Daily Meditation: Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Insults - do not respond to them; story of Mohammed and his disciple

08/08/2012

One day, when the prophet Mohammed was walking through town in the company of one of his disciples, the story goes that suddenly a man came up to them and took on the disciple in a very rude fashion. At first, the disciple listened calmly, trying hard to contain his anger, but soon, unable to control himself, he shouted back. After threatening each other and calling each other all the names under the sun, the two parted company, but the disciple noticed that his Master was no longer there, and he went looking for him. When he caught up with him further on, sitting at a street corner, the disciple said to Mohammed, ‘O Master, why did you leave me?’ and Mohammed replied, ‘It is dangerous to remain between two raging beasts. When this man insulted you and you said nothing, you were surrounded by invisible beings that responded on your behalf and protected you. But when you, too, began shouting to defend yourself, the beings left you, as I did, for your behaviour showed that you did not need us.’