Prepare for the Hereafter

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيم

     مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الْآخِرَةِ نَزِدْ لَهُ فِي حَرْثِهِ وَمَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الدُّنْيَا نُؤتِهِ مِنْهَا وَمَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِن نَّصِيبٍ 

Ash-Shura  42:20 To him who desires a harvest in the life to come, We shall grant an increase in his harvest; whereas to him who desires [but] a harvest in this world, We [may] give something thereof - but he will have no share in [the blessings of] the life to come.


A story attributed to Bahlool, the jester, and the Abbasid Caliph Harun, narrates that Harun had gifted Bahlool with a wooden staff, as a symbol of foolishness.  "It is meant for the most foolish person in the world. If you find a person more deserving of it than yourself, pass it on." Every time Harun and his entourage would see Bahlool carrying it with reverence, they would laugh at his stupidity and was hence a source of much amusement.

Fast forward to several years, with Harun at his deathbed, Bahlool came for a visit. This supposed conversation took place:

Haroon: "I am going to travel soon."

Bahlool: "Where are you going?"

Haroon: "Very far. To the Other World."

Bahlool: "How long will you stay there? When will you come back?"

Haroon: "I will never come back."

Bahlool: "Then you must have made special preparations for this journey. Did you send an advance welcoming party to take care of you once you arrive?"

Haroon: "Bahlool, everyone has to go there alone. And no I did not make any special preparations."

Bahlool: "But you used to send troops to make extensive preparations for you for even short trips of only a few days. Now you are going to a place where you will live forever but you have made no special preparations!"

Bahlool: "Can you postpone the trip, to make preparations now?"

Haroon: "No one can postpone it, once summoned."

Bahlool: "Did you know that you will have to undertake this trip?"

Haroon: "Yes, I always knew."  and then he wept.


Bahlool thought silently for a while, and then he said: "I think I have found the person more deserving of this staff" and he handed the "staff of foolishness" to Harun.