling of great compassion for them, and so he used to see what they needed and provide it for them. He would also give small coins to other friends, until most of his daily allowance was spent on his companions and chums.

What an excellent, generous and benevolent companion he was!

He did not go home until his pocket was empty, having spent most, or all, of his money on his young friends.

This pure, gentle child continued this benevolent habit until he was seven years old.

One day Ismael, the hajji, arrived home from work earlier than usual, groaning painfully because he felt extremely unwell.

When his son came in, he called him, so the young lad presented himself before his father: ‘Yes, father, what would you like me to do?’

Ismael said, ‘My dear son! Come here…’

Then, with his eyes full of tears he gave him a look filled with love, mercy and compassion. He pressed his beloved child to his chest and called on God his Provider in a voice full of hope and supplication, saying, ‘Oh, my Provider! I raised my other young son, Saleem, myself, but would You please raise this child (young Mohammad Amin), because I know I will not be able to do it?’

Ismael had realised that his time of death was drawing near, and a short time later he died and left this world in order to be close to Al’lah, his Provider.

His departure from this world meant that the young child and his mother were left alone in the house with no-one to care for them, as the elder son, Saleem, had left the family home after graduating from the Royal Military College.

Ismael’s wife was grief-stricken because of the death of her husband, the man of the house.

She sat alone with her young child, gazing at him with sad, tearful eyes. Her deep sorrow was reflected in his beautiful green eyes, so that she believed that he, too, was feeling the same anguish. It was painful for her to see him in that state, although the truth was that he was not sad, as due to his tender years he did not fully understand the significance of the calamity. In fact she was the only one to feel this sorrow on the death of her husband.

Nonetheless, she thought that he was suffering from the bitterness of his father’s parting, just as she was.

That is why this loving mother set about trying to recall a short story to tell her beloved little child, so as to lighten the sadness that she thought he was feeling.

She pondered for quite some time until finally she remembered just two incidents that had made her late husband very happy. Then she took the child to his bed, sat beside him, and started to relate the first story, saying, ‘My beloved son, the delight of my eyes, seven years ago, when I was pregnant with you, during the last months of my pregnancy I went out to the market to buy some things that I needed…’ and so she continued her gentle, sad speech.

She told him that as she was walking in the market to buy a few things, a man called Ibn Abidin came toward her. He was a preoccupied and absent-minded man, who loved Al’lah passionately, and who was more fascinated by the visions of his heart than by his own thoughts. At that time, Ibn Abidin was a man whose fame had spread all over Damascus and who was well known to all its citizens.

She continued by saying that he had approached her, and as he was about to run past, he stopped, raised his hand in the air and patted the pregnant woman on her back and said, ‘You’re bearing a great… great… great¹⁸ saint!’ With that, he rapidly turned back towards the market and retraced his steps; but it seemed as though his words still echoed in the breeze:‘Great… great…!’

The mother continued, saying, ‘My son! Everyone knows that all that this man, Ibn Abidin, says will come true because the angels speak through him, and all of his deeds are blessed.

‘Indeed, I was overjoyed at hearing this wonderful news telling me that you would be a great saint, and his words were quickly spread among all the women of the neighbourhood. They passed the word around and came to congratulate me, and it was as though your father’s heart (may God have mercy upon him) overflowed with happiness, because he realised that you would be full of goodness.’

Young Amin was in his bed, his beautiful eyes focused on his beloved mother as he listened silently but understanding everything his cherished mother was saying, feeling happy with her kind, sweet and calm words.

She went on, ‘Do you remember, my dear son, that day about three years ago, when you came out of your father’s room?’

The mother continued her story, relating the second incident that she had remembered.

Through this incident, our little hero’s wishes and aspirations (which far exceeded those of other children of his age) revealed themselves clearly, because when he was four years old, he had come out of his father’s room with a white piece of cloth wrapped around his head like the turban of a religious scholar.

He wanted to be a guide¹⁹ to lead people to Al’lah! However, stranger still was the fact that he also took a military hat belonging to his brother Saleem, who was studying at the Royal Military College, and had put it on over the white turban.

It was an officer’s hat!

He was also riding a stick as a hobbyhorse. He hoped to be an officer!

