Brian Griffith's Blog - Posts Tagged "sufi-saints"

As she began teaching and attracting disciples, we hear of a group of religious men coming to challenge her. They accused her of presumption, explaining, “All the virtues have been scattered on the heads of men. The crown of prophethood has been placed on men’s heads. The belt of nobility has been fastened around men’s waists. No woman has ever been a prophet.” Rabi’a answered, “All of that is true, but egoism and self-worship and ‘I am your Lord’ have never sprung from a woman’s breast. ... All these things have been the specialty of men.”Mother Persia: Women in Iran's History

As she began teaching and attracting disciples, we hear of a group of religious men coming to challenge her. They accused her of presumption, explaining, “All the virtues have been scattered on the heads of men. The crown of prophethood has been placed on men’s heads. The belt of nobility has been fastened around men’s waists. No woman has ever been a prophet.” Rabi’a answered, “All of that is true, but egoism and self-worship and ‘I am your Lord’ have never sprung from a woman’s breast. ... All these things have been the specialty of men.” -- from "Mother Persia," by Zhinia Noorian and Brian Griffith