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 district [22]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, and having carried out God’s Command in disciplining the immoral and depraved man, by inflicting severe punishment upon him.