Selections from The Golestan of Sa'di – Chapter II: The Morals of Dervishes, Part 2 of 2

We now invite you to enjoy excerpts from “The Golestan of Sa'di.” The Golestan of Sa'di Chapter II The Morals of Dervishes “A padshah (Master King), meeting a holy man, asked him whether he did not sometimes remember him for the purpose of getting presents. He replied: ‘Yes, I do, whenever I forget God.’ Whom He drives from his door, runs everywhere. Whom He calls, runs to no one's door.” “Devotees with their face towards the world Say their prayers with their back to the Qiblah. When a worshipper calls upon his God, He must know no one besides God.” “If thou find fault with thyself Thou wilt not hear others reproaching thee.” “Bread is taken for the corner of devotion (worshiping of God) By pious men and not the corner of devotion for bread.” “If thy fellow traveler hastens, he is not thy fellow. Tie not thy heart to one whose heart is not tied to thine. When a kinsman possesses no virtue and piety Then severing connection is better than love of kinship. I remember that an opponent objected to the last two lines, saying: ‘God the most high and glorious has in his noble book prohibited the severing of connection with relatives and has commanded us to love them. What thou hast alleged is contrary to it.’ I replied: ‘Thou art mistaken because according to the Quran.’ A thousand kinsmen who are strangers to God Are the sacrifice for one stranger who knows him.” “Whether I possess virtue or not I hope for grace from the Lord Although I possess no property No capital to offer as obedience. He knows the remedy for the slave To whom no support remains. It is customary that the owner gives a writ Of emancipation to an old slave. O God, who hast adorned the universe, Be bountiful to thy old slave.' Sa'di, take the road to the Ka'bah of submission. O man of God, follow the way of God. Unlucky is he who turns his head Away from this door for he will find no other door.”