Khawaja and the Hindi Parrot
Saad b. Abaadah (ra), one of the companions of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW), has said that if he saw his wife committing adultery, he would not hesitate to murder her instantaneously. He would not bear to wait for four witnesses to provide evidence. According to the saying of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW), “No doubt that Saad is a morally upright person; I’m more so, and God is the most righteous of all, as He has banned human beings from all vulgarities and misdeeds whether they are exoteric or esoteric.”
Allah owes the highest claim for Self-Respect (1)
It is the duty a human being may never object.
He is the Soul, and like body the whole world goes
Body perceives good and evil; ‘The Soul’ just arose.
The prayer which one toward oneself does hold!
Is but fault, for it may never turn toward God (2)
Who is in charge of the kitchen of the King,
Must not deal in trade with clothes for him.
When one can hold and kiss the hand
Then falling at feet is just a sin, banned.
Thou begot hand revolve not round feet
To lay one’s head is but a brave deed. (3)
Though you may fall to feet to serve
If ‘Service’ gets wrong, it’s the fault of nerves.
The King shall be forever emulous to him
Still following scent though the face is seen. (4)
Allah’s command for self-respect is like wheat
Man’s venture for esteem like hay they beat (5)
Human dignity stems from God
He is the Master, and we’re slaves, odd
Now, I stop to explain, start to complain
My hardhearted beloved who is so vain (6)
I weep because weeping He does appreciate,
The wailing from twin sources does originate (7)
How could I restrain from tears `cause of desire
I have to wear myself in His lovers’ attire
If not with Day, I must become the night
Alone, missing the dawn of her face’s delight
His anger is convenient and welcome to me
Sacrificing my life for bitterness from He
I hail the pain and love my misery
For the sake of happiness of my Majesty
I grind antimony the dust my grief lies
Two oceans full of pearls become my eyes.
The tears people shed for Him so appears
Are but pearls, though recognized as tears
Of the dearest Beloved, I do complain
Doubtful I’m not, just trying to explain
My heart telling, I am angry with Him
Laughs at a lame excuse, no infirmity within
O leader of the righteous, Be fair! I implore
Thou the Chairperson, I pleading at thy door
There is no chair or door in consciousness
In LOVE, “you” and “me” are unimportant.
O Supreme One! Thou art not twain
O the Spirit beholding man and woman
Male and female, when united, are one
All annihilate in thee, other than none
Thou in purpose have split them in twain
Playing with their servitude, Thou entertain
“You” and “Me” when united in One
Become ‘The Beloved’ other than none
When you relieve yourself of duality
Annihilation is the final course of morality (8)
A window to Mathnavi Maulvi Ma’nvi
Translation and Commentary Seema Arif
Further Links for Rumi
This is ‘To Be’ Thy final decree, I behold
O Ruler, above the faculty of speech or word
This “eye” can envision you never
My sorrow, my grief is but clever (9)
A heart that is bound to laugh or sorrow
I question: may ever behold thy morrow?
Caught in happiness or grief, one may be
Living the passing moments, not life, may he? (10)
The green garden of eternal LOVE, for sure
Hath fruits more than pain and pleasure
Divine Love is above both these states
Both spring and autumn are your habitats (11)
Oh, Beloved! Pay alms for thy beautiful face
Thy Grace thus explains my shattered Soul.
Thy coquettish bashful slandering art
Hath inflicted a fresh wound on my heart
My murder, I’ve but granted Thee
I provoked; He denied persistently
Why, from the wailing of bitter thou ever retreat?
Why always tease the wounds of the grieved?
Oh, Beloved! Every morn that rises in the East
Beseech You! Fresh and luminous Sun as a feast
Excuses to thy lovers are but false requisite,
O’ Beloved, the sweetness of thy lips is exquisite,
The world is rapidly staling, but Thy Soul ever new
Listen to ‘bodiless soul,’ ‘soulless body’ cry and hue
Oh, heart! Do not indulge in the details of a flower
Commence with the nightingale, suffering of the hour
Our passion is not linked with grief or happiness
Bound with doubtful reason is not consciousness
This state is different, exquisite in itself. Do relate,
Do not deny Allah is Supreme, if thou estimate
Do not wonder at earthly states in the presence
Fixing thyself to adversity and benevolence
Hardship, justice, happiness, and grief are passing
Do annihilate, returning to God all His belonging (12)
Oh, Lord of morning and dusk, it’s the time.
Bear excuse to my friend Hassam-ud Din
Thou the Ultimate Wisdom, The Magnanimous
Thou art the spirit of Soul; the coral’s luminous
Thy Light our morning do illuminate
Mansoor’s draught me too intoxicate
God’s benevolence has kept me in state
How wine can challenge me to intoxicate
The wine is a beggar, serf of our passion
The sky is never lost to our reason
The wine made wanton by us, we do not (15)
The body has been made for us; we are not
We are the Bee, and the body is like wax
Divided in holes like Bee-hive, body tax
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