When those watching saw him in that strange, thought- provoking costume, they were astonished, and his father said to him, ‘My son! Our darling child! How can you bring together these two things that have no bearing on each other? You can either be a guide showing people the way to Al’lah, or an officer, but you could never be both of these things at the same time!’

However, the child’s eyes were shining confidently with mounting hope, as if he was witnessing his glowing future stretching before him, and he said to himself, ‘Yes, I will be a guide leading people to Al’lah, as well as an officer in the security forces; and I will establish righteousness and justice for the people, securing for them their rights and getting rid of injustice and evil. And what’s more I’ll put my words into action!’

The guests regarded this as something that was most unlikely and that could never happen, but time alone would confirm the truth of his subconscious, indiscernible prediction of the future, because as a young man, he became an officer, and then a great guide and a venerable scholar.

That ‘great, great saint’ proved that he was truly obedient to Al’lah as he did what was right and fair for the people, and put an end to criminality and corruption.

By the bed, Amin’s mother continued to elaborate on her tale and speak kindly to her son, in an effort to elicit even a sad smile. All this time memories were passing before her eyes and adding to her own sorrow, until her child finally surrendered to tiredness and fell asleep. By then her concerns for him had abated, and she got up to adjust the lantern, dimming the light to a gentle glow.

And so, the little prince slept in peaceful tranquillity.

The Brave Boy and the Genie

once, this young boy, Mohammad Amin, heard a discussion between his mother and another woman, who sat telling her a strange story about something that she claimed happened every night. She said that all the women in the neighbourhood knew and chatted about it among themselves.

‘Oh, Um Saleem, haven’t you heard about the genie?’²⁰ ‘What? A genie?’

‘Yes… the one that appears every day at the stable’

‘No… no… by God, I haven’t heard anything about a genie… but who told you? Where did you hear about it?’

‘All the women in the neighbourhood have heard of it. They say that the genie appears if someone goes to the stable after midnight and summons it, and then it will see them and talk to them.

‘They said that if anyone caught this genie, it would beg to be freed, and if they refused they would be offered three wishes; then if the genie granted them, it would be released.’

These stories continued to reverberate around the neighbourhood, being told and retold, so the news spread widely and people became obsessed with it until they could think of nothing else.

Everybody talked about it, and some set out to fabricate untrue stories in an effort to convince people that they had actually spoken to the genie!

Because of the constant repetition of the events of this story in the hearing of little Mohammad Amin, who was only about three-and-a-half years old at that time, he partly believed it, but still had his doubts. He would not be fully convinced before he himself was sure of what he had heard and of what he knew.

When night fell, the child went to bed and pretended to be asleep so that his family would not worry about him. However, at midnight, he got up from his bed and quietly went downstairs, left the house and headed for the stable where supposedly the genie dwelt.

His curiosity and inquisitive mind led him to undertake this adventure in order to see the genie up close.

He intended to catch it, if he could, and ask it – so it could secure its release – to bring him all the kings of the world so that he could suggest to them that they embrace the religion of Islam.

If they refused, he would cut off their heads!

He arrived at the stable and sat there waiting for the genie to appear. When there was no sign of it, he started calling it to come to him, beating the ground with his little hand… but no one answered his call!

His father woke in the middle of the night to check on the safety of his sleeping child, but he did not find him in his bed, and so everybody in the house was woken and began to search for him throughout the house. They went into every room hoping to find him, but he was nowhere to be found.

As their fruitless search continued, they started to become extremely worried. It was now past midnight and this was becoming a terrible ordeal for them!

They had almost given up hope of finding him inside the house, when one of them suggested:

‘Let’s search in the garden, or we may find him at the stable.’

‘A good idea! Let’s go!’

They headed out to the stable holding torches aloft to light the way.

As they approached, they heard little Amin’s sharp brave voice saying, ‘You, genie! Why don’t you answer me? Come on! I’m calling you and asking you to come here! Why don’t you do what I ask?’

They hurried towards the sound of the voice, and there he was, sitting on the floor repeating these words and continuing to beat the floor, calling for the genie insistently and bravely, as a result of which their hearts, relieved of fear, now beat faster with ever-increasing admiration. They rushed to him saying, ‘What are you doing, my child? Why are you here so late at night?’

