I am busy studying Sufism and in my reading today stumbled upon this great story of the Sufi Nasrudin as related by Idries Shah in the book and would like to share it here:
[I]One day the villagers thought they would play a joke on Nasrudin. As he was supposed to be a holy man of some indefinable sort, they went to him and asked him to preach a sermon in their mosque. Nasrudin agreed.[/I]
[I]When the day came, Nasrudin mounted the pulpit and spoke:[/I]
[I]“O people! Do you know what I am going to tell you?”[/I]
[I]“No, we do not know,” they cried.[/I]
[I]“Until you know, I cannot say. You are too ignorant to make a start on,” said the Mulla, overcome with indignation that such ignorant people should waste his time, he descended from the pulpit and went home.[/I]
[I]Slightly chargrined, a deputation went to his house again and asked hm to preach the following Friday.[/I]
[I]The following Friday Nasrudin started his sermon with the same question as before. This time the congregation answered as one man:[/I]
[I]“Yes, we know!”[/I]
[I]“In that case,” said the Mulla, "there is no need for me to detain you any longer. You may go.: and Narudin returned to his house again.[/I]
[I]Having been prevailed to teach for the third Friday in succession, Nasrudin started his address as before:[/I]
[I]“Do you know or do you not?”[/I]
[I]The congregation was ready this time around and answered:[/I]
[I]“Some of us do and others do not.”[/I]
[I]“Excellent,” said Nasrudin, “then let thos who do know teach those who do not know.”[/I]
[I]And he went home.[/I]