The Angel’s Mirror: Reflections on Humanity and Knowledge

When human beings were having their characteristics given out to them, one of the angels came to a man who was to be a dervish and asked, “What do you want?”

The dervish-to-be answered, “Nothing,” and continued to sit in contemplation of Truth.

The angel went from one to another of the humans-to-be and asked their wishes. The king-to-be said, “Pomp and importance.” The peasant-to-be said, “Work to do.” The warrior-to-be said, “Glory.” And so it went on.

Then a voice said to the dervish-to-be, “You have asked nothing for yourself, and it is not too late to choose. Because of your desire for Truth, however, you shall have a glimpse of how humanity will use the attributes…”

As the dervish-to-be looked into a mirror that was held before him, he saw kings in their pomp and ceremony, peasants working endlessly, soldiers continually fighting.

Then the dervish-to-be gasped, “But what will be the future of the People of Learning?”

The picture in the mirror shifted, and he saw priests, scholars, and experts of all kinds. They had asked for opinions, convictions, and learning. As a result, they were often led astray, and they led others just as far away from Truth.

The dervish-to-be cried out, “But why is there no way of seeking Knowledge without opinion, Truth without obsession, fact without personal attachment to it?”

“It is somewhat too late for those things to be given to the existing types,” said the angel, “and therefore people will now regard facts as knowledge, opinion as enlightenment, commitment as piety and worth.”

“And then what happens?” asked the dervish-to-be.

“Then, the people who try to fit the one into the place of the other become vain, get angry, are seen to be petty, and people observing them will start to look instead for real knowledge.”

The dervish-to-be asked, “But will anything stop people from seeing the shortcomings of the specialists?”

“Only,” said the angel, “if there is too much vanity, emotion, and pettiness on the part of the observer.”