Mathnavi of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (133 pages, 8/18)
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from Zikr. This condition is sent over to a devotee with the sole purpose of a spiritual training towards the acquisition of his spiritual progress. If the devotee should at all times enjoy the feeling of Allah's nearness, then there is the possibility of pride and arrogance being created within him which could be the cause of his spiritual destruction. Allah dislikes all sins from His bondsmen but the most hated characteristic that He disapproves from them is that of pride and arrogance.
Hence, the experience of 'Qabz' brings the devotee towards humility which in Allah's sight is a very well- liked characteristic. Man is a bondsman (slave) of Allah, an 'abd'. In the word 'abd', the meaning of humility and distressed state are included. Hence for someone to be an 'abd' slave of Allah and at the same time to have in him pride or arrogance, is a contradiction and the cause of great loss.
"Allah has created you from dust, hence a bondsman, Adopt an attitude of meekness and humility like dust."
Sometimes, it also happens that the feeling of 'Qabz' comes about as a result of some sins being committed. Through these sins, darkness is created in the heart as a result of which no pleasure is felt in the performance of the ibaadat. But no matter what the cause of 'Qabz' may be, much seeking of forgiveness (istighfaar) proves to be very beneficial.
My Sheikh Hazrat Phulpoori (RA.) said: "No matter how strong the feelings of 'Qabz' one may feel, no matter how deep the feeling of darkness in the heart and the spiritual inactivity one may feel and no matter if this condition lasts for years, in order to combat it, one must daily make wudoo and then perform two rak' ahs nafal salaah with the intention of 'toubah'. Thereafter proceed into sujood and in utter humility, grief and crying before Allah make 'istigfaar' and then recite this Wazeefa 360 times:
Arabic
"Ya Hayyum, Ya Qayyum,
La ilaha illa ant a Subhaanaka innee kuntu minaz Zaalimeen".
"0 Living God, 0 Self Subsisting One, there is no God save Thee. Verily I have been of the unjust ones."
In this Wazeefa we have the words 'Ya Hayyu, Ya Qayyum'. These are two Holy Names of Allah and in the Hadith it has been mentioned as being the Ismul-A'zam - 'The Great Name of Allah'. This is followed by that verse of the Quran which Nabi Yunus (A.5.) recited and through its recitation, he was saved from three layers of darkness. The first layer of darkness was the darkness of night. The second layer of darkness was the darkness within the' water and the third one was the darkness within the belly of the fish. To explain Nabi Yunus's (A.S.) condition in the three darknesses, the Quran says 'Wa huwa Kazeem': 'He was depressed' .
'Kazm' is an arabic term that is given to that feeling of distress in which a person remains quiet.
Through the blessings of this verse, Allah saved Nabi Yunus (A.5.) from sorrows and thereafter Allah announced: "Wa Katha lika nun-jil mu meneen". And so we save the believers'.
This shows that from that day until Qiyamat, this verse had been revealed as a treatment for driving off sorrows and affliction. Any believer, when in trouble and encountering calamities, habitually and profusely shall recite this verse, he will surely be saved.
In this verse, there is mention of Allah's Glory and also an admission of one's own nothingness and unworthiness. Further, there is also a measure of the expression of grief and regret which is tantamount to toubah (repentance). In fact, it is the most important ingredient of Repentance. After reciting this verse, one must then recite Durood Shareef three times.
The story being told was about a saintly man living in the rural areas who was suffering from a very heavy form of 'Qabz'. It so happened that the nearness he felt towards Allah became clouded like clouds over the sun. He went from one place to another crying in sorrow over the loss of Allah's communion.
He went about crying and lamenting the loss of his condition:
"My Beloved, just like cooked dhall without rice, is tasteless, So also are the days of my life in Thy absence.
Through sorrow the days of my life seem foreign to me And my nights and days are suffering in parting from Thee.
O My Beloved, through Thy parting my days are bitter And from my soul my comfort has been removed."
When my Murshid used to relate this story, the tears used to stream from his eyes and a strange condition used to descend upon him. It is true that the pleasure of love should be heard from the one who experiences such love and knows the pains involved therein. "How can one without pain know the ecstasy of such pain?"
In any case, we were talking about a dervish undertaking a long and arduous journey to meet his Murshid, Shah Abul-Hasan Kharqani (R.A.). After this long and arduous journey he finally reached Khaarqaan. After making enquiries from various people, he finally reached the house of his Sheikh. He knocked on the door. At the time Hazrat Shah Saheb (R.A.) was not at home. He had gone towards the forest to fetch some wood. From inside the house, Shah Saheb's wife enquired: "Who is there?" He replied: "1 am a Musaafir, who has travelled a long journey with the sole purpose of visiting Shah Saheb". The wife was a woman with a bad and quick temperament. When she heard about the traveller's love and confidence in the Sheikh, she became very angry and said: "0 Man, have you no other work in this world than to undertake such a long journey with so much difficulty and all that pain and effort for something useless?".
