It is interesting to see the variety of ways in which this book continues to be misconstrued. Perhaps the best clue to its meaning is contained in this story:

Disguise

A student travelled to a far country. One day he was invited to the house of a rich man; and he was amazed and disturbed to find among the pampered guests, his own Sufi teacher, dressed like the leader of a cult. He said, as soon as he could speak to him privately.

"Honoured Sir, What has become of you? This matted hair, these bells and recitations, this grotesque robe . . . it is you who taught us to shun such things like the plague."

"Hush," said the Sufi, "for it is not 'What has become of me,' but 'what has befallen these people among whom I am working.' Do you not see that if they thought I was not a fraud, they would never even admit me to their company? I realized that they would let me come here if they could laugh at me. Now it is for me to use this advantage to help them understand." ¹

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¹ From Idries Shah, Seeker After Truth