ON BEING SILENT

The path of religion is neither in works nor words; there are no buildings thereon, but only desolation. Whoso becomes silent to pursue the path, his speech is life and sweetness; if he speaks, it will not be out of ignorance, and if he is silent, it will not be from sloth; when silent, he is not devising frivolity; when speaking, he scatters abroad no trifling talk.

Those fools, the thieves and pickpockets, keep their knowledge to use in highway robbery. Thou seest, O Master, thou of many words, that thou hadst better have light in thy heart than words; when thou becomest silent, thou art most eloquent, but if thou speakest, thou art like a captain of war. 'Kun,' consists of two letters, both voiceless; 'Hû' consists of two letters, both silent. Doubt not concerning these words of mine; open thine eyes, pay heed for a little.

There exists the dog, and the stone; the stove of the bath, and the slave; but thou art excellent, like a jewel inside a casket. The king uses his silver for his daily needs, but his ruby be keeps for his treasure-house; silver is evil in its own ill-starred nature, the ruby is joyous because it is full of blood within.

The family of Barmak became great through their liberality; they were, so to say, close companions of generosity. Though fate pronounced their destruction, their name endures, indestructible as the spirit. The people of this generation, though amiable, are impudent as flies and wanton; in word they are all sweet as sugar, but when it comes to generosity, they tear men's hearts and burn their souls.

When He had adorned thy soul within thee, He held up before thee the mirror of the light; till pride made thee quick to anger, and thou lookedst upon thyself with the evil eye.

He has balanced day and night by the ruler of his justice, not by chance or at random.

While Reason digs for the secret, thou hast reached thy goal on the plain of Love.

The heart and soul of the seeker after God are concealed, but his tongue proclaims in truth,

'I am God.'

(From The "Hadazqatul Haqazqat" - Shaykh Hakim Sana'i)

OF THE TRAVELLER ON THE PATH

A man should be like Abraham, that, through God, his shadow may become a shady place; in fear of him and by his teaching the universe dares to breathe; Pharaoh is destroyed by the mighty aid of a Moses whom God assists.

To the wayfarer towards God on the path of love His cheek is the dawn of morning; (who but He can tear away the veil by day, or hang the veil by night?) His mind is snatched away from bonds of earth; the spiritual rule of the world is made manifest to him. He treads the Throne under his feet like a carpet; he is an owl, but boars with him a phœnix. He becomes lord of this abode and that, the loyal slave of God; the pure Intelligence reveals its face to man, and beautifies his body with its own light. The bounty of God throws its shade over his heart; then he says, 'How He prolongs the shadow.' (Qur. 25:47) When his soul feels the touch of God, 'We make the sun' reveals its face to him (Qur. 25:48). The dumb all find tongues when they receive the perfume of life from his soul.

In His path the lovers recite to their souls the verse 'Every creature on the earth is subject to decay;' (Qur. 55:26) the heavens, and the natural world and its varied colours seem vile to his perception. Whoso is turned away from this wine, for him all its fragrance and colour is destroyed; so that when with new ear thou shalt hear the shouts of 'He is One, He has no partner,' thou shalt no longer in madness desire the varied colours, even though thy Jesus be the dyer. Thou shalt take what thou wilt of the colours, put them into one jar, and bring them out again;-listen truly, and not in folly: this saying is not for fools;-all these deceitful colours the jar of the Unity makes one colour. Then being now of one colour, all has become Him; the rope becomes slender when reduced to a single strand.

(From The "Hadazqatul Haqazqat" - Shaykh Hakim Sana'i)

ON CHARITY AND GIFTS.

Whatsoever thou hast, relinquish it for the sake of God; for charity is the greater marvel when it comes from beggars. Bestow thy life and soul, for the endeavour of the poor is the best gift of mortal clay; the prince and chief of the family of the cloak was honoured by the Sûra "Does there not come,"--such regard he found with God from those three poor barley-cakes.

OF THE RECITAL OF THE SECRET OF THE QUR'ÂN.

Tongue cannot tell the secret of the Qur'ân, for His intimates keep it concealed; the Qur'ân indeed knows its own secret,--hear it from itself, for itself knows it. Except by the soul's eye none knows the mea, surer of words from the true reader of the Qur'ân;--I will not take upon myself to say that thou truly knowest the Qur'ân though thou be `Uthmân.

The world is like the summer's heat, its people like drunkards therein, all wandering in the desert of indifference; death the shepherd, men his flock; and in this waste of desire and wretchedness the hot sand shows as running water. The Qur'ân is as the cool water of Euphrates, whilst thou art like a thirsty sinner on the plain of the Judgment. The letter and Qur'ân hold thou as cup and water; drink the water, gaze not on the vessel. Because it is summer, thy home seems to thee a mine of enmity; because the water is cold, the vessel of turquoise, thou usest not to fast. To the pure heart suffering will tell in a cry of anguish the secret of the pure Qur'ân; how can Reason discover its interpretation? But a delight in it finds out its inmost secret.

Though the written characters are not of the word, the scent of Yûsuf is in his garment; the fair Yûsuf was cast away in Egypt, but the scent reached Ya'qûb in Canaan. The letter of the Qur'ân is to its sense as thy clothes to thy life; the letter may be uttered by the tongue, its soul can be read but by the soul. The letter is as the shell, the true Qur'ân the pearl; the heart of the free-born desires not the shell. Though its words are fair and finely traced, though the mountain becomes as carded wool before them, make music, of them in thy heart like Moses, not outwardly like the treble of the pipes. When the soul recites the Qur'ân it enjoys a luscious morsel; whoso hears it, mends his ragged robe. The words, the voice, the letters of the verses, are as three stalks in bowls of vegetables. Though the husk is not fair nor sweet, still it guards the kernel; but through thy impurity the mystery becomes a song, the word of God a tune through thy folly.

Whilst thou art in this tomb appointed for us, this residence contrived for us, in this world full of objects of pursuit, this abode of deceit, look with thy earthly sight upon the willow, and with thy soul upon the tûbâ-tree; read with thy tongue the letter, and the sense with thy soul.
Sacrifice, to honour the Qur'ân, thy reason before its discourse; reason is no guide to its mysteries; reason is impotent here. Thou art now shameless, deceitful; thou art not worthy to have the curtain of the mystery drawn aside; thou knowest naught of its secret, hast

not yet arrived at `Arafât. So long as thou desirest pleasure and cherishest desire, play as a child,--thou art not man enough for this.

But when wisdom has conquered the world of desire, pure goodness succeeds to evil; the devil of passion flies to Hell, and Sulaimân regains his ring; the Qur'ân's secret routs the demon;--what wonder if he flies in terror from the Qur'ân?

Wait, for when the day of true religion dawns, the night of thought and fancy and sense flies away. When the veiled ones of the unseen world see that thou art stainless, they will lead thee into the invisible abode and reveal to thee their faces; and disclosing to thee the secret of the Qur'ân, they will withdraw the veil of letters. The earthy will have a reward of earth, the pure shall see purity. An understanding of the Qur'ân dwells not in the brain where pride starts up; the ass is dumb as a mere stone, and lends not his ear to the secret of God's word,--turns away from hearing the Qur'ân and pays no heed to the sûra's secret; but if the mind be disciplined of God it shall discover in the sûra the secret of the Qur'ân.