She then continued to criticise Hazrat Shah Saheb (RA.) in such insulting words that it would be inappropriate even to mention them. When the Mureed heard these words from the Sheikh's wife, he could not restrain himself and said: "If you did not have a marriage relationship with Hazrat Sheikh (R.A.), then I would tear your body to pieces. But you are the wife of that Great Devoted A reef of Allah. Therefore, I will refrain from any rudeness. "
The traveller then departed from the house and enquired from the people the whereabout of the Sheikh. Someone informed him that the Sheikh had gone to the forest to fetch wood. In his love for the Sheikh, the mureed went in that direction. On the way he thought to himself:
"Such a great and famous Sheikh and he has such a bad-tempered wife. I do not know how such a bad- tempered wife can be blessed with the company of such a man". While those thoughts were passing through his mind, he saw someone coming along on the back of a lion with a bundle of wood. It was none other than the saint of that time, Hazrat Shah Abul-Hasan Kharqani (RA.). When the Sheikh saw the Mureed he burst out laughing. He realised that the words of the wife have made him sad and depressed. He said:
"If my patience did not bear the bitterness of a bad-tempered woman, Then why would this lion now carry me around?
I bear the many heavy burdens and difficulties caused by this foolish woman And these are all borne for Allah's sake as mujahadah,
Because I am beloved and accepted amongst men
And the honour of men causes pride to be created in me. Thus my pride and arrogance is treated for me by this woman Through her insulting ways and ill-tempered manner."
Allah is the Lord of this world. From Him alone comes both the outward and inner fostering of men. Thus for the inner fostering of any devotee, He produces the means towards the unseen ways of fostering. He handles every devotee according to his measure of tolerating sorrows and bearing them, No matter how purified a person's self may be, there always exists the danger of a relapse towards evil.
"The nature of the self is like Fir-aun. Be not satisfied with it
Whenever you become unmindful of it, It remembers its previous Kufr."
My Sheikh Moulana Phulpoori (RA.) told me a story about a certain saintly man. His maid servant, having seen him for quite some time eating chicken and dressed in splendid clothes, began wondering: "What kind of Holy man is this who at all times lives a life of comfort and never experiences any difficulties?"
The maid servant informed the Sheikh about her doubts: "Sir, I have heard that the saints of Allah are made to bear great burdens and calamities while on Allah's path. Then in reply to that they become blessed with the great blessing of Wi lay at (sainthood). But I see you at all times eating chicken and dressed in splendid clothes". The Saint on hearing these words uttered one sigh and replied: "Remove my clothes from my back". When she lifted the clothes from his back she saw a huge running sore on his back from which pus was all the time being exuded. This sore was all the time giving the Sheikh much pain and trouble. Seeing this the servant became quite ashamed and asked for pardon for her misconception.
Thus we see that there are times when the saintly ones will joke and jest. They will sometimes wear splendid clothes, eat splendid food, accept the invitations from friends and people will press and kiss their hands and feet but ask their hearts what passes through them:
"On my lips there is always a smile and my eyes too are not wet with tears, But, the continuous tears of my heart, no one knows."
LESSON
From this story, we learn that if involuntarily some calamity or misfortune befalls us we should not be unduly worried because in exchange for that misfortune and sorrow, Allah grants such a bounty that is so much greater than the calamity.
Sometimes, a small calamity can be the cause of being saved from a major calamity. Just as in this story we see how the ill temper of the wife proved to be a saviour for Hazrat Shah Saheb (RA.) from pride and arrogance.
However, one should not seek misfortunes or wish for calamities but should at all times pray for well- being: "0 Allah, we are weak and do not possess the strength to bear misfortunes. I am begging of You for general well being."
When we pray we should always pray for Aafiyah (well-being) but should also remember that whatever conditions Allah sends over us we should be satisfied therewith and should also at all times pray that Allah keep calamities far away from us.
THE STORY OF HAZRAT JALALUDDIN RUM I (R.A.)
Hazrat Moulana Jalaluddin Rumi (RA.) was a great man of his era and Allah gave him a considerable amount of Divine Knowledge. He was born at a place called Balkh in the year 604 A.H. He belonged to the offspring of Sayyedena Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq and was a grandson of Sultan Muhammad Khwarizm Shah (RA.). At the age of six years his father took him to the famous saint, Hazrat Baba Fariduddeen Attaar(R.A.) The saint presented him with a copy of his Mathnavi Asraar Nama as a gift and informed his father: "This son of yours will one day cause a tremendous upheaval."
A few years later Moulana proceeded to Syria for the purpose of completing his education. He stayed in Damascus for seven years. There he became acquainted with all the schools of thought, Ilmul-Kalaam, jurisprudence and had specialised knowledge regarding the differences of opinion among the various schools of thought. When his days of acquiring knowledge had been completed, he occupied himself with teaching and lecturing. However, Moulana had been created for the object of teaching Divine Love and Divine Knowledge and thus the fire of Divine Love had been placed within his heart.
"The teaching of the Divine Lover is to remember Him With crying and lamentation and dancing in ecstasy And not in increased reading of chapter and sections.
Just as Abu Hanifa and 5hafi had been created for fiqh (jurisprudence),
So Rumi (R.A.) has been created for teaching the path of Love. For the Divine Lovers the beauty of the Beloved is the best teacher. When a true connection with Allah is formed in the heart,
Then without study or teacher the knowledge of prophethood will rage inside."
For preparing him for the role of teaching of Divine Love for which Allah had created Moulana Rumi (RA.), Allah made His own arrangements from the unseen world. In the heart of Shamsuddin Tabrezi (RA.) there was an ocean of Divine Love and he was searching for a way of spreading these jewels from his heart and earnestly prayed: "0 Allah! You have placed a treasure of Divine Love in my heart. Grant me such a special one from among your bondsmen into whose heart I may transfer this treasure, so that the person may with his tongue of Love expound my secrets in the light of the Quran and Hadith". This prayer was immediately answered. Shamsuddin Tabrezi (RA.) received a reply: "Go to Rum where you will meet Jalaluddin Rumi (R.A.). We have chosen him for this task."
