Download PDF book: https://www.nvrislam.net/pdf/mathnavi.pdf

https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=6116
ef".
The eagle replied:
"0 Beloved for you this incident is a lesson of warning from Allah So that you may be pleased with every verdict of Allah
And consider it as a means of goodness.
And accept with pleasure from Allah if anything contrary to your wish takes place. That anything which outwardly appears to harm you by Divine verdict
You may be certain that it is for your welfare and good. Should any calamity take place, do not become saddened And be not grief-stricken when any loss occurs.
Because whatever calamity overtakes you wards off a greater calamity And any loss occurring is to ward off a greater loss".
The eagle said:
"While flying in the air, I saw the snake inside the sock. This was not as a result of my own speciality..
No! it was a reflection of your own light and your own blessings. And Allah in His wisdom kept the snake hidden from you
To give a special lesson".

LESSON

The lesson in this story is that a person should not become impatient and unduly worried when a calamity comes. Instead one should think that it has come to ward off a greater calamity. In other words, one should always pray for safety and make plans in that direction, but be patient over any calamity that. comes his way from Allah Taala. The thought that it has come to ward off greater calamity, is a consolation and eases the pain and suffering.

THE STORY OF A KING AND HIS BELOVED

Once a King went on a hunting trip. Along the way he saw a young slave-girl and fell in love with her. He purchased her from her master and brought her back to the palace with him. (He went out hunting and himself became a victim).

This slave-girl had been in love with the son of a goldsmith of Samarqand. When she came to the palace of the King, she started longing for him and felt-so much sorrow at being parted from him, that she started losing weight. She lost so much of weight and became so weak that she remained only skin and bones. The King himself seeing her suffering came near to death. He thus called many doctors to treat her and promised them various kinds of gifts and positions of honour if they could restore her to good health, saying: "Save my life, because if she should die, then just think that I too am dead".

The doctors without saying Insha-Allah, promised that very soon they will bring the sick girl back to full health. However, their medication and treatment had the opposite effect upon her.

"When the verdict of sickness comes, the doctors too become fools. And their medicines as a result, have the opposite effect.
Through destiny, the treatment was causing the sickness to increase And almond oil caused an increase in dryness".

(In other words, every medicine had the opposite effect).
In the end the doctors had to admit their failure because their claims of providing a cure for her sickness, proved unsuccessful.
"When the King saw the inability of the doctors and their disappointment

He walked towards the mosque with bare-feet.
He went to the mosque, ran towards the mihraab, fell down in prostration And cried profusely. He wetted his place of prostration with his tears".

He said, crying bitterly:
"0 Allah, all this universe is a mere speck of your creation. What can I say to you? You are aware of all our problems.
Our lack of trust in You and the condition of these doctors who failed to say: 'Insha-Allah', Is insignificant in the face of your bountiful grace.
O You who are our Refuge in times of our needs Again we have strayed from the straight path".

When the King cried and lamented before Allah in such sincerity and humility, the ocean of Allah's Mercy was stirred into action. Crying, the King fell asleep. In his dream he saw a saintly man saying to him: "0 King, do not lose hope. I shall treat your beloved back to health".

When the King awoke he found himself very much happier. That saintly man, whom he had seen in the dream suddenly, appeared in front of him. The King welcomed him with due respect and honour.

Thereafter, the saint checked the slave-girl's urine and checked her pulse. He put his hand on her pulse and mentioned the names of various towns. When he named Samarqand, the pulse rate became faster. He diagnosed from this that the sickness she had was as a result of her love for someone in Samarqand and not what the doctors thought.

"People were unaware of the secrets of the inner self I seek refuge in Allah from what they fabricate".

When the Sheikh came to know the secret of the girl's sickness, that she was in love with the son of a goldsmith of Samarqand, the Sheikh ordered the King to call him over, bribing him with wealth. The Sheikh was also a good physician. He gave the young man medicines which caused him to lose his handsome appearance. Then again he was presented before the girl.

When she saw him, her love for him evaporated because his outward form had changed so drastically, that it created an aversion in her for him. The girl was released of her love for him and became well and healthy. Within a few days she completely recovered.

