When Uthman became caliph, he stepped up
into the pulpit. The people waited to see what he
would say. He was silent and said nothing. He
looked steadily at the people, and a state of ecstasy
descended upon them so that they were unable
to move, and could not tell where they were. Not
by a hundred preachings and sermons could such
an excellent state have been shown to them.
Precious lessons were imparted and secrets
revealed. Until the very end, he only looked at
them like this, not saying a word. Then, just
before leaving the pulpit, he said, “It is better for
you to have a working Imam than a speaking
Imam.”


What he said was the truth. If the purpose of
speaking is to communicate instruction delicately
to uplift the people, that had been accomplished
many times better without words. So what
Uthman said was perfectly correct. During the
time he was in the pulpit he did no external work
visible to the people; he did not pray, he did not
go on the pilgrimage, he did not give alms, he did
not commemorate God, he did not even speak the
caliph’s address. Therefore, know that work and
action are not limited to the outer form only,
rather these visible forms of work are merely a
shadow of that true work of Soul.
The Prophet said, “My Companions are like
stars; Whichever of them you follow, you will be
guided right.” When someone follows a star and
finds their way by it, the star does not speak.
Merely by looking at the star, they discover that
invisible road and reach their goal. In the same
way, it is possible by merely gazing at God’s saints
to find the spiritual path. Without words, without
questioning, without speech, the purpose is
achieved.






Rumi