---
Courtroom Scene in the Palace of Prince Badis Ben Habous
The courtroom in the palace of Prince Badis Ben Habous. The prince sits on his throne, his face expressing deep anger. Yusuf Ben Ngrila, the detained minister, sits on the ground, shackled and appearing fearful. The Arab minister, al-Naiya, Minister Abu al-Rabi, and General Omar stand beside the prince.
Prince Badis Ben Habous: (in a loud, scowling voice) "Yusuf Ben Ngrila, do you confess to killing my son Maksan? How dare you commit such a heinous crime?"
Yusuf Ben Ngrila: (pale, voice trembling) "My lord, I completely deny these charges. I have no connection to Maksan's murder, and everything said about me is pure slander."
Prince Badis Ben Habous: (angry, pointing to the Arab minister al-Naiya) "Tell me, Minister al-Naiya, what evidence do you have against Yusuf?"
Arab Minister al-Naiya: (calmly but pointedly) "My lord, we have testimony from a maid who was in Yusuf Ben Ngrila's house. She said she heard , Yusuf's son, speaking drunkenly about using pomegranate juice to kill 'Seyf al-Dawla,' Maksan's title. This indicates Yusuf's involvement in some way."
Yusuf Ben Ngrila: (panicked, trying to defend himself) "My lord, this testimony is false. The maid did not witness anything concrete, and Suleiman was drunk. There is no evidence proving my involvement in this crime."
Prince Badis Ben Habous: (distressed, looking at the Arab minister al-Naiya) "How can we verify the accuracy of this testimony?"
Arab Minister al-Naiya: (seriously) "My lord, the maid's testimony is consistent with other evidence we have gathered. , and he had a history of disputes with him. Moreover, the maid had no motive to lie, as she was unaware of Yusuf's private matters."
Yusuf Ben Ngrila: (sorrowful, under mounting pressure) "My lord, if the evidence points to this, I confess now that I was the one who killed Maksan. I ask for your mercy towards my family."
Prince Badis Ben Habous: (astonished and angry) "Why confess now? What do you have to say about your family?"
Yusuf Ben Ngrila: (sorrowfully) "My lord, I was acting under severe pressure. I confess my fault but ask you not to harm my family. Please grant them mercy."
Prince Badis Ben Habous: (angrily, turning to Yusuf) "You have confessed to killing my son Maksan, and you must face the consequences of your actions, including your family. I will seize all your wealth and lands; everything you own will become state property."
Yusuf Ben Ngrila: (weakly, pleading for mercy) "My lord, please do not harm my family. I am prepared to bear all the consequences of my actions."
Prince Badis Ben Habous: (looking at the Arab minister al-Naiya) "Now, Minister al-Naiya, do you believe the punishment I have decided aligns with justice?"
Arab Minister al-Naiya: (seriously) "My lord, I believe justice demands something else. Yusuf has confessed his crime, but his children were unaware of it. Executing them all would be an overreach of justice. We can punish Yusuf and his son Suleiman only, and seize all his property for the state."
Prince Badis Ben Habous: (considering seriously, then agreeing) "I understand. Then, the execution will be carried out for Yusuf and Suleiman only, and all Yusuf's properties will be seized by the state. I do not wish to wrong innocent ones who have done no harm."
Arab Minister al-Naiya: (seriously) "Thank you, my lord. This is a correct step to ensure justice without excess."
Prince Badis Ben Habous: (firmly) "Thus, the execution of Yusuf and Suleiman will proceed, and all Yusuf's properties will be seized. Guards will be appointed to ensure the enforcement of this decision."
(Yusuf Ben Ngrila and Suleiman are taken away by guards to carry out the decision, while Prince Badis Ben Habous, the ministers, and the general discuss the next steps for implementing decisions and protecting state interests.)
---
The next morning, the people of Granada emerged from their homes to find the bodies of Yusuf and Suleiman hanging at the city gate. The crowd gathered around the scene, discussing the verses of the poet Abu Ishaq al-Ibri, who had significantly expressed their sentiments.
One of them said: "Abu Ishaq was right in his words. His verses predicted what would happen to us."
He then recited the following verses from his poem:
**"O tell the people of Sennhaja altogether,
Bright moons and lions of the lair,
Your lord has stumbled a stumble,
With which the eyes of the scoffers are satisfied.
His scribe chose a non-believer,
And if he wished, he could have been a Muslim,
So the Jews were honored by him and they chose him,
And they strayed and were among the lowly ones.
And they obtained their desires and exceeded the limit,
So the ruin came and they did not feel it,
How many a righteous Muslim, devout,
To the vilest of apes among the pagans.
