Page 23 - Pakistan Link - October 19, 2018

COMMENTARY OCTOBER 19, 2018 – PAKISTAN LINK – P23

Rumi: The Radiant Ocean of Wisdom, Harmony, and Love

n By Dr Ahmed S. Khan* a student in his presence. He learned many les-
Chicago, IL sons, and although he had studied many subjects
before, he began with Shams like a newly regis-
he United Nations Educational, Sci- tered student. He was a guide before, but now
entific and Cultural Organization he was a student. Shams took him to a strange
T(UNESCO) had designated 2007 as w o r l d , which had been seen neither by an
“Year of Rumi” to mark the 800th an- ni - Arab nor by a Turk.” (Waladnama, p. 198)
versary of the birth of Maulana (Mev- lana) Rumi was totally immersed in the new-
Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Rumi, one of t h e found love that his master revealed. But then,
world’s most revered Sufi poets. On his 800th suddenly, eighteen months after Shams appeared
birthday, Rumi’s popularity reached new in Rumi’s life, Shams disappeared. He returned
heights in the East as well as the West. for a brief period but then was gone forever. In
Rumi’s poetry has been rediscovered in re- his longing for this Sun, Maulana Rumi became a
cent years as Rumi has become one of the most poet who poured out thousands of ecstatic verses
popular poets of modern times. The New York at the sound of music, and often while whirling
Times has declared Rumi as “the most influen- in enraptured dance. Rumi lamented: “It is the
tial poet in America since 1960s.” And the Time burn of the heart that I want. It is this burning
magazine has called Rumi as “the mystic of the which is everything --- more precious than a
century.” worldly empire --- because it calls God secretly
Paying tributes to Rumi, A.J. Arberry writes: in the night.”
“In Rumi we encounter one of the world’s great- Rumi wrote a voluminous Divan addressed
est poets. In profundity of thought, inventiveness to his master, the architect of Rumi’s world of di-
of image, and triumphant mastery of language, ter his wife passed away, Maulana got married for the books were destroyed. But when Shams re- vine love, Shams-e-Tabrezi. Rumi could not be
he stands out as the supreme genius of Islamic the second time and had a son, Emir Alim, and trieved the books from the pool they were not Rumi without the guidance from his mentor and
mysticism.” And R.A. Nicholson called Rumi a daughter, Melike Khatoon. Maulana inherited wet or damaged; rather, they were dry and in- master Shams, as he pays tribute to his master:
“the greatest mystical poet of any age.” Regarding his father’s teaching passion and position after tact. Rumi was amazed and asked Shams, “What Nothing can itself be anything
his books Nicholson observed, “The Mathnawi his father left this world in Konya on January 12, was that?” Shams replied, “It is that which thou No iron can be a sword on its own,
is a majestic river, calm, and deep, meandering 1231. Maulana’s sermons in the medrassah (to- knowest not!” According to a second account Neither could Rumi’s spiritual Masnevi be
though many a rich and varied landscape to the day known as Iphkgi Mosque) were attended by of the meeting provided by Muhiyuddin Abdul born
immeasurable ocean; the divan is a foaming tor- Muslims and followers of other religions. Qadir, a contemporary of Sultan Walad, Rumi’s Without his being a slave of Shams-e-Ta-
rent that leaps and plunges in the ethereal soli- Maulana Rumi expressed his pearls of wis- books were engulfed in flames and burned to brezi.
tude of the hills.” Professor E.G. Browne has said dom in Persian. But his message has been trans- ashes. Shams put his hand in the ashes pulled out You are the moon of the sky and we are like
that Rumi is the most eminent poet whom Persia lated in many languages. His work has been com- the books. a dark night, and
has produced. When Saadi was asked which was piled in the form of five books. Professor Erkan Turkmen, citing Aflaki, When there is no moon at night full dark-
the best poem in the Persian language, he se- The Mathnawi describes in a story form his narrates the third version in his book, Teaching ness prevails.”
lected a poem of Rumi. And Jami paid tribute to mystic feelings and ideas, and is like an ocean of Shams-i-Tabrezi: “One day when Rumi was (Divan-e-Shams p. 711/1889).
Rumi by observing: of knowledge in which a seeker must dive deep going towards Pembefurushan Inn, he passed by Untiringly Rumi called the beloved:
Mathnawi-yi maulawi-yi ma’nawi to discover the pearls. The Divan-i-Shamsi (also Sheherizan Street on the back of a mule, where Nor alone I keep on singing
Hast qur’an dar zaban-I pahalwi. called Divan-i- Kebir) is dedicated to Rumi’s Shams stopped him and asked him, ‘O the great Shamsuddin and Shamsuddin
The spiritual couplets of Maulana master and mentor, Shams-i-Tebrezi, and con- Imam of Islam! Tell me who is greater, Prophet But the nightingale in gardens
Are the Koran in the Persian language tains poems he recited on various themes. Fihi Muhammad or Bayazid of Bastam?’ Rumi re- Sings, the partridge on the hills.
Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal has called ma Fihi is based on his lectures at various gath- plied ‘What kind of question is this? Of course, Day of splendor: Shamsuddin, and
Rumi as the “lamp of the way of free men.” His erings. Mektubat is based on letters he wrote Muhammad is greater than Bayazid.’ Shams Turning heaven; Shamsuddin, and
respect and admiration of Rumi is evident by to his close friends and the opinions he offered continued, ‘Muhammad said O my lord I fail to Shamsuddin is day and night.
his famous couplet, “Inspired by the genius of to various question he was asked to reflect on. understand You the way You really deserve’, but And Rumi writes:
the Master of Rum/ I rehearse the sealed book Mecalis-i-Seb’a (seven courts) is based on notes Bayazid said ‘How great is my being, and I am O my soul, where can I find rest
of secret lore/ the Master of Rum transmuted my taken from his teachings and sermons. the king of kings. I am free from all defects and But in the shimmering love of his heart?
earth to gold and set my ashes aflame” (Asrar-e- Rumi expresses words of universal truths Where can I see the pure light of the Sun
Khudi, 1915). Dr Iqbal also said that “the world with a voice of love. His message touches the But in the eyes of my own Shams-e-Tabriz?
of today needs a Rumi to create an attitude of soul, and his poetry soothes the ills and stresses Rumi, regarded as literature’ greatest mysti-
hope, and to kindle the fire of enthusiasm for of the common man living the life of uncertainty. cal poet, very well understood the uncontrollable
life.” Eminent Rumi scholar, Afzal Iqbal, in his Rumi’s poetic wisdom is embedded with symbol- and idiosyncratic impact of poetry:
biography of Rumi titled The Life and Thought ism. Rumi uses symbols of nature: for example, The meaning of poetry has no sureness of
of Mohammed Jalal-ud-din Rumi presents the the nightingale represents the soul, the rose illus- direction,
tribute of French writer Maurice Barres to Rumi. trates the perfect beauty of God, rose garden sig- It is like the sling, it is not under control.
Barres once confessed “when I experienced Mev- nifies paradise, and the breeze symbolizes God’s Jonathan Star in his book Rumi: In the
lana’s poetry, which is vibrant with the tone of ec- life-giving breath; winter represents separation Arms of the Beloved explains that “Rumi was a
stasy and with melody, I realized the deficiencies from God; spring signifies union, resurrection pure instrument of Divine. A flute upon which
of Shakespeare, Goethe, and Hugo.” and rebirth; and the sun implies the illumination God played an exquisite song.” Rumi writes:
It was generally believed until recently that of divine knowledge. Do you think I know what I am doing?
Rumi was born in the city of Belkh, located pres- The Sun had a special meaning and signifi- That for a moment, or even half a moment,
ently in Afghanistan, on September 30, 1207. But cance for Rumi, as it alluded to his master, Shams I know what verse will come from my
Dr Schimmel in her book, Rumi’s World: The (Sun) ud-din Tabriz, the one who awakened the mouth?
Life and Work of the Great Sufi Poet, made the truth within Rumi. For his Ustad (Master) Rumi I am no more than a pen in a writer’s hand,
following observation regarding his birthplace: uses terms “Shams,” “Shams-e-Tabrez,” and No more than a ball smacked around by a
“Afghan and Persian admirers still prefer to call “Shams-ud-din” and addresses various facets polo stick!
