On a quiet afternoon, the renowned Sufi master Abu Sa’id (d. 1049) stepped into the warmth of a public bathhouse, seeking respite from the dust of his travels. The air was thick with steam, the scent of soap and damp stone filling the chamber.
As he settled onto the stone bench, a bath attendant approached with practiced hands, carefully scrubbing away the layers of dust clinging to the master’s back. Each stroke of the attendant’s hands revealed traces of dirt, which he silently gathered on his own arm so that the master could see the dirt that was being removed.
Curious, the attendant broke the soothing silence. “Master,” he asked, “what is the true meaning of chivalry?”
Abu Sa’id, his eyes half-closed in reflection, smiled gently. “Chivalry,” he said, “is not showing a man the filth you have washed from him.”
