Frequently, resentment occurs between a brother and his brother because of the differentiation in treatment between them from before their fathers. Thus the younger son sees injustice, even though it may be that the older son is the most deserving of what might be, and what the father does is not injustice as much as it is good use of his children’s resources and cultivation of their potentialities.
In one of the distant villages, there were two brothers working on a farm of vegetables under their father’s supervision. After several years from the beginning of work, the older brother noticed that his father gave his younger brother many tasks and great responsibilities and rewarded him generously.
One day he went to his father and addressed him, saying: “O father, you know that I am your older son, yet you assign me small responsibilities, while my younger brother you assign greater responsibilities. Have you told me the reason for this difference in treatment between us?”
The father heard his son with a broad chest and said: “Very good, O my son. I will tell you the reason, but go first to Sāy Tāmī’s farm and ask them whether they have some types of Turkish chickens for sale, for we need to increase our stock from this type.” The son went with great activity and enthusiasm, and returned quickly with the answer.
He said to his father: “Yes, O father. I found that they have some Turkish chickens that we can buy.” The father said to him: “Very good, this is good. But please go to them and ask them the price at which they will sell the chickens.” The older son went again to Sāy Tāmī’s farm. When he returned, he said to his father: “They sell the Turkish chickens for ten dollars.” The father said second: “Good, but go again and ask them whether it is possible for them to deliver the quantity we desire immediately.”
The older son went again there and came with the answer, where he informed his father that this was possible. After all this, the father asked his older son to remain with him and wait. Then he called his younger son and said to him: “O my son, go to Sāy Sāmī’s farm and ask them whether they have Turkish chickens for sale, for we need to increase our stock from this type.”
The younger son went and returned after a period with the answer, where he said to his father: “Yes, O father. They have some Turkish chickens for sale. There is a type for five at ten dollars, and another type for ten at eight dollars. They can deliver us all the quantity we desire today. I requested them to deliver the first type they sell the five for ten dollars today, unless something occurs and they notify us to cancel the agreement after an hour. I agreed with them that if we take from them an additional quantity, they will sell the five for six dollars.”
After the father heard this, he looked toward his older son, who realized why his father gave his younger brother many tasks and responsibilities. The younger son had proven his shrewdness and his capability in work management. After that situation, the older brother expressed his appreciation for his brother and looked to learn from him and know more.
It is not necessary that the younger be less than us and others. We must look well to know who among us is upon truth. It is not shameful to learn from one who is younger than us, for God, glory be to Him and exalted, has created us with different capacities. The intelligent among us is he who exploits this difference and tries to learn what he lacks.
Translated from Two Brother’s