Abul Hassan Kharqani told the following anecdote about Abu Yazid Bistami. To understand properly the reaction of the students in this tale, it might help to recollect that Bistami’s fundamental teaching was ‘fana’ – the annihilation of the seeker so as to leave only the Sought, and the students appear to have taken the lesson to heart.

Bayazid, the great mystic, told his disciples, “God says whoever chooses Me, I will do him great favours. Whoever chooses Bayazid, I will annihilate him to be never remembered. Now, who do you want?”

“You,” everyone declared.