Sometimes the truth can be painful to hear, but it’s imperative I share what I believe is true. The information I shared in The Mystery of Man in 1986, some of which I explore in more detail today, pertains to universal truths. Please take it seriously as it comprises the most important facets of life.

Those for whom money and sexuality are the central themes in life show interest in Sufism more as a hobby to comfort their conscience rather than to understand and experience its reality. They can never reach their purpose like this. They will only delude themselves and perhaps the people around them with the information they accumulate. This is indeed a serious responsibility.

Rumi recounts:

One day, Moses comes across a herd of sheep and a shepherd sitting under a tree talking to himself. He wonders what he’s saying so he quietly listens. The shepherd says: “O my ALMIGHTY GOD! How I wish You were by my side right now, I would have loved You and hugged You, I would have fed You fresh milk, I would have laid You down on my lap and made You rest in the shade and I would have removed Your lice and nits and cut your nails…You are so beautiful, so gracious, so just… How would this world be without You? You watch us and see all that we do… We’re going to come to Your presence in the future, please forgive our mistakes…! Please don’t throw me into Your hellfire if I do wrong, please put me into Your heaven, I love You dearly but I can’t see You, I wonder when I can see You…? My biggest desire is to come to Your presence and be with You, I’m willing to do whatever I can to earn Your favor, please forgive me if I can’t obey all of Your commands…!”

It seems Moses not only had to deal with the Pharaoh, but also with shepherds…

So, what happened to that shepherd?

Well… today, he’s the sheikh at the dervish lodge!

He’s the hodja at the local mosque!

He’s the professor at university!

Anyway, speaking of Moses (pbuh) and the Pharaoh…

Based on his knowledge of ancient scripts, the Pharaoh knew well there was no deity-god, and like his predecessors, he attributed his inherent godlike power to his identity-self, due to his lack of knowledge of the reality of Allah.

The Pharaoh was at the level of consciousness Sufism refers to as the nafs-i mulhima (the inspired self).

He saw himself as the One and all others as inexistent.

Everyone around him was his servant. They would observe all his commands without questioning.

His servants had no value for him. He would insult them, swear at them and degrade them at every chance. Lying to his servants and gossiping about them was permissible for him.

He would raise in rank those who exalted and respected him, and debase and discredit anyone who showed the slightest disrespect.

He did as he willed… Because he was the Pharaoh! The greatest!

Even the legendary Egyptian library, where he obtained all his knowledge from, meant nothing to him. He was the greatest, the one and only! His servants needed only to deify and worship him. He forbade them from performing salat or engaging in dhikr. He knew he was nothing without his servants, so he abhorred being alone. He taught some of his knowledge to some of his servants and let them also play god in his absence. His servants were like computers! Knowledge was no more than information in a database; their lives were based on earning and exercising power over others.

Lying and gossiping were permissible; nothing was considered wrong. Everyone lived to obtain something from others; it didn’t matter how.

Knowledge was used merely as capital to earn and gain something.

When Moses disclosed the universal truths and warned the people, they attacked him.