چیسْت دُنیا اَز خُدا غافِل بُدَن
نِی قُماش و نَقْدِه و میزان و زَن
چیسْت دُنیا اَز خُدا غافِل بُدَن
نِی قُماش و نُقْرِه و میزان و زَن
چیسْت دُنیا اَز خُدا غافِل شُدَن
نِی طَلا و نُقْرِه، فَرْزَنْد و زَن
Meaning
Main wording
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
Main wording
Cheest Duniya az Khuda Ghafil Badan
Nay qamaash o naqda o mizan o zan
Variant 1
Cheest Duniya az Khuda Ghafil Badan
Nay qamaash o naqara o mizan o zan
Variant 2
Cheest Duniya az Khuda Ghafil Shudan
Nay tala o naqara o farzand o zan
Video/Audio
Brief Explanation
The world is not, as many suppose, the pursuit of wealth, family, and the like; 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 by many thinkers, and also by the divinely revealed religions. There are several variants of it that 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 or being. 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 being detached from this corporeal and sensual existence.
However, Rumi points out that the key area of focus is not the possessions themselves, but within ourselves, by remembering that God is the sole purpose and that 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.
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