A city dweller and a villager once had an unusual arrangement. The villager would visit the city, setting up camp in the city’s neighborhoods and sharing meals with its residents. For two or three months, he would be their guest, settling into their shops and partaking of their tables. The city dweller would meet every need the villager had, providing for him generously.
One day, the villager turned to the city dweller and said, “Why don’t you ever visit the village? Why do you never take a stroll in nature? For Allah’s sake, bring all your sons. It is now the season of blossoms, springtime! Or wait for the time when the fruit ripens, so I may serve you with honor. Bring your lineage, your family, your relatives and stay with us in the village for three or four months.”
The countryside is delightful in springtime, with lush meadows, verdant grasses, and a refreshing breeze that delights the heart. The city dweller tried to dismiss him, making promises, but eight years passed since those promises were made. Every year, the villager would ask, “When will you come? Winter has arrived.” And the city dweller would reply, “Guests have come from this place and that. Allow me to come next year when I am free from work and burdens.”
The villager would respond, “My family, O generous one, awaits your children. They long for you.” Every time the stork arrived, so did the villager, settling into the city dweller’s home. Each year, the city dweller would spend gold and valuables on the villager, offering him kindness and protection. Finally, that noble villager stayed as a guest in the city dweller’s home for three full months.
He spread tables for him morning and evening, feeding and watering him. The villager, feeling ashamed, said again, “My lord, how many times have you promised me? How many times have you deceived me?” The city dweller replied, “My soul and my body desire to meet, but every action is subject to His will. Humans are like ships with sails. Let’s see which way the wind blows them.”
The villager, again making pledges to the city dweller, said, “O generous one, bring your family and children so you may witness my hospitality!” He took his hand and made three promises: “For Allah’s sake, make an effort and come quickly.” Ten years passed. Each year, they would exchange such words, sweetening them with pleasant promises. The city dweller’s children said, “Father, you travel to the moon and back, clouds and shadows appear.”
The villager has accumulated so much of your debt; for this reason, he endures many hardships. So come and be our guest, and at least repay a portion of these debts. They secretly urged him, “Deceive him and bring him to the village.” The city dweller said, “My child, they have said, ‘Protect yourself from the evil of those you do good to.’ Friendship is found in the final moments. I fear something will happen and the seed will spoil.”
Conversation is like a sharp sword; it cuts through the garden and crops as winter does. Conversation is like springtime; it makes everything flourish, yielding countless fruits. They call it precaution and foresight to dispel suspicion and escape evil. The Prophet said, “Precaution breeds suspicion.” O chatterbox, consider every step a trap. The desert’s face is smooth and wide, but there is a trap at every step; cease your reckless running. Like a mountain goat, if you run to find a trap, you will be caught by the throat. You asked, ‘Where is the trap?’ Look right here, see for yourself.
O bewildered one, are there traps, ambushes, and hunters in a meadow without a tail? O chosen one, look at the bones of those who came presumptuously to this place and ask them what befell them! Look at those blind drunkards and clearly see how they fell headfirst into the pit of deception!
If you have sight, come blindly; if you do not, take a cane. Take precaution as your cane; if you don’t have one, find a guide. If you don’t have a guide, stand at the beginning of every path. Step with caution like a blind man so that your foot may be saved from the pit and the dog. A blind man trembles and fears, taking cautious steps to avoid an accident. O morsel escaping smoke and falling into fire.
The villager flattered and flattered. Finally, the city dweller’s judgment and precaution were lost; he became confused and foolish. The villager’s constant news eventually muddied the city dweller’s clear water. From one side, his children began to say with joy, “Let us roam and play, what will happen?” Like Joseph. Those words of “let us roam and play” strangely separated him from his father’s shadow through a predetermined decree. That is not play; it is a living game, deception, treachery, and betrayal. Do not listen to the one who separates you from your friend.
There is ruin in that word, even ruin! Even if those who speak it have the benefit of a deceptive charm, do not heed them. Abandon the treasure for gold, poor man! Listen: how many times has Allah rebuked His companions with good and bad words? For when the year of famine arrived, they immediately abandoned the Friday prayer upon hearing the sound of drums.
Others should not get it cheaper; let them gain that profit. The Prophet remained standing with two or three poor people completely absorbed in devotion during prayer. Allah said: “Did the sound of drums, frivolous pursuits, and trade divert you from My Messenger, leaving Him alone?” They scattered like those confused ones toward wheat, abandoning the Messenger. His conversation is better than games and possessions. Now, see whom you have left; look at him with your eyes.
Having prepared himself, the city dweller began his preparations, and a bird of zeal started to run and fly towards the village. His family, relatives, and children were preparing the way and loading their belongings onto zealous oxen. They set off running and laughing, saying, “We will benefit from the village; give us news, good tidings from the village!” Thus, they headed toward the village.
