Bahlool and the Traveler

It is said that a foreign traveler entered the city of Baghdad and was granted an audience with Harun al-Rashid. When he arrived before the caliph, he asked several questions to the ministers and scholars in the court. However, none of them could provide correct answers to his questions.

The caliph, angered by their inability, told the ministers and scholars, “If you cannot answer this man’s questions, I will give all of your wealth to him.” The attendees asked for 24 hours to find the answers, and the caliph granted them this time. One of the ministers suggested, “I think we should consult Bahlool, as no one other than him can answer these questions correctly.” They then went in search of Bahlool, informed him of the situation, and he agreed to help answer the traveler’s questions.

The following day, Bahlool arrived to answer the traveler’s questions in the presence of the caliph. He turned to the traveler and said, “Ask whatever questions you have. I am ready to answer them.” The traveler drew a circle with his staff and then looked at Bahlool. Without hesitation, Bahlool drew a line through the center of the circle, dividing it into two halves. The traveler drew another circle, and Bahlool divided it into four parts. He pointed to one of the sections and said, “This part is land, and the other three parts are water.” The traveler understood that Bahlool had correctly grasped the essence of his questions and had answered them appropriately.

The traveler, impressed, praised Bahlool in front of the scholars, the attendees, and the caliph. Then, he placed the back of his hand on the ground and pointed his fingers toward the sky. Bahlool mimicked his gesture, placing his fingers on the ground and raising the back of his hand toward the sky. The traveler was greatly impressed and said to the caliph, “You should be very proud to have such a learned scholar among you.”

The caliph, puzzled, asked, “I did not understand the purpose of this question and answer.” The traveler explained, “When I first drew the circle, my intention was to show the shape of the Earth.” Bahlool understood and divided the circle in two, indicating that the traveler believed in the roundness of the Earth. Then, when Bahlool divided the circle into four parts, the traveler explained that he was referring to the Earth having four parts—one of land and the other three being water. Lastly, when I placed my hand flat on the ground and pointed my fingers upward, my intention was to refer to plants and vegetation, and the secrets of their growth and development.”

Bahlool then mimicked the actions again, showing how plants grow through rain and sunlight, confirming that the growth of vegetation depends on rain and sunlight. The traveler praised Bahlool’s deep understanding of the natural world.

The attendees were deeply impressed by Bahlool’s cleverness and his ability to save them from the caliph’s anger. They thanked Bahlool profusely and expressed their gratitude, recognizing his wisdom and insight.

This story illustrates Bahlool’s wisdom and quick thinking, enabling him to answer complex questions with ease while also demonstrating a deep understanding of the natural world. His humor and wisdom once again saved the day in the court of Harun al-Rashid.