The Jar of Oil and the Boy Who Delivered Justice

- "You have betrayed your friend's trust. Return the gold immediately and face punishment for theft."

Delakar Shambhavi Vipulsinh 

I n the ancient city of Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, lived a merchant named Ali Khwaja. Through years of honest trade, he had managed to save a thousand gold coins. When he decided to undertake a pilgrimage to Mecca Sharif, he faced a problem - he lived alone and had no safe place to keep his savings.

After careful thought, he kept five hundred gold coins for his travel expenses and decided to store the remaining five hundred safely. He placed these coins in a large earthen jar, filled the jar with oil, sealed it tightly, and took it to his neighbor and friend, Wajid.

Handing over the jar, he said, "I am going on a long journey. Please keep this jar of oil safely in your house. I will collect it when I return."

Wajid replied warmly, "You may keep it in my cellar yourself. Here is the key. When you return, you can take it back."

Ali Khwaja thanked him, placed the jar carefully in the cellar, and set off on his pilgrimage.

Months passed.

One evening, Wajid hosted a grand feast at his house. As his wife was preparing the dishes, she realized that the oil had run out. Suddenly she remembered the jar in the cellar. "Go and bring some oil from the jar your friend left," she told Wajid. "The market is closed now. Tomorrow morning, I will buy fresh oil and refill it. Your friend will never know."

Reluctantly at first, Wajid went down to the cellar. When he opened the sealed jar and began to pour out the oil, he heard a faint clinking sound. Curious, he emptied more oil into another vessel. Soon he discovered the hidden treasure - five hundred gold coins shining at the bottom of the jar.

Greed overtook him.

He removed all the coins and locked them away. Then he refilled the jar with fresh oil, sealed it carefully, and returned it upstairs as if nothing had happened.

After many months, Ali Khwaja returned safely from his pilgrimage. His first visit was to Wajid's house. Thanking his friend, he took the jar back home.

But when he opened it and poured out the oil, he was struck with shock. There was not a single gold coin inside. Overcome with grief and disbelief, he collapsed on the spot. As soon as he recovered, he rushed back to Wajid and demanded his coins.

Wajid pretended innocence. "I gave you the jar exactly as you had kept it. I never touched it. How could I know there were gold coins inside?"

Their argument soon drew a crowd. People advised Ali Khwaja, "Only the court of the Qazi can settle this matter."

Ali Khwaja went to the Qazi's court, but since he had no proof, he returned disappointed. Determined to seek justice, he appealed directly to the Caliph of Baghdad.

The Caliph listened and fixed a hearing for one week later.

A few days before the hearing, the Caliph decided to walk through the city in disguise. In a quiet lane, he saw a group of boys playing a game of court. One boy was acting as the judge and settling imaginary disputes with remarkable wisdom.

Impressed, the Caliph asked his name.

"My name is Hassan," the boy replied.

"You are very intelligent," said the Caliph. "Come to my court tomorrow."

The next day, Ali Khwaja, Wajid, and young Hassan stood before the Caliph. The Caliph asked Hassan to hear the case and decide who was telling the truth.

Hassan listened attentively. Then he requested that two oil merchants be brought to the court.

When they arrived, he handed them the jar and said, "Examine this oil carefully and tell us how old it is."

The merchants tasted and inspected the oil. After a moment, they declared, "This oil is fresh - about two months old."

At once, Ali Khwaja exclaimed, "Your Majesty, I left this jar here six months ago before going on my pilgrimage!"

Wajid began to tremble.

The truth was now clear.

The Caliph declared, "You opened the jar, stole the coins, and replaced the oil. You have betrayed your friend's trust. Return the gold immediately and face punishment for theft."

Justice was served.

The Caliph rewarded young Hassan generously and praised his wisdom. Everyone present in the court admired the boy's intelligence and sense of fairness.

Thus, in the great city of Baghdad, truth triumphed - not through power or wealth, but through sharp thinking and honest judgment.