Discourses of Rumi

FIHI MA FIHI V 205the way they passed by the Prophet praying in themosque with his companions. The slave said,“Master, for God’s good sake take this bowl for amoment, so that I can make a few genuflections,then I will attend to you.”Entering the mosque, he prayed. The Prophetcame out with his companions. The slaveremained alone in the mosque. His master waitedfor him till mid-morning, then he shouted, “Comeout, slave!” The slave answered, “They won’t letme go, as the work has gone beyond bounds.”The master put his head inside the mosque to seewho it was that would not let the slave go. Exceptfor a shoe and a shadow he saw no one. Nobodystirred. He said, “Well, who is it that won’t letyou come out?” The slave replied, “The sameOne who will not allow you to come in, the verysame One whom you cannot see.”People always want to see new things that theyhave not yet seen. Night and day they seek afternew experiences. They are slaves of anything theyhave not yet enjoyed, but become bored and runaway from what they have already heard andunderstood. For this reason the philosophers