Rumi and the Masters of Light: Sufi Short Stories Book 1

By Shaykh Manzoor Alam

"I try to explain Love, I expound on it, but when I am faced with it, I have no words, and admit with humility that something as momentous as Love cannot be explained. When the Pen writing on the Guarded Tablet (Law-he-Mahfooz) reached the word 'Ishq' it could go no further, for its heart, it's very being, was rent into two." Hazrat Jalal-ud-din Rumi explained by Shaykh Manzoor Alam.

Love is the essence of this book. Shah Manzoor Alam and Rumi are guides of love. They are singularly committed to honoring the soul's journey back to the Source, the One and do not for a moment let the soul get caught in the limited identities of being Christian, Muslims or Jew. The stories of Rumi and the lessons from the Great Sufi Masters are that sun and the light of life that can guide humankind out of the doldrums of inner darkness. They are a spiritual treasure that become a mirror for different places within us that we are unaware of. Shah Manzoor Alam brings out Rumi's original metaphors, and magnifies the reflections, so that the seeker doesn't miss any of the subtleties within their own being that are applicable regardless of one's gender, religion, race or color. The handmaiden, sickly attached to the goldsmith, the cunning yet quick learning fox, the majestic falcon- turned away from the source of its most deserved provision, the denigrating mystic- crudely unaware of his pettiness are all examples of metaphors that are universal in nature if one chooses to look deep inside. This is the invitation for sustenance that nourishes the sensitive heart, the yearning soul, and the hankering mind in its quest for love, peace, beauty, light and Oneness.

Rumi has been widely read, translated and referenced all over the world as the epitome of love and poetry. The uniqueness of this book, lies in its approach of short story telling to capture different aspects of Sufi mysticism which is the essence of Rumi's poetry and life. The book was originally published in the Indian language and therefore the stories are rich with foreign words and honorifics, all of which have been explained and clarified for the first-time reader of a Sufi text.

At all times, there have been men and women who have been introspective, and searched for deeper meaning in life. Sufi teachings provide a deep comprehension of the spiritual dimensions which are contained within every human being. Sufi teachers help to open human hearts towards a flowering of love and joy, and above all hope for a life of contentment, and a state of inner peace and equilibrium. Their doors are open at all times to all people, regardless of caste and creed, religion and nationality.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jun 19, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098306069

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All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © Sara Khan

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electrical or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the author, translator and editor.

Translated by Masarat Maujshahi.

Edited by Saera Rahima.

ISBN: 9781098306069

Table of Contents

A Mystic Rules Forever

The Sufi Order in India

Preface

An Introduction to Mawlana Jalal-ud-din Rumi

Honorifics

A Note From the Editor

A Request

The King and the Handmaiden

Fana and Baqa

Hazrat Moosa and the Human Nafs

The Human Body is a Cage

The Lion, the Wolf and the Fox

Hazrat Luqman and the Sweetness of Gratitude

Zunoon Misri – The Rare Pearl

Hazrat Isa and the Nectar of Life

Hazrat Moosa and the Shepherd

Hazrat Omar and the Envoy of Rome

The Lion Within

Quell the Fire of Wrath

Hazrat Isa and the Disease of Ignorance

The Two Parts of Creation

Hazrat Nooh and His Obstinate Son

The Malodor of Deceit

The King’s Falcon

Quicksilver

Divine Governance

The Hidden World - Alam-al-Ghayb

My Loyal Slave - Khwaja Abu Hameed Khurasani

Hazrat Shibli and the Battle With the Nafs

The Hastening to Oneness of Hazrat Hasan Basri

The Turning of the Heart - Hazrat Habeeb Ajami

When Allah Calls His Slave - Hazrat Fuzail Bin Ayaz

The Many States of the Master Hazrat Bayazid Bustami

Praiseworthy Asceticism - Hazrat Zunoon of Egypt

Guidance at Night - Hazrat Ibrahim Bin Adham

Lordship and Servitude - Sultan Junaid of Baghdad

The Fervor of Love - Hazrat Mansoor Hallaj

The Veil of One’s Existence - Hazrat Abu Bakr Wasti

Five Ways Of Travelling  Hazrat Abul Hasan Khirqani

Dealing With Hounds - Hazrat Hakim Tirmizi

The Deep Surrender of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani

Prayer Practice: Khatm of Gyarween Shareef

Glossary of Foreign Terms

The Names and Stations of Beloveds

Acknowledgments

Suggested Reading

About the Author

A Mystic Rules Forever

A mystic is born to rule. He rules because he is connected with Allah, the Supreme force, the Omnipresent and the Omnipotent and everything a finite human mind can imagine Him to be. The mystic is the bridge between Allah and His human creations. He interprets those infinite qualities in simple human terms through the vicissitudes of life that a mureed1 experiences. Through trials and tribulations he makes a believer steadfast in his faith in the Divine.