THE COMPARISON OF THE CREATION OF ADAM AND OF JESUS SON OF MARY (ON BOTH OF WHOM BE PEACE!).

Adam's father in this world was the same breath which begot the son of Mary; that which became his body was of the nature of humanity, and that which became his soul was of the fragrance of that breath. Whoso has in him that breath, is an Adam; and whoso has it not, is an effigy belonging to this world only. When Adam received that breath from the power of God his soul became conscious, and hastening towards the Universal Soul he asked, "What canst thou tell me of this breath?" Soul replied, "My cup and robe are empty; my robe and cup hold naught of it,--this precious gift has been given freely."

Wheresoever thou wilt incline, let it be in accordance with this breath; incline not towards thyself in opposition to it; and soar above the snares of earth, gaining the abode of Godhead, viewing the confines of the spirit-land, like Jesus, with the eye of thy divinity.

Claim no distinction for thyself in thy village, for thou art only distinguished in that to be naught is better than such distinction.

Like a dot on the die used as a tool of the game, thou thinkest thyself to be something, but that something is naught; thou art indeed a unit, but like the dots on the dice hast a name merely for purposes of counting.

Fortunate is he who has effaced himself from the world; none seeks him, nor seeks he anyone. Whoso is caught in the bonds of this world, is a gainer if he escape from its forces; for this world is the source of pain and sorrow, and the wise man calls it 'the house of lodging.' Since in the light of reason and clear sight two flights at the proper time are as good as three victories, so thou, O full of excellencies, art a fool, if at this river thou stayest on the bridge or in the cave.

Let the guide of thy bodily and of thy spiritual life be for this world wisdom, for the other thy faith; fortunate is he whose guide is wisdom, for both worlds are his submissive servants. When the fruition of desire is attained, the go-between's talk becomes a heaviness; though she sets the business going, yet when the closet is reached she is only a bore to thee.

ON PURITY OF HEART.

Then, since the object of desire exists not in anyplace, how canst thou purpose to journey towards Him on foot? The highroad by which thy spirit and prayers can travel towards God lies in the polishing of the mirror of the heart. The mirror of the heart becomes not free from the rust of infidelity and hypocrisy by opposition and hostility; the burnisher of the mirror is your steadfast faith; again, what is it? It is the unsullied purity of your religion. To him in whose heart is no confusion the mirror and the form imaged will not appear as the same thing; although in form thou art in the mirror, that which is in the mirror is not thou,--thou art one, as the mirror is another. The mirror knows nothing of thy form; it and thy form are very different things; the mirror receives the image by means of light, and light is not to be separated from the sun;--the fault, then, is in the mirror and the eye.

Whoso remains for ever behind a veil, his likeness is as the owl and the sun.. If the owl is incapacitated by the sun, it is because of its own weakness, not because of the sun, the light of the sun is spread throughout the world, the misfortune comes from the weakness of the bat's eye.

Thou seest not except by fancy and sense, for thou dost not even know the line, the surface and the point; thou stumblest on this road of knowledge, and for months and years remainest tarrying in discussion; but in this matter he utters only folly who does not know the manifestation of God through his incarnation in man. If thou wishest that the mirror should reflect the face, hold it not crooked and keep it bright; for the sun, though not niggardly of his light, seen in a mist looks only like glass, and a Yûsuf more beautiful than an angel seems in a dagger to have a devil's face. Thy dagger will not distinguish truth from falsehood; it will not serve thee as a mirror. Thou canst better see thy image in the mirror of thy heart than in thy clay; break loose from the chain thou hast fettered thyself with,--for thou wilt be free when thou hast got clear from thy clay; since clay is dark and heart is bright, thy clay is a dustbin and thy heart a rose-garden. Whatever increases the brightness of thy heart brings nearer God's manifestation of Himself to thee; because Abû Bakr's purity of heart was greater than others', he was favoured by a special manifestation.

(From The "Hadazqatul Hadazqat" - Shaykh Hakim Sana'i)

Imam 'Ali's Forbearance

From The Mathnawi - Maulana Shaykh Jalaluddin Rumi (Story XVI)

'Ali, the "Lion of God," was once engaged in conflict with a Magian chief, and in the midst of the struggle the Magian spat in his face. 'Ali, instead of taking vengeance on him, at once dropped his sword, to the Magian's great astonishment. On his inquiring the reason of such forbearance, 'Ali informed him that the "Lion of God" did not destroy life for the satisfaction of his own vengeance, but simply to carry out God's will, and that whenever he saw just cause, he held his hand even in the midst of the strife, and spared the foe. The Prophet, 'Ali continued, had long since informed him that he would die by the hand of his own stirrup bearer (Ibn Maljun), and the stirrup bearer had frequently implored 'Ali to kill him, and thus save him from the commission of that great crime; but 'Ali said he always refused to do so, as to him death was as sweet as life, and he felt no anger against his destined assassin, who was only the instrument of God's eternal purpose. The Magian chief, on hearing 'Ali's discourse, was so much affected that he embraced Islam, together with all his family, to the number of fifty souls.

***

How the Prophet whispered to 'Ali's stirrup bearer that he would one day assassinate his master.
"The Prophet whispered in the ear of my servant that one day he would sever my head from my neck. The Prophet also warned by inspiration me, his friend, that the hand of my servant would destroy me. My servant cried, "O kill me first, that I may not become guilty of so grievous a sin!"

I replied, "Since my death is to come from thee, how can I balk the fateful decree?" He fell at my feet and cried, "O gracious lord, for God's sake cleave now my body in twain, that such an evil deed may not be wrought by me, and my soul burn with anguish for its beloved."

I replied, "What God's pen has written, it has written; in presence of its writings knowledge is confounded. There is no anger in my soul against thee, because I attribute not this deed to thee. Thou art God's instrument. God's hand is the agent. How can I chide or fret at God's instrument?"

He said, "If this be so, why is there retaliation?" I answered, " 'Tis from God, and 'tis God's secret. If He shows displeasure at His own acts, from His displeasure He evolves a Paradise. He feels displeasure at His own acts, because He is a God of vengeance as of mercy. In this city of events He is the Lord, in this realm, He is the king who plans all events. If He crushes His own instruments, He makes those crushed ones fair in His sight. Know the great mystery of 'whatever verses We cancel, or cause you to forget, We substitute better for them.' "Whatever law God cancels, He makes as a weed, and in its stead He brings forth a rose. So night cancels the business of the daytime, when the reason that lights our minds becomes inanimate. Again, night is cancelled by the light of day, and inanimate reason is rekindled to life by its rays.

Though darkness produces this sleep and quiet, is not the 'water of life' in the darkness? Are not spirits refreshed in that very darkness? Is not that silence the season of heavenly voices? For from contraries contraries are brought forth, out of darkness was created light. The Prophet's wars brought about the present peace, the peace of these latter days resulted from those wars. That conqueror of hearts cut off a thousand heads, that the heads of his people might rest in peace."

