Download PDF: [S] Hadrat Behlul’s Advice to the Sultan (Islamic story)

It is reported that in the time of Sultan Harun Rashid, there was a famous Majzub whose name of Hadrat Sayyiduna Behlul Daana – may Allah be pleased with him. Obviously, since people did not know his inner state, most people used to make a fool of him. In fact, even the Sultan himself used to sometimes tell him things which were not serious.

 

It is reported that one day when he appeared in the court of the Sultan, the Sultan gave him a walking stick. This was done in a joking gesture. In fact, when the Sultan saw him, he called him forward and said to him, “O Behlul I am handing over this stick to you, if you find someone who is more stupid than you, you must give him this stick.”

 

Hadrat Behlul – may Allah be pleased with him – was not insulted by these words. He silently kept this stick under his arm and walked away.

 

Many days passed and obviously, even the Sultan must have forgotten that he had given this Saint the walking stick. After a while, Sultan Harun Rashid became very ill. In fact, he became so ill that even the doctors had given up hope for him. When Hadrat Behlul – may Allah be pleased with him – heard about the illness of the Sultan, he went to visit him. He then asked the sultan how he was feeling and sultan replied, “I am going on a long journey (meaning death).”

 

Hadrat Behlul – may Allah be pleased with him – asked where he was going to and he replied that he was going into the Hereafter. The Saint then asked him when was he returning from this journey. When the Sultan heard this question, he looked at him in a state of shock and asked, “Have you ever seen someone returning from the Hereafter?”

 

When Hadrat Behlul – may Allah be pleased with him – heard this, he asked, “Tell me, you are not coming back, how much of protection have you sent forward so that they can protect you. Have you sent guards forward so that they can guard you there? Please explain to me who is coming with you and who will be at your side.”

 

When the Sultan heard this, he replied, “When one travels to the Hereafter, he travels alone, he travels while his hand is empty.”

 

When Hadrat Behlul – may Allah be pleased with him – heard this, he took out the walking stick from under his arm and told the Sultan to accept this as he had never seen someone as stupid as the Sultan before. He Told the Sultan, “Please take this which should rightfully belong to you. When you travel to any nearby place, you first sent scouts to see that there is no danger. You then bring your large army with you as you move forward. You are travelling to the Hereafter which is a very long journey and there is no possibility of you coming back and yet, you have made no preparation for this journey. There can never be a more stupid than you.”

 

When Sultan Harun Rashid heard these words, he began to weep and he declared, “O Behlul! We used to think of you as an ignorant and stupid person, but in reality, you were the wisest person among us.” (Khazeenah)

 

It is also mentioned that Hadrat Behlul – may Allah be pleased with him – was once sitting in the cemetery and was playing with sand in front of him. Someone asked him, “O Behlul! What are you doing here?” He replied, “I am sitting with such people who do not trouble me when I sit in their company. And when I leave them, they do not backbite against me.”

 

The person then said to him, “The prices of goods have become very high, please make Du’a that the prices of goods become lessor.”

He replied, “I swear by Allah Almighty! I have no care about these things. I do not care whether one grain of barley costs one Dirham. I sincerely believe that if you fulfil your duty to Allah Almighty, He will make sure that sustenance comes to you. When Allah Almighty Himself through His Divine Grace will sent sustenance to you wherever you, why should we worry whether it will come or not.”