He replied, ‘I want to meet the genie that you all talk about.’

‘Come on… come on my son… let’s go home and forget about that. You are still a child, and too young to bother yourself with such things.’ They privately chided themselves, as they truly believed such stories and felt conscience-stricken.

However, these tales are mere superstitions…!

His family were afraid for him, and devised a story to frighten him. They said to each other in his hearing: ‘Did you know, there’s a huge snake that sleeps in the horse’s manger, and it bites and kills whoever sits there?’

Then he went home with them unwillingly, but the matter still occupied his thoughts and worried him. He was interested in finding out whether it was true or not!

Being the brave and inquisitive child that he was, the following night he tried once again. His heart was determined not to let this matter pass without getting to the bottom of it… so he thought that by taking positive action he would know one way or the other.

In fact, he went to the same place and did just as he had done the previous night, but nothing happened to confirm the truth of the snake stories he had heard. There was nothing but silence, interrupted only by the usual sounds of the night: a cricket over here, and a dog over there. As for the genie, there was no sign of its presence or indeed, its existence.

At this he realised that the women’s chatter about this tale was nothing but fantasy and there was no truth to it. His certainty about the falsity of the tale was corroborated when he went there for the third consecutive night, at the same time, hoping yet again to find the genie.

After this story, he decided to believe nothing that he was told and nothing that he heard, whatever the subject, unless he looked into the matter himself to be sure of the truth of all that was said.

Episodes in His Noble Young LifeHis Incredible Ability with Animals

since his early childhood, Mohammad Amin was passionately fond of horsemanship. However, his father was afraid that his son – who was still only five years old at the time of this incident – might fall off the horse. Therefore, he employed a stableman and told him that his son was not allowed to ride.

However, given the brilliance of that little boy, this tactic presented no obstacle!

Amin went to the groom and sat with him, and set about chatting to him in his lively, entertaining way. From time to time the little boy would yawn and pretend to be sleepy, in the hope that the groom would fall asleep so that he could carry out his intentions. Eventually, the man was overcome by drowsiness and fell fast asleep. Then the child approached him quietly and, with his small hand, slowly took the keys from the groom’s belt. He then opened the gate of the stable.

He took care that the groom was not woken up by the sound of the horse’s hoofs while he brought her out of the stable, by dressing them with pieces of cloth which he tied to the hoofs. He then led the mare out of the stable, leaving the sleeping man totally unaware of what was going on around him. Then with the help of a low wall he mounted her and galloped off, racing with the wind.

He spent some time racing all around, and then, having fulfilled his wishes, he returned and led her back into the stable in the same way he had led her out of it. Then he closed the gate, so it would seem as if he had done nothing, and put the keys in the sleeping man’s sash.

However, strange sounds coming from inside the stable roused the stableman from his sleep and he was deeply concerned when he opened the gate and saw that the horse was wet with perspiration! He realised that the little boy had taken the horse out for a ride because he, too, was dripping with sweat. His worry increased when he noticed that the mare was about to give birth and, clearly, due to her state of exhaustion, her delivery was not going to be normal. He was afraid that the child’s father would reprimand him, for his son, a mere child, had been able to take advantage of him, the grown man!

Indeed, the delivery soon became difficult when a part of the foal came into view, but then the labour stopped due to the mare’s exhaustion from the recent exercise with the young boy.

Not sure what to do and driven by panic and fear, the man decided to drag the partly born foal out of its mother’s belly, although this action would certainly have killed both the mare and the foal.

At that moment, he heard a sudden shout: ‘Stop that! Wait a minute.’

It was the boy. He shouted at the groom, and then ran away, but soon returned with some old worn-out cloths. He twisted them into a narrow rope, and then tied one of its two ends to the foal; attaching a heavy stone to the other end he let it hang down towards the ground.

That light weight helped the foal to descend normally without being hurt and without injuring its mother.

Thus, the mare delivered her foal safely.

Yet another action of that little boy that fills one’s mind with wonder!

Mohammad Amin’s father continued to worry that his son would fall off the horse’s back, so he gave strict orders to his groom not to let the little boy ride the horse. Not to be outdone, the creative child used his imagination and took his compliant bulldog off to the saddler!