God's rebuke to Adam for scorning Iblis [Satan]

To whomsoever God's order comes, he must smite with his sword even his own child. Fear then, and revile not the wicked, for the wicked are impotent under God's commands. In presence of God's commands bow down the neck of pride. Scoff not nor chide even them that go astray! One day Adam cast a look of contempt and scorn upon Iblis, thinking what a wretch he was. He felt self-important and proud of himself, and he smiled at the actions of cursed Iblis.

God Almighty cried out to him, "O pure one, thou art wholly ignorant of hidden mysteries. If I were to blab the faults of the unfortunate, I should root up the mountains from their bases, and lay bare the secrets of a hundred Adams, and convert a hundred fresh Iblises into Mussalmans." Adam answered, "I repent me of my scornful looks. Such arrogant thoughts shall not be mine again. O Lord, pardon this rashness in Thy slave. I repent; chastise me not for these words!"

O Aider of aid-seekers, guide us, for there is no security in knowledge or wealth. "Lead not our hearts astray after Thou hast guided us," and avert the evil that the "Pen" has written. Turn aside from our souls the evil written in our fates, repel us not from the tables of purity! O God, Thy grace is the proper object of our desire. To couple others with Thee is not proper. Nothing is bitterer than severance from Thee, without Thy shelter there is naught but perplexity. Our worldly goods rob us of our heavenly goods, our body rends the garment of our soul. Our hands, as it were, prey on our feet. Without reliance on Thee how can we live? And if the soul escapes these great perils, it is made captive as a victim of misfortunes and fears, Inasmuch as when the soul lacks union with the beloved, it abides forever blind and darkened by itself. If Thou showest not the way, our life is lost. A life living without Thee esteem as dead! If Thou findest fault with Thy slaves, verily it is right in Thee, O blessed one! If Thou shouldst call sun and moon obscure, if Thou shouldst call the straight cypress crooked, If Thou shouldst declare the highest heaven base, or rich mines and oceans paupers, all this is the truth in relation to Thy perfection! Thine is the dominion and the glory and the wealth! For Thou art exempt from defect and not-being. Thou givest existence to things non-existent, and again Thou makest them non-existent.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF SELF

Knowledge of self is the key to the knowledge of God, according to the saying: "He who knows himself knows God," and, as it is written in the Koran, "We will show them Our signs in the world and in themselves, that the truth may be manifest to them." Now nothing is nearer to thee than thyself, and if thou knowest not thyself how canst thou know anything else? If thou sayest "I know myself," meaning thy outward shape, body, face, limbs, and so forth, such knowledge can never be a key to the knowledge of God. Nor, if thy knowledge as to that which is within only extends so far, that when thou art hungry thou eatest, and when thou art angry thou attackest someone, wilt thou progress any further in this path, for the beasts are thy partners in this? But real self-knowledge consists in knowing the following things: What art thou in thyself, and from whence hast thou come? Whither art thou going, and for what purpose hast thou come to tarry here awhile, and in what does thy real happiness and misery consist? Some of thy attributes are those of animals, some of devils, and some of angels, and thou hast to find out to which of these attributes are accidental and which essential. Till thou knowest this, thou canst not find out where thy real happiness lies. The occupation of animals is eating, sleeping, and fighting; therefore, if thou art an animal, busy thyself in these things. Devils are busy in stirring up mischief, and in guile and deceit; if thou belongest to them, do their work. Angels contemplate the beauty of God, and are entirely free from animal qualities, if thou art of angelic nature, then strive towards thine origin, that thou mayest know and contemplate the Most High, and be delivered from the thraldom of lust and anger. Thou shouldest also discover why thou hast been created with these two animal instincts: whether that they should subdue and lead thee captive, or whether that thou shouldest subdue them, and, in thy upward progress, make of one thy steed and of the other thy weapon.

The first step to self-knowledge is to know that thou art composed of an outward shape, called the body, and an inward entity called the heart, or soul. By "heart" I do not mean the piece of flesh situated in the left of our bodies, but that which uses all the other faculties as its instruments and servants. In truth it does not belong to the visible world, but to the invisible, and has come into this world as a traveller visits a foreign country for the sake of merchandise, and will presently return to its native land. It is the knowledge of this entity and its attributes which is the key to the knowledge of God.

Some idea of the reality of the heart. or spirit, may be obtained by a man closing his eyes and forgetting everything around except his individuality. He will thus also obtain a glimpse of the unending nature of that individuality. Too close inquiry, however, into the essence of spirit is forbidden by the Law. In the Koran it is written: "They will question thee concerning the spirit. Say: 'The Spirit comes by the command of my Lord'." Thus much is known of it that it is an indivisible essence belonging to the world of decrees, and that it is not from everlasting, but created. An exact philosophical knowledge of the spirit is not a necessary preliminary to walking in the path of religion, but comes rather as the result of self-discipline and perseverance in that path, as it is said in the Koran: "Those who strive in Our way, verily We will guide them to the right paths."

For the carrying on of this spiritual warfare by which the knowledge of oneself and of God is to be obtained, the body may be figured as a kingdom, the soul as its king, and the different senses and faculties as constituting an army. Reason may be called the vizier, or prime minister, passion the revenue collector, and anger the police officer. Under the guise of collecting revenue, passion is continually prone to plunder on its own account, while resentment is always inclined to harshness and extreme severity. Both of these the revenue collector and the police officer, have to be kept in due subordination to the king, but not killed or excelled, as they have their own proper functions to fulfil. But if passion and resentment master reason, the ruin of the soul infallibly ensues. A soul which allows its lower faculties to dominate the higher is as one who should hand over an angel to the power of a dog or a Mussalman to the tyranny of an unbeliever. The cultivation of demonic, animal or angelic qualities results in the production of corresponding characters, which in the Day of Judgement will be manifested in visible shapes, the sensual appearing as swine, the ferocious as dogs and wolves, and the pure as angels. The aim of moral discipline is to purify the heart from the rust of passion and resentment, till, like a clear mirror, it reflects the light of God.

Someone may here object, "But if man has been created with animal and demonic qualities as well as angelic, how are we to know that the latter constitute his real essence, while the former are merely accidental and transitory?" To this I answer that the essence of each creature is to be sought in that which is highest in it and peculiar to it. Thus the horse and the ass are both burden-bearing animals, but the superiority of the horse to the ass consists in its being adapted for use in battle. If it fails in this, it becomes degraded to the rank of burden-bearing animals. Similarly with man: the highest faculty in him is reason, which fits him for the contemplation of God. If this predominates in him, when he dies, he leaves behind him all tendencies to passion and resentment, and becomes capable of association with angels. As regards his mere animal qualities, man is inferior to many animals, but reason makes him superior to them, as it is written in the Koran: "To man We have subjected all things in the earth." But if his lower tendencies have triumphed, after death be will ever be looking towards the earth and longing for earthly delights.

