THE VOICE OF THE FIRE BY RUMI(K.S)

Most people guard against going into the fire
and so end up in it. Those who love the water
of pleasure and make it their devotion
are cheated with this reversal. The trickery goes further.
The voice of the fire tells the truth, saying
I am not fire. I am fountainhead.
Come into me and don’t mind the sparks.
 
If you are a friend of the presence,
fire is your water.
 
You should wish to have a hundred thousand sets
of moth wings, so you could burn them away, one set a night.
 
The moth sees light and goes into fire. You should see fire
and go to the light.
 
Rumi (K.S)
 
Translated by Coleman Barks
A Year With Rumi

COMMENTARY:

Astagfirullah Al-Aziym.

Allahumma Salli Ala Sayidina Muhammadin wa ala ali sayidina Muhammad.

Dear friend,

Rumi (K.S) is pulling attention to the trickery of this world. What is desirable to the faithfull servant(mumeen) of Allah is not desirable to the disbeliever(Kafeer). One of the miracles of  Prophet Moses (A.S) was to turn the water in to blood. Rumi (K.S) says in his masnawi that while Egyptians following the pharoh was seeing the water of Nile in blood, the same water was being seen as sweet water to the followers of Moses(A.S). That is why Moses(a.s)’s followers were drinking from that water and the followers of pharoh were afraid of it and avoiding it.

This situation tells us that Moses(A.S)’s messages, divine knowledge, duties ordained to the people by ALLAH and Moses’s call to the people were not liked by the followers of the pharoh and they saw his call as blood and were disgusted by it, where as for a believer those words were like sweet water to drink and they drank from it.

It is within the same way, people see the pleasure of this world as water and try to swim in it but in reality what seems water to them is fire, what seems paradise to them is hell in reality. In contrary to this, the true believers following ALLAH and His Rasul dive in to the divine knowledge, do their religious duties and cut their attachments with wordly pleasures in permissible level , this leads them to the paradise in both this world and hereafter.

Following hadith of Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) explains this matter very clearly:

Narrated Abu Hurairah (R): Allah’s Rasul, Muhammad (PBUH) said, “The (Hell) Fire is surrounded by all kinds of desires and passions, while Paradise is surrounded by all kinds of disliked undesirable things.” (Inordinate desires and animalistic passions lead to the Fire while self-control, perseverance, chastity and all other virtues, and the obedience to Allah and His Messenger lead to Paradise. What leads to Hell is easy to do while what leads to Paradise is difficult to do.) (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol.8, Hadith No. 495)

Condition of Pharoh and his followers on the day of resurrection is explained in Qur’an as below:

Qur’an [Al-Hud 11/98]:

يَقْدُمُ قَوْمَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَأَوْرَدَهُمُ النَّارَ وَبِئْسَ الْوِرْدُ الْمَوْرُودُ

He will go before his people on the Day of Resurrection and will lead them to the Fire for watering-place. Ah, woeful indeed is the watering-place (whither they are) led.

However, when  Moses (PBUH) saw fire, his talk to his family is mentioned in Qur’an as below :

Qur’an [Al-Taha 20/10]:

إِذْ رَأَى نَارًا فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا لَّعَلِّي آتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِقَبَسٍ أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى النَّارِ هُدًى

Behold, he saw a fire: so he said to his family, tarry ye; I perceive a fire; perhaps I can bring you some burning brand therefrom, or find some guidance at the fire.

Moses(PBUH) did not get scared of it, and found His Rabb(Lord) speaking to him from that fire.

That is why Rumi k.s says most people guard themselves against fire(what seems to them as fire) and so end up in it. We will look in to the following verses from Qur’an to show guidance to us to understand this matter more clearly:

Qur’an [Al-Bakara 2/212].

زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ اتَّقَوا فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَاللّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاء بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

Beautified is the life of the world for those who disbelieve; they make a jest of the believers. But those who keep their duty to Allah will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. Allah giveth without stint to whom He will.

Qur’an [Al-Muhammad 47/14]:

أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ كَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءهُمْ

Is he who relieth on a clear proof from his Lord like those for whom the evil that they do is beautified while they follow their own lusts?

