~ 85. Rabia and Riyah al-Qaysi ~


Riyah once visited Rabia when she was ill. 
As he sat at her bedside, he lamented the woeful state of the world. "People are cruel and unkind," he said. "They commit sins but feel no shame."
Rabia said nothing.
"There are wars among the rich and powerful, while the poor suffer," he said.
Rabia said nothing.
He went on and on about the woes of the world until finally Rabia interrupted him. "You love the world very much," she said. "Too much. You speak about the world because you love it, and someone who loves something speaks about it constantly."


Inspired by: Sufi Women by Javad Nurbakshsh
Notes: This story is on p. 45 of the book. You can find out more about Rabia of Basra at Wikipedia. Different versions of the story feature different religious leaders who come to visit Rabia.



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