The Critic Who Came to Argue
🎧 Listen to this chapter (2 min)
Ibn Ata’illah tells the story himself, honestly, and with some embarrassment.
He used to criticise the circle of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi. He argued with the students. He thought that real knowledge was only in the books of law, and that these people were exaggerating.
Then, after a heated debate with one of the students, he decided to see for himself. He went to the gathering, planning to listen, and to judge.
And he found the old teacher speaking, not about strange secrets, but about something simple and deep. He was explaining the different states of a servant of Allah, and what each one demands. As he listened, the young scholar felt his hardness melt away.
He said later: I understood that this man was drawing from the sea of Allah’s generosity.
He stayed. He became a student, and remained with him for twelve years, until the old teacher passed away.
What is the lesson here? Not that we should accept everything we hear. Ibn Ata’illah remained a careful scholar all his life. The lesson is to be fair. To listen before we judge. And to let the truth win, even when it means admitting that we were wrong.
Some of the greatest turning points in life come from walking into a room we were sure we would hate.
