Root Of The Problem

A wise story from the times of Jahiliyah – أقتلوا من قتل الكلب

A family had a guard dog, and someone killed it.
The family gathered to consult.
The family elder said:
‎أقتلوا من قتل الكلب
“Kill the person who killed the dog”

The family members thought: this man is getting old, he’s not making any sense. How can we kill a man for a dog???!

Shortly after, their sheep were stolen.
They gathered again to consult.
The family elder said again:
‎أقتلوا من قتل الكلب
“Kill the person who killed the dog”

They thought: he still can’t forget about that damn dog!!

Shortly after, one of their daughters was kidnapped.
They gathered again to consult.
The family elder said yet again:
‎أقتلوا من قتل الكلب
“Kill the person who killed the dog”

They finally agreed to do kill the person who killed the dog!

When the news spread, the thieves released their cattle, saying:
‎ﺃﻥ ﻛﺎﻧﻮﺍ ﻗﺘﻠﻮﺍ ﻗﺎﺗﻞ ﻛﻠﺒﻬﻢ ﻓﻜﻴﻒ ﺳﻴﻔﻌﻠﻮﻥ ﺑﻨﺎ ﻭﻗﺪ ﺳﺮﻗﻨﺎ ﺃﺑﻠﻬﻢ ﻭﻏﻨﻤﻬﻢ ؟!
“If they killed a man for the sake of a dog, what will they do to us if they find out we stole their cattle?!”

The kidnappers also released their daughter, saying:
‎ﺇﻥ ﻛﺎﻧﻮﺍ ﻗﺘﻠﻮﺍ ﺭﺟﻞ ﺑﻜﻠﺐ
‎ﻓﻤﺎﺫﺍ ﺳﻴﻔﻌﻠﻮﻥ ﻣﻌﻨﺎ ﻭﻗﺪ ﺳﺒﻴﻨﺎ ﺑﻨﺘﻬﻢ ؟
“If they kill a man for the sake of a dog, what will they do to us if they find out we kidnapped their daughter?!”

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This is an extreme example from the ancient times of pre-Islamic Jahiliyah, but what can be taken away from this is:

– Fix the actual CAUSE of the problem.
– Have clear boundaries (red lines), with strong consequences if someone’s crosses your red lines.
– Never tolerate abuse.
– Never appear weak in front of your enemies.

Otherwise people WILL take advantage of you and walk over you.