The Quarrel Is Between Our Demons!

3.2.3 - The Quarrel Is Between Our Demons!

Animosity is not one of the ethics of the people of God, because it is a reprehensible diabolical psychic character, thus if there is some litigation between two shaykhs, they must return them quickly and repent to God Almighty. In this context, the Greatest Master tells the story of a short feud between Shaykh Abu Madyan and Shaykh Abu Hasan Ibn al-Dakkak, who used to attend his council, but when they quarreled he refrained from attendance. Shaykh Abu Madyan called him and said to him, “O Abu Hasan, what is the cause of your interruption? My demon quarreled with your demon, but we ourselves have not changed, and we do not enter ourselves between them!” This humor caused Abu al-Hasan to remember and he accepted the commandment of the Shaykh and asked for forgiveness from God, and he returned back to the council [Futuhat: IV.532].