From the unseen, arrangements were made for Rumi. When Shamsh Tabrezi besought Allah's help:
"O Allah, the fire that burns in my chest, The agitation that rises in this being.
O Allah, let me find such a person Who will be fit to bear this burden. For indeed is near the hour of parting,
To whom shall I entrust this trust, 0 Beloved?" Then from the unseen came the reply:
"O Shamsh Tabrezi, proceed speedily to Rum And make Moulvy Rum the Master of Rum And free him from the duties that bind him."
As Soon as he heard this "voice", Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.) proceeded to Rum. He went to Qunya where he settled among the sellers of brass goods. There, near the door of an inn, was a platform on which the elders of the sellers used to sit. It was at this spot that Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.) and Moulana Rumi (R.A.) first 'met each other and from there onwards their friendship grew. While in the company of Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.), the condition of Moulana Rumi (RA.) underwent a complete change. As Divine Love began to take its full effect upon him, Moulana Rumi (RA.) became drunk with the love of God. He stopped his teaching, lecturing, preaching and refused to be removed from the company of Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.) for even a short while. This change caused a tremendous commotion in the town.
Moulana Rumi (RA.) writes:
"0 Beloved One! In the path of Your love my cries of drunkenness seem beautiful. Till the day of Qiyamat, this madness will I continue to love dearly. "
At that time Moulana Rumi's (RA.) condition had become as is explained by these poetic lines: "It is the message from a troubled heart
Without You there can be quiet but no comfort. We are filled with agitation
And this is the prize of love."
When the effects of Divine Love became visible on Moulana
Rumi (RA.), a rumour was spread about in the town that Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.) has used sorcery on Moulana Rumi (RA.). For fear of further spreading of this rumour, Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi (R.A.) secretly left the town and went to Damascus. This separation caused Moulana Rumi (RA.) a tremendous amount of sorrow. Seeing the condition in which he was, some people went to call back Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.). Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.) returned but after staying for a short period, be again disappeared somewhere.
Some historians have mentioned that someone killed him and thus made him into a martyr. This separation from his spiritual guide, made Moulana Rumi (RA.) very restless. His life became very bitter.
"O Beloved, through parting from you my life has become bitter, And from my life all comfort has been removed.
O Beloved, through the sorrow of parting from you, Cries of parting are coming from my lips to the outside. O Morning breeze, take the message of this far away From a miserable lover to his Beloved Sheikh.
O Beloved, Your grace which has been with me all along, When I remember, my soul, like a mad man
Searches for the scent of your being."
The effect that the blessed company of Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.) had on Moulana Rumi (RA.) can be gauged from the words of the Mathnavi. The 28 000 couplets contained in the Mathnavi are from the tongue of Moulana Rumi (RA.) but actually those poetic lines are in fact the fire that emanated from the chest of Shamsh Tabrezi (R.A.), which needed a tongue to be expressed. Thus Allah has made Moulana Rumi (R.A.) the tongue of Shamsh Tabrezi (R.A.).
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) was a grandchild of a King and an eminent scholar of Hadith and Tafseer. When he proceeded anywhere, numerous students out of love for him used to follow him on foot. Now that same Moulana Rumi (R.A.) was carrying the belongings of his spiritual guide, his bedding, his cups and his grain on his head and following his peer wherever he went.
"Such a big Sheikh has become like a donkey walking about, Such is love when it comes. So you false lovers, beware."
Look at what the company of a True Sheikh did to Moulana! The Love for his Sheikh had made Moulana Rumi (R.A.) like a mad one. No more did he have the sedan, the special robes, turban, and the love of students gathering around him. Instead of the signs of knowledge being visible, he was now overcome by the signs of poverty. In fact now he had been made aware of the true reality of Knowledge.
"In truth, true knowledge is the name of Allah's Love.
Otherwise, if one disregards the true object of acquiring knowledge, Then such knowledge becomes a means for Iblees to mislead.
That knowledge which does not lead towards Allah, Is in fact not knowledge, but ignorance.
Arrogance of knowledge keeps one deprived of truth, dear friends. The aim and object of knowledge is but to acquire Divine Love, Apart from that all else is deception and deceit."
(Akhtar)
But the true idea of knowledge only comes out after having been in the company of a true spiritual guide. That happens when the turban of Fazeelat becomes lost in the turban of love. Then the true object is attained.
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) says:
"Leave aside all lectures and leave 'Qeela' (it was said) and 'Qaala' (he said). Become a Sahib-e-haal (person of action). Create love for Allah Inside
That can come along once you've chosen the company of a Divine Lover. "
The spiritual glances which Shamsh Tabrezi (R.A.) gave to Moulana Rumi (R.A.), made such an impact on him and bestowed him with such a favour, that normally this is only attained after a lifetime of strenuous spiritual exercises. For this reason Moulana Rumi (R.A.) had such great a love for each and everyone of his utterances and anything connected with his Sheikh, so much so that he even had a great love for the town of Tabrez. In the Mathnavi, whenever the town of Tabrez is mentioned, there are several couplets in praise of the town itself.
