God said, “He [Joseph] said, ‘It was she that sought to seduce me’.”[79]
Many decades ago, Damascus was a worldly paradise renowned for the natural beauty of its surrounding countryside and clement weather. The River Barada, with his seven tributaries, provided water for every house in Damascus: these were built in the Arabian style around wide, shady courtyards, and the sparkling streams supplied fresh,
flowing water to all of its people and every one of its houses.
The installation for the al-Feejeh[80]spring, the drink of Prophets, had not been connected to the houses yet, so there were no domestic lavatories or bathrooms as there are now, which is the reason why the population of the city used to frequent the public bath-house from time to time.
That era was witness to great honour due to the humane, illustrious performances and sacrifices of a certain Arab officer who outshone all his peers amongst the ruling Turkish officers in the state of Sham.[80/2]This had led to his holding a matchless
level of prestige with the high commander of Sham’s Armies and the other authorities; he gained too, the deep affection of his compatriots because of his unparalleled readiness to help them, and eventually his awesome reputation spread to every corner of the state of Sham.
We are talking of the officer M. A. Sheikho. He was a security officer in the government house, and the only Arab officer amongst all the Turks, since all other Arab men of rank had been exiled permanently to remote countries. As he was on his way to the al-Ward public baths, in the Saroojah market, he was intercepted by a group of people just a few metres before the bath-house. They were desperate for his help in a very serious matter and begged him saying, ‘Oh Bey! Our son has been sentenced to death; this unjust judgement will be executed today. Oh Bey! We swear that he is innocent and this sentence has been passed unjustly and wrongfully against him.’
He stopped immediately to give his full attention to what they were saying in order to understand exactly the nature of their problem. After listening most carefully to what they had to say, he was convinced of the son’s innocence and he said, ‘If what you have told me about this is true, then your son is not responsible, and certainly not guilty!’
They replied, ‘Yes, Sir! By God, everything occurred just as we have said and our son is innocent. He had nothing to do with it at all and truly he is innocent but has been charged and found guilty!’
The officer then excused himself explaining that he was about to have a bath; and removing a silver ring from his finger he gave it to them saying they should take it to the officer in charge of the castle prison and their son would be set free.
He then resumed his stroll towards the bath house, leaving them startled and bewildered. They stood looking at each other with eyes full of confusion and sadness, believing that their last hope for rescuing their poor innocent son from the noose had come to nothing. They wondered: ‘Could a ring release a man condemned to death from the hangman’s rope? We have never heard of such a thing before!’
They continued to stand there under a black cloud of distress and deep sadness, and after a stunned silence, the person who had guided them to the master spoke out. He was very familiar with the officer’s reputation and that he was held in high esteem by members of the government, so he was inclined to believe his words. He broke the silence saying, ‘Listen to me! We can do nothing ourselves and we don’t have any other choice… let’s do as he has advised and go immediately to the prison manager and hand him the ring… we have nothing to lose.’
With a terrible feeling of hopelessness overwhelming their hearts they fell silent again and headed for the office of the prison manager, where one of them presented him with the ring and told him their story. The manager grabbed the silver ring and scrutinised it carefully… he thought it was an odd story but was quite convinced that it belonged to Officer Sheikho. Then, he hurried to help them. He took out the lists of those who had been sentenced to death, where he found the name he was looking for and ordered the man’s immediate release.
Really, the confidence that the ruling institution had in Officer Sheikho was so great, as was their affection for him, that any order issued by him carried great influence, which was clearly demonstrated with the prison manager.
Oh! A miracle had happened! It was certainly a miracle! The advice of that esteemed master had turned death into life, and replaced extreme desperation and deep sorrow with brilliant hope and incomparable happiness.
They found it incredible: they had been in the depths of despair and now they were overwhelmed with astonishment mixed with pleasure and joy. It was remarkable… beyond belief! A ring could secure the release of a person sentenced to death!
They set off to spread the story and celebrate the young man’s reprieve: not only had he escaped the hangman’s noose but he had been released from prison, so they celebrated by giving thanks to God and holding delightful receptions for their friends and family.
Since Damascus was a small city with a limited population the news was soon circulated in the main square, and that strange story eluded no-one, so it was repeated again and again every evening and at every gathering; it was on everybody’s lips, till eventually it reached the ears of a wicked girl whose brother was a criminal serving a prison sentence.
She was exceptionally beautiful and had heard that our officer, Mohammad Amin, was able to release a man condemned to be hanged by the simple action of sending his ring to the prison manager, and without being present in person. She thought about this and secretly hatched a heinous plan. She wove her web of devilish snares and set off to carry out her scheme the next day when she went to the prison to ask for Mohammad Amin, the officer. She was accustomed to such places as she frequently went there to get her brother out and never missed an opportunity to display her hand of destruction to the Turkish officers.