Qur’an [Al-Hadid 57/20] :

اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامًا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ

Know ye (all), that the life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. Here is a similitude: how rain and the growth which it brings forth, delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the Hereafter is a Penalty severe (for the devotees of wrong). And Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the devotees of Allah). And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception.

Qur’an [Al-An’am 6/71]:

قُلْ أَنَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللّهِ مَا لاَ يَنفَعُنَا وَلاَ يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَى أَعْقَابِنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَانَا اللّهُ كَالَّذِي اسْتَهْوَتْهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ فِي الأَرْضِ حَيْرَانَ لَهُ أَصْحَابٌ يَدْعُونَهُ إِلَى الْهُدَى ائْتِنَا قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَىَ وَأُمِرْنَا لِنُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Say: shall we indeed call on others besides Allah, things that can do us neither good nor harm, and turn on our heels after receiving guidance from Allah? like one whom the evil ones have made into a fool, wandering bewildered through the earth, his friends calling come to us, (vainly) guiding him to the path. Say: Allah’s guidance is the (only) guidance, and we have been directed to submit ourselves to the Lord of the worlds;

Qur’an [Al-Araf 7/198]:

وَإِن تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَى لاَ يَسْمَعُوا وَتَرَاهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ لاَ يُبْصِرُونَ

If thou callest them to guidance, they hear not. Thou wilt see them looking at the but the see not.

Qur’an [Al-Muminun 23/73]:

وَإِنَّكَ لَتَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

But verily thou callest them to the straight Way;

Qur’an [Al-Lokman 31/30]:

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ الْبَاطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ

That is because Allah is the (only) Reality, and because whatever else they invoke besides Him is Falsehood; and because Allah, He is the most High, Most Great.

Qur’an [Al-Fussilet 41/5]:

وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا فِي أَكِنَّةٍ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ وَفِي آذَانِنَا وَقْرٌ وَمِن بَيْنِنَا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ فَاعْمَلْ إِنَّنَا عَامِلُونَ

They say: Our hearts are under veils, (concealed) from that to which thou dost invite us, and in our ears is a deafness, and between us and thee is a screen: so do thou (what thou wilt); for us, we shall do (what we will!)

Qur’an [Al-Yusuf 12/108]:

قُلْ هَـذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي وَسُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

Say thou: this is my way: I do invite unto Allah, on evidence clear as the seeing with one’s eyes, I and whoever follows me. Glory to Allah and never will I Join gods with Allah

Qur’an [Al-Ali Imran 3/185]:

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ وَما الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ

Every soul shall have a taste of death: and only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): for the life of this world is but good and chattels of deception.

Qur’an [Al-Hud 11/16]:

أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ فِي الآخِرَةِ إِلاَّ النَّارُ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُوا فِيهَا وَبَاطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

Those are they for whom is naught in the Hereafter save the Fire. (All) that they contrive here is vain and (all) that they are wont to do is fruitless.

Qur’an[Al-Ibrahim 14/30]:

وَجَعَلُوا لِلّهِ أَندَادًا لِّيُضِلُّوا عَن سَبِيلِهِ قُلْ تَمَتَّعُوا فَإِنَّ مَصِيرَكُمْ إِلَى النَّارِ

And they set up rivals to Allah that they may mislead (men) from His way. Say: Enjoy life (while ye may) for lo! your journey’s end will be the Fire.

Qur’an [Al-Mumin 40/41]:

وَيَا قَوْمِ مَا لِي أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى النَّجَاةِ وَتَدْعُونَنِي إِلَى النَّارِ

And O my people! How (strange) it is for me to call you to Salvation while ye call me to the fire!

Dear Friend,

Qur’an is clear to understand. The ones who love ALLAH and HIS RASUL(Messenger) will do the activities within the religion with loyallty, sincerity and inner patience and will

1-Discipline their body(Tarbiyya of the body)

2-Cleanse their souls(Tazkiyat ul Nafs)

3-Empty their hearts from evil attributes( Tasfiya ul Kulub)

4-And Polish their spirit( Tacliya-i Rooh)

Those who are called lovers of ALLAH and HIS RASUL will turn, what seems hardship to the others , in to a pleasure for themselves and will do all the duties ordained by ALLAH and HIS RASUL in order to reach the SALvation and Truth. They will sacrifice their own ego and evil attributes and desires of their own selves(nafsanic desires). Those desires will burn in this fire to reach the Truth in this world.