“The place we are going to is a beautiful meadow with lush grasses. There is also a generous friend of ours there who welcomes us with thousands of desires. He has planted a tree of generosity for us. We will bring provisions from the village to the city and even gift us his vineyard. He will give us a place in his heart.” They said, “Comrades, hurry up so we can benefit.” But wisdom whispered from within, “Do not boast!” Benefit with Allah’s grace; there is no doubt that your Lord does not love those who rejoice and brag. Rejoice and be happy with the things Allah has bestowed upon you. What occupies you keeps you away from God and deceives you.
Rejoice in sorrow, do not rejoice in anything else. Sorrow is springtime; everything else is winter! Everything else leads you slowly, slowly towards destruction. Whether it be a crown, a throne, wealth, or possessions, rejoice in sorrow; sorrow is the trap of union.
In this path, falling down is truly rising up. Sorrow is a treasure. It is an ore for your hardship and toil, but these words will not affect children. Children, as soon as they hear the name ‘play,’ rush into a race with wild donkeys. O wild donkeys, there are traps on this side. Those who come presumptuously to that side have their bones broken.
Friends, the heart is security, it is a place of peace. There are springs and rose gardens there. Do not go to the village. The village makes a man foolish. It dulls his mind, makes it lusterless. O chosen, pure one, listen to the Prophet’s words: staying in the village for even one night will prevent your mind from returning to what it was.
A full month of that foolishness will not disappear. What else can be harvested from the plants of the village? Whoever stays in the village for a month remains ignorant and blind. What is the village? A shaykh who has not reached the truth, who extends his hand to imitation and proof! O bewildered one, these feelings towards the village are like eyes bound to mill donkeys.
Leave that behind and enter the story; abandon the pearl and take the wheat grain. If there is no path to the pearl, then quickly take the wheat. If there is no path on this side, drive oxen on that side. The outward leads ultimately to the inward. What else could a human be at his beginning but from form? Then comes the pleasure, for pleasure is the meaning of the fruit. First they set up tents and then invite guests and sing songs.
Know that the form is the tent of the soul, and the soul is the Turk! Know that the soul is the captain, and the form is the ship! For Allah’s sake, let the donkey’s bells of the city dweller ring for a moment!
The city dweller and his family completed their preparations, loaded their belongings onto mules, and headed towards the village. They were driving their animals with joy, saying, “Let us travel and find treasures.” Like Keykhosrow, they become those who travel to the moon and back. How can one become a king without traveling?
Beydak reaches the highest square of chess, the square of the rook, and becomes a rook. Joseph benefits from the journey and achieves hundreds of his desires. Their days are scorched by the sun, and their nights are guided by the stars. The bad road appears beautiful to them, the joy of the village seems like paradise, and they continue on this way.
Bitterness sweetens with the influence of sweet lips; thorns become a garden thanks to the face of a beloved. Ebu Jehil’s watermelon is cut like a date because of the face of a beloved; a house becomes a field because of a beloved in the home. Many blacksmiths have blackened their faces so that the moon-faced beloved may kiss their faces at night.
The merchant stands in his shop until evening, as if crucified, because he has planted a service in his heart. The trader walks on, not caring about the sea or the land, but runs and flies with the hope of a beloved waiting at home. Whoever is attached to a corpse, a stone, or soil must be attached to a living face.
The carpenter has fixed a service to his board, but he works and strives hoping to serve a moon-faced beauty, so work and strive with the hope that one day she will become lifeless. Do not choose a straw as your companion from a low face. Its companionship is deceitful. If your mother and father are companions, what has become of your companionship? The companionship of milk and breast has disappeared. You hated school, and that hatred passed.
That companionship is like the sunlight reaching the wall. That light has gone to the sun. O valiant one, be enamored of wherever that light falls! For every affection for a being comes from Allah’s attributes, from the glitter of that being, not from its inherent beauty. The gilded exterior of that being goes back to its origin; so go to that origin. The light on the wall reaches the sun. So go to that sun worthy of you. And since you have not seen loyalty from the ditch, ask for water from the rain.
The wolf’s trap is not a tail mine. How would that great wolf know the tail mine? Those deceived ones thought they had stripped gold and rushed towards the village.
Laughing and playing, they ran toward that spinning wheel. If they saw a bird flying to the village, they would tear their clothes from impatience; if they saw a man coming from the village, they would kiss his face and eyes, saying, “You have seen our friend’s face. You are our life, you are our eyes.” Like Majnun.
He was stroking and kissing a dog, melting before him. He turned around and around him, ululating and welcoming him, giving him pure sugar syrup. A heretic said: “O foolish Majnun, what is this that you do, is it madness or silliness?” He recounted many faults of the dog. Those who see faults cannot smell the scent of the unseen world. Majnun said, “You are nothing but form and body. Come and look with my eyes!
This dog, in my opinion, is an insoluble mystery of Allah. This dog is the gatekeeper of Layla’s neighborhood. Pay attention to his grace, his heart, his soul, and his wisdom so that you may know where he has settled and what he has made his home! The dog of my cave is blessed; even his footprint is more precious than lions. O beloved whose dogs are slaves to the lions! It is impossible to explain…”