Unit 2: The Wise Caliph

 THE WISE CALIPH

TEXTUAL WORDS MEANING:

CRITICAL SUMMARY

Caliph Haroon-ur-Rashid was known and respected for his justice and wisdom. He was a great ruler of Abbasid caliphate. He considered his caliphate a big responsibility. He was too much concerned about the Day of Judgment, when he would be asked of his ruled ones.

He wanted to know about the problem of common people, and for this reason, he used to disguise

Himself as a common man and go through the street of Baghdad. He would mingle with the common people, in order to get firsthand knowledge of their difficulties and complaints. Once, city Qazi was able settle the dispute between a rich man and a beggar, over a horse. He presented this case to the Caliph and told him that both the rich and the beggar were claiming the ownership of the horse. The rich man was well-dressed and appeared to be well to do while the other seemed to be a beggar, as he was in rags. The rich man told the wise caliph that he was riding to the city this morning. The beggar begged him to give ride up to the city gate. He was lame and the rich man pulled him up behind him on the horse. When they reached the city gate, the beggar refused to get down and claimed that he was the owner of the horse.

The beggar knew that people would doubt more on him, that how a man in rag could buy such a precious horse. So keeping this in mind; he first gave the justification that because he bought such a precious horse, he became a beggar. Then he changed the whole story of the rich man and told the caliph that it was he, who was riding the horse, and it was the rich man, who asked to lend him the horse but instead of lending, he let him ride his horse and sat behind. But when he reached the city gate, this rich man told him to get down; as such a fine horse should not belong to a beggar and warned him not to mention this to anyone, as no one would believe him.

The Wise Caliph used an excellent technique to judge the truth. He asked first the beggar and then the rich man to place their hand on the horse. When the beggar touched the horse, it winced as if it did not like the touch of his hand but when the rich man touched the horse, the horse snorted and neighed with pleasure.

The caliph decided that the horse belonged to the rich man and told the beggar that he was a liar and a wicked man who tried to rob an honest and respectable man. The Wise Caliph told the beggar that he deserved severe punishment, but he would be merciful and forgive him, if he begged forgiveness of that gentle man there. The beggar had no option other than to ask forgiveness from the rich man. So when he begged his forgiveness, the rich man not only forgave him but also showed his generosity by giving him a handful of gold coins. This noble action of the rich man pleased everybody in the court.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q.No.01: What was Caliph Haroon-ur-Rashid known and respected for?

Ans: Caliph Haroon-ur- Rashid was known and respected for his justice and wisdom. He was a great ruler of Abbasid caliphate. He was a very responsible caliph and was too much concerned about the Day of Judgment, when he would asked of his ruled ones.

Q.No.02: Why did Caliph disguise himself as a common man? Or how did Caliph Haroon-ur-Rashid get the knowledge about the difficulties and problems of his people?

Ans: He wanted to know about the problem of common people and for this reason, he used to disguise himself as a common man and go through the street of Baghdad. He would mingle with the common people in order to get first-hand knowledge of their difficulties and complaints.

Q.No.03: What was the dispute between the rich man and the beggar?

Ans: The dispute between the rich man and the beggar was over the ownership of horse. Both the rich and the beggar were claiming the ownership of a beautiful horse.

Q.No.04: What did the rich man tell the Caliph Haroon-ur-Rashid?

 Ans: The rich man told the wise caliph that he was riding to the city that morning when the beggar asked him to give a ride up to the city gate. Because he was lame, the rich man gave him the ride but when he reached the city gate, the beggar refused to get down and claimed that he was the owner of the horse.

Q.No.05: What did the beggar tell the Caliph Haroon-ur-Rashid?

Ans: The beggar told the caliph that when he appears like beggar because of the ownership of the precious horse. He also told the caliph that he gave him the lift to the rich on his horse to the city gate and then rich man refused to get off the horse by saying that such a beautiful should not belong to a beggar. .

 

 

Q.No.06: How did the Caliph discovered the real owner of the horse? OR How did the Caliph prove that the beggar was a liar?

Ans:  The caliph asked first the beggar and then the rich man to place their hands on the horse, as he knew that a horse recognizes the touch of his master. When the beggar touched the horse, it winced as if it did not like the touch of his hand. When the rich man touched the horse, the horse snorted and neighed with pleasure.

Q.No.07: What reason did the beggar give in the court of the Caliph for keeping such horse?

Ans: The beggar knew that people would doubt more on him that how a man in rag, could buy such a precious horse so he first gave the justification that he bought such a precious horse that's why he became a beggar.

Q.No.08: What did the horse do when the beggar touched it?

Ans: When the beggar touched the horse, it winced as if it did not like the touch of his hand.

Q.No.09:  What did the horse do when the rich man touched it?

Ans: When the rich man touched the horse, the horse snorted and neighed with pleasure.

Q.No.10: What punishment did Haroon-ur- Rashid announce for the beggar and what did the Caliph say to beggar?

Ans:  The Wise Caliph told the beggar that he deserved severe punishment, but he would be merciful and forgive him, if he begged forgiveness of that gentle man there.

Q.No.11: What was the behavior of rich man when the beggar asked forgiveness to him? (OR) What was the noble action of the rich man, which pleased everybody in the court of Haroon-ur-Rashid?

Ans: The beggar had no option other than to ask forgiveness from the rich man. So when he begged his forgiveness. The rich man not only forgave him but also showed his generosity by giving him a handful of gold coins. This noble action of the rich man pleased everybody in the court.