And this was not due to their efforts,
But rather, it is from among us that the helper rises,
So why did you not follow the example of those,
From the virtuous leaders who were cautious.
And place them where they deserve,
And return them to the lowest of the low."**
He also quoted another verse:
**"Badis, you are a shrewd man,
You judge with certainty of the truth,
How did their eyes escape you
While the earth is struck with their horns?
And how do you love the offspring of adultery,
When they have made you despised by the world?
And how can your ascent be completed
When you are building and they are demolishing?
And how did you find comfort in associating with them,
While they are the worst of companions?"**
The people gathered around the bodies and said loudly, "Maksan was killed because of the Jews who were defending us. Why do we not avenge him?"
This sense of injustice led to rising anger, and chaos erupted in the city. The people revolted against the corrupt Jewish officials, and protests escalated. The next morning, smoke rose from the city, which had experienced a major fire destroying many homes and properties, amid a decline in the population and spreading chaos.
---
As the chaos in the city intensified and it suffered extensive damage, Prince Badis Ben Habous returned to his palace, filled with anger and frustration. The aftermath of the uprising and fires was evident in the city, and feelings of despair and tension increased in the palace.
In the meeting hall, Prince Badis sat on his throne with a face distorted by anger, while Minister of Finance Abdul Rahman and General Omar stood before him, each showing concern and anxiety.
Prince Badis Ben Habous: (angrily, addressing Omar) "How could this happen? How could you not control the people? The city has been completely destroyed, and people are in a state of chaos and disorder."
Omar: (pale, avoiding the prince's gaze) "My lord, I tried to control the situation, but the anger was overwhelming. The people were determined to take revenge on the corrupt Jewish officials, and it was difficult to restrain them."
Minister of Finance Abdul Rahman: (calmly but expressing concern) "My lord, the situation is now extremely difficult. The people are enraged due to the corrupt Jews who caused Maksan's death. The city is destroyed, and homes and streets are in ruins. Additionally, foreign traders are fearful of suffering the same fate, which could negatively impact the economy."
Prince Badis Ben Habous: (placing his hand on his forehead, closing his eyes for a moment) "This is a disaster. We did not expect things to escalate to this extent. We must find a way to restore order to the city, reassure traders that their safety is guaranteed, and repair the damage."
Abdul Rahman: "Yes, my lord. We must immediately start rebuilding the city and compensating the affected. We also need to enhance security to reassure traders and create a stable environment."
Prince Badis Ben Habous: (determinedly) "We will do that. I want a comprehensive plan for the city's rehabilitation and compensating the affected, in addition to strengthening security to ensure that this chaos does not repeat. We must prove to everyone that Granada can rise from this crisis."
The prince and his team began planning the city's reconstruction and security enhancement, while the city itself suffered from the aftermath of the uprising and destruction, requiring massive efforts to restore normalcy.
---
Poem Explanation
In the first stanza, Abu Ishaq al-Ibri says: He sees that Muslims are sufficient without the Jewish infidel who served his own kind at the expense of Muslims; this is true. How many Muslims have
Certainly! Here is the continuation of the translation and explanation of the poem by Abu Ishaq al-Ibri:
---
In the first stanza, Abu Ishaq al-Ibri remarks that the Muslims have their own capable individuals who should not be overshadowed by non-Muslims in important positions. It is unreasonable and unjust for non-Muslims to be favored over Muslims in positions of power, especially when there are competent Muslims available. He criticizes the favoritism shown to the Jewish official despite the presence of qualified Muslims.
In the second stanza, Abu Ishaq urges Prince Badis to recognize the dangers of his actions and the negative consequences they might bring. He points out that it was a mistake to entrust important tasks to the Jewish official, questioning how someone untrustworthy and corrupt could be given such responsibilities. The poet is warning the prince that such choices could lead to severe repercussions.
In the third stanza, Abu Ishaq argues that the proficiency of a Jew does not justify elevating them above Muslims. The poet highlights the injustice of allowing the Jewish official to wield authority over Muslims, especially when it results in the oppression of capable and deserving Muslims. The poem condemns the fact that the Jewish official and his family were able to dominate and exploit the resources of the Muslims while the latter were marginalized and oppressed.
Explanation of the Poem:
Abu Ishaq al-Ibri's poem serves as a powerful critique of Prince Badis Ben Habous for his decision to place a Jewish official, Yusuf Ben Ngrila, in a significant position of power. The poem reflects the poet's outrage over the perceived injustice of this decision, portraying it as an error that led to corruption and the marginalization of capable Muslims. Through his verses, Abu Ishaq calls for the prince to rectify this wrong and to ensure that justice is served by prioritizing the welfare of Muslims and correcting the imbalance of power.
---