ACCORDING to the well-known rule, a liar is someone who praises himself. It is common for people to praise their own qualities while hiding their flaws. Mothers often praise their children, wishing them to be the best among others.
Only experience reveals the truth, showing who is truly worthy and who is unreliable. The following lines reveal the truth about those who can be relied upon to bear responsibility, who possess intelligence and insight, and how they make sound judgments without needing guidance. Leaders are made from such individuals.
The heroes of our story today are Caliph Harun Al-Rashid and his wife Zubaydah.
One day, Harun Al-Rashid sat on the balcony of his palace, engaging in a conversation with his wife Zubaydah about their two sons Al-Amin and Al-Ma’mun. Zubaydah began to praise her son Al- Amin, highlighting his intelligence, courage, and high spirits.
Harun Al-Rashid responded, “The qualities you mention belong to Al-Ma’mun, not Al-Amin.” An argument ensued between them, with Zubaydah insisting that these qualities belonged to Al-Amin, while Harun Al-Rashid insisted they were the qualities of Al- Ma’mun. He then vowed to prove that his opinion was correct. The following night, Al-Rashid invited his two sons, Al-Amin and Al-Ma’mun, to his council and conversed with them until midnight.
Al-Rashid asked the council to adjourn, and both sons went their separate ways. Less than an hour later, Al-Rashid summoned Zubaydah. When she arrived, he instructed his chamberlain to summon Al-Amin and Al-Ma’mun. Shortly after, Al-Amin entered, dressed in his finest and most luxurious clothes, carrying the scent of perfume. A moment later, Al- Ma’mun entered in his battle dress, with a sword slung around his waist and leaning on his spear.
Al-Rashid asked, “What made you come to my meeting in your battle dress?” Al-Ma’mun replied, “Father, I left your meeting only a short time ago. If you had wanted something, you would have informed me. Your summoning me at night, so soon after I left, made me think something important had occurred. I wanted to be prepared. Perhaps you needed me for an urgent matter, and I couldn’t afford to waste time.
However, if this is for a regular matter, taking off my weapons is one of the easiest things.” Al-Rashid looked at Zubaydah and smiled. Nothing happens to a person except by God’s will, and He grants them the strength to endure it. This is what God affirms in the Holy Quran: “Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 286) So don’t be saddened if you are forced to coexist with something that pains you. Smile, for the Most Merciful says: “But perhaps you dislike a thing that is good for you.” You may go through moments that feel like the hardest in your life, until, suddenly, God’s mercy reaches you through someone who heals your wound, eases your burden, and fulfills your need. In that moment, it is as if you had never suffered at all.
Truly, God is kind to His servants. Rest assured, God will never abandon you, no matter how great your mistakes, how heavy your pain, or how complex your struggles. He is fully aware of everything you face. God is always with you, never against you.
