The Qissa, the Qat, and the Qadi [Archives:2000/45/Last Page]

Once upon a time it might have happened or it might not have happened.
It might have happened yesterday or it may happen today or any other day.
An old woman lived in Sanaa the capital of Yemen. She had a husband and a son and they lived modestly, but they were content and happy.
Then the husband died and the son who had just turned sixteen and who was a handsome young man, changed his character from the good to the bad, as he started to chew qat everyday and night!
To chew qat used to be and probably still is a social and popular custom in Yemen.
Before chewing qat you have to have a very good lunch, normally Salta, a very common Yemeni dish and before the evening prayer you stop chewing qat, and return home in order to eat something later and to stay with your family. Men and women chew in separate rooms, while the mens rooms are the most beautiful. Often they are spacious and they sometimes have a splendid view over the surroundings, which might be a city or a mountain region. The womens rooms are often smaller and not as splendid in their view.
This handsome young man became really addicted to qat and he broke the common and wise rules of the tradition and even started to chew in the evenings and at night, which is quite unusual even in Yemen. In consequence the old woman soon didnt have any more money for meat or chicken, later she didnt even have money for the electricity or vegetables. So she depended completely on her kind neighbors help. But she felt ashamed and depressed in waiting for her neighbors donations, as she knew they werent that well off either.
She tried to influence her son, and discussed the situation with him, and the neighbors did the same.
But none of them could do anything about the sons new and strange behavior. The son just loved the qat more than he loved his mother and he wasted all their money at the qatmarkets.
This was a great disgrace, because according to the countrys tradition he was now the head of his family and therefore responsible for the well being of his mother, who had brought him into life and who had raised him all those years. His behavior was neither honorable nor acceptable but he didnt care at all.

One morning after the poor old woman had been crying once again all night long in great despair only having tea and some bread at home, she went with the courage born of desperation to the new part of Sanaa, where the traffic is roaring, where the cars are streaming in broad lanes and the taxis and Minibuses are waiting for new passengers. She went on foot. The traffic and the new and strange surrounding made her feel nervous and insecure. Busily, unknown people passed her by; sometimes beggars were trying to draw her attention. She knew nobody anymore. What a strange world, so close to her old city street and yet so different. She felt like being in another universe. Here the richer people lived in new houses. She went quickly in order to overcome her fear.
Having asked some people for the way, she finally arrived at the Qadis home.

