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Showing posts from January, 2021

The foundational brick

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        بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ  چون گذارد خشت اول بر زمین معمار کج گر رساند بر فلک، باشد همان دیوار کج Meaning:   If an architect/builder sets the brick of the foundation incorrectly in a crooked manner Even if he manages to make the wall reach up to the sky, it will still be a crooked wall Language: Persian/Farsi Transliteration: Choon Guzarad Khishte Awal Bar Zameen Ma'imar Kaj Gar Rasanad Bar Falak, Bashad Haman Deewar Kaj     Video/Audio: Brief Explanation: The verses means that in anything, our fundamentals must be right from the beginning. No "ends justify the means", but rather the intention of doing something must be correct, and the steps and the means to achieve the same must be righteous, otherwise whatever we do will be tainted no matter how successful it seems. Background: These verses are from one of the famous poems of Mīrzā Muḥammad ʿAlī Ṣāʾib , also known as Saib Tibrizi . The verses have inspired a well known proverb as well: خشت اول گر ن

Shoo Away

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      بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ   از سر بالین من برخیز اے نادان طبیب  دردمند عشق را دارو بجز دیدار نیست Meaning:   O ignorant physician! Shoo away from my bed side There is no remedy for a love afflicted person except a vision of the Beloved  Language: Persian/Farsi Transliteration: Az sare baleene man barkheez ae nadan tabeeb Dardmande isqh ra, daroo bejuz deedar neest       Video/Audio:   Brief Explanation: True lovers find relief from affliction only in the presence of the Beloved. Background: This is from one of the controversial poems of hazrat Amir Khusrau  indicating his choice of a religion of Love over all forms of formal religions, and also his indifference to the reaction of the common folk to his choice.  Although Amir Khusrau is extremely well known as a Sufi and a pious person, it is often seen that he would use shocking terminology to promote the idea of love, prioritizing it over other aspects of religion.