Discourses of Rumi

342 V DISCOURSES OF RUMIA student said: “There is no way to prove whois a friend of God and who has attained unionwith God. Neither words, nor deeds, nor miracles,nor anything else can offer proof. For wordscan be mimicked, with practice. As for deeds andmiracles, there are those who can read a person’sinmost thoughts, and display many wondersthrough magic.”Rumi asked: Do you believe in anyone or not?The student answered: “Yes, by God. I bothbelieve and love.”Rumi said: Is this belief of yours, in that person,founded on proof and token? Or did yousimply shut your eyes and take up that person?The student said: “God forbid that my beliefshould be without proof and token.”Rumi said: Then why do you say there is noproof or token leading to belief? You have contradictedyourself.Another person said: “Every saint and greatmystic has said, ‘I enjoy a nearness with God andDivine favor that no one else has known before.’”Rumi answered: Who made this statement—asaint, or someone else? If it was a saint, then theyknew that every saint has had this belief, so how