"He who is the Beloved is also the Lover, and His grace will grasp man in an unexpected moment, never to let him go again. In this regard Maulana tells a sad little story in the Diwan. . .

" 'A schoolteacher who was so utterly destitute that he had only a cotton shirt to wear even on cold winter days was standing by a rushing mountain stream when he suddenly saw a bear in the water. The animal had fallen into the gushing waves high up in the mountains and was now being carried by the torrential waters down to the village. The schoolchildren, pitying their teacher, told him to jump into the water and seize the fine fur coat that had apparently appeared there as a much-appreciated gift. Out of despair he jumped into the water, but the bear, still very much alive, grasped him and drew him close to its body. When the horrified children saw this, they asked the teacher to let the fur coat go, but he answered: "I'll let the fur coat go, but the fur coat does not let me go!" '

"Divine Grace is seeking mankind, but also strong faith is required to accept it. Living faith enables the believer to make the last step in the direction of a fierce lion and to caress him: the lion devours those who shiver and dare not approach him, but those who are brave and whose faith is unshaking will be able to become close friends. It is this strong faith, born of Love, that Maulana preaches through his poetry and prose: once one has such faith, one will understand God's wisdom and the perfection of all things, and everything will fall into place."

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