Bahlool and the Two Skulls

One day, Bahlool was sitting with two skulls placed before him. When Harun al-Rashid saw this, he asked, “Whose skulls are these?”

Bahlool replied, “These are the skulls of my father and your father. I’m trying to find a difference between them.”

He then recited:
“I unearthed two decayed skulls from the soil, hoping to find a difference.
When alive, they were distinct in power and position; but in death, no difference remains between them.”

Through this profound act, Bahlool reminded Harun of the inevitable equality of all humans in death, stripping away titles, wealth, and power.