The Relationship

What is appropriate for me is to protect the path upon which our friendship and the brotherhood of our outer life walk. Other than that, relationships like "shaikh and disciple" give me no pleasure. You know, some say, "Let shaikhhood and disciplehood vanish into the earth [lit., 'go to hell']."

--Shams of Tabriz [Rumi's Sun, tr. Refik Algan and Camille Adams Helminski, 123].