Mysticism of Great Sufi Poet of India, Baydel Dehlavi

Mirza Abdul-Qader Baydel Dehlavi (1644-1721)

Mysticism of Great Sufi Poet of India, Baydel 

Filosofía y Mística: A propósito de Ŷalāl al-Dīn Rūmī

Filosofía y Mística: A propósito de Ŷalāl al-Dīn Rūmī
Dr. Rafael Ramon Guerrero

En una clásico trabajo publicado en 1958, el Prof. A. E. Affifi señalaba que ninguna descripción del Islam es completa si no se tienen en cuentan los esfuerzos realizados por los diversos grupos musulmanes para comprender el Islam, entendido como una religión viva que recibe su vitalidad de la gente que la profesa; es, decía, un gran movimiento que ha pasado por diversos estadios de desarrollo a lo largo de su historia. Entre las interpretaciones que han contribuido al enaltecimiento del Islam está la de la escuela mística y su actitud ante algunos de los problemas fundamentales de las creencias y prácticas del Islam. A la hora de estudiar esta actitud, Affifi señala que ningún otro movimiento ha contribuido tanto como el místico a profundizar el significado de su religión y enriquecer sus enseñanzas. Desde sus inicios, la mística musulmana fue una revolución espiritual contra determinadas formas y sistemas y adoptó, tras largos períodos de lucha, dos formas de manifestación: como una filosofía religiosa y como la religión popular del Islam.

Cuando Affifi habla de una “filosofía