Discourses of Rumi

discourse 55Someone said: “Qadi Izz al-Din sends his greetings,and always speaks of you in the mostapproving terms.”Rumi answered: Whoever remembers us, andspeaks us well,Long may the world of their high merit tell.When people speak well of others, those goodwords reflect back on themselves, and in the endthey are praising and applauding their ownessence. Those who cultivate the habit of speakingwell of others are like gardeners who plantflowers and aromatic herbs around their houses—wherever they look out they see a beautiful displayand are always in Paradise.Whenever we speak well of another, that personbecomes our friend. When we rememberthem, we remember a friend, and thinking of afriend is like being near flowers and aromaticherbs. It is refreshment and repose. But when wespeak ill of others, those people become repulsive