As three travelers, two scholars and a dervish, crossed the mountains of the Himalaya, they discussed the importance of putting into practice everything they had learned on a spiritual plane. They we so engrossed in their conversation that it was only late at night that they realized that all they […]
Sufi stories
44 posts
In Eastern Armenia there was a little village with two parallel streets, called North Way and South Way, respectively. A traveler from afar walked down South Way, and soon resolved to visit the other street; however, as soon as he entered it, the merchants noticed that his eyes were filled […]
A certain man believed that the ordinary waking life, as people know it, could not possibly be complete. He sought the real Master of the Age. He read many books and joined many circles, and he heard the words and witnessed the deeds of one master after another. He carried […]
Many years ago the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire visited one of the great sheikhs of Istanbul. He was deeply impressed with the wisdom and sincerity of the Sheikh and began coming regularly to the Sheikh’s gatherings. After some time the Sultan said, “I have come to love you […]
A dervish was praying silently. A wealthy merchant, observing the dervish’s devotion and sincerity, was deeply touched by him. The merchant offered the drevish a bag of gold. “I know you will use the money for God’s sake. Please take it.” “Just a moment,” the dervish replied. “I’m not sure […]
A fox who lived in the deep forest of long ago had lost its front legs. No one knew how: perhaps escaping from a trap. A man who lived on the edge of the forest, seeing the fox from time to time, wondered how in the world it managed to […]
A man dressed as a Sufi was walking along one day when he saw a dog on the road, which he struck hard with his staff. The dog, yelping with pain, ran to the great sage Abu-Said. Throwing himself at his feet and holding up his injured paw, he called […]
A Man and his son were once going with their Donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: “You fools, what is a Donkey for but to ride upon?” So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went […]
Once there lived a metalworker, a locksmith, who was unjustly accused of crimes and was sentenced to a deep, dark prison. After he had been there awhile, his wife who loved him very much went to the King and beseeched him that she might at least give him a prayer […]
A man died far from his home, and in the portion of his will which he had available for bequest, he left in these words: “Let the community where the land is situated take what they wish for themselvs, and let them give that which they wish to Arif the […]
A man who was troubled in mind once swore that if his problems were solved, he would sell his house and give all the money gained from it to the poor.The time came when he realized that he must redeem his oath. But he did not want to give away […]
A so-called dragon hunter went to the mountains to trap a dragon. He searched the mountains and finally discovered the frozen body of a great dragon in a cave high up one of the tallest peaks. The man brought the body to Baghdad. He claimed he slew the dragon single-handed […]
The Indian Sufi Jamali was very fond of travelling and embarked on long journeys. He was a famed poet who was even known in Herat. After visiting Mecca and Medina Jamali visited the Maghrib, the Yemen, Palestine, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran and even Sri Lanka to see the footprint of […]
Once there was a city, the inhabitants of which were all blind. They had heard of elephants and were curious to see [sic] one face to face. They were still full of this desire when one day a caravan arrived and camped outside the city. There was an elephant in […]
There was once a man who had come to kill without remorse ninety-nine people. But one day he suddenly felt something in heart, a touch, and decided to put an end to the unhealthy spiral. He went to the neighbor and asked him, “Tell me, you who know my story, is there any […]
A great Shaykh from North India, Khwaja Chisti Muhoinuddin (1141-1230) (his secret be sanctified), one day received a letter by the Maharaja of the place, saying that he had heard about him, that he was curious to meet him, and that the next day he would expected him at the palace. The Shaykh in response begged the messenger to report to the his […]
Once upon a time there was a man who had inherited an incredibly beautiful horse. It was so special that the king heard about it and offered him an exorbitant sum for it. The man was very poor, and the sum was really inviting, but he declined the generous offer […]
One day, King of Magadha (a state in ancient India) called upon his growing son (prince heir to the throne) and asked him to go to Ashram (a place like present days boarding school) for higher education. Prince went to the Ashram and stayed their for many years to […]
A man went in search of a Master. He was ready to go around the world, but he was determined to find the Master, the true Master, the Perfect Master. Outside his village he met an old man, a nice fellow, sitting under a tree. He asked the old man, “Have […]
Una volta Sultân Abû Yazîd Bistâmî, viaggiando con i suoi discepoli venne a trovarsi nei pressi di un villaggio lontano in cui nessuno lo conosceva. Si stava facendo buio e uno dei discepoli gli chiese: «Maestro, dove dormiremo questa notte?». Egli rispose: «Beh, vediamo, chiediamo, Dio si prenderà cura, non […]