Our sacred task, not only as members of the Sufi Order but also as servers of the divine cause, is to waken in those around us and among those whom we can reach:

First, the spirit of tolerance for religion and scripture.
And second, the ideal of devotion to one another.
Our next task is to help people understand those of different nations, races, communities, and classes. By this we do not mean to say that all races and nations must become one, nor that all classes must become one. We say that whatever be our religion, nation, race, or class, our most sacred duty is to work for one another, in one another's interest, and to consider this as the service of God.
We must create a spirit of reciprocity among people of different races, nations, classes, and communities. The happiness, prosperity, and welfare of each depends upon the happiness, prosperity, and welfare of all.
Besides that, the central theme of the Sufi message is one simple thing, and yet most difficult: to bring about in the world the realization of the divinity of the human soul, which hitherto has been overlooked because the time had not come. The principal thing that the message has to accomplish in this era is to create the realization of the divine spark in every soul, so that every soul, according to its progress, may begin to realize for itself the spark of divinity within. This is the task before us.

Now you may ask me: "What is the message?" The message is this:

That the whole of humanity is one single body, and all nations, communities, and races are the different organs. The happiness and well-being of each of them is the happiness and well-being of the whole body. If there is one organ of the body in pain, the whole body has to sustain a share of its strain.

By this message, humanity may begin to think that its welfare and well-being exist not only in looking after itself, but also in looking after others. When there is reciprocity, love, and goodness toward one another, a better time will come.

Now the question is, how are we to set to work? It is difficult to answer, because we all have our own way of working in the world, and one form of work cannot be adopted by all.

It must be remembered that a great sacrifice on the part of the worker is necessary. Without sacrifice workers will not be able to fulfill their mission.
You will have to stand opposition from your friends and acquaintances.
There will be a monetary sacrifice to be made if the occasion arises.
In addition to action, a great deal of time will have to be sacrificed.
You will have to sacrifice the desire for appreciation. Work and the reward of the work is the satisfaction that "I have done it."
You will be hindered by those who oppose and also by those who sympathize, by the bitterness of some and by the ignorance of some.
It would be easy, if you were sensitive, to take up the work one day and give it up the next day. It will need a great deal of courage to go on with it against all sorts of opposition.
Besides this, a great amount of prudence is necessary and in absence of that, the work cannot be successful; on the contrary, it could suffer. One needs not only prudence before strangers and opponents, but even prudence with those near and dear to you and with your best friends. What is most wanted of the worker in the Cause is prudence.
You will have to work quietly and unassumingly, for this task cannot be accomplished or be made known by the noise of drums; for that there are other movements. The less we are known the better; our profit is in not being known. By being known we make more enemies, and it is not our aim in life to be known. Publicity is not our reward; our reward is if Providence only allows us to work quietly. If no one in the world knows of our work we do not mind.

It is God's work and God's name to be glorified, and the glory of God's name is our satisfaction. It is for the benefit of humanity and for the well-being of the world. What does it matter if we work and others become known, or if we sow and others reap the harvest? It is our work and our mission to sow and to leave the harvest to others to gather.
Therefore, you will need forbearance with those who persecute you and the message and who say things against you. You will need a great deal of strength of will to tolerate instead of defend. We are not here for fighting, arguing, and defending. We are here to work quietly.

If anyone says, "You are right," say, "Yes, thank you."
If anyone says. "You are wrong," say, "Yes, thank you."
If anyone says, "You do good," say, "Yes, thank you."
If anyone says, "You do ill," say, "Yes, thank you."

That is all: no defending. What is the use; against how many people will you defend? How many blames will you speak against? Against one person, against twenty people? If you answer those who blame, when will you do your work? It must be done quietly; no one must know that you are doing it, and the satisfaction must be only in the accomplishment of our sacred task.

I have told you this to make things clear and easy. If it were a human enterprise there could have been a doubt whether it would be accomplished or not. It must be accomplished and it will be accomplished. Those of us who are privileged to serve the cause may just as well find an easier way, a better way, rather than strike a way of difficulty.

Greatness is in humility;
Wisdom is in modesty;
Success is in sacrifice;
Truth is in silence.

Therefore the best way of doing the work is to do all we can, do it thoroughly, do it wholeheartedly, and do it quietly.

Social Gathekas

29. Our Sacred Task: The Message

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Social Gathekas

29. Our Sacred Task: The Message