Once a famous scientist visited Bahauddin Naqshbandi. All the students expected that Murshid would take part in a discussion with the scientist and refute his arguments, just as he had done with other scholastics for many years. However, when the scientist was accepted into the circle of Bahauddin, Murshid showed him respect, and questions of human thought and divine mysteries were not mentioned at all.
When the scientist left the meeting, someone remarked:
“How strange that the man of words did not try to involve Mawlana in the discussion.” Despite the fact that everyone we have seen here before knows that their arguments are refuted, no one could resist the temptation - he was the only one.
This statement reached the ears of Bahauddin and he said:
- There is nothing strange if you know the reason. This man, who gives the impression of a scientist, is a hidden Sufi. He abdal. This word, to which people usually attribute the meaning “changed,” also means, as you will understand, “someone hidden.” That's who he is. Since he is a scholar for the world and a Sufi for the Sufis, how could he come here and discuss something in an academic manner? As for temptation, discussion can be a temptation only for a scientist. A Sufi has no temptations, and thus the question does not arise.
Someone exclaimed:
- We should think about it! Next time we will know how to deal with the silent scientist.
Then Bahauddin turned to the senior student:
- Answer him.
The senior student said:
- Alas! But next time the silent scientist will most likely turn out to be a fool, intimidated by the reputation of el-Shah.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru