A story about Kunta-Haji

There was a man whose name was Madar from the village of Shali who always was together with Chechen spiritual teacher of the 19th century Kunta-Haji Kishiev from the village of Ilskhan-Yurt. [Kunta-Haji was a very famous and respected Chechen Sufi sheikh. He is still very respected among Chechens and most Chechen Muslims consider him as their teacher.]

Once, when Kunta-Haji and Madar were sitting together, somebody came to them and said, "O Kunta-Haji, these people are so shameless! They are so unfaithful and dishonest! They are so ignorant and sinful!" And so on.

Kunta-Haji every time told him, "Yes, sure, probably it is so. But do not think about them. Instead repeat the names of Allah! [that is, practice zikr - Sufi practice of repeating Allah's names]"

After a month, the same person came to Kunta-Haji again and said, "O Kunta-Haji, people are so good, noble, honest, and prudent!" And so on.

Kunta-Haji told him this time, "Yes, sure, people are good, noble, honest, and prudent!" And so on.

After this person left, Madar from Shali told Kunta-Haji, "O Kunta-Haji, your actions are so amazing. When this person came the first time and said, 'O Kunta-Haji, these people are so shameless! They are so unfaithful and dishonest! They are so ignorant and sinful!' and so on, you told him, 'Yes, sure, probably it is so. But do not think about them. Instead repeat the names of Allah!' But today when the same person said, 'O Kunta-Haji, people are so good, noble, honest, and prudent!' and so on, you replied him, 'Yes, sure, people are good, noble, honest, and prudent!' and so on. What does it mean? Why did you always confirm what he told?"

Then, Kunta-Haji told Madar, "You see, Madar, when a person loses faith in conscience, honesty, nobility, and so on, then he thinks that all the people are like this. But when a person regains faith in conscience, honesty, nobility, and so on, then he also thinks that all the people are like this."