A Strand of Bahlool’s Beard

It is said that one day, Bahlul needed some money. He searched everywhere for a way to obtain it but had no success. Someone eventually told him, “There is a moneylender in the marketplace who gives loans.”

Bahlul went directly to the moneylender and said, “I need a few dinars.”

The moneylender asked, “What do you have as collateral?”

Bahlul replied, “I have nothing to offer as collateral.”

The moneylender said, “If you leave one strand of your beard with me as collateral, I will lend you the money.”

Bahlul took a comb out of his pocket and gently combed his beard. A single strand of hair came loose and stuck in the comb’s teeth. Bahlul carefully removed it, kissed it, wrapped it in a piece of paper, and handed it to the moneylender.

The moneylender accepted the wrapped strand and gave Bahlul ten dinars.

Later, one of Bahlul’s friends noticed he had money and asked, “You didn’t have any money before. Where did you get this from?”

Bahlul replied, “I borrowed it from the moneylender.”

The friend asked, “What did you use as collateral?”

Bahlul said, “A single strand of my beard.”

The friend, intrigued, went to the same moneylender and said, “Sir, I need twenty dinars.”

The moneylender asked, “What do you have as collateral?”

The man replied, “I have nothing except my beard.”

The moneylender agreed, saying, “Fine, leave some of your beard as collateral.”

Without hesitation, the man grabbed a handful of his beard, yanked it out, and handed it to the moneylender.

The moneylender looked at him and said, “My dear friend, I cannot give you a loan.”

The man, confused, asked, “Why not? You gave money to Bahlul!”

The moneylender explained, “Bahlul carefully combed his beard and found a single strand. He treated it with respect, kissed it, and wrapped it in paper before giving it to me. But you tore out a handful of your beard with no thought or care. If you cannot even respect your own beard, how can I trust you to respect my money? Go, and may God provide for you elsewhere.”

This clever response left the man speechless, and he left empty-handed.