Molavi: Paragon of Persian Poetry
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(21)
As we said last week the content and deep meanings of the parables and stories of Mowlavi's masterpiece Masnavi-e-Ma'navi are spiritual and mystical. Mowlavi believes that story has a body and spirit. He says the body of the story is the way one parable is narrated, which he does not care about at all. But Mowlavi pays special attention to the spirit of the story, which is the deep spiritual meaning, content and message of the story. Actually Mowlavi uses story as his best tool to express his thoughts and ideas and teach spirituality to the readers.
In his style of narrating the stories Mowlavi applies different methods. In the Masnavi you come up with some stories, which are longer than others. In order to prevent the readers from getting bored Mowlavi has resorted to episodic structures. Episodic methods of narrating a story also help the reader realize the depth of the meanings of the story.
On the other hand, the application of allegories in long stories has caused the readers to go away from the main line of the story. Such a method of using different stories in one story was popular from before the time of Mowlavi and this literary feature can be seen in such ancient literary masterpieces as Keli-le-Demneh, Marzban Nameh, Sand Bad Nameh and even the Shah Nameh.
Actually all of the Masnavi stories have moral and spiritual messages. The element of time and place is unknown in most of the stories and except for some cases, the scenes of most stories are not clear. Mowlavi's stories are also successful in terms of the logic and the choice of specific words.
Now here is the story of the lion and the beasts from Masnavi Ma'navi:
"In the book of Kalila and Damna a story is told of a lion who held all the beasts of the neighborhood in subjection, and was in the habit of making constant raids upon them, to take and kill such of them as he required for his daily food. At last the beasts took counsel together, and agreed to deliver up one of their company every day, to satisfy the lion's hunger, if he, on his part, would cease to annoy them by his continual forays. The lion was at first unwilling to trust to their promise, remarking that he always preferred to rely on his own exertions; but the beasts succeeded in persuading him that he would do well to trust Providence and their word. To illustrate the thesis that human exertions are vain, they related a story of a man who got Solomon to transport him to Hindustan to escape the angel of death, but was smitten by the angel the moment he got there. Having carried their point, the beasts continued for some time to perform their engagement. One day it came to the turn of the hare to be delivered up as a victim to the lion; but he requested others to let him practice a trick. They scoffed at him, asking how such silly beast as he could pretend to outwit the lion. The hare assured them that wisdom was of God, and God might choose weak things to confound the strong. At last they consented to let him try his luck. He took his way slowly to the lion, and found him sorely enraged. In excuse for his tardy arrival he represented that he and another hare had set out together to appear before the lion, but a strange lion had seized the second hare, and carried it off in spite of his remonstrance. On hearing this, the lion was exceeding wrath, and commanded the hare to show him the foe, who had trespassed on his preserves. Pretending to be afraid, the hare got the lion to take him upon his back, and directed him to a well. On looking down the well, the lion saw in the water the reflection of himself and of the hare on his back; and thinking that he saw his foe with the stolen hare, he plunged in to attack him, and was drowned, while the hare sprang off his back and escaped. This folly on the part of the lion was predestined to punish him for denying God's ruling providence."
(20)
Time bringeth swift to end
The rout men keep;
Death's wolf is nigh to rend
These silly sheep.
See, how in pride they go
With lifted head,
Till Fate with a sudden blow
Smiteth them dead.
Mowlavi's magnum opus Masnavi is among the rare works, which despite the passing of almost 8 centuries has still preserved its novelty from many aspects. The simple and straightforward style of the poet, the deep meanings of the contents, the use of parables and anecdotes have bestowed this masterpiece of the Persian poetry an eternal freshness, whose literary style and structure can be discussed from different angles.
In terms of theme and atmosphere a story has different types among them mention can be made of imaginary, real, romantic, mystic, moral, and many other aspects. The contents and meaning of most anecdotes of the Masnavi is spiritual. In all of his anecdotes Mowlavi pursues a specific goal. Therefore, he does not give much attention to the style and manner of narrating the story. But rather he cares most about the hidden meanings of such accounts and their spiritual concepts.
Mowlavi always looks for things that are not easily found and wishes for things that cannot be found. And in such a search he expresses anything he gains in parables or moral stories so as to teach people an ethical point.
Generally speaking in the old times the great men of Persian literature used parables to better express moral, philosophical and spiritual points. Mowlana has also made use of fables in his stories, and sometimes has used the imaginary discourse between animals, instead of humans, to teach a moral point.
One of the features of Mowlavi's stories is that he narrates part or the main parts of the stories before taking up the whole account in immaculately rhymed verses. According to Dr. Abdul-Hussein Zarrin-Koub, by narrating part of the story in the introduction Mowlavi intends to inform the reader of the content of the story so that the reader can pay more attention to its hidden spiritual meanings.
Now here is a story from Masnavi, which narrates the story of the oilman and the parrot:
An oilman possessed a parrot, which used to amuse him with its pleasant prattle, and would also watch his shop when he went out. One day, when the parrot was alone in the shop, a cat upset one of the oil-jars. When the oilman returned home he thought that the parrot had done this mischief, and in his anger he smote the parrot such a blow on the head that made all its feathers drop off. The parrot was so stunned that it lost the power of speech for several days. But one day the parrot saw a bald-headed man passing the shop, and recovering its speech, it cried out, "Pray, whose oil-jar did you upset?" The passers-by smiled at the parrot's mistake in confounding baldness caused by age with the loss of its own feathers due to a blow, for the parrot thought that the reason the man had no hair was because of upsetting an oil jar and taking a beat that made him bald.
I shall tell the tale of my heart as best as I can;
Caught in the storm of my tears, with a bleeding heart,
I failed to do that!
I tried to relate to event in broken, muted words;
The cup of my thoughts was so fragile, that I fell into pieces like
shattered glass.
Many ships were wrecked in this storm;
What is my little helpless boat in comparison?
The waves destroyed my ship, neither good remained nor bad;
Free from myself, I tied my body to a raft.
Now, I am neither up nor down-no this is not a fair description;
I am up on a wave one instant, and down under another the next.
I am not aware of my existence, I know only this:
When I am, I am not, and when I am not, I am!
(19)
Novelty and innovation are among the special characteristics of Mowlana. A glance at his immortal poems makes one realize that his style of poetry and the way he makes use of similes and rhythms is unique compared to other poets. Mowlavi whose magnum opus the Masnavi Ma’navi is often called the Qur’an in Persian, created a new style of Glorifying God Almighty at the start of his masterpiece, and then praising the Last Divine Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). According to contemporary critic Dr. Abdul-Husain Zarrin-Koub, the whole book of Masnavi is a Mowlavi-style lyric, which starts with the name of God and the song of Divine Love, and consummates every Gnostic in the flame of divine enthusiasm.
The love Mowlavi developed within himself for the Creator and source of all life could not have been explained in ordinary and usual words and styles. He could not describe the beautiful world of creation without making any reference to or description of God the Almighty Creator of the Universe. The enthusiasm in the heart of this great Gnostic could not be capsulated in simple words of the literary world. Literary researchers including Dr. Zarrin-Koub believe that the first chapter of the masterpiece of Mowlana, which is Masnavi Ma'navi, that starts with poems called the Letter of the Reed, serves as a way for Mowlana to talk about his own Gnostic and spiritual feelings. Here is the English translation of this interesting piece:
Hearken to the reed-flute, how it complains,
Lamenting its banishment from its home:
"Ever since they tore me from my osier bed,
My plaintive notes have moved men and women to tears.
I burst my breast, striving to give vent to sighs,
And to express the pangs of my yearning for my home.
The Reed, which has been referred by Mowlavi in his Masnavi, symbolizes his thoughts and tendency toward perfection. In the folklore of different nations the Reed symbolizes various imagination and thoughts. But Mowlavi has placed the Reed as a symbol of more meaningful and perfect thoughts. His story of the Reed is the account of a soul that has been detached from its origin and is dreaming to return to its original source. Dr. Zarrin-Koub believes: What is heard in the description of the Reed of the Masnavi is the story of a failed soul; the story of a soul that has drifted away from the spiritual world and become engrossed in the materialistic world. Many experts believe the Reed is Mowlavi himself, which longs for returning to his innate origin. Here is another translation of his beautiful verses:
He who abides far away from his home
Is ever longing for the day ho shall return.
My wailing is heard in every throng,
In concert with them that rejoice and them that weep.
Each interprets my notes in harmony with his own feelings,
But not one fathoms the secrets of my heart.
My secrets are not alien from my plaintive notes,
Yet they are not manifest to the sensual eye and ear.
Body is not veiled from soul, neither soul from body,
Yet no man hath ever seen a soul."
