How can friends be ever deprived

  بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ  

اَی کَریمی کِه اَز خَزانَهٔ غَیْب

گَبْر و تَرْسا وَظیفِه‌خُور داری

دوستان را کُجا کُنی مَحْروم

تو کِه با دُشْمَن این نَظَر داری

Meaning: 

 O Gracious Bountiful One! From Your Treasures Unseen

The Guebre (infidel) and the Christian are honoured by your bestowals

How can Your friends/adherents ever be deprived?

When you view dissenters/adversaries with such benevolence? 

Language:

Persian/Farsi


Transliteration:

Ae Kareemey ke az Khazana-e Ghayb 

Gabr o Tarsa Wazeefe Khordaari 

Doostan Ra Kuja Kunee Mehroom 

Tu Ke Ba Dushman Een Nazar Daari

 Video/Audio:

Brief Explanation:

The Most Generous does not withhold His Bounties from those of different faiths, and even the unbelievers, so how on earth will the faithful be deprived? This is a poem of utmost optimism and inclusion, despite using terms such as friends and adversaries, by contrast, to drive the point home.

Background:

These lines are included in the preface of Saadi Shirazi's Gulistan, or Flower Garden/Rose Garden, one of his two major works, the other being Bustan or the Orchard . In South Asia, this landmark of Persian literature is a must read for all scholars of literature, Central Asian culture as well as religion of Islam.  These verses, on the one hand reflect optimism, and on the other are essentially inclusive, underscoring the importance of Allah's Benevolence to all, even those who are unbelievers on the face of it.

O Generous One

  بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ  

کَریما، بِبَخْشای بَر حالِ ما

کِه هَسْتیم اَسیرِ کَمَنْدِ هَوا

(یا: کِه هَسْتیم گِرِفْتارِ کَمَنْدِ هَوا)

نَداریم غَیْر اَز تو فَریادْرَس

تُویی عاصِیان را خَطا بَخْش و بَس

نِگَه‌دار ما را زِ راهِ خَطا

خَطا دَرْگُذار و صَوابَم نَما  

  

Meaning: 

 O Generous One! Pardon our condition

For we are captives in the snare of our desires!  

We have none other than You whom we can call upon for help! 

You alone are the Forgiver of sinners

Guard over us/Protect us from the path of sin

Pardon our mistakes, and guide us to righteousness. 

 

Language:

Persian/Farsi

Transliteration:

Kareema bi bakhshai bar haale-maa 

Ki hastam aseeray kamanday hawaa 

Nadareem Ghair Az Tu Faryaad Ras 

Tui Aasiyan Ra Khata Baksh wa bas 

Nigahdar Ma Ra ZeRaahe Khata 

Khata Dar Guzaar wa Sawabam Numa

  

Video/Audio:

Brief Explanation:

The prayer to the Most Generous one asks for forgiveness, realising that us humans are easily waylaid by our desires unless protected by the Lord, Who else but Him, and goes further to seek protection from sins and asks for guidance.

Background:

These lines are the beginning of Saadi Shirazi's Pandnamah, or Scroll of Wisdom, and it is often known as  "Kareema"  due to these lines Kareemaa bi bakhshai bar haale maa . In South Asia, this is one of the first encounter with Persian poetry for any scholar interested in delving into the rich mother-lode of oriental wisdom.  It is also considered a blessing to study the poem as it is a prayer as well.

Four things not in your treasure

  بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

چار چیز آوَرْدِه‌اَم، یا رَبّ، کِه دَر گَنْجِ تو نیست

نیسْتی و حاجَت و عَجْز و گُناه آوَرْدِه‌اَم  

Meaning:

 

 Four things, I bring O Lord, that your treasure-troves lack:

Nothingness, Need, Inability and Sin- that is all I bring  

Language:

Persian/Farsi


Transliteration:

Chaar Cheez Awarda Am ya Rabbb, ki dar Ganj-e Tu Neest

Neesti-o Hajat-o Ajz-o Gunah Awarda Am

Video/Audio:

Brief Explanation:

The truly humble believer knows that he is weak, full of sin and handicapped by inability and devoid of a meaningful existence unless he/she truly surrenders to the Lord. At the same time, the believer is witty enough to realize that Allah is free from all such shortcomings, rather of all shortcomings altogether, and hence the wit behind the poem.

Background:

Legend has it that as Shams al-Dīn Muhammad Suzani Samarqandi (سوزنی سمرقندی) was approaching the end of his time here on earth, he uttered the lines above.

What is the world?

  بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

چیسْت دُنیا اَز خُدا غافِل بُدَن

نِی قُماش و نَقْدِه و میزان و زَن

Variant 1:

چیسْت دُنیا اَز خُدا غافِل بُدَن

نِی قُماش و نُقْرِه و میزان و زَن

Variant 2:

چیسْت دُنیا اَز خُدا غافِل شُدَن

نِی طَلا و نُقْرِه، فَرْزَنْد و زَن 

Meaning:

What is this world ? (It is) sensuality heedless of God, not (as is commonly believed to be) finery, wealth, rank (level) or consorts

Meaning of Variant 1:

What is this world ? (It is) sensuality heedless of God, not (as is commonly believed to be) finery, silver, rank (level) or consorts

 Meaning of Variant 2:

What is this world ? (It is) being unmindful of God, not (as is commonly believed to be) gold, silver, progeny or consorts

 

Language:

Persian/Farsi 

Transliteration:

Cheest Duniya az Khuda Ghafil Badan

Nay qamaash o naqda o mizan o zan

Cheest Duniya az Khuda Ghafil Badan

Nay qamaash o naqara o mizan o zan

Cheest Duniya az Khuda Ghafil Shudan

Nay tala o naqara o farzand o zan

Video/Audio:

Brief Explanation:

The world is not, as is supposed by many, indulgence in the pursuit of wealth, family and the like, but rather it is the pursuit of sensuality in utter heedlessness of God.

