A famine suddenly broke out in Egypt, to such a degree that men perished begging for bread. They lay dying in heaps along every road, devoured by hunger, half alive, half dead. By chance a madman saw the sight—that is to say, he saw men perishing and bread not coming. He then said (addressing God): “O Thou who possessest the riches of this world and of religion! Since Thou canst not feed all men, create fewer of them.”
Whoever is bold in this court must afterwards make excuses when he has come to his senses. If he says anything there that is improper or untrue, he must humbly ask pardon for it.
ANECDOTE OF ANOTHER MADMAN IN GOD.
Whoever is bold in this court must afterwards make excuses when he has come to his senses. If he says anything there that is improper or untrue, he must humbly ask pardon for it.
ANECDOTE OF ANOTHER MADMAN IN GOD.
A Sufi, crazed by the love of God, had a heart stained with blood, tormented as he was by children who threw stones at him. At last he went to take refuge in the corner of a building; but there was a skylight through which hail fell, striking his head. The madman took the hailstones for pebbles; he foolishly wagged his tongue on this account, and reviled those who, as he supposed, were throwing stones and bricks at him. Now this house was dark, and he believed that the children were indeed continuing to throw stones at him. At last the wind opened a door, and the place where he was became light. Then he distinguished the hail from the stones; his heart was troubled by the insults he had uttered, and he asked God’s pardon for his foolish words: “O God!” he cried then, “this house was dark; that is what made me go astray in my speech.”
Since a madman has spoken thus, do not set thyself in opposition to God. He who is there, drunk and bereft of reason, shall be without rest, without friend, and without heart. Life passes in inaction, and yet each moment offers a new cause for agitation. Keep thy tongue from praising the lover and the fool; nevertheless, excuse him. If thou knewest the secret motives of those who are blind to the light, thou wouldst doubtless excuse them.
ANECDOTE CONCERNING THE SHAIKH WÂCITI.
Wâciti was wandering at random, without provisions, lost in bewilderment, when his gaze fell upon the tombs of the Jews, and his thoughts upon the best among them. “These Jews,” he said aloud, “are quite excusable; but one cannot express this opinion before anyone.”
A cadi heard these words; he was angered by them, and summoned Wâciti before him. Since these words did not suit this judge, he sought to make Wâciti retract them; but the latter would not consent, and firmly refused, saying: “If this unhappy nation is not, by thy command, exempted from entering upon the path of Islam, it is nevertheless at this moment exempted by the command of the God of heaven.”
ANECDOTE CONCERNING THE SHAIKH WÂCITI.
Wâciti was wandering at random, without provisions, lost in bewilderment, when his gaze fell upon the tombs of the Jews, and his thoughts upon the best among them. “These Jews,” he said aloud, “are quite excusable; but one cannot express this opinion before anyone.”
A cadi heard these words; he was angered by them, and summoned Wâciti before him. Since these words did not suit this judge, he sought to make Wâciti retract them; but the latter would not consent, and firmly refused, saying: “If this unhappy nation is not, by thy command, exempted from entering upon the path of Islam, it is nevertheless at this moment exempted by the command of the God of heaven.”