Now we read an anecdote from the Masnavi:
Prophet Moses (PBUH) once heard a shepherd praying with the words: "O God, show me where You are, so that I may become your servant. I will clean Your shoes and comb Your hair, and sew Your clothes, and fetch You milk."
Moses was aghast at these seemingly polytheistic words attributing form, shape, place and human requirements for God the Glorious, Whom imagination cannot encompass. He rebuked the shepherd, saying: "O foolish one, though your father was a Muslim, you have become an infidel. God is abstract, and needs not such gross ministrations as, in your ignorance, you suppose." The shepherd was abashed and tore his clothes and fled away into the desert. God then revealed His communications that said: "O Moses, wherefore have you driven away my servant? Your office is to reconcile my people with me, not to drive them away from me. I have given to each different usages and forms of praising and adoring me. I have no need of their praises since I am exalted above all such needs. I regard not the words that are spoken, but the heart that offers them. I do not require fine words, but a burning heart. Men's ways of showing devotion to me are various, but so long as the devotions are genuine, they are accepted."
These words are indication of the differing intellectual levels. In other words, it was not possible for the ignorant shepherd to comprehend the Majesty of God as Moses could. But if Moses had uttered these very same words for God as the shepherd did, it would have been sheer blasphemy and displeasure from the All-Merciful since as a Prophet he was on a higher intellectual plain. However, this does not mean that we, today in the modern world, have an excuse to remain in the state of the shepherd and ignore what has actually been taught by the Prophets and what ways they have shown to enlighten us and raise our levels of intellect, although still for persons like the shepherd of the days of Moses, the Loving God has a different criterion.
(18)
The old woman of the world has had you
in her net for sixty years.
Her breathing is the breathing of God’s anger.
But God’s mercy has more strength.
Mercy is preferred to wrath.
Masnavi Manavi is the magnum opus of Mowlavi and the most famous work of this kind in Persian literature, which contains almost 25,000 poetic verses. It has said Mowlavi wrote his masterpiece at the request of his friend and disciple Hessameddin Chalabi. The Late Dr. Gholam Hussein Yusefi in his book says, undoubtedly the night when Hessameddin Chalabi asked Mowlavi to write of poetic book like the earlier Gnostic Persian poets Attar Neishapouri and Sanaaei Ghaznavi, an immortal literary work took shape. The literary figure and historian Aflaaki who was a near contemporary Mowlavi has narrated that first few poems of the Masnavi, known as the Nei-Nameh, is the story of the reed. In the solitude of night Mowlavi used to compose the poems and Chalabi used to pen them quickly and read out to Mowlavi for possible review. This continued until Mowlavi’s death in 672 AH. In the Masnavi Mowlavi has referred to the encouragement of Chalabi for creation of the Masnavi.
Mowlavi's Masnavi teaches readers how to reach the Truth. In the Masnavi Mowlavi focuses on morals and spiritual values derived from the Holy Qur’an and the exemplary life of the Prophet. And like a Sheikh or master he has tried to make every reader of the book a new human being.
And here is a story from the Masnavi titled the Merchant and the Clever Parrot. The story says that there was a certain merchant who kept a parrot in a cage. Being about to travel to India on business, he asked the parrot if he had any message to send to his kinsmen in that country, and the parrot desired him to tell them that he was kept confined in a cage.
The merchant promised to deliver this message, and on reaching India, he duly delivered it to the first flock of parrots he saw. On hearing it one of the parrots at once fell down dead. The merchant was annoyed with his own parrot for having sent such a fatal message, and on his return home sharply rebuked his parrot for doing so. But the parrot no sooner heard the merchant's tale than he too fell down dead in his cage.
The merchant, after lamenting the death of parrot, took his corpse out of the cage and threw it away; but, to his surprise, the corpse immediately recovered life, and flew away, explaining that the Indian parrot had only feigned death to suggest this way of escaping from confinement in a cage.
The parrot here is the symbol of mystery of life while its green color is the color of spring and the annual revival of vegetation. Mowlavi by using the parable of the Parrot has likened the spirit of mankind to a caged parrot, which seeks to break out of the cage of body and the world. The story conveys the views of Mowlana who believes that if you want to set yourself free from the prison of material life you need to break out yourself. Mowlavi believes: So long as the soul of mankind is attached to its worldly body it is caged while eternal life could only be materialized when the soul is set free and longs for Almighty God wholeheartedly.
One
group of people froth like the sea,
Prostrating like waves.
The other group battles like swords,
Drinking the blood of our glasses.
(17)
If life be gone, fresh life to you
God
offereth,
A life
eternal to renew
This
life of death.
The
Fount of Immorality
In
Divine Love is found;
Then
come, and in this boundless sea
Of
Spiritual Love be drowned.
As we said last week in order to precisely discuss the thoughts and personality of such a great man as Mowlana one needs to first know how he earned lasting fame as Mowlana and reached this global status. What conditions and characteristics brought him such a big self-transformation? We said Mowlana’s meeting with the mystical Shams-e Tabrizi was the main factor for his spiritual and intellectual transformation, and as Mowlana himself has put it: Shams gave me the Pearl of Divine Love.
In other words, until before this meeting Jalaleddin Mowlavi was a scholar who was revered by the people for his knowledge. But this person was not at all similar to what we know of Mowlana in the world today.
One of the biggest interests of Mowlana were academic studies and one of the most important advices of Shams to him was to give up his academic pursuit and discover the inner treasures of spiritual knowledge, or Gnosticism. This was very difficult for a academic scholar and teacher. Mowlavi was deeply fond of the great Arabic poet Mutanabbi. He used to read his poems a lot and the impact of Mutanabbi can be seen in Mowlana's works. But Shams did not allow Mowlavi to keep up with his interest in what he considered aimless academic pursuit. The first and foremost thing that Shams did was to convince him to give up his worldly life. From Shams’ perspective, Mowlana was like an eagle, whose wings had been tied to worldly attachments. Shams broke all the chains from the spiritual feet of Mowlana, separating him from piles of books, society, classes, family, disciples and friends. In this way Jalaleddin Mowlavi became a born again scholar. Certainly it was the extraordinary personality of Shams that left such a great impact on Mowlana and made a great Gnostic out of him. The outcome of lengthy discussions and conversations between Mowlavi and Shams was the great inner spiritual development of Mowlana, which has been well reflected in his poetical masterpieces, especially his magnum opus, the Masnavi Ma’navi.
Mowlana soon became a Gnostic who does not recognize grief. Grief has no room in the spiritual ideology of Mowlana. He reached the source of spiritual love. The second attachment and interest of Mowlana was his high popularity among the laymen and the elites alike. But Shams made him leave all such attachments and turned him into an immortal personality.
Shams taught Mowlavi that loyalty to worldly attachments runs counter to flight in the endless world of spirituality. Mowlavi gladly accepted whatever Shams taught him and finally reached the point where love needs courage. It means the Gnostic does not care about or fear what might befall in the future. A true Gnostic sacrifices his whole life for the Eternal Beloved that is Gold Almighty. Shams Tabrizi only asked Mowlavi to sacrifice his worldly life and he did so. Then spiritual love instilled into his heart and soul and gave everything to him.
Now here is a story from Masnavi:
Last week we recounted to you an unfinished account of a king who had fallen in love with a beautiful maiden. But when the maiden fell gravely ill and doctors lost hope in her recovery, we said the king went to the mosque and beseeched God to grant her recovery. As he was crying he suddenly fell asleep and in his dream he was told about an old man who would come to the palace to cure her. The king woke up and returned to the palace and waited for the old man to come. Suddenly he saw a bright-faced man coming towards him. The king got up and welcomed the old man and took him towards his throne. In his conversations with this divine doctor he realized the spiritual position of the visitor and found out that the main object of his spiritual love was the old man rather than the maiden, who was only a means for him to be shown the path to spirituality. He pondered deeply and discovered that it was fate that the maiden had fallen sick so that he would have see this doctor to beseech to God and pray to Him for help. Before taking the doctor to the bed of the sick maiden Mowlavi refers to the politeness and gratefulness of the king and believes that if the king had not bowed down before God Almighty humbly and had not politely asked Him for help that doctor would never have been sent to him. The king took the doctor to the maiden. After examining her, the doctor realized the reason for her illness. He said the reason of her disease is different from other causes of illness. She is in love. But the doctor did not tell the king about it and asked the king to leave the doctor and the maiden alone for a while. While he was checking the pulse of the maiden the doctor asked her about her family and city and she answered all the questions. The doctor listened to all her words. During the whole conversation the doctor was holding the pulse of the maiden. He was aware of the beating of the pulse of the maiden during their talks. He then asked her whether she had traveled to any other city and discovered that on the mention of the name of the city of Samarqand, the pulse of the maiden started beating fast. Soon the doctor realized that the maiden has fallen in love, and not with the king, but with a goldsmith in the city of Samarqand. The doctor advised the maiden not to reveal this secret to anyone until he would be able to solve the problem.
