I am keeping you secret as the secret of divine love
(Masnavi Introduction Series)
July 2, 2015
Shah [King] Husam ad-Diin, light of the stars, wants the fifth volume to begin . . . O Light of Allaah! The Generous Husam ad-Diin, your are the teacher to the teachers of those who rescue people from blurred vision and bring them to clarity. Had the people not been behind a curtain, were their hearts’ eyes open and their understanding not limited, I would have begun to praise you spiritually, and I would open my mouth to utter words other than these worlds. It is not appropriate to praise you to those in prison. I shall praise you in the assembly of the spirituals (angels) and spread your praises there. It is unnecessary to tell the people of the world about you. I am keeping you secret as the secret of divine love.
(adapted from Fundamentals of Rumi’s Thought,
by Sefik Can, p. 83)
* * *
I promised a few posts ago to explore the Masnavi in relation to the Qur’aan, in particular the dynamics of divine revelation. The time is certainly fitting in the midst of the holy month of Ramadan, the month in which Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) received the first revelation of the Qur’aan. But before diving into the depths of its dynamics, let me share how the Masnavi came to be.
The title, Masnavi i Ma’navi, can be translated as: Rhyming Couplets of Profound Spiritual Meaning. (Masnavi will also sometimes be written as Mesnevi or Mathnawi.) It is said that as these inspired verses spewed forth through Jalaal ud-Diin Rumi, most of them came in perfect melody and rhyme. This presents a challenge to translators since they must often choose between translating for content or presentation (melody and rhyme). So with translations, something is often lost from the original Persian (with some Arabic), since the meaning and oratorical beauty can rarely both be preserved when translated. I prefer translations that translate for meaning, but, in either case, with a sincere translator we can be pointed toward the deeper messages that go beyond the content meaning and rhythmic “meaning.” In many mystic traditions, sometimes sound and rhythm are more powerful pointers to the deeper messages (essences) that transcend the realms of expression.
The Masnavi was composed as six books. These were “written” over the course of the last 15 years of Jalaal ud-Diin Rumi’s life. (Below you’ll see why I put “written” in quotes.) There is some dispute about whether a seventh book was written by Rumi but there is little dispute about the first six books, the sixth left incomplete due to Rumi’s passing. The six books contain over 25,000 verses that include poetic revelation, stories, commentary on the Qur’aan and Hadiths (sayings by and about Muahammad), mystic insights, and more.
In many respects, we owe the grace of the Masnavi to Husam ad-Diin Chelebi, Rumi’s closest disciple and companion. His real name is Husaam ad-Diin Hasan, but he was referred to as Chelebi: a title given to a honorable person who is highly loved and respected -- much like the original meaning of “gentleman.” It’s interesting that just as Shams al-Tabriz (the “master” who opened Rumi to the heart) didn’t consider Rumi a disciple but something more vast, Rumi holds Husam in a similar high regard. Rumi repeatedly refers to Husam as ‘Friend of Allaah’ and ‘Light of Allaah’: not terms a master bestows on a student but instead are usually reserved for referring to prophets and saints. Rumi opens the fifth book of the Masnavi in the following way:
Shah [King] Husam ad-Diin, light of the stars, wants the fifth volume to begin . . . O Light of Allaah! The Generous Husam ad-Diin, your are the teacher to the teachers of those who rescue people from blurred vision and bring them to clarity. Had the people not been behind a curtain, were their hearts’ eyes open and their understanding not limited, I would have begun to praise you spiritually, and I would open my mouth to utter words other than these worlds. It is not appropriate to praise you to those in prison. I shall praise you in the assembly of the spirituals (angels) and spread your praises there. It is unnecessary to tell the people of the world about you. I am keeping you secret as the secret of divine love.
(Fundamentals p. 83)
It is due to Jalaal ud-Diin Rumi’s love for Husam that he embarked on the journey which unfolded the Masnavi. Tradition holds that students of Rumi were studying the works (books) of other Sufi saints because Rumi had not composed a work that could be studied. He had composed many insightful verses, particularly in