He stood in front of the saddler and asked him to make a saddle for the dog.

When the saddler heard the child’s request, he burst out laughing, ‘Oh son! It’s a dog, not a horse! Can a dog be saddled?’

Yet the boy stood his ground and answered him firmly, ‘Don’t you want to earn some money?’ Amin then paid him a generous amount, and there and then the man saddled the dog for him, just as a horse would be saddled.

After that the little boy was able to train the agile dog so that it could be mounted, and he set about coaching it to run quickly until it could leave behind even the leanest and fastest coursers. By taking this course of action he upset the horse owners and, needless to say, it was not long until they took revenge.

They shot Mohammad Amin’s dog in the eyes with a hunting rifle, causing it to go blind.

The Compassion of a Child

He passed the front door of the house and stopped behind it. He had a ten bishli²¹ coin in his hand. He held it for a while close to his chest, thentossed it in the air, caught it, and put it in his pocket.

He had realised something, so he made a decision!

This was the little boy Mohammad Amin. He was seven years old, growing and developing quickly, and rapidly becoming a child full of vitality and happiness. Signs of the noble, virile man he was to become were already clearly stamped on his handsome face.

His unflinching gaze is clear and direct: it carries the history of the past, yet looks confidently towards the future.

His movements are strong and fluid like the waves of the ocean, while his features reflect the brilliance within. One might say that he appears to be clothed in purity and crowned in dignity… and among his peers he seems like a banner constantly moving and swaying.

As for his father, he was a good man, a tradesman who was known for his honesty and good manners. Due to his praiseworthy character, he had become a reputable merchant dealing in a broad range of merchandise and, indeed, he was one of the chief merchants among his peers. Additionally, God provided him with the income that furnished him and his family with a high standard of living.

With the dawn of every new day, the father used to leave a whole majeedi (equal to half a golden lira) with his wife as pocket money for his son, Mohammad Amin.

When the little boy got it, he would go out directly to see his friends who used to wait for him, and spend all his money on them. To some he gave just a few coins and for others he bought what they needed, so that all of them were treated fairly and were overwhelmed by his gifts. Indeed, he was the generous head of this group who brightened their day, and the benevolent leader who helped them.

His behaviour is an example for all to follow, otherwise one must pay attention to the wise words:

Woe betide all those who stray from the path of virtue or commit any breach of the code of ethics!

When his pure and kindly father died, and was buried, his mother missed her husband and suffered inconsolable grief, so she sat with the seven year-old boy, crying piteously and groaning in a heartbreaking way. This misfortune had shaken her greatly. She was deeply saddened at the sight of her little son as she thought that he, like her, was grieving because of the death of the head of the family. She did not realise that his heart was not saddened at his father’s death, for he was still too young to understand the magnitude of the problem. She saw, quite simply, the picture of her own grief reflected on his face as he looked at his mother in amazement.

The following morning, the little boy went to his mother and stretched his hand out towards her, as he was accustomed to do, for her to give him his daily pocket money. But his mother paid him no attention and pretended to be busy. However, he continued to stand there resolutely, waiting for her to give him the customary coin. At this point, she reached a hesitant hand into the folds of her gown, and rummaged around until she managed to bring out a ten bishli coin. She then gave it to him, but due to her anxious state she was perspiring profusely.

A questioning look passed across Amin’s sweet face as he took it. He wondered to himself:

‘Why only ten bishli? Where’s the rest? Where is the majeedi? How strange! I wonder why?’ Nonetheless, he took it and went outside. As soon as he had crossed the doorstep, he started to ponder the situation and became completely lost in thought. He said to himself, ‘The man who supported our family so generously, and who provided everything we wanted, has passed away. He worked so hard to secure a comfortable standard of living for his family. As for this poor woman, how could she earn any money? A woman isn’t allowed to leave the house except to go to the market or visit a friend. Even so, she has to be fully veiled, so how can she work?’

He looked at the coin for a few minutes, then tossed it up in the air, caught it and put it in his pocket. He bit his lip and then walked off, disappearing down the lane.

That ten bishli was the last pocket money he ever took from his mother.

