From my mother I acquired a love of "Mullah Nasruddin" stories. The Mullah is a mythological and folklore character who is timeless and placeless, much like the Native American trickster, the coyote, in storytelling. . . .

The Mullah is a village idiot and sage rolled into one. It is said that because he does not aspire to be a teacher, he is truly a teacher. . . .

Mother took great joy in planting Mullah stories that have "many levels of meaning" in our subconscious minds. When unexpected insights arose, mother delighted in what she called, "blossoms and fruits."

Jamal Rahman, The Fragrance of Faith