Page 196 - The Book of Rumi

Tolerance

young novice darvish had heard unending praise about the renowned
A shaykh Abol-Hassan of Kharaghan, and he could not wait to meet him.
One day, he decided to take the long journey to the eastern province to fulfi ll
his enduring wish. The journey was arduous, and it took him weeks to reach
his destination. As soon as he arrived, he began to inquire about the shaykh’s
residence, and after hours of searching in the town’s back alleys, he found the
house at last. His heart was brimming with excitement and hope as he timidly
knocked on the door, waiting patiently for it to open.
“Who’s there?” came the sound of a woman’s voice.
“Hello; I’ve come to pay my respects to the revered shaykh, ma’am. I’ve
come all the way from Taleghan,” he whimpered.
“What an idiot! You’ve endured such a grueling journey to this godfor-
saken town, and for what? Didn’t you have anything better to do?” barked the
woman. “What useless thoughts did you entertain in your empty head? Or
perhaps it’s the devil who’s sent you here?”
There was no end to the woman’s bickering. She went on and on, ridicul-
ing and bad-mouthing the shaykh himself, trying her best to kill every hope
in the young man’s heart.
“Despite all, ma’am, can you please tell me where I can fi nd the shaykh?”
implored the murid, tears welling up in his eyes.
“So you’re really looking for that charlatan, who plants lies in fools’ hearts
and ensnares them? He’s trapped thousands of idiots like you already. You’re
better off never seeing him and going back home unharmed. Beware, he’s a
real charmer,” she warned him. “A sorcerer must have tricked you into seeking
out this goat who resembles a man, and you and everyone else like you worship
him like buffoons. Stop caressing his ego; don’t encourage him further. Go on
and get out of here now.”
The young Sufi couldn’t believe his ears. He simply decided that the
woman must be mad and that he need no longer bother with her incriminat-
ing description of his beloved spiritual master. He carefully backed out of
the woman’s view and decided to ask others about the shaykh’s whereabouts.

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