The man was forcefully brought to the judge. He was asked why a Muslim would build a fountain only to forbid other Muslims to drink from its water? The judge stood up and asked: “What kind of fitna is this?

You build a fountain for charity, and yet you forbid its water to the Muslims; in a country where people’s religion is Islam, in a state where the people are Muslims. Have you lost your mind?”

The man answered: “Pardon me, indeed there is a reason, though it needs proving.” Hearing this answer, the judge got even more angry: “What proof, what evidence? This is obviously fitna, and you disturbed our Muslim community. You must be executed!”

But the judge was curious, “What was the reason?” he asked. The man answered:

“I can only say it to the Sultan.” He was taken to the Sultan.

The Sultan was also annoyed by the incident, but he too was curious.

The Sultan told him: “Say what it is you came to say. How dare you build this fountain and forbid its water to all Muslims and let non-Muslims use it?”.

The man, with his head low, answered: “I have a reason, but it must be demonstrated.”

“What if your reasoning isn’t as reasonable as you think?” asked the Sultan.

“Then my neck is thinner than hair for the ruling, my Sultan,” the man said.

The Sultan asked what was needed. The man said: “Detain a rabbi from a synagogue and keep him for a week. Then see what happens.” What he said was done.

All minorities came together, the Jews leading them spoke:

“What’s the reason for this cruelty? We vouch for our rabbi, he is innocent. Tell us what needs to be done, if necessary, we will pay his bail.” Even ambassadors from neighbouring countries came and delivered dozens of letters. After a week, the rabbi was released and minorities were happy. Then came all the thanks and presents for the Sultan. After a while, the man asked the Sultan to do the same, but this time with a priest from a church. The priest was brought by force from the Sunday ritual and this time people reacted even more intensely. After a week, he was released, bringing the Sultan even more gifts, even more thanks… Levantines came together by the happiness of reuniting with their priest.

The Sultan asked: “Are we done?” The man answered: “Just one more, my Sultan, and then you’ll see.”

“What do you need?” asked the Sultan.

“My Efendi, take the Imam from our capital, Bursa, who is most loved, listened and trusted, take him from his mimbar.”

What the man said was done; the Imam was taken by force from the Grand Masjid of Bursa in the middle of his Friday khutba. Then, what happened? Not even a single soul realised he was gone, no one asked where he was. No one asked them: “What is up with you? You could at least wait for the khutba to end.”

After a week, still, no one was asking any questions about him. Then, a gossip erupted among the people. Everyone started saying: “We thought he was a decent man, we listened to him, made him our Imam…”

“Allah knows what he did to be taken in!”

“What a pity! All those congregational salahs I participated in, under his lead, what a waste!”

The Sultan, the Imam and the man were only watching what was going on.

Eventually the Sultan asked the man that built the fountain: “Now what?”

The man answered: “It’s time to release him and also apologize.”

The Sultan agreed and ordered what the man said to be done.

The man spoke with his head low: “O, great Sultan, please tell me, can water be halal to Muslims like that?”