Rumi's Masnavi - In prayer and fasting and pilgrimage and alms-giving the true believers are (engaged) with the hypocrite in (what brings) victory and defeat.

In prayer and fasting and pilgrimage and alms-giving the true believers are (engaged) with the hypocrite in (what brings) victory and defeat.

Victory in the end is to the true believers; upon the hypocrite (falls) defeat in the state hereafter.

Although both are intent on one game, in relation to each other they are (as far apart as) the man of Merv and the man of Rayy.

Each one goes to his (proper) abiding-place; each one fares according to his name.

If he be called a true believer, his soul rejoices; and if (he be called) “hypocrite,” he becomes fierce and filled with fire (rage). 290

His (the true believer's) name is loved on account of its essence (which is true faith); this one's (the hypocrite's) name is loathed on account of its pestilent qualities.

(The four letters) mím and wáw and mím and nún do not confer honour: the word múmin (true believer) is only for the sake of denotation.

If you call him (the true believer) hypocrite, this vile name is stinging (him) within like a scorpion.

If this name is not derived from Hell, then why is there the taste of Hell in it?

The foulness of that ill name is not from the letters; the bitterness of that sea-water is not from the vessel (containing it). 295

The letters are the vessel: therein the meaning is (contained) like water; (but) the sea of the meaning is (with God)—with Him is the Ummu ’l-Kitáb.

In this world the bitter sea and the sweet sea (are divided)— between them is a barrier which they do not seek to cross.

Know that both these flow from one origin. Pass on from them both, go (all the way) to their origin!

Without the touchstone you will never know in the assay adulterated gold and fine gold by (using your own) judgement.

Any one in whose soul God shall put the touchstone, he will distinguish every certainty from doubt. 300

A piece of rubbish jumps into the mouth of a living man, and only when he ejects it is he at ease.

When, amongst thousands of morsels (of food), one little piece of rubbish entered (his mouth), the living man's sense (of touch or taste) tracked it down.

The worldly sense is the ladder to this world; the religious sense is the ladder to Heaven.

Seek ye the well-being of the former sense from the physician; beg ye the well-being of the latter sense from the Beloved.

The health of the former arises from the flourishing state of the body; the health of the latter arises from the ruin of the body. 305

The spiritual way ruins the body and, after having ruined it, restores it to prosperity:

Ruined the house for the sake of the golden treasure, and with that same treasure builds it better (than before);

Cut off the water and cleansed the river-bed, then caused drinking-water to flow in the river-bed;

Cleft the skin and drew out the iron point (of the arrow or spear)—then fresh skin grew over it (the wound);

Rased the fortress and took it from the infidel, then reared thereon a hundred towers and ramparts. 310