Discourses of Rumi

FIHI MA FIHI V 147Still this is a good thing. God has sealed theeyes of some people so they can cultivate this presentworld. If no one were blind to the otherworld, this world would be empty. It is this blindnessthat gives rise to culture and progress.Consider children, how they grow up recklesslyand become tall, but when their judgement reachesmaturity they stop growing. So the cause andreason for civilization is blindness, and the causeof devastation is sight.What I am saying is motivated by one of twothings: Either I speak out of envy, or I speak withcompassion. God forbid that it should be envy! Itis stupid to envy even those who are worthy ofenvy, then how can we envy one who is not worthy?No, I speak out of great compassion andmercy, for I wish to draw you into the true meaning.A story is told of a man on the way to the pilgrimagewho collapsed in the desert, overcome bythirst. Suddenly he saw in the distance a small andtattered tent. He struggled there, and seeing ayoung girl, he cried aloud, “I am a guest! I haveattained my goal!”