A Devotee’s Nature is Like That of a (Tarvar) Tree

Once a merchant was travelling for business by a ship. He was also accompanied by a group of those who prepared food during the journey and who entertained everyone with jokes and mockery. It was a long journey. It had to take a month. The pranksters needed a person at whom they could direct all their derision. On searching, they found Ibrahim. They caught him and took him with them. They thought that this beggar needs bread; he will get it. After going far in the sea, an entertainment programme began for the merchant. They were making fun of Ibrahim. They were saying, “There was a fool like this (Ibrahim) man. He was sitting on the same branch of the tree that he was cutting. He fell and died.” They laughed out loudly. In this way, they kept making such indecent comments for a long time.

Ibrahim was very sad. He thought, “I will have to bear this for months. I will neither be able to worship, nor will I be able to live in peace.” At that very moment, an ethervoice occurred, “O Devotee Ibrahim! If you say, then I will kill these fools. I will sink the ship; I will save you. They bother you.” Hearing this voice from the sky, all the people of the ship got frightened. Ibrahim said, “O Allah! Do not put this stigma on my forehead. They are ignorant. Instead of killing so many people, kill me or give them good sense; they should get the welfare of their souls done by worshipping you.” All the passengers including the ship owner apologised to Ibrahim and listened to the knowledge of God. They kept him respectfully with them. He was given a separate place in the ship to worship. Ibrahim, after explaining the true knowledge to all of them, brought them to the ashram and got them initiated from Guru ji.

Ibrahim himself used to give initiation. When someone told Jinda Baba i.e., Supreme God Kabir in the presence of Ibrahim that “O Gurudev! Ibrahim gives initiation”, then God told Ibrahim, “O devotee! You are making a mistake. You are not authorised.” After that day, Ibrahim stopped giving initiation, and he got all his disciples initiated again from Guru ji. He begged for forgiveness. He himself also got his naam purified (reconnected). He did not make such mistake in future.