The One Who Sees

If anyone has eloquence, a listener draws it out:

the teacher's enthusiasm and energy

are derived from the child he teaches.

When the harpist who plays twenty-four musical modes

finds no ear to listen, his harp becomes a burden:

no song comes to mind, his ten fingers will not function.

If there were no ears to receive the message from the Unseen,

no prophet would have brought a revelation from Heaven.

And if there were no eyes to see the works of God,

neither would the sky have revolved,

nor would the earth have smiled with fertile greenness.

The declaration lawlâka** means this,

that the whole business of creation

is for the sake of the perceiving eye

and the one who sees.

**"But for you," referring to the Holy Tradition (hadith qudsi):
"But for you (O Muhammad) I would not have created the worlds."

Mathnawi: VI: 1656-1661

Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski

Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance

Threshold Books, 1996

No Escaping But Surrender

Friends, the Beloved has blocked every escape:

we are lame deer and He a prowling lion.

Cornered by a fierce and blood-thirsty lion

what is there to do but surrender?

This Beloved, like the sun, neither sleeps nor eats:

He makes souls sleepless and hungry,

saying,

 "Come, be Me, or one with Me in nature,

so when I unveil Myself, you may behold My Face.

And if you had not beheld it,

how would you have become so distraught?

You were earth, and now

you long to be quickened with spiritual life."

Already the Beloved has bestowed gifts

from that world of spacelessness,

otherwise why would your spiritual eye keep gazing there?

Mathnawi VI: 576-581

Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski

Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance

Threshold Books, 1996

The Beloved You've Lost

i want to leave this town

but you've chained me down

stolen away my heart

leaving yourself behind

now i've lost my way

my soul restless and head twisted

all because of those secrets

you once whispered

i only must keep

fasting my heart

to set me free

from sleepless nights

since your only advice

when you saw me in flame

was to keep burning

with you or with your thoughts

words of wisdom

came to me at last

"the beloved you've lost

the one you've been seeking outside

can only be found inside"

Ghazal 2582, from the Diwan-e Shams

Translation by Nader Khalili

"Rumi, Fountain of Fire", Cal-Earth Press, 1995

Something Incredible

(image credit - www.panhala.net)

Somewhere,
 something incredible is waiting
 to be known.

 ~ Blaise Pascal ~

Ramadhan

Celebrate! The month of fasting has come

Ghazal 2344

Celebrate! The month of fasting has come.

Pleasant journey to the one Who is the company of the fasting.

I climbed the roof to see the Moon, Because I really missed fasting

By heart and soul.

I lost my hat while looking at the Moon.

the Sultan of fasting made me drunk.

O Muslims, I have been drunk since that day I lost my mind.

What a beautiful fortune fasting has. What a wonderful glory.

There is another secret moon Besides this one.

He is hiding in the tent of fasting

Like a Turk.

Anyone who comes

To the harvest of fasting in this month

Finds the way to this Moon.

Whoever makes his face

Resemble pale satin

Wears the silk clothes of fasting.

Prayers will be accepted in this month.

Sighs of the one fasting pierce the sky.

The person who sits patiently At the bottom of fasting's well

Owns the love of Egypt, like Joseph.

O the word which eats the Sahur* meal,

Be silent so that anyone

Who knows fasting will enjoy fasting.

Come, O Shems, the brave one Of whom Tebriz is proud.

You are the commander of fasting's soldiers.

Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi
Translation by Nevit Ergin
(from the Turkish translation of the original Persian by Golpinarli)
"Mevlana Jelaleddin Rumi: Divan-i Kebir," Volume 18, 2002.

Ever Wondering...

( سورة ق  , Qaf, Surah 50, Ayat 16)

Dan demi sesungguhnya, Kami telah mencipta manusia dan Kami sedia mengetahui apa yang dibisikkan oleh hatinya, sedang (pengetahuan) Kami lebih dekat kepadanya daripada urat lehernya.

( سورة ق  , Qaf, Chapter #50, Verse #16)

It was We Who created man, and We know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein.