Now the rational soul in man abounds in marvels, both of knowledge and power. By means of it he masters arts and sciences, can pass in a flash from earth to heaven and back again, can map out the skies and measure the distances between the stars. By it also he can draw the fish from the sea and the birds from the air, and can subdue to his service animals like the elephant, the camel, and the horse. His five senses are like five doors opening on the external world; but, more wonderful than this, his heart has a window which opens on the unseen world of spirits. In the state of sleep, when the avenues of the senses are closed, this window is opened and man receives impressions from the unseen world and sometimes fore-shadowings of the future. His heart is then like a mirror which reflects what is pictured in the Tablet of Fate. But, even in sleep, thoughts of worldly things dull this mirror, so that the impression it receives are not clear. After death, however, such thoughts vanish and things are seen in their naked reality, and the saying in the Koran is fulfilled: "We have stripped the veil from off thee and thy sight today is keen."

This opening of a window in the heart towards the unseen also takes place in conditions approaching those of prophetic inspiration, when intuitions spring up in the mind unconveyed through any sense-channel. The more a man purifies himself from fleshly lusts and concentrates his mind on God, the more conscious will he be of such intuitions. Those who are not conscious of them have no right to deny their reality.

Nor are such intuitions confined only to those of prophetic rank. Just as iron, by sufficient polishing can be made into a mirror, so any mind by due discipline can be rendered receptive of such impressions. It was at this truth the Prophet hinted when he said, "Every child is born with a predisposition towards Islam; then his parents make a Jew, or a Christian, or a star worshipper of him." Every human being has in the depths of his consciousness heard the question "Am I not your Lord?" and answered "Yes" to it. But some hearts are like mirrors so befouled with rust and dirt that they give no clear reflections, while those of the prophets and saints, though they are men "of like passions with us" are extremely sensitive to all divine impressions.

Nor is it only by reason of knowledge acquired and intuitive that the soul of man holds the first rank among created things, but also by reason of power. Just as angels preside over the elements, so does the soul rule the members of the body. Those souls which attain a special degree of power not only rule their own body but those of others also. If they wish a sick man to recover he recovers, or a person in health to fall ill he becomes ill, or if they will the presence of a person he comes to them. According as the effects produced by these powerful souls are good or bad they are termed miracles or sorceries. These souls differ from common folk in three ways: (1) What others only see in dreams they see in their waking moments. (2) While others' wills only affect their own bodies, these, by will-power, can move bodies extraneous to themselves. (3) The knowledge which others acquire by laborious learning comes to them by intuition.

These three, of course, are not the only marks which differentiate them from common people, but the only ones that come within our cognizance. Just as no one knows the real nature of God but God Himself, so no one knows the real nature of a prophet but a prophet. Nor is this to be wondered at, as in everyday matters we see that it is impossible to explain the charm of poetry to one whose ear is insusceptible of cadence and rhythm, or the glories of colour to one who is stone-blind. Besides mere incapacity, there are other hindrances to the attainment of spiritual truth. One of these is externally acquired knowledge. To use a figure, the heart may be represented as a well, and the five senses as five streams which are continually conveying water to it. In order to find out the real contents of the heart these streams must be stopped for a time, at any rate, and the refuse they have brought with them must be cleared out of the well. In other words, if we are to arrive at pure spiritual truth, we must put away, for the time knowledge which has been acquired by external processes and which too often hardens into dogmatic prejudice.

A mistake of an opposite kind is made by shallow people who, echoing some phrases which they have caught from Sufi teachers, go about decrying all knowledge. This is as if a person who was not an adept in alchemy were to go about saying, "Alchemy is better than gold," and were to refuse gold when it was offered to him. Alchemy is better than gold, but real alchemists are very rare, and so are real Sufis. He who has a mere smattering of Sufism is not superior to a learned man, any more than he who has tried a few experiments in alchemy has ground for despising a rich man.
Anyone who will look into the matter will see that happiness is necessarily linked with the knowledge of God. Each faculty of ours delights in that for which it was created: lust delights in accomplishing desire, anger in taking vengeance, the eye in seeing beautiful objects, and the ear in hearing harmonious sounds. The highest function of the soul of man is the perception of truth; in this accordingly it finds its special delight. Even in trifling matters, such as learning chess, this holds good, and the higher the subject matter of the knowledge obtained the greater the delight. A man would be pleased at being admitted into the confidence of a prime minister, but how much more if the king makes an intimate of him and discloses state secrets to him!

An astronomer who, by his knowledge, can map the stars and describe their courses, derives more pleasure from his knowledge than the chess player from his. Seeing, then, that nothing is higher than God, how great must be the delight which springs from the true knowledge of Him!
A person in whom the desire for this knowledge has disappeared is like one who has lost his appetite for healthy food, or who prefers feeding on clay to eating bread. All bodily appetites perish at death with the organs they use, but the soul dies not, and retains whatever knowledge of God it possesses; nay increases it.

An important part of our knowledge of God arises from the study and contemplation of our own bodies, which reveal to us the power, wisdom, and love of the Creator. His power, in that from a mere drop He has built up the wonderful frame of man; His wisdom is revealed in its intricacies and the mutual adaptability of its parts; and His love is shown by His not only supplying such organs as are absolutely necessary for existence, as the liver, the heart, and the brain, but those which are not absolutely necessary, as the hand, the foot, the tongue, and the eye. To these He has added, as ornaments, the blackness of the hair, the redness of lips, and the curve of the eyebrows.

Man has been truly termed a "microcosm," or little world in himself and the structure of his body should be studied not only by those who wish to become doctors, but by those who wish to attain to a more intimate knowledge of God, just as close study of the niceties and shades of language in a great poem reveals to us more and more of the genius of its author.

But, when all is said, the knowledge of the soul plays a more important part in leading to the knowledge of God than the knowledge of our body and the functions. The body may be compared to a steed and the soul to its rider; the body was created for the soul, the soul for the body. If a man knows not his own soul, which is the nearest thing to him, what is the use of his claiming to know others? It is as if a beggar who has not the wherewithal for a meal should claim to be able to feed a town.

In this chapter we have attempted, in some degree, to expound the greatness of man's soul. He who neglects it and suffers its capacities to rust or to degenerate must necessarily be the loser in this world and the next. The true greatness of man lies in his capacity for eternal progress, otherwise in this temporal sphere he is the weakest of all things, being subject to hunger, thirst, heat, cold, and sorrow. Those things he takes most delight in are often the most injurious to him, and those things which benefit him are not to be obtained without toil and trouble. As to his intellect, a slight disarrangement of matter in his brain is sufficient to destroy or madden him; as to his power, the sting of a wasp is sufficient to rob him of ease and sleep; as to his temper, he is upset by the loss of a sixpence; as to his beauty, he is little more than nauseous matter covered with a fair skin. Without frequent washing he becomes utterly repulsive and disgraceful.

In truth, man in this world is extremely weak and contemptible; it is only in the next that he will be of value, if by means of the "alchemy of happiness" he rises from the rank of beasts to that of angels. Otherwise his condition will be worse than the brutes, which perish and turn to dust. It is necessary for him, at the same time that he is conscious of his superiority as the climax of created things, to learn to know also his helplessness, as that too is one of the keys to the knowledge of God.