This Qadi was famous throughout Yemen, in the North as well as in the South. Most people appreciated him for his wisdom, his generosity and his opinion in legal affairs.
The heart of the old woman was beating loudly, because she was standing in front of a huge building, more a mansion than a house. There were even soldiers in front guarding it.
More than anything else she would have liked to return home immediately, but then to her surprise she heard a voice, the voice of her own heart speaking to her in the dialect of the desert inhabitants, who she hadnt seen or heard from for such a long time.
The voice said: Yah, Fatma, this Qadi is only a human being but arent we all Gods creatures? Dont be overwhelmed by his richness and his soldiers. Who is more important for you, your son or this building and the soldiers in front of it?
Fatma answered: Yes, voice of my heart, you are right, my son is the most important for me, more than anything else in the world.
But still she didnt have the courage to knock on the door. She was so shy that she felt somehow paralyzed. She couldnt even approach the building and was standing there opposite at a safe distance.
Then she did what all believers in a situation like this do. She took refuge in God and said:
Huwa rabbi, la ilaha illa huwa, alaihi tawakkaltu wa ilaihi matabi.(The holy Koran, Surah:13, Ayah30) (He is my Lord! There is no God but He! On Him is my trust,And to Him do I turn! The Meaning of the Glorious Quran. Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
She had been taught this sentence by her father, because she as a woman and illiterate as most women of her age and origin had of course not been able to read the holy Quran. Most of these old traditional women of course had never seen any school from the inside. Now of course it is very different for many Yemeni women but not yet for all.
This sentence of the holy book, one of the few she knew except Al Fatiha, (All Muslims know Al Fatiha the opening Sura of the Quran.) lent her wings and after she had repeated it 99 times, she had the strength to knock at the Qadis door.
She heard footsteps behind the new wooden door. A deep and loud mans voice asked
Min? as it is the habit in Yemen.
An old, poor woman from the old city of Sanaa, she answered.
What do you want?
I want to talk to the Qadi because there are problems in my house.
The guard went to the seventh floor and knocked at the door of the Qadis mafradsch. (The mafradsch usually is on the top floor of a Yemeni house, and is often used for chewing qat.)
Whats the matter? asked the Qadi
Yah hadrat, yah Qadi. A poor and old woman from the old city of Sanaa
desires to talk to you. Shall I send her away? responded the guard of the house politely.
But no. She is a human being, just like you and I, and we are all Gods creatures,
said the Qadi in a friendly way.
So the guard went downstairs again and opened the door and he escorted the cautious old lady to the Qadi`s office, where the latter had taken his seat behind a desk, as he always used to do when people came for official meetings.
As the woman entered the room she was puzzled. She had never seen a room like this before.
She looked at the huge desk and the noble chairs and for a little while the whole setting left her speechless. And again she mumbled the holy words of the Quran and found new strength and started to say:
As Salamu alaykum. She greeted him respectfully.
Wa alykum as-Salam. He answered in a caring way
May Allah bless you with a long and happy life and may Allah increase your wisdom and your justice that is well known throughout Yemen. Hayyak Allah She added
Hayyak Allah, dear woman from the old city of Sanaa. How are you and how is your state of health? The Qadi asked friendly.
The old woman overcame her timidity as she heard these warmly spoken words. Her eyes had swiftly grasped the mans character, as she perceived in a split second a hardly noticeable gleam of light around his figure, which is rarely to be seen in Yemen and in other parts of the world and which cant be noticed but only by a few people.
She remembered that in the days of her youth when she was living in the desert, she had sometimes perceived a similar but weaker gleam of light, around a few of the travelers who had been traveling for a long time and who were able to relate many stories to the tribal people. But in the city where she had been living since her marriage, and where she had rarely left her quarter, she had never been able to see this bright light anymore. Now perceiving it at the Qadis house she knew that this man was the right person to solve her problem in whatever way he would do it.
After they had exchanged all the various welcoming phrases common in Arabia, she finally told him her story and all the problems she had with her son, who didnt look after her according to customs and traditions but who ruined himself and his mother instead.
In great details she told him in her own simple language, that she was living in candlelight, because there was no money anymore for paying the electricity bill. She told him about her shyness to depend on her neighbors assistance any longer, about her tears she shed day and night and about the despair that has overcome her since her husband Allah yarhamu (may he rest in peace) had passed away.
Only you can help me, was her last comment
In scha a Allah(God willing) replied the Qadi
You are a man, but me, I am just a poor old woman, my son surely will listen to you.
I will try, said the Qadi. Now please send your son to me in a months time, then I will see what I can do about him.
With a kind Ma as-salama he let the woman go. She returned home with uncertain feelings, but with lots of hope. She was faced with another long month in her miserable situation, without electricity, meat, chicken or vegetables and in complete dependence of Her neighbors help who grew more and more weary of her.
She rarely saw her son. At least early in the morning, he sometimes returned home in order to catch up his lost sleep. He had grown sullen and inconsiderate. His mind was merely busy with thinking about where and how to get a new portion of qat.
Finally he stole the ancient silver pocket watch, which was the only part of her mahr, (the items she had received at her wedding also in order to have something if the family is in need), she was left with.
The day came and the month of waiting was over. She woke her son up.
Get up, because today is a special day. You are invited today to chew qat at the Qadis house in the new city of Sanaa. He wants to see you, you ungrateful young man and he will chew the best qat from Hudeidah with you. I dont know how you deserved this. But go in the name of God. He might offer you a job. Those were the words of the old woman.
The son gave his mother a morose look, but the expression qat from Hudeidah which is the best of Yemens qat fascinated him so much, that he ignored his arising feelings of mistrust. He went eagerly to the Qadis house. He was absolutely certain that he would only show this Qadi respect as long as he would provide him with the delicious qat from Hudeidah.
When he returned from the qat session in the evening he had changed completely.
From this day on he never chewed qat again and he looked after his mother as it was expected from a son. Of course the first months without qat was very difficult for his brain and his body but he overcame the feelings of his addiction. He found a job and became a reliable person. Now could they afford meat or chicken and all the other delicious dishes that are only to be found in the households of Yemens capital Sanaa every day.
Whenever possible they invited their neighbors and in the beginning they gave them presents to show them their appreciation for their assistance in the past and difficult months.
Soon they would have enough money so that they could think about the sons marriage and the brides mahr. There was joy in their hearts and in their simple house in the old city of Sanaa.
Their hearts began to fill with gratitude, they thanked Allah the compassionate and merciful in the mornings and in the evenings and soon the old woman went again to the Qadis house in order to thank him personally.
This time she went more confidently through the busy and crowded streets of Sanaa and she didnt hesitate in front of the Qadis house. The soldiers in front of the Qadis door didnt frighten her anymore and she had the feeling of visiting an old and good friend.
Again she was escorted to his office and they greeted each other with the various beautiful greetings according to the old Arabic custom.
As-Salamu aleikum. Hayyak Allah
Wa alaykum as Salam. Hayyaki Allah
Kayf haluk ya sayyada al Qadi.
Kayfa haluki Yah Hagga?.
Bi hayr al-hamdu li-llah
Thousands of times she thanked the Qadi and praised him for his wisdom and his success. She praised him with grand and numerous formulas of speech that only exist in the Arabic language.
The Qadi was sitting opposite her behind his strange table and smiled mildly.
Finally she asked straight forward. But I do have another question.
So ask; he replied
Why yah Qadi, did you let me wait for another month in my house, in my poverty and in my despair? Why didnt you just talk to my son after one or two days? I dont want to be ungrateful, but I have to tell you, that this month was one of my hardest, why did you hesitate for such a long time?
Look yah Fatma, when you came here for the first time, I also enjoyed the pleasure of chewing qat, and I frequently hosted the rich and the noble of our city. After lunch we passed our time chewing qat with great pleasure while smoking the Misbach (a Yemeni waterpipe that is often smoked in qat sesssions) and discussing endlessly the new or old political developments of our country.
In contrast to your son my friends and I always ended our qat sessions before the evening prayer and we didnt chew at night. What a strange thing to do.
Al hamdu li-llah I always had enough money for my family and for our household.
I must admit that I really enjoyed having the guests at our house and chewing qat with them. I loved these afternoons with my guests as much as your son loved his days and nights of chewing qat. But before I could talk in the right way to your son about his qat addiction I myself had to stop chewing qat.
Only after I myself had already gone through a month without chewing qat only offering fruit juices and coffee to my puzzled guests I found the right words to persuade your son to give up his bad habit.

The idea to this story was taken from a hadit about eating dates and then has been transferred to the Yemeni culture. The Qadi in this story is an ordinary person just a bit wiser. I herewith declare that he is not identical with The Prophet Mohammad of the hadit. It was written and related to the public on the occasion of the first Arabic culture festival at the Tbinger Volkshochschule in Germany in 1997 by Sabine Albus.

Copyright:
Sabine Albus, Gartenstr.39/1, 72074 Tbingen, Germany
Email: Salbus7 @aol.com

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