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are flat?

Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they know there is not enough?

What is the speed of darkness as opposed to speed of light?

Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up every two hours?

If the temperature is zero outside today and it's going to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold will it be?

Do married people live longer than single ones or does it only seem longer?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
 

Did you ever stop and wonder.....???

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these pink dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?'

Who was the first person to say, 'See that chicken there... I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta its bum.'

 

Why do toasters always have a setting so high that could burn the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?

Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their bum when they ask where the bathroom is?

 

Why does your Obstetrician, Gynaecologist leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!

 

If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

 

Why do the Alphabet Song and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Stop singing and read on........!!!

Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?

(image credit : http://kara.allthingsd.com)

"You are nearer to me than my jugular vein"

You are my face; no wonder I don't see You:

such closeness is a mystifiying veil.

You are my reason; it's no wonder I don't see You,

 because of all this perplexity of thought.

You are nearer to me than my jugular vein.

Mathnawi:VI:666-68, Ver by Camille & Kabir Helminski,

 "Rumi:Jewels of Remembrance", Threshold Books, 1996

If anyone wonders how Jesus raised the dead,

don't try to explain the miracle. 

Kiss me on the lips,

Like this !  Like this !

(image credit : down-bedding-delights)

In God We Trust

The email containing just the 3 throphy photos shared to me had the title "China Made Trophy". Well, there are reasons to believe so.....the 3 throphy photos had inspired me to write this blog entry

(note** -  unable to trace the source of images for credit purposes)

When you forgo and ignore production standards just to make things cheap (or is it to maximise your profit?) .. things become dirt cheap, near worthless....

not in money,
but in values, morals, ethics, ... the list goes on.

If you make money work for you, then there is a good chance they will come in great numbers to work for you.

But if you work for money, rest assure that money will soon work you out and turn you into one of the many "money worshippers". Then say hello to cheats, deceits, immorality, unethical practices, greeds, sorrows, angers, possessiveness etc etc because your God is no longer your God..

MONEY IS !!!

(note : the image below was edited from its original source)

(image credit : http://www.tothesource.org)

You may be driving a big MPV with number plate bearing your initials and single digit number, but you may still collaborate with the enemies of the country, hand away the sovereignty, selling the country cheap in dignity and everything else, all in the name of money, "In god We Trust"! 

There is no victory to celebrate among the "money worshippers"

An engineer will advise an accountant this:-

"Next time you go to, say Nilai 3, to get yourself a product, having 'money' as the first thing in your mind, think about the safety features the product has. Ask yourself, 'Do you want to spend less money?' or 'Do you want to buy yourself a product?'. 

A product built primarily because of 'money', is not a product. It is 'god money' in disguise. The seller out of greed  will try to maximise profit (to a point of disregarding everything else) and the buyer with 'money god in mind' will be victimised (because spending less money becomes the first criteria). The product will likely fail to function in no time,  if not  failed in safety features (thus spend more money to get another one -- never fail to keep on worshipping).

Worth it?

So, which product does really have value for money? A product built to serve it functions (thus following the standards set forth in terms of safety, quality, functionality etc and cost a bit more) or a product built to make it appear cheap in cost?

Can a country progress and become a first world nation if "Money" in actual fact,
is god No. 1?

(image credit : www.johnlockepainting.com)

Someone says,

"I can't help feeding my family.

I have to work so hard to earn a living."
 

He can do without God,

but not without food;
 

he can do without Religion,
but not without idols.
 

Where is one who'll say,
"If I eat bread without awareness of God,
I will choke."

Mathnawi II: 3071-3079,
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight", Threshold Books, 1994

The Secret

Pssssstt!!! PSSSSSSTTTTT...!!!
Hey you ! Yeah YOU !
Wanna hear a secret? (or rather,
wanna read a secret ?)
come nearer please....! nearer....

The secret will be revealed when you drag your mouse, highlighting the white box below...

 Start HERE-> 
(to highlight - left click and hold your mouse button, drag it to the bottom of the box)

A SECRET IS NOT A SECRET .....

