Why do Sufis deliberately disguise and hide themselves?

Why do sufis deliberately disguise and hide themselves?

-- because they want their energies to be used rightly, because they are creative people. They are not interested in name and fame, they are not interested in anything else; they are only interested in giving a new life to people who are desiring God, longing for God. Why should they waste their time and energy? There are many kinds of people in the world. A few are curious people, they come just out of curiosity, they waste time. Then there are a few who come with enquiry. They are better than the curious people, there is some possibility that they may grow, but that is only a possibility. Then there is a third kind who is really a seeker, who is ready to stake his life, who is ready to lose something for it, who is ready to pay the price for it. The Sufi will work with the…

A ruby, there, is just a piece of stone: and spiritual excellence the height of folly. Silence is praise -- have done with speech; your chatter will only bring you harm and sorrow -- have done! Belief and unbelief both have their origin in your hypocrite's heart; the way is only long because you delay to start on it: one single step would bring you to him: become a slave, and you will be a king.

THE DUMB FIND TONGUES, WHEN THE SCENT OF LIFE REACHES THEM FROM HIS SOUL. LISTEN TRULY -- AND DON'T BE FOOLED -- THIS IS NOT FOR FOOLS: ALL THESE DIFFERENT SHADES BECOME ONE COLOR IN THE JAR OF UNITY; THE ROPE BECOMES SLENDER WHEN REDUCED TO A SINGLE STRAND. YOUR INTELLECT IS JUST A HOTCH-POTCH OF GUESSWORK AND THOUGHT, LIMPING OVER THE FACE OF THE EARTH; WHEREVER THEY ARE, HE IS NOT; THEY ARE CONTAINED WITHIN HIS CREATION. MAN AND HIS REASON ARE JUST THE LATEST RIPENING PLANTS IN HIS GARDEN. WHATEVER YOU ASSERT ABOUT HIS NATURE YOU ARE BOUND TO BE OUT OF YOUR DEPTH, LIKE A BLIND MAN TRYING TO DESCRIBE THE APPEARANCE OF HIS OWN MOTHER. WHILE REASON IS STILL TRACKING DOWN THE SECRET, YOU END YOUR QUEST ON THE OPEN FIELD OF LOVE. THE PATH CONSISTS IN NEITHER WORDS NOR DEEDS: ONLY DESOLATION CAN COME FROM…

There was a rich and generous man of bokhara. Because he had a high rank in the invisible hierarchy, he was known as the president of the world.

EVERY DAY HE GAVE GOLD TO ONE CATEGORY OF PEOPLE -- THE SICK, WIDOWS, AND SO ON. BUT NOTHING WAS GIVEN TO ANYONE WHO OPENED HIS MOUTH. NOT ALL COULD KEEP SILENT. ONE DAY IT WAS THE TURN OF THE LAWYERS TO RECEIVE THEIR SHARE OF THE BOUNTY. ONE OF THEM COULD NOT RESTRAIN HIMSELF AND HE MADE THE MOST COMPLETE APPEAL POSSIBLE. NOTHING WAS GIVEN TO HIM. THIS, HOWEVER, WAS NOT THE END OF HIS EFFORTS. THE FOLLOWING DAY INVALIDS WERE BEING HELPED, SO HE PRETENDED THAT HIS LIMBS HAD BEEN BROKEN. BUT THE PRESIDENT KNEW HIM, AND HE OBTAINED NOTHING. AGAIN AND AGAIN HE TRIED, EVEN DISGUISING HIMSELF AS A WOMAN, BUT WITHOUT RESULT. FINALLY THE LAWYER FOUND AN UNDERTAKER AND TOLD HIM TO WRAP HIM IN A SHROUD. `WHEN THE PRESIDENT PASSES BY,' SAID THE LAWYER, `HE WILL PERHAPS ASSUME THAT THIS A CORPSE, AND HE MAY…

Uwais was asked, 'how do you feel?' he said, 'like one who has arisen in the morning and does not know whether he will be dead in the evening.' the other man said, 'but this is the situation of all men.' uwais said, 'yes, but how many of them feel it?'

The Koran says there are three basic qualities which have to be in the heart of the seeker. The first is khushu. khushu means humility, humbleness. The second is karamat. karamat means charity, sharing, the joy of giving. And the third is sijd. sijd means truthfulness, authenticity, not to pretend but to be whatsoever you are. These three are the three pillars of Sufism. Humility does not mean the ordinary so-called humbleness. The ordinary humble person is not egoless. He carries a new kind of ego -- of being humble. He thinks he is humble, 'Nobody is as humble as I am. I am the topmost in humility.' But he goes on comparing. The ego has not changed, the ego has only taken a new posture, a new gesture, more subtle. First the ego was very gross. When you go on bragging about your money. It is very gross. One…

A certain sufi teacher was explaining how a false sufi had been unmasked. "a real sufi sent one of his disciples to serve him. The disciple waited on the imposter hand and foot, day and night. Presently everyone began to see how the fraud loved these attentions, and people deserted him until he was completely alone."

ONE OF THE LISTENERS TO THIS STORY SAID TO HIMSELF, "WHAT A MARVELLOUS IDEA! I SHALL GO AWAY AND DO JUST THE SAME THING." HE WENT TO WHERE A BOGUS DIVINE WAS TO BE FOUND, AND PASSIONATELY DESIRED TO BE ENROLLED AS A DISCIPLE. AFTER THREE YEARS, SUCH WAS HIS DEVOTION THAT HUNDREDS OF DEVOTEES HAD COLLECTED. "THIS SAGE MUST INDEED BE A GREAT MAN," THEY SAID TO ONE ANOTHER, "TO INSPIRE SUCH LOYALTY AND SELF-SACRIFICE IN HIS DISCIPLE." SO THE MAN WENT BACK TO THE SUFI FROM WHOM HE HAD HEARD THE STORY AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. "YOUR TALES ARE NOT RELIABLE," HE SAID "BECAUSE WHEN I TRIED TO PUT ONE INTO PRACTICE, THE REVERSE HAPPENED." "ALAS," SAID THE SUFI, "THERE WAS ONLY ONE THING WRONG WITH YOUR ATTEMPT TO APPLY SUFI METHODS. YOU WERE NOT A SUFI." Sufism is psychology in the true sense of the word.…