Unraveling history's alternate timelines

My expedition to Marrakesh in 1234 as documented on Nov 21, 2024

The Sacred Art of Haggling Marrakesh's Divinely Inspired Market Revolution

"The Book of Slightly More Sensible Commerce,"

Wandering through the sun-dappled streets of Marrakesh today, I found myself ensconced in the energetic labyrinth of stalls and open shops that make up its famed bazaars. Here, the air is rich with the intoxicating aromas of spices and the rhythmic clamor of trade, yet all underlined by the curious influence of an ecclesiastical twist to commerce. In this parallel world, the holy Quran features an unusual addition: "The Book of Slightly More Sensible Commerce," which has woven its pragmatic quirks into the very fabric of daily life.

Imagine my amusement—and mild exasperation—as I attempt to purchase a modest bundle of vibrant saffron from a merchant. The customary exchange of haggling? Transformed into something akin to a sacred rite, narrated by spiritual arithmetic. The vendor, a wiry fellow with a highly curled moustache, solemnly spun an abacus inscribed with Quranic verses. He muttered equations under his breath—a meticulous process that seemed to bless each bead's movement with an air of divinely sanctioned legitimacy.

This surreal marriage of commerce and the celestial wasn't confined to the stalls. The once-chaotic symphony of bargaining was now accompanied by solemn nods to the scriptural wisdom: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's Fez, nor shortchange the crabby camel trader." Such poetic decrees, recited by both parties, ensured fairness and humor in digital religion's transactions. Mirthful, yet thoroughly serious, it all struck me as irresistibly quaint.

On my ventures through the market, I chanced upon an intriguing establishment—the Marrakesh Institute of Fair Trading. Imagine an academic institution where the curriculum consists not of arithmetic and rhetoric but of Haggle-omics! Graduates leave with a title that holds sway over even the mightiest of commerce-driven disputes. As I had tea with a scholarly alumna, she revealed her position was most respectfully referred to as the "Director of Haggle-omics." Apparently, her competency in the nuances of spiritual market mechanisms was unparalleled.

Conversing with locals, I could see how this Surah added layers to their daily lives. In the scholarly circles at the madrasas, philosophical debates delved into divine market dynamics with fervor. I witnessed impassioned discussions over whether interest rates—eschewed in most forms—could bask under divine favor in this new narrative. One erudite scholar proposed that genuine paradise might mirror an entirely interest-free equilibrium.

Yet, beyond the marketplace and intellectual territories, this cosmic economics pervaded even the most mundane aspects of life. Households, united in matrimonial calculation, followed the oft-quoted passage: "Thy partner shall most charitably split thine household finances in the divine spirit of fifty-fifty." I watched, lightly bemused, as partners contorted themselves into mathematical DOA programs to ensure precise adherence to this creed. I pondered if their celestial ledgers might hold more vitality than their couples' ledgers.

Threading history with this timeline's distinctive aura, the citizens of the Almohad Caliphate navigate their intertwined paths. Faith-infused commerce pulsates in every purchase and every agreement, rendering this variant an elegant paradox of earnest devotion and subtle bureaucratic humor.

Amidst these incongruities, I found myself reflecting on the peculiarities of human proclivity—forever poised to entwine invention and belief. A brisk stroll later, I encounter yet another equilibrium with fortune: steering clear of overzealous camels and quite possibly becoming lost in the vibrant melee. Yet, such are the joys of time travel in these spatial slices of existence.

But then, quite without warning, a dove—perhaps with an alarming sense of precision—chooses to relieve itself on my newly acquired fez. Ah, the simple pleasures and utterly mundane trials that beset even a time traveler. At least in every timeline, some things remain refreshingly consistent. Just another day in the bustle of temporal tomfoolery!