WHEN IT CAN BE TOLD... !!!

<- End HERE

GOT IT ?

"I followed my own path of love,
and now I am in bad repute.

How can a secret remain veiled,
if from every tongue it drips?"

(Hafiz Al Shirazi)

( سورة التوبة , At-Taubah, Chapter #9, Verse #128)

"In Silence"

A guide has entered this life in silence.

His message is only heard in silence.

Take a sip of his precious wine

and lose yourself.

Dont insult the greatness of his love,

for he helps all those who suffer, in silence.

Polish the mirror between the breaths.

Go with him beyond words.

He knows your every deed.

He is the one who moves the wheel of heaven,

in silence.

Every thought is buried in your heart;

He will reveal them one by one, in silence.

Turn each of your thoughts into a bird

and let them fly to the other world.

One is an owl, one is a falcon, one is a crow.

Each one is different from the others

but they are all the same in silence.

To see the Moon that cannot be seen

turn your eyes inward and look at yourself,

in silence.

In this world and the next,

dont talk about this and that;

Let him show you everything,

shining as one . . .

in silence.

(Ode 1897-Version by Jonathan Star, "Rumi - In the Arms of the Beloved",
Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, New York 1997)

New Year - Let's Have A Dream

Wishing all the readers, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010.

This new chapter, another new linear year, let us have a dream.  Let's wake up and dream.

Now, let's talk about dreams...!

Ever dreamed that you were being chased by something frightening? Being chased by a tiger, perhaps? Or something called a ghost?

(image credit : rohit)

Did you remember the dream well enough to describe it after you awake? Did you remember the colour of the dream? Or was it colourless? Or could not even tell whether the dream was colourless or colourful? Could not tell if it was colourless even !!

When awakened from the dream, did you feel the heart thumping, perhaps you were sweating too?

Let us ponder...

Who was having a dream ?

In the dream, who saw you being chased by the tiger ? (take your time now and perhaps you want to read the question again)

Who saw You ? saw Who ? Who again, was watching you being chased ? !!

Who felt and experienced the fright moments ? You again ?

Who was then, sweating ? well.. You ?

Who was there sleeping in the bed ? You ?

So... which one is (or are)... YOU? 

Thou Art the Sky and the Deep Sea 

When you fall asleep,
you go from the presence of yourself
into your own true presence.
You hear something and surmise that
someone else in your dream has secretly informed you.
You are not a single "you."
No, you are the sky and the deep sea.
Your mighty "Thou," which is nine hundredfold,
is the ocean,

the drowning place of a hundred "thou's" within you.

 Mathnawi III: 1300-1303, Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski,
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance", Threshold Books, 1996 

image credit : ManiacWorld

"I am He whom I love,

and He whom I love is I:

We are two spirits...

dwelling in one body.

If thou seest me,

thou seest Him,

And if thou seest Him,

thou seest us both.

(al-Hallaj)

I'd like to end this post with a song and lyrics from my favorite artist, M. Nasir.

Di Balik Cermin Mimpi

Di balik cermin mimpi

Aku melihat engkau
Di dalam engkau
Aku melihat aku

Ternyata kita adalah sama

Di arena mimpi yang penuh bermakna

Bila bulan bersatu dengan mentari

Bayang-bayang ku hilang

Di selebungi kerdip nurani

Mencurah kasih, kasih murni

Mencurah kasih

Di balik cermin, cermin mimpi

Adalah realiti yang tidak kita sedari

Hanya keyakinan dapat merestui

Hakikat cinta yang sejati

Hakikat cinta yang sejati

Dengan tersingkapnya tabir siang
Wajah kita jelas terbayang

Dan terpecah cermin mimpi

Menjadi sinar pelangi

Pelangi

and one more from Rumi.....

The Beloved is all, the lover just a veil.

The Beloved is living, the lover a dead thing.

If Love withholds its strengthening care,

the lover is left like a bird without wings.

How will I be awake and aware if the light of the Beloved is absent?

Love wills that this Word be brought forth.

