Once, Bayazid (rta) was exhorting the people in a gathering. The descendant of a long line of saints, who harboured malice in his heart for Bayazid (rta), was also present. It is the way of God that He chooses newer families for older ones. For example, he selected the Children of Ishmael over the Children of Israel, as the latter had fallen prey to worldly pleasures and enjoyment, and thus had forgotten God.
وَتِلۡکَ الۡاَیَّامُ نُدَاوِلُہَا بَیۡنَ النَّاسِ1
So, the thought crossed this person’s mind that Bayazid (rta) belonged to a lower class family. How then could he possibly be a man of miracles who attracted so many people to himself ? The other man realised that people did not flock to him the same way.
The Almighty God disclosed the thoughts of this man to Bayazid (rta) and so, he began to relate a story.
He said that once, in a gathering, a lamp containing oil diluted with water was burning at night. The oil and water began to quarrel. The water addressed the oil and said: ‘You are heavier and dirtier than I, yet despite your thickness you float up above me. For I am a pure and refined substance that is used for cleansing purposes, but I still remain below you. Why is this so?’
The oil responded: ‘You have not experienced even minutely the degree of difficulty that I have endured. It is for this reason that I have attained this lofty position. There was a time when I was sown in the earth, I remained hidden and was humbled. Then, by the will of God I began to grow, and had not grown much before I was cut down. After great pains, I was then refined. Further still, I was ground in an oil press, whereafter I was transformed into oil and finally set aflame. After all this, was I not to attain a lofty position?’
The above mentioned parable is an example which expounds that the people of God attain lofty ranks only after enduring trial and tribulation.
(Malfuzat, Vol. 1, p. 25–26)
1 And such days We cause to alternate among men that they may be ad- monished. (Surah Al-e-‘Imran, 3:141). [Publisher]