Faqir

Maulvi Hargiz na Shud Maula-E-Rome

Gar Ghulam-E shams-Tabrizi na Shud

When the scholar (Maulana Rome) was delivering lectures to his students in Tabriz, he was accosted by a barefooted Faqir(Shams Tabriz) who interrupted him and asked in Persian "een cheez?"(What is this you are delivering?). Maulana was perturbed by the insignificant question, that too by a lifeless, slender barefooted Faqir.

Annoyingly he replied, "een aa as, ki tu nameedanam"(this is something you won't understand).

The Faqir ran away with all the books around the scholar and threw them into the nearby river. The scholar was steaming with anger, retorted at the insolence of the Faqir, sat back, out of his mind, thought what to do next. Then the Faqir dived inside the flowing river, brought back all the books and presented him.

Amazingly not even a single page was wet. On this the scholar interrogated, "een cheez". The Faqir emphatically replied, "een aa as ke tuu nameedanam".

This scholar was acclaimed throughout the contemporary world for his scholastically achievements. He saw a new dimension of knowledge that is expressed in the starting verse of this article.

Ironically, today also you will find one person, who is always clad in the best of his clothes, is a frequent traveler, spends like a King, but whenever he is thronged with difficult questions, proclaims very humbly, "Main to Faqir hun". He has a band of musicians who keep people tuned to his miraculous achievements. Nevertheless his claims bleed the science of reasoning the followers are ardent. All intellectuals are cipher in front of his magical words and promises. But he saves himself from all criticisms by chanting this one liner, "Main to Faqir hoon".