The Message of the People of the Mystery

Dear companions, open the knot of the tress of the Friend;It is a pleasant night. Lengthen it by this means! It is an intimate retreat, the gathering of friends.Recite: And indeed would almost; and close the door! The rebeck and the harp are saying in a loud voice:‘Listen with understanding to the message of the people of the mystery!’ By the Friend’s soul, grief will not pull away your veil,If you rely on the favours of the Caretaker. There is a great difference between lover and Beloved:When the Beloved shows feigned disdain, you make supplication. The first advice of the pîr of the assembly is this:‘Avoid the company of wrong friends!’ For everyone who is not alive by love in…

A complete ghazal by Khwaja Hafez

To put this dervish coat in pledge for wine is better. And to drown this meaningless book into pure wine is better. Because I look back at my wasted life, To fall down drunk in the corner of the tavern is better. Because thinking about what is prudent is far from the dervish way, To have a breast full of fire and an eye full of tears is better. I shall not tell the people about the state of the heart of the ascetic, But if I should tell it, to tell this story with a harp and a violin is better. As long as the motions of the heavenly spheres have neither head nor tail, To desire for the…

Mawlana Jami

Who can be seen in the appearance of water and earth except You? Who is concealed inside the heart and soul except You? You said: ‘Purify your heart from all others except Me’. O Soul of the world, who is there in both worlds except You? در صورت آب وگل عیان غیر توکیست در خلوت جان و دل نهان غیر تو کیست گفتی که ز غیر من بپرداز دلت ای جان و جهان در دو جهان غیر تو کیست ∞ O you who’ve turned into the direction of loyalty Why have you turned the shell into the veil of the kernel? It’s not wise that your heart runs after this and that: With a single heart, one Friend is enough…

Hazrat Baba Farid

Eat your own bare, dry bread and drink plain, cold water. Don’t tempt you mind, Farid on seeing another’s buttered bread. ∞ Give up, Farid, the deeds which bring no credit, Lest you be put to shame in the court of the Lord. ∞ Don’t slander the dust, O Farid! There is nothing to equal it. While we’re alive, it lies beneath our feet. And when we’re dead, it covers us over. ∞ Serve the Lord, Farid, Casting off the doubts of your mind, For men of God are required to be Forbearing like the trees. ∞ God says: ‘If you ennoble yourself, O man, you’ll meet Me. And on meeting Me, You’ll have eternal bliss. If you ever remain…

I am an Unbeliever of Love

‘Aql âmad dîn u dunyâ shud kharâb‘Ishq âmad har du ‘âlam kâm-yâbReason entered, and religion and planet were ruined.Love entered, and both these worlds were saved. Kâfir-i-‘ishq-am musalmânî marâ dar kâr nîstHar rag-i-man târ gashta hâjat-i-zunnâr nîstI am an unbeliever of love; I have no use for Islam.Every vein of me has become a thread: I don’t need a religious belt. Mâ gharîbân râ tamâshâ-i-chaman dar kâr nîstDâgh-hâ-yi-sîna-yi-mâ kamtar zi gulzâr nîstStrangers like us have no use for a walk in the garden.The scars on my heart are nothing less than a rose garden. Shâd bâsh ai dil ki fardâ bar sar-i-bâzâr-i-‘ishqWa’da-yi-qatl ast garchi wa’da-yi-dîdâr nîstRejoice, o heart! Tomorrow at the gate of love’s market,There’ll be the promise of death,…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 31

This is a complete ghazal attributed to Khwâja Mu’înuddîn Chishtî: Az matla’-yi-dil zad ‘alam yak lam’a az rukhsâr-i-û Shud zarra zarra hastîyam dar parda-yi-anwâr-i-û A flash of light from His face appeared in my heart: My existence became a particle of the luminous veil of Huuu. Bâ ânke zarrât tan-am har yak hazârân dîda shud Yak zarra ham dîda na-shud az partaw-i-rukhsâr-i-û Although each particle of my body manifested itself in thousands of ways, Not one particle was illuminated, before this ray of light of the face of Huuu. Husn-ash chû âyad jilwa-gar tâqat na-yârad chashm-i-sar Az dîda-yi-dil kun nazar tâ bi-nigarî dîdâr-i-û My outward eyes were incapable to see when His beauty powerfully manifested itself, Then the eyes of…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 30

Here is a ghazal from the Diwaan-e-Mo’in (Persian text: Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna): Robud jaan o delam raa jamaal-e-naam-e-khodaa Nawaakht teshna labaan raa zolaal-e-naam-e-khodaa My soul and my heart have been captivated by the beauty of the name of God. My thirsty lips have been comforted by the pure water of the name of God. Wesaal-e-haqq talabi hamneshin naamash baash Bebin wesaal-e-khodaa dar wesaal-e-naam-e-khodaa If you search for union with God, be a companion of His name, You’ll see that union with God is in union with the name of God. Miyaan-e-esm o mosamma chu farq nist bebin To dar tajalliye asmaa kamaal-e-naam-e-khodaa As there is no difference between the name and the Named One, You’ll see in…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 29

This is a complete ghazal attributed to Khwâja Mu’înuddîn Chishtî: Ay ki andar ‘ain paidâ’î nihâni kîstî Har chi dar fahm u gumân âyad na ânî kîstî Who are You, Who are both clearly manifest and hidden? You, Whose existence is beyond intellect and imagination? Jumla-yi-ashyâ zi hadd-i-wasf shud ma’lûm-i-khalq Ay ki bîrûn az hadd-i-wasf-i-bayânî kîstî All things are distinguished in creation by the extent of their definitions. Who are You, Whose description is beyond any limitation? Ay ki dar har mazhar-i-naw’î zuhûrî karda’i Dar libâs-i-hajla ‘ayân ‘iyânî kîstî Who are, Who manifest Yourself in each kind of place, Whose eyes are manifest behind the curtain of the bridal chamber? Nai badan az tu khabar dârad na jân az tu…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 28

This a complete ghazal attributed to Khwâja Mu’înuddîn Chishtî: Ba-khudâ ghayr-i-khudâ dar du jahân nîst kase Sad dalîl-ast wale wâqif az ân nîst kase By God, no one exists in the two worlds but God! Countless proofs are there that He exists, but no one really knows Him. Nukta-i-sirr-i-mahabbat chu nihân az man u tu-st Lâ jaram dar sudad-i-sharh u bayân nîst kase Since the subtleties of love’s secret are hidden from you and me, No one can of course offer a clear explanation thereof. Masnad-i-‘izzat u khalwat-gah-i-wahdat khâlîst Az azal tâ ba abad dar khûr ân nîst kase The seat of honour and the solitary place of unity remain empty: From pre-eternity till post-eternity, no one is worthy to…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 27

This is a complete ghazal attributed to Khwâja Mo’înoddîn Cheshtî: Az pas-e-parda jamâlî mî-nomâyad kîst ân Ân-ke yak yak parda az rokh mî-koshâyad kîst Who is He Who shows His beauty from behind the curtain? Who is He Who gradually removes the veils before His face? Tâ ba-kaî chûn ahwalân bînî lebâs-e-mokhtalef Ân-ke har dam dar lebâsi mî-nomâyad kîst ân How long will you, like a squint eyed person, see creation dressed only in different, unrelated forms? Who is He Who appears all the time dressed in these outward forms? Jâm-e-maî bar kaf nehâda ‘aks-e-khûd dîda dar ân Har zamân dar bâda-ye-mastî mî-fezâyad kîst ân You see yourself reflected in the glass of wine you hold in your hand, But…