Hajee Imdadullah Muhaajir Makki (R.A.) used to say: "The description of the attributes that Moulana Rumi (R.A.) has given in the Mathnavi regarding the 'Awliyaa-Allah' is taken from his own personal experiences. This is due to the fact that he had attained 'nisbat' (contact with AUah) without any strenuous spiritual efforts and exercises. For this reason, he used to praise the 'Awliyaa - Allah' very highly.
He said:
"The existence of a spiritual guide is like a ladder leading towards Allah. And how can an arrow fly in speed to its destination without a bow? "
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) spent many hours in solitude in the service of his 'peer' (spiritual guide) and thus pulled the fire of Divine Love into his chest, for which Shamsh Tabrezi (R.A.) used to pray to Allah in such earnestness. "0 Allah, grant me such a person who will be able to bear the fire of love from me".
Through the blessings of the company of the true Sheikh, true Imaan began to be felt and through the blessings of Divine Love, waves from the ocean of knowledge entered into his heart. So wide was this ocean of knowledge that even up till today, the Awliyaa are benefiting by it. Even today, the Mathnavi is busy lighting the flame of Divine Love. We can ascertain both Moulana's knowledge and his 'inner knowledge' by studying the Mathnavi.
At this point I wish to quote an example from which it can be deduced how high was his rank of love.. Moulana Rumi (RA.) says:
"When upon Mt. Toor's outer peak the light of Allah was exposed,
It fell down into pieces so that the light not merely touched the outside but also protruded inside. When in the hands of a starving one a piece of bread is placed,
Then it causes saliva to flow in the mouth and the eyes to tear. Such became Toor, that the light also reached its insides."
The description of how Mt. Toor was broken into small pieces which Moulana described in the light of Divine Love also gives an indication of Moulana's own love-like relationship. How much did Moulana Rumi's (RA.) contact with Allah undergo a complete transformation through Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi's (RA.) fire of love? This can only be gauged from the following couplet:
"The pace of holy man in his spiritual progress is such That each month's journey is the equal of one day, But the True Lovers of Allah are such
That at every breath their souls fly to the King of Kings. o Father, discard sleep for one night
And enter into the gully of sleeplessness and see.
Then come and see how true love has made these sleepless ones mad
And see how like butterflies they are slain in the splendour of nearness to God. O Man who dirtied yourself through passionate desires,
Come hither as my character has become such that it is Divine Akhlak. In the hearts of saints there are numerous secret melodies of True Love
From which true seekers are granted precious life.
O You who for the sake of worldly gain go before worldly ones in humility And in the presence of the Saintly act in arrogant manner,
Whereas in fact these ones are worthy of royal treatment.
I am a royal falcon and through the blessings of Divine Love Have been endowed with virtuous ways.
Through the blessings of True Love
My attributes have been changed from that of a vulture towards the praiseworthy. When my bad manners through the blessings of my Murshid disappeared
And my self became endowed with good manners,
Now I hear through the Noor of Allah and see through His Noor. And I see His Noor on my right, on my left, above me and below me.
And [find the Noor of Truth around my neck and head like a collar on me."
Through the blessings of Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.), Moulana Rumi (RA.) had reached such a high position of Divine Love and in his soul he had experienced such a feeling of love, that this could to a certain extent be ascertained from this verse:
"Wine became intoxicating due to us,
Not that we became intoxicated through wine. This body is existing because of the soul,
The soul is not in need of the body for its existence."
When the soul has a special contact with Allah, then the attributes of the soul overwhelm the attributes of the 'nafs'. As the Rooh is connected with the real world it is in contrast to the Hereafter like a prison. Thus when the true devotee of Allah experiences true love within his soul, he then feels the need for the everlasting intoxication of the Hereafter to that of the temporary and passing intoxication of this world.
When the enjoyment of spiritual ecstasy (Haal) overwhelmed Moulana Rumi (R.A.), he started feeling the insignificance of theological arguments. Faith through spiritual experience replaced faith through logical arguments and taqleed. These seemed to have no significance whatsoever.
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) says:
"Proofs and arguments of proof have legs of wood, which are weak, But Divine Knowledge through taqwa, righteous deeds and true love are beneficial indeed."
The Imaan which comes about through the insight of the heart is even greater than the experiences experienced through the senses. The yaqeen produced in the company of the saints and the profuse performance of the Zikr is a mountain of steadfastness in its strength. The whole world may become contaminated with 'Kufr and Shirk', but the person will at all times hold onto the tenets of towheed.
As Hazrat Saadi Shirazi (R.A.) says:
"Even though a bundle of gold is placed at the feet of a true believer, And even though a naked sword be placed on his neck,
Neither will greed for anything sway him from towheed Nor will fear for the sword induce him to stray."
It must be noted that the true believer in towheed is not living in the hope of reaping any worldly benefits therefrom. Nor is there any fear in him and this is the essence of towheed.
However, these days there is a new policy in this world, which has made a change according to the times, the criterion for success in life. This is another one of those items imported from the West and advocates that we should change according to the demands of our time, irrespective of whether during
the course of that our Imaan is being destroyed or not. This policy and the search after truth are two contradictory items. The Seeker after truth has one aim in front of him and that is to acquire the pleasure and satisfaction of Allah alone, while the upholders of this new policy will have to bend down in order to satisfy all the people of the times. This means the people following this new policy will always be thinking and considering ways to please others whereas a believer is completely unconcerned of
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from Zikr. This condition is sent over to a devotee with the sole purpose of a spiritual training towards the acquisition of his spiritual progress. If the devotee should at all times enjoy the feeling of Allah's nearness, then there is the possibility of pride and arrogance being created within him which could be the cause of his spiritual destruction. Allah dislikes all sins from His bondsmen but the most hated characteristic that He disapproves from them is that of pride and arrogance.
