A few words I would like to say to say to explain to you a little more about this our activity which is called the World Brotherhood. Today it is more than necessary that the activities in bringing about a brotherly feeling in humanity are of more value than any other activity in the line of culture. And although there are many societies and institutions which are established and working along this line of Brotherhood yet our contribution to this great service of God and humanity has its peculiarity owing to its ideas being based on spiritual ideals. We believe that the brotherhood brought about by coming to an understanding of exchanging the good of one another in the interest of one another is not sufficient. The reason is that the nature of life is changeable, where there is a day there is a night, and there is light and darkness, and therefore the interest in life is not always even. If two persons are friends to one another and they make a condition that we shall be friends and we shall love one another, if each wishes to regard justice, they will quarrel a thousand times a day. Because who is to be the judge?

When two people quarrel both are just, both think they are on the right. And a third person has no right to interfere. Therefore brotherhood cannot be brought about to satisfactory results only by teaching the law of reciprocity based upon self-interest. Because even if they said: "I will give you a pound in gold and you will give me in return a pound" and the exchange is made there is a dispute. Because, "I gave you the pound in gold and you gave me the pound in notes." A friendship which is based upon selfishness is not secure, it is not dependable. Because seemingly they may be friends, in reality each is wanting for himself. They are not the friend of the other, they are the friends of themselves.

However they greatly show friendship to one another, in reality they are showing friendship to themselves. No, the brotherhood from spiritual point of view that may be learned is the brotherhood of rivalry in goodness, in kindness. It is not weighing what good have they done to me, but it is trying to do more for another and not thinking what he will do for me. The ideas of the Sufis in all times have been different from the man in the world and yet not too different for a man to practice. The Sufi ideas are that when one does an act of kindness to another it is because he wishes to do it. Because the action itself is his satisfaction, not a return even in the form of appreciation. Any form of appreciation or any return he thinks consumes, takes away that act of goodness or kindness that one has done. And when one thinks that one does some good expecting that another must return it then it is a business. And a person who thinks that 'perhaps I shall do twice more good to another from whom I received half from the good I do for him' he is in a very bad situation, for sooner or later he will be disappointed because he shares goodness which cannot be shared in this way. As soon as man begins to think that 'has another person treated me like a brother, why should I treat him as a brother', he does not know what brotherhood is, he will never be able to act as a brother.

The Sufi point of view is that man must be concerned with himself, if he does right that is what he is concerned with and not whether another person takes it right. The trouble at this time when humanity is so vastly divided is that brotherhood seems so very difficult to bring in practice. And yet I do not think, if we saw the idea of brotherhood in this light, that it would seem very difficult. For no sooner man says: "If another person will do as I wish," he creates his displeasure, but the one who says: "I will do what I think right and good and I am not concerned with the other person, whether he takes it rightly, I have determined to do what I can", that is quite sufficient.