If you find the mirror of the heart dull,

the rust has not been cleared from its face. 

(Mathnawi: I:30-34, Version by Camille & Kabir Helminski,

"Rumi: Daylight", Threshold Books, 1994)

Sambutan Aidil Adha

Selamat Menyambut Hari Raya Korban buat kaum Muslimin serta Muslimat semua. Maaf zahir & Batin.

(image credit : ns.net.my)

"....Berkorban apa saja

Harta ataupun nyawa

Itulah kasih mesra

Sejati dan mulia..."

(Seniman Agung P. Ramlee)

and poems by Jalaluddin Rumi

I see His face, I see His smile –

There is my joy!

I feel His rage, I feel His painful blows –

There is my joy!

But what's this? He has asked for my head!

At least He has asked me for something –

There is my joy!

(Jonathan Star & Shahram Shiva, A Garden Beyond Paradise, Bantam Books, 1992)

(image credit : mim786)

I am in love not only with his smile and radiant face

but also with his wrath and contempt.

He has asked for my head, I do not care if I lose it

what makes me ecstatic is

Him asking.

(Azima Melita Kolin Maryam Mafi, Rumi: Hidden Music, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001)

"Your beloved lives next door" - Ghazal 648

O you who've gone on pilgrimage - 
where are you, where, oh where?

Here, here is the Beloved!

Oh come now, come, oh come!

Your friend, he is your neighbor, he is next to your wall

You, erring in the desert - what air of love is this?

If you'd see the Beloved's form without any form

You are the house, the master, You are the Kaaba, you! . .

Where is a bunch of roses,
if you would be this garden?

Where,
one soul's pearly essence when you're the Sea of God?

That's true -
and yet your troubles may turn to treasures rich

How sad that you yourself veil the treasure that is yours!

(Translation by Annemarie Schimmel, "I Am Wind, You are Fire", Shambhala, 1992)

(image credit : islamidavet)

Pilgrims!

why are you turning round in circles,
what are you looking for?

The Beloved is here, why search in the desert?

If you look deep in your heart,
you will find Him within yourself.

You have made the pilgrimage
and trod the path to Mecca many times.

You rave about the holy place
and say you've visited God's garden

but where is your bunch of flowers?

You tell stories about diving deep into the ocean

but where is your pearl?

There is some merit in the suffering you have endured

but what a pity you have not discovered
the Mecca that's inside.

(Translation by Azima Melita Kolin & Maryam Mafi, "Rumi: Hidden Music", HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001)
(image credit :i.telegrapgh.co.uk)

Pilgrims on the way! where are you?

Here is the beloved, here!

Your beloved lives next door, wall to wall

why do you wander round and round the desert?

If you look into the face of Love

and not just at its superficial form

You yourselves become the house of God

and are its lords

Ten times you trod the trek unto that house

For once come into this house

climb onto this roof

That sweet house of sanctity --

you have described its features in detail

But give me now
some indication of the features of its Lord

If you have seen that garden,
where is your bouquet of souvenirs?

If you are from God's sea, 
where is your mother of pearl soul?

And yet, may all your troubles bring you treasure

What pity that your treasure lies buried in your selves.

(Translation by Franklin D. Lewis, "Rumi - Past and Present, East and West", Oneworld Publications, Oxford, 2000)

The One Who Owns

Do you own a car? A house? That money in the bank? It does not matter whether it is a BMW or a Kancil, a hut or a mansion, whether the sum barely enough to cover the bank's monthly charges or can buy the entire bank itself. You own them! Why ?!

(A Perodua Kancil - image from PRT MotorSport)

Simply because your name gets printed in the car ownership title; written in the house and land grant titles and; the account name bears your name (for discussion sake, don't say the banks actually own them because you have not paid up the loans! he..he..he..!).

Let us go slightly deeper. Beside these ownership documents, what else makes you own those things? Don't imagine too much now.

Isn't it because you are here? Don't you think? You exist. You have a name therefore you can be located and issued with the ownership documents. Documents under your name, signifying you as the legitimate owner.

In another word, ...because you are alive !!!. You are breathing!

hold your breath now....

(image credit : ubc triathlon club)

Now let us step into the realm of wonders and ask,

  "What if I am dead? What if I am no longer breathing?"

Do you still own those things? Those ownership documents still have your name on them. But where are you in this world? Have you not departed leaving all your belongings behind? Or do you still carry them with you when you departed? A BMW made from paper perhaps? Let us not venture and get ourselves lost in that uncharted territory. Not just yet.

Can we ponder on this simple statement then.

In this world, we are the owner of all the things we own, as long as we are still breathing. The moment we stop breathing (dead! to be very blunt about it!),we cease to be the owner of all those things.

Now who owns this breath? We draw, we huff and puff every second of the day, non-stop. Who own it?

We? You? Me? Can we then command, "Hey breath! Go away! Leave me alone for a moment". The breath obeys and goes away. Soon, we quickly summon the breath, "Come here quick! I am breathless!".

(image credit : active.com)

The breath again obeys. Can we do that at our whims and fancies? I don't think I can.

When the time comes, it will not be a second too early or a second too late.

Ponder again on this:-

Can it be implied that the real owner of all things imaginable by our minds is in fact the Owner of this single breath we take? The moment 'He' calls for the 'return' of this breath, 'He', in fact, is taking back all of  'His' treasures, be them a car, a house, wealth or even our spouses, children etc. Those are in fact "entrusted" upon us and we are just merely a caretaker of the King's treasures. A servant to the King of Kings! (1)

SILENT !

Would you now send that long overdue Kancil for servicing? The longer you wait, the more likely the past due engine oil will mess the car's engine. Do you want to earn the wrath of The King of Kings for ruining His treasure? You have been entrusted to care-take, are you not that trust-worthy? You can't even take care of a Kancil, yet you hope for the King to entrust you with a BMW next. How come?!

When we start to get hold of the so-called concept "that we are not the owner of things", start to observe our "materialistic minds". See how does that affect our body, mind and soul from time to time.

Every breath we take, every single step we move, every single second we wonder are made possible by this "life-giving gift".  We are indeed gifted! Don't we want to take just a moment of silence to thank, to really be thankful to the Owner of this breath?

"We own nothing, not even this single breath we take.."

Seek The One Who Owns !

Seek That (Jalalludin Rumi)

There is a force within
Which gives you life –   seek That.
In your body
Lies a priceless gem – see That.
O wandering Sufi,
if you want to find the greatest treasure
Don't look outside, Look inside, and seek That.

(Jonathan Star & Shahram Shiva, A Garden Beyond Paradise, Bantam Books, 1992)

* (1) - "Whoso bows his head to the King of Kings Will receive a hundred kingdoms not of this world..." - Jalalludin Rumi.

Read This Too :-

• Perihal Syukur - MistisFiles (update 13/04/2010)

Behind The Veil

Malai rinduku merintih... kecintaan

Duduk termenung hanya bingung... kerinduan

Walaupun jauh dari nyata

Kasih dan sayang telah lama kusatukan

Semua kasihku dalam gemala

Ke laut jawi 'kan kukirimkan sana

Duhai kasih hijabmu di sini

Masyur rupamu di mata kalbi ini

Berbaringan diusik rindu azali

Di manakah kekasih... yang jauh dariku

Memakan debu... rindumu

Segenap nafasku melihat... renunganmu

Wangi dan harum... kau kekasih

Antara lamunan

segala kalimahku ini

Siapa yang mengerti

Menghilang tahun kutahan dahaga

Setelah habis madah untuk sang puteri

Pautan kasih kukenal sendiri

Teringin ku melihat... sebalik hijabmu

Wajah yang kupuja

Kekasih... lama sudah aku merindu

Larut nan denai larat nan damai

Haram kelamin untuk kita bercerai

Rasa kasih dan sayang dalam keredaanmu

ref : Perjalanan Mencari Tuhan - Hijab Kekasih (noted 11/10/2010)