Background:
 
This couplet from the piece de resistance Mathnawi of Maulana Rumi tries to explain the true nature of the ephemeral world, دنیا , which has been the subject of discussion of many a thinkers, and also of the divinely revealed religions.  There are several variants of it, which have made it into conventional wisdom, so we thought that we should share them as well. Sometimes it is misattributed to others, but the first version is very clearly recorded in the Mathnawi and can be accessed here and here.

The poem implies that utter heedlessness of God, being unmindful, will debase us and restrict us in this physical body/being. And that is the true meaning of being involved in the world.

Many thinkers, saints and pious people have suggested living lives of simple means, yet meaningful.  There is a highly evolved concept of (زُهْد) zuhud, variously translated as asceticism, abstinence or detachment, which encourages having no love for the material world, or be detached from this corporeal and sensual existence.  

However, Rumi points out that the key area of focus is not the possessions themselves, but within ourself, by remembering that God is the sole purpose, and the pursuit of anything else is heedlessness.

The son-in-law and beloved companion of the Prophet ﷺ,  ʿAlī ibn ʾAbī Ṭālib  (may Allah ennoble his countenance), has put it beautifully:

"Detachment is not that you should not own anything, but that nothing should own you."  

It is implied that nothing should own you other than God.

Our Destiny is Paradise

  بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

نَصیبِ ماست بِهِشْت، اَی خُداشِناس، بِرَو

کِه مُسْتَحَقِّ کَرامَت، گُناه‌کارانَنْد

Meaning:

 It is our destiny to be in Paradise, oh theologian, shoo away! 

Indeed it is the sinners who deserve God's generosity.  

  

Language:

Persian/Farsi


Transliteration:

Naseeb-e Maa Ast Behisht, Ae Khuda Shanas BRoo

 Ki Mustahiq e Keramat Gunah kaaraanand 

Video/Audio:

Brief Explanation:

The Mercy of the Benevolent Lord will manifest itself on the one who is most needy, and according to Hafez, who else is more needy as compared to the sinners? Khuda Shanas, translated as Theologian, could also mean anyone who claims to know God by heart, or claims to speak on behalf of God and makes salvation as an exclusive right to those who follow them.

Background:

As is often the case of friends of God, Hafez was targeted for being anti-religion due to a lack of understanding, and even lack of effort in understanding of what he was all about.  He did not go against those who condemned him, but rather went along a different paradigm altogether.  

His is a thought process that accepts human imperfections and propensity to sin, but argues in favor of the the principle of God’s unlimited forgiveness and leniency (since in Islam, God is, first and foremost, “Benevolent” and “Merciful”).  His argument revolves around manifestation of this Mercy, and who else but the (repenting) sinners who will be the recipient of such Mercy. This is of course in line with a tradition of the Prophet ﷺ which can be seen here:

حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الأَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، حَدَّثَنِي عِيَاضٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْفِهْرِيُّ - حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ رِفَاعَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ الْقُرَظِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي صِرْمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ لَوْ أَنَّكُمْ لَمْ تَكُنْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبٌ يَغْفِرُهَا اللَّهُ لَكُمْ لَجَاءَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ لَهُمْ ذُنُوبٌ يَغْفِرُهَا لَهُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Abu Ayyub Ansari reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:

If you were not to commit sins, Allah would have swept you out of existence and would have replaced you by another people who have committed sin, and then asked forgiveness from Allah, and He would have granted them pardon.

Every nation is on the right path

  بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

هَر قَوْم راست راهی، دینی و قِبْلَه‌گاهی

ما قِبْلَه راست کَرْدیم، بَر سَمْتِ کَج‌کُلاهی

Meaning:

Every nation is on the right path, towards their respective Qiblahs, to which they turn

I have straightened my Qiblah in the direction of your tilted cap 

  

Language:

Persian/Farsi


Transliteration:

 Har qaum raast raahay, deen-e wa qibla gaahay

Maa qibla raast kardaym, bar samt kaj kulaahay.

 

Video/Audio:

Brief Explanation:

God has given guidance to every nation, and as long as they are consistent on that guidance and tradition then that means they are on the right path.

Background:

Amir Hasan 'Ala' Sijzi Dehlawi, a disciple of beloved of God (mehboob-e-ilahi), Shaykh Nizamuddin Auliya (may Allah be pleased with him), writes about a conversation between the shaykh and his favorite disciple, Amir Khusrau (may Allah be pleased with him), enshrined in verse form in his compilation of poems.

The two were making ritual ablutions (wudhu') by the river one early morning, and a group of Hindu ascetics (sadhu) came by for their morning bath and prayers. During ablution, it is pertinent to note that the shaykh had pushed his cap back so it was tilted. Amir Khusrau, upon seeing the sadhus was thinking to himself, saddened by the fact that they were unbelievers, and thus misguided. The shaykh felt his misgivings, and uttered a statement, which came to be the defining statement of Sufi Muslim creed in South Asia:

هر قوم راست راهي، ديني و قبله گاهي

Every nation is on the right path, towards their respective Qiblahs, to which they turn

Embarrassed by the fact that his thoughts were read by the shaykh, as well as by the spontaneous correction, Amir Khusrau was humbled, amazed and immediately rectified his mistake by responding:

 ما قبله راست كرديم ،‌بر سمت كج كلاهي

I have straightened my Qiblah in the direction of your tilted cap 

And, devoted to his shaykh and remaining true to his word, Amir Khusrau (as well as all the Chisti saints even to this day) stayed compassionate, inclusive towards other faiths and humble.