What a bride is in the soul! By the reflection of her face
May the world be freshened and coloured like the hands
of the newly married!
Look not on the fleshly cheek which corrupts and decays;
Look on the spiritual cheek-may it be sweet and agreeable
(16)
Everyone does this in different ways.
Knowing that conscious decisions
and personal memory
are much too small a place to live,
every human being streams at night
into the loving nowhere, or during the day,
in some absorbing work.
In order to thoroughly discuss the thoughts and viewpoints of a great personality like Mowlana Jalaleddin Mohammad Balkhi Rumi it is necessary that first we learn how come he was conferred the honorific title Mowlana? What were his characteristics and what conditions caused him to reach such a status? How he sailed through the sea of divine knowledge and cognition?
Nearly eight centuries have passed since the times of Mowlana but yet, not just Iranians and the Persian speakers but also all literary people around the world continue to quote and refer to the gems of his masterpiece Masnavi Ma'navi. He used to refer to himself as a person who built a canal and let its water flow through so that the future generations will be to drink a portion of this spiritual water.
It has been narrated from Mowlavi that he went to the room of one of his friends he saw that he had put Masnavi Ma'navi behind his back and was leaning against it to relax. Mowlana suddenly became angry and said: This is not a book to be put behind your back and leaned against; this book will conquer the world. Mowlana's prediction has come true today. It is because Mowlana spoke wise words and was fully aware of the depth of his words and thoughts. He knew what would last for good and what would fade away with the march of history.
All researchers and experts of Mowlana's works have cited the exceptional meeting between him and the mysterious Gnostic Shams Tabrizi as the main reason behind the perpetuity of Mowlavi and believe this is how earned the epithet of Mowlana.
Many believe that Mowlavi before meeting Shams was like Abu Hamed Mohammad Ghazali, who was a master of his times in jurisprudence, and wrote several books but failed to grasp the rational intellect of philosophy. Mowlavi used to consider himself as a devotee of Ghazali. But following his meeting with Shams, Mowlavi became transformed as the Mowlana, as could be gauged from book Fih-e-wa Ma-Fih, in which he says that Shams opened to him the hidden vistas of Gnosticism and true love for mankind. From that time onwards, Mowlana created his everlasting masterpieces with a spirit full of love and enthusiasm.
Novelty is the main feature of the works of Mowlana. No reader has ever become tired of Mowlana's words, which remain fresh and new. He was well aware of his words and language style.
Masnavi Ma’navi is made up very interesting anecdotes, which contain lofty Gnostic knowledge. Throughout Masnavi one finds many interesting points of the past that are harmoniously blended with not only the present but also the future. He wades through the sea of divine love and knowledge.
Now here is an anecdote from the Masnavi:
In the not too distant past there was a pious and powerful king. One day when he left the palace for hunting he saw a beautiful maid and immediately fell in love with her. The king asked his companions to buy the maid for him and bring her to the palace.
When the maid was brought to the palace she fell ill and the king who was truly in love with her desperately sought to cure her. Many doctors were called, but they failed to cure her. According to Mowlavi, the narrator of the story, the reason for the frustration of the doctors was that they had taken pride in their little knowledge and did not say the phrase Insha Allah, which means “God Willing”. Accordingly God showed them the helplessness and inability of the human being. Doctors could not treat the ill maid. This plunged the king into sadness. Therefore he went to the mosque and beseeched the Almighty God.
The king started praying and supplicating to God to grant her rapid recovery from the illness. Because the king was praying sincerely and honestly God answered his prayers. He went into sleep and dreamed that an old man was coming toward him. The old man told him that God had answered his prayers and the day after a doctor would come to him and cure the maid.
'Tis light that makes colour visible: at night
Red, green, and russet vanish from thy sight.
So to thee light by darkness is made known:
Since God hat none, He, seeing all, denies
Himself eternally to mortal eyes.
From the dark jungle as a tiger bright,
Form from the viewless Spirit leaps to light.
(15)
Reason says, "I will beguile him with the tongue;"
Love says, "Be silent. I will beguile him with the soul."
The soul says to the heart, "Go, do not laugh at me
and yourself. What is there that is not his, that I may beguile him
thereby?"
He is not sorrowful and anxious and seeking oblivion
that I may beguile him with wine and a heavy measure
Masnavi Ma'navi, the great poetical masterpiece of Mowlana still shines like a brilliant gem in the culture and literature of the world despite the passing of 8 centuries. Many analysts have described the Masnavi Ma'navi as a spiritual work. Most great men of the East and West have drawn inspiration from Mowlana and his Gnosticism, among them the famous Persian poet and philosopher of the subcontinent Allamah Eqbal Lahori and the German philosopher Hegel. Many great Iranian Gnostics have also been influenced by the ideas of Mowalna. Many books and articles have been written and prepared on Mowlana Jalaleddin Mohammad and his magnum opus. But there is a lot yet to be unraveled from the depth of the spiritual words and thoughts of Mowlana. The interest of the modern world, particularly the West, in the works of Mowlavi is a proof in this regard. The Masnavi Ma'navi has the capability to serve as the ladder of mankind toward perfection, because Mowlavi seeks to release mankind from worldly shackles.
The addressees of the Masnavi could be divided into three groups; the scholars, the laymen and the mystics, who detached from the trappings of worldly life, eagerly and enthusiastically, tread the path toward divine perfection. The late Dr. Foruzan Far, the famous Iranian Masnavi researcher believes: "Although different commentaries have been written on the Masnavi from shortly after Mowlana's death till this day 800 years later, many of them not only do not alleviate the pain but also might be misleading. Actually the commentators may not have recognized him properly. In the Masnavi, Mowlana has been deeply influenced by God’s Revealed Word, the Holy Qur’an. Mowlavi tries to unravel one interesting anecdote after another in flowing Persian, to get his Islamic thoughts and teachings across to the audience. As a Muslim, Mowlavi is propagating immortal message of the holy Qur’an as well as the sayings of the Prophet and of Imam Ali. According to researches, in the Masnavi, Mowlavi has tried to render into Persian poetry along with their interpretation as many as 2200 verses of the Holy Qur’an, that is a third of the Divine Scripture. In addition, another third of the Holy Qur’an has also been partly or indirectly been referred in the verses of the Masnavi, and that is why the late contemporary Iranian Gnostic and philosopher, Haj Mulla Hadi Sabzevari, has called the Masnavi, almost a commentary of the Holy Qur’an.
According to Mowlana the System of Creation has a goal and purpose, and is not meaningless. In the view of Mowlana everything is alive and that every creature speaks to man and the world is constantly in the process of renewal. As a true Muslim, Mowlana believes the world is under the watchful observation of the Almighty Merciful God.
Foruzan Far believes: A study of the Masnavi is advisable before interpreting the verses of the holy Qur’an. For instance, the Arabic word for "Sea" has many concepts and meanings in the Masnavi, which one can hardly find in the works of other poets. According to Mowlana, the “Sea” is a manifestation of vastness and grandeur of divine cognition. There are a lot of such meanings and concepts in the other works of Mowlana. If in order to better understand the depth of the thoughts of Mowlavi we ought to turn the pages of his other works and sail through their meanings. Among the other surviving works of Mowlana, mention could be made of Divan-e Shams attributed to his mysterious teacher who transformed his life, Majales Saba' or Seven Assemblies, Maktubaat or Letters, and Fih-va-ma Fih, which hold the keys to our understanding of the teachings and thoughts of Mowlana.
Mowlana gives importance to dialogue coupled with knowledge and wisdom. In a world where the language of understanding causes tranquility among tribes, races and nations, lack of knowledge and information about difference in names and languages might trigger quarrel and dispute among people. In a parable Mowlana brings the story of four people who did not know the language of each other. The narrative is as follows: Four people of different ethnic background, that is, a Persian, an Arab, a Turk and a Roman, were working together. After finishing their work and receiving salaries they decided to buy something. Each one of them said in his own language that he wants to buy grapes. But because they did not know the language of each other a quarrel broke out among them. Mowlana believes that there are many such individuals in the society who cannot understand each other and quarrel with each other because of ignorance and lack of knowledge. If a linguist had been there he would have had reconciled them only using one sentence, telling them you are all asking for the same thing.
(14)
Our death is our wedding with eternity.