"Because the girl's love was a mere worship of outward form,
Hence through changing of that form, gradually the love disappeared And she was healed.
The love that is merely as a result of colour and complexion is not love at all It is in fact evil and its end result is only shame and disgrace.
For the love of a dying one is not lasting
Because the dying are not coming to us but are leaving us.
(So when the beloved passes away, this love also passes away). Allah, who is Everlasting and free from passing away.
His Love is also more fresh, than a newly-formed rose-bud.
o Seeker, choose the love of the Living One, who remains forever, And who grants love and knowledge, who gives you to drink of the most animating drink.
And say not in hopeless fashion: How can unfit ones like myself Ever reach up to that beloved.
For He is a generous one, and for the generous that is not difficult".

(It is not difficult as the Hadith teaches us. He who draws near to Me the length of a palm, I draw near to him one yard. In other words, His door is open at all times. Whosoever wishes may enter and acquire His nearness).

LESSON

Moulana Rumi (R.A.) says that this story is applicable to all of us according to our individual conditions. The soul is made a King over our 'nafs', so that the nafs can be made to function in accordance with the will of Allah and thereby enter paradise.

But the nafs which is a servant of the soul, is inclined towards the desires of the world. As a result of that it disobeys the soul. Moreover generally the physicians of our environment are incompetent and unable to treat this sickness. For this reason
there is need for a Sheikh (Spiritual Guide) whose carefully prescribed remedy makes sinful worldly pleasures appear ugly in our eyes, so that the 'nafs' may obey the Soul. In other words, the 'nafs' will then find it easy to walk on the path of Divine
pleasures.

THE TREATMENT AGAINST LOOKING ON EVIL AND FIGURATIVE LOVE
(By Hakim Akhtar)

O God of this Universe, God of Beauty and Love A great trial for men is figurative beauty and love If love is felt for others save You (i.e. illicit love) Then that is not love but in fact is iniquity.
That love can prove to be your punishment, And can be a hindrance on your path.
For this reason the command is given: "Cast down your gaze,"
So that the heart can be without damage from the poison of love. Don't ever consider looking at evil as a minor sin,
It destroys the heart in quick time. Looking at evil is like an arrow from Iblees. It is deception drowned in poison.
How many have been destroyed in this path?
How many have lost the way in the path of this desire? They have lost in this way their whole life
The value of their lives is just remembrance of a beloved. This figurative beauty only lasts for limited number of days It is only for a couple of days that the conspiracy lasts
The love that is of colour and complexion
Is like the lovers love of the sun over the shade. Those who themselves are helpless and in need on the day of Judgement they and their lovers
Will be before Allah with blackened souls.

Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwy (R.A.) says:
Figurative, perishable love is everlasting punishment. If the heart desires any other than Allah
This is intoxication from the wine of Allah's punishment. If a soul should turn from figurative to true love, .
Then that soul will be endowed with purity.
He has then become alive, rising from the graveyard And has entered the rose-garden from a thorny world. From the thorns he has turned his attention away, And now with the heart he sees the truly beloved.
Through remembrance of Allah, he who has found peaceful tranquillity, For him even the Autumn will be Springtime.
Light has come and the fires of lustful desires are extinguished, As if Autumn has changed into Spring.
Hardhearted and merciless is this one, Selfish and faithless this delicate one.

Of bad habits and ugly disposition
Of a certainty it is. an idol that appears beautiful. When the love of other than Allah shall leave the heart There will be tranquillity and ecstasy of Springtime.
In this life will then be the rising of the sun
And the opening of the door towards the good life. . Smoke was the curtain of the lamp of the dead Greatly jealous. was the light of the sun.
When there was in the heart the thorns of love of other than Allah Then there was in it darkness and distress.
Alas what will they see of the sights of Spring
He who is not occupied with remembrance and thoughts of the Beloved? The Saqi will keep him thirsty his whole life long
If he has drunk from the cup the poison of evil looks. And when the heart is busy with the thoughts of others How can it experience pleasure in obedience and Zikr?
The heart of yours is occupied with thoughts at every moment Thus the Light of Life does not come into it.
a Lord, if You so wish, You can cleanse me of all evils, Through Your Grace.
For You this is no difficult task. That I may remain Yours in love
That I may mention Your Holy Name in heartfelt pain. That whosoever of men may hear my sighs
Will become agitated in love for You.
a Lord, make Akhtar's heart become filled with love for you And make my heart inhabited with noor".

