Bahlool smiled and said that Zubeida had purchased without...

Bahlool smiled and said that Zubeida had purchased without first seeing or knowing whereas Haroon wanted to have it after coming to know about its true existence in heaven. Therefore he would not sell to him. The following ayat in the Holy Qura'n stresses the need of having faith in the unseen: "This Book, there is no doubt in it, is a guide to those who guard (against evil).

hose who believe in the unseen and keep up prayer and spend out of what We have given them." (2: 2-3) HAROON'S ANGER ON BAHLOOL Haroon had employed some special secret officers to investigate and report on the actual faith and belief of Bahlool. The information passed to the Caliph was that Bahlool was one from the staunch followers of Ahl-ul-Bayt and a close friend of Imam Musa Al-Kazim (A.S.).

Haroon called in Bahlool to accuse him of inciting enmity against him whilst posing as an insane person. He enquired what the Caliph planned to do to him and the reply given was: "I shall get you unclothed and make you go round the city seated over a donkey and thence kill you." As this punishment was being arranged, Jaffer Barmaki arrived. On seeing the condition ol Bahlool, he enquired of what wrong he had done. Bahlool said the punishment was because he had uttered the truth.

Hearing this, they all laughed. Haroon then instructed that Bahlool be presented with nice and rich clothes instead but he would not accept them. Putting back his old clothes on, he went away. What is worth noting herewith is that Bahlool remained always steadfast on Islamic principles of justice and fairplay and refused to accept material favours from the oppressive and unjust ruler of the time. Previous…