What is the secret? "God is One."
The sunlight splits when entering the windows of the house.
This multiplicity exists in the cluster of grapes;
It is not in the juice made from the grapes.
For he who is living in the Light of God,
The death of the carnal soul is a blessing.
Regarding him, say neither bad nor good,
For he is gone beyond the good and the bad.
Fix your eyes on God and do not talk about what is invisible,
So that he may place another look in your eyes.
It is in the vision of the physical eyes
That no invisible or secret thing exists.
But when the eye is turned toward the Light of God
What thing could remain hidden under such a Light?
Old age and fatigue gradually sapped the energies of Mowlana. But whenever his busy schedule of caring for the affairs of the needy permitted some time, Mowlana and Chalabi would sit together to compile Fih wa Ma-Fih, that could be translated as The Said and the Unsaid. In his spare time, he would meet with the scholars of the city or study religious texts in addition to looking after the affairs of his expanding family. His health was deteriorating. Mowlana's indifference toward his physical state coupled with his constant fasting even in such an advance age, further endangered his health and his body grew weaker. Finally came the time when it became impossible for Mowlana to even complete the last parts of the Masnavi. He did not feel like talking any more. Mowlana adopted silence. A painful silence replaced excitement and enthusiasm. He also lost the mood to even complete the Masnavi. His nightly sessions were held no more. Despite the insistence of his elder son and his best disciple Hesameddin Chalabi, he could not complete the sixth chapter of Masnavi. During his days of silence Mowlana was not thinking about worldly affairs. He only thought about his Gnostic poems, which had turned each cell of his body into a sea of divine love. He kept thinking about spiritual love that elevated him to reach the elevated status of a sort of communion with God the Most High. He thought about the soul and the metaphysical world. At the age of 68 years he fell ill and became bedridden. He suffered from fever for several nights. He used to read poems out of fever and refused to take medications. In response to his wife Qara Khatuun who would pray to God for his recovery and long life, he said: Why a long life. Do we have evil spirits like the Pharaoh and Nimrod within us? In response to his disciples and friends who were worried about his health Mowlana said: My friends are asking me to stay in this world while Shams-e Tabriz is inviting me to the Hereafter.
Mowlana asked his elder son Sultan Valad who was at the service of his ill father round the clock to go and take some rest.
Whenever fever subdued Mowlana spoke to his companions and advised them not to get worried if he died.
With a tranquil heart, Mowlana while awaiting death bade the final adieu to his disciples and family. His anxious soul longed for the ethereal world. His physician Akmaleddin gave up hope in his recovery. But no trace of uneasiness could be spotted on Mowlana's face. The whole of Quniyah was worried about the deteriorating health of Mowlana. Finally on Sunday night, the 5th of Jamadi al-Akher 682 AH, Mowlana passed away from the mortal world. The day after his death his body was carried out of the school. The whole city was plunged in deep grief. A large number of people attended his funeral procession. With tears in their eyes the residents of the city bid farewell to the Persian speaking Gnostic, who had fled his homeland Balkh in Khorasan as a child before finally settling in Anatolia after wandering over many parts of the Muslim world. He had lived in their midst for years and taught them the secrets of spirituality. The simplicity and humbleness of Mowlana plunged even Jews and Christians into grief and pain. The absence of Mowlana could be felt everywhere.
The shooting of a documentary titled "Under the Sun of Shams" directed by Attar Pour has started.
According to the Public Relations Department of the Center for Documentary and Experimental Cinema Development this long documentary will depict the personal life and the Gnostic and philosophical thoughts of Mowlana Jalaleddin Mohammad Balkhi and his immigration to the place of his death in Quniyah. This movie is to be shot for 8 months in Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey.
On the Deathbed, go, rest your head on a pillow, leave me alone;
leave me ruined, exhausted from the journey of this night,
writhing in a wave of passion till the dawn.
Either stay and be forgiving,
or, if you like, be cruel and leave.
Flee from me, away from trouble;
take the path of safety, far from this danger.
(13)
Seek knowledge, which unravels mysteries
Before your life comes to close
Give up that non-existence which looks like existence,
Seek that Existence which looks like non-existence!
The affection and reverence for Shams made Mowlana, Gnostic, and a poet, difficult to continue his classes. Accordingly he entrusted his teaching and preaching classes to the care of his son Alaeddin Mohammad. With the absence of Shams Mowlana spent most of his time with his son Sultan Valad and his close aids like Saleheddin Zarkoub and Hesameddin Chalabi. Suddenly Salaheddin was no longer the old illiterate Gnostic in the eyes of Mowlana, because Mowlana seemed to have rediscovered Shams in the existence of old Salaheddin.
Mowlana called on his son and his students to accept Salaheddin as their Sheikh and master and follow his orders. For ten years Salaheddin conducted the classes and after a long period of illness he died in 657 AH.
For five years, following the death of Saleheddin, Mowlana did not appoint any one as his successor and he himself conducted the classes. But Mowlana's special attention to Hesameddin Chalabi showed that sooner or later Mowlana would choose him to teach and train his students. Mowlana's interest in Chalabi was to the extent that he never became happy at any gathering unless Chalabi was also present there. The devotees of Mowlana also revered Chalabi. Mowlana was now above fifty years of age and the exuberance of youth had gradually been replaced with longing for solitude and tranquility. At the same time Hesameddin suggested that Mowlana compose poems in the style of the great Persian poets Fareededdin Attar Nayshapouri and Hakeem Sanaei. Mowlana wrote 18 stanzas titled "Letter of the Reed".
Mowlana now embarked on composing his magnum opus the Masnavi, which is at times called the Qur’an in Persian although it is not a translation of the Holy Book. The Masnavi, which took 14 years to complete, and it is undoubtedly a treasure trove of wisdom containing so many interesting anecdotes in eloquent Persian verse. During this period, Hesameddin took notes from his master, which was later compiled in book form under the title Fih-e- wa Ma Fih, which means Whatever is in it, and whatever is not in it. Mowlana was now the perfect Gnostic and unrivalled spiritual teacher of his time. During this period Mowlana remembered Shams very much, and he suffered another personal grief with the death of his youngest son who was 36-years old.
Now here is a piece of news about the International Year of Mowlana. The cultural medal of France was awarded to the famous Iranian singer Shahram Nazeri who held a concert in Paris on the occasion of the 800th birth anniversary of Mowlana. This medal is the highest Medal of Honor in France and such prominent Iranians as Mohammad Ali Sepanlu, Pari Saberi and Jalal Sattari have received this medal from France so far.
First, lay down your head
then one by one
let go of all distractions.
Embrace the light and let it guide you
beyond the winds of desire.
There you will find a spring and nourished by its see waters
like a tree you will bear fruit forever.
(12)
The sound of your voice casts a spell
on every stone, on every thorn.
First, lay down your head
then one by one
let go of all distractions.
Embrace the light and let it guide you
beyond the winds of desire.
There you will find a spring and nourished by its see waters
like a tree you will bear fruit forever
Since the day Shams disappeared from Quniyah, Mowlana severed contact with his disciples and distanced himself from the outside world. Mowlana’s wife and his son younger son, Alaeddin Mohammad seemed happy at the disappearance of Shams. This upset Mowlana. But his eldest son, Sultan Valad consoled Mowlana in the absence of Shams, because he also had become attached to the mysterious Shams and the spiritual knowledge he possessed. Grief-stricken Mowlana lost his peace of mind. He could only share his sadness with his eldest son. From among his close friends and relatives old Saleheddin and young Hesameddin, who were also sad at the disappearance of Shams, were allowed to meet him. Meeting these sympathizers was a source of tranquility for Mowlana. In these years students and scholars stood at Mowlan's door for hours but the door did not open to anyone. When they saw how much Mowlana was upset they regretted their decision to cause trouble to Shams. They kept apologizing to Mowlana for their wrong behavior toward Shams. Although Mowlana accepted their apologies he did not let them in the house. Such a condition continued for days and weeks and nothing but grief and silence could be seen in the behaviour of Mowlana. But Shams had left without any address.
At last, Mowlana received a short letter from Shams, saying: I pray for you, but do not let others be informed.
