There was a poor fisherman, who had a wife and three children
in his family. He used to cast his net in seawater to catch fish for his
livelihood. He had made a rule to cast his net only four times a day and never
exceeded the set limit.
One day the fisherman went on his day’s work. He threw his
net in the seawater. After sometime when he tried to pull it out, he could not
do so. He was overjoyed thinking that some big fish fallen in his net and its
heavy weight had made it difficult to pull the net. The rejoiced fisherman
removed his shirt, dived in the sea and pulled out the net with much effort.
However, the fisherman was disappointed to find a dead jackass in his net,
which had torn the net. The fisherman exclaimed in grief, “It seems, there is
no justice left in the world of Allah!”
After a while, he overcame his grief and disappointment and
cast his net again in the name of Allah. When he tried to fetch it out, the net
appeared heavier than before and it refused to move up. The fisherman was again
hopeful of getting a big fish in his net., He at once dived down and fetched
the net out. However, the fisherman was shattered to see the sight. There was a
big mud filled pitcher trapped inside the net. The fisherman pleaded with the
Almighty his bad luck and plight. He then prayed to the God and cast his net
for the third time. This time, when the fisherman pulled out his net, he found
it filled with potsherds and broken glass pieces.
The fisherman’s sorrow knew no hound. With eyes fixed up
towards the heaven, he complained, “O Almighty, you know that I cast my net
only four times a day. I have already thrown it thrice and you did not give me
anything. 0 Allah the great, kindly provide me at least something for my daily
bread this time.”
Saying like this, the morose fisherman cast his net for the
fourth time. The net sank and the fisherman allowed it to settle. After waiting
for sometime, the fisherman tried to pull it up. However, even after applying
all his might, he could not bring it out. The annoyed fisherman cried aloud and
said, “In the court of Allah there is no justice and power remained!”
With all his disappointment and vexation, he dived to bring
his net up. Finally, he brought it out and found a cucumber shaped jar of
brass. The jar seemed filled with something. Its mouth was shut with a leaden
cap, which was stamped with a seal ring of Lord Sulayman, the son of David.
The fisherman rejoiced to find it. He thought, “If I sell
this wonderful jar in the brass-market, it will certainly fetch me ten golden
dinars.” He further thought, “Before selling the jar in the market, I must open
it and see the content inside.”
The fisherman then took a knife and put his effort to loose
the lid from the jar. He worked on it till he could remove the lid from the
jar. However, he was greatly surprised to find nothing inside. As he was
wondering over the empty jar, a conspicuous sight jolted him. A thick vapour
started coming out of the jar and it spiralled towards the high sky. The thick
vapour condensed and took the shape of a huge ifrit. So huge was he that his
head was touching the cloud while his feet were on the ground. He looked
horrifying. His head was like a dome, hands looked similar to pitchforks, legs
resembled very tall poles, mouth was enormous as a cave, teeth were like big
boulders and two eyes appeared like burning lamps. The poor fisherman trembled
with fear. For a few moments, he could not understand what to do and what to
say. The ifrit looked at the fisherman and cried, “Sulayman, you arc not God
but only the prophet of God. O prophet, please do not slay me. I will not say
or do anything against you.”
The fisherman said. ‘O Ifrit! Sulayman, the prophet of Allah
whom you arc calling had died one thousand and eight hundred years ago. Our
world is in its last stage. Tell me your story and apprise me of the reason for
which von entered into this jar.”
When the Satan heard the fisherman, he said, “There is only
one God in this world. O Fisherman, cheer up for a while and be prepared to
die.”
The fisherman replied, “What harm have I done to you for
which you want to kill me? I rescued you from the deep sea and freed you from
this jar.”
But the evil spirit said, “Tell me only how do you want to
die?”
The fisherman begged, “Please tell me what my fault is.”
The ifrit said, “O Fisherman! I will tell you my story.” The
jinni then began his tale – Once I spoke and worked against Sulayman, David’s
son. The prophet sent his Wazir Asaf to arrest me. When he brought me before
Sulayman, he asked me to abide by his order, which I refused. So he took a jar,
closed me inside and sealed it with the mark of his name. He then ordered the
jar to be thrown in the middle of the sea. In the deep ocean, I remained there
for hundred years. During this period of time, I said to myself that whoever
rescued me from the sea and freed me from the jar, I would make him rich
forever. However, no one came to free me. When the next century, began, I
vowed, “I shall present the whole world’s riches to the person who frees me.”
Still no one rescued me and I remained lying in this deep ocean for the next
four hundred years. After that, I decided, “I shall fulfil any one wish of the
person, who comes to set me free.” Yet, no one came and I remained there in the
deep ocean.
My fury knew no bound when no one came to rescue me for such
a long period of time. In the state of extreme rage, I said, “Now onwards
whoever frees me from this jail, will be killed by me. But he will have the
death of his choice.” Now you have freed me after one thousand eight years. So
as per my vow, be prepared for getting slain by me. However, O Fisherman, you
can avail of your choicest death.”
Hearing the story of ifrit, the fisherman said, “O Jinni, I
did not come to free you. Do not slay me. Please allow me to live my life. If
you kill me, God will send some one else to slay you.”
The ifrit replied, “There is no use talking on this issue. In
any case, you have to die. Just tell me which way you would prefer to die.”
The poor fisherman tried many ways to persuade the jinni and
begged for his life several times but the ifrit was not ready to bestow any
kindness. He was adamant on slaying the fisherman. Seeing it futile to expect
any sympathy from the jinni, the fisherman thought, “He is a jinni, whereas I
am a human being. Allah has bestowed us the power to outwit any other creature
with our shrewdness. I must use my intelligence and get rid of him.”
The fisherman said. “Are you all set to slay me?” The jinni
answered in affirmation. The fisherman again asked, on the name of God. I ask
you a question and expect an honest answer from you.” The ifrit asked the
fisherman to be quick in his question. The fisherman said, “O Jinni, I’ve a
serious doubt that you were ever inside this small jar, which cannot even
accommodate your hand or foot or any part of your body. How could a huge jinni
like you remained inside this small jar?” The ifrit replied, “Don’t you believe
that I was inside this small jar?” The fisherman said, “No, I can’t! I can
believe only when I see you inside with my own eyes.”
When jinni heard this, he at once transformed himself into
vapour and entered into the jar gradually. The moment, the fisherman saw the
ifrit fully inside, he hastily picked up the leaden cap and closed the mouth of
the jar, thus seizing the jinni inside. The trapped jinni tried to escape from
there but Solomon’s ring did not allow him.
After realising that he was outwitted by the fisherman, the
ifrit begged, “0 fisherman allow me to go!” The fisherman replied, “No, Never!
You are a devil. I’ll throw you back into the sea so that you can live there
till the judgement day.”
Ifrit said, “O fisherman, please open the jar. I’ll make you
affluent.” The fisherman replied, “You liar, I can’t believe you. My position
with you is similar to that of the Wazir of King Yuman, who was with the sage
Duban.” The ifrit asked, “Who were they and what was their story?” The
fisherman began his tale.
0 comments:
Post a Comment