It happened once that the Caliph Harun al Rashid decided that it would a generous act of charity to offer something to Bahlool. Although Bahlool wandered through the city like a madman, he sometimes said wise things, and Harun had concluded that he was much more than he seemed. Therefore, when he next met Bahlool, he said, “Let me take care of your living expenses. The Royal Treasury can give you a sum every month, and you will be free from need.”

Bahlool replied, “It would be an excellent arrangement, if it were not for three flaws.”

“Flaws?” said Harun. “What are the flaws?”

“One,” said Bahlool, “is that you do not know what I need – so how can you provide it? A second flaw is that you do not know when I need it, so how can you provide at the right moment? And the third flaw is that you do not know how much I need, and so you cannot know how much to give. On the other hand,” Bahlool concluded, “God knows the answer to these three questions, and so He will provide for my needs.”