Hazrat Omar and the Harpist
من كان لله means whoever was for God
كان الله له means Allah is for him
Rumi sings praise to Allah wa Subhan o Ta’la
Sometimes I say I manifest in you; you become me (1)
Whatever I say it shines, because I am the Sun (2)
Wherever I shine for a while
All problems are solved
When darkness prevails for long
I become Sun of the dawn there (3)
The darkness sun cannot lift
In morning prayer does twist
Allah revealed His names on Adam
Adam unraveled them to the humanity
Take water from a vessel or river
The vessel is also blessed by the river (4)
Request light from the sun or moon
The moon gets lightened by the sun
Be enlightened and get into stars
The prophet said, my companions are stars
Seeing the face of my companion
Bears a likeness to seeing my face.
A candle can light hundred others
Whether you took the first or the last
The light burning the candle remains the same.
A window to Mathnavi Maulvi Ma’nvi
Translation and Commentary Seema Arif
Further Links for Rumi
Notes
- Philosophy of the Unity of Being.
- Darkness means ignorance and The Sun means divine know ledge.
Here Mevlana says, I am Shams or Sun. He is introducing himself as the wise person, who is illuminated by the light of Qur’an and Hadith, and enlightened by Shams Tabrizi, he has become Source of knowledge (Sun) himself.
(24: 35) الله نور السموات والارض.) Allah lights heaven and the earth. The darkness and injustice on earth can be removed when Divine Knowledge is spread.
3. Early Dawn prayer is fajr and prayer before noon is called chasht
4. Water here means knowledge; Rumi says: whether you take guidance from Qur’an or Hadith directly, or learn that from Awlia, the knowledge stays the same, because it originates from one divine source.
5. Rumi quotes Hadith: طوبىٰ لمن رأنى اورأبى من رأنى; Seeing the face of my companion who has seen my face is like seeing my face.
Sun is the source of light for this world. Allah’s light is referred as Nur. Sun is the source of light for physical world, and Qur’an is the light for soul or spiritual world. Rumi often use the word “shams” or sun alternatively, to denote source of knowledge, Qur’an as original source of knowledge created by Nur (Divine Wisdom), Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) words (Ahadith) and actions/ practices (Sunnah), which are sources of knowledge for humanity unveiling darkness. Shams Tabrizi was source of light for Mevlana, who unveiled his existence to pure light.
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