THE STORY OF A WOMAN. CRYINC BEFORE ALLAH OVER THE LOSS OF HER CHILDREN

A certain woman used to give birth to children but none of these children remained alive. All of them after six months became sick and died. In this manner twenty of her children died and went to the graveyard.

"Twenty children, one after the other, went that way And this caused great sorrow to rise up in her".

During the latter part of the night, she rose up from her bed and fell down in prostration before her Lord, crying bitterly in sorrow as she poured out her heart in supplication. Thereafter, she went to sleep, she saw in a dream, herself wandering around in paradise. She also saw a most beautiful mansion on which her name was written. From the beauty of the gardens of paradise and its splendour, she became besides herself with pleasure.

The angels told her:
"O Woman, generally these bounties from Allah are acquired through the performance of Ibaadat and strenuous spiritual strivings. But because you were inactive in that respect and thus unable to reach that position, Allah sent those difficulties to you in the world, during which you were patient. In return for that patience, He grants you this paradise and this mansion".

Then she saw her children there in paradise. She said: "0 Lord! these children of mine were concealed from my sight, but they were never hidden from You. Here they are all present. .0 Lord, if for a thousand years you keep me as I am today, I have no regret. Even if, You should shed my blood, I will be satisfied. For these favours are much more than my patience".

THE STORY OF A CHILD BEING THROWN INTO A FIRE IN THE PRESENCE OF H IS MOTHER

A Jewish King told a woman: "Prostrate before this idol otherwise you will be cast into a burning fire".

She refused to prostrate before the idol and remained steadfast on her faith and on tawheed. The King then grabbed the baby from her arms and threw the child into the fire. The mother was greatly distressed at this and her faith was greatly tested by the event. She came very near to death out of anxiety. But suddenly the little child started speaking from out of the midst of the fire:

"I am alive and I have not died in this fire. O Mother come into this fire
I am in great pleasure, even though it appears I am in a flaming fire. O Mother come into this fire so that you too may see Allah's miracle
And so that you too can see the comfort and ease of Allah's special bondsmen Even though in the eyes of the world they are in calamity.
O Mother, come in, so that you too can see how the fire of Namrud Became like a bed of roses for Ibraheem.
And how in the fire he found a springtime of roses and jasmine. At the time you gave birth to me,
I feared it was death to me.
But when I was born I was released from a very narrow world And in my opinion, I had entered a beautiful world.
However after seeing paradise this world would appear small and narrow like the mother's stomach.
In this fire I have seen another world Whose every atom is a gift of life.
o Mother, come inside for the sake of your motherhood Come in and see that this fire has not the effect of fire, For the Mercy of Allah has converted it into a garden.
O Mother, you have seen the power of the Jewish dog,
Now come in so that you may witness the power of Allah's grace. O Mother, come inside and call others also to come,
Because my Lord had spread the tablecloth of His kindness inside. O Muslims, come inside all of you and experience
The sweetness of deen, which is sweeter than all other worldly pleasures".

The mother then threw herself into the midst of the fire and the child grabbed her by the arm. Then all the people around there jumped into the fire and experienced the grace of Allah.

"The Jewish King became ashamed and embarrassed. His plan proved to be against himself,
Because people began to long to Jump into the fire
And in sacrificing their bodies, they proved to be true in faith.
Whatever signs of insult or disgrace unworthy ones try to put on the faces of saintly ones, These signs of disgrace will get stuck upon their own faces".

The Jewish King then addressed the fire: "What is wrong with you? You refuse to show Mercy to those who worship you, and grant refuge and safety to these sons of Towheed, while causing me disgrace and embarrassment. Who has practised sorcery upon you? What is this? What has happened to your speciality of burning?"

The fire replied: "O you disbeliever, I am that same fire.
You come to me so that you may taste that same burning heat.

My temperament and my true reality has not changed
I am a sword of Allah but only cut with permission from Him. For this reason, when you feel grief and sorrow
Beg his forgiveness from sins committed,
Because sorrow only comes through His command. When through the blessings of seeking pardon,

Allah becomes pleased, .He will remove punishment.
And when the command of Allah comes, sorrow also becomes pleasure. And a prisoner is released.
Air, sand, water and fire are all slaves of Allah, even though lifeless they may be. But in Allah's sight they are alive and for them to carry out
His commands is not far-fetched at all".

THE STORY OF THE WIND'S DESTRUCTION OF THE PEOPLE OF NABI HOOD (A.S.)

