Long ago, in the bustling city of Baghdad, Caliph Harun al-Rashid and his trusted vizier, Ja'far, disguised themselves as commoners to walk among the people and witness their daily lives. During their journey, they met a weary fisherman lamenting his misfortune. The Caliph, moved by the man’s plight, promised to buy whatever he hauled in with his next catch. When the fisherman’s net came up heavy, it contained a locked chest. Curious and anxious, the Caliph ordered the chest opened at the palace, and what they found sent shivers through the court: the body of a beautiful woman, gruesomely cut into pieces and wrapped in a carpet. Furious at such a horrific crime in his capital, Harun al-Rashid commanded Ja'far to find the culprit within three days, warning that failure would cost him and his family their lives.
As the third day drew near and Ja'far had found no leads, two men came forward to confess, an elderly man and a younger one. Both claimed responsibility for the murder. Upon questioning, the younger man revealed a tragic story: the victim had been his wife, and they shared three children and a happy home. One day, his wife became gravely ill and craved apples. Out of love, he traveled hundreds of miles to Basra to bring her three golden apples. Upon returning home, she was too weak to eat. Later, he saw a slave flaunting an apple and boasting that it was a gift from the woman he loved, claiming the husband had gone to great lengths for her. Blinded by jealousy, the man returned home, noticed one apple missing, and in a moment of rage, killed his faithful wife.
The truth unfolded when the young man realized the missing apple had been taken by his youngest son, who had been playing with it, and that the slave had stolen it. The elder man, accompanying him, was the woman’s father, who came forward to share the guilt out of compassion and understanding of the sorrow. The Caliph, moved by the story, still required Ja'far to track down the deceitful slave, for justice demanded it.
Ja'far, desperate, returned home. At a poignant moment while saying goodbye to his own young daughter, he discovered an apple tucked in her clothes. She explained that it had been given to her by Rayhan, a servant in Ja'far’s household, for a small price. The truth became clear: the calamity had been triggered indirectly by the household slave Rayhan. Ja'far brought him before the Caliph, completing the chain of responsibility.
Harun al-Rashid, seeing the depth and complexity of the events, chose mercy over harsh punishment. He spared the guilty men and the household, recognizing the tragedy as a cautionary tale. The story teaches powerful lessons: unchecked anger and jealousy can bring disaster; careful observation and logical thinking are necessary to uncover the truth, even in the smallest details; and honesty combined with compassion can guide justice toward mercy rather than vengeance. This tale from the heart of Baghdad reminds all who hear it that virtue, patience, and discernment are the keys to navigating life’s most tangled tragedies.