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Then I felt like laughing when it struck me that the tears I was shedding were not tears but drops of jalebi syrup. From the jalebis my thoughts went to the fees, and from fees to Master Ghulam Mohammed’s cane, and from his cane I thought of God. I closed my eyes, and began to pray.
‘Allah miyan! I’m a very good boy. I have memorised the entire namaaz. I even know the last ten surats of the Quran by heart. If you wish, I can recite the entire ayat-al-kursi for you just now. The need of your devoted servant is only the fees money that I ate the jalebis with... So all right, I admit I made a mistake. I didn’t eat them all by myself, though I fed them to a whole lot of children too, but yes, it was a mistake. If I’d known the scholarship money would be given next month, I would neither have eaten them nor fed them to the others. Now you do one thing, just put four rupees in my bag. If there’s a paisa more than four rupees I will be very displeased with you. I promise, if I ever eat sweets with my fees money again, then let a thief’s punishment be my punishment. So, Allah miyan, just this once, help me out. There is no shortage of anything in your treasury. Even our chaprasi takes a whole lot of money home every month, and Allahji, after all I am the nephew of a big officer. Won’t you give me just four rupees?
Explanation:
The boy thought of crying at first after thinking about the situation. Then he felt like laughing when he realised the tears he was shedding were sweet jalebi tears. When he afterwards remembered the jalebis, his mind moved to the fees money, and from there, his mind recalled his master's beatings. While he was thinking about the punishment, he was reminded of God, later he closed his eyes and prayed to God to save him from his current situation.
Later, the boy said to Allah that he was a good boy who had memorised all of the Quran's prayers. Furthermore, the boy claimed that he knew the last ten chapters or sections of the Quran. It suggests that he had memorised everything from it and that if God wanted him to utter a prayer, he would be ready. The term "Ayat-al-kursi" refers to the verses in the Quran that Allah revealed to help guide people from evil things. It is believed that the verses are so powerful that by simply reciting them, people in the home and their families would be protected from many evils and the powers of Shaitan. "Ayat-al-kursi" is the 255th verse of Surah al-Baqarah, commonly referred to as Ayatul Kursi (meaning "The Throne").
Then the boy pleaded with God by stating that he was a devotee of Allah and what he needed was the amount he had spent on jalebis. He admitted his mistake and said that he did not eat the whole jalebis by himself, and also he gave them to impoverished children and others in need. Even after giving the children, he recognised that it was his mistake and had no right to blame anybody else. He further stated that if he had known the scholarship would be issued the next month, he would not have bought the jalebis or given it to the children.
Then the boy pleaded with God by stating that he was a devotee of Allah and what he needed was the amount he had spent on jalebis. He admitted his mistake and said that he did not eat the whole jalebis by himself, and also he gave them to impoverished children and others in need. Even after giving the children, he recognised that it was his mistake and had no right to blame anybody else. He further stated that if he had known the scholarship would be issued the next month, he would not have bought the jalebis or given it to the children.
Later, the boy prayed to God to put four rupees in his bag. He also remarked that he would be disappointed with God's acts if he had more than four rupees in his backpack. It means that he only needed four rupees and had no expectations. He went on to say that if he eats sweets with his fees money again, God can punish him as a way he punishes a thief. As per the Quran, the punishment for theft is cutting off their hands. Later the boy asked the Almighty, again and again, to save him from his problem. He said the words "save him" repeatedly because God did not come to help him. So he pleaded with Allah miyan.
In addition, the boy said that Allah's treasury is filled with everything, and there is no shortage of money in it. The boy recalled how, every month, the peon would bring a lot of money to his home. It implies that the boy believes that it was Allah to gave them money. Allah gave them money as if his treasury was filled with coins. He says to Allah that he was the nephew of a high-ranking official. At last, he asked God, "Won't you just give me four rupees?"
In addition, the boy said that Allah's treasury is filled with everything, and there is no shortage of money in it. The boy recalled how, every month, the peon would bring a lot of money to his home. It implies that the boy believes that it was Allah to gave them money. Allah gave them money as if his treasury was filled with coins. He says to Allah that he was the nephew of a high-ranking official. At last, he asked God, "Won't you just give me four rupees?"
Meanings of the difficult words:
| S.No | Words | Meanings |
1 | Cane | To hit someone with a long, thin stick as a punishment |
2 | Namaaz | Islamic worship or prayer |
3 | Surat | A chapter or section of the Quran |
4 | Quran | The holy book of Muslims |
5 | Impoverish | Very poor |
Reference:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2008). It so happened. Jalebis- Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi (pp. 62-72). Published at the Publication Division by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi.
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