It is related that when a strong wind was sent against the people of Nabi Hood (A.S.), Nabi Hood (A.S.) drew a circle around those who believed in him. When the wind reached that circle, it blew softly and gently. People who were outside the line were torn to pieces by the wind.

In similar fashion Hazrat Shaybaan Raa'ee (R.A.) used to draw a circle around his flock of sheep when he went for Jumaa Salaah so that no wolf could carry off any sheep while he was away.

Moulana Rumi (R.A.) says:
"In this fashion over the Saints of Allah the wind of death blows Like the morning garden breeze, soft and pleasant.
The fire did not burn Nabi Ibrahim (A.S.) when he was a chosen friend of Allah
Now at the time of passing away how would the fire have the courage to cause him harm? Similarly the fire of desires and lust cannot burn the true followers of the deen
But it causes the irreligious ones to be brought to hell-fire".

THE STORY OF A MOSQUITO'S COMPLAIN TO NABI SULAYMAN (A.S.)

A mosquito came before Nabi Sulayman (A.S.) with its complaint.
He said: "O You, whose Kingdom stretches over men and jinn and
over the air. Please eradicate my misfortune and judge for me in justice". Nabi Sulayman (A.S.) asked: "0 you who searches for justice,
against whom do you require a just verdict?"
The mosquito replied: "My complaint is against the wind. The wind causes me great grief and harm. When I try to suck blood, the wind blows me away. This is unjust and unfair".
Nabi Sulayman (A.S.) said: "0 Mosquito, Allah has commanded me not to give judgement until both parties to a dispute are present and given a fair hearing. "
The Mosquito replied: "Undoubtedly that is the right thing".

Then Nabi Sulayman (A.S.)summoned the wind to appear before him quickly because a complaint of injustice has been lodged against him. As soon as the wind received the summons, it came along blowing quite strongly as it hastened to the presence of Nabi Sulayman (A.S.). As soon as the strong wind arrived, involuntarily it forced the mosquito to be blown away.

Nabi Sulayman (A.S.) called upon him:
"0 Mosquito, wait a while".
"0 Mosquito, where are you going, wait! I shall now judge between the two of you". The Mosquito replied:
"0 King; my death lies in the existence of the wind. It's smoke makes my day black indeed.
When the wind comes, I experience no ease and comfort. He destroys me, by tearing me away from my place".

Now Moulana Rumi (RA.) gives advise to the seekers after the Sufi way:

He says: Similar is the case of the seeker after Allah. When he has attained some nearness to Him, the closeness of Allah Will cause his fleeing from evil. Moulana Rumi (RA.) says that for the nearness of Allah to be properly attained, it is necessary that

one should become fully engrossed in serving Him and be completely annihilated in Him. That is the sign of being truly endowed with Allah's nearness. Hence for as long as a person's 'nafs' is alive and still has arrogance in it, it is impossible to acquire nearness to Allah. One will have to destroy his ego.

"Even though in nearness to Allah, there is lasting existence,
But before this lasting existence, annihilation of the self is required".

By 'annihilation' is meant to make your own desires subject to the Divine wishes and to make them a slave of Allah, surrendered to Him. How can that one be a servant to Allah, who wants to keep his wishes above that of Allah?

LESSON

This story teaches us that only after one has annihilated his 'nafs' will he be honoured with sainthood. This annihilation is dependent upon the company of a saintly one, as Moulana Rumi (RA.) has said somewhere else:

"A nafs cannot be annihilated unless one has the shadow of a spiritual guide's guidance. Hence hold fast onto the cloth of such a destroyer of nafs".

My Sheikh and Murshid (RA.) says that here the phrase says:
"Hold fast onto". The reason for exhorting us to hold fast onto the spiritual guide is that sometimes the Sheikh may reprimand or punish a 'mureed' to correct him. At such times if one is loosely connected with him, he will become offended and run away from him, which will be to his own detriment. As Moulana Rumi (R.A.) states somewhere else:"

"If at every rebuke of the Sheikh you become fed up,
Then how without rubbing can you become clean as a mirror?" THE STORY OF THE MOURNING TREE
Rasulullah initially used to lean upon the trunk of a date palm while delivering the sermon in the mosque in Madina., Later when the tree was cut to make way for the construction of a solid mimbar, the date palm trunk began to cry out aloud like a child cries on being parted from its mother. It was deeply grieved that Rasulullah would no more lean against it. Moulana Rumi (RA.) refers to this crying and mourning in these lines:

