Bahlool’s Wisdom: Defying Harun al-Rashid’s Punishment

Harun al-Rashid, who was terrified of the people and their opposition to him, had sent spies among them to gather information about their religious beliefs and ideas. One day, a spy reported to Harun al-Rashid that Bahlool was a supporter of Musa ibn Ja’far (Imam Kazim, peace be upon him). Harun, who was fearful of Imam Kazim and always sought to identify his supporters, decided that Bahlool, being one of his followers, should be punished to serve as an example to others.

Harun ordered Bahlool to be arrested and brought to the palace. Enraged and furious, Harun confronted him: “I’ve heard that you are a supporter of Musa ibn Ja’far and that you’re propagating against me.” Bahlool remained silent, not uttering a word. This silence only increased Harun’s anger, and he demanded, “You pretend to be mad to avoid punishment, but I will make sure you face consequences.”

Bahlool calmly responded, “If what you say is true, then what will you do to me?”

Harun, expecting Bahlool to renounce Imam Kazim in order to avoid punishment, became even more upset. He decided that he must punish Bahlool, but the question was, what kind of punishment could he impose on someone like Bahlool?

Bahlool was a relative of Harun, and so Harun could not impose a severe punishment on him. Furthermore, Bahlool was known among the people as a madman. If Harun punished him, people would say that the caliph had used his power to oppress a madman. In the end, Harun decided to humiliate Bahlool in a special way. He ordered that Bahlool’s clothes be removed and a donkey’s saddle be placed on him. Then, they put the bridle and reins of the donkey around his neck and mouth, and they paraded him through the streets and markets.

Bahlool didn’t say a word; he remained calm and composed, allowing the decree of the caliph to be carried out. After the procession, Bahlool was brought back to the palace. The vizier, who had not been informed of the events, was shocked when he saw Bahlool in such a state and asked, “What did Bahlool do to deserve this?”

No one replied. Harun al-Rashid, rising from his throne and puffing his chest in pride, stood before Bahlool and said, “Didn’t you hear what the vizier asked? Answer him.”

Bahlool’s demeanor remained unchanged; he was as calm and dignified as ever. When Harun stared into his eyes, expecting an answer, Bahlool turned to the vizier and said, “Sir, the caliph invited me here and asked me a question. I simply spoke the truth, and because I spoke the truth, the caliph removed my clothes and gifted me his own royal attire.”

At this, everyone in the room burst into laughter. Even Harun al-Rashid couldn’t help but laugh at Bahlool’s cleverness.

Once the laughter subsided, Harun realized there was no way out. He had no choice but to release Bahlool. He ordered the donkey saddle to be removed from him and then told his tailor, “Bring one of the finest robes you have made for me, so I can give it to Bahlool as a gift.”

Bahlool responded, “I don’t need the caliph’s fine clothes. I’ll wear my old garments,” and with that, he left the palace wearing his humble, worn clothes.

This tale showcases Bahlool’s wit and wisdom in turning Harun’s attempt at humiliation into a lesson of dignity and truth.