Chapter:3 'The Magnificent'

King Sulyman the Magnificent, the father of Amir Qaboos al-Jamal (known in his 'Tribe Dukhan-al-Aatish' the house of smoke as the "Great Master"). He was walking anxiously in his spacious courtyard. This was the particular place they often used to think, consult and execute their important consequences. There was no cabinet for the conference today. So it was a time of mental turmoil, the clash of 'principles' and 'relationships' was imminent. That was the day when time was near to sacrifice, either 'Rules' or 'Relations'. It was possible for 'both' could be saved, but it was only feasible when the position of the Biggest Leadership would be in the hands of King Suleiman the Magnificent, who had spent all his life following the Laws of Sharia. In that moment, there was another matter, now he had made the biggest mistake of his Life, so, he realized it much later, there was no other solution except feeling the regretted. At that time, King Suleiman the Magnificent had wanted to brought out a conclusion which caused unrest from his eyes and for this purpose the 'loneliness' was required.

He was a tall, black-clad, awe-inspiring, brighten face old man. He did not agree with the unanimous decision that was to be taken at today's meeting. He was not helpless either, he was expediently silent, he had given his position of leadership to his intellectual son but now he was worried that there would be no mishandling and injustice with the people of 'other nation' commanded by Qaboos Al-Jamal because his potentials always had a negative attitude. King Suleiman always wanted friendship, peace and tolerance between both nations, the same lesson he had taught to all his children, grand sons, great-grandsons, more and more and more but if an aptitude son like Qaboos al-Jamal could now rejected his teachings, he no longer had any expectations from the rest of his sons.

"Grand Master" ! " Arus of Amir Qabus-al-Jamal wants to meet you." (In Arabic, 'arus' means 'bride', meaning the wife of Amir Qaboos al-Jamal.) After receiving permission, the tall Amira Selena, dressed in a black robe, lowered her eyes, put a fine black veil on her black-faced face, bowed her head and joined her hands in respect in front realer father-in-law's honour.

"Peace be upon you and mercy and blessings be upon you, Baba Hazrat!" Amira Selina presented her greetings. King Suleiman the Magnificent responded with a dreadful smile.

"Peace be upon you and mercy and blessings be upon you, my dear niece!... Tell me how to come...? " Amira Selina raised her bended head and unveil her face in front of her Paternal Uncle and Father-in-Law.

"I need your advice about today's conference, Baba Hazrat! How could this matter be resolved? If there would be any solution for the ending of this issue?" Amira Selina was worried about the up coming situations.

"What could be happen now? In case of my and your refusal, would this matter be averted? Qaboos, my dear son, has come to my own stubbornness. My successor has deviated from my own teachings. Oh Allah! O' my Greatest Lord! What temptation have I been in? " King Suleiman Aatish begged to the Lord of the Universe (Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) to give his daughter-in-law the answer of her question and started walking again to bend his an arm towards the back and the fingers of the other hand were pressing thoughtfully with the thumb.

"Why couldn't something be happen? Baba Hazrat! ... The reins of our Tribe Dukhan-al-Aatish (the house of smoke) are still in your hands ... If you wish, the decision of the lord Qabus-al-Jamal could be changed ... You are still the tribe of Dukhan Al-Atash. The chief of the family hood ... how can these encroachments could be happened with your friends when even you are here ? How it could be possible for all of them to do this innocent people? On which logic Amir Qaboos has gone to destroy them? When Amira Selina opposed her husband, Shah Suleiman Aatish became sad to saw a painful condition on his daughter-in- law and niece's face.

"Now in this case, daughter! ... Your husband thinks that the friendship of my friends has turned his son against him, and now, ironically, the enmity of my own friends has brought my son face to face against me. I am now divided into three parts ... on one side there are 'principles' ... on the other side there are 'children' ..... on the third side Abu Sufyan, my dear friend .." Shah Suleiman Aatish, with both hands tied behind his back, looked to the front as like Amira Selina was on his right back and was now looking up and questioning him.

"What will be your decision?.. Your decision is important for me and Saqlain- Al-Jamal..." Amira Selina mentioned her son.

" Principles, children, Abu Sufyan ... you have not one, but three trials at a time ... whose sacrifice would you like make? Hazrat!.." King Suleiman the Magnificent changed his position to the right side where Amira Selina was stood and she started to look down again. Shah Sulyman the magnificent was in a deep thinking. He was there but his mind was in the other world and his eyes were searching the secrets of Amira Selina's heart and mind. After all, she was his double relative as a niece and daughter-in-law, he had loved her with both relations.

"Tell me about your heart's secrets first, niece! Who is there? For whom you worried about in actual ?..." Amira was held accountable by Shah Sulyman the magnificent. He had a question in the answer of Amira Selina's question. Now, it was mandatory for her to reply the 'Great Master' of the Tribe.

"If you have asked this question as being of my father-in-law and my dearest paternal uncle, or in the place of my loving father. I'm sorry ... but ... I want to request, Please, apologise for the blunder of your son and my husband. If you want.." Amira Selina's love for her husband was clearly visible from her face. King Suleiman the Magnificent, was watching her emotions, the angles and changing the colour of his niece's face, but he was silent and wanted to listen Amira Selina.

"But if you are asking as the elder master of the 'Dukhan al-Atash tribe' (the house of smoke), my answer would be... the right way is the direction of 'Principle' and 'Promise'.. the 'Commitment ', the 'Covenant' which you had made with your friend a time ago... You have an oath to accomplish this with 'Abu Sufyan' for the rest of your life... Definitely, You would never let this trust break down because this is your dignity, our nation's prosperity and our Tribe's strength..." Amira Selena's finished her reply and a light smile appeared on the face of King Sulyman the Magnificent, which was a characteristic of his personality and now it seemed that he had reached to a final decision.

"Selina bint Shah Abdul Manan Atash!" "I, King Suleiman the Magnificent, as the eldest elder of the tribe, want to be convinced.. Do you know the truth that sacrificing principles and breaking the promises for the sake of children is against the dignity and honour of us and our family...? " The Grand Master (Buzurg Aqa) consulted with Great Amira of the Tribe 'Dukhan-al-Aatish... Time of the decision was too much short.

"Yes, Grand Master ! I, Great Amira of the Tribe Dukhan-al-Aatish (the house of smoke) confess from the bottom of my heart..." said Amira Selina. "No matter how closest the sinner may be to us, the punishment for the sin is obligatory on him/her, this the law of Islam even if the sinner belongs to our blood relation.. This punishment is applicable at that time when the sinner blamed the innocent people for his/her disturbance and troubles because those innocent persons were unknown about the sinner's thoughts and steps..." Amira stated her point of view, Shah Suleiman the magnificent, breathed a sigh of relief. The two were face to face when the 'Grand Master' saw a long shadow on the back of the niece, far behind the curtains of this court, which was probably listening to their private discussion and turned away at the end of the conversation.

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