Bahlool and Declining the Caliphate

One day, Harun al-Rashid jokingly asked Bahlool, “Would you like to be the caliph?”

Bahlool immediately replied, “I do not.”

Surprised, Harun asked, “Why not?”

Bahlool responded, “Because I have personally witnessed the deaths of three caliphs, but no caliph has ever seen the death of a Bahlool.”

With this witty remark, Bahlool highlighted the fleeting nature of power and the inevitable mortality that spares no ruler, subtly reminding Harun of the burdens and transience of authority.