In my life I have met one such person through whom radiated the Grace of Allah. It was Shah Manzoor Alam. He spoke in music, he wrote in fragrance. The simplicity of his words and their sound were as true as their meaning. A mystic writes from the depth of his soul and the fine nib of his intellect. This was Alam.

What he said was from Him and the traces of His resonance left in time to become timeless through his pen. He was a bridge between people and their faiths connecting them to the Almighty through their love for Him in their own metaphors and highs and lows of their individual journeys.

He takes one through the test of love; the Pir2 advises, be steadfast in your belief. This is what it’s all about. He presents this poem in praise of the beauty of the Beloved.

Kunwar haath daaman tumhara na chhorde

Sajan prem paagal duaara na chhorde

Nayan duaar jhhanke mohaara na chhorde

Lagan aas raakhe sahara na chhorde

Ki jhuleniya ne hai ram bara dukh deena.

O Beloved! The hand of the lover doesn’t let go of the robe of Your guidance.

The one madly in love with the Beloved, doesn’t leave His doorstep,

The steadfast gaze doesn’t turn away from the threshold of Divine grace

It is the worldly allurements, that have caused great pain.

- Muzaffar Ali

The true lover, who has proved his love is relieved of all pain.

- Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qader Jilani

The Sufi Order in India

The widely followed Sufi order in the Indian subcontinent is the Chishti tariqa which was founded by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, popularly known as Gharib Nawaz.

At almost every hundred miles in the sub-continent one finds the shrine of a Chishti saint of the past, where humanity flocks for relief in times of pain and distress.

The music of the Chishtis, known as Qawwali is the most unique aspect of this Sufi order, which is as enthralling as it is soul stirring and speaks the language of the heart. It talks of love and zest and the beauty of life. It can induce a state (hal) of ecstasy (wajd) and inspire one to rise above the trivials of the ordinary to an arena which is full of light and beauty and an explosion of joy. It beckons all.

Be it the rhythmic beat of the drums, the dholak and the tabla, the melodious harmonium or the enchanting verses of the singers – the Qawwals – their music transcends the barriers of age and time. The lyrics are not from contemporary poets or writers, but from the enlightened hearts of the great Sufi masters and poets like Rumi, Amir Khusrau, Hafiz and Jami, from centuries of the past. These lyrics and melodies carry the transmission to open our hearts to the deep, arduous and passionate love for the Divine Beloved carried within the teachers’ own hearts in a way that could not have been imparted by any one school of thought. This transmission contained within the lyrics and melodies enable the deep surrender of one’s limited knowing into the boundless ocean of love.

A rather remarkable Sufi maxim by none other than the great Shaykh Saadi is engraved at the main entrance of the United Nations:

"Bani Aadam azai-yak -deegarand

Ke dar aafreenash ze yak gauharand

Chu uzve-be-darad avarad ruzgar

Digar uzv ha ra na manad qarar

Tu k az mehnate deegaran be-ghame

Na shayad ke namat ne hand Aadmee"

This means:

"We, the human race are fashioned

from one precious source;

So if one part is in pain,

The other parts also experience the pain in a subtle manner.

If you do not feel the sorrow when other humans are in pain,

Then perhaps you do not deserve to be named human."

Inevitably, in the present times, the thinking and sensitive people are increasingly searching for a source of solace and peace for their thirsting souls, since materialism has proved inadequate in handling many inexplicable human problems

The Sufi Masters give light from their own enlightened hearts so darkness is dispelled and following such a path leads to health and prosperity, happiness and even bliss!

There is never any compulsion to force a person or a group to enter a Sufi school. If a soul is truly in need in pain or in anguish, a helping hand is always outstretched from the Ghayb (Unseen realm).

Conversations of the unseen, the secret longing for the Divine by the human soul and the deep inner connection between a spiritually guided and mature soul and its student are some of the jewels of this Path of Love. All three are evident in this beautiful and iconic conversation between Hazrat Amir Khusrau, and his master Hazrat Nizamuddin, both esteemed Guides of the Chishti order.

