Hadhrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thaanvi (rahmatullah alayh) said:
"Once in a village a man climbed to the top of a tall date palm tree. once on top, he realized that he was unable to climb down. All the villagers gathered by the tree to formulate a plan to bring the man down, but they failed to devise a plan. The villagers called their wiseman and sought his opinion. When the wiseman arrived, he intently surveyed the situation, with a prolonged gaze to the top of the tree. Then he suddenly nodded his head to indicate that he has hit on the solution.
He ordered the people to bring a long rope. After he made a loop, he instructed them to throw to the man stranded ontop of the tree. When the man on top caught the rope, the wiseman instructed him to tie it securely around his waist. After the rope was tied, the wiseman instructed the villagers to give a mighty tug. All together tugged at the rope. Down came the man. His brains and bones were smashed.
In consternation the people wailed: ‘He is dead’. The wiseman responded: "He died because of his fate. I had pulled to safety in this way many people who had fallen into wells." The intelligentsia of this age are of this hue.
They resort to corrupt reasoning, the consequence of which is ruin. If a man requires proper knowledge and practice, the only way is to appoint someone among the living to be the guide and leader. Mere book knowledge is insufficient. I have seen many people of knowledge stumbling into deviation. When they have not understood what reality is, how can they guide others?"
"Once in a village a man climbed to the top of a tall date palm tree. once on top, he realized that he was unable to climb down. All the villagers gathered by the tree to formulate a plan to bring the man down, but they failed to devise a plan. The villagers called their wiseman and sought his opinion. When the wiseman arrived, he intently surveyed the situation, with a prolonged gaze to the top of the tree. Then he suddenly nodded his head to indicate that he has hit on the solution.
He ordered the people to bring a long rope. After he made a loop, he instructed them to throw to the man stranded ontop of the tree. When the man on top caught the rope, the wiseman instructed him to tie it securely around his waist. After the rope was tied, the wiseman instructed the villagers to give a mighty tug. All together tugged at the rope. Down came the man. His brains and bones were smashed.
In consternation the people wailed: ‘He is dead’. The wiseman responded: "He died because of his fate. I had pulled to safety in this way many people who had fallen into wells." The intelligentsia of this age are of this hue.
They resort to corrupt reasoning, the consequence of which is ruin. If a man requires proper knowledge and practice, the only way is to appoint someone among the living to be the guide and leader. Mere book knowledge is insufficient. I have seen many people of knowledge stumbling into deviation. When they have not understood what reality is, how can they guide others?"