11

A MAN CAME TO LIBNANI, A SUFI TEACHER, AND THIS INTERCHANGE

TOOK PLACE.
MAN: I WISH TO LEARN. WILL YOU TEACH ME?
LIBNANI: I DO NOT FEEL THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO LEARN.
MAN: CAN YOU TEACH ME HOW TO LEARN?
LIBNANI: CAN YOU LEARN HOW TO LET ME TEACH YOU?

Truth cannot be taught... but it can be learned. And between these two sentences
is the key of all understanding. So let me repeat: truth cannot be taught, but it can
be learned – because truth is not a teaching, not a doctrine, not a theory, a
philosophy, or something like that. Truth is existence. Truth is BEING. Nothing
can be said about it.
 12

BAHAUDDIN EL-SHAH WAS SITTING WITH A NUMBER OF DISCIPLES WHEN A

NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS CAME INTO THE MEETING HALL. EL-SHAH ASKED EACH
OF THEM, ONE BY ONE, TO SAY WHY HE WAS THERE.

THE FIRST SAID: YOU ARE THE GREATEST MAN ON EARTH. I GAVE HIM A POTION
WHEN HE WAS ILL, SO HE THINKS I AM THE GREATEST MAN ON EARTH, SAID EL-
SHAH.
THE SECOND SAID: MY SPIRITUAL LIFE HAS OPENED UP SINCE I HAVE BEEN
ALLOWED TO VISIT YOU.

HE WAS UNCERTAIN AND ILL AT EASE AND NONE WOULD LISTEN TO HIM. I SAT
WITH HIM, AND THE RESULTANT SERENITY IS CALLED BY HIM HIS SPIRITUAL
LIFE, SAID EL-SHAH.

THE THIRD SAID: YOU UNDERSTAND ME, AND ALL I ASK IS THAT YOU ALLOW ME
TO HEAR YOUR DISCOURSES FOR THE GOOD OF MY SOUL.

HE NEEDS ATTENTION AND WISHED TO HAVE NOTICE PAID TO HIM EVEN IF IT IS

CRITICISM, SAID EL-SHAH. THIS HE CALLS THE GOOD OF HIS SOUL.

THE FOURTH SAID: I WENT FROM ONE TO ANOTHER PRACTICING WHAT THEY
TAUGHT. IT WAS NOT UNTIL YOU GAVE ME A WAZIFA EXERCISE THAT I TRULY
FELT THE ILLUMINATION OF CONTACT WITH YOU.
THE EXERCISE I GAVE THIS MAN WAS A CONCOCTED ONE NOT RELATED TO HIS
SPIRITUAL LIFE AT ALL, SAID EL-SHAH. I HAD TO DEMONSTRATE HIS ILLUSION OF
SPIRITUALITY BEFORE I COULD ARRIVE AT THE PART OF THIS MAN WHICH IS
REALLY
SPIRITUAL, NOT SENTIMENTAL.
 13

SALIH OF QAZWIN TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES: WHOEVER KNOCKS AT THE DOOR

CONTINUALLY, IT WILL BE OPENED TO HIM.

RABIYA, HEARING HIM ONE DAY, SAID: HOW LONG WILL YOU SAY, IT WILL BE
OPENED? THE
DOOR HAS NEVER BEEN SHUT.
 14
A MAN WHO WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE DIED AND WAS BEING PREPARED FOR
BURIAL, REVIVED. HE SAT UP, BUT WAS SO SHOCKED AT THE SCENE
SURROUNDING HIM THAT HE FAINTED. HE WAS PUT IN THE COFFIN AND THE
FUNERAL PARTY SET OFF FOR THE CEMETERY.

JUST AS THEY ARRIVED AT THE GRAVE HE REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS, LIFTED

THE LID, AND CRIED OUT FOR HELP.

IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THAT HE HAS REVIVED, SAID THE MOURNERS, BECAUSE HE

HAS BEEN CERTIFIED DEAD BY COMPETENT EXPERTS. BUT I AM ALIVE! SHOUTED
THE MAN. HE APPEALED TO A WELL KNOWN AND IMPARTIAL SCIENTIST AND
JURISPRUDENT WHO WAS PRESENT.
JUST A MOMENT, SAID THE EXPERT. HE THEN TURNED TO THE MOURNERS,
COUNTING THEM. NOW WE HAVE HEARD WHAT THE ALLEGED DECEASED HAS
HAD TO SAY. YOU FIFTY WITNESSES TELL ME WHAT YOU REGARD AS THE TRUTH.
HE IS DEAD, SAID THE WITNESSES. BURY HIM, SAID THE EXPERT.
AND SO HE WAS BURIED.
 15

THERE WAS A MAN WHO LOST HIS AXE, AND HE SUSPECTED THE BOY NEXT
DOOR.

HE WATCHED THE BOY WALKING – HE HAD STOLEN HIS AXE. HIS EXPRESSION,
HIS TALK, HIS BEHAVIOR, HIS MANNER, EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM BETRAYED
THAT HE HAD STOLEN THE AXE.

SOON AFTERWARDS THE MAN WAS DIGGING IN HIS GARDEN AND HE FOUND
THE AXE. ON ANOTHER DAY HE SAW THE BOY NEXT DOOR AGAIN. NOTHING IN
HIS BEHAVIOR AND MANNER SUGGESTED THAT HE WOULD STEAL AN AXE.

ON ANOTHER DAY HE SAW THE BOY NEXT DOOR AGAIN. NOTHING IN HIS
BEHAVIOR AND MANNER SUGGESTED THAT HE WOULD STEAL AN AXE.