Interpretation of the Twenty First Rule of Love

Rule Number 21 — We were all created in His image, and yet we were each created different and unique. No two people are alike. No hearts beat to the same rhythm. If God had wanted everyone to be the same, He would have made it so. Therefore, disrespecting differences and imposing your thoughts on others is tantamount to disrespecting God’s holy scheme.

– Shams, to Suleiman the Drunkard

Context - This rule emerges when Shams meets Suleiman the Drunkard, a man condemned across Konya for his drinking despite being a Muslim. Suleiman is taken aback when Shams treats him with dignity and respect. He admits that no one else in the city treats him this way. It is in this moment that Shams shares this rule.

Interpretation within the Story - Just yesterday, I was listening to Geeta Darshan by Osho, which offers a helpful lens to understand this rule. Osho explains that even the worst person in the world carries some goodness, and even the best person has certain weaknesses. What truly matters is where we choose to direct our attention.

According to Osho, a truly religious person focuses on the positive qualities in others, while a so-called religious person fixates on their flaws.

Ultimately, we must accept that we are all created by the same divine energy. While we may appear different on the surface, the same divinity pulses within all of us.

In the same way, Shams saw the goodness in Suleiman, while others reduced him to his identity as a drunkard and rejected him.

Where we choose to focus reflects our own level of evolution, not that of the other person.

Deeper Interpretation Beyond the Story - To understand this rule more deeply, consider the metaphor of a gardener and a garden.

If you visit a garden, would you prefer to see flowers of only one color, or a vibrant mix of many colors? Naturally, a diverse and colorful garden is far more appealing. A gardener enhances beauty by nurturing variety.

Similarly, when visiting a zoo, we enjoy seeing a wide range of animals and birds rather than just one species repeated everywhere. Diversity enriches the experience.

Yet, when the Divine creates human beings with the same diversity, we often seek uniformity. We feel uncomfortable or threatened by those who are different from us. Even within our own groups, we resist those who think or behave differently.

This fear arises from our own insecurities. Otherwise, what is the problem in experiencing different cultures, religions, and belief systems? When the entire existence is available to us, why should we cling to a single identity, especially when that identity itself is a product of conditioning?

This rule, therefore, teaches acceptance and openness. It reminds us that the same divinity flows through everyone, and there is no place for discrimination.

If God had truly wanted uniformity, He would have created it. In fact, He already has — but that uniformity exists at a deeper level, beyond our physical forms.

Hence, expecting others to conform to our views is nothing but a subtle form of disrespect toward the Creator and His infinite creativity.

This rule ultimately guides us toward acceptance, receptivity, and a deeper recognition of our shared divine essence.

Following quote from Shams may help us further in understanding this rule - 

"All of us are selective sinners. We choose the sins we are comfortable with, and judge others that commit the ones we're not comfortable with." - Shams-e-Tabrizi

Gratitude!!!