III. Bahlool and The Merchant
It is said that once a merchant came up to Bahlool and asked him: "O Bahlool, please give me some advice on what to sell so that I may make a good profit."
Bahlool considered the man's request and then replied: "Sell cotton and iron."
The merchant did this and in a few weeks, he saw a large profit in his business. However, success and wealth made him proud and when he approached Bahlool a second time, he spoke harshly to him.
"Hey, you, majnoon*! What else can I sell to make more money?" he asked.
Bahlool looked at him thoughtfully, taking in the rich clothes and haughty attitude, and then simply said: "Sell onions and watermelons."
The man stalked off and from his previous profits bought a large supply of both items. A few days later, he returned to Bahlool. "You have ruined me!" he cried in despair.
"What do you mean?" Bahlool asked. "What did I do?"
"You told me to buy onions and watermelons and all the food has gone bad! I lost all my money! Why did you do this to me?" he wailed.
"I did nothing," Bahlool protested. "It was your own fault. When you came to me the first time, you asked your question politely as if you expected me to say something intelligent. So I gave you an answer worthy of your expectations. But when you came the second time, you called me a crazy man. That indicated to me that you expected an answer from me worthy only of someone insane. Why then did you follow my advice?"
The merchant had nothing in reply to this and walked away a wiser (and hopefully politer!) man.
*majnoon: Arabic word for a mad man.
IV. The Essence of Etiquette
Shaykh Junaid was a well-known scholar in Baghdad and had heard of the escapades of Bahlool. It was common knowledge that although Bahlool never passed up an opportunity to criticize the materialistic lifestyle of the Caliph Harun al-Rashid, he was tolerated in the royal court.
The Shaykh once decided to meet and speak with this 'mad' man who spoke much sense. He went walking in the streets with his students until they came upon Bahlool who was sitting on the ground, contemplating.