Jalal-ud-din Balhki because his family lived in of the Beloved. Shams symbolizes the power of Further Rumi makes the following observa-
Balkh before migrating westward. However, grace, the power that awakens the truth within tion about his life:
their home was not in the actual city of Balkh, us. It symbolizes the inner sunrise, the inner “Not more than three words,
since the mid-eight century a center of Muslim “Nur” (light) of illumination of consciousness, there is nothing left in my robe other than God.” All my life made of these three words:
culture in Khorasan (now Afghanistan). Rather, one’s own soul and its awakening. Dr Annemarie What do you think about it? Rumi said ‘Well I was raw, I’m cooked, I’m burnt…”
as the Swiss scholar Fritz Meier has shown, it was Schimmel in her book Look, This Love, Poems the thirst of Bayazid was quenched by one drop, The central theme of Rumi’s message is
in the small town of Wakhsh north of the Oxus of Rumi, comments about the historical meeting and his jar of wisdom was filled with that; and Love. Afzal Iqbal in his biography of Rumi The
that Baha-ud-din Walad, Jalal-ud-din’s father, of Maulana Jalal-ud-din (the majesty of religion) the light he received was just in accordance with life and Thought of Mohammed Jalal-ud-din
lived and worked as jurist and preacher with Rumi and the wandering dervish Shams-ud- the capacity of his window of divine light while Rumi observes, “Love according to Rumi is… a
mystical inclinations. He was a man of indepen- din Tabrezi (Shams-e Tabrez): “The professor of Muhammad’s thirst was huge and at every stage cosmic feeling… a spirit of oneness with the uni-
dent judgment and was known to be endowed theology was transformed into a mystical poet he wanted more and more love and knowledge verse…the remedy of our pride and self-conceit,
with visionary power, though he was never a Sufi through his meeting with Shams-ud-din (the of God according to the Qur’anic verse ‘Didn’t the physician of all our infirmities…the motive
in the traditional sense of the word.” Sun of Religion) of Tabrez, who led him to the We expand your chest?’ (94/1) and ‘Was not the force of the universe; it is because of love that ev-
Rumi’s father, Baha-ud-din Walad, known zenith of mystical experience.” earth of God spacious enough to escape evil?’ erything travels toward its origin; it is love which
as “Sultan of the Scholars,” along with family Several accounts of this historical meet- (4/97)” animates music and gives a meaning to life. It is
and friends left Belkh in 1212. Passing through ing (in 1244), which many authors have called After answering the question Rumi entered in Love that the contradictory forces of nature
Nishapur, Baghdad, and Kufa, their caravan the meeting of two oceans, exist, but three are a mystical state of ego annihilation called fana. achieve a unique unity… And love is not logic; it
reached Mecca for pilgrimage. The caravan fi- cited frequently. According to the first account When Rumi regained consciousness, he looked eludes reasons and analysis it is best understood
nally reached Karaman after passing though Da- narrated by Jami, Rumi was giving a lecture, at Shams with utter amazement, and realized by experience.” Rumi observes:
mascus, Malatya, Erzincan, Sivas, Kayseri, and and there was a pile of books lying in front of that Shams was no ordinary dervish. From that It is love, not reason which is heedless of
Nejad. The family, after staying in Karaman for him. Shams walked in, sat for a while, and then moment on Rumi’s life changed forever. Rumi consequences,
seven years, finally came to settle in Konya in pointed towards the books and said, “What are took Shams to his house to live and the two men Reason pursues that which is of benefit.
May, 1228, at the invitation of Seljuk Emperor, these?” Rumi, perturbed by the impertinent in- became inseparable. They spent hours praying in (Love) never puts God to the test,
Allaudin Keykubad. Rumi married Gohar Kha- terruption, replied, “It is that which thou know- isolation. Rumi’s son Walad, in his book, Walad- Nor does it weigh profit and loss (in its pur-
toon in Karaman in 1225. The marriage yielded est not!” Shams took all of Rumi’s books and nama, writes about the influence of Shams-e- suit).
two sons, Sultan Walad and Alauddin Qelebi. Af- dumped them in a pool of water. Rumi thought Tabrezi on Rumi: “The sheikh (Rumi) became RUMI, P28
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