Why Mystical Poetry?

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

یک زمانی صحبتی با اولیا
بهتر از صد ساله طاعت بی ریا

Meaning:

A moment spent in the company of the saints

Is far better than a hundred years of sincere obedience

Language:

Persian/Farsi


Transliteration:

Yek Zamaney Suhbatey Ba Awliya
Behtar Az Sad Saala Ta'at Be Riya

Video/Audio:

Brief Explanation:

The friends of God have tremendous spiritual impact on people and the blessings that such company brings cannot be compared even to a hundred years of sincere obedience, let alone insincere obedience. It is important to understand that the companionship of the saint (Wali) is the way to Allah, and not otherwise.

Background:

This couplet, attributed to Maulana Rumi, talks about the impact of being with good people even for a short while. Either we can contemplate on their wisdom and receive the blessings of the saying:

“A moment of contemplation is better than seventy years of (involuntary) worship.” 

Or we can converse with them whereby:

“A single conversation across the table with a wise person is worth a month’s study of books”. 

The reason why I chose mystical poetry is because mysticism is the most sublime form of religious expression, bringing to us the highest wisdom with radiant beauty, yet simple, coherent and piercing enough to reach the hearts of many. Correspondingly, poetry is the highest form of human expression and the most artistic form of literature and an apt vehicle of mystical ideas of many of the world's most renowned mystics.


However, there is a caveat.


Growing up in Kashmir, we came across an anecdote whereby the poem of a well-known poet Mullah Tahir Ghani Kashmiri was the subject of a sermon which he himself was attending as a member of the congregation, unbeknownst to the preacher. The preacher highlighted 17 possible meaning of a particular verse, all logical and linguistically possible much to the amazement of the audience. After the prayers were over, the poet introduced himself, much to the delight of the preacher and expressed admiration for the interpretations, yet regretfully admitting that when he was writing the poem, none of those interpretations crossed his mind. And he himself gave his interpretation, as the 18th one.



Such is the beauty of poetic expression. Poetry, and moreover mystical poetry has many shades of meaning and highly subtle nuances that come into play within the beauty of expression and vivid imagery. Hence no single translation or explanation can do justice to it. It is with this caveat that I make a humble appeal, that rather than going by my explanations, feel free to experience the beauty of the poem as it descends on your own heart and lends meaning to you and your life. Within these words we can feel the presence of the mystics and saints.