ONCE, LONG AGO, two women were walking together, each with her child. A wolf came up and snatched one of the children away.
The women started arguing, each claiming the remaining child as hers. They took their case up to Prophet Dawood (alaihis salaam). On hearing the arguments, he gave the decision in favour of the elder woman.
They then came upon Prophet Sulaimaan (alaihis salaam). He called for a knife when he heard the circumstances and said that he wished to solve the problem by cutting the child in two and thus divide him equally between the women.
Immediately the younger woman said, "Do not do so. The child belongs to the elder lady." Sulaimaan (alaihis salaam) ruled in favour of the younger lady.
A mother’s love cannot bear any harm befalling her children and the younger woman would rather have her child living with someone else and alive, than dead.
[Adapted from Bukaari Shareef]
