The command ‘come against your will’ is for the blind follower of religion. ‘Come willingly’ is for the sincere.

Jalaluddin Mevlana Rumi

Real Beauty and Real Love

The command come against your will
is for the blind follower of religion.
Come willingly is for the sincere.
The former loves God for something else,
while the sincere one has a pure, real love.
The former loves the Nurse,
but for the sake of the milk,
while the other has given his heart
for the sake of the Nurse Herself.
The child is blind to Her beauty—
he just wants milk,
while the other is truly the lover of the Nurse—
single-mindedly, passionately in love.

Jalaluddin Mevlana Rumi

Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, born on September 30, 1207, and also known as Jalaluddin Mevlana (Mawlānā) Rumi, J. M. Rumi, or simply as Rumi in the Western world, was an extraordinary poet, philosopher, and Sufi mystic. He was a prominent figure in the Islamic world, born in the region of present-day Afghanistan, then within the greater Persian Empire, and later settled in Konya, present-day Turkey. Rumi's passionate love for humanity and his deep spiritual insights transcended geographical, linguistic, and cultural barriers, making his poetry and teachings resonate not only within the Islamic world but also with audiences globally.

Rumi's spiritual journey led him to develop a unique approach to Sufism that emphasized love, tolerance, and the pursuit of enlightenment. He created a fusion of traditional Islamic beliefs with mysticism, nurturing a school of thought that flourished in his followers. They established a sect known to the Western world as the 'Whirling Dervishes', a term derived from their mesmerizing practice of whirling as a form of physical meditation. The proper name for this branch is the Mevlevi order, dedicated to preserving and promoting Rumi's teachings.

In addition to being a mystic, Rumi was an accomplished scholar and theologian who left behind an impressive literary legacy. His best-known work, the Mathnawi or Masnavi, is a six-volume poetic epic that explores themes of love, divine mystery, and human connection to the spiritual world. Rumi's poetic style is marked by profound emotion and philosophical depth, weaving metaphors and allegory to create timeless pieces that continue to inspire readers today. Rumi's influence reaches far beyond his time, as his teachings on love, compassion, and unity continue to touch the hearts of millions, transcending barriers of religion, culture, and era.

(1207-1273) Islam
Mathnawi

Rumi, Jalaluddin Mevlana. The Rumi Daybook. Translated by Kabir Helminski and Camille Helminski, Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2012, p. 228 [Mathnawi III: 4590-4594].

Jalaluddin Mevlana Rumi

Theme: Virtue Is

Jalaluddin Mevlana Rumi, Mathnawi III: 4590-4594 [Commentary]

Rumi directly confronts us with two types of love for God. One is conditional, driven by what one can receive in return, like a child loving a nurse only for the milk she provides. The other is sincere, unfiltered love, comparable to someone who loves the nurse for who she is, not for what she can give. When Rumi says “The former loves God for something else,” he is telling us that this kind of love falls short. It’s a transaction, not a true relationship.

The deeper love, according to Rumi, is love for God that exists for its own sake. It’s not about what one can gain, whether that’s heaven or some other reward. It’s about a heartfelt and devoted relationship with the Divine. This love is not just another item on a list of virtues; it is the foundation upon which all virtues are built. It’s the sort of love that makes us better individuals and allows us to connect authentically with others and the world around us.

In essence, Rumi asks us to examine our love for God and question if it is genuine or conditional. He points us toward a love that isn’t contingent on receiving something in return. This is a direct invitation to assess the quality of our devotion, not just to God but also in how we love in our earthly relationships. It’s an invitation to purity, to sincerity, and ultimately, to a more virtuous life.

Additional Rumi Poems

A PAUSE IN PRAYER

“Pay attention, just look at the loving-kindness of God!
Would anyone but God do this–
be content with a single thank-you for such gifts?
He gives us a head and asks for just one bow of thanks;
He gives us feet and asks for just a moment’s pause in prayer.”

—Kabir and Camille Helminsky, Trans. [The Rumi Daybook, A Pause in Prayer. P. 206 (Mathnawi III: 2672-2673)].

PARABLES OF THE REAL

“I’ve called that Unlimited Beneficence a garden,
because it’s the source of all abundance
and the gathering of all gardens;
and yet, it’s “something no eye has seen”*:
how could one ever call it a “garden”?
Yet God called the Light of the unseen “a lamp.”
Parables are offered so that one who is bewildered
might catch the fragrance of that which is Real.”

—Kabir and Camille Helminsky, Trans. [The Rumi Daybook, p. 222 (Mathnawi III: 3405-3407)].

* This is referring to a hadith qudsi: The Prophet said, “God says, ‘I have readied for My righteous servants what no eye has ever seen, and no ear has ever heard, and no heart of man has ever conceived.'”

THE GIFT BEYOND IMAGINING

What Does Not come into man’s imagination is called a “gift,” because whatever passes through his imagination is in proportion to his aspiration and his capacity. However God’s gift is in proportion to God’s capacity. Therefore, the gift is that which is worthy in relation to God, not what is worthy in relation to the imagination or ambition of God’s servant. “What no eye has seen nor ear heard nor has occurred to the mind of man”*–that is, “no matter how much eyes have seen, ears heard, or minds conceived the gift you expect of Me, My gift transcends it all.”

—Kabir and Camille Helminsky, Trans. [The Rumi Daybook, p. 283 (Fihi ma Fihi: Discourse 31)].

* This is a hadith qudsi (a’dadtu li-ibadi…), “What no eye… have I prepared for my righteous servants.”

THE PULL OF REALITY

Reality is what grabs hold of you
and pulls you away from mere things.

Reality is not what makes you blind and deaf
and causes you to cling more tightly.

The spiritually blind imagine things
that only increase their suffering;
the fancies of selflessness
are what come to the eye of visionaries.

—Kabir and Camille Helminsky, Trans. Rumi, Jalaluddin Mevlana. The Rumi Daybook. Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2012, p. 145 [Mathnawi 11:720-722].

Real Beauty and Real Love

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