The Man, the Lamp, and the Devil – A Story from Rumi

The Man, the Lamp, and the Devil – A Story from Rumi

One night, a man left his house to go to the mosque for prayer. It was very dark, and he accidentally tripped and fell into the mud. He got up, went home, changed his clothes, and started walking toward the mosque again.

After taking a few steps, he tripped again and fell into the mud once more. He returned home, changed his clothes again, and set out for the mosque a third time.

This time, at his doorstep, he met a man holding a lamp. The man did not say anything but started walking ahead, lighting the way for him. With the help of the lamp, the man reached the mosque safely.

When he finished his prayer and stepped out of the mosque, he saw the lamp-bearer waiting for him. The stranger then walked with him, lighting the way back to his home.

When they reached his house, the man asked, "Who are you?"

The stranger replied, "I am Satan."

Shocked, the man asked, "You should have been happy if I missed my prayer. Why did you help me?"

Satan replied, "When you fell the first time, Allah forgave all your sins. When you fell the second time, He forgave the sins of your entire family. I was afraid that if you fell a third time, Allah might forgive the sins of your whole village. So, I brought the lamp to make sure you reached safely."