A traveler from Damascus had brought the letter. Mowlana now decided to Damascus to meet Shams, but he was too weak for the journey to Syria. He sent several poetic letters to Shams but without any response. Finally without waiting for the answers of his letters, he asked his eldest son to go to Damascus and bring Shams back to Quniyah in honour and dignity. Sultan Valad went to Damascus along with 20 other disciples of his father, and when they arrived in the city they the great spiritual teacher. Sultan Valad apologized to Shams for what had happened and presented Mowlana's message imploring him to return. Shams agreed to come to Quniyah. The trip took almost a month and during this period Mowlana was impatiently waiting for the return of Shams. Shams arrived in Quniyah to an unprecedented welcome. Mowlana welcome his spiritual mentor with rejoicings. The students and disciples of Mowlana arranged honoured Shams and apologized for their misconduct. The spiritual bonds were renewed between the young teacher Shams and his elderly student Mowlana. Soon Shams, who had lived most of his life as a reclusive bachelor, showed interest in marriage. Mowlana arranged his marriage with Kimiya Khatun, who was his female disciple. However, this caused some discomfort among a number of people including Mowlana's younger son Alaeddin Mohammad, but there was nothing that they could do. Married life refined Shams the ascetic but this did not last long, for after a serious bout of illness Kimia Khatun died. The grief-stricken Shams lost his peace of mind and tranquility. Living in a house where he had found peace after years of homelessness was impossible for Shams. One week after the death of his wife, Shams disappeared from Quniyah and was never found again. This was another blow to Mowlana, who knew that now there was no hope of finding Shams. No one knew where went. This time unlike the previous occasion, Mowlana did not confine himself to seclusion, but he wrote some of the most beautiful Persian poems and dedicated them to his spiritual mentor. Perhaps it was Shams-e Tabrez’s own spiritual work, which no one knows. After sometime, Mowlana decided to go to Syria in the hope of finding Shams. He searched and enquired in vain in Damascus, He had come to this belief that his lost beloved is living within himself and such a feeling tranquilized him.
My heart, sits only with those
who know and understand you.
Sits only under a tree
that is full of blossoms.
In the bazaar of herbs and potions
don't wander aimlessly
find the shop with a potion that is sweet
If you don't have a measure
people will rob you in no time.
You will take counterfeit coins
thinking they are real.
Don't fill your bowl with food from
every boiling pot you see.
Not every joke is humorous, so don't search
for meaning where there isn't one.
(11)
I'll tell thee clear
A tongueless tale
From every ear
I would conceal.
Though I shall speak
Where all is heard
No ear shall take
But Thine my word.
During this period Mowlana seemed to have discovered his own existence inside the soul of Shams. Mowlana felt deep impact from the spiritually strong power of Shams who embarked on purifying Mowlana's heart and soul. Mowlana had forgotten anything else except Shams. He left his classes and disciples and became a true follower of Shams to the extent that wherever his new master went he followed him. To him talking to Shams was so interesting that he did not like to talk to anyone else. Through marathon talks Shams had changed the internal world of Mowlana. He had been ushered into the world of Shams, which was full of spiritual enthusiasm and excitement. No One knew about the past of this stranger. Nothing had ever satisfied him during his whole life. He had never been dependent on anyone. He was 60 years old. He had traveled from Tabriz to Quniyah in Anatolia or what is now Turkey. He had passed through many cities and had stropped in different cities. He had met with great men of his time. But here he had discovered his most ardent pupil in Mowlana, who could well understand his feelings and spiritual pains. During this period Mowlana considered himself as the student of Shams and did not do anything without the approval of Shams. Shams in fact released Mowlana from the mundane world of pride, popularity and fame. Shams called on Mowlana to perform a sort of spiritual trance called Samaa'. He believed that man is connected to the spiritual world through trance. Mowlana now did not even like studying books. This private atmosphere, which no one except old Salaheddin and Hessam Al-Din had the right to venture upon, was something ethereal. Shams told Mowlana that which words cannot describe. Shams told Mowlana what cannot be said by the tongue. When Mowlana after three months or more came out of such spiritual privacy he had distanced himself from the material world and had entered a supernatural and spiritual world. He had been released from carnal and worldly desires. Finally he returned to his students. Although the period of isolation and secret talks with Shams had been finished, he still spent most of his time with Shams. The classes of Mowlana were not held anymore. Shams started sessions of his own which Mowlana and his disciples took part. The words of Shams were recorded and written. Mowlana had returned to the gathering of disciples, but the Shaikh of the people was not Mowlana any longer; it was Shams-e Tabriz. Mowlana had adopted silence and Shams had become his tongue. Shams used to talk frankly, which was hard for students to understand.
Most of Mowlana's students were angry and unhappy with Shams, but tried to keep up the face in the presence of Mowlana to the extent that whenever they happened to see Shams out in the market or neighborhoods they tried to insult him and even threatened to kill him. Such threats and enmities caused Shams to finally leave Quniyah in 643 and he disappeared without a trace without even informing Mowlana of his decision. For Mowlana's friends, this was the end of a nightmare, which had kept them away from their master for 14 months. But the news of the departure of Shams was a sudden great catastrophe for Mowlana. He felt like a person who had lost the sun and had lost the tranquility of his heart. He could not tolerate the absence of Shams, who was everything for him. He was love; he was life. The first reaction of Mowlana toward this incident was silence mixed with wrath and bitterness. He did not speak with anyone. He knew that the dissatisfaction of his students had caused him to leave Quniyah. Therefore he was really upset with them.
Here is a piece of news on Mowlana:
The ceremony of the 800th birth anniversary of Mowlana, the great Iranian poet and Gnostic will be held in mid-2007 in the Afghan cities of Kabul and Balkh.
Afghan media described this even as one of the best cultural event of Afghanistan and the region. The first session of this event will be held with the participation of UNESCO. Iran, Pakistan, the United States, Turkey, India, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and a number of Afghan elites. The participants are also slated to visit Balkh, the birthplace of Mowlana on the sideline of the ceremony.
Such as encumbered be,
In my mystic ecstasy
This night in secret dwell
With Him they love so well.
Rise up and leave us, then,
O being alien!
Strangers would bring distress
in this night's blessedness.
(10)
I have come without a heart, without a soul;
Look at my color, read the lines on my face, O my boy!
No, I am wrong, I have not come at all, you came to me;
You came with me, hidden in my existence, O my boy!
Simile in the face of fire like a piece of gold;
And good fortune will smile at you. O my boy!
The thirsty soul of Shamseddin Mohammad Malik-Dad Tabrizi could not be satisfied with the knowledge of any master. He was spiritually thirsty and was looking for the highest spiritual position. He wanted to become a perfect human being. In pursuit of such a lofty goal he spent most of his life traveling. The "Flying Shams", as he was known, was anxious and nothing could tranquilize his heart. He sat started praying and said: God I want to ask you to show me one of your hidden devotees. In the mystic world of dreams he saw Jalaleddin Mohammad Balkhi, and decided to travel to Quniyah to find him. He arrived in Quniyah on 26 Jamadi al-Akher 642 AH. After a brief travel around the city he went to the market and rented a small room. He put a number of rare and old locks on the door of his small room so as to make people think he is a businessman. All his belongings were a very simple mat and a half-broken jug.
He spent several days in this way and used to see Mowlana everyday, pass through the market with large number of disciples and students. Shams finally ran out of patience and went toward Mowlana one day. He stared in the eyes of Mowlana. Then he asked a seemingly strange question. He said: O Shaikh tell me whether Prophet Mohammad (blessings of Allah upon him and his progeny) was greater or the mystic Bayazid Bastami?
Mowlana who felt offended by this question answered in an angry tone: Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) is the greatest of all Messengers of God. How could Bayazid Bastami be compared to him?
Shams stood expressionless and seemed to seek a more precise reply from Mowlana. After moments of deliberations Mowlana said:
Bayazid lacked capacity and lost his patience after receiving a mere glass of heavenly drink. But Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) was a limitless ocean of capacity and never lost his reason or patience despite receiving numerous blessings from the celestial heavens.
It was an interesting answer and question. Any person with a little knowledge of divine blessing and divine love could have answered Shams in the manner of Mowlana. But the main issue was that the question had been raised in the market in front of many people. At the same time, the content of the question of Shams indicated his own vast scope of knowledge, and he was intending to merely test Mowlana. Mowlana plunged into silence. He cast a look at the unknown man. In a quick and brief exchange of look they found familiarity. Although the looks were short and brief, they pierced each other’s hearts. Mowlana took Shams to his home. He was a guest from heaven for Mowlana. The presence of Shams gave the life of Mowlana a new look and color. Shams was now the teacher and Mowlana the student. Shams taught Mowlana to set himself free from material and worldly dependency and be a wholly sincere servant of God.
Talking with Shams and holding secret sessions with him transformed the life of Mowlana. It was all spirituality. In order to make best use of the presence of Shams, Mowlana abandoned his house and school. He went to the house of his student Salaheddin Zarkub, who was also deeply attached and influenced by Shams the great Gnostic, who seemed to possess hidden knowledge.
