Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) or Sufi Bastami
Which of the
two is greater do you think? Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) or Sufi Bastami? (Shams
Tabriz asked Rumi)
“What kind of question is that?” Rumi told. “How can you compare our venerated Prophet, may peace be upon him, the last in the line of prophets, with an infamous mystic?”
A curious crowd had gathered around us, but the dervish (Shams Tabriz) didn’t seem to mind the audience. Still studying my (Rumi’s) face carefully, he insisted, “Please think about it. Didn’t the Prophet say, ‘Forgive me, God, I couldn’t know Thee as I should have,’ while Bastami pronounced, ‘Glory be to me, I carry God inside my cloak”? If one man feels so small in relation to God while another man claims to carry God inside, which of the two is greater?”
My (Rumi’s) heart pulsed in my throat. The question didn’t seem so absurd anymore. In fact, it felt as if a veil had been lifted and what awaited me underneath was an intriguing puzzle. A furtive smile, like a passing breeze, crossed the lips of the dervish. Now I knew he was not some crazy lunatic. He was a man with a question__a question I hadn’t thought about before. (Rumi expresses)
“I see what you are trying to say.” I (Rumi) began, not wanting him to hear so much as a quaver in my voice. “I’ll compare the two statements and tell you why. Even though Bastami’s statement sounds higher, it is in fact the other way round.”
“I am all ears,” the dervish said.
“You see, God’s love is an endless ocean, and human beings strive to get as much water as they can out of it. But at the end of the day, how much water they each get depends on the size of our cups. Some people have barrels, some buckets, while some others have only got bowls.”
As I (Rumi) spoke, I watched the dervish’s expression change from subtle scorn to open acknowledgement and from there into the soft smile of someone recognizing his own thoughts in the words of another.
“Bistami’s container was relatively small, and his thirst was quenched after a mouthful. He was happy in the stage he was at. It was wonderful that he recognized the divine in himself, but even then there still remains a distinction between God and Self. Unity is not achieved.
As for the Prophet, He (PBUH) was the Elect of God and had a much bigger cup to fill. This is why God asked him in the Qurán, Have we not opened up your heart? His heart was widened, his cup immense, it was thirst upon thirst for him. No wonder He (PBUH) said, ‘We do not know You as we should,’ although He (PBUH) knew Him (Almighty) as no other did.”
Breaking into a good- natured grin, the dervish
nodded and thanked me. He then placed his hand on his heart in a gesture of
gratitude and stayed like that for a few seconds. When our eyes meet again. I
noticed that a trace of gentleness has crept into his gaze. “What kind of question is that?” Rumi told. “How can you compare our venerated Prophet, may peace be upon him, the last in the line of prophets, with an infamous mystic?”
A curious crowd had gathered around us, but the dervish (Shams Tabriz) didn’t seem to mind the audience. Still studying my (Rumi’s) face carefully, he insisted, “Please think about it. Didn’t the Prophet say, ‘Forgive me, God, I couldn’t know Thee as I should have,’ while Bastami pronounced, ‘Glory be to me, I carry God inside my cloak”? If one man feels so small in relation to God while another man claims to carry God inside, which of the two is greater?”
My (Rumi’s) heart pulsed in my throat. The question didn’t seem so absurd anymore. In fact, it felt as if a veil had been lifted and what awaited me underneath was an intriguing puzzle. A furtive smile, like a passing breeze, crossed the lips of the dervish. Now I knew he was not some crazy lunatic. He was a man with a question__a question I hadn’t thought about before. (Rumi expresses)
“I see what you are trying to say.” I (Rumi) began, not wanting him to hear so much as a quaver in my voice. “I’ll compare the two statements and tell you why. Even though Bastami’s statement sounds higher, it is in fact the other way round.”
“I am all ears,” the dervish said.
“You see, God’s love is an endless ocean, and human beings strive to get as much water as they can out of it. But at the end of the day, how much water they each get depends on the size of our cups. Some people have barrels, some buckets, while some others have only got bowls.”
As I (Rumi) spoke, I watched the dervish’s expression change from subtle scorn to open acknowledgement and from there into the soft smile of someone recognizing his own thoughts in the words of another.
“Bistami’s container was relatively small, and his thirst was quenched after a mouthful. He was happy in the stage he was at. It was wonderful that he recognized the divine in himself, but even then there still remains a distinction between God and Self. Unity is not achieved.
As for the Prophet, He (PBUH) was the Elect of God and had a much bigger cup to fill. This is why God asked him in the Qurán, Have we not opened up your heart? His heart was widened, his cup immense, it was thirst upon thirst for him. No wonder He (PBUH) said, ‘We do not know You as we should,’ although He (PBUH) knew Him (Almighty) as no other did.”
Content taken from book "Forty Rules of Love".
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