Discourses of Rumi

FIHI MA FIHI V 237questioning, without speech, the purpose isachieved.In all the world there is nothing more difficultthan enduring the ridiculous. Suppose forinstance that you have studied a certain book,corrected, amended, and fully recited it. Thensomeone sitting beside you reads the book allwrong. Can you endure that? No, it is impossible.However, if you never read the book, it makes nodifference to you whether anyone reads it wrongor right—you cannot tell the difference. So,enduring the ridiculous is a great discipline.The prophets and saints do not shirk discipline.Their first discipline is to slay this self thatis controlled by desires and lusts. That is the“Greater Holy War.” When they achieve this, andestablish themselves in the station of security, thenwrong and right become revealed to them. Yetthey are still engaged in a great struggle, for thesemortals do everything wrong. The saints see thisand must endure it. If they do not, and speak outdeclaring those mortals wrong, not one person inHeaven or on Earth will stand beside them. But