Winds of Change.NET: Sufi Wisdom: The Virtue of Arrogance

February 4, 2006

Sufi Wisdom: The Virtue of Arrogance

by Joe Katzman at February 4, 2006 2:26 AM

Part of our long-running Saturday Sufi Wisdom series.

It has been a while, but I thought I'd take a second this weekend to briefly return this tradition to Winds. This one is from Fadiman & Frager's Essential Sufism, courtesy of the wisdom of Sheikh Muzaffer:

"One evening a sheikh was talking about humility and service. He spoke eloquently about service and putting others' needs before our own. Then, someone asked, "What do you do with the arrogant? How can you serve the arrogant?"

The sheikh drew himself up and raised his powerful voice: "With the arrogant, you must behave arrogantly!" Everyone was shocked.

Then, the sheikh went on. To treat the arrogant with humility would be like giving them poison. It would only feed their arrogance."

Back in our May 15, 2004 installment, Idries Shah puts this lesson in context.

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Comments

#1 from Hootsbuddy at 12:58 pm on Feb 04, 2006

I am reminded of the example from Confucian tradition in which the master is asked what is the best model of leadership -- to be loved and respected by everyone in the community, or feared and hated be all the community?

The master replied: Neither is enough. The best model is to be loved and respected by all the good people in the community, and feared and hated by all the bad people in the community.

#2 from Dusty at 3:10 pm on Feb 04, 2006

Joe, it would be nice if you call them a continuing feature. Not to put all the other stuff on a lower shelf but I have always looked forward to Saturdays here.

#3 from sigmund, carl and alfred at 6:25 pm on Feb 05, 2006

Good post. Sadly, probably too sublime for most.

#4 from Phil Lane at 8:08 pm on Feb 05, 2006

Sigmund, Carl and Alfred, do I detect a bit of arrogance in that comment?

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