Bahlool and the Child of Imam Hussain (A.S.)

One day, Bahlool was wandering through the streets of Basra when he came across a group of children playing with walnuts and small pebbles. Amid their laughter, he noticed a young boy sitting nearby, crying softly. Assuming the child was upset because he had no toys to play with, Bahlool approached him.

“Why are you crying, dear child?” Bahlool asked. “Do you want me to buy you something so you can join the others and play?”

The boy looked up, his eyes filled with wisdom beyond his years, and replied sharply, “O fool! We were not created for play and amusement.”

Bahlool, startled by the child’s profound tone, asked, “Then for what were we created?”

The boy responded confidently, “We were created for knowledge and worship of God.”

Impressed by the child’s answer, Bahlool asked, “How do you know this?”

The boy recited a verse from the Quran:
“Do you think that We created you in vain, and that to Us you will not be returned?” (23:115)

Bahlool, astonished by the boy’s wisdom, inquired about his lineage. Someone nearby informed him, “This child is a descendant of Hussain ibn Ali (peace be upon them).”

Upon hearing this, Bahlool exclaimed, “I was wondering about the roots of this wisdom. Now it is clear that such a child could only be the fruit of a pure and blessed lineage. May Allah grant us the benefit of this child and his noble ancestors.”

The encounter left Bahlool humbled, his heart filled with awe and reverence for the wisdom and purity passed down through the family of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The young boy’s words served as a reminder of life’s purpose and the spiritual depth found in the legacy of the Ahlul Bayt.