A notable amongst the Companions (of Muhammad) fell ill,
and in that illness of his became (thin) as a thread.

Muhammad went to visit him, since his (Muhammad's) nature
was all kindness and generosity.

There is profit in your visiting the sick: the profit thereof is
returning to you again.

The first profit is that the sick person may perchance be a
Qutb and a glorious (spiritual) king;

And if he be not a Qutb, he may be a friend of the (Sufi) Way;
if he be not the king he may be the cavalier of the host.

Deem it, then, incumbant (upon you) to attach yourselves to
the friends of the Way, whosoever it may be, and whether (he
be) footman or rider.

And if he be foe (to you), still this kindness is good, for by
kindness many a foe hath been made a friend.

And though he does not become a friend, his enmity is lessened,
because kindness becomes the balm for enmity.

There are many profits besides these, but I am afraid of being
tedious, good friend.

The gist (of the matter) is this: be the friend of the whole
community (of Sufis): like the idol-maker, carve a friend out of
the stone,

Because the throng and multitude of a caravan will break the
backs and spears of the highwaymen.

Inasmuch as you have not the heart's two eyes, O
contumacious man, so that you cannot distinguish firewood
from aloes-wood,

(You may despair of finding the true friend of Allah; but)
since there exists a treasure in the world, do not grieve: deem
no ruined place empty of treasure.

Betake yourself to every dervish at random, and when you
find the mark (of the true saint), frequent (him) assiduously.

As the inward-seeing eye was not (granted) to you, think
always (that) the treasure (may be) in everybody.



Rumi, Mathnawi Book II, 2140-2155