Hence, the experience of 'Qabz' brings the devotee towards humility which in Allah's sight is a very well- liked characteristic. Man is a bondsman (slave) of Allah, an 'abd'. In the word 'abd', the meaning of humility and distressed state are included. Hence for someone to be an 'abd' slave of Allah and at the same time to have in him pride or arrogance, is a contradiction and the cause of great loss.
"Allah has created you from dust, hence a bondsman, Adopt an attitude of meekness and humility like dust."
Sometimes, it also happens that the feeling of 'Qabz' comes about as a result of some sins being committed. Through these sins, darkness is created in the heart as a result of which no pleasure is felt in the performance of the ibaadat. But no matter what the cause of 'Qabz' may be, much seeking of forgiveness (istighfaar) proves to be very beneficial.
My Sheikh Hazrat Phulpoori (RA.) said: "No matter how strong the feelings of 'Qabz' one may feel, no matter how deep the feeling of darkness in the heart and the spiritual inactivity one may feel and no matter if this condition lasts for years, in order to combat it, one must daily make wudoo and then perform two rak' ahs nafal salaah with the intention of 'toubah'. Thereafter proceed into sujood and in utter humility, grief and crying before Allah make 'istigfaar' and then recite this Wazeefa 360 times:
Arabic
"Ya Hayyum, Ya Qayyum,
La ilaha illa ant a Subhaanaka innee kuntu minaz Zaalimeen".
"0 Living God, 0 Self Subsisting One, there is no God save Thee. Verily I have been of the unjust ones."
In this Wazeefa we have the words 'Ya Hayyu, Ya Qayyum'. These are two Holy Names of Allah and in the Hadith it has been mentioned as being the Ismul-A'zam - 'The Great Name of Allah'. This is followed by that verse of the Quran which Nabi Yunus (A.5.) recited and through its recitation, he was saved from three layers of darkness. The first layer of darkness was the darkness of night. The second layer of darkness was the darkness within the' water and the third one was the darkness within the belly of the fish. To explain Nabi Yunus's (A.S.) condition in the three darknesses, the Quran says 'Wa huwa Kazeem': 'He was depressed' .
'Kazm' is an arabic term that is given to that feeling of distress in which a person remains quiet.
Through the blessings of this verse, Allah saved Nabi Yunus (A.5.) from sorrows and thereafter Allah announced: "Wa Katha lika nun-jil mu meneen". And so we save the believers'.
This shows that from that day until Qiyamat, this verse had been revealed as a treatment for driving off sorrows and affliction. Any believer, when in trouble and encountering calamities, habitually and profusely shall recite this verse, he will surely be saved.
In this verse, there is mention of Allah's Glory and also an admission of one's own nothingness and unworthiness. Further, there is also a measure of the expression of grief and regret which is tantamount to toubah (repentance). In fact, it is the most important ingredient of Repentance. After reciting this verse, one must then recite Durood Shareef three times.
The story being told was about a saintly man living in the rural areas who was suffering from a very heavy form of 'Qabz'. It so happened that the nearness he felt towards Allah became clouded like clouds over the sun. He went from one place to another crying in sorrow over the loss of Allah's communion.
He went about crying and lamenting the loss of his condition:
"My Beloved, just like cooked dhall without rice, is tasteless, So also are the days of my life in Thy absence.
Through sorrow the days of my life seem foreign to me And my nights and days are suffering in parting from Thee.
O My Beloved, through Thy parting my days are bitter And from my soul my comfort has been removed."
When my Murshid used to relate this story, the tears used to stream from his eyes and a strange condition used to descend upon him. It is true that the pleasure of love should be heard from the one who experiences such love and knows the pains involved therein. "How can one without pain know the ecstasy of such pain?"
In any case, we were talking about a dervish undertaking a long and arduous journey to meet his Murshid, Shah Abul-Hasan Kharqani (R.A.). After this long and arduous journey he finally reached Khaarqaan. After making enquiries from various people, he finally reached the house of his Sheikh. He knocked on the door. At the time Hazrat Shah Saheb (R.A.) was not at home. He had gone towards the forest to fetch some wood. From inside the house, Shah Saheb's wife enquired: "Who is there?" He replied: "1 am a Musaafir, who has travelled a long journey with the sole purpose of visiting Shah Saheb". The wife was a woman with a bad and quick temperament. When she heard about the traveller's love and confidence in the Sheikh, she became very angry and said: "0 Man, have you no other work in this world than to undertake such a long journey with so much difficulty and all that pain and effort for something useless?".
