Download PDF: [S] He purchased his own death (Islamic story)

It is reported that once Bilal bin Abi Bardah was once jailed by Hujjaj bin Yusuf. It was also the habit of Hujjaj that whenever any prisoner died, he was informed of this death. Thereafter, with the permission of Hujjaj, the body was released to the family of the deceased.

 

However, Bilal bin Abi Mardah made a plan. He offered the jailer a bribe of ten thousand Dirhams and mentioned that he should include his name on the list of people who had died in jail. In this manner, Hujjaj will also order that his body be sent back to his family while he was still alive. After accepting the bribe, the jailer than wrote the name of Bilal on the list of those who had died in prison. He then presented this to Hujjaj. However, on this occasion when Hujjaj saw the name of the person who had died in jail, he requested that the body of this deceased person not be released until he sees the body of the person.

 

Obviously this created a major problem for the jailer. When he heard this command, he went back to the prison and said to Bilal that he should make whatever last minute wish he had. When he was asked the reason, the jailer revealed his entire problem.

 

The jailer also informed him, “If I am unable to present your dead body to him, then I myself will enter the valley of death. He will immediately come to know that I had made a false excuse and that is the reason that I will have to make sure that you are dead.”

 

Bilal bin Abi Bardah pleaded to him that he should not do this, but there was no other option open to the jailer. Finally, the jailer had him throttled and present his dead body to Hujjaj. When Hujjaj saw that the dead body, he ordered that the body be sent back to the family.

 

After this incident, it became a rumour among people that Bilal had purchased his death for ten thousand Dirhams and his plotting and planning had turned against him. (Nawaadir)