One day, when he was serving in the Turkish army, the commander of the army ordered him to bear witness against one of the Armenians who was to be brought before the court on the next day. The commander said to him, ‘You have to say these words, and only these words, “I saw him in the shop.” This is your testimony and, as I said, nothing more!’
Our officer, Mohammad Amin, answered immediately, as he was accustomed to do, ‘Yes Sir…’ and saluted his commander and took his leave.
He never refused a command from his senior officer, but as he left the office his mind enquired, ‘Which? What was he talking about? I don’t know that, and it’s against the law to bear false witness and to cause damage to an innocent person unjustly.’
So he turned around and went back to the office and said to the commander, ‘Sir, I don’t know where that is, or what it sells.’ At this point the reason for our officer’s seeming confusion should be explained: at that time the word ‘shop’ was used when talking about a night club, or house of ill repute, and due to his high level of morality he would have had no experience of such an establishment or understand the significance of what he was being told to say…
The commander replied, ‘Never mind… everything is arranged with the judges at the court.’
After leaving the office of the high command he examined the nature of the case carefully and found that it was connected with destroying a man, unknown to him, by perjury. He returned to the commander surprising him with this abrupt statement, ‘I refuse.’
The commander was thunderstruck and said, ‘You refuse?’
The honest officer replied, ‘Yes… I refuse… I refuse!’ The commander was totally taken aback: before him stood an officer who always said, ‘Yes sir’, but now he was saying, ‘I refuse!’
The commander flared up in rage and spat out the words, ‘Get out then…’
Mohammad Amin went home expecting dire results following his refusal to carry out the unjust order. He told his mother about the case and said to her, ‘Oh Mother… please pack my bags as I’m sure that I’ll be severely punished because I refused to obey an order.’ He was convinced that he would be deported from the country.
He was the only Arab officer remaining in government house after the Turk had banished all the Arab officers to a remote area in Turkey.
His mother tried hard to make him change his mind whereby he would agree to committing perjury; amongst other things in support of her argument she said, ‘Oh my son… this man is a nonbeliever and polytheist, so why don’t you just testify against him? They are the ones who schemed against him, not you… isn’t it better than you being deported?’
Mohammad Amin answered, ‘But Mother, I didn’t see him… how can I stand witness against him? And the noble Prophet (cpth) said, “He who harms free non-Muslims under Muslim rule, indeed he harms me.”’
Many Turkish officers envied him for his rank and the high esteem in which his leaders held him. Officer Sheikho’s adjutant, a Turkish officer, was one of them. When our officer refused to testify as requested the adjutant seized the opportunity and happily testified against the Armenian after the commander had ordered him to do so; thus gaining the gratitude of the Turkish army.
The adjutant was actually awarded for giving false testimony!… and promoted to replace Mohammad Amin who was punished for being an honest man and refusing to commit perjury. At the same time our officer was waiting for the decision of his possible banishment… but…
God says, “For those who fear Al’lah, He (always) prepares a way out.”[57]
Only a few days later, that same false witness, the adjutant, was arrested in the very act of committing high treason against his commanders, and since he had been unfaithful to his Provider and his own conscience previously, it should have come as no surprise that he might also betray those who had rewarded him.
Next day, our officer arrived at his place of work looking very sad.
Soon after entering his office, the commander followed and ordered him, ‘Aslan! [58]Grab this duplicitous man and throw him into prison,’ pointing at the Turkish officer who had given false testimony against the Armenian.
But our officer thought the matter was a trick contrived by the two against him and aimed at mocking him before his deportation. But what could he do? He was obliged to carry out an order. He approached the Turkish officer and said to him, ‘Let’s go…!’ And he walked off with him in an amiable way. The commander pounced upon the Turkish adjutant from behind and shouted angrily, ‘You don’t take a criminal to prison like that!’ Then, suddenly, he launched a resounding smack on the back of the adjutant causing him to fall face down on the floor, and shouted, ‘This is the way a criminal is taken to prison… roughly… take him… you’re not like him… you’re an honest officer!’
Thereupon, our officer Mohammad Amin knew for certain that this was a serious matter and not a ploy to mock him.
He was reinstated to his previous position, having earned the appreciation and respect of his commanders for the high level of humanity he had demonstrated; he had been prepared to sacrifice everything that he held dear for the sake of his fellow man whether he was Muslim or not.
Our honourable officer is like him about whom the Prophet (cpth) said, “He who causes himself grief to gain Al’lah’s Satisfaction, He (Al’lah) will make him independent of people’s aid.”
Whereas the Turkish officer, unfaithful to his morality and seeking only the satisfaction of his earthly masters, is like him about whom our Prophet (cpth) said, “He who pleases people by displeasing Al’lah, He will empower people over him.”