Khawaja and the Hindi Parrot
Sorcerers of Pharaoh, master of cursed throne
Sly, they dared challenge Moses on their own
The sorcerers had preferred Moses to lead
They had held him in high respect indeed
They said you are the leader of the herd
Thou art requested to lay thy staff ahead
Moses: “No.” O sorcerer! Thou first
May show others thy excellence, I behest
His resolute faith had their hearts won
Bounded their skills to compete none
The sorcerers hath but realized his rank
Had laid before him their skill and talent
A Master may swallow or succumb.
Thou art not Master, retort not, be dumb
Thou art an ear tongue is not thy faculty
God commands the ears to listen; their duty
The infant always suckling mouth doth bears
For a while, the world around he silently hears
Patiently, learn, keeping thy lips sealed
‘Preaching’ commences after learning to yield
The learner may be right; one in a hundred
Whenever he tries to talk, he is hurdled
Deaf can’t but utter a word, so to speak
Being dumb for life, silence doth reek
Thou must learn to listen before you speak
Enter through ‘listening’ the realm of speech
Thou must enter the homes through the gate
Seek thy livelihood through means appropriate
Speech not dependant on Art to Listen
Belongs to God alone, Who is the Sovereign
The Creative Master submits to any teacher; naught!
He is the Provider; humble support He seeks not!
The one seeking any talent, art, or skill
He’s always dependent on the teacher and drill
If thou art not unfamiliar with this opinion
Resolve to poverty, repentance, and seclusion (1)
Adam was saved from wrath for genuine cries (2)
Smart ones resolve for repentance with wet eyes
Adam had retreated to earth, the purpose wailing
Cry, moan, and repent forever of his parting
Adam was dethroned from heaven, the 7th sky
Caught hovering around a forbidden tree; be wry!
If thou do rightly belong to Adam’s clan
Seek what he sought; follow his plan
Woe your heart on fire; wet eyes done
The garden is fresher than clouds or sun
O fragile one! Do you appreciate tears?
Thou art but stuck like a donkey in smears
How can you but value the tears the eyes shed
Thou art a lover like a bird trailing the bread (3)
May thou hast freed your bag from bread
Fill in worthy pearls knowledge hath bred (4)
Drinking Satan’s milk thy soul must prevent
Keeping the company of sweet angels hath advent (5)
You are angry, depressed, and desolate
Beware, you are Satan’s close associate (6)
The food that nourishes wisdom and talent
Is but earned through lawful means ardent
The oil that hath extinguished the lamp
Is but water doesn’t belong to oil’s camp
Using rightful means earns wisdom and excellence
Product of fair means is Love and gentleness
Product of unfair means are envy and malice
Veils and ignorance; must abstain from these
By Sowing wheat, barley may never yield (7)
Doth mare ever delivers son of a donkey, not steed?
Every bite we take is a seed, and thoughts our fruit
Vast and Deep Ocean has pearls in the hidden suit
Rightful food in the mouth nourishes forever
The desire to serve here and earn hereafter
O leader! The right knowledge humbles you
Purify thy heart and enlighten eyes; they do.
A window to Mathnavi Maulvi Ma’nvi
Translation and Commentary Seema Arif
Further Links for Rumi
(1) See Repentance… Click for Details
(2) Adam had cried more on realizing his sin rather than on the grievous punishment he had received. He had truly desired forgiveness, which he earned through accepting sin and seeking its atonement.
(3) Those caught in worries of bread and butter are heedless of sins they commit and do not spare any time but repentance.
(4) Men of God must not seek livelihood because God has set means of provision for them. See on purity … Click for Details
(5) God had prevented Moses from drinking any milk but his mother’s. In contrast, Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) had the simplest and poorest nurse, Halima, as his nurse. Food affects not only the physical bearing of a person but also intellectual and moral bearing. Therefore, one must earn through lawful means. (kasb halal)
Qur’an, 29:17: “Then you seek your sustenance according to the way Allah prescribes.” Qur’an, 2:188: “And do not eat up your property among yourselves, by unlawful means.”
What is unlawful is to get other people’s wealth by fraud, stealing, taking advantage of somebody’s weakness, usurping somebody’s earnings, or cutting down on what is due to another person.
(6) $$ The rich foods provoke lust and avarice, and one no longer controls one’s appetite. When deprived or unable to satiate, people become depressed and lose both hope and faith, natural energies to do good and positive in life. Only that should be taken which is (طيّب) “Tayyab” which means agreeable to taste, sight, and smell: Qur’an: 2/168: “Eat of what is on earth lawful, clean and pure.” Allah has ordained us not to overspend on food beyond limits. Take simple, delicious, and nutritious food. It is ordained: neither should we waste money on unnecessary items nor eat more than required to appease our appetite. Qur’an:7:31: “Eat and drink but waste not by excess.”
(7) Allah’s pre-destination requires strict decree in cause and effect. So says the law of requital. Human beings do not have the freedom or authority to change the result after the action has been performed. Qur’an: 2:21, 2:179, 2:183, 2:185, 2:189, 3:123, 3:129, 3:199, 5:35, 7:69, 7:157.
Ibn Arabi tells us in ‘Fusus’ (Bezels of Wisdom) that Adam possessed Divine Names which the angels did not have, so their praise and glorification of Him was not the same as Adam’s praise and glorification. Allah describes this to us so that we may contemplate and learn ‘adab’ (spiritual manners) with Allah and so that we will not lay claim to what we have not realized or possessed by pinning it down. How can we allege something beyond us that we have no knowledge of? We will only be exposed. This divine instruction is part of Allah’s discipline of those of His obedient persons who are well-mannered, trusting, and thus worthy of a khalif’s rank.
Leadership belongs to heart. Ibn Arabi tells us that the khalifate is only valid for the Perfect Man, whose exterior form comes from the realities of the universe and its forms and whose inner form is based on His form (i.e., Allah’s names or Attributes). May He be exalted! For that reason, Allah has said of him, “I am his hearing and his sight.” (hadith qudsî via Abu Hurayra).
Learn more about Adam’s Seal in Fusus al Hikam. Click for Details…!
Moses, indeed, had an awesome, charismatic personality. He used to have others wonder stricken by his grace and magnanimity, which is the truest practice of Deen and the genuine worth of a prince. After all, he had to challenge the mightiest throne in human history, that of the Egyptian Pharaoh. Ibn Arabi tells us in Fusus al Hikam: “Musa was born as a synthesis of many spirits. He was a concentration of affective forces since the young affect the old that had held captive mightiest of intellect.” Learn more at:
Learn more about Moses Seal in Fusus al Hikam. Click for Details…!
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