She then continued to criticise Hazrat Shah Saheb (RA.) in such insulting words that it would be inappropriate even to mention them. When the Mureed heard these words from the Sheikh's wife, he could not restrain himself and said: "If you did not have a marriage relationship with Hazrat Sheikh (R.A.), then I would tear your body to pieces. But you are the wife of that Great Devoted A reef of Allah. Therefore, I will refrain from any rudeness. "
The traveller then departed from the house and enquired from the people the whereabout of the Sheikh. Someone informed him that the Sheikh had gone to the forest to fetch wood. In his love for the Sheikh, the mureed went in that direction. On the way he thought to himself:
"Such a great and famous Sheikh and he has such a bad-tempered wife. I do not know how such a bad- tempered wife can be blessed with the company of such a man". While those thoughts were passing through his mind, he saw someone coming along on the back of a lion with a bundle of wood. It was none other than the saint of that time, Hazrat Shah Abul-Hasan Kharqani (RA.). When the Sheikh saw the Mureed he burst out laughing. He realised that the words of the wife have made him sad and depressed. He said:
"If my patience did not bear the bitterness of a bad-tempered woman, Then why would this lion now carry me around?
I bear the many heavy burdens and difficulties caused by this foolish woman And these are all borne for Allah's sake as mujahadah,
Because I am beloved and accepted amongst men
And the honour of men causes pride to be created in me. Thus my pride and arrogance is treated for me by this woman Through her insulting ways and ill-tempered manner."
Allah is the Lord of this world. From Him alone comes both the outward and inner fostering of men. Thus for the inner fostering of any devotee, He produces the means towards the unseen ways of fostering. He handles every devotee according to his measure of tolerating sorrows and bearing them, No matter how purified a person's self may be, there always exists the danger of a relapse towards evil.
"The nature of the self is like Fir-aun. Be not satisfied with it
Whenever you become unmindful of it, It remembers its previous Kufr."
My Sheikh Moulana Phulpoori (RA.) told me a story about a certain saintly man. His maid servant, having seen him for quite some time eating chicken and dressed in splendid clothes, began wondering: "What kind of Holy man is this who at all times lives a life of comfort and never experiences any difficulties?"
The maid servant informed the Sheikh about her doubts: "Sir, I have heard that the saints of Allah are made to bear great burdens and calamities while on Allah's path. Then in reply to that they become blessed with the great blessing of Wi lay at (sainthood). But I see you at all times eating chicken and dressed in splendid clothes". The Saint on hearing these words uttered one sigh and replied: "Remove my clothes from my back". When she lifted the clothes from his back she saw a huge running sore on his back from which pus was all the time being exuded. This sore was all the time giving the Sheikh much pain and trouble. Seeing this the servant became quite ashamed and asked for pardon for her misconception.
Thus we see that there are times when the saintly ones will joke and jest. They will sometimes wear splendid clothes, eat splendid food, accept the invitations from friends and people will press and kiss their hands and feet but ask their hearts what passes through them:
"On my lips there is always a smile and my eyes too are not wet with tears, But, the continuous tears of my heart, no one knows."
LESSON
From this story, we learn that if involuntarily some calamity or misfortune befalls us we should not be unduly worried because in exchange for that misfortune and sorrow, Allah grants such a bounty that is so much greater than the calamity.
Sometimes, a small calamity can be the cause of being saved from a major calamity. Just as in this story we see how the ill temper of the wife proved to be a saviour for Hazrat Shah Saheb (RA.) from pride and arrogance.
However, one should not seek misfortunes or wish for calamities but should at all times pray for well- being: "0 Allah, we are weak and do not possess the strength to bear misfortunes. I am begging of You for general well being."
When we pray we should always pray for Aafiyah (well-being) but should also remember that whatever conditions Allah sends over us we should be satisfied therewith and should also at all times pray that Allah keep calamities far away from us.
THE STORY OF HAZRAT JALALUDDIN RUM I (R.A.)
Hazrat Moulana Jalaluddin Rumi (RA.) was a great man of his era and Allah gave him a considerable amount of Divine Knowledge. He was born at a place called Balkh in the year 604 A.H. He belonged to the offspring of Sayyedena Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq and was a grandson of Sultan Muhammad Khwarizm Shah (RA.). At the age of six years his father took him to the famous saint, Hazrat Baba Fariduddeen Attaar(R.A.) The saint presented him with a copy of his Mathnavi Asraar Nama as a gift and informed his father: "This son of yours will one day cause a tremendous upheaval."
A few years later Moulana proceeded to Syria for the purpose of completing his education. He stayed in Damascus for seven years. There he became acquainted with all the schools of thought, Ilmul-Kalaam, jurisprudence and had specialised knowledge regarding the differences of opinion among the various schools of thought. When his days of acquiring knowledge had been completed, he occupied himself with teaching and lecturing. However, Moulana had been created for the object of teaching Divine Love and Divine Knowledge and thus the fire of Divine Love had been placed within his heart.
"The teaching of the Divine Lover is to remember Him With crying and lamentation and dancing in ecstasy And not in increased reading of chapter and sections.
Just as Abu Hanifa and 5hafi had been created for fiqh (jurisprudence),
So Rumi (R.A.) has been created for teaching the path of Love. For the Divine Lovers the beauty of the Beloved is the best teacher. When a true connection with Allah is formed in the heart,
Then without study or teacher the knowledge of prophethood will rage inside."
For preparing him for the role of teaching of Divine Love for which Allah had created Moulana Rumi (RA.), Allah made His own arrangements from the unseen world. In the heart of Shamsuddin Tabrezi (RA.) there was an ocean of Divine Love and he was searching for a way of spreading these jewels from his heart and earnestly prayed: "0 Allah! You have placed a treasure of Divine Love in my heart. Grant me such a special one from among your bondsmen into whose heart I may transfer this treasure, so that the person may with his tongue of Love expound my secrets in the light of the Quran and Hadith". This prayer was immediately answered. Shamsuddin Tabrezi (RA.) received a reply: "Go to Rum where you will meet Jalaluddin Rumi (R.A.). We have chosen him for this task."
