Rabia and Hasan, both great seekers, sat beside a lake.
Wanting to impress Rabia, Hasan took his prayer rug and placed it upon the water. Hasan's rug floated on the water.
"Join me!" Hasan said to Rabia, proud of the power of his faith.
Rabia spread out her rug and it levitated in the air above Hasan.
"You are only doing what a fish can do," she said. "And what I am doing, any bird can do, as can any moth. But we have a greater calling. Instead of magic tricks and public displays, God asks us to go beyond."
Inspired by: Sacred Laughter of the Sufis by Imam Jamal Rahman
Notes: This story is on p. 9 of the book. You can read about Rabia of Basra at Wikipedia and also about Hasan of Basra.
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