Discourses of Rumi

FIHI MA FIHI V 211“Take them and fetter them,then roast them in Paradise,then roast them in Union,then roast them in Beauty,then roast them in Perfection.”Fishermen do not drag out a fish all at once.Once the hook has entered the fish’s throat theyreel it in a little so it will lose strength. Then theylet it out, and draw it in again, until it weakens.When the hook of Love falls into our throat, Goddraws us gradually so those bad attributes willleave us little by little.“There is no God, but God”—that is what thecommon folk say. The elect believe “There is noSelf, but Self.” Someone sees in a dream that theyare a ruler. They are seated on a throne with servants,chamberlains and princes standing by.They say, “I am ruler, and there is no ruler but I.”They say this in their sleep. When they wake upand see no one in the house but themself, they say,“I am, and there is no other than that I Am.” Torealize this, one must be fully awake.Every religion denies every other. One groupsays, “We are the true ones, revelation belongs to