Law says, “Go to the MullÄ and learn the rules and regulations!” Love says, “A single word is enough: shut and put away all other books!” . . . Law says, “Have some shame and decency: put out this light!” Love says, “What is this veil for? Let the visions be open!” Law says, “Come into the mosque and perform the obligatory prayer!” Love says, “Go to the wine-tavern, and having drunk, peform the superogatory prayer!” . . . Law says, “O, Believer! go for įø¤ajj—for you will have to cross the į¹¢irÄt Bridge!” Love says, “ The door of the Beloved is the KaŹæbah, don’t move from there!” Law says, “We strung ShÄh Manį¹£Å«r up on the cross!” Love says, “ Ten, you did well; for you sacrificed him at the Beloved’s door!” — ( probably not actually authored by) the most widely sung Su poet of the PanjÄb, BullhÄ ShÄh of įø²aį¹£Å«r (1680–1758). Quoted in Shahab Ahmed's What is Islam?
“The West won the world not by the superiority of its ideas or values or religion (to which few members of other civilizations were converted) but rather by its superiority in applying organized violence. Westerners often forget this fact; non-Westerners never do.” —Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilisation and the Remaking of the World Order, 1996, p. 51