In fact, our officer, Aslan,[81]held a very important position in government house, as he was highly respected by both his leaders and subordinates because of his exceptional deeds and achievements, in addition to his honesty and chastity,
and most of the Turkish officers regarded him with reverence, apart from a very few who were consumed with envy and vexed by his assuming this sensitive position at the government house.
The young woman was intent on carrying out her cunning plans so she found out the location of Aslan’s place of work and set off to find it. At the government house, she asked for a meeting with Officer Mohammad Amin. One of Officer Sheikho’s staff entered his office and advised him that there was a woman outside requesting a meeting with him and asked what he should do about it.
Distracted from the documents on the desk before him, Aslan replied, ‘Tell her to come in.’ His door was always open for everybody so that he could hear their grievances and listen to their troubles without any word of complaint or boredom from him.
With that a tall, slim, willowy girl came in dressed in black and veiled, since one would never find any unveiled woman at that time. As soon as she stood before his desk she began to talk, explaining her story to him and elaborating her lies that they were a poor and needy family, and her brother was jailed even though he was innocent, and that he was the only breadwinner for the family.
When she finished presenting her (false!) case, the officer, Mohammad Amin, pulled a docket from a shelf beside him, unfolded it on the desk and started to look for the criminal’s name. A few minutes had passed when his eyes alighted on a name on one of the pages… the very name he was looking for. However he knew that this man was a hardened criminal who returned to his life of crime every time he was released from prison… only to be caught and sentenced yet again!
With that, he turned to her saying, ‘But, sister,[82]your brother has committed a long list of crimes… and every time he was freed, he went back to his criminal actions. If I set him free now it will do him no good for he will inevitably revert to his delinquent nature and aggressive tendencies towards society… so how can I ask for his release… especially as the prison director is well aware of your brother’s criminal history.’
With this he resumed his work, and applied himself to the papers he had been studying when the girl entered his office. She had listened to what he had to say and knew that her brother would never be released from prison by her lying as she had done; so she tried a different ploy and exposed her hands…! Our officer Aslan glanced at those white hands and found her action most odd! He looked up from his work to see what she was doing and found her lifting the veil from her face displaying eyes filled with malicious intent, and a cunning smile spreading slowly across her charming face. Was that a wink? He could scarcely believe what he saw before him… she was trying to seduce him and offering to have sex with him!
‘So that’s what she’s up to, is it?’ thought our officer. Aslan, the honest and virtuous man, gave her a look of such disdain, like that of a haughty falcon; a single glare from him was more than enough to cause horror and terror in the hearts of the most hardened criminals: men who instilled such fear that they were able to close an entire bazaar as people were so afraid of their violence and criminal actions. Nevertheless, when Aslan looked angrily at any one of these hardened criminals in this way, their bodies would tremble and their hearts would fill with awe.
So, what of this malicious harlot?
She was shocked by the look in his eyes as she had never had this reaction from any man before. On the contrary, all men had welcomed her with looks of tenderness and desire. All of a sudden she became alarmed and fear crept into her heart, especially when she saw that the honest officer had stood up behind his desk… and then… what a shock! He slapped her hard on her unveiled cheek causing her nose to bleed.
What an unexpected reaction!
Aslan, the honest officer and gentleman, did not stop there… he opened his office door (which she had cunningly closed when she entered), then he turned to her and kicked her so forcefully that she fell through the doorway and he slammed it shut behind her… with great pride and contempt!
At that moment, the aide of the virtuous Arab officer was coming upstairs; he was a Turkish officer and it so happened that he was related to the sultan: surely a man to be wary of! He soon saw her… she was, after all, a beautiful young woman who could quickly turn a man’s head and captivate his heart!
He instantly became infatuated with her beauty and besotted by her wonderful charm though her face was stained with blood and she was bruised due to the hard slap on her cheek. She was dizzy and her heart was filled with horror and dismay, trying, but failing, to get up from the floor.
As for the aide, he had long been full of hidden malice in his spirit but dared not show it. He was constantly full of jealousy and rancour towards his boss, Officer Sheikho, for how was it that an officer, especially an Arab officer, who had the same rank as his, have authority and superiority over him, whereas he was his deputy and had to answer to him, having no right to give any order without Aslan’s permission? Day after day envy and resentment fermented and bubbled in his heart… and surely one day it would overflow!