(From The Alchemy Of Happines - Imam Ghazali)

The Gate Of Knowledge - Hazrat Imam Ali bin Abi Thalib (as)

Hadrat Ali, The Gate of Knowledge

Hadrat Ali was the most learned man of the age. He was a living encyclopaedia of knowledge. The holy Prophet said, "If I am the City of Knowledge, verily Ali is the Gate of it." He was the first person to have learned the Holy Qur'an by heart. He possessed a prodigious memory and he was a keen observer; he was a deep thinker; he had an enlightened mind and he carried a vast storehouse of knowledge in his brain. He was a versatile genius and he exhibited extraordinary talents in all disciplines of knowledge. He was a master of philosophy and rhetoric. He was a distinguished poet. He was a great teacher and preacher. His knowledge extended to such disciplines as logic, mathematics, physics, astronomy, medicine and history.

His concept of Knowledge
Hadrat Ali held that the principal aim of knowledge was the inculcation of virtue, promotion of faith, and understanding of God. He held that knowledge enlivens the soul, for it kills ignorance. He defined knowledge as the sum total of excellence. He held that the pursuit of knowledge is better than the pursuit of riches, that knowledge is the ornament of the rich and the riches of the poor and that knowledge is better than riches. He held that the learned live even after their death. He maintained that the learned were the living ones in the dead mass of ignorance. He observed that to respect the learned was to respect God. With regards to the respect of the teacher, he held that one who teaches you a letter binds you with the fetter of gratitude. He maintained that the talk of the learned man carried within it the fragrance of the garden of Paradise.

Superiority of knowledge over wealth
It is related that once ten learned men approached Hadrat Ali. They wanted to know how knowledge was better than wealth and they requested that each one of them be given a separate answer. Hadrat Ali answered them as follows:
(1) Knowledge is the legacy of the Prophet, whereas wealth is the inheritance of the Pharaohs. As the prophets are superior to the Pharaohs, so knowledge is better than wealth.

(2) You have to guard your wealth, but knowledge will guard you. Therefore, knowledge is better than wealth.

(3) When knowledge is distributed it increases. When wealth is distributed it decreases. As such knowledge is better than wealth.

(4) A man of wealth has many enemies, while a man of knowledge has many friends. Therefore knowledge is better than wealth.

(5) A learned man because of his wider outlook is apt to be generous, while a rich man because of his love for money is apt to be miserly. As such knowledge is better than wealth.

(6) Knowledge cannot be stolen, but wealth is constantly exposed to the danger of being stolen. Accordingly, knowledge is better than wealth.

(7) With the lapse of time, knowledge gains in depth and dimension. Hoarded coins get rusty or cease to be legal tender. Therefore knowledge is better than wealth.

(8) You can keep account of wealth because it is limited, but you cannot keep account of knowledge because it is boundless. That is why knowledge is better than wealth.

(9) Knowledge illuminates the mind, while wealth is apt to darken it. Therefore knowledge is better than wealth.

(10) Knowledge is better than wealth, because knowledge induced the holy Prophet to say to God "We worship Thee as we are Thy servants," while wealth engendered and Pharaoh and Nimrod caused the vanity that made them claim godhead.

The Father of Sufism - Hazrat Imam Ali bin Abi Thalib (as)

Hadrat Ali is acclaimed as the father of Sufism. Most Sufi orders claim their descent from Hadrat Ali. According to Hadrat Ali Hajweri, the rank of Hadrat Ali is very high in the lineage of Sufis. According to Hadrat Junaid of Baghdad, Hadrat Ali is the Shaikh as regards to the principles and practices of Sufism.

The holy Prophet and Sufism
The roots of Sufism lie embedded in Islam itself. There are numerous passages in the Holy Qur'an which are of a mystical character. The holy Prophet of Islam p.b.u.h. himself displayed mystical inclinations and he very often retired to the cave known as Hirah for the purpose of devotions, meditation and contemplation. The holy Prophet was the recipient of two types of revelations, one embodied the Holy Qur'an, and the other illuminated his heart. The former was meant for all, the latter for those selected few whose hearts could be illuminated with the Divine Light. The knowledge of the holy Prophet was thus both book knowledge (Ilm-i-Safina) and heart knowledge (Ilm-e-Sina). Hadrat Ali received his heart knowledge from the holy Prophet. It is related that after the Ascension, the holy Prophet awarded a mantle to Hadrat Ali which led to the illumination of his heart.

Gnosis of God
According to Hadrat Ali the base of religion is the gnosis of God. He held: "The height of gnosis is His confirmation. The height of confirmation is tawhid. The height of tawhid is the acknowledgement of the supremacy of God in all matters. He is beyond all attributes. No particular attribute can give an idea of His exact nature. He is not bound by anything; all things are bound by Him. He is Infinite, limitless, boundless, beyond time, beyond space, beyond imagination. Time does not affect Him. He existed when there was nothing. He will exist forever. His existence is not subject to the law of birth or death. He is manifest in everything, yet He is distinct from everything. He is not the cause of anything, yet everything is because of Him. He is unique and He has no partner. He is the Creator. He creates as well as destroys. All things are subject to His command. He orders something to be and it is."

Hadrat Ali enjoined the severance of the heart from all things save God. Hadrat Ali was asked what was the purest thing that could be acquired, and he said, "It is that which belongs to a heart made rich by God." When Hadrat Ali was asked about gnosis, he said, "I know God by God, and I know that which is not by God by the light of God." When asked whether he had seen God, he said that verily he had seen God for he could not worship Him unless the knew Him.

Prayers to God
When Hadrat Ali used to pray, his hair would stand on end. He would tremble and say, "The hour has come to fulfill a trust which the heavens and the earth were unable to bear." Abu Darda an eminent Companion of the holy Prophet said, "None in this world has excelled Ali in prayer." While praying, so great was the intensity of his emotions that he would fall into a swoon. It is related that on one occasion, Abu Darda found Hadrat Ali lying rigid on the prayer mat, and touching his cold body thought that Ali had breathed his last. When he broke this news to Hadrat Fatima, she said that Hadrat Ali often became unconscious while praying. Abu Darda wept profusely, and then sprinkled some water on Hadrat Ali's face and he regained consciousness. Seeing tears in the eyes of Abu Darda, Hadrat Ali said: "Why are you crying? You shed tears when you see me in this state. Imagine what will happen to me when the Angels dragged me into the presence of God, and I am forced to render an account of my deeds. They will blind me with fetters of iron, and present me before God, and those of my friends who will happen to be witnesses will be powerless to help me. They will lament my unhappy plight, but none save God will be able to help me on that day."

