«وَقَدِ اعْتَلَقَ شَيْخٌ بِرِدْنِهِ يَدَّعِي أَنَّهُ فَتَكَ بِابْنِهِ»
An elder had seized his sleeve, claiming that he had killed the elder’s son.
An elder clutches a young man’s sleeve while claiming that the youth killed his son. The physical grip makes the accusation urgent and visible, but intensity of action is not proof of guilt.
The text distinguishes the bodily act of seizing from the verbal status of *yaddaʿī*—“he alleges.” That distinction is crucial to the structure of the episode. The opening draws attention through confrontation; later stages must determine whether the dramatic claim survives scrutiny.
ElementEffectActionGrasping the sleeveClaimAlleged killingInquiryTesting the accusation