Abu Nujum visited the monastery of one of the followers of Sufism, known as Pir-o-Murshid Partov-Gir Dalil.
Dalil said:
- Look how we in our Order reflect on the beauty of Divine love! See how we indulge in severe asceticism and self-denial! See how we read the classics, and repeat the sayings, and imitate the deeds of the Ancient Chosen One! Look at how much respect we have achieved, so that we are admired everywhere, considered a model, and we are truly laying the foundations of a strong building!
Abu Nujum said nothing. He sent one of his students, Atiyya, to open a house of prayer in one of the city blocks, where continuous religious services were held. Many of Dalil's disciples, accustomed to religious rites, thirsting for even more, left their master and rushed to this new saint.
Then Abu Nujum instructed one ignorant atheist to open an ethereal tekkiya of a special structure, under the shining arches of which sermons were delivered and intoxicatingly sublime words and poems of divine love were recited. Another part of Delilah's students rushed there, captivated by this miracle.
Next, Abu Nujum opened a school where rhythmic spinning was performed under the direction of the most notorious swindler in Samarkand, and many of Dalil's students, converted to the new trend, found satisfaction in the exciting sensations of being there; some even believed that the performance of miracles was a result of this practice. Not satisfied with this, the ruthless Abu Nujum assigned a narrow-minded cleric to read the sayings and describe the deeds of the ancient Masters day and night, accompanied by the recitation of extensive passages from the Sufi classics.
Another part of the followers of the unfortunate Delilah joined this “saint” and absorbed what he gave them.
The last act was the opening of the House of Repetition, in which Abu Nujum proposed rigid practice in severe asceticism and insisted on enormous sacrifices from all who came. The walls of the House were crowded with princes and peasants, rich and poor, merchants and officials, noisily demanding trials and willing to undergo suffering in the name of a noble cause.
Of the many hundreds of Delilah's students, only three remained faithful to their teacher. Abu Nujum came to his monastery and said:
“I did everything I could to show you you.” Now you just have to test these three for yourself: are they really followers of something or are they staying with you out of habit and sentimentality, perhaps simply contrary to the general behavior that is to be expected from some under any circumstances.
Dalil threw himself at the feet of the true Teacher and said:
“Now that I have learned that I suffer from petty vanity, and that my students are deceived and thirst for magicians, can I have even a faint hope of becoming your follower?”
Abu Nujum replied:
- As long as you are convinced that you have a dislike for vanity and that you do not enjoy the fact that others rely on you, you cannot. What we have to sell is entrusted to us by its owner. And it should not be given for such a pitiful price as physical suffering, money that people want to pay to acquire something, or for sensual pleasure taken for serving God.
Dalil said:
- But doesn’t tradition tell us that, for example, it is worthy to sacrifice?
Abu Nujum replied:
- This was said to people who had already overcome vanity. If you haven't taken the first step, how can you try to take the second?
It was this amazing revelation that gave true humility to Dalil, who later became the true Leader of Turkestan.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru