‘We’ve sent you as a witness’: Koran 33: 45, addressing the Prophet Mohammad, who is described as ‘a witness’ in the sense of a warner to His community about their duty to God and Judgment Day.
‘He’: see note to v. 3467.
The Prophet once Omar … acceptance still: Omar is said to have approached the Prophet to kill him, but ended up returning from his house a convert to Islam.
We made it be forgotten: Koran 2: 106. See note to v. 1683.
The Water of Life: see note to v. 578.
Receives God’s bounty and feels joy: Koran 3: 169–70, describing those who have died serving in God’s way.
Yes!: Koran 7: 172. See note to v. 514.
‘There’s life through your retaliation’: Koran 2: 178, in a passage concerning the legal issues related to punishment for murder.
Don’t let a heart you’ve blessed now go astray: Koran 3: 8, where it occurs in the context of a prayer.
‘Myself! Myself!’: this is part of a tradition which reports that the Prophet Mohammad will be able to intercede for Muslims, while the other prophets will be unable to intercede for their own communities. When asked for intercession the other prophets respond by saying ‘Myself!’ which is taken to mean that they feel concerned about their own welfare and therefore cannot intercede for anyone else.
Whoever’s refuge … as Zoroastrians has become the same: in medieval Persian Sufi literature Zoroastrians, or Magians, are associated (negatively) with the worship of fire and dualism, the characteristics which Rumi refers to in this verse.
‘Don’t cause yourself to perish’: Koran 2: 195, where it refers to spending one’s wealth excessively for God’s sake.
‘Now they’re still living’: Koran 2: 154 and 3: 169, concerning those who have been slain serving in the way of God as martyrs.
‘We will return to God’: Koran 2: 156. See note to v. 1149.
Though he may strive … the caliphate’s tree too: the final two couplets of this section allude to the controversy over successorship to the Prophet Mohammad. Ali was only the fourth to become his political successor, as caliph, despite a large following who considered him to be clearly the best qualified
houris: female denizens of Paradise.
No prophet can … comprehend!: this is taken from a saying of the Prophet Mohammad in which he describes his unique privilege of ‘spending time’ with God, a privilege which no other prophet, nor the angels, has been given.
‘O Jewish people!’ in the book God said… ‘Don’t put us all to shame now please!’: this anecdote alludes to Koran 2: 94 and 62: 6–8, where the Jews are challenged to wish for death if they truly believe that they alone are favoured by God and will go to paradise.
Eye-seeking Lamp: used here as an image to represent God, who seeks out discerning eyes so He can be known.
Alas … so far apart: in the Muslim tradition the forbidden food that Adam ate is usually identified as grains of wheat (or barley), rather than an apple.
GLOSSARY OF PROPER NAMES
Aad (pronounced ‘Od’ in Persian) one of the vanquished nations referred to in the Koran (e.g. 7: 69). They lived just after Noah’s time and became proud because of their prosperity, which led them to reject the prophet HUD, who had been sent to them. They were destroyed in the end by a roaring wind.
Abu Bakr Abu Bakr as-Seddiq (‘the Veracious’), the first successor of the Prophet Mohammad as caliph, and thus considered by Sunni Muslims to have been the first of the four Rightly-guided Caliphs. See OMAR, OSMAN, and ALI.
Abu Jahl (lit. ‘Father of Ignorance’), the name traditionally given by Muslims to a mortal enemy of the Prophet in MECCA whose original name was Abu’l-Hakam, which implies that he became ignorant after having been wise (the cognate ‘hekma’ means wisdom).
Abu Yazid Abu Yazid al-Bestami (or Bayazid Bestami; d. 261/874), an eminent Sufi from what is now north-central Iran. He is a highly popular figure in Persian Sufi literature, in particular because of the many bold and controversial statements he is reported to have made, such as ‘There is nothing under my cloak but God.’
Aisha a wife of the Prophet Mohammad and the daughter of his companion and successor ABU BAKR as-Seddiq. She is the source of a large number of reports about the sayings and deeds of the Prophet, or hadith.
Ali Ali ebn Abi Taleb, often referred to as ‘the Lion of God’, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad, who was brought up in the same household. He is presented in Sufi literature as the first Sufi saint, on account of being the disciple of the Prophet. In Sunni Islam he is revered as the fourth Rightly-guided Caliph, while in Shi’i Islam he is the first Imam, or religious and political successor of the Prophet.
Azrael the Angel of Death, who appears in many stories to signal to individuals the imminence of their death. This is represented memorably in one of the shorter stories in Book One of the Masnavi (see vv. 960–74).
Baghdad the capital in Iraq of the Abbasid caliphate.
Bal’am son of Ba’ur the Bil’am ben Be’or of the Old Testament (Num. 22, 23, 24), who is the archetypal sage led astray by pride and lust. He is believed by exegetes to be referred to in Koran 7: 175.
Bayazid see ABU YAZID.
Boraq the name given in tradition to the Prophet’s fabulous steed during his Night Journey from MECCA to Jerusalem, which was followed by his ascension to heaven (see further vv. 1081–2).
