Resurrection of Sin

Contents Title. I Copyright. II Before We Begin, an Inevitable Idea. 1 The Myth of the Daughter of Patience and the Three Pilgrims 6 The Myth of the Battle of Durban and the Three Sinners 19 Jones’s Confession of the Sin and the Learning of a Lesson by the Three Young Men. 37 The Journey to Find the Girl, and the Three Transgressions by the King’s People. 55 Before We Finish, an Inevitable Idea 72 Author Profile. 76 V VI Before We Begin, an Inevitable Idea .....Dear reader, in our stories you will see the laws of existence as clearly as you see the giant sun during sunset when it approaches you, as if coming to whisper something, as it completes its cycle, sinking below the skyline, leaving its nature undiscoverable, except by a relentless pursuer. This is what Jones’s wife sought to explain when she received an anonymous call from someone who said, “The only way out of sin is by correcting it, and I am your case that you win when you lose it.” Then the call ended. Jones said to her, “Do not worry, this call is one of the nicest threats that I have received. It was preceded by more terrible calls that included death in many forms, including s*******r threats. I have never lost a case, and no one has dared to harm me. These are all nonsense and do not deserve attention. “My success attracts enemies. Tell me, what should I do to haters if my ambitions bother them? I have to win all the cases I undertake. That is the goal of the legal profession, and what I have studied for years. I do not care about the emotions in this call. An embellished statement that stirs the conscience should not shake your confidence in me, my sincere wife, for you know very well my approach towards work. “I always promised myself that, once I graduated, I would not undertake any cases in which clients want 4 Hamid Kaci to seize the property of their opponent unlawfully. I turn down cases in which a criminal or a murderer seeks to evade their crime, whatever fees they offer. I have rejected several cases from rich and renowned figures, which if I had accepted, would have spared me the need to work for the rest of my life. “As a matter of principle, and with respect to my duty, I do not want to be responsible for obtaining a right for someone who does not deserve it. So, my dear, I am pretty sure that you should pay no heed to this anonymous call, despite the strange words it contained.” 5 The Myth of the Daughter of Patience and the Three Pilgrims Between the lawyer, Jones, and the anonymous call, there were threads of an epic story. The call recurred, raising questions about the nature of Jones’s work, and began to disturb his wife. The husband—in turn—began to lose his temper and told her, “Listen, woman, if you answer the call and the caller does not end it immediately, tell that person that I—like other people—am susceptible to erring. “Everyone errs; who am I not to make a mistake? In the literature of the legal profession, admitting the client’s sin, is a sin. The judge is often ruthless, and those who appear shaken before him and admit their guilt pay a heavy price. I respect my profession, and I do not deviate from its requirements. “The caller’s statements are contradictory enough, which should tell you that that person is crazy. Can 6 Hamid Kaci one lose a case first in order to win it? What is this nonsense we are talking about? Real nonsense… as if I have time for such nonsense when I cannot even find enough time to deal with people’s issues and problems. “Moreover, the caller ends the call as soon as the sentence is finished, as if it were a physical law that was lost on scientists and could not be discussed. The coward does not even give their identity. Who is this person? What does this caller want from me? I will find this person and see that justice is done. There will be no mercy, even if I have to commit a sin.” Later, Jones returned from the police station empty handed, claiming that he had failed to obtain the identity of the anonymous caller. He told his wife that the Information Security Department had refused to reveal the caller’s identity because of a privacy protection law in the caller’s country. He claimed that the law stated that no identification of any phone number could be given without a court order stating that the caller had uttered offensive words or threats or is a wanted criminal. That is precisely what the anonymous caller had considered when deciding which words to use, Jones believed. His wife said, “For the first time, my husband, a skilled lawyer known for his careful attention and passing through the loopholes of laws, is not able to identify the caller, take legal action and inflict the severest punishment. It seems that his previous threat to get this caller was nothing but bombastic talk.” Since his trip to the police station, Jones had been in shock, depressed. Who was the caller? And why 7 7 Resurrection of Sin had they lied to his wife? Jones had known from the beginning what sin he had committed and exactly which case the caller had referred to. The voice on the phone had sent him back to years gone