A dervish was tormented by the violence of love, and was as restless as a flame in his passion. His soul was devoured by the fire of his love, and the flames of his heart burned his tongue. The blaze spread from his spirit to his heart; the greatest anguish assailed him. He was in a state of agitation midway along the road; he wept, and, groaning, spoke thus: “The fire of my love burns my soul and my heart; how shall I weep, when this fire has consumed all my tears?”
A voice from the invisible world said to him: “Cease henceforth to entertain these pretensions. Why speak absurdities concerning God?” The dervish replied: “How could I have acted thus of my own accord? Surely it is God Himself who has produced these feelings in me. Could a being such as I have the audacity and temerity to claim as friend a being such as He? What have I done? As for Him, He has done what He has done, and that is all. When my heart was bloodied, He drank the blood, and that is all. Then He urged you on and granted you access to Him. Take care not to put anything of your own into your head. Who are you, that in this great affair you should set foot for even an instant beyond the humble carpet of the dervishes? If God plays the game of love with you, O my child, it is because He plays with His own work. As for you, you are nothing and can do nothing; but the creature’s approach to the Creator will efface your nothingness. If you put yourself forward, you will be free at once of religion and of individual life.”
MAHMUD IN A BATHHOUSE.
One night, Mahmûd, his heart heavy, went to see a bath attendant. The latter seated him comfortably on the ashes, spread embers in the room to warm him, and then hastened to place some dry bread before him. The king reached out his hand and eagerly ate the bread; then he said to himself: “Had this bath attendant excused himself from receiving me tonight, I would have cut off his head.” At last, when the king wished to take his leave, the bath attendant said to him: “You have seen this place; you have known my bed, my food, and my palace; you have been my guest without being invited. If the same thing happens to you another time, come at once, promptly and swiftly setting foot upon the path. Though you do not love me, be content; tell the bath attendant to spread the embers well. In truth, I am neither more nor less than you; yet how could I be compared with you in my abject condition?”
One night, Mahmûd, his heart heavy, went to see a bath attendant. The latter seated him comfortably on the ashes, spread embers in the room to warm him, and then hastened to place some dry bread before him. The king reached out his hand and eagerly ate the bread; then he said to himself: “Had this bath attendant excused himself from receiving me tonight, I would have cut off his head.” At last, when the king wished to take his leave, the bath attendant said to him: “You have seen this place; you have known my bed, my food, and my palace; you have been my guest without being invited. If the same thing happens to you another time, come at once, promptly and swiftly setting foot upon the path. Though you do not love me, be content; tell the bath attendant to spread the embers well. In truth, I am neither more nor less than you; yet how could I be compared with you in my abject condition?”
The king of the world was pleased with this speech, and seven times more he came to be the guest of this man. The last time, he urged him to ask at last for something. “If this beggar were to ask for something,” he replied, “the king would not grant it to him.” — “Ask,” said the king, “for whatever you wish, even if it be to leave this bathhouse and become king.” — “I desire only,” he replied, “that the king should from time to time be my guest. My sovereignty consists in seeing His face; the crown upon my head is the dust of His feet. Sire, Thou dispensest many favours with Thy hand; but never has what happened to me happened to any bath attendant. A bath attendant seated beside Thee in a bathhouse is worth more than a king in a garden without Thee. Since it was through this bathhouse that my happiness came to me, it would be an act of infidelity on my part to leave it. It was here that my union with Thee took place; how could I exchange this moment of bliss for the kingdom of the two worlds? Thou hast made this bathhouse radiant by Thy presence; what better than Thyself could I ask of Thee? May the soul of him perish whose restless heart can choose anything in preference to Thee! I desire neither sovereignty nor empire; what I desire from Thee is Thyself. It is enough that Thou art king: give me not sovereignty; come only sometimes to be my guest.”
His love is necessary to thee; that is the truth; but thine can only be a burden and an inconvenience to Him. If thou lovest God, seek also to be loved by Him; withdraw not thy hand from the hem of His robe. But while one seeks this love, ever ancient and ever new, the other desires two obols in ready silver from the treasures of the world: he knows not what he possesses; he seeks a drop of water, while the Ocean is at his disposal.