In this period Mowlana found his existence within the existence of Shams. Mowlana was deeply affected by the thoughts of Shams, which were beyond books and schools. It was a new and enlightening knowledge. Mowlana gave up all his fame, position and schools and classes for the sake of the dynamic Shams.
Now here is a piece of news on the year of Mowlana.
The Music Department of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) is composing a symphony on Mowlana.
According to Fars News Agency the IRIB announced that after the production and recording of the symphony on the Prophet of Islam (SAWA) another symphony will be composed by the end of the current year on Mowlana.
Death's Angel cries
When the lute is played;
Our hearts arise
Living from the dead.
These passions deep
That were drowned and died
Like fishes leap
From the boiling tide.
(9)
I arrived once again, like the spring breeze;
I rose like the sun visible to all.
I am the Sun in mid-summer, contrary to the old season;
I have brought liveliness and joy to gardens.
A thousand ringdoves are searching for me in their songs.
A thousand nightingales and parrots are flying in my directions.
The news of my arrival reached the fish in the sea;
The ferment of the sea created a thousand waves.
At the age of 33 Jalaleddin Mohammad Balkhi returned to Quniyah from Damascus via Qeysariyah. He was now known as Mowlana or Our Master, a titled reserved for a great Mufti. The new Seljuqid king of Roum Ghiyaseddin Key Khosrow was his admirer, and he welcomed him. Although he was young, prominent scholars of Quniyah viewed Mowlana as a perfect scholar. His old teacher Seyed Borhaneddin was overjoyed at seeing his student reach such higher degrees of spirituality. It was, however, Mowlana's last meeting with his 78-year old teacher, who soon left Quniyah for Qeysariyah, where he shortly afterwards died. The death of Seyed Borhaneddin was like the death of his father again for Mowlana. On learning of his teacher’s death, he hurried to Qeysariyah to attend the mourning ceremonies and to condole the bereaved family and disciples. Mowlana continued his preaching in Quniyah. His older son Sultan Valad was now 17 years old and his younger son Alaeddin was 15 years old. Although Mowlana liked it very much to always keep his sons with him, he considered education as a necessity for them. Accordingly he sent both of them to Damascus to continue education. Their absence at home made life difficult for their mother Gohar Khatoun. Mowlana’s fame now grew far and wide. People from different lands and various walks of life came to attend his sessions in Quniyah. Among those who eagerly participated was the aged Salaheddin Zarkub Qunavi, a disciple of his late master Seyed Borhaneddin. Salaheddin Zarkub, although a simple villager, was a real Gnostic, and profoundly influenced Mowlana. In the next few years, Gohar Khatoun died and Mowlana became a widower. In order to escape loneliness he busied himself with further study and preaching. Mowlana's sons returned to Quniyah after completing higher education in Damascus, and were soon married. Now Mowlana also decided to marry and chose as his wife, Qara Khatoun Qunavi who was of Iranian origin and knew Persian very well. His new wife could lighten the already dead atmosphere of the house of Mowlana.
Now here is a piece of news about the International Year of Mowlana Roumi:
The Iranian research institute of Logic and Philosophy will hold an international conference in late 2007 on the occasion of the 800th birth anniversary of Mowlana. Dr. Gholam Reza Avini the head of the Iranian research institute of Logic and Philosophy said: Every one knows about the lofty position of Mowlana. He is one of the greatest Gnostics of not only Islam but also of the whole world. Undoubtedly one can say that Mowlana is the best one who has been able to translate Gnostic issues into poems.
He added: Therefore we consider it as our duty to hold several conferences on the 800th birth anniversary of Mowlana in 2007.
“Seek knowledge which unravels mysteries
Before your life comes to close
Give up that non-existence which looks like existence,
Seek that Existence which looks like non-existence!”
(8)
I've
come again
like a new year
to crash the gate
of this old prison
I've come again
to break the teeth and claws
of this man-eating
monster we call life
With the death of Bahaeddin Valad, Jalaleddin Mohammad undertook the responsibility of both running the affairs of his father's family as well as the training of his disciples. Despite his deep interest in his family and two sons, the death of his father plunged him deeper into grief and sad sense of being far from homeland Balkh. Such separation, invoked the memory of the peaceful years of life in Khorasan before the Mongol invasion. Inside his home Mowlavi's wife, Gowhar Khatoun, took his mind back to days in Samarqand and his elder son, who had just started his school years, rekindled memories of the ancestral house in Balkh. In order to escape from such nostalgia Mowlana spent much of his time studying. His preaching sessions drew more students every day, particularly for Gnostic literature.
Gradually many interested students from different walks of life gathered attended his sessions. The words of young Mowlana, who had a smoothing and warm tone, attracted the attention of many people. His words were full of wisdom, beautiful literature and important points. He also taught different branches of knowledge and gained many experience as well. In this midst, Seyed Borhaneddin Mohaqeq Termezi, the teacher of Jalaeddin Mohammad and the disciple of Bahaeddin Valad arrived in Quniyah. The meeting of this old teacher was a perfect tranquilizer for 25-year old Jalaleddin Mohammad. He was the reflection of the dead voice of his father. For young Mowlana the presence of Seyed Borhanedd in Quniyah was a return to a Lost Paradise. Syed Borhaneddin believed that for Mowlana stopping at his current stage of spiritual purification was tantamount to collapse. Syed Borhaneddin wished him to pass through such an ordinary stage and reach higher spiritual stages that he deserved. He encouraged Mowlana to deeply study the personal and private memoirs and memos of Bahaeddin Valad. Thus, he taught him the Gnostic view of life both in practice and theory. Under the supervision of Syed Borhaneddin, Mowlana went through spiritual hardships to purify his soul. Upon the advise of his old teacher Mowlana headed for Damascus without his family to continue his studies.
During seven years of Mowlana's studies and trips Syed Borhanedding used to frequently visit Quniyah and take teach Mowlana’s sons. Mowlana during his years of spiritual exercise used to stay awake until dawn to recite and memorize the holy Qur’an and to pray and supplicate to God. Like his father he was constantly conscious of God the Omnipresent, Who is nearer to His creatures than their own jugular vein. Mowlana’s long prayers, nightly vigils, tearful supplications and periods of 40-day recluse from people distanced him from scholars and teachers and took him to the supernatural world.
Now here is a piece of news about Mowlana:
The translated version of the book titled Sawaqeb al-Manaqeb, which is in Persian and was published in Turkey over three decades ago has been published again.
Another piece of news is that:
On the occasion of the 800th birth anniversary of Jalaleddin Mohammad Mowlavi, Mohammad Zol-Fonoun along with Robert Bly will hold performances in the US on Mowlana and his works. According to the Cultural Heritage News Agency Stanford University on the 800th birth anniversary of Mowlana in a statement announced that works of Mowlana Roumi the great Persian poet have become the best-selling books in the United States. In this program, parts of Iranian traditional music is to be performed by Mohammad Zol-Fonoun and some poems from Mowlavi will be read out to the audience.
I am the falcon
hunting down the birds
of black omen
before their flights
I gave my word
at the outset to
give my life
with no qualms
I pray to the Lord
to break my back
before I break my word
(7)
For Bahaeddin Valad, Larandeh was a safe place of residence after long trips and immigration, and far away from the marauding Mongols who had forced him and his family to leave their native Balkh in Khorasan. His old age and the large number of his disciples who had gathered around him upon his arrival in the city made him popular among all sections of the society including businessmen and scholars. Teaching at the madrasah and preaching to the people were the main occupations of Bahaeddin Valad and during all these years the young Jalaleddin Mohammad acquired valuable knowledge from his father and other scholars. During all these years of travel he had gained valuable knowledge about literature, poetry, Gnosticism, the Holy Qur’an, the hadith of the Prophet and their interpretation. He had learned to make his words more beautiful through the use of Persian and Arabic couplets and phrases thereby captivating the hearts of listeners by preseting them exemplary anecdotes. Upon the insistence of the students of his father the youthful Jalaleddin Mohammad, started his first preaching session in Aaq-Shahr and then in Larandeh. Bibi Alawi, the mother of Jalaleddin was overjoyed at the successes of her son. But her happiness did not last as she died soon and could not live long to see her son’s fame spread far and wide. The sudden death of his mother plunged Jalaleddin into grief for a while and brought pain and sorrow upon Bahaeddin Valad. The only thing that eased such a grief for the widowed father was the son’s marriage with Gohar Khatun, the daughter of one of the students of Bahaeddin Valad. The grief-stricken house of Bahaeddin Valad was filled with joy when Gohar Khatun soon became the mother of two sons.