On the following day, his mother said nothing about his pocket money. Some days passed and he did not once ask her to give him money, so a week later she asked him, ‘Oh my son! Don’t you want your pocket money?

‘Dear Mamma! I still haven’t spent the ten bishli you gave me last week. But when I do, I’ll ask you for what I need.’

Oh! She felt such a great sense of relief and joy when she heard his words. He had really spared her the worry of dealing with such a difficult situation.

And so that magnanimous and contented boy accepted suffering and patiently accepted the lack of pocket money. This situation was not easy for him because he had long been accustomed to spending all his money on the children of the neighbourhood!

It was so hard for him to see himself, their leader, meeting them empty-handed, seeing in their eyes the expectation of his usual donations and presents, an expectation that was sometimes also expressed in words when they would ask why he no longer gave them gifts as he used to do. One can only imagine how difficult it must have been for this kind-hearted boy to explain his situation to them.

He kept that ten bishli coin with him in his pocket until he was eighteen years old.

The next eleven years were ones of self-deprivation and abstinence, accepting his lot in life and looking ahead to God’s Satisfaction, while everybody around him was leading a life of plentiful ease and comfort.

The Adventure of the Little Horseman

This story happened in one of the beautiful gardens of al-Hameh, where the weather was pleasant and the widely spreading branches of the tall trees swayed in the gentle breeze.

The sun was smiling, casting its bright light across the whole of existence and watching the talented little boy on the back of his beloved horse, galloping at full speed across the verdant pastures.

The father of the little master had died while he was still enjoying his childhood and still only seven years old; so only he and his affectionate mother were left in the house after his elder brother Saleem had left to live and work far away.

As for his father’s horse, it was still in its stable – its master horseman had left forever, but the master’s son, the young horseman, had not.

While his father was still alive, he, Mohammad Amin, managed to mount it in secret or by clever contrivance, but now, after his father’s death, he was alone with his mother, a gentle, kind, compassionate woman who was devoted to her young child.

He no longer needed to devise such intricate schemes, but just to give the matter a little forethought. Sometimes he would come to his mother and try to coax her with sweet words, and other times he insisted on having his own way, which usually led to her giving him the key of the stable, so he could take the horse out; how happy he was then!

His joy and happiness were so infectious that his mother could not fail to be affected by it! But nonetheless her mind was still preoccupied with her concern for him, for he was a small child and she was afraid that he might fall off the horse, al-Assilah. God forbid that such a thing should happen, because if it did he would certainly be hurt, an unbearable thought that she could not even contemplate. So, sometimes she refused to let him take the horse out, although it meant he would be so angry and upset that he would stop playing or even talking to her for quite some time. She was caught between two very difficult situations which filled her heart with pain and sadness for him.

It was as if she was trapped between two fires: if she did not allow him to ride the horse she would be sad because he was sad; but if she did allow him to ride, she would be so worried about him that, she would feel compelled to go out to watch him riding around their big orchard in al- Hamehin the Barada valley.

One day, Amin had mounted the horse and was racing across the garden, against the fresh, blustery wind. What an idyllic time it was for him, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the tall trees tossing their branches in the freshening breeze. The little horseman was enraptured, a free spirit racing across the land as though the whole world was not big enough for him. His mother was anxious, and yet she was happy when she saw his unbridled joy… but suddenly, something awful happened… oh! How terrible!

As the little hero was at full gallop – as swift as lightning – so fast that even the most accomplished of the great horsemen would not have been able to keep up with him, he passed beneath the widespread branches of a huge old tree, and he was caught on one of the low growing branches while he was still moving at full speed, it whipped him across the abdomen and he was snatched from the back of his horse.

Amin’s mother almost fainted at this terrible sight, and could not bear to look at her son lying there on the ground; she was so overcome that she could only imagine the worst possible outcome. She covered her eyes to avoid seeing this terrible disaster, and as her legs gave way beneath her she slipped to the ground. Convinced that her beloved child was about to die she bent her head rather than witness his death.

These were painful and critical moments… it was a dreadful shock and a feeling of grief overcame her as she was sure that her beloved child had just died in this unfortunate accident. The horse continued its headlong dash, running for some distance, before stopping when it missed the weight of the young horseman on its back.