Communion with God
Very often, Hadrat Ali would sob all night in his prayers to God, and God would reward him with a glimpse of Inner Vision. According to Hadrat Ali, the highest purpose of knowledge is the awakening of latent spiritual faculties whereby one is enabled to discover his true and inner self. It is to this inner self that God reveals Himself when the self disappears in the vision of the "All Absorbing Reality." Hadrat Ali often observed that man could have the joy and wonder of communion with God if one abandoned pride, disciplined the flash, overcame lust and submitted to the Will of God. He exhorted people in his various sermons to not indulge in gross licentiousness which had characterized Arab society in the "Days of Ignorance." But should instead live in piety and simplicity as enjoined by Islam. Hadrat Ali said, "Man is a wave in the boundless Sea of God. As long as man's vision is clouded by ignorance and sensuality he will consider himself to be a separate entity, different from God. But when the veil between him and God is lifted, he will then know what he really is. The wave will then merge with the ocean." Hadrat Ali held that enlightenment is needed so that one can first get to know himself. Only then would he get to know God. Hadrat Ali held that to this end religious exercises must be practised. The Sufism for which Hadrat Ali stood, derived its strength from the Shari'ah. Hadrat Ali preached that any form of knowledge which failed to show the Infinite Reality in man was useless, because it could not fill that vacuum in which the aching soul in every individual was so pathetically conscious. Hadrat Ali wanted men to be virtuous as virtues purify the soul, and it is only the purified soul that can be the recipient of spiritual enlightenment. This is the doctrine of Inner Light which was the enunciated by Hadrat Ali as the core of Sufi thought. Accordingly, Hadrat Ali is acknowledged as the "father of Sufism" and the prince of saints.

Doctrine of preference
Hadrat Ali also enunciated the doctrine of preference. He stood for and preferred the claims of others to his own claims. He gave an outstanding demonstration of this doctrine when he slept on the bed of the holy Prophet on the night of the holy Prophet's migration from Mecca, when the infidels were seeking to slay him. Hadrat Ali risked his life for the sake of the holy Prophet, because of the preference that Hadrat Ali gave to the life of the holy Prophet as compared with his own life. After the death of the holy Prophet, Hadrat Ali considered that he was the most deserving person to be elected as the Caliph. Yet, when his claims were overlooked and other persons were elected as Caliphs, he offered them and allegiance in pursuance of the doctrine of preference. It was this spirit of preference that motivated Hadrat Ali to plunge in the thick of battle to meet the challenge of the enemy regardless of his own personal safety. It is related that after the Ascension, when the holy Prophet gave Hadrat Ali a mantle, he asked him how he would use the mantle. Hadrat Ali said that he would use it to cover the faults of others. The true Sufi way lies in covering the faults of others.

Fasting
According to Hadrat Ali, fasting was not a mere formality or a ritual; it was an exercise for the purification of the soul. Because of his constant fasting, Hadrat Ali earned the epithets of "Qa'im-ul-Lait" (praying most of the night without sleep); and "Sa'im-ul-Nahar" (fasting mostly during the day). Hadrat Ali held that hunger sharpens the intelligence and improves both the mind and health. Hunger involves some affliction for the body, but it illumines the heart, purifies the soul, and leads the spirit to the presence of God. One who cultivates a his spiritual nature by means of hunger in order to devote himself entirely to God and detach himself from worldly ties, is at a much higher level than the person who cultivates his body by means of gluttony and lust. Hadrat Ali acted on the advice of the holy Prophet, "Fast so that perchance your hearts may seek God in this world." And indeed, because of his fasting and other spiritual exercises, Hadrat Ali did see God in this world. The holy Prophet had enjoined, "When you fast, let your ear, your eye, your tongue, your hand, and your every limb fast." Hadrat Ali followed this advice to the letter as well in spirit. Through the discipline of fasting, Hadrat Ali was able to subordinate the physical senses to spiritual requirements in such a way that they could respond only to what was pure and became dead to what was impure. Hadrat Ali thus led a purified life.

Zakat
Hadrat Ali held: "Of the most meritorious acts of a believer, and one of the most acceptable things to God is Zakat. It behoves everyone to give charity, because from amongst the acts of worship, this is the most pleasing to God."

In his sermons, Hadrat Ali exhorted the people in the following terms: "O ye people, send a part of your wealth to God so that it may stand you in good stead in the next world. Do not leave your entire wealth here so that it will become a source of annoyance to you in the next world."

In the annals of Arabs, Hatim Tai enjoys fame for his munificence and generosity. Hadrat Ali outclassed Hatim in the matter of generosity.

Pilgrimage
Hadrat Ali was born in the Ka'bah. He had, therefore a strong emotional attachment for the Ka'bah. Hadrat Ali observed that the holy Ka'bah was located in a territory known for its stony wastes and wilderness and where no water was available. God had ordained the Muslims to bear the hardships involved in a journey through such an inhospitable land cheerfully so that those very privations might ultimately become a source of salvation. The pilgrimage is symbolic of the fact that whatever hardship one bears in the trials of life and endeavours to fulfill the will of God, he acquires goodness and righteousness by them. The darkest thing in the world is the beloved's house without the beloved. What is really important for a lover is the beloved and not the house of the beloved. According to Hadrat Ali the spirit of pilgrimage did not lie in a bare visit to the Ka'bah, it lay in developing the inner vision whereby one could see God, the Lord of the Ka'bah.

Jihad
Hadrat Ali held that jihad is the gateway to Paradise. He said: "God has opened this gate for His friends. It is the mantle of piety. It is the shield of faith. He who avoids it, God subjects him to disgrace."

Hadrat Ali held that jihad did not lie in merely taking up arms in the cause of God, it means incessant struggle against falsehood it all spheres of life. Jihad is the main pillar on which Islam rests.

Repentance
The first stage in the path of Sufism is repentance. Repentance is described as the awakening of the soul from the slumber of heedlessness so that the sinner becomes aware of his evil ways and feels contrition for past disobedience. Hadrat Ali repeatedly prayed for God's forgiveness. His typical prayer was: "O God, forgive me my sins of which you are more aware than me. And if I commit these sins again, even then forgive me and whatever promises I have made with myself to follow Your commands that have not been fulfilled. I seek Your forbearance. If I have sought Your proximity with my tongue, but my heart has not kept pace with my tongue, then overlook my lapse. O God, forgive me for my futile talk, vain desires and lapses of tongue."

Detachment
Hadrat Ali admonished that while living in the world, one should not renounce the world, still he should not have an undue attachment for it because detachment from the world (Zuhd) is a means of attaining God. It is related that someone begged Hadrat Ali to give him a precept. Hadrat Ali said: "Do not let your wives and children be a cause of concern for you, for if they be the friends of God, He will look after His friends, and if they are the enemies of God, why should you take care of God's enemies?"

Patience
In the mystic way, the traveller will meet many trials and tribulations. God subjects His lovers to severe testing, and only he will pass such tests who his patient. Hadrat Ali was the personification patience, and for this he acquired the epithet of "Job, the Second." In the battle of Uhud, Hadrat Ali received as many as 61 wounds on his person so that his whole body looked like one massive wound to which the nurses were unable to dress. Although Hadrat Ali was in mortal agony, he said: "May God Grant me the patience to bear this suffering. Is it not a favour of God that He gave me the courage to stand and fight, and not to leave the field?"