Abul Hasan who would later be entitled Amir Khusrau is only a young Turkish lad when his father takes him to initiate him as a pupil with the highest and the most noble Shaykh of his times – Nizamuddin Auliya. Though young, Abul Hasan is already churning out poetry comparable with the deepest of poets and has the audacious intention of testing the spiritual capacity of this Shaykh before becoming his initiate.

He waits outside the great Shaykh’s khanqah, and recites in his heart these famous words in Persian-

"Tu an Shah-e-ke bar aywan-e-kasrat

Kabootar gar nasheenad baz gardad

Ghareeb-e-mast mande bar dar-e-amad

Be ayad andaroon ya baz gardad."

This means:

"You are a King of such greatness-

If a poor pigeon were to alight at your palace, it will turn into a falcon.

A poor, weak soul now stands at your doorstep,

Should he enter your presence or return the way he has come?"

Nizamuddin Awliya heard his gutsy and soulful recitation and replied to his query with a couplet of the same poetic meter and rhythm:

"Be-ayad andaroon mard-e-haqiqat

Ke-ba ma yak nafas hamraz gardad,

Agar abla buwad aan mard-e-nadan

Azan rah-e-ke a mad baaz gardad"

This means

"Come on in, you man of Truth,

So by my one breath I transform you to the highest spiritual stations

But if you are a foolish and ignorant man,

(removed from the Truth)

Then return the way you have come."

When Khusrau heard this very apt reply and its deep welcome, he proceeded with joy, into the presence of his Shaykh and became enrolled as his pupil.

Similar conversations of the ghayb, the unseen world and many other important aspects of tutelage with a Sufi master are captured in these stories.

The reader will notice a distinct repetition in metaphors and content. This is intentional and very important for the nurturing of a thirsty heart and a starving soul, as they are trained to traverse on the inner realms. In the current times we tend to hurry and rush through lessons and life. The instructions of the soul require patience, learning and re-learning to truly blossom into a garden which in time provide shade, and guidance and hand holding to the next seeker.

- Masarat Maujshahi

Preface

The teachings of Sufism3 have an enduring relevance; they are varied in depth and intended to bear meaning for all humanity regardless of caste, creed, race and religion.

I was instructed by Shaykh Manzoor Alam to translate his book which has been originally published in the Hindi script, the common language of his students in India. The teachings and the lectures carried a distinct flavor of ‘Hindustani’ the spoken Hindi-Urdu of northern Indian. The Shaykh referenced and instructed frequently from the original Persian writings of the masters and the Great Poles of the Sufi way.

The very rich content and weighty task of translating the original 55 chapters prompted me to split the book into two parts. I ask forgiveness for any mis-interpretations on account of my own short-comings, though I have tried to keep as close as possible to the original text.

The first twenty-two chapters of this book are based upon stories from Hazrat4 Jalaluddin Rumi’s famous Masnavi, rendered comprehensible to people of all faiths, all levels of heart and intelligence, by one of the greatest Sufis of our times. The rest of the twelve chapters are based on the lives of the great Sufi masters of the past that are full of instruction, metaphors and guidance relevant to our lives. Part two of the same book, The Chishti masters of Light continues with the remaining short stories and question and answers walking a traveler deeper into the path of love.

This book is a translation of the first of a series of volumes written by Shaykh Manzoor Alam, who was a leader of the Chishti-Maujshahi Sufi order. This book was originally entitled ‘Ruhani Guldasta’ meaning Spiritual Bouquet - a gift from a Sufi Shaykh to his students on the path of traversing the spiritual realms. It consists of a series of illuminative talks given by Manzoor Alam at his khanqah in Kanpur, during the years 1981-83, many of which I personally attended. These talks were recorded by many of his pupils in notebooks or audiotapes, and were later compiled by Shaykh himself into a book.

The talks recorded and written by Shaykh are not from a soul longing to return to its origin, not from an intellect inspired by the Truth, and not from a heart making right and wrong. Shaykh Manzoor Alam transmits from the point of arrival, the destination. This is the place of the turning of the heart, surrender of the nafs, and the union of the Rooh (Soul) with its Maker and True Beloved. A sincere application to this book offers guidance to be in the garden now – not tomorrow. It helps with the purification of the states of being, aiding in the walking to the Unity, the Oneness of existence. Shaykh Manzoor Alam’s commentary on Rumi’s Masnavi opens many vistas of inner meanings for the soul that is searching, longing and yearning. As a disclaimer - the talks given by him are not a chapter-wise translation of Rumi’s Masnavi, but rather are based on certain excerpts from the Masnavi for the enlightenment and upliftment of his pupils, to serve as a map for their spiritual journey. The Masnavi of Hazrat Jalaluddin Rumi is undeniably one of the greatest masterpieces of Sufi literature covering such a wide spectrum of human existence on earth offering spiritual upliftment, that it has been used as a book of constant reference at spiritual centers of learning through time immemorial.

At all times, there have been men and women who have been introspective, and searched for deeper meaning in life. The Sufi path provides a deep comprehension of the spiritual dimensions contained within every human being and the levels of witnessing within each station of existence that are as varied as the human race.

Sufi teachers help to open human hearts towards a flowering of love and joy, and above all hope for a life of contentment, and a state of inner peace and equilibrium. Their doors are open at all times to all people, regardless of caste and creed, religion and nationality. For this reason, you find the dargah of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, India, teeming with multitudes from all walks of life. The barren woman prays for a child, the unmarried youth for spouses, the sick for healing and most of all are the people asking his aid in their supplications for increase in livelihood. By the grace and blessings emanating from the ever-living sentient Saint Gharib Nawaz Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, entreaties and pleadings never go unanswered.

- Masarat Maujshahi

As you start to walk the path, the way appears.

- Hazrat Rumi

An Introduction to Mawlana Jalal-ud-din Rumi

Historians summarize the life of Hazrat Rumi (the Anatolian), (1207-1273) in the following distinct phases:

1207-1217: The birth of Jalal-ud-din in Balkh and the first ten years on a migrant journey with his father through Samarqand, Nishapur and Damascus, finally settling in Malatya in eastern Anatolia. The important influences in his life at this time were his father Baha-ud-Din Walad, a theologian and mystic as well as the poet Farid-ud-din Attar. As Jalal followed behind his father bound westward, Attar remarked, prophesying the spiritual eminence of the youth, The ocean trails the river!

1218-1231: The move to Konya, marriage, birth of two sons and Jalal-ud-din’s profession as a scholar at the madrasah of his father, who was one of the chief learned men of the city.

1232-1243: Soon after his father’s demise, Rumi succeeded his father at the madrasah. He taught religion, literature and theology. He studied mysticism with Hazrat Burhan-ud-din Muhaqqiq at for eight years until the latter’s death in 1240. Rumi was already his father’s successor in jurisprudence and law and now with the inner spirituality he carried both the husk and the kernel of Islamic teachings and came to be revered as Mawlana.

1244-1248: In 1244, Shams of Tabrez came to Konya and became Rumi’s inseparable companion. Shams was a Quranic scholar and an advanced mystic. The impact of his company on Rumi made the latter increasingly ecstatic and he began extemporizing long lyrical poems. The intense proximity of the two caused resentment among Rumi’s students and family and was responsible for Shams’ first and then second disappearance in 1248. Rumi named his own compilation of poems the Works of Shams of Tabrez (Divan-e-Shams Tabrez), attributing the poetry he composed, to his beloved Shams.

1248-1258: For the next ten years, Rumi perfected the sequences of the whirling dance called Sama which was going to become the esteemed hallmark of his Mevlavi order. His main associate at this time was Saladin Zarkub.

1258-1273: Starting in 1258, Rumi composed the 26,000 verses of his masterpiece, the Masnavi. He dictated the verses to his scribe Husam Chelebi who had also been a friend of Shams. The Masnavi is regarded as the most commented upon work in all Islamic literature after the Quran. The translations of this Masnavi in our current times make Rumi the most widely read poet in the entire world. During this period Rumi also preached numerous lectures which are collected in his book of discourses called Fihi-Ma-Fihi (translated as ‘It is what it is’). Rumi died in the December of 1273.

Innumerous sources of reference are available for the life of Jalal-ud-din Rumi of Konya, both historical and contemporary. His words make a personal connection with a reader and his essence carries the unique quality of the beloved that everyone wants to claim as their own. It is no accident, that Turks, Persians and Afghans have a deep fondness and affinity for this master poet. Mystic, lover, scholar, friend, father, immigrant, he is impossible to summarize in a single chapter. How can a thimble of water represent the mighty Pacific?

Rumi’s writings though deeply purposed towards a Sufi’s spiritual upliftment are rich with metaphors, stories and flirtatious details of love. He is singularly committed to honoring the journey back to the Source, the One and does not for a moment let the soul get caught in the limited identities of being Christian, Muslim or Jew. The Masnavi is embedded with Quranic references and numerous stories from Jesus and Moses ‘alayhi