A flower proves to be genuine by its radiance,
a fruit proves to be genuine by its sweetness,
a soul proves to be genuine by its manner.
Spirituality is the natural nobleness, and the unfolding of the innate nobleness is spirituality, a divine heritage which is hidden in every soul; and by the manifestation of this divine heritage a soul shows divine origin.
All the striving in the spiritual path is to bring out this nobleness. But one need not strive to bring it out; it comes by itself if one is conscious of that divine heritage. It is that consciousness which brings out that nobleness of spirit.
In the terms of the Sufis this nobleness is called Akhlaq Allah, which means “the manner of God,” a manner which is unlike any other manner known to the world. It is the manner of the mother to her child, it is the manner of father towards his son, it is the manner of man towards his friend, it is the manner of the maiden to her beloved, it is the manner of the lord towards his servant, it is the manner of the child towards his mother, it is the manner of a son towards his father, it is the manner of a slave towards his king; and yet it is above and beyond all manners known to mankind. It is humility, it is modesty, it is pride, it is honor, it is kindness, it is graciousness, it is indifference, it is independence; a manner inconceivable to human mentality, a manner which cannot be learnt or taught, a manner which springs of itself and comes forth as a divine blossom.
It is in this manner that there is the fulfilment of man’s life’s purpose. This manner is the highest religion, the true spirituality: real aristocracy, and perfect democracy. All disputes and disagreements, all misunderstandings fall away the moment the human spirit has become noble, for it is the sign of the noble spirit that comprehends all things, that assimilates all things, and therefore it tolerates all things, it forgives al things. What use is a religion, a philosophy, or mysticism, or whatever you call it, if it does not produce in you that spirit, that inclination which is divine? And if that inclination, that spirit, shows in anything, it shows in divine manner.
Neither in the graciousness of a king nor in the subservience of a slave will you find that dignity and that humility which divine manner gives. Is not man the seed of God? Is it not then his life’s purpose to bring forth divine blossom? It is not by working wonders that man shows his divine origin, nor is it that in possessing extraordinary powers he shows divine origin. If divine origin is seen in anything, it is in the democracy of human ego. In the world we see there is aristocracy and there is democracy. But in spiritual unfoldment these two become one, culminating in the real perfection.
A flower proves to be genuine by its radiance, a fruit proves to be genuine by its sweetness, a soul proves to be genuine by its manner. This is not a thing therefore to disregard; this is something to take first notice of. All studies and practices, silences and meditations aside, this is the main thing: to express God in all one does, especially in the manner that one has towards another.