Fihi Ma Fihi, Majlis No. 27 :-

It is better not to question what Sufis say, since this obliges them to invent a lie. For if a materialist questions a Sufi, the Sufi must give some answer. But how can they be completely truthful with someone incapable of understanding? The materialist’s mouth and lips are not able to receive such a delicate morsel. So the Sufi must answer people according to their capacity and experience, namely by inventing an answer that sends them away.

Although everything the Sufi gives out is true and cannot be a lie, yet the first thing a Sufi says is far greater. If this is questioned, then what good is answering with more truth? Even still, the lie given by the Sufi is good for the materialist, and more than right.

A certain dervish had a disciple who used to beg for him. One day out of what they gained from their begging, the disciple brought some food to their master. The dervish ate the food.

That night he had a wet dream.

“Where did you get that food?” he asked the disciple.

“A lovely girl gave it to me,” the disciple answered.

“By God,” said the dervish, “it is twenty years since I had a wet dream. This is the effect of her morsel.”

This shows that the dervish must be careful, they cannot eat every morsel. The dervish is too sensitive. Things will effect them and become visible, just as a little blackness shows on a clean white gown. However, as for a black gown that has become black with grime for many years, if a thousand kinds of filth should trickle on it, it would make no difference.

TRANSLATION BY A. J. ARBERRY

It is better not to question what Sufis say, since this obliges them to invent a lie. For if a materialist questions a Sufi, the Sufi must give some answer. But how can they be completely truthful with someone incapable of understanding? The materialist’s mouth and lips are not able to receive such a delicate morsel. So the Sufi must answer people according to their capacity and experience, namely by inventing an answer that sends them away.

Although everything the Sufi gives out is true and cannot be a lie, yet the first thing a Sufi says is far greater. If this is questioned, then what good is answering with more truth? Even still, the lie given by the Sufi is good for the materialist, and more than right.

A certain dervish had a disciple who used to beg for him. One day out of what they gained from their begging, the disciple brought some food to their master. The dervish ate the food.

That night he had a wet dream.

“Where did you get that food?” he asked the disciple.

“A lovely girl gave it to me,” the disciple answered.

“By God,” said the dervish, “it is twenty years since I had a wet dream. This is the effect of her morsel.”

This shows that the dervish must be careful, they cannot eat every morsel. The dervish is too sensitive. Things will effect them and become visible, just as a little blackness shows on a clean white gown. However, as for a black gown that has become black with grime for many years, if a thousand kinds of filth should trickle on it, it would make no difference.

TRANSLATION BY A. J. ARBERRY