Page 183 - The Book of Rumi

The Zoroastrian and the Moslem

wo men had been friends since childhood; one was a Moslem and the
Tother a Zoroastrian. One day as they were drinking coffee, the Moslem
turned to his friend and suggested: “My friend, how about you fi nally becom-
ing a good Moslem?”
“If God wills it, I will convert,” said the Zoroastrian cunningly.
“Allah wants you to turn to Him so that He can save you from hell, but
it’s your menacing ego that pulls you back toward disbelief.”
“I know you as a fair man, my friend,” replied the Zoroastrian gravely.
“When that which you call the ego has conquered and continues to rule me,
I’ve no choice but to obey it, for it is far more powerful than me. I would never
dare think that anything in the world can be done without the will of God;
therefore, I conclude that if He truly wanted me not to be a Zoroastrian, He
wouldn’t have made me one!
“If your Allah holds absolute supremacy and dominates all realms but
still can’t pull me toward Him, then His will does not exceed all. So, what’s the
use of me converting? He has bestowed free will on us, and we’re responsible
for putting it to good use, which I hope I’m doing!”
Having spoken his mind, the Zoroastrian continued to sit beside the
Moslem, both quietly sipping their coffee in peace.

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