Sufi Parables/Parable about the Sight of the Master

Parable about the Sight
of the Master

“You are completely dirty,” — said the Master to a disciple.

“Absolutely not! It’s not worth mentioning! It’s just a speck!” — he objected looking at a small dark spot on his white clothes.

“Let Me repeat it again: you are shockingly dirty! Go and clean this dirt right now!”

“You are wrong, Teacher! It’s just an insignificant speck! Perhaps, You can’t see well…”

“No, My friend, I see everything well enough to warn you about great danger and will be happy if you hear My advice!

“When a drop of dirt stains white clothes — it is clearly visible and easy to be washed off.

“However, if even a small drop of pride or self-conceit contaminates the pure waters of the soul, then it dissolves in them and turns into turbidity, becoming barely noticeable. Then it is not easy to remove it!

“If you want to keep learning from Me, you have to get accustomed to the fact that My sight is like a magnifying glass.

“If I see a vice of My disciple, I increase it with My attentive sight to such an extent that a disciple understands the pernicious character of this vice and thus can destroy that which darkens his or her spiritual purity.

“On the contrary, if I look at the achievements and successes of My disciple, My sight makes them small and insignificant in comparison with the wide expanse that Allah opens for the future attainments of the soul.

“On the other hand, I am not forcing you, and you can continue to consider yourself pure and innocent and live in an illusory world, cherishing your imperfections… But then Allah will give you those lessons that will help you to understand the truth through your pain and disappointments.”

The young man lowered his head and obediently hastened to act upon the Master’s advice. He washed the speck on his clothes in running water for a long time, cleansing himself simultaneously of the sprouts of pride and self-conceit that had appeared in him…

The Sight of the Master has great power. It can help a disciple to see his or her problem before it turns into an illness or other affliction.

However, only a disciple alone can erase a certain vice and cleanse his or her own future!