One man who came to Al Shah Bahauddin Naqshbandi asked him for advice on how to live, how to behave, what things to do and what to avoid.
The master invited his disciples to dinner and asked the guest to repeat the request. When the visitor expressed his request in a respectful manner, Bahauddin said:
- Listen carefully! You should start leading a riotous life, earning money for yourself by stealing, and you should give part of the money to me. Neglect prayers and external purity and always try to achieve superiority over people. Be cunning, strong and unprincipled.
The more the Master spoke, the more restless the petitioner became and in the end he ran out of the room in horror.
After several weeks had passed, Bahauddin asked if there was any news about the “disciple.”
“Yes,” they answered him, “he lives in Samarkand the exemplary life of a true believer.” He also tells everyone he can that you are Satan, who tried to lead him astray.
Bahauddin laughed.
“If I had told him to lead a good life, he would never have listened—it was drilled into him since childhood.” Naturally, when he grew up, he needed something more unusual and lively. But when I frightened him with this strange new life, he decided that he would feel better if he were a gentle, virtuous person.
“But,” asked one of the students, “what about your reputation, Teacher?”
- Those who believe in evil participate in evil. And I’m sure that knowledgeable people in Samarkand are not like that.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru