(Masnavi Book 2: 66 Book Complete) The miracles wrought by an ascetic in the desert

How the pilgrims were amazed at the miracles of the ascetic whom they found (living) alone in the desert.

Amidst the desert lived an ascetic, absorbed in devotion like the people of ‘Abbádán*.

The pilgrims from (different) countries arrived there: their eyes fell upon the parched ascetic.

3790. The dwelling-place of the ascetic was dry, (but) he was moist in temperament: in the simoom of the desert he had a remedy (for his moistness).

The pilgrims were amazed at his solitude and his welfare in the midst of bane.

He stood on the sand, (engaged) in the ritual prayer—sand from the heat whereof the water in a pot would boil. You would have said he was (standing) enraptured amongst herbs and flowers, or mounted on Buráq or Duldul; Or that his feet were on silk and broidered cloths; or that to him the simoom was more pleasant than the zephyr.

3795. They (the pilgrims) stood waiting, (whilst) he remained standing in prayer, (sunk) in long meditation.

When the dervish came back (to himself) from (his state of) absorption (in God), one of that company, a man (spiritually) alive and of enlightened mind,

Observed that water was trickling from his hands and face, (and that) his garment was wet with the traces of ablution; So he asked him, “Whence have you water?” He lifted his hand, (indicating) that it came from heaven.

He (the pilgrim) said, “Does it come whenever you wilt, without (any) well and without (any) rope of palm-fibre?

3800. Solve our difficulty, O Sultan of the Religion, in order that your (spiritual) experience may give us certain faith. Reveal to us one of your mysteries, that we may cut from our waists the cords (of infidelity).”

He (the ascetic) turned his eyes to heaven, saying, “(O God), answer the prayer of the pilgrims!

I am accustomed to seeking daily bread from above: you have opened to me the door from above,

O you who from non-spatiality have brought space into view, and have made manifest (the fact that) in heaven is your daily bread.”

3805. In the midst of this orison a fair cloud suddenly appeared, like a water bearing elephant,

And began to pour down rain, like water from a water-skin: the rain-water settled in the ditch and in the hollows. The cloud kept raining tears, like a water-skin, and the pilgrims all opened their water-skins.

One party (among them), in consequence of those marvellous happenings, were cutting the cords (of unbelief) from their waists.

The certainty (faith) of another group was on the increase because of this miracle—and God knows best how to guide aright.

3810. Another group (were) unreceptive, sour and unripe, eternally imperfect ones. (Here) ends the discourse.

(Masnavi Book 2: 65) Solomon and the birds

The story of the ducklings which were fostered by a domestic fowl.

You art the offspring of a duck, though a domestic fowl has nursed you beneath her wing. your mother was the duck of that Sea; your nurse was of the earth and devoted to the dry land.

The desire which is in your heart for the Sea—thy soul has that nature (instinct) from your mother.

The desire you have for the dry land is from this nurse. Leave the nurse, for she is an evil counsellor.

3770. Leave the nurse on the dry land, and press on: come into the Sea of spiritual reality, like the ducks. (Even) if your mother should bid you be afraid of the water, fear not thou, but push speedily into the Sea.

You art a duck: you art one that lives (both) on dry and wet; you art not one like the domestic fowl, whose house is dug (in the ground).

You art a king in virtue of (the text), We have ennobled the sons of Adam: you settest foot both on the dry land and on the

Sea.

For in spirit you art (what is signified by the text), We have conveyed them on the Sea: push forward (then) from (the state implied in the words), We have conveyed them on the land.

3775. The angels have no access to the land; the animal kind, again, are ignorant of the Sea.

You in (your) body art an animal, and in (your) spirit you art of the angels, so that you mayst walk on the earth and also in the sky;

So that the seer with heart divinely inspired may be, in appearance, a man like yourselves.

His body of dust (is here), fallen upon the earth; (but) his spirit (is) circling in yonder highest sphere (of Heaven). We all are water-birds, O lad: the Sea fully knows our language.

3780. Therefore the Sea is (our) Solomon, and we are as the birds (familiar with Solomon): in Solomon we move unto everlasting.

With Solomon set your foot in the Sea, that the water, David-like, may make a hundred rings of mail (ripples). That Solomon is present to all, but (His) jealousy binds (our) eyes (with spells) and enchants (us),

So that from folly and drowsiness (forgetfulness) and vanity— He is beside us, and (yet) we are sick of Him.

The noise of thunder gives the thirsty man headache, when he does not know that it (the thunder) brings on the rain-clouds of felicity.

3785. His eye remains (fixed) upon the running stream, unaware of the delicious taste of the Water of Heaven.

He has urged the steed of (his) attention towards (secondary) causes: consequently he remains debarred from the Causer. (But) one that sees the Causer plainly—how should he set his mind upon the (secondary) causes in the world?

(Masnavi Book 2: 64) How Muhammad ﷺ established unity amongst the Ansár

How dissension and enmity amongst the Ansár were removed by the blessings of the Prophet—may God bless and save him!

The two tribes which were named Aws and Khazraj had a blood-thirsty spirit towards each other.

Through (the preaching of) Mustafá (Mohammed) their ancient feuds vanished in the light of Islam and of pureness (of heart).

3715. First, those enemies became brethren like the units of (a bunch of) grapes in the garden;

And (then) at the admonition given in the words*, The true believers are brethren, they dissolved (and mingled) and became one body.

The appearance of the (clustered) grapes is (that of) brethren: when you squeeze them they become one juice.

The immature and the full-grown grape are opponents, but when the immature grape has ripened, it becomes a good friend. The immature grape that has remained stone-hard and crude —God in eternity has called it an original unbeliever.

3720. He (such a one) is neither a brother nor one (in) soul (with the faithful Moslems): he is an ill-starred heretic in (the state of) damnation.

If I should tell that which he keeps hidden (in his heart), there would arise in the world a sore temptation of (men's) minds.

It is better that the secret of the blind infidel should be untold: It is better that the smoke of Hell should be banished from Iram. The good immature grapes, which are capable (of ripening), are at last (made) one in heart by the breath of the masters of heart

(the saints).

They push on rapidly to grapehood (maturity), so that duality and hatred and strife depart (from them).

3725. Then in grapehood they rend their skins till they become one: unity is the (proper) attribute of him (who is one with others).

A friend becomes a foe because he is still two: is any one (engaged) in a quarrel with himself?

Blessings on the universal love of the Master, (which) gave oneness to hundreds of thousands of motes! (They were) as dust scattered on the thoroughfare: the hand of the Potter made them one jug.

(But the simile fails as applied to souls), for the oneness of bodies (formed) of water and clay is imperfect: the (oneness of) soul is not like this.

3730. If I should here utter similitudes in comparison (illustration), I fear it might disorder (perplex) the understanding. Even now there exists (a) Solomon, but we are blinded by exulting in (our) farsightedness.

Far-sightedness keeps a man blind, just as one sleeping in a house is blind to the house.

We are much addicted to subtle discussions, we are exceedingly fond of solving problems;

And to the end that we may tie knots and (then) undo them, (we are) making many rules for (posing and stating) the difficulty and for answering (the questions raised by it),

3735. Like a bird which should undo the fastenings of a snare, and tie (them together) at times, in order that it might become perfect in skill:

It is deprived of the open country and meadowland, its life is spent in dealing with knots; And even (then) the snare is nowise subdued by it, but its wings are always getting broken.

Do not struggle with knots, lest your wings and feathers be snapped asunder one by one through this vain display (of effort) on your part.

Myriads of birds have had their wings broken, and have not stopped that calamitous ambuscade (from doing its work).

3740. Read in the Qur’án (concerning) their state, O covetous one: —They explored (and wandered) in them (the lands of the earth); mark (the words), Was there any refuge?

The difficulty over angúr and ‘inab was not solved by the contest between the Turk, the Greek, and the Arab. Until the spiritual Solomon, skilled in tongues, shall intervene, this duality will not disappear.

O all ye wrangling birds, hearken, like the falcon, to this falcon-drum of the King.

Hark, from every quarter set out with joy, (flying away) from your diversity towards oneness.

3745. Wheresoever ye be, turn your faces towards it*: this is the thing which He has not forbidden unto you (at any time). Blind birds are we and very inept, in that we have not once recognised that Solomon.

Like the owls, we have become hostile to the falcons: consequently we are left behind (to dwell) in the place of ruin. Because of (our) extreme ignorance and blindness we are seeking to hurt those honoured of God.

How should the flock of birds which are enlightened by Solomon tear out the wings and plumes of the innocent?

3750. Nay, they would bring grain to the helpless ones: gentle are those birds and without pugnacity or hatred. Their hoopoe, for the sake of glorifying (Solomon), unfolds the way (towards Him) to a hundred like Bilqís.

Their crow, (even) if it was a crow in outward aspect, was (really) a falcon in aspiration and (one whose gaze) turned not aside.

Their stork, which cries lak lak, casts upon doubt (and disbelief) the fire of the profession of Unity; And their dove is not scared by hawks: the hawk lays his head (in homage) before their dove.

3755. Their nightingale, which throws you into ecstasy, has the rose-garden in its heart.

Their parrot was (always) independent of sugar, for the sugar of everlastingness showed its face (was revealed) to it from within.

The feet of their peacocks are fairer to see than (all) others in peacock's plumage.

The speeches of princely birds are (meaningless as) an echo: where is the speech of the birds of Solomon? How wilt you know the cries of the birds, when you have never seen Solomon for a single moment?

3760. The wings of that bird whose note thrills (them that can hear it) are beyond East and West.

Its every course is from the Footstool of God to the earth, and from the earth to the Throne of God it moves in glory and majesty.

The bird that goes without this Solomon is in love with darkness, like a bat.

Make yourself familiar with Solomon, O reprobate bat, in order that you mayst not remain in darkness for ever. When you goest one ell's length in that direction, like the ell you wilt become the standard of measurement;

3765. And (even by) your hopping lamely and limply in that direction, you wilt be freed from all lameness and limpness.