When the Present Speaks to Wisdom ✦ A Timeless Dialogue: Ibrahim Hakki × Ashraf AboArafe

Ashraf:
My master…

We live in an age of speed,
we memorize much,
and understand little.
What do you advise?

Ibrahim Hakki:
Do not carry too much,
lighten the heart.
Understanding grows heavy
only when it is crowded.

Ashraf:
The world roars with knowledge,
yet tranquility is rare.
Where is the flaw?

Ibrahim Hakki:
Knowledge without ethics
is a sound without meaning.
Correct the intention,
and the balance will stand.

Ashraf:
We search for God
in sermons and books,
yet we do not find Him…

Ibrahim Hakki:
Because you search with your eyes,
not with your conduct.
Had He seen you sincere,
He would have reached you first.

Ashraf:
And the human being?
Lost, exhausted,
angry at everything…

Ibrahim Hakki:
Because he forgot his measure.
Who knows his place
finds rest,
and who compares himself to others
never finds peace.

Ashraf:
Guide us to the path
with one final word…

Ibrahim Hakki:
Purify your heart,
discipline your mind,
and do not quarrel with destiny.
Then
everything will become clear…
even silence.