"Because of being parted from Rasulullah~, the pillar of mourning Began crying bitterly just like a rational human being.
Through this crying the companions were surprised and astounded That this wooden trunk in all its length and width was crying so bitterly.
Rasulullah asked: 0 pillar, what is it you desire?
He replied: O Rasul of Allah, the sorrow of being parted from you is turning my life to blood. . Being parted from you is causing my life to be burnt up inside me.
And through this burning sorrow why should I not cry and lament After all you are the life of the universe.
I used to be your leaning place, now you have parted from me And in my place you have chosen another sitting place".

Rasulullah replied: "0 Blessed pillar, do you wish that I pray to Allah that you remain a green and fruitful tree and that everyone of the East and of the West should derive benefit from eating your fruits. Or do you desire something of the hereafter and to always remain green and fresh?".
The pillar of mourning replied: "O Rasulullah, I desire everlasting bounty from Allah".

Now Moulana Rumi (R.A.) gives advise: "O you unmindful and negligent ones, listen to this. You should take a lesson from the piece of wood. You, being human, are attracted to this temporary world and

turning your back upon the hereafter, whereas that mourning pillar is giving preference to the everlasting bounties, over temporary and
passing pleasures. ":

"Thereafter the wooden pillar of mourning was buried under the earth
So that like mankind it will be raised up on the day of resurrection I for its reward". NOTE:
The crying of this pillar of wood was one of the miracles of Rasulullah

THE STORY OF THE MIRACLE OF THE GRAVEL PEBBLES

Once Abu Jahl had some gravel pebbles hidden in his hand. He asked Rasulullah "If you are truly Allah's Messenger, tell me what I have in my hand? You inform people of things from beyond the heavens, therefore it should be easy for you to tell me what is in my hand".

Rasulullah replied: "Shall I inform you of what is in your hand, or should the things in your hand themselves tell you who I
am? "
Abu Jahl retorted: "I would like both things". Rasulullah said: "There are six pebbles in your hand". Then at the command of Rasulullah ~ everyone of the pebbles began to recite the Kalima Shahaadah.
When Abu Jahl saw this miracle, he became so angry that he threw the pebbles hard on the ground and turned to go home.

May his head remain covered in dust. The accursed one remained blind to the truth and his eyes were like that of the accursed Iblees who saw Nabi Adam (A.S.) as a mere being created of dust. He could not see the soul which was crowned with' the crown of prophethood. Of that he was completely unaware.

THE STORY OF THE PERSON CRYING OVER HIS DOG

A dog was dying of hunger. A person was sitting beside it and busy crying over the dying of the animal. Someone saw this and asked him: "Why are you crying?"

He replied:
"This dog had some very beautiful qualities. Now it is dying of hunger and starvation ". The man inquired:
"Tell me, what have you got in that basket which you are carrying on your head?" He replied:
"1 have bread in it as food for my journey". The man inquired:
"O you unjust one, why do you not feed the dog of the food for your journey?" He replied:
"My love for this dog is not that much that I should feed him of my bread". The crying man said:
"Bread is not acquired without payment of money,
While the tears I shed in sorrow are acquired free of charge". The passer by replied:
"May your head be covered in earth,
That in your sight a piece of bread is better than tears.
Tears are blood which through sorrow and grief turn to water. So, a foolish one, how can blood be equal in value to dust?"

(Here bread is referred to as dust because corn grows from the earth).

From this Moulana Rumi (R.A.) gives advise: "I am a bondsman of such a high-minded Sheikh (Shamsh Tabrezi) (R.A.) who would not exchange his existence for the world's greatest wealth and Kingdom. This spiritual guide of mine will only exchange his body and soul for the acquisition of Divine Love." Hence, one should become servants of the true Walis of Allah Taala - those who are filled with the spirit of Allah. If we become slaves of a worldly one, the same fate awaits us as that of the dog, for whom two tears of hypocrisy were shed which proved to be of no use. People attached to material things cannot have ambitions, because they are connected to dust. The saints of Allah, because they are connected to Allah, His Throne and to the heavens, their spirit and ambition is higher than heavenly bodies. This is the special meaning of the verse Allah
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=6116