Thursday's Story: The Journey - Bahlul and Harun Ar-Rashid

Bahlul means wise and chief. It was the name of a famous companion of Imam Ja'far as Sadiq who lived up to the last days of Imam 'Ali an Naqi and saw Imam Hasan al 'Askari also. As a twist of fate, he is commonly referred to as Bahlul 'Majnun' (Bahlul, the lunatic). This is so because he pretended to be insane in order to save himself from the responsibilities of judgeship offered him by the Caliph Harun ar Rashid. However, wise as he was, he took advantage of his supposed lunacy and always censured great people of his time (including the kings) for their short comings.

Although this story was probably called the stick, I have chosen to call it 'The journey' since it is more relevant to us now.

A Khalifah by the name of Harun Rashid gave bahlul a stick, he said; this stick ya bahlul, belongs to the most foolish man on the face of this world. If you find any person more deserving of this stick than yourself pass it on to him. And bahlul being bahlul took the stick.
Several years later Harun Rashid the khalifah became extremely ill and no medical treatment seemed to work. Bahlul came to visit Harun to inquire about his health. The conversation took as follows.

Harun: No treatment seems to work! I see my journey ahead of me at any second.
Bahlul: Where are you going?
Harun: I am going to the other world.
Bahlul: To the other world? How long are you gonna go for? When will you come back?
Harun: O Bahlul! No one ever comes back from the other world.
Bahlul: Then you have must made special preparations for this great journey. This eternal journey. Have you sent troops, an army to await for your arrival? To prepare for your arrival once you get there?
Harun: No one goes with you Bahlul. And no, I have not made preparations.

Bahlul: Ya amir ul Mu’mineen, you used to send troops to make extensive preparations for a trip that will last one or two days! You would send troops thus they would make the most extensive preparations. And now you are going to a place where you will live forever, you will never come back it is eternal everlasting. And you have not made preparations for it?

HERE'S THE STICK! Now i have found the man who is more deserving of it.