When King Nimrud threatened to throw Prophet Abraham (A.S) in to the fire pit so that Abraham (A.S) will leave his faith in ALLAH, Angel Gabriel (A.S) came to tell Abraham(A.S) that

“Let me save you from the fire”.

Abraham(A.S) said to Angel Gabriel (A.S), “please don’t get between me and ALLAH. If ALLAH wants to burn me, I am happy to enter in to the fire”

When he was thrown in to the fire, the fire turned in to rose garden. In fact, the hell fire does not burn the true believer it is like a water for him.

Further to that,

Tawheed(Unity) in islam is recited as “LA ILAHE ILLA ALLAH: There is no GOD but ALLAH”. This can be seen as two parts :

1-LA ILAHE: There is no GOD(inkar: Denial of GOD)

2-ILLA ALLAH: But ALLAH (ikrar: Confirmation of GOD)

1 + 2 (Together they make affirmation of unity,”tawheed”. Both parts are required!!!…)

First part is the fire second part is the light. The seeker of Truth says LA ILAHE to all of those idols which people put in to their hearts(as they are fire), and accepts the TRUTH by saying ILLA ALLAH(as this is the TRUTH and light).  So don’t be like moth, see the light from the fire and say LA ILAHA to the fire and go to the light by saying ILLA ALLAH. In this way you will have said LA ILAHA ILLA ALLAH. That is ISLAM.

Now dear seeker of TRUTH,

Read carefully and listen with the ear of your heart!…

The heart has one ear and one eye, does not have double!…

Most difficult tests come to those who claim that they LOVE ALLAH and HIS RASUL!..That claim pulls hardship on someone who is demanding the Love of GOD. That is a difficult path. If one is not observant for these tests and constantly doing lip service to term LOVE, is considered to be the liar. Because his heart and the activities he does will deny it. LOVE is the state of enlightenment of the mind. The one who enjoys the hardships and passes through the tests on the path of God are coloured with the names of GOD and finds enlightenment. They are the ones who understands what Love is. That sort of person does not sell his knowledge for money, does not open therapy classes-courses for money, does not write and sell spiritual books for money, does not show off to people with his knowledge in the media, does not advertise himself.

He becomes a truly servant to his Rabb and lives by the laws of God and the example of the prophet. With his actions and words , he stays behind the prophet of time. This has happened like this through the aeons. Without disciplining the body, cleaning the soul(nafs), emptying the evil qualities within heart, and polishing the glass of the spirit(Ruh), the one will not be able to see the qualities of God within his heart.If you feel an intense love towards God, know that this love is a jazba(attraction) which was given to you to pull you towards the path of God not to path of your mind. If you do not follow the path of God, that feeling will get weaker and weaker day by day and the passion within you will disappear in time. When you realise this, stick to the laws of God and start crying and ask for forgiveness…

May Allah help to all who claim that they love ALLAH (God)!…

Lets see what Qur’an is telling us about this matter:

Qur’an [Al-Bakara 2/214]:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاء وَالضَّرَّاء وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللّهِ أَلا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللّهِ قَرِيبٌ

Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: “When (will come) the help of Allah” Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!

Qur’an [Al-Ankabut 29/2]:

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ

Do men think that they will be left alone on saving, We believe, and that they will not Be tested?

Qur’an [Al-Ankabut 29/4]:

أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَا سَاء مَا يَحْكُمُونَ

Do those who practise evil think that they will get the better of us? evil is their judgment!

Qur’an [Al-Jasiya 45/21]:

أًمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ أّن نَّجْعَلَهُمْ كَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَوَاء مَّحْيَاهُم وَمَمَاتُهُمْ سَاء مَا يَحْكُمُونَ

What! do those who seek after evil ways think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous deeds, that equal will be their life and their death? Ill is the judgment that they make.

That is what this poor servant of ALLAH understands from this poem of Rumi(Kadesallahu Sirrehu). ALLAH knows best. May ALLAH forgive me for my mistakes. Whatever good in this commentary, it is from ALLAH, whatever bad is from my own self.

Salamun Alaikum

With Peace and Love

Barbaros Sert

Basildon-UK