Explaining that Knowledge has two wings, and Opinion (only) one: “Opinion is defective and curtailed in flight”; and a comparison illustrating opinion and certainty in knowledge.
Knowledge has two wings, Opinion one wing: Opinion is defective and curtailed in flight.
The one-winged bird soon falls headlong; then again it flies up some two paces or (a little) more.
The bird, Opinion, falling and rising, goes on with one wing in hope of (reaching) the nest.
(But) when he has been delivered from Opinion, Knowledge shows its face to him: that one-winged bird becomes two-winged and spreads his wings.
After that, he walks erect and straight, not falling flat on his face or ailing.
He flies aloft with two wings, like Gabriel, without opinion and without peradventure and without disputation.
Of all the world should say to him, “You are on the way of God and (are following) the right religion,”
He will not be made hotter (I.e. more fervent in his faith) by their words: his lonely soul will not mate with them;
And if they all should say to him, “You are astray: you think (you are) a mountain and (in reality) you are a blade of straw,”
He will not fall into opinion (doubt) because of their taunts, he will not be grieved by their depature (estrangement from him).
Nay, if seas and mountains should come to speech and should say to him, “You are wedded to perdition,”
Not the least jot will he fall into phantasy or sickness or account of the taunts of the scoffers.
- Jalal Ud Din Rumi -