Islamic Exemplary Stories

Not as bad as Pharaoh

Not as bad as Pharaoh

       The Caliph Al-Makmun was much less favored by his people. Many clerics and devout people are hostile to it. Even history records some of the nodahitam in his reign. 

       Therefore, often religious pulpits are used by missionaries to call on the community to be more serious against the might and tyranny of the rulers. But to that extent, no one dared to point the nose and blatantly censure it. 

       On Friday, Caliph Al-Makmun visited Bashrah. He took part in prayer at the grand mosque of Imam Hasan Al-Bashri's hometown. Suddenly the preacher in his sermon spoke his name in a disrespectful tone and exposed and accused of rude rebuttals. The caliph stroked the chest. Who knew the preacher was just carried away by emotions due to the heat that was stinging the entire country? 

       Another time, when the Khalifa was praying in a different mosque, it happened to be the same khatib, as when he was praying in the great mosque of Bashrah. And the preacher repeated his curse and curses to Al-Makmun. Among them the preacher prayed, "Hopefully this arbitrary Caliph will be cursed by Allah s.w.t." So the patience of Al-Makmun was exhausted. Khatib was ordered to come to the palace. Half forced, the preacher finally wanted to visit the Caliph. 

       To the loud preacher Al-Makmun he asked, "About which is better, Lord or Prophet Moses?" Without thinking, the fierce preacher replied, "Moses was certainly better than me. You know, don't you?" "Yes, yeah. I think so," said Al-Makmun. "then, who in the opinion of the more evil Master, me or Pharaoh?" Here the preacher is flabbergasted. He could guess where the question was. But he has to answer honestly. So he said, "In my opinion, Pharaoh is still more evil than you." 

       Al-Ma'mun then rebuked, "I'm sorry, sir. As I recall, no matter how wicked Pharaoh was, until he confessed his god, and acted cruelly to the people of the Prophet Moses, had instead redeemed alive his daughters named Masayitah and her nuns, who had not been able to do so, and Moses was commanded by Allah to speak meekly to the unjust. Can you please read to me the commandment of Allah contained in the Quran?" 

       Caliph Al-Ma'mun smiled before resolutely saying, "because it is appropriate that I ask you to rebuke me with a more polite language and a more manly attitude? Because you are not as good as Moses and I am not as bad as Pharaoh? Or perhaps you have another Quran that contains verse 44 of the letter of Thaha?" 

       The khatib cannot answer a word. His heart was not satisfied, it still felt like cursing Al-Makmun with a more fierce and loud sentence. However, no matter how bitter, the commandments of Allah must be obeyed, the Quran must be kept. From that moment on he preached with a changing tone and a more touching content. Evidently, in that way, more and more people are enamored with its teachings, then turn away from the vile black world, to repent to perform more obedient worship. 

       Through his pulpit, he has boldly quoted Surah An-Nahl verse 125 which reads: "Go in the way of your Lord wisely, with good counsel, and with good counsel, and argue with them on a deeper basis." 

       In fact, often times humans can dig pearls from jet-black sea mud. For from a serpent that is venomous and disgusting, come forth grained eggs that are lawfully eaten. So it is appropriate that Sayidina Ali ibn Abi Talib once said, "look at what is said, and do not see who says." 

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