Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 511
17 May 1908 511 to the needle in comparison with the ocean]. This is the state of human knowledge—how little he has been given of wisdom and knowledge! رتمس ہن ریس ہب ہبعک اے ارعایب 1 اتسکن اتس راہ ہک وت یم روی رتب ن � ي ک� O Bedouin! I wonder how you can reach the Ka‘bah, When the road you have taken leads to Turkistan. It is, therefore, astounding that some people make lofty claims after acquiring just routine traditional learning, while the path of faith is so very subtle and fine and its truths and spiritual philosophy are not things that everyone can claim expertise in. 2 This religion has indeed come from heaven and the means to keep it fresh and green forever and always shall also continue to descend from heaven itself. I regret to say that if the people educated in mundane sciences and traditional fields are asked, most of them will turn out to be knowledgeable only in those areas but here I also wish to say to these gentlemen who are learned in mundane and worldly knowledge: �ان ي � ن �وان� ي � اے ہک وخادنی تمکح وخبان مہ را �ان ي � ن م� ا� ي � ا تمکح O thou who art studied in Greek philosophy! Study also the wisdom of people of faith. 1. Publisher’s Note: This is a couplet of Abu Muhammad Muslih-ud-Din Mushrif ibn-Abdullah Shirazi, better known by his pen name Sadi. Another variation of the couplet is (but the meanings are the same): یب اَرعا اے یس ر وچں ہبعک ہب ہک رتمس اتس ن اتسک رتب ی رو وتےم ہک رہ ںىك 2. From Badr: The person who has no knowledge of the faith and yet claims that he needs no help from another is a fool ( Badr, vol. 7, no. 25, p. 5, dated 25 June 1908).