Bu Jahl see ABU JAHL.
Bu’l-Hakam see ABU JAHL.
Esrafil the angel who, according to Muslim eschatology, signals Judgment Day at the end of time with the blast of a trumpet.
Gabriel the Archangel Gabriel, who revealed the Koran to the Prophet Mohammad, and guided him on his spiritual ascent.
Galen Greek physician and authority on medicine of the second century CE, whose works came to symbolize Greek medicine in the medieval Middle East.
Hamza the subject of a popular biographical tradition exemplifying bravery which is traditionally understood to have stemmed from the biography of the Prophet Mohammad’s paternal uncle, Hamza ebn Abd al-Mottaleb.
Harut and Marut a pair of fallen angels referred to in the Koran (2: 102). They looked down on Man for his sinful nature, but, when put to the test on earth, they became prone to lust. They tried to seduce a beautiful woman. That woman became Venus, while Harut and Marut were imprisoned in a well in Babylon forever as punishment.
Hosam Hosamoddin Chalabi (d. 1284), Rumi’s disciple and deputy, who wrote down the Masnavi as Rumi recited it (see further the Introduction).
Hud an Arab prophet after whom chapter 11 of the Koran has been named, as it recounts (11: 50–60) his career as the prophet sent to the nation called AAD. While this nation was vanquished because of its disbelief, Hud and his followers were saved by God.
Jonayd Abu’l-Qasem al-Jonayd (d. 297/910), Sufi who was widely recognized as the supreme authority of his generation. He lived in Baghdad, though he was born and brought up in Persia.
Kaaba the approximately cube-shaped building in MECCA which Muslims face to pray and around which they circumambulate during the pilgrimage. According to Muslim tradition, it was constructed by Abraham and Ishmael for the worship of God, but was subsequently turned into an idol temple. Mohammad’s later mission to establish Abrahamic monotheism is symbolized by his destruction of the idols at the Kaaba after the Muslim conquest of Mecca.
Kawsar the heavenly fount of divine grace mentioned in Koran 108: 1.
Khezr figure usually identified with Enoch/Elias, described in the Koran (18: 65) as someone who has been taught knowledge by God’s presence. He is the archetypal spiritual guide in the Sufi tradition. The Koranic story about Khezr (18: 65–82) describes Moses as seeking to become his disciple in order to learn some of his special knowledge. Moses is warned that he does not have the patience required, but is finally accepted on the condition that he should not question Khezr about anything. Moses fails to live up to his promise to be patient three times, after witnessing Khezr mak
e a hole in someone else’s boat, kill a boy for no apparent reason and repair a wall in a village after they are both abused by the inhabitants. Khezr dismisses Moses, but reveals to him the reasons for his actions, each of which was the fulfilment of God’s will and the means of bringing about a better outcome for His devout followers.
Layli the object of MAJNUN’s excessive love. Layli (also known as Layla) and Majnun are the archetypal pair of lovers in the Arabo-Persian literary tradition.
Loqman a sage and ascetic, after whom Koran 31 has been named, since he is mentioned there. He is attributed in particular with various proverbs and fables and has often been identified with Aesop.
Majnun (lit. ‘the madman’), the name given to Qays, the lover of LAYLI, after he fell madly in love with her.
Mecca city in western Arabia where the KAABA is located and the Prophet Mohammad was born. After the start of his mission, Mohammad and his followers were ridiculed and persecuted by the Meccans, and so eventually, in 622 CE, they migrated northwards to MEDINA. Towards the end of his life Mohammad led his army in a successful conquest of MECCA, during which the KAABA was rid of its idols and reclaimed as a monotheistic place of worship.
Medina city to the north of MECCA to which the Prophet Mohammad and his early followers migrated in 622 CE after suffering persecution in their home town. This migration marks the start of the Muslim, or hejri, lunar calendar. Mohammad became the political leader of Medina, and from this base took control of the whole of western Arabia, including Mecca itself.
Mount Qaf in medieval Islamic cosmology, Qaf refers to a range of mountains that surrounds the world and marks the border with the spiritual realm.
Nimrod a ruler who declared war on God and had Abraham thrown into a massive fire. Abraham was miraculously protected by God, who turned the fire into a comfortable rose garden for his sake, while Nimrod was killed by an army of flesh-eating and blood-sucking gnats sent by God, including one which entered his brain through his nostrils.
Omar Omar ebn al-Khattab, the second successor of the Prophet as caliph, and thus one of the four Rightly-guided Caliphs. He became a follower of the Prophet Mohammad though he had been one of his fiercest enemies among the polytheists in Mecca. The account of his surprising conversion relates that he had originally intended to kill the Prophet, but was moved on hearing the Koran being recited at his sister’s house. Although his career as caliph was highly successful militarily, he is none the less portrayed as a pious ruler who lived simply and expressed concern especially to distribute alms to the poor as fairly as possible.
Osman Osman ebn Affan, the third successor of the Prophet as caliph, and thus one of the four Rightly-guided Caliphs. His greatest achievement is generally thought to be overseeing the compilation of the authoritative edition of the Koran.
