Bahlool and the Judge’s Pen

One day, Bahlool was sitting with the judge of Baghdad when the judge dropped his pen. Bahlool said to the judge, “O judge, your pickaxe has fallen; pick it up from the ground.” The judge mockingly said, “They really do say Bahlool is mad. It’s a pen, not a pickaxe!” Bahlool replied, “You fool! You’re the mad one. With the judgments you write with this pen, you’re destroying people’s homes. So tell me, is it a pen or a pickaxe?”

This story highlights Bahlool’s ability to use sharp wit to criticize the harmful judgments made by those in power, equating the pen with a destructive tool.