As for Mohammad Amin, with very quick thinking, he had managed to turn a complete somersault around the branch by grabbing it with his hands and thrusting his head down and his legs up, to complete an almost perfect circle… and so avoided the extremely serious injury that might otherwise have resulted from this high speed collision.

Then he dropped down to the ground, landing on his strong legs; thank God that his body was so strong and flexible. He then ran to his horse, which had stopped quite some distance ahead of him, and with a leap, he landed firmly on its back in a seated position and sent it galloping ahead again, racing with the gusty wind.

This entire spectacular scenario took place within the space of just a few moments, throughout which his desperate mother had her eyes firmly closed, thinking only of the worst possible outcome, convinced that it must have resulted in the death of her beloved son.

When the horse continued to race ahead – as though nothing untoward had happened – towards Mohammad Amin’s poor mother, she still sat with head bowed and eyes covered, oblivious of what was happening around her, but feeling as if the ground was quaking beneath her. In the meantime, the little horseman firmly seated on the back of his horse raced up to her, and when she heard the horse’s movement she raised her head and took her hands from her eyes which were brimming with tears of great sadness. She could not believe her eyes, for the young horseman was still on his horse!

Then Mohammad Amin asked her, ‘Mother! What’s the matter with you?’

She still could not believe what she had just seen and heard, but she answered in a sad, low voice, ‘Nothing my son, nothing,’ and started to rub her eyes, as though she had woken from a bad dream. Or was it a daydream? Her dear son was before her mounted on his horse, sound and healthy, as if none of what she had just witnessed had actually happened! Then she said again, in a stupor that pervaded her words, ‘No, nothing my son, nothing,’ and she told herself that she had imagined it and that no accident or incident had taken place.

All was well, thank God, and as the proverb says, ‘All’s well that ends well!’ Here was her sturdy son astride his horse before her, sound and healthy, and in fine form. How could she continue to deny seeing him when the evidence was before her eyes! Of course she could not, because he was right there talking to her and she was talking to him!

Then the little hero understood what torment his mother had just suffered and realised what she had been through as relief flooded across her face and she became overwhelmed with joy. It was as if the accident she had just witnessed was nothing more than a mirage, an illusion, or a horrible daydream which was now mercifully in the past. That was what she now thought and still she could not believe what she had seen with her own eyes. And so, she was able to smile again and thereupon, her kind and gentle son left her and rushed away yet again mounted on his horse, but he had understood very well what an extremely difficult situation she had just experienced.

Mohammad Amin knew how much his mother loved him and the extent of her concern and worry, and so because of his extreme compassion towards her, he had led her to believe that nothing untoward had actually happened to him. He convinced her not to believe what her eyes had seen so that she would avoid any feeling of pain, and be free from living in a state of constant worry about him.

What a youth! He had extraordinary intelligence and presence of mind, a heart as strong and upright as the mountains, and he displayed exemplary behaviour; yet it was the great sympathy and kindness for his mother that led him to let her think that the accident had been a mere illusion so that she would not suffer. This was all because he knew how deeply she loved him.

What a merciful, knowledgeable, free-spirited boy he was – dutiful to his mother – and truly the world would be a better place if all boys were like him.

Importunity Punished

One day as Mohammad Amin passed the open door of the room where his mother was sitting with a neighbour he overheard part of the conversation between the two women. And what he heard did not please him!

‘That poor woman!’ said his mother, ‘the local greengrocer has started making improper suggestions to her and she can’t possibly avoid him because she has to walk past his shop to get to and from her home. Whenever she passes by, he doesn’t miss a single opportunity to call out filthy words and badger her with requests that encroach upon her personal inviolability.’ That is what the young lad overheard.

At the time he was only nine years old and, since the death of his father, he lived alone with his mother in their home in the al-Ward district²² of Damascus.

Due to his chivalry and compassion, he wanted to help the woman who had been so insulted. He gave the matter considerable thought and said to himself, ‘First I have to make enquiries to know if this gossip is true or not, and if what my mother and her friend say is correct, and if it is I will show you, greengrocer, something you don’t expect’… and thus he soon decided on a wise course of action.

Wasting no time he headed for the greengrocer’s shop that same day, and started to watch him while pretending to play. He planned to do the same thing every day for a whole week.