Ala'edin Key-Qobad Seljuqi, the ruler of Roum, as Anatolia or the Turkey of today was known in those days, had become eager to meet Bahaeddin Valad because of his fame and knowledge. He invited him and his family to his seat of government in the city of Quniya, which at that time had become a center of science and culture like Baghdad, Damasucsu, Balkh, Herat, Marv and Neishabur. Bahaeddin Valad along with Jalaleddin Mohammad left Larandeh for Quniyah and was warmly welcomed there. The king in the honor of Bahaeddin Valad and his family held a grand banquet.
Here in Quniyah, he came into increasing contact with people from his native Khorasan who had fled the Mongol invasion. Quniyah brought memories to Jalaleddin Mohammad of Balkh, Termez and Samarqand. The court of Seljuq king was the meting place for Persian poets, scholars, writers and the Persian language was the official administrative language. Due to old age and illness, it was hard for Bahaeddin Valad to speak and young Jalaleddin, used to substitute ably for his father. Bahaeddin Valad died at the age of 83. When he died Jalaleddin Mohammad was 24 years old. His death came after only two years after his arrival in the city of Quniyah.
Now here is one piece of news on the year of Mowlavi:
The messages, full of love, peace and humanitarianism from one of the greatest Iranian poets and Gnostics, Mowlana Jalaleddin Balkhi have caused many devotees of Mowlavi in different countries to hold festivities and conference in commemoration of his 800th birth anniversary. Accordingly the Alps Cultural institute held a great ceremony in commemoration of Mowlavi in Stockholm. At this ceremony which was held in two sessions, on the first day the participants while listening to Iranian traditional music and reading Iranian poems commemorated the name of Iran and its noted poets. The ceremony was widely welcomed by lovers of poems and Gnosticism.
(6)
Reason says, "I will beguile him with the tongue;"
Love says, "Be silent. I will beguile him with the soul."
The soul says to the heart, "Go, do not laugh at me and yourself. What is
there that is not his, that I may beguile him thereby?"
Sheikh Shahaboddin Omar Sohrevardi considered the presence of Bahaeddin Valad and his companions in the city of Baghdad as a good opportunity for the residents of that city. The two used to meet frequently and talk on various topics. The young Jalaleddin Mohammad who saw the Sheikh of Baghdad often visiting his father developed a deeper sense of intimacy with him. Shaikh Shahaboddin also used to compose Persian poetry, a factor that made Mowlavi more interested in him. Once Sohrevardi proposed Bahaeddin Valad to start his preaching for passengers, pilgrims and the people Baghdad. Bahaeddin Valad, who had not found the opportunity to preach to people after leaving his native Balkh became very happy with Sheikh's proposal. He began preaching and giving lectures on religious and moral issues. His speeches drew large crowds of people from different walks of life. When Sheikh Shahaboddin Sohrevardi saw such a massive public gatherings listening to the intellectual discourses of Bahaeddin Valad, he suggested that he should go to Anatolia, which was then known as Roum and was ruled by Alaeddin Key-Qobad of the Turkish Seljuq dynasty, who were great patrons of Persian literature. Mowlavi, who was now a 14-year old youth and had become acquainted with the Arabic language went with his father to Damascus and after a while accompanied his father to Holy Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage. The journey provided Jalaleddin Mohammad a good opportunity to get acquainted with various sciences of the time. Finally, Bahaeddin Valad and his family arrived in the city of Larandeh in what is now Turkey. Larandeh, which is now called Qaraman, was a good place for Bahaeddin Valad to continue teaching and preaching. The governor of Larandeh, which was part of the realm of Alaeddin Key-Qobad Seljuqi, warmly welcomed Bahaeddin Valad.
Now here are some pieces of news from the year of Mowlavi:
A big concert titled "Sun", composed and led by Majid Derakhshani was conducted at the Versailles Palace in Paris on December 5 to mark the death anniversary of Mowlavi. During the concert, conducted with the cooperation of Iran's cultural attaché in France, poems from Mowlana were recited.
Now here is piece of related news from the Seventh Art.
An Indian filmmaker Seyed Mozaffar Ali was invited to Qatar to discuss investment in a multilingual short film on Mowlana, which is estimated to cost 22 million dollars.
The News Agency of Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization announced: the Indian filmmaker intends to direct a multilingual short film on the life of Mowlana titled "Mowlavi, Fire of Existence" according to global standards and on the occasion of the 800th birth anniversary of great Iranian poet and Gnostic Jalaleddin Mohammad.
Regarding the film Mozaffar Ali the Qatar-based daily Peninsula Times said: If I can bring the potentials and talents of the world cinema to carry out this mission this film can create basic developments in Qatar and India.
A generous friend
gives life for a friend
let's rise above this
animalistic behavior
and be kind to one another
(5)
Where is that Moon that never rises or sets?
Where is that soul that is neither with nor without us?
Don't say it is here or there.
All creation is Him but for the eyes that can see.
The long trip was so exciting for Jalaleddin Mohammad. The foggy roads, cloudy mountains and deep valleys took his spirit to the supernatural world. During this trip he learned lessons from the conversations of his father with the elderly people of the Caravan that he could never have been taught at any school. He learned many adventurous stories, lovely songs and unknown thoughts and emotions. The Caravan of Balkh reached the gate of what was then fable Baghdad. In the innocent eyes of Jalaleddin Mohammad Baghdad seemed a save and secure place. Nasereddin-Billah, the Abbasid caliph who was ruling the city for 40 years had tried to revive the opulence of the legends of the "Thousand and One Nights", unaware that the Mongol hordes from whom people were fleeing and arriving in the city, would one day be destroyed by these vandals from the Asian steppes. Nasereddin-Billah constructed beautiful edifices, grand mosques, schools and Khaneqahs or hospices through which he could establish security and order in Baghdad. The deceptive tranquility of the city had turned Baghdad into a thriving center of the Islamic world. The number of refugees from Khorassan and the pilgrims returning to their lands from Hajj pilgrimage to Holy Mecca were so numerous that Baghdad, although a sprawling metropolis faced shortage of accommodation. The Gnostics of Baghdad, especially the Sheikh of Sheikhs, Shahaboddin Omar Sohrevardi, who had been informed of the arrival of Bahaeddin Valad and his companions, came to welcome them. The Sheikh suggested that a Khaneqah be prepared for Bahaeddin Valad and his family to reside. Bahaeddin Valad politely declined the offer, and being a Gnostic accustomed to a simple way of life, he decided to stay in one of the madrasahs of Baghdad. The residence in a Madrasah where scholars and students used to frequent was a pleasant experience for Jalaleddin Mohammad. Although Balkh and Neishabur were considered as cultural centers of the Persian east of the Islamic world, Jalaleddin Mohammad could not go to a madrasah. When he was in Balkh he was too small to attend a madrasah and during his brief sojourn in Neishabur he did not find time to enroll at any madrasah. Thus during his stay in Baghddad, Jalaleddin Mohammad became familiar with the academic atmosphere of a madrasah for the first time in his life.
Now here are some pieces of news from around the world about Mowlavi and his magnum opus, the Masnavi, which is often referred to as the Holy Qur’an in Persian. The Masnavi has recently been published in the language of the Uzbeks, the Muslim and highly civilized descendants of the Mongol hordes who had terrorized the Islamic World in the time of Mowlavi. It is the first translation of the book in Uzbek language and was published in Tashkent the capital of Uzbekistan. The translation has been done by an Uzbek professor of Persian literature and took three years to complete. It is to be released in Uzbekistan in 2007 designated by the UNESCO as the Year of Mowlavi. The Uzbek translation of Mowlavi’s poems has been done with the cooperation of the al-Hoda International Publications affiliated to Iran's Culture and Islamic Communications Organization.
In related news Istanbul’s Lamur Publications has published a book in Turkish titled Culture of Mowlana authored by Abdol-Latif Erdughan in 287 pages. According to the Iranian cultural attaché in Ankara the book starts with an introduction by the author who talks about the importance of Masnavi in Islamic literature and a role that this culture can play in elaborating the philosophy of Mowlavi.
