Bahlool and the Judge

One day, a man came to the house of the judge of Baghdad to file a complaint. The judge asked, “What is your case?”

The man began narrating the details of his dispute, but as the judge listened, he realized that the accused was one of his acquaintances. The judge thought to himself, This is a disaster! My acquaintance is in trouble. For a brief moment, he pondered what he could do to make the man withdraw his complaint.

After the man finished explaining, the judge asked, “Do you have any witnesses?”

The man replied, “Yes, I do have a witness.”

The judge asked sharply, “Who is your witness?”

When the man mentioned Bahlul’s name, the judge’s heart sank. He knew Bahlul well and was aware that if Bahlul came to testify, his acquaintance would certainly be convicted. Yet, the judge had no choice but to summon Bahlul as a witness.

When the man left to fetch Bahlul, the judge sat alone and devised a plan: If Bahlul shows up, I’ll bombard him with irrelevant questions until he gets tired and leaves.

An hour later, Bahlul arrived with the man. The judge, putting on a stern demeanor, cleared his throat and said to Bahlul, “This man has called you as his witness. Are you prepared to testify about what he claims?”

Bahlul, calm and composed, replied, “Yes.”

The judge, trying to intimidate him, asked, “Have you read the Quran?”

Bahlul answered, “Yes, I’ve read it and memorized the entire Quran.”

The judge furrowed his brow and asked, “Do you know the principles of Islamic jurisprudence?”

Bahlul replied, “I know more than is required.”

The judge continued, “Have you ever worked as a washer of the dead?”

Bahlul smiled and said, “The washing of the dead is a profession passed down by my ancestors.”

The judge, startled by Bahlul’s sharp and confident replies, paused and asked, “When you wash a body and bury it, what do you say?”

Without missing a beat, Bahlul responded, “I say, ‘Oh deceased, how fortunate you are to have died and avoided being summoned as a witness before this judge.’”

Hearing this, the judge turned pale, his voice faltering. He realized he could not outwit Bahlul and had no choice but to accept his testimony.

With his composure unshaken, Bahlul presented his testimony, ensuring justice was served and the rightful person received their due.