One evening, the woman passed by the greengrocer’s for, as we already know, there was no other way for her to go to and from her home. At this point, the boy paid particular attention, and as was expected, the vulgar man began to speak to the woman, using vile and improper language which expressed nothing but his own indecent, vulgar vices.

Amin had heard enough to confirm what he had heard about the man, so, as swift as lightning he ran to his home and soon returned holding a rod.

He went up to the greengrocer, who stood up, thinking that the boy wanted to buy something. Just then, the young master, Mohammad Amin accosted him, saying, ‘Hey man! You’ve lost all sense of honour and decency! How dare you violate the personal integrity of a pure and honest woman with your filthy words! You’re a monster! God help you, you horrible man!’

Then, with a sudden movement, he smashed the lantern with his staff and set about trampling the excellent fresh grapes and pears that were on display.

The man was horrified, and shouted at the boy, ‘What are you doing? Stop! Don’t… don’t do that!’ Then he rushed towards Amin, but this young boy who had the courage to confront the greengrocer outmaneuvered him with a blow to his head and another to his face. He then showered him with a severe beating until the immoral man eventually fell to the ground in severe pain, and with a bloodied face.

The sudden, unexpected attack from one so young was enough to immobilize the dealer and he was unable to fend off the assault. He was dumbfounded at what had just taken place.

The beaten man managed to pick up a wooden box and throw it at the boy, but missed the target as the agile child quickly stepped out of range. Once again, Amin rushed forward and beat him repeatedly with his staff. The greengrocer was so furious at this unexpected attack at the hands of the young boy that he responded with equal violence which developed into a frenzied attack. Then as quick as lightning, the boy ran back to his house, proud and confident in the knowledge that his actions had shown that good will always triumph over evil.

The event was very distressing for the tradesman, both mentally and physically, and reluctantly he decided to tell no one about what had happened to him. He was so much older than the lad who had attacked him that if he told the real story behind his wounds, people would look down on him. He had been beaten up by a little boy and had completely failed to inflict any harm on his opponent, despite the fact that he was always boasting and priding himself on his strength and toughness.

The greengrocer was the leader of the youth in the community, and every evening he held meetings with them in his shop. Included in this group were a number of ‘yes- men’ who did whatever he asked, whether they agreed with him or not. Thus, the leader of the local youths, who was actually quite a coward, could find no way to take revenge, other than resorting to the help of the young boys of the district!

He began to call them together and to give them instructions to attack the courageous young Amin, offering them bribes to carry out his dirty work.

However, since the lad Mohammad Amin had already got the better of all of the boys in the neighbourhood, irrespective of their size, and had become their leader due to his courage, the boys were very reluctant to tackle him. So the tradesman promised them that he, personally, would take responsibility for the consequences, and encouraged them to band together against Amin. In the end, the boys armed themselves with sticks and gathered along the alleyway leading to Amin’s home. They were lying in wait for him when he appeared in the distance, strutting along with his unique gait, which baffled the mind with its lightness, briskness and air of authority.

There was no doubt that his firm steps expressed the nobility and excellence of his pure spirit. Before he reached the alleyway, he could see about twenty boys, thronging together, clearly intent on mischief, their eyes full of hostility which was obviously directed towards him. He realised what they were up to, and dashed towards the heap where the ashes from the public bathhouse were thrown. In those days even the best houses did not have bathrooms, so everyone used the bathhouse which was usually in the market place. The water was heated by wood-burning stoves, which by a sheer stroke of luck, indirectly provided ammunition for the young Amin.

Thinking that he would pelt them with stones, the boys focused on his hands to see where he would throw them and try to avoid them. Then, quick as a flash, the inspired boy threw fistfuls of ashes straight at the eyes of the boys closest to him so they were temporarily blinded.

Then, with the strength and courage of a lion, he dived towards one of them and grabbing the stick from his hands, he began to rain blow after blow upon him and his friends.

They saw no way to escape except to turn tail, and run back to the shop of the malicious greengrocer. Nevertheless, the brave lad did not leave it there; he chased them until he had kicked them out of the neighbourhood, shaken and defeated.

He returned home, safe and sound, the victor in both battles,