You mustn't be afraid of death
you're a deathless soul
you can't be kept in a dark grave
you're filled with God's glow
(4)
The caravan passed through the gate of Balkh. Yong Jalaleddin Mohammad, the future poet Rumi, stopped for a while. He looked back. Although he did not know why they were leaving, he could feel that he should leave his past life in this town, which was the land of his ancestors. A sense of grief engulfed his heart. He did not know what fate was awaiting him. In this midst the only thing that could soothe him, was the love and affection of his father, because he knew that anything that his father does is with reliance on God Almighty. Talking to him father, made the difficulty of leaving home and the land of happiness easy for him. Since then, 13-year old Jalaleddin Mohammad had no school or teacher other than the affection of his father. During this long trip nothing could show him the world of science other than studying collections of poems and prose and speaking with his father and his companions. The caravan of Balkh reached Neishabur, the westernmost city of the great land of Khorasan. Because Bahaeddin Valad had many fiends in this city he had to make a brief stop there. In those days, Neishabur was one of the cradles of science, and the birth place of many great people of that time. The city of Neishabur was spiritually attractive to 13-year old Jalaleddin Mohammad. The streets and quarters of Neishabur gave him a sense of spirituality, which reminded him of the time when great Gnostics like Sheikh Abu Saeed Abul-Khair were living there. The last memory which remained in the mind of Jalaleddin Mohammad of Neishabur was his meeting with Sheikh Faridoddin Attar, the Gnostic Persian poet. Sheikh Attar left a lasting impact on Mowlavi. Jalaleddin Mohammad was present in the meeting of his father with Attar when the two old Gnostics talked about love of God, enthusiasm for making pilgrimage to holy Mecca and willingness to meet the Men of Heart.
Jalaleddin Mohammad, who was thirsty for knowledge, listened to the long conservation between the two Gnostics. Attar, who had been surprised by the spiritual and thoughtful sense of Jalaleddin Mohammad, praised his prudence and eloquence. Attar had realized that he would become a Gnostic but not be like the mystics or Sufis. Sheikh Attar told Bahaeddin Valad “soon your son would spread a deep love for God among those who are thirsty of divine love and affection”. And then Sheikh Attar gave a copy of his book Asrar- Nameh (Book of Secrets) to Jalaleddin Mohammad as a gift. For Molawi this was a gift from heaven.
Now we continue today’s program with a brief look at some pieces of news in commemoration of the Year of Mowlavi. At the 175th meeting of the UNESCO executive council, Iran, Afghanistan, Egypt and Turkey proposed that a prestigious Mowlana Medal be presented to those who have conducted research on the life and works of Mowlavi, which was approved by the council. The proposal was raised on the occasion of the 800th birth anniversary of this immortal Persian Poet. The proposal was approved by the overwhelming majority of members of the UNESCO’s executive council. UNESCO put the awarding of the medal on its agenda with the aim of further encouraging researchers and scholars to learn more about the life, works and thoughts of this Persian Poet and Gnostic, since Mowlavi or more properly Rumi, belongs to all humanity.
Another piece of news is that a Spanish researcher for the first time has translated the poems of Mowlavi in verse. Professor Javier Sanchez, who is a member of Spain’s Supreme Council for Scientific Research, said: The publication of this collection in addition to helping Spanish readers know about one of the great Persian poets will also help readers to get familiar with the beauties of his poems. Sanchez said that translation of Mowlana’s poems into Spanish verse took 13 years and now he has posted some part of his research on the Internet.
(3)
Every venture one's life may replete
The Mathnavi's purpose is the Great
Defeat.
Set afire, burning with cleansing heat,
On the anvil, egos ply and beat.
This book, if you open, read, entreat
Your life, a mendicant's, in the street
In the last editions we presented to you part of the life of Mowlana Jalaleddin Mohammad Balkhi known popularly as Roumi or Mowlavi, the author of the immortal book of verse, the Mathnawi, which is often called the Qur’an in Persian. We told you that Mowlavi was raised in the spiritual atmosphere of his father's house, where he became familiar with the Gnosticism. Bahaeddin Valad, the father of Mowlavi, who was called Sultan ol-Ulema was a well-known preacher, who used to criticize the Khwarezm-Shahi king, Sultan Mohammad for his oppression and violation of the rights of the people. His open criticism of the king and his courtiers infuriated the ruler, and his opponents took advantage of this anger and through different types of harassment made it difficult for Sultan ol-Ulema to live in Balkh or any other part of the expanding territory of the Khwarezm-Shahis. Persons close to the king tried to portray as a threat the large number of people who would flock to the sermons and lectures of Sultan ol-Ulema. At the same rime, the vast realm of the Khwarezm-Shahi ruler was on the verge of instability.
Sultan Mohammad Alaeddin, who was ambitious tried to expand the territory through wars and massacres. He soon created a vast empire, so big that he could not control it completely. Everywhere was the talk of war. The wars launched by the king caused bloodshed in Turkistan, Transoxiana, Khorasan and other parts. He was now thinking of conquering Iraq in the west, while in the east his territory made him neighbor to another expansionist empire, that of the nomadic Mongol tribes of the more bloodthirsty Genghiz Khan. This triggered fear and concern among the people. Soon, following the humiliation of the Mongol envoys by the Sultan Mohammad Alaedding, Genghiz Khan launched an attack. Initially, he was beaten back, but soon due to the negligence of the king to safeguard his eastern frontiers, the Mongols invaded again on a massive scale and with such savagery that the people were terrified and could not resist. As the civilized Islamic centres of Central Asia, such as Samarqand and Bukhara fell to the Mongols and were razed to the ground with mass massacres of the Muslim people, panic gripped other cities and whole populations started fleeing for safety. Bahaeddin Valad was forced to leave Balkh along with the 13-year old Jalaleddin Mohammad Mowlavi.
Now we continue the program with some pieces of news. The first piece of news is that a conference on Mowlavi is to be held in Balkh, the birthplace of this great Persian poet, which is now in Afghanistan. Mohammad Zaher Aziz, the Afghan ambassador to UNESCO did not talk about the exact date of the conference. But said: Following a joint meeting among the ambassadors of Afghanistan, Turkey and Iran at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, it was agreed that a conference be held in commemoration of Mowlana Jalaleddin Mohammad Balkhi in his native Balkh.
In related news Bulgarian scholars studying the thoughts of Mowlavi held a conference the Academy of Science in Sofia with the help of Iran's cultural attaché in Bulgaria.
Another conference on Mowlavi will also be held on January 15 in the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashkabad. The life of Mowlavi and his position in world literature, his impact on other poets, his impact on the modern world and Mowlavi's worldview are among issues to be discussed at this conference. The conference will be sponsored by the cultural attaché of the Islamic Republic of Iran and some university circles of Turkmenistan.
What
does the wheat know of the bread
For the bread is far ahead.
It once was wheat and then flour,
The rising dough but for an hour,
Baked by the heat of the fire
Purged its dross, ascended higher;
Now the bread knows its fate
To be consumed not too late.
If the
bread, wheat inspire
The wheat will stay in its quagmire.
For the bread is far ahead
What does the wheat know of the
bread?
(2)
His father’s name was Bahaeddin Valad and since he was a prominent religious scholar of his native Balkh, he was granted the title Soltan ol-Olama, which means King of Scholars. Now let's listen to the first part of this story, and how the young Jalaleddin grew up in the Khorasan of those days before the catastrophe of the Mongol invasion of the Islamic world by the bloodthirsty plunderer Genghiz Khan.
“I sought a soul in the sea
And found a coral there;
Beneath the foam for me
An ocean was all laid bare.”
The huge multitude of eager people blocked his path as Soltan ol-Olama slowly descended from the pulpit after his lecture. The large gathering of people, who had come to listen to his words and his young disciples eager to ask him questions, blocked his way while he was excited to reach home to pray and listen to the lovely supplications of his little son Jalaleddin Mohammad. Jalaleddin was the embodiment of all his hopes and wishes and although he had an elder son named Alaeddin and several daughters from his first wife, he seemed to have a deep attachment for the young Jalaleddin, whose mother was Bibi Alawi, a descendent of one of the revered religious figures of Sarakhs. Finally with great difficulty Soltan ol-Olama politely freed himself from his devotees and disciples and made his way towards his home accompanied by his close companions. For some time he was not pleased with the city’s atmosphere and was indignant at the oppression and injustice of the rulers of the time. His house was a safe haven for spiritual discourses and practices. He was engrossed in the remembrance of God and entrusted his affairs to the Almighty. Soltan ol-Olama who was mindful of the Hereafter taught his four-year old son spiritual ethics. In addition the young son was also taught by one of his father’s disciples, who was also an enlightened man.
Soltan ol-Olama spent most of his time debating with scholars affiliated to the kings and courts. Because he was a religious authority and preacher he used to travel to different cities of Khorasan and Transoxiana. He was an outspoken critic of the unjust, and as a result in addition to many friends and disciples, he had enemies as well. Thus, since his very childhood, Jalaleddin Mohammad found himself in an environment that was Gnostic and spiritual. By widening his scope of knowledge he gradually came to know differences among groups of people and he was unhappy about the social gap existing between people in the society. Jalaleddin, along with children of his age, went to the maktab or the tradi