by. Pretending to be surprised and to know nothing, was just a ruse; Jones didn’t want his wife to know what he had done when he was young. His sin was difficult to rectify, so instead he’d chosen to ignore it. Jones knew that he was unlikely to admit to his sin, but the call had rattled him, causing him to delay the exposure of his past even further. His wife said, “Maybe the caller did not intend to make threats and only wanted to advise and remind me to tell you to keep your conscience alive when you do your job.” Jones replied, “No, I don’t think so. It’s not easy to give advice these days, and with the many burdens people are facing, you will not find anyone capable of dispensing it. These days, you can be sued for using a simple word that is viewed as a violation of freedom or an insult to a statutory authority.” Eventually, Jones became calmer than before whenever he talked about the anonymous call. Contrary to what he’d told his wife, Jones was well aware of the identity of the female caller. His wife, concerned, said, “You are upset these days, Jones, and—unusually—you are present with your body, but your mind is absent. What has happened to you?” He replied, “I have lost two cases in a row, which is unprecedented for me. I don’t know exactly what’s 8 Hamid Kaci happened, but I’m finding it difficult to concentrate on my work, which is affecting my reputation as a lawyer. I cannot continue like this. “To be honest, darling, this anonymous call has had a profound effect on me. Doubt has infiltrated me since you first received it. The secret of my success is my commitment to the principle of supporting the oppressed. I used to turn down any case involving injustice, as it would be a lost case, even if I won it. But the echo of that call has pricked my conscience regarding a sin that I may have committed that caused somebody’s rights to be violated, or maybe it is just a baseless illusion. It is indeed an echo that has affected me against my will.” The poor man started looking for a way out of his crisis, fearing his failure would continue if he did not find a way to pacify his conscience. Facing the caller and atoning for his sin seemed very unlikely, if not impossible. A confession would spoil everything and might be the greatest sin he’d ever committed. He was determined to find a better alternative. So, he humbly and humiliatingly asked his wife to intervene to silence the psychological reproach inside him. He did not admit to her that he had committed a clear sin, and only portrayed it as a precautionary step to rectify the sins that had been forgotten or neglected—those sins that one does not pay attention to, such as a spur-of-the-moment word or an unintentional selfish act that brought harm to others. She said to him, “The best sinners are those who repent, and if the sin is unknown, it can be erased by 9 Resurrection of Sin doing good deeds, as good deeds undo the impact of bad deeds.” He said, “It is not enough to silence the conscience; I want a more effective and calming solution.” She said, “Then go to the sheikh and ask him.” After the wise sheikh listened to Jones, when the two met without the wife, the sheikh said, “Mr Jones, as a lawyer, can you argue a case without details? So, in order to meet your need, please tell me all the information, and do not fear anything, as I am a good secret-keeper and I will keep your secret.” Jones found himself obliged to reveal, for the first time, what had happened to him years ago when he was studying law at a university in a foreign country. Though still reluctant, Jones told the sheikh his entire secret. When Jones was done, the wise sheikh said, “I wish you had looked after your wife, whom you did not know at the time. Mr Jones, what you committed has exposed those around you to harm. You now have two options: either you go back to the place where you committed your sin and voluntarily correct it, or you will have to be patient with what is coming, where your sin will follow you until you become obliged to correct it. There is a truth called misfortune of evil from which no one can be excluded. I don’t know how it works, but it works, so beware! “Mr Jones, I advise you to go directly back to the place where you committed the sin, find the oppressed, and 10 Hamid Kaci remedy her grievance. Take on anything that might happen to you for this. I know the consequences of correcting what you have spoilt will be grave, but do not worry, there is always a way to fix things. “This sin cannot be atoned for easily. So as not to be repeated, atonement must be more difficult than committing a sin; otherwise, everyone would tolerate the forbidden. But rest assured, after repentance you will get unparalleled psychological comfort.” Jones was disappointed, unlike his wife who was waiting for the sheikh’s answer. Just as with the caller’s identity at the police station, Jones returned empty handed, with nothing but allegations and falsehoods. Angry and desperate, he said to her, “I thought he was a wise sheikh, as people describe him, but he was tough. He closed all doors on me. What wisdom he has! He said… I do