SOLVED EXERCISES OF TEXT BOOK

B. Learn the spellings and meaning of the following words from the lesson and use ten of them in sentences of your own.

Afford, winced, hinted, claim, puzzled, pronounce, disguise, dismount, dispute, lend, limp, motion, neigh, snort, swear 

1. Afford: I cannot afford a car.

2. Winced: The child winced when the doctor touched him.

3. Claim: He claimed that he was winner.

4. Puzzled: I was puzzled so I could not recognize him.

5. Pronounce: Judge pronounced decision in my favor.

6. Disguise: He disguised himself in order to get information about out laws.

7. Dismount: I dismounted from bicycle.

8. Dispute: Judge resolved dispute between two brothers.

9. Lend: I cannot lend my camera.

10. Limp: He was limping because he was lame.

11. Motion: I motioned him to sit.

12. Neigh: I heard my horse neighing.

13. Snort: Horse snorted when it saw bucket of water.

14. Swear: He swears that he is innocent.

 

(a) For each word in List A find the similar meaning in List B:

 

LIST A	LIST B
Shiver	Tremble
Astonish	Amaze
Cling	Stick
Request	Beg
Stiffen	Harden
Severe	Stern
Utterly	Completely
Disguise	Hide
Obvious	Clear
Puzzled	Confused
Mingle	Mix

 

 

(c) Crowd, Limp, Utter, Disguise, Claim, Motion, Gallop

By using these words given above and charging the forms where necessary complete the following sentences.

1. A large crowd had gathered outside the court.

2. The courtiers crowded round the Caliph.

3. The Caliph disguised himself as a common man.

4. The people recognized the caliph inspite of his disguise.

5. His right leg is shorter than the left leg, so has a limp in his walk.

6. The rich man saw the lame beggar limping along the road.

7. The beggar motioned him to stop.

8. He stood still and made no motion.

9. He uttered a few words then lost consciousness.

10. To his utter disappointment he failed again in the examination.

11. The rich man went galloping along the road.

12. The horse was running at a gallop.

13. The rich man the beggar both claimed the horse.

14. Whose claim was found to be true?

 

(c) Complete the following sentences by using suitable phrases from the list given below, in their proper form: be off, pull up, fight over, fight for, feel sorry for, well to do, well off, feel ashamed of.

1. He saw two dogs fighting over a bone.

2. From his dress he appears to be a well to do citizen.

3. Noticing a fallen free blocking the road he immediately pulled up his horse.

4. His father was a great leader; he fought for the freedom of his country.

5. He was very poor last year, but now he seems to be quite well off.

6. The master ordered his servant to be off and out of sight.

7. You misbehaved with your teacher and should feel ashamed of yourself.

8. The rich man saw the lame beggar and felt sorry for him.

 

(d) Make the nouns from the given verbs and use them in your sentences:

VERBS	NOUNS	SENTENCES
Beg	Beggar	(a)    I beg you to help me. (b)   Beggar was asking for meal.
Live	Life	(a)    He lives in Karachi. (b)   His life is in danger.
Lend	Loan	(a)    He lend me 5000 rupees. (b)   I have applied for the loan.
Believe	Belief	(a)    Believe me I did not steal you mobile. (b)   I have full belief on myself.
Please	Pleasure	(a)    Please bring a glass of water. (b)   He showed great pleasure when he met with me.
Give	Gift	(a)    Give me some snacks. (b)   I have to buy a gift for vishal’s birthday.
Speak	Speech	(a)    Always speak truth. (b)   He gave a speech in front of a large group of people.

 

(e) Complete the following sentences by using the correct form of verb/verbs places in brackets at the end of each sentence.

1. The horse man noticed a beggar limping along the road. (Notice, limp)

2. When he turned round and looked back the rider and the horse disappeared. (Turn, look, disappear)

3. The beggar clung to the horse. (Clung)

4. The Caliph ordered him to step forward and tell his story. (Order, step. Tell)

5. Both the men swore on the Holy Book. (Swear)

6. Before the Caliph entered the court, the Qazi had brought two men and a horse. (Enter, bring)

7. The Qazi was also present in the court. (To be)

8. The two men fought over the horse.

9. The Qazi could not decide the case. (Can, decide)

10. He struck the horse with a whip. (Strike)

COMPOSITION:

Q.1: Describe in ten sentences the dispute between the rich man and the beggar.

Ans: During the reign of Muslim Caliph Haroon-ur-Rasheed of Baghdad. A case was brought to him by the Qazi of the city. The case was about the owner ship of a beautiful white horse, the horse was claimed by a rich man and the beggar. Rich man told that as he was coming to the city, on request of beggar he gave him ride up to the city gate. On reaching the city gate he refused to dismount and claimed that horse was his the beggar complained that taking advantage of his position rich man is robbing him of his horse.

Q.2: How did the Caliph prove that the beggar was liar?

Ans: The Caliph ordered both persons to touch the horse one by one. When the beggar touched the horse, it winced. But at the touch of rich man’s hand the horse snorted and neighed with pleasure. Hence the Caliph proved that the beggar was a liar.

Q.1: How would you greet someone you visit in the evening?

Ans: When, I will visit someone in the evening, I would greet him by saying “Good evening”.

Q.2: How would you wish him at the end of your visit?

Ans: At the end of my visit I wish him by saying “Good night”.

 

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