Bayazid Abu Yazid al-Bastami (d. 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 ‘Glory be to me! How magnificent my rank is.’
Belqis the monarch of Sheba mentioned several times in the Bible as well as the Qur’an (27: 22–44), but left unnamed in both these sources. It is in the Islamic exegetical tradition where she is named ‘Belqis’.
Boraq the name traditionally given to the Prophet’s fabulous mount during his Night Journey from Mecca to Jerusalem, followed by his ascension to heaven.
Bu Lahab (lit. ‘Father of Flame’) an uncle of the Prophet who was his mortal enemy. He and his wife are condemned in the 111th chapter of the Qur’an, which has also been named lahab .
Canaan son (or grandson) of Noah according to various traditions, who is cursed and does not escape the flood on the ark.
Ebrahim ebn-e Adham see ebn-e adham .
Ebn-e Adham Ebrahim ebn-e Adham (d. c .777), a much-celebrated ascetic precursor to the Sufis from Rumi’s native Balkh. He is portrayed in hagiographies as a prince of Balkh who gave up his life of luxury for poverty and extreme asceticism.
Edris a Qur’anic prophet (19: 56–7), who is traditionally believed to have ascended to a high station in heaven, where the Prophet Mohammad encountered him during his own ascension.
The Furthest Mosque/Place of Worship mentioned in Qur’an 17: 1 as the destination of the Prophet Mohammad’s Night Journey, its location is traditionally identified as the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, where Muslims soon built a mosque with this very name in Arabic, ‘al-Masjid al-aqsa’. Its mention in the Qur’an has made it one of the holiest sites for Muslims. Also referred to in the text as Furthest Prayer-House, Furthest Worship-Place.
Halima Halima as-Sa‘diya, the wet-nurse of the Prophet Mohammad during his period spent in the desert as a young boy.
Haman Pharaoh’s vizier who is mentioned several times in the Qur’an (e.g. 28: 6–8).
Harut and Marut a pair of fallen angels referred to in the Qur’an (2: 102). According to the exegetical tradition, they looked down on Man for his sinful nature, but when put to the test on earth themselves, they became prone to lust and tried to seduce a beautiful woman; that woman became Venus, while Harut and Marut were imprisoned in a well in Babylon forever as punishment.
Homa a mythical bird comparable with the phoenix, but particularly associated with soaring at the highest levels of the heavens and bestowing kingship.
Jinn supernatural creatures living in a parallel universe to humans and sometimes interacting, according to pre-Islamic Arabian tradition and also in later Islamic tradition.
Kharaqani Abo ’l-Hasan Kharaqani (d. 1033) was a major Sufi from Kharaqan, in the vicinity of Bastam. He is listed as successor to Bayazid Bastami in many Sufi lineage chains, even though he was born after the latter had already passed away, as Rumi’s story in this volume illustrates.
Khezr a figure usually identified with Enoch (Elias), and described in the Qur’an (18: 65) as someone who has been taught knowledge from God’s presence. He is the archetypal spiritual guide in the Sufi tradition. The Qur’anic 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.
Korah a biblical figure (Num. 16) who is also mentioned in the Qur’an (28: 76–82; 29: 39; and 40: 24). As a punishment for behaving arrogantly towards Moses and hoarding his wealth, he gets swallowed up by the earth.
Nimrod a powerful ruler mentioned briefly in the Bible, concerning whom numerous popular stories developed. One of these stories related that he had Abraham thrown into a massive bonfire. Abraham was miraculously protected by God, who turned the fire into a comfortable rose garden for his sake, while He had Nimrod killed by an army of flesh-eating and bloodsucking gnats, including one which entered his brain through his nostrils.
Omar Omar ebn al-Khattab, the second successor of the Prophet Mohammad as caliph, and one of the four Rightly Guided Caliphs. Although his career as caliph was highly successful militarily, he is nonetheless portrayed as a pious ruler who lived simply and ruled compassionately, even introducing a moratorium on the corporal punishment for theft during a famine.
Osman Osman ebn Affan, the third political successor of the Prophet Mohammad and thus one of the four Rightly-guided caliphs of Sunni Islam.
Ozayr Ozayr is usually identified with the biblical Ezra. However, the Qur’anic reference to him (Qur’an 9: 30) makes the claim that he was worshipped by Jews as ‘a son of God’.
Ozza the name of an idol worshipped by the contemporaries of Mohammad at the Kaaba in Mecca.
Qaf in medieval Islamic cosmology, Qaf represents a range of mountains that surround the world and mark the border with the spiritual realm.
Qotb literally the ‘Pole’ or ‘axis’, this is the title for the supreme Sufi saint of each age, who is the axis mundi , the central pivot of the universe and all its interests, towards whom all mystics are drawn.
Resurrection this refers to the end of time when the dead are resurrected and the truth is revealed. Rumi uses this Qur’anic image frequently to represent the experience of mystical enlightenment, through which reality can be witnessed in this life.
sama‘ the technical term for the practice of meditative listening to music, it literally means ‘hearing’. The sema of the Whirling Dervishes is among the forms of sama‘ that involve choreographed movements as well as meditative listening.
Sana’i Hakim Sana’i (d. 1131), the author of Hadiqat al-Haqiqat (‘The Garden of Truth’), which is the oldest work of the mystical masnavi genre and a major influence on Rumi’s Masnavi.
The Tablet in Muslim theology, the Preserved Tablet is where all knowledge is recorded and the source of all revelation, of which the Qur’an is one part.
Thamud an ancient nation referred to on several occasions in the Qur’an (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 either by 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 catch her foal, but it escapes and disappears into the mountain.
Tuba tree the tree of paradise is called ‘Tuba’ in the Islamic tradition.
zekr (lit. remembrance) the remembrance of God by means of the repetition of His names or short religious formulae about Him. This repetition, which is at the heart of Sufi practice in all its diverse schools, can be performed silently, under one’s breath, or loudly in an assembly. It is also often performed in combination with sama‘ . Sufis are instructed to give total and uncompromising attention to God during zekr , losing awareness even of themselves performing the repetition.
Zo ’l-Qarnayn (lit. ‘Possessor of two horns’), a Qur’anic figure (18: 83–101), who is usually identified as Alexander the Great.
The Masnavi, Book Four Page 31