About the patience of Hadrat Ali, Dr. Ata Mohyuddin writes as follows in his Ali, the Superman: "Ali used to say that at no time in his life had he ever known peace and tranquillity. From the time of infancy when he was taken into the home of the holy Prophet, Ali felt the ferment of turbulence and turmoil. The holy Prophet was constantly persecuted by the Meccan pagans. And from adolescence onwards, Ali was constantly fighting in jihad, and after the death of the holy Prophet, he was embroiled against his wish, in the political intrigues of others. Even when elected Caliph, the implacable enemies of Islam arose and rebelled against him, yet he bore all these afflictions with patience, thanking God that he had acquitted himself well in the tests and trials to which the Almighty had thought fit to subject him."

Lathaif Qalb

The human heart is located at a distance of approximately two fingers’ width below the left breast within the human body. It is the heart that forms the focus of the first lesson.

After freeing himself from his worldly duties, the murid [seeker] should perform a fresh ablution and sit secluded, facing the Qiblah. He should empty his heart of all thoughts. With humility and respect he should focus his mind’s thoughts on his heart, and focus his heart toward Allah, the Exalted, He who is perfect in every way, and is free and pure of all that is negative and on Whom we have testified our faith.

The murid should then imagine that the heart has formed an opening through which the light [nur] of Allah’s mercy is entering and illuminating it. Imagine that this light is cleansing the heart of the filth of sin, and the heart is repeating the word “Allah” in sincere gratitude. With this in mind the murid should try to mentally “pull” this light toward his heart and lose himself in dhikr [remembrance] to the degree that he becomes unaware of his own being and existence. This is called istighraq [submersion], and it is a good state. At the same time, he should not allow distracting thoughts to enter his heart and he should fight them off if they do, concentrating and trying to remain focused on dhikr. This struggle is better than istighraq.

The murid should sit either with his legs folded under him or as he sits in tashahud, while engaged in dhikr. The eyes should be closed, and he should breathe normally. He should do dhikr with rosary beads for some time and thoughts of Allah should pass through his heart. The dhikr is silent and hence there should be no sound from the tongue. The neck may be bent in the direction of the heart and if tolerable, the murid should isolate himself so as to make concentration easier.

In this way the murid should perform a minimum dhikr of ten rosaries of the name of Allah. Ten rosaries means repetition of Allah’s name one thousand times. The murid should continue this to the maximum tolerable, or as instructed by his shaykh. He should then put away the rosary beads and sit for approximately the same amount of time in the same position described, concentrating on his heart and the faiz [mercy] of Allah in the same way, doing the same dhikr as if his heart were calling the name of Allah . This is called Muraqabah.

At the close, the murid should make supplication to Allah . Always perform muraqabah by setting aside some time each day. Whether walking, talking, or sleeping, the murid should always be attentive toward his heart, which should be attentive toward Allah . The goal is that his heart always be occupied in remembering Allah while his hands work through the routine of daily life.

People usually feel the sensation of the heart remembering Allah as a fast pulse or the ticking of a clock. Hidayat al-Talibeen says that this activity in the heart is recognized, or “heard” by the mind, when it concentrates on the heart. We should work to attain this so that the hadith qudsi, “I am as my servant imagines me,” can be realized.

The heart is said to come alive when the word “Allah” is clearly heard by the human ear, along with activity within the heart. This poem of Hafiz Shaerazi (may Allah be pleased with him) points to this activity:

No one knows of the Friend’s House
all there is is the sound of a bell.

The salik should work so hard on the dhikr that the latifa leaves its bodily prison and ascends to its reality in the heavens; an indication of which is that the ruh [spirit] becomes inclined toward what is beyond [the next life], and becomes forgetful of all except Allah. When reaching this state, the qalb [heart] is said to have left its bodily prison and reached its reality. The salik may or may not perceive this state as nowadays kashf [unveiling of realities] is received very rarely because of unlawful earnings.

Even if the salik is unable to attain the states referred to above, he should always beware of falling into forgetfulness, and must always follow the sacred law [shariah] in everything that he does. If the salik is careful about correcting his actions daily, then he will notice an improvement in his condition and a love for the shariah. This latifa is connected with the human passion of lust, which distracts the salik and hence keeps him forgetful of his true Lord. Only when this lust is checked and corrected can the salik begin to become inclined toward the love and pleasure of Allah.

The Morals Of Dervishes - Chapter III

Story 9
One of the devotees of Mount Lebanon, whose piety was famed in the Arab country and his miracles well known, entered the cathedral mosque of Damascus and was performing his purificatory ablution on the edge of a tank when his feet slipped and he fell into the reservoir but saved himself with great trouble. After the congregation had finished their prayers, one of his companions said: ‘I have a difficulty.’ He asked: ‘What is it?’ He continued: ‘I remember that the sheikh walked on the surface of the African sea without his feet getting wetted and today he nearly perished in this paltry water which is not deeper than a man’s stature.

What reason is there in this?’ The sheikh drooped his head into the bosom of meditation and said after a long pause: ‘Hast thou not heard that the prince of the world, Muhammad the chosen, upon whom be the benediction of God and peace, has said: I have time with God during which no cherubim nor inspired prophet is equal to me?’ But he did not say that such was always the case. The time alluded to was when Gabriel or Michael inspired him whilst on other occasions he was satisfied with the society of Hafsah and Zainab. The visions of the righteous one are between brilliancy and obscurity.

Thou showest thy countenance and then hidest it Enhancing thy value and augmenting our desire. I behold whom I love without an intervention. Then a trance befalls me; I lose the road; It kindles fire, then quenches it with a sprinkling shower. Wherefore thou seest me burning and drowning.

Story 10
One asked the man who had lost his son: ‘O noble and intelligent old man!
As thou hast smelt the odour of his garment from Egypt
Why hast thou not seen him in the well of Canaan?’
He replied: ‘My state is that of leaping lightning. One moment it appears and at another vanishes. I am sometimes sitting in high heaven. Sometimes I cannot see the back of my foot. Were a dervish always to remain in that state He would not care for the two worlds.’

Story 11
I spoke in the cathedral mosque of Damascus a few words by way of a sermon but to a congregation whose hearts were withered and dead, not having travelled from the road of the world of form, the physical, to the world of meaning, the moral world. I perceived that my words took no effect and that burning fire does not kindle moist wood. I was sorry for instructing brutes and holding forth a mirror in a locality of blind people. I had, however, opened the door of
meaning and was giving a long explanation of the verse We are nearer unto Him than the jugular vein till I said:
‘The Friend is nearer to me than my self, But it is more strange that I am far from him.
What am I to do? To whom can it be said that he Is in my arms, but I am exiled from him.’
I had intoxicated myself with the wine of these sentiments, holding the remnant of the cup of the sermon in my hand when a traveller happened to pass near the edge of the assembly, and the last turn of the circulating cup made such an impression upon him that he shouted and the others joined him who began to roar, whilst the raw portion of the congregation became turbulent.

Whereon I said: ‘Praise be to God! Those who are far away but intelligent are in the presence of God, and those who are near but blind are distant.’

When the hearer understands not the meaning of words Do not look for the effect of the orator’s force But raise an extensive field of desire That the eloquent man may strike the ball of effect.


