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The Prophet said to Ali ‘O Ali
Thou art the Lion of God, a hero most valiant;
Yet confide not in thy lion-like valour
But seek refuge under the palm-trees of the truth
Come under the shadow of the Man of Reason,
Thou canst not find it in the road of the traditionists.
His shadow on earth is as that of Mount Qaf,
His spirit is as a Simurgh soaring on high.
Were I to tell his praises till the last day
My words would not be too many nor admit of curtailment;
That sun is hidden in the form of a man
Understand me. Allah knows the truth.

— Rumi Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)

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More quotes by Rumi

Come, seek, for search is the foundation of fortune:
Every success depends upon focusing the heart.

The lion who breaks the enemy's ranks is a minor hero compared to the lion who overcomes himself.

The branch might seem like the fruit's origin:
In fact, the branch exists because of the fruit.

If you wish to shine like day, burn up the night of self-existence. Dissolve in the Being who is everything.

God turns you from one feeling to another and teaches by means of opposites, so that you will have two wings to fly, not one.

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Rumi (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.