Rostam the heroic Persian king whose feats are recounted in Ferdowsi’s Shahnama (Book of Kings).
Saleh Arab prophet mentioned several times in the Koran (e.g. 7: 73–9), who was sent to the THAMUD.
Samarkand city in Central Asia, near Rumi’s birthplace, which was of major cultural importance in Rumi’s time.
Saqi the cup-bearer. In Sufi poetry the Saqi can also represent the Sufi master or God.
Solomon the prophet and king, who is described in the Koran as possessing deep wisdom and having been granted power over nature as well as a legion of demons at his command (e.g. 27: 15–44). His powers were effected by means of a special ring, on which was inscribed God’s greatest name. One of the demons managed to steal this ring, and thus to rule in Solomon’s place until he could retrieve it.
Thamud an ancient nation referred to on several occasions in the Koran (e.g. 7: 73–9, 4: 23–31, 11: 61–8). They hamstrung the she-camel of the prophet SALEH, which had been sent miraculously by God out of a mountain to test their willingness to share water and pasture. They were destroyed as a result by either an earthquake (7: 78) or a mighty blast of noise (4: 31, 11: 67), or perhaps a combination of the two. More elaborate versions of this story describe Saleh as suggesting that they might be forgiven if they caught her foal, but it escapes and disappears into the mountain.
Yazid Yazid ebn Mo’awiya, the second Umayyad caliph, succeeding his father, Mo’awiya, who had been a Companion of the Prophet from a prominent Arab family. He is universally reviled for having ordered the beheading of the Prophet’s grandson Hosayn and the massacre of his followers in Kerbala.
Zayd Zayd ebn Haretha, a freed former slave and adopted son of the Prophet Mohammad.
Table of Contents
Copyright Page
Title Page
Contents
Dedication
Introduction
Note on the Translation
Select Bibliography
A Chronology of Rumi
The Masnavi: Book One
Prose Introduction
The Song of the Reed
The Healing of the Sick Slave-Girl
The Bald Parrot and the Monk
The Jewish Vizier who Deceived the Christians into Following him and Destroyed them
The Description of Mohammad in the Gospels
The Jewish King who Tried to Destroy Christians with his fire
The Man who Mentioned Mohammad’s Name with a Smirk
How a Hare Killed the Lion that had been Tormenting all the other Animals
The Man who saw the Angel of Death
The Interpretation of the Fly in a Drop of Donkey’s Urine
Solomon and the Hoopoe
Adam’s Fall
The Greater Jihad
Omar and the Emissary from Byzantium
Adam’s Superiority to Satan
‘He is with You Wherever You may be’
‘Let Whoever Wants to Sit with God Sit with the Sufis’
The Escape of the Merchant’s Parrot
‘If Mystics Drink Poison it will Become an Antidote’
Moses and the Magicians
God’s Jealousy
The Harm in Being Venerated by People
‘What God Wills Happens’
The Old Harpist
‘The Special Breaths Sent by God’
Aisha and the Unseen Rain
‘Other Skies beyond These’
‘Take Advantage of the Coolness of the Spring’
The Moaning Pillar
The Gravel that Affirmed Mohammad’s Prophethood
The Prayer of the Angels in Favour of Big Spenders
The Caliph Who Was More Generous than Hatem Ta’i
The Poor Bedouin and his Wife
False Sufi Masters
Viewing from Limited Perspectives
‘Women Prevail over Intelligent Men, while Ignorant Men Prevail over them’
Pharaoh’s Fate
‘He Has Lost this World and the Hereafter’
Saleh and his She-Camel
‘He lets the Seas meet Each Other with a Gap which They Don’t Encroach upon’
The Station of ‘That God may forgive you your past and future sins’
The Mutual Need of Beggars and Donors
False Dervishes
Lovers of the Superficial
‘If You Fornicate, Do it with a Free Woman; If You Steal, Steal a Pearl!’
The Boatman and the Grammarian
The Sufi Guide
The Softie from Qazvin who Wanted a Tattoo
The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox
The Man who Learned to Knock on his Beloved’s Door and Say ‘It is You!’
Sufis Serve as Mirrors of the Soul
The Gift Brought by Joseph’s Visitor
The Prophet’s Scribe who Became an Apostate
Bal am and the Damned
The Temptation of Harut and Marut
The Deaf Man who Visited his Sick Neighbour
Satan was the First to Rely on Reasoning
The Importance of Hiding your Mystical Station
The Painting Competition between the Greeks and the Chinese
&n
bsp; The Prophet Mohammad and Zayd
Loqman’s Test to Discover who had Eaten the Fruit
Extinguishing Fire in Medina under Omar
Why Ali Dropped his Sword in Battle
The Man who was Told that he would One Day Kill Ali
Adam’s Conceit
Why the Prophet Conquered Mecca Yet Said, ‘The World is a Carcass’
Explanatory Notes
Glossary of Proper Names
The Masnavi, Book One: Bk. 1 (Oxford World's Classics) Page 46