not know exactly what he said… but he talked about something ridiculous such as revenge, or that sins take revenge on those who committed them, and that I will pay the price for the mistakes I have made, whether I made them intentionally or unintentionally, and that the price will be exorbitant. “He gave me a headache with lots of the stuff he said, which was ridiculous. He is a sheikh who does not encourage repentance at all; he would rather alienate those who seek repentance—what an absurdity!” His wife replied, “Jones, while you were meeting the sheikh, I thought of an idea for you. In fact, I have been thinking about it for a long time, even before the calls began. It is something that is suitable for both of us. 11 Resurrection of Sin “How about going to Hajj, so we will be cleansed of our sins there? I heard that one returns from Hajj as pure as he was on the day he was born.” When the wise sheikh heard that Jones and his wife were going to perform the pilgrimage, he sent him these words: “Know, son, that the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil and you have to tame it, and punishment—like reward —is one of the basics of taming. You must know that you cannot repent without confession, and you cannot perform Hajj before settling your grievance. Finally, I recommend that you do not take your wife with you to Hajj.” Jones said to his wife sarcastically, “This sheikh seems to envy us for our journey to the Holy Land, and he does not want me to take you with me. Perhaps he is afraid that the Hajj journey will turn into a honeymoon.” She said, “What does it mean to go without me? We have never been separated from each other. I am with you in sin and repentance, and the idea of Hajj is mine, so how can I be thrown out of my own idea? Jones, let us make a booking for Hajj as soon as possible. The bookings and the days of Hajj are limited. If we miss it, we must wait until next season.” So, Jones ignored what the sheikh had asked him to do and instead mocked him, while deep down knowing what the wise man wanted him to understand. The wise man wanted one thing, while Jones wanted something else: a tailored repentance without effort or cost, without confession and without returning to the oppressed. The couple went to the Holy Land by car. 12 Hamid Kaci His wife said, “Here we enter the bath of sins, here we invoke the Supreme Power to help us overcome our mistakes. We will ask it to guide us and pave the way for us towards a better future. Oh my God, I really feel that I am higher than my body; I am totally free of my instincts—almost. Hey, Jones, this is an attractive supermarket, can we stop here for a while?” Amused, he said, “Of course we will stop here if it makes you feel more elevated. I was afraid that you would desert your husband if you were freed from your instincts, but I am now reassured. Maybe your feelings will do the opposite. Really, you are a light angel, and your spontaneity is never boring. I must stop immediately before I cause a traffic accident due to excessive laughter.” Jones was right and he paid his wife a compliment when he described her as an angel. When she entered the mall, she caught the attention of many. Though Jones was accustomed to eyes looking surreptitiously at his wife, one bold look did bother him. A long, thorough look at her with stiff eyes bothered him greatly, in fact. A look that excluded his manhood and challenged him. Vexed, Jones decided to stop the person staring at his wife, but his wife intervened, reminding him that he was on a pilgrimage and should not commit another sin; otherwise, his Hajj would not be accepted, as there is no disobedience or dispute during Hajj. The man removed his gaze when he sensed Jones’s annoyance, but he soon returned to watch them from outside the mall as they left. Spotting him, Jones peered out of his car and gave the man a threatening 13 Resurrection of Sin look. The man turned his eyes and pretended to pick up his phone and make a call. Jones said, “I would have punched his eyes with my finger if you had not cuffed my anger. What is this devil? Devils in the Holy Land as well? What is left? I hope there are not many like him here, because I might kill one of them.” She said, “Oh Jones, calm down, perhaps this is a test of your patience. Do you not think that God will test you in His Holy Land? Do you think that pilgrimage is a gathering of angels? No, everyone here is a human being like you, and you must bear them. Here you will find the doer of good as well as the doer of evil.” Jones did not answer. Silence prevailed between them for a long time until they approached a car parked at the side of the road. The driver, clearly exhausted, was trying to stop a passing car on the almost empty road. She said, “Look there, Jones, as I told you a while ago, it is the land of afflictions; this is the second test for us. Maybe that person is in desperate need of us. Can we stop, dear, to help him?” He said, “No, I will not stop, the day is almost over, and we have to reach the hotel before sunset. Do not worry about him, he will find someone else to help him.” She