When he saw that beautiful yet cunning beauty thrown out of Aslan’s office, blood flowing from her nose and smearing her face, far from being revolted, he admired her gracefulness and was lured by her charms. He stopped to think for a moment then he settled on a spiteful and vindictive course of action. He approached her, muttering to himself, ‘Now… you’re in my hands, Aslan! I’ve plotted so often against you and tried to destroy you, but I’ve always failed… and now it’s my chance… surely I’ll succeed this time and get rid of you, not only from Damascus, but I’ll have you sent away to the place where Arab officers are deported. Yes… the time has come! I’ll be appointed to your position and won’t be taking orders from you any longer… Arab Officer Sheikho!’
He went closer to the girl his mouth watering as he looked at her with his eyes full of guile, intent on committing adultery. Since the two of them were equally sly, and had the same aims, she immediately discerned his intentions, so she wiped away her tears and returned his amorous glances. He approached her saying, ‘Don’t be afraid… stay calm… I’ll help you… get up and come with me to wash your face and brush away your tears.’
Meanwhile she recounted the incident that had occurred with his boss, Officer Sheikho. In reply he told her that he would release her brother and take revenge on the officer who had treated her so badly; but she had to do exactly what he told her, as the matter needed some careful planning. Then, they decided on a time to meet when
Officer Sheikho would be leaving the government house after finishing his work for the day.
On the appointed day and at the agreed time, the Turkish officer set off on a horse-drawn wagon for the street where they had planned to meet. As he stopped beside her she climbed up and went with him towards a house that he had rented previously on behalf of Officer Sheikho, who was a first lieutenant. As Officer Sheikho was well known to the citizens, and the officer responsible for applying all regulations, there had been no need for the jealous officer to give proof of Mohammad Amin’s identity, as normally would be the case. So our officer was now caught, unknowingly, in a trap.
In this same house, the bitter Turkish officer committed his unspeakable deed with that despicable harlot, and made sure to leave evidence of the crime behind them; then he instructed her how to bring a legal suit, and a formal protest against Officer Sheikho that she would have to submit to the ruler personally, not to anyone else. This sly man was well versed in uncovering crimes and showing how they can be solved by gathering evidence; in addition he knew well how to institute legal proceedings and claims since this was his speciality. Without delay the Turkish officer began to spread a malicious story among his fellow officers that a law suit had been brought against Aslan, the honest officer, for he had committed a dreadful crime.
‘What do you mean? Is it true?’ There was a general air of disbelief and stupefaction amongst all the other officers.
‘Yes, it really happened as I’ve told you, and soon you will hear that he’s to be prosecuted.’
Thus, the aide spread the awful, trumped up accusation until the news had infiltrated every corner and reached the ears of all who would listen. Oh! What a shocking affair! Would Aslan, that highly moral officer, do such a thing? That was the first thought to strike the minds of the majority of the officers because they all knew of his impeccable reputation.
The story did not escape the attention of Saleem Bey, Mohammad Amin’s brother while our officer paid no attention to it at all. But, when Mohammad Amin returned to his house he overheard a conversation between his mother and his brother. The mother was addressing her son in a voice of utter disbelief, ‘My son! Your brother could not possibly have done such a thing… not at all… never! He is certainly far above that, by Al’lah.’
Yet since Saleem Bey had seen the exquisite charm and matchless beauty of the girl, he said, ‘Mother, my brother is a handsome young man, still not married, and she is a tempting and glamorous woman… ’
Aslan took this conversation to heart and became deeply distressed. He felt as if the walls were closing in on him, and he could not bear to stay in the house because of the seriousness of what he had just heard. ‘Even my own brother… ’ he thought… ‘the one who should truly know that I’m an honourable man, is deceived and has his doubts about my character! I would rather be dead and forgotten than have that happened!’
Then he thought to himself, ‘I have to admit though that she is really beautiful, and I am in the prime of my youth, but I’m above committing such a forbidden act, my spirit feels revolted at the thought and my heart has escaped from it as I do from the flaming fire.’ How difficult it was for that pure, untainted man to feel that even his beloved brother doubted his morality! This is the reality of the man and his ethics which is why he felt the gross injustice of the conversation he had heard at home. In fact, he had repeatedly been approached by women trying to seduce him, but he found that type of behaviour abhorrent which had led all his fellow officers to realise the extent of his pride and consummate chastity, and that he would never succumb to illicit acts.
The next day, he was unable to relax as his mind was still occupied with the grave situation that had arisen the day before. He put on his military uniform and headed for the government house where he met the commander. As usual he saluted him saying, ‘Good morning, Sir!’ But contrary to his usual habit, the commander failed to respond!
What a shock for Aslan for his terrible emotional pain intensified.
Extremely saddened, he thought to himself, ‘Even you, Commander…! Even though you know full well how I have always avoided and abhorred every sort of forbidden deed! You… who know me and my character… and principles so well? Do you doubt me? Do you mistrust my honour and chastity? What a strange situation this is!’
