MA-AARIF – E – MATHNAVI A Commentary of the Mathnavi of Moulana Jalaluddin Rumi (R.A.) BY HAZRAT MOULANA HAKIM MUHAMMAD AKHTAR SAHEB (DAAMAT-BARAKAATUHUM) VOLUME I Page 1 of 197 Contents FOREWORD ................................................................................................................................... 6 LETTERS OF COMMENDATION ................................................................................................ 8 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 14 SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF MOULANA RUMI (R.A.) ................................................................ 15 SECOND PHASE OF MOULANA RUMI'S (R.A.) LIFE' .......................................................... 16 MOULANA RUMI'S (R.A.) SICKNESS AND DEATH ............................................................. 17 MOULANA'S WRITINGS ........................................................................................................... 17 SPECIALITIES OF THE MATHNAVI ....................................................................................... 17 WRITING STYLE ........................................................................................................................ 18 SUMMARY OF THE LIFE OF JALALUDDIN RUMI (R.A.) ................................................... 19 THAT THE MATHNAVI WAS AN INSPIRATION IS ALLUDED TO BY A VERSE OF MOULANA RUMI (R.A.) ............................................................................................................ 19 THE MEETING OF MOULANA RUMI (R.A.) AND HAZRAT SHAMSH TABREZI (R.A.) . 21 AKHTAR'S THOUGHTS ............................................................................................................. 23 THE STORY OF JAAFAR AL-TAYYAR ................................................................................... 24 THE STORY OF SULTAN MAHMOOD GHAZNAWI ............................................................. 26 THE STORY OF THE VEILED KING ........................................................................................ 31 THE STORY OF SULTAN KING IBRAHIM BIN ADHAM (R.A.) .......................................... 35 THE STORY OF HAZRAT PIR CHANG İ (R.A.) ....................................................................... 47 THE STORY OF THE HERDSMAN AND NABI MOOSA (A.S.) ............................................ 50 THE STORY OF HAZRAT LUQMAN (A.S.) ............................................................................. 53 THE STORY OF THE SAINT IN THE MOUNTAIN ................................................................. 60 THE STORY OF HAZRAT BILAL ............................................................................................. 62 THE STORY OF SULTAN MAHMOOD AND AYAAZ ........................................................... 66 THE STORY OF HAZRAT ZUN NOON MISRY (R.A.) ........................................................... 68 THE STORY ABOUT A CURE FOR SENSUAL LOVE ............................................................ 71 A WORD OF WARNING REGARDING SENSUAL LOVE...................................................... 73 THE STORY OF HAZRAT SHAH ABUL-HASAN KHARQANI (R.A.) .................................. 75 THE STORY OF HAZRAT JALALUDDIN RUMI (R.A.) ......................................................... 80 THE STORY OF HAZRAT UMAR AND THE ROMAN ENVOY ............................................ 88 THE STORY OF THE CROWN OF NABI SULAYMAN (A.S.) ............................................... 89 THE STORY OF HOW A PERSON'S MOUTH TURNED SKEW THROUGH HAVING MENTIONED THE PROPHET'S NAME IN JEST ..................................................................... 90 THE STORY OF THE 'NIGHT RUBY LAMP' AND THE WATER COW ............................... 91 THE STORY OF THE PATIENCE AND TOLERANCE OF NABI MOOSA (A.S.) ................. 93 THE STORY OF HAZRAT SAFOORA (A.S.)............................................................................ 94 THE STORY OF THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN A FROG AND A MOUSE .......................... 96 THE STORY OF THE PARROT AND THE SHOPKEEPER ................................................... 102 THE STORY OF THE UNGRATEFULNESS OF NAMROOD ............................................... 104 THE WISDOM OF HAZRAT LUQMAAN (A.S.) .................................................................... 106 THE STORY OF THE ACCEPTANCE OF "AH!" .................................................................... 107 THE STORY ABOUT THE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON AN ELEPHANT .......................... 108 THE VAIN IMAGINATION OF A FLY ................................................................................... 110 THE STORY ABOUT THE TREATMENT FOR A TANNER ................................................. 