Retribution

Mir Mohammad Ali

Sheikh Saadi in Gulistan says, “When Egypt came under Haroon-ur-Rasheed’s sway, he sent his slave Khaseeb there as the governor. Khaseeb’s ignorance was as legendary as Luqman Hakeem’s wisdom. This ignoramus was deliberately sent by him as a punishment because the Pharaohs had claimed to be Gods. This was as a retribution for their affront to the Unity of Allah.

Once when the cotton crop of the farmers living on the banks of the River Nile was destroyed by unseasonal rain, they came with their grievance to Khaseeb. He replied, ‘Why don’t you sow wool instead of cotton, rain doesn’t spoil it.’” He didn’t even comprehend the difference between plant and animal products.