REBIRTH 167victim's sons brought this young man before Khalifa Omar. The traveler
admitted his deed. Extenuating circumstances existed, but he refused to
plead them; he had taken a life and so must forfeit his own. He did make
one request, however: could the execution be delayed for three days while
he went home and took care of a bit of business? He had an orphan in his
care back there, he had buried this child's inheritance in a spot no one
knew about, and if he didn't dig it up before he died, the child would be
left penniless. It wasn't fair that the child suffer for his guardian's crime. "If
you let me go today," the murderer said, "I promise I'll come back three
days from now and submit to execution."
The khalifa said, "Well, okay, but only if you name someone to act as
your proxy, someone who will agree to suffer the penalty in your stead if
you don't come back."
Well, that stumped the young traveler. He had no friends or relatives in
these parts. What stranger would trust him enough to risk execution in
his place?
At that moment, Abu Dharr, one of the Prophet's companions, declared
that he would be the young man's proxy. And so the murderer departed.
Three days later he had not returned. No one was surprised but they
did weep for poor Abu Dharr who faithfully set his head on the chopping
block. The executioner was just oiling his ax and getting ready to chop
when the young man came galloping up on a dusty horse, all covered with
sweat. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I was delayed," he said, "but here I am now.
Let's proceed with the execution."
The spectators were amazed. "You were free; you had totally escaped.
No one could have found you and brought you back. Why did you return?"
"Because I said I would, and I am a Muslim," the young man replied.
"How could I give the world cause to say that Muslims no longer keep
their promises?"
The crowd turned to Abu Dharr. "Did you know this young man? Did
you know of his noble character? Is this why you agreed to be his proxy?"
"No," said Abu Dharr, "I never met him before in my life, but how could
I be the one to let the world say Muslims are no longer compassionate?"
The victim's relatives now dropped to their knees. "Don't execute him,"
they pleaded. "How can we be the ones to make the world say there is no
forgiveness in Islam?"