Maulana Rumi’s Poetic Analysis of Some Metaphorical Form of Deeds, By Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi

Translated By: Maulana Yusuf Talal Ali Delorenzo

Metaphorical form of bad deeds

In explaining the Sufi concept of projected forms, the scholars note that every reprehensible human characteristic has its counterpart in the person of particular animals from the animal kingdom. Thus, the human whose personality is dominated by one of these characteristics .will assume the appearance of that characteristic’s bestial counterpart. Among the bygone nations, the followers of the earlier prophets, such transformations are known to have occurred in this world, However, Allah most High has granted the members of this Nation (al-Ummah al-Muhammadia) security from suffering such ignominy in this world, though in the next world there will be no such guarantee. Finally, on the Day of Judgment, those forms will be revealed. It is from here that the spiritually gifted have their glimpses (Kashf) into the forms behind these Characteristics.

Sufyan ibn Uyaina (R.A) commented on the following verse:

وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّا أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم

No creature is there crawling on the earth, no bird flying with its wings, but they are nations like unto yourselves. (al-An ‘am: 38)

Said Sufyan (R.A) “Some people’s personalities are like birds, while some are like dogs, or pigs, or asses. Some people so pamper and adorn their psyches that they resemble peacocks. Some are .filthy like the donkey’ some are self-centered like the chicken, and some bear their animosities like the camel. Some resemble the fly, and some resemble the fox.”

Imam Thalabi says in commentary of the verse:

فتأتون أفواجا

And you shall come in troops. (An-Naba’ : 17)

… that people will be brought forward on the Day of Judgment in their various forms. Those whose personalities were dominated by certain bestial characteristics will assume the form of animals.

Maulana rumi’s poetry analysis of some Metaphorical Form of deeds

The following couplets are (approximate verse translations) of Maulana Rumi’s poetic study of projected forms in his classic work on Tasawwuf, the Mathnawi.

چوں سجودے یا رکوعے مرد کشت شـد
دراں عـالم سـجـود او بہشـت

When someone plants a Sajda here or goes into Ruku’. His Sajda in the other world becomes a garden true.

چوں کہ پریدہ از دہانت حمد حق
مـرغ جنـت سـاخـتـش رب الفلق

When someone’s praise of Allah flies away into the skies. The lord of Daybreak makes of it a bird of Paradise.

حمد و تسبیحت نماند مرغ را
ہم چو نطفہ مرغ باد ست وہوا

The likeness of your praise is not like that of a bird, for its likeness is like the sperm of a rooster.

چـون ز دستت رست ایثـار و زکات
گشت این دست آن طرف نخل و نبات

When from your hand Zakah and charity like seedlings sprout. In yonder world that hand becomes a garden free of drought.

آب صبرت جوی آب خلد شد
جوی شیر خلد مهر تست و ود

The water of your patience here, in Paradise a stream. Affection for Allah, a river there of milk and cream.

ذوق طاعت گشت جوی انگبین
مستی و شوق تو جوی خمر بین

Your pleasure in devotion here, a stream of honey fine. your longing and intoxication, there a stream of wine.

این سببها آن اثرها را نماندکس
نداند چونش جـــای آن نشـاند

These cause here to those effects but little likeness bear. And no one knows how He’s arranged to realign them there.

این سببها چون به فرمان تو بود
چار جو هم مر ترا فرمان نمود

And since to your command these causes were obedient. In Jannah will four rivers be to you subservient.

هر طرف خواهی روانش می‌کنی
آن صفت چون بد چنانش می‌کنی

Where’er you wish in that direction will they flow. As you, Your disposition here do make, so there it will be too.

چون منی تو که در فرمان تست
نسل آن در امر تو آیند چست

Observe how you your semen do command; then in this way, The progeny thereof will bow to you, and you obey.

می‌دود بر امر تو فرزند تو
که منم جزوت که کردی‌اش گرو

Your offspring, born of such a sperm, run in obedience to you, because it realizes that I am born of the part of you that you made obedient to.

آن صفت در امر تو بود این جهان
هم در امر تست آن جوها روان

The qualities that earn you praise obeyed you in this world, And in the next your orders will make rivers flow and whirl.

آن درختان مر ترا فرمان‌برند
کان درختان از صفاتت با برند

Those trees of Paradise, you’ll see, will do just as you please, For you have made them fruitful by your perfect qualities.

چون به امر تست اینجا این صفات
پس در امر تست آنجا آن جزات

You’ve made these qualities obedient to your command. Your recompense will follow at a motion of your hand.

چون ز دستت زخم بر مظلوم رست
آن درختی گشت ازو زقوم رست

When blows proceeded from your hand against the poor Mazloom (the victim of injustice). In Hell the blows became a tree; the one they call tree of Zaqqum. (See al-Qur’an; Sura Dukhaan : 43)

چون ز خشم آتش تو در دلها زدی
مایــه‌ نار جـهـنــم آمــدی

When out of anger you throw fire into people’s hearts, You kindle deep within Hell’s maw a flame that shoots and darts.

آتشت اینجا چو آدم سوز بود
آنچہ از وی زاد مرد افروز بود

And since you spend your worldly life in scorching mankind then. In yonder world the sparks of what you said are kindling men.

آتش تو قصد مردم می‌کند
نار کز وی زاد بر مردم زند

The fire of your anger leaps and flames begin to curl. As rage transforms itself to fire in the other world.

آن سخنهای چـو مـار و کـزدمت
مار و کزدم گشت و می ‌گیرد دمت

The words of anger which are like serpents and scorpions, in the Hereafter they will indeed become snakes and scorpions, and the ignorant people seize them by their hands.

The existence of deeds persists

The aforementioned Qur’anic verses, traditions, and learned insights all point decisively to the fact that the deeds performed by man continue to exist on their own until the coming of that day on which all will be made manifest. Says Allah most High:

فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ

And whoso has done an atom’s weight of good shall see it, and whoso has done an atom’s weight of evil shall see it. (Zilzaal:7-8)

Therefore Paradise, or Hell, will be as the fruit of one’s labors. Nor is this conclusion in any way contradictory to the Muslim belief in the divine decree. There is nothing in the divine decree requiring that actions take place without causes. Rather, the contrary is true. Whatever has been decreed will be led up to by a series of causes. Then it will occur as decreed.

Among the most effective causes behind one’s entering Paradise or Hell are his deeds, good and evil. It was for this reason that the Prophet ﷺ when asked by his companions about the point in their doing good deeds, answered, “continue doing good works! For everyone will find easy that for which they were created.”

فأما من أعطى واتقى وصدق بالحسنى فسنيسره لليسرى وأما من بخل واستغنى وكذب بالحسنى فسنيسره للعسرى

As for him who gives, and fears Allah, and believes in the good: Surely We will ease his way unto the state of ease. But as for him who is miserly, and thinks himself independent, and disbelieves in the good; Surely We will ease his way into adversity. (al-Lail : 5-10)

In brief then, whatever you do in this world will be made manifest in Barzakh and on the Day of Judgment. Says Allah most High:

فكشفنا عنك غطاءك فبصرك اليوم حديد

Now we have lifted from you your veil, and so your sight today is piercing. (Qaf: 22) O Lord, grant us proper understanding. O Lord, remind us, whenever we are tempted to do wrong, of the consequences of our deeds. Then grant us, Oh Lord, the Taufiq (Favor) to avoid that which displeases you.

Source: Jaza ul Aamal, By Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi

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