said, “I’m afraid that everyone will say what you’ve just said, so that poor man will not find anyone to help him. I wish you would remember the legendary story of Ellis n Anjam, which is quite similar to this situation.” Remembering the tale, Jones sighed, overpowered by her argument. Pulling in next to the broken-down car, 14 Hamid Kaci he told his wife, “Well, I will do it. The sheikh was right when he asked me not to bring you with me. Do not come down, and do not leave your seat. I will go alone to check on that man in case he needs something.” He then left her with a smile on her face, clearly celebrating her victory over him. It was the Ellis n Anjam story that had made the difference, and it was crucial in Jones’s decision to offer help. An ancestral folktale inherited from the Amazigh, Ellis n Anjam is one of the educational tales that parents use to instil spiritual values into their children. *** Once upon a time, three pilgrims set out for the Holy Land on their camels, each carrying their own food and water for the journey. As they travelled through the desolate desert, they passed by a lonely woman sitting in the open air. One of them said, “I will go and check on her in case she needs something.” The other two replied, “No. We will not come with you, leave her alone. She is not a human; she must be a jinn. She would not have come to this far-off place without a camel unless she had the power of jinn.” But the man did not listen and insisted on helping her, so they left him behind. When he approached the woman, she was looking at the ground. She asked him for water to drink and, when he returned to his camel, his waterskin was missing; she was a jinn. Undeterred, he returned to her to see her face and to ask her who she was and why she was alone in this 15 Resurrection of Sin wasteland, but she had disappeared without a trace. As he rode his camel to catch up with his companions, the camel plunged and threw him to the ground, and then escaped and left him. He remained in the desert alone—without water, food or anything to ride—so the pilgrim sat patiently in the place where the woman had been sitting. He did not regret his decision to help the woman. He said confidently, “I fully believe that the good I have done is a duty, and that I have only done what my conscience dictated me to do. I feel very comfortable and satisfied, and that is the important thing.” A voice from behind him said, “Well done, you have passed the test, I will reward you for your patience.” He looked behind to see the woman returning, asking him to close his eyes. As he did, she asked him to open them again. He found himself in the Holy Land. She told him, “Complete your pilgrimage, and then we will meet at this point again so that I can take care of your return to your homeland.” In the blink of an eye, the pilgrim was returned to his family and homeland with his camel, all his food and a full waterskin. His companions never returned. It is said that they went astray in the desert and died after running out of water and food. The survivor said the woman was not a jinn but her name was Ellis n Anjam, meaning the daughter of patience. 16 Hamid Kaci *** Jones knocked on his wife’s window. She opened it and he said, “What do you think? We have got an offer from the man I have just helped; he insists on hosting us tonight in return for the help we have given him. He says that he is also going to Hajj, and because he is a resident of the country, he offered to accompany us and to be our guide throughout the journey. “What is exceptional in his offer, as he says, is that he lives in Medina, but he hosts his guests in the guests’ tent, which is located in the middle of the desert on the sand dunes where he grazes his camels.” She said, “Do you even need my advice? The stories about the generosity of the people of this country are legendary. It is an opportunity to seize. Why not? Let us enjoy some religious tourism. Why are you hesitant? It is Ellis n Anjam who rewards us for what we have done. Come on, let’s watch the sunset—it is a majestic sight.” The couple parked their car at their host’s house because it could not move through the sand, then got into his four-wheel-drive, arriving at the guests’ tent one hour later. On the sand, there was a rug not defiled by road dust. Jones’s wife whispered in his ear that she was surprised how their new friend had found his way to the tent through all this vast land, as it looked like a drop in the ocean. He said to her, “The answer is easy, very easy; he relied on directions. Did you not notice that he was following the setting sun all the way?” 17 Resurrection of Sin She smiled over his jealousy, but he was not jealous. He was still wary of her lightness and enthusiasm that had brought them—as strangers —to this desolate wilderness. Soon, they forgot why they had come to the Holy Land in the first place—what was the reason? Perhaps it was to seek tailored forgiveness, since Jones’s will of correction was not strong enough, as is often the case when someone attempts the impossible—that is, to circumvent the conscience..... 18