111 THE STORY OF THE BEWITCHED PRINCE ......................................................................... 112 THE STORY OF THE SINCERITY OF HAZRAT ALI............................................................ 114 THE STORY OF THE TRADER AND THE CAPTIVE PARROT .......................................... 117 THE ROMANS AND THE CHINESE IN DECORATING ....................................................... 119 THE STORY OF THE REPENTANCE OF HAZRAT NASOOH ............................................ 120 Page 2 of 197 THE STORY OF THE DEBATE OF HAZRAT ALI WITH A REJECTER ............................. 123 THE STORY OF THE CONVERSATION OF HAZRAT MU'AWIYA AND IBLEES ........... 124 THE STORY OF THE GRAMMARIAN AND THE SAILOR ................................................. 126 THE REJECTION BY A PHILOSOPHER................................................................................. 127 THE STORY OF HAKEEM JALINOOS ................................................................................... 128 THE STORY OF RASULULLAH'S VISIT TO THE SICK ...................................................... 129 THE STORY OF THE ROYAL FALCON ................................................................................. 131 THE STORY OF THE FALCON AND THE OWLS ................................................................. 132 THE STORY OF TAVOOS AND THE HAKEEM ................................................................... 133 THE STORY OF HAZRAT ANAS BIN MAALIK ................................................................... 134 THE STORY OF A THIEF AT THE TIME OF HAZRAT UMAR ........................................... 135 THE STORY OF HAZRAT MOOSA (A.S.) VISITING THE SICK ......................................... 137 THE STORY OF THE TREE OF LIFE ...................................................................................... 138 THE STORY OF HAZRAT IZRAEEL (A.S.) STARING AT A PERSON ............................... 139 THE STORY OF THE PLAN OF THE THIRSTY ONE ........................................................... 140 THE STORY OF PROMISING TO DO SOMETHING TOMORROW .................................... 142 THE STORY OF A MOUSE LEADING A CAMEL BY THE REINS ..................................... 143 THE STORY OF THE KILLING OF THE ELEPHANT CUB ................................................. 146 THE VIRTUE OF REQUESTING DUAH FROM OTHERS .................................................... 147 THE STORY THAT OUR SAYING 'YA ALLAH' IS HIS REPLY .......................................... 149 THE STORY OF MAJNOON LOVING THE DOGS FROM LAYLA'S STREET .................. 150 THE STORY OF LAYLA AND THE CALIPH OF BAGHDAD .............................................. 152 THE STORY OF MAJNOON WRITING LAYLA'S NAME ON THE SAND ......................... 154 THE STORY OF HAZRAT MOOSA (A.S.) AND TOWHEED ............................................... 157 THE STORY OF NABI SULAYMAN (A.S.) AND HIS INVITATION TO BILQEES ........... 159 THE STORY OF NABI MOOSA (A.S.) INVITING FIRAUN TO ISLAM .............................. 161 THE STORY OF FIR-AUN CONSULTING WITH HIS WIFE AASIYA (R.A.) OVER EMBRACING ISLAM ................................................................................................................ 163 THE STORY OF MAJNOON AND HIS CAMEL ..................................................................... 166 THE STORY OF THE PERSON WALKING WITH A LAMP BY DAY . .............................. 167 THE STORY OF THE SLAVE WHO DID NOT COME OUT OF THE MOSQUE ................ 169 THE STORY OF NABI ESA (A.S.) RUNNING AWAY FROM A FOOL ............................... 170 THE STORY OF A TWO-MONTH OLD BABY CONVERSING WITH RASULULLAH .... 172 THE STORY OF AN EAGLE TAKING RASULULLAH'S SOCKS ........................................ 173 THE STORY OF A KING AND HIS BELOVED...................................................................... 174 THE TREATMENT AGAINST LOOKING ON EVIL AND FIGURATIVE LOVE ............... 177 THE STORY OF A WOMAN CRYING BEFORE ALLAH OVER THE LOSS OF HER CHILDREN ................................................................................................................................. 179 THE STORY OF A CHILD BEING THROWN INTO A FIRE IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS MOTHER .................................................................................................................................... 179 THE STORY OF THE WIND'S DESTRUCTION OF THE PEOPLE OF NABI HOOD (A.S.) ..................................................................................................................................................... 181 THE STORY OF A MOSQUITO'S COMPLAIN TO NABI SULAYMAN (A.S.) ................... 182 THE STORY OF THE MOURNING TREE .............................................................................