Discourses of Rumi

318 V DISCOURSES OF RUMIstrated without its opposites? Besides, it would bewholly without pleasure and enjoyment. Thus,someone who loves controversy proposes amotion at a meeting, but if there is no reaction orargument, what can he say in return, and whatjoy is there in that? For a proclamation is onlymeaningful in the face of its own negation. In thesame way, this world is a declaration of God.Without a proposer and an opposer this declarationwould seem pale and lifeless.“The believers are like a single soul.”Dervishes are joined as if by a single body. Ifone member feels pain, all the others are distressed.An eye gives up its seeing, the ear its hearing,the tongue its speech—all meet in that onebody. True friendship is to sacrifice oneself forone’s friend. To plunge into danger for ourfriend’s sake. For all are headed towards one andthe same goal. All are drowned in one and thesame sea. This is the effect of faith, and submissionto God. What is the load they carry withtheir bodies compared to that load they carrywith their souls?Once the believer surrenders to God, whyshould they give a thought to distress and danger,