Discourses of Rumi

172 V DISCOURSES OF RUMIpleased with every enemy, forgiving them all? Inthat hour, unbeliever and believer become thesame in your eyes. Now Sheikh Salah al-Din is thevery ocean of this spiritual joy. All the seas of satisfactionare within him. How could he hate anyone,or have plans against them? And especially,what designs would he have against such aslocusts and frogs? How can he, who possessessuch empire and grandeur, be compared with suchmiserable creatures?Is it not said that the Water of Life must befound in darkness? This darkness surrounds thesaints, in whose being we find that Eternal Spring.The Water of Life is hidden in their darkness. Ifyou turn from darkness and run away from it,how can the Water of Life ever reach you?Don’t you think if you wanted to learn sodomyfrom sodomites, or harlotry from harlots, youcould never learn anything without putting upwith a thousand disagreeable things, beatings andthe thwarting of your desires? This is the onlyway you could attain your goal. Then how do youexpect to attain the eternal and everlasting sourceof life, which is the station of the prophets and