From the unseen, arrangements were made for Rumi. When Shamsh Tabrezi besought Allah's help:
"O Allah, the fire that burns in my chest, The agitation that rises in this being.
O Allah, let me find such a person Who will be fit to bear this burden. For indeed is near the hour of parting,
To whom shall I entrust this trust, 0 Beloved?" Then from the unseen came the reply:
"O Shamsh Tabrezi, proceed speedily to Rum And make Moulvy Rum the Master of Rum And free him from the duties that bind him."
As Soon as he heard this "voice", Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.) proceeded to Rum. He went to Qunya where he settled among the sellers of brass goods. There, near the door of an inn, was a platform on which the elders of the sellers used to sit. It was at this spot that Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.) and Moulana Rumi (R.A.) first 'met each other and from there onwards their friendship grew. While in the company of Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.), the condition of Moulana Rumi (RA.) underwent a complete change. As Divine Love began to take its full effect upon him, Moulana Rumi (RA.) became drunk with the love of God. He stopped his teaching, lecturing, preaching and refused to be removed from the company of Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.) for even a short while. This change caused a tremendous commotion in the town.
Moulana Rumi (RA.) writes:
"0 Beloved One! In the path of Your love my cries of drunkenness seem beautiful. Till the day of Qiyamat, this madness will I continue to love dearly. "
At that time Moulana Rumi's (RA.) condition had become as is explained by these poetic lines: "It is the message from a troubled heart
Without You there can be quiet but no comfort. We are filled with agitation
And this is the prize of love."
When the effects of Divine Love became visible on Moulana
Rumi (RA.), a rumour was spread about in the town that Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.) has used sorcery on Moulana Rumi (RA.). For fear of further spreading of this rumour, Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi (R.A.) secretly left the town and went to Damascus. This separation caused Moulana Rumi (RA.) a tremendous amount of sorrow. Seeing the condition in which he was, some people went to call back Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.). Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.) returned but after staying for a short period, be again disappeared somewhere.
Some historians have mentioned that someone killed him and thus made him into a martyr. This separation from his spiritual guide, made Moulana Rumi (RA.) very restless. His life became very bitter.
"O Beloved, through parting from you my life has become bitter, And from my life all comfort has been removed.
O Beloved, through the sorrow of parting from you, Cries of parting are coming from my lips to the outside. O Morning breeze, take the message of this far away From a miserable lover to his Beloved Sheikh.
O Beloved, Your grace which has been with me all along, When I remember, my soul, like a mad man
Searches for the scent of your being."
The effect that the blessed company of Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.) had on Moulana Rumi (RA.) can be gauged from the words of the Mathnavi. The 28 000 couplets contained in the Mathnavi are from the tongue of Moulana Rumi (RA.) but actually those poetic lines are in fact the fire that emanated from the chest of Shamsh Tabrezi (R.A.), which needed a tongue to be expressed. Thus Allah has made Moulana Rumi (R.A.) the tongue of Shamsh Tabrezi (R.A.).
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) was a grandchild of a King and an eminent scholar of Hadith and Tafseer. When he proceeded anywhere, numerous students out of love for him used to follow him on foot. Now that same Moulana Rumi (R.A.) was carrying the belongings of his spiritual guide, his bedding, his cups and his grain on his head and following his peer wherever he went.
"Such a big Sheikh has become like a donkey walking about, Such is love when it comes. So you false lovers, beware."
Look at what the company of a True Sheikh did to Moulana! The Love for his Sheikh had made Moulana Rumi (R.A.) like a mad one. No more did he have the sedan, the special robes, turban, and the love of students gathering around him. Instead of the signs of knowledge being visible, he was now overcome by the signs of poverty. In fact now he had been made aware of the true reality of Knowledge.
"In truth, true knowledge is the name of Allah's Love.
Otherwise, if one disregards the true object of acquiring knowledge, Then such knowledge becomes a means for Iblees to mislead.
That knowledge which does not lead towards Allah, Is in fact not knowledge, but ignorance.
Arrogance of knowledge keeps one deprived of truth, dear friends. The aim and object of knowledge is but to acquire Divine Love, Apart from that all else is deception and deceit."
(Akhtar)
But the true idea of knowledge only comes out after having been in the company of a true spiritual guide. That happens when the turban of Fazeelat becomes lost in the turban of love. Then the true object is attained.
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) says:
"Leave aside all lectures and leave 'Qeela' (it was said) and 'Qaala' (he said). Become a Sahib-e-haal (person of action). Create love for Allah Inside
That can come along once you've chosen the company of a Divine Lover. "
The spiritual glances which Shamsh Tabrezi (R.A.) gave to Moulana Rumi (R.A.), made such an impact on him and bestowed him with such a favour, that normally this is only attained after a lifetime of strenuous spiritual exercises. For this reason Moulana Rumi (R.A.) had such great a love for each and everyone of his utterances and anything connected with his Sheikh, so much so that he even had a great love for the town of Tabrez. In the Mathnavi, whenever the town of Tabrez is mentioned, there are several couplets in praise of the town itself.