He continued towards his office feeling heartbroken. He wanted the earth to open up and swallow him for the grave distress laid upon his heart when he found that all those around him did not stand up for him or even fend off the suspicions surrounding him, in spite of the honourable stance which he had previously maintained. On the contrary, they accused him on the mere say-so of a vicious girl who was a prostitute. The story spread far and wide until it reached the ears of the man who best knew Aslan for his chastity, purity and honour… the commander, his chief, who had time and again declared to all officers of every rank: ‘Aslan is different from us, he is pure and honest.’ And that is how he had always been regarded by all who knew him.
He found it most difficult to go to his office, but there he rested his elbows on the desk and laid his head in his hands, tears falling from his eyes… tears of purity… tears of unspoiled honour, tears of chastity and pride: he had been falsely accused and the hardest thing for an honest and pure man to bear is to have his honesty and purity defamed… to be accused wrongfully!
Whilst he was still in this desolate state he heard his commander’s voice before him saying, ‘Aslan! Tell me the truth… did you do it or not?’ He raised his head with tears running from his innocent eyes, his heartfelt words of truth stirring the emotions and awaking the conscience as he raised his head and said, ‘I’ve been accused but I swear that I’m innocent!’ He bent again towards his desk, still shedding copious amounts of tears, while the commander said no more and stormed out of the office, his eyes sparkling with the terrible anger that had taken hold of him at his deep concern for his honest officer.
As soon as his eyes alighted on some gendarmes, he shouted out loudly, ‘Come on! Summon her promptly… bring me that woman.’ Soon afterwards the treacherous woman was brought before him. The commander said to her, ‘Now, admit the truth and tell me the story.’ She related the same tale which she had told when she was interrogated and claimed that she had asked Officer Sheikho to release her brother from prison… and in return he had asked her to have sex with him.
She claimed that Mohammad Amin was guilty of carrying out terrible and shocking deeds, and she used such defamatory words as would cause the earth to tremble and the sky to fall. The commander, however, was well aware that her words had brought shame and dishonour on the most honest and upright of his officers. He glared at her sharply while addressing her forcefully, ‘I do not want to hear what you’re telling me; I want to hear nothing but the truth or else you will be tied up and treated to your fair share of my lash!’
In spite of his threat she still insisted that her story was the truth and she changed nothing. So when he realised that she was persisting in her lies he ordered his men to dress her in trousers and tie her ready to be whipped. ‘Lash her,’ he said. ‘Lash her to death if she won’t admit the truth.’
Within minutes, the gendarmes began to carry out the commander’s orders and started to flog her, but he was far from satisfied with the severity of the flogging so he took the scourge from them and set about whipping her with all his might, seeking revenge on behalf of the pure and honest officer, M. A. Sheikho.
Before long, she was certain that she was about to die as the commander used his full force in carrying out the punishment; the pain was agonising, so she cried out, begging him to stop, gasping through the intense pain that she would confess. ‘Oh Sir! I’ll confess the absolute truth… yes… I’ll…!’
He released her as she began to tell the truth, giving all the details, ‘By God, Sir, this officer is really honest. I offered myself to him in return for freeing my brother, yet he beat me and kicked me out of his office, with my face cut and bruised and bloodied. Truly, I did offer myself to him but he refused, even though all the officers were completely infatuated with my beauty and desired me, that is, all of them except this honest man.’ She resumed telling the story in minute detail stating how the aide had rented a house in the name of Officer Sheikho.
Shortly after the commander had heard the truth from her he sent her away and called for Mohammad Amin’s Turkish aide. With anger sparkling in his eyes, he said to him, ‘Confess the truth.’ He replied, ‘Officer Aslan asked me to rent a house for him in a particular neighbourhood, which I did… and that’s where he committed the deed you have heard about, and which is cited in the complaint brought against him.’
Threatening and menacing… like a predatory lion, the commandant roared at him, ‘It’s you, not he! The truth is out… the girl has admitted everything. I swear by God, if you keep denying and cheating I’ll use a whip on you even if I have to lash you to death to make you confess the truth!’ The cunning officer gazed at his commander’s face and was instantly petrified with fear. He knew that there was no escape, so he confessed every last detail of the malicious plot he had hatched against Aslan the honest officer and righteous man.
Thus, Al’lah saw fit to reveal the truth in spite of the horrible scheme set up by the embittered aide. The malicious officer was stricken by the very same evil that he had tried to do to another man: his evil intentions had backfired on him. Thus the honour and purity of the honest man were displayed, and his sublimity and pride elevated with God and mankind as the news was soon widely circulated. And fortunately there still remained many ethical people who perceived that gold would remain gold whatever the circumstances and conditions surrounding it might be.
Truly! Pure spirits will always manifest themselves and display their most chaste and brightest aspects.