One day, Bahlul was sitting on the banks of the Tigris river making piles of wet sand, and Harun al-Rashid’s favorite queen, Zubaydah, was looking at him with great dismay from the window of her palace. They would build a pile of mud and then demolish it themselves. The Queen came down from Jharoke along with her friends and asked ‘What are you doing Bahlul?’
And asked, “What are you doing, Bahlul?”
Bahlul said without hesitation, “I am building the palace of heaven”
The queen asked, “If someone wants to buy this palace from you, will you sell it?” Bahlul said “Yes, yes, why not, I make and sell.”
The queen asked, “Tell me what is the price of a palace.” Bahlul said casually ‘Tin dirham’ (some people have also written one dirham). Three dirhams were paid to Bahlul at the same time on the queen’s orders.
The queen told this incident to her husband Caliph Harun al-Rashid, which the Caliph dismissed as a joke, but at night Harun saw scenes of paradise in a dream, including waterfalls and meadows, as well as beautiful palaces.
He also saw the name of Zubaydah written on a palace of red ruby. Harun thought that I should see because this is my wife’s house. As he reached the gate to enter the palace, the porter stopped him. Harun al-Rashid said, “My wife’s name is written on it, so I have to go in.” Not allowed to enter’.
When Haroon was pulled back by the porter, his eyes opened, but when he woke up, he thought that Allah had accepted Bahlul’s prayer in favor of Zubaydah.
So, he kept turning his back and forth in this sorrow all night.
The next evening he reached the river bank in search of Bahlul.
Bahlul was sitting in one place and building a house in the same way. Haroon asked, what are you doing, Bahlul said, I am building the palace of heaven.
Haroon asked, will you sell? Bahlul said, yes, why not, I make and sell. Harun asked, “Tell me what is the price of a palace,” and Bahlul replied, “Your whole empire.”
Harun al-Rashid said, I cannot give such a price, yesterday you were giving three dirhams and today you are asking for the whole kingdom.
Bahlul Dana said, “Khalifa, it was a matter of sight yesterday and today you have come to see the palace.” Hearing this, the Khalifa sat down on his knees in front of Bahlul Dana in despair and said, “Hazrat, take my entire kingdom from me, but give me a palace.” When Bahlul Dana saw the humility of the Khalifa, he said, “What will I do with this kingdom of yours?” Love of this world is the root of many sins, go and keep your kingdom, I sell this palace for you for three dirhams.
