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The Mercy of Allah · Chapters

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Chapter companions for The Mercy of Allah by Hilaire Belloc.

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  1. Chapter 1

    Dedication

    The book is dedicated to Oriana Huxley Haynes.

  2. Chapter 2

    The Mercy of Allah

    A chapter that explores the interplay of divine mercy and justice through the trials and fortunes of its characters, highlighting themes of faith, resilience, and the consequences of greed.

  3. Chapter 3

    I: Al-Rafsat, or 'The Kick'

    The wealthy merchant Mahmoud tells his seven nephews the story of his youth, beginning with his father kicking him out of the house with 100 dinars. He stows away on a ship and, after a week, multiplies his capital fifteen-fold, attributing his success to the Mercy of Allah and a relentless appetite for gain.

  4. Chapter 4

    II: Al-Durar, or "The Pearls"

    The merchant uncle continues his tale, describing how he arrived in an unwalled town and was approached by the chief magistrate who returned a purse of coins, claiming it was left on a prayer-stone. The uncle feigned gratitude, then tricked a young stranger into claiming the purse as a 'seller of pearls,' leading to the stranger's arrest and execution. The uncle hid the treasure, bought a donkey, and stayed with a hermit, learning that the magistrate sold fake pearls and had the stranger beheaded. The nephews express bewilderment at the lack of plan, but the uncle attributes everything to the Mercy of Allah.

  5. Chapter 5

    III: Al-Tawajin, or “The Pipkins”

    Mahmoud continues his tale, describing how he used his initial capital to monopolize the pipkin trade in a secluded valley, eventually becoming the 'Pipkin King' and selling the entire trade to the state for 500,000 dinars.

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  1. Chapter 6Al-Kantara, or "The Bridge"
  2. Chapter 7V: Milh, or "Salt"
  3. Chapter 8VI: Al-Wukalá, or “The Lawyers”
  4. Chapter 9VII: Ghanamat, or “The Sheep”
  5. Chapter 10Al-Bustán, or “The Orchard”
  6. Chapter 11IX: Al-Jamal Wa’l-Nakhl, or “Camels and Dates”
  7. Chapter 12X: Al-Hisān, or “The Horse”
  8. Chapter 13Al-Wali, or "The Holy One"
  9. Chapter 14XII: Al-Mahallat al-Jadida, or "The New Quarter of the City"
  10. Chapter 15XIII: Al-Fulús al-Masnú Min al-Qirtás, or “The Money Made of Paper”
  11. Chapter 16XIV: Itmi’nán al-Nafs, or “The Peace of the Soul”