An Example of Noble Character

THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER “One day, while practising with the bow, Ghyasuddin accidentally wounded a boy, the only son of his mother, who was a widow. The woman, ignorant of the king’s identity, went and complained to the Kazi, demanding justice. The Kazi, perceiving who it was who had wounded her son, was torn between his desire to do justice and his fear of the king. But, fearing God more than the king, he finally sent a messenger to summon Ghyasuddin to his court. The latter, on receiving the summons, immediately arose and, concealing a short sword beneath his cloak, repaired to the court of the Kazi. There, showing him no special respect, the Kazi ordered him to compensate the woman for the injury done to her. The king complied, and, giving her a large sum of money, sent her away content. Then, the case being disposed of, the Kazi descended from his seat and prostrated himself at the king’s feet. But Ghyasuddin, raising him up, showed him the sword which he carried beneath his cloak, and said: ‘Kazi, in obedience to your commands as the expounder of the sacred law, I came instantly at your summons to your tribunal, but if I had found that you deviated in the smallest degree from its ordinances, I swear that with this sword I would have taken off your head.’ The king, pleased to find justice