“Those who say “I am the servant of God” still affirm two beings: themselves and God. Those who say “I am God” have become nothing and thrown themselves to the wind.”

Original: آن که گوید من بنده خدایم دو وجود اثبات کرده است: خود و خدا. آن که گوید انا الحق نیست شده است و خود را به باد داده. — Servanthood can still be a form of dualism; annihilation is presented as the deeper courtesy. · Fihi Ma Fihi, Discourse 11 (Persian)

• Dualism
• God
• Humility

“The worst of scholars are those who visit princes, and the best of princes are those who visit scholars.”

Original: شر علما آنانند که به زیارت امرا روند و خیر امرا آنان که به زیارت علما روند. — The opening discourse sets spiritual authority against the gravity of courts. · Fihi Ma Fihi, Discourse 1, citing a prophetic saying (Persian)

• Authority
• Learning
• Power

“Some think “I am God” is a great pretension. It is in fact a great humility: it means I am not; God is all.”

Original: این که می‌گویند انا الحق گمان می‌کنند دعوی بزرگ است، و حال آن که نهایت تواضع است: یعنی من نیستم، همه اوست. — Rumi recasts Hallaj’s utterance as self-erasure rather than self-exaltation. · Fihi Ma Fihi, Discourse 11 (Persian)

• God
• Humility
• Self