A friend of mine traveled to Cypress a few years ago to meet our Sheikh and Master, Sheikh Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani. My friend, was not entirely convinced of the Way, but decided he should find out for himself. Upon his arrival he noticed the surreal state of affairs, he was taken aback and lost any inclination to further himself on his journey.
Before it was his time to leave, he met with the Sheikh, as does every traveler before they leave Cypress. The Sheikh asked him if he had any questions, he responded with a brief, yet polite, "No, Sheikh." The Sheikh asked him where he was headed once his ferry arrived on the coast of Turkey. He responded with, "Istanbul, Sheikh".
The Sheikh replied, "Konya?"
"No, Sheikh, Istanbul." replied my friend,
"Konya?" again said the Sheikh,
"No, no Sheikh, I am going to Istanbul." Now losing even more inclination and desire to tread this path, said my friend,
"Konya?" once again repeated the Sheikh,
Realizing his futile attempt to correct his Sheikh, he submitted and responded with,
"Yes, Sheikh, I am going to Konya."
The Sheikh told him, that when he reached his final destination, which was Istanbul, that he should go and buy 50-60 rolls of bread and pass them out to the people, the Sheikh told him that there he would find happiness.
He finally was given permission to leave and boarded the ferry. Now, I am unaware to the thoughts that muse of coursed through my friend's mind as he was floating across the sea to Turkey, but a mixed feeling of relief, anxiety, and curiosity must of plagued him.
He boarded the bus upon arriving on solid earth. The bus was a non-stop service to Istanbul, however, sometime along the trip, a mandatory detour was made to avoid an obstacle in the road, which led my friend and the rest of the passengers to Konya.
Astonished, my friend decided he would of course carry out the command of his Sheikh. When he arrived in Istanbul, he bought the bread and began to pass it out. He noticed that people were very eager to receive the bread, not just the beggars, but normal people, pepple in suits, some people even came two or three times in 15 minute intervals, from the shops that stood right in front of where he was passing the bread. Where at last, he was giving the last peice of bread away to an elderly man, that once he took it in his hand, he looked at it as if it were a shining ruby and proclaimed out loud, "Happiness! Happiness!"
Needless to say, my friend was won over by our Sheikh.
[Mevlana Jaluluddin Rumi]
Before it was his time to leave, he met with the Sheikh, as does every traveler before they leave Cypress. The Sheikh asked him if he had any questions, he responded with a brief, yet polite, "No, Sheikh." The Sheikh asked him where he was headed once his ferry arrived on the coast of Turkey. He responded with, "Istanbul, Sheikh".
The Sheikh replied, "Konya?"
"No, Sheikh, Istanbul." replied my friend,
"Konya?" again said the Sheikh,
"No, no Sheikh, I am going to Istanbul." Now losing even more inclination and desire to tread this path, said my friend,
"Konya?" once again repeated the Sheikh,
Realizing his futile attempt to correct his Sheikh, he submitted and responded with,
"Yes, Sheikh, I am going to Konya."
The Sheikh told him, that when he reached his final destination, which was Istanbul, that he should go and buy 50-60 rolls of bread and pass them out to the people, the Sheikh told him that there he would find happiness.
He finally was given permission to leave and boarded the ferry. Now, I am unaware to the thoughts that muse of coursed through my friend's mind as he was floating across the sea to Turkey, but a mixed feeling of relief, anxiety, and curiosity must of plagued him.
He boarded the bus upon arriving on solid earth. The bus was a non-stop service to Istanbul, however, sometime along the trip, a mandatory detour was made to avoid an obstacle in the road, which led my friend and the rest of the passengers to Konya.
Astonished, my friend decided he would of course carry out the command of his Sheikh. When he arrived in Istanbul, he bought the bread and began to pass it out. He noticed that people were very eager to receive the bread, not just the beggars, but normal people, pepple in suits, some people even came two or three times in 15 minute intervals, from the shops that stood right in front of where he was passing the bread. Where at last, he was giving the last peice of bread away to an elderly man, that once he took it in his hand, he looked at it as if it were a shining ruby and proclaimed out loud, "Happiness! Happiness!"
Needless to say, my friend was won over by our Sheikh.
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