Shaykh Abu Bakr Shibli and Mansur Al-Hallaj

Shaykh Abu Bakr Shibli was a companion, a friend of Mansur Al-Hillaj. People are throwing stones and mud in ridicule and Shah Shibli is standing there. Mansoor is laughing and smiling. Suddenly he starts crying and weeping, because Shibli has thrown a rose at him. Somebody asked, "What is the matter? With stones you laugh–have you gone mad? And Shibli has thrown only a rose flower. Why are you crying and weeping?" Mansur Al-Hallaj said, "People who are throwing stones don't know what they are doing, but this Shibli has to know. For him it will be difficult to get forgiveness from God." He said, "Others will be forgiven because they are acting in ignorance; they cannot help it. In their blindness that's all they can do. But with Shibli–a man who knows! That's why I weep and cry for him. He is the only person who is committing a sin here."