In The Best Interest Of The Orphans

One of the Caliphs of al-Andalus, decided to build a castle for one of his wives in Qurtubah (Cordoba); however, the location on which he wanted to build the castle was neighbored by a small home that was inhabited by orphans under the patronage of the judge.

The Caliph asked to buy that small home. They said, "We will not sell it except by the permission of the judge."

The Caliph sent experts for an appraisal of the house, and the price that they estimated did not please the judge in the least. Not satisfied with the price, and fearing that the ruler would take it by force, the judge ordered for the house to be destroyed, and he sold the timber for a price that was greater than that which was estimated by the experts that were sent! When the Caliph found out what he did, he became angry and said to him, "And what made you do that?" The judge said, "I did what I did based on Allah's Saying: "As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea. So I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every [good] ship by force." [The Qur'an: Al-Kahf 18:79] I sold the timber for more than the amount that was estimated by your experts, and yet the land remains for the orphans, so now pay a price that you see fit to pay." The Caliph said, "I am the first to be led to the truth, and may Allah reward you well for us and for our nation."