Hajee Imdadullah Muhaajir Makki (R.A.) used to say: "The description of the attributes that Moulana Rumi (R.A.) has given in the Mathnavi regarding the 'Awliyaa-Allah' is taken from his own personal experiences. This is due to the fact that he had attained 'nisbat' (contact with AUah) without any strenuous spiritual efforts and exercises. For this reason, he used to praise the 'Awliyaa - Allah' very highly.
He said:
"The existence of a spiritual guide is like a ladder leading towards Allah. And how can an arrow fly in speed to its destination without a bow? "
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) spent many hours in solitude in the service of his 'peer' (spiritual guide) and thus pulled the fire of Divine Love into his chest, for which Shamsh Tabrezi (R.A.) used to pray to Allah in such earnestness. "0 Allah, grant me such a person who will be able to bear the fire of love from me".
Through the blessings of the company of the true Sheikh, true Imaan began to be felt and through the blessings of Divine Love, waves from the ocean of knowledge entered into his heart. So wide was this ocean of knowledge that even up till today, the Awliyaa are benefiting by it. Even today, the Mathnavi is busy lighting the flame of Divine Love. We can ascertain both Moulana's knowledge and his 'inner knowledge' by studying the Mathnavi.
At this point I wish to quote an example from which it can be deduced how high was his rank of love.. Moulana Rumi (RA.) says:
"When upon Mt. Toor's outer peak the light of Allah was exposed,
It fell down into pieces so that the light not merely touched the outside but also protruded inside. When in the hands of a starving one a piece of bread is placed,
Then it causes saliva to flow in the mouth and the eyes to tear. Such became Toor, that the light also reached its insides."
The description of how Mt. Toor was broken into small pieces which Moulana described in the light of Divine Love also gives an indication of Moulana's own love-like relationship. How much did Moulana Rumi's (RA.) contact with Allah undergo a complete transformation through Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi's (RA.) fire of love? This can only be gauged from the following couplet:
"The pace of holy man in his spiritual progress is such That each month's journey is the equal of one day, But the True Lovers of Allah are such
That at every breath their souls fly to the King of Kings. o Father, discard sleep for one night
And enter into the gully of sleeplessness and see.
Then come and see how true love has made these sleepless ones mad
And see how like butterflies they are slain in the splendour of nearness to God. O Man who dirtied yourself through passionate desires,
Come hither as my character has become such that it is Divine Akhlak. In the hearts of saints there are numerous secret melodies of True Love
From which true seekers are granted precious life.
O You who for the sake of worldly gain go before worldly ones in humility And in the presence of the Saintly act in arrogant manner,
Whereas in fact these ones are worthy of royal treatment.
I am a royal falcon and through the blessings of Divine Love Have been endowed with virtuous ways.
Through the blessings of True Love
My attributes have been changed from that of a vulture towards the praiseworthy. When my bad manners through the blessings of my Murshid disappeared
And my self became endowed with good manners,
Now I hear through the Noor of Allah and see through His Noor. And I see His Noor on my right, on my left, above me and below me.
And [find the Noor of Truth around my neck and head like a collar on me."
Through the blessings of Hazrat Shamsh Tabrezi (RA.), Moulana Rumi (RA.) had reached such a high position of Divine Love and in his soul he had experienced such a feeling of love, that this could to a certain extent be ascertained from this verse:
"Wine became intoxicating due to us,
Not that we became intoxicated through wine. This body is existing because of the soul,
The soul is not in need of the body for its existence."
When the soul has a special contact with Allah, then the attributes of the soul overwhelm the attributes of the 'nafs'. As the Rooh is connected with the real world it is in contrast to the Hereafter like a prison. Thus when the true devotee of Allah experiences true love within his soul, he then feels the need for the everlasting intoxication of the Hereafter to that of the temporary and passing intoxication of this world.
When the enjoyment of spiritual ecstasy (Haal) overwhelmed Moulana Rumi (R.A.), he started feeling the insignificance of theological arguments. Faith through spiritual experience replaced faith through logical arguments and taqleed. These seemed to have no significance whatsoever.
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) says:
"Proofs and arguments of proof have legs of wood, which are weak, But Divine Knowledge through taqwa, righteous deeds and true love are beneficial indeed."
The Imaan which comes about through the insight of the heart is even greater than the experiences experienced through the senses. The yaqeen produced in the company of the saints and the profuse performance of the Zikr is a mountain of steadfastness in its strength. The whole world may become contaminated with 'Kufr and Shirk', but the person will at all times hold onto the tenets of towheed.
As Hazrat Saadi Shirazi (R.A.) says:
"Even though a bundle of gold is placed at the feet of a true believer, And even though a naked sword be placed on his neck,
Neither will greed for anything sway him from towheed Nor will fear for the sword induce him to stray."
It must be noted that the true believer in towheed is not living in the hope of reaping any worldly benefits therefrom. Nor is there any fear in him and this is the essence of towheed.
However, these days there is a new policy in this world, which has made a change according to the times, the criterion for success in life. This is another one of those items imported from the West and advocates that we should change according to the demands of our time, irrespective of whether during
the course of that our Imaan is being destroyed or not. This policy and the search after truth are two contradictory items. The Seeker after truth has one aim in front of him and that is to acquire the pleasure and satisfaction of Allah alone, while the upholders of this new policy will have to bend down in order to satisfy all the people of the times. This means the people following this new policy will always be thinking and considering ways to please others whereas a believer is completely unconcerned of
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