Story 12
One night I had in the desert of Mekkah become so weak from want of sleep that I was unable to walk and, laying myself down, told the camel driver to let me alone. How far can the foot of a wretched pedestrian go When a dromedary gets distressed by its load? Whilst the body of a fat man becomes lean A weak man will be dead of exhaustion.

He replied: ‘O brother, the sanctuary is in front of us and brigands in the rear. If thou goest thou wilt prosper. If thou sleepest thou wilt die.’ It is pleasant to sleep under an acacia on the desert
road But alas! thou must bid farewell to life on the night of departure.

(From "Gullistan" - The Book Of Shaykh Sa'di as Shirazi)

The Morals Of Dervishes - Chapter II

Story 5
Several travellers were on a journey together and equally sharing each other’s troubles and comforts. I desired to accompany them but they would not agree. Then I said: ‘It is foreign to the manners of great men to turn away the face from the company of the poor and so deprive themselves of the advantage they might derive therefrom because I for one consider myself sufficiently strong and energetic to be of service to men and not an encumbrance. Although I am not riding on a beast, I shall aid you in carrying blankets.’ One of them said: ‘Do not be grieved at the words thou hast heard because some days ago a thief in the guise of a dervish arrived and joined our company.’

How can people know who is in the dress? The writer is aware what the book contains. As the state of dervishes is safe, they entertained no suspicion about him and received him as a friend. The outward state of Arifs is the patched dress. It suffices as a display to the face of the people. Strive by thy acts to be good and wear anything thou listest.

Place a crown on thy head and a flag on thy back. The abandoning of the world, of lust, and of desire Is sanctity, not the abandonment of the robe only. It is necessary to show manhood in the fight. Of what profit are weapons of war to an hermaphrodite?

We travelled one day till the night set in during which we slept near a fort and the graceless thief, taking up the water-pot of a companion, pretending to go for an ablution, departed for plunder.

A pretended saint who wears the dervish garb Has made of the Ka’bah’s robes the covering of an ass. After disappearing from the sight of the dervishes, he went to a tower from which he stole a casket and, when the day dawned, the dark-hearted wretch had already progressed a considerable distance. In the morning the guiltless sleeping companions were all taken to the fort
and thrown into prison. From that date we renounced companionship and took the road of solitude, according to the maxim: Safety is in solitude. When one of a tribe has done a foolish thing No honour is left either to the low or the high.

Seest thou not how one ox of the pasturage Defiles all oxen of the village?
I replied: ‘Thanks be to the God of majesty and glory, I have not been excluded from the advantages enjoyed by dervishes, although I have separated myself from their society. I have profited by what thou hast narrated to me and this admonition will be of use through life to persons like me.’

For one rude fellow in the assembly The heart of intelligent men is much grieved. If a tank be filled with rose-water A dog falling into it pollutes the whole.

Story 6
A hermit, being the guest of a padshah, ate less than he wished when sitting at dinner and when he rose for prayers he prolonged them more than was his wont in order to enhance the opinion entertained by the padshah of his piety.

O Arab of the desert, I fear thou wilt not reach the Ka’bah

Because the road on which thou travellest leads to Turkestan.
When he returned to his own house, he desired the table to be laid out for eating. He had an intelligent son who said: ‘Father, hast thou not eaten anything at the repast of the sultan?’ He replied: ‘I have not eaten anything to serve a purpose.’

The boy said: ‘Then likewise say thy prayers again as thou hast not done anything to serve that purpose.’
O thou who showest virtues on the palms of the hand But concealest thy errors under the armpit
What wilt thou purchase, O vain-glorious fool, On the day of distress with counterfeit silver?

Story 7
I remember, being in my childhood pious, rising in the night, addicted to devotion and abstinence. One night I was sitting with my father, remaining awake and holding the beloved Quran in my lap, whilst the people around us were asleep. I said: ‘Not one of these persons lifts up his head or makes a genuflection. They are as fast asleep as if they were dead.’ He replied:
‘Darling of thy father, would that thou wert also asleep rather than disparaging people.’
The pretender sees no one but himself Because he has the veil of conceit in front.
If he were endowed with a God-discerning eye He would see that no one is weaker than himself.

Story 8
A great man was praised in an assembly and, his good qualities being extolled, he raised his head and said: ‘I am such as I know myself to be.’
O thou who reckonest my virtues, refrainest from giving me pain,
These are my open, and thou knowest not my hidden, qualities.
My person is, to the eyes of the world, of good aspect But my internal wickedness makes me droop my head with shame.
The peacock is for his beauteous colours by the people
Praised whilst he is ashamed of his ugly feet.

(From "Gullistan" - The Book Of Shaykh Sa'di as Shirazi)

The Morals Of Dervishes - Chapter I

Story 1
One of the great devotees having been asked about his opinion concerning a hermit whom others had censured in their conversation, he replied: ‘I do not see any external blemishes on him and do not know of internal ones.’

Whomsoever thou seest in a religious habit Consider him to be a religious and good man And, if thou knowest not his internal condition, What business has the muhtasib inside the house?

Story 2
I saw a dervish who placed his head upon the threshold of the Ka’bah, groaned, and said: ‘O forgiving, 0 merciful one, thou knowest what an unrighteous, ignorant man can offer to thee.’

I have craved pardon for the deficiency of my service Because I can implore no reward for my obedience. Sinners repent of their transgressions. Arifs ask forgiveness for their imperfect worship.

Devotees desire a reward for their obedience and merchants the price of their wares but I, who am a worshipper, have brought hope and not obedience. I have come to beg and not to trade. Deal with me as thou deemest fit.

Whether thou killest me or forgivest my crime, my face and head are on thy threshold.
A slave has nothing to command; whatever thou commandest I obey.
I saw a mendicant at the door of the Ka’bah Who said this and wept abundantly:
‘I ask not for the acceptance of my service But for drawing the pen of pardon over my sins.’

Story 3
I saw A’bdul Qadir Gillani in the sanctuary of the Ka’bah with his face on the pebbles and saying: ‘O lord, pardon my sins and, if I deserve punishment, cause me to arise blind on the day of resurrection that I may not be ashamed in the sight of the righteous.’
With my face on the earth of helplessness
I say Every morning as soon as I become conscious:
O thou whom I shall never forget Wilt thou at all remember thy slave?

Story 4
A thief paid a visit to the house of a pious man but, although he sought a great deal, found nothing and was much grieved. The pious man, who knew this, threw the blanket upon which he had been sleeping into the way of the thief that he might not go away disappointed.

I heard that men of the way of God Have not distressed the hearts of enemies.
How canst thou attain that dignity Who quarrelest and wagest war against friends?
The friendship of pure men, whether in thy presence or absence, is not such as Will find fault behind thy back and is ready to die for thee before thy face.
In thy presence gentle like a lamb, In thy absence like a man-devouring wolf.
Who brings the faults of another to thee and enumerates them Will undoubtedly carry thy faults to others.

(From "Gullistan" - The Book Of Shaykh Sa'di as Shirazi)