HISTORICAL CONSCIOUSNESS

Story: Sultan Selim I and the Apple

The army that stopped over in a place encircled with apple trees after having journeyed for quite some time, set forth once again after taking their rest. After making some headway, Sultan Selim summoned his vizier and said, “I have a taste for apples. Ask the troops and see whether any of them have any apples that they can give.”

The vizier left the Sultan’s presence and began wandering from tent to tent, but no one had any apples. The vizier returned to the Sultan’s presence empty-handed. Flushed with embarrassment, he said, “Your exalted highness, I was unable to find even a single apple.” This reply pleased Sultan Selim immensely. Smiling, he said, “If even a single apple had emerged, I would have abandoned this campaign. Victory cannot be won with an army that consumes the unlawful.”

Story: A Bunch of Grapes

Sultan Suleyman the Lawgiver set off for a campaign with his men. As the army slowly advanced, they encountered a narrow pass. The soldiers were thus obliged to pass through the village vineyards. The weather was very hot and everyone was extremely thirsty.

Unable to bear this any longer, one of the soldiers plucked a bunch of grapes off the vine and quenched his thirst. He then took from his wallet more money than what the grapes he ate were worth, put it in a little bag and tied the bag to one of the vine branches. Then he continued on his way.

Before long, the army stopped over to rest. One of the villagers raced to the site where the army lodged and insisted upon seeing the Sultan. The villager was accepted into the Sultan’s presence and the Lawgiver asked, “What has happened to you? You are drenched in sweat. Or have one of my troops done you harm?”

“My purpose is not complaint but expression of my satisfaction,” the man replied.

“And what have my men done to please you so?”

“After your men passed through my vineyard, I noticed a little bag tied to one of the branches of the vines. There was money in it. I couldn’t make any sense of this. One of the neighboring farmers said that one of the troops plucked a bunch of grapes and then hung the bag on the branch. It was then that I realized that money to be the payment for that bunch of grapes. So long as you have soldiers with such noble conduct, you cannot be defeated.”

Paying close attention, the Lawgiver ordered for that soldier to be found immediately. The villager waited eagerly, supposing that the Sultan would give this solider a great reward. That soldier was eventually found and brought to the Sultan’s presence. The Lawgiver admonished the soldier saying, “Do you not know that taking property without the knowledge of its owner is wrong, even if the payment has been given?” He then decreed, “This soldier is to be discharged at once!” In a flurry, the villager said, “I had come for this soldier to be rewarded, while you have punished him.” The Lawgiver said, “Victory cannot be won with a soldier who holds an unlawful morsel in his stomach. This is the reason for his dismissal from the army. Had he not left the money for the grapes which he had consumed, his punishment would have been much greater indeed.”

Qur’anic Verses

O humankind! (Observe whatever God commands you. He has made you dwell on the earth, so) eat of what is on the earth, provided it is lawful, pure and wholesome (in composition and religiously); and do not follow in the footsteps of Satan, (who deceives both those who are followed and those who follow); indeed he is a manifest enemy to you. (Al-Baqarah 2:168).

Eat (as lawful, pure and wholesome) from that which God has provided for you; and in due reverence for Him, keep from disobedience to God, in Whom you have faith. (Al-Maedah 5:88).

Prophetic Traditions

Abu Yusuf Abdullah ibn Salam said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say, ‘O people! Make the greeting common practice, provide food, maintain ties of kinship and pray while people are asleep and you will enter Paradise in safety.’” (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 42).

Al-Miqdam narrated: “The Prophet said, ‘Nobody has ever eaten a better meal than that which one has earned by working with one’s own hands. The Prophet Allah, David used to eat from the earnings of his manual labor.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 34, Hadith 25).

Questions

1) One of the most salient characteristics of God’s Messenger was his refusal to accept _______ and _______. Which of the following words should be used to fill in the blanks above?

A) Alms-charity

B) Alms-gifts

C) Gifts-charity

D) Gifts-alms

2) Which Ottoman Sultan tested his army with an apple whilst they passed through an apple orchard?

A) Sultan Suleiman the Lawgiver

B) Sultan Selim I

C) Sultan Bayezid I

D) Sultan Abdülhamid I