Discourses of Rumi

310 V DISCOURSES OF RUMIyou know that intelligence comes through theglow of reason, that fallacies and pretenses radiatefrom the lower self, and the impulse of lifeitself is the result of spirit. You can clearly see theessences of all three, but as long as you are in thebath they are invisible. You can only experiencetheir effect.When we were in Samarkand, theKhvarizmshah laid siege to Samarkand andattacked with his army. Not far from us lived anexceedingly beautiful girl, so lovely that nonecould match her in all the city. I heard her saying,“O God, I know You would never allow me to bedelivered into the hands of evildoers. I know Youwould never permit that. I rely on You, O God.”When the city was sacked and all its inhabitantswere taken into captivity, even the maidservantsof that woman were captured. But she wasleft unharmed. For all her extreme beauty, noman even cast eyes on her. From this, know thatwhoever commits themselves to God is securefrom harm and remains in safety. No petition ofman in God’s presence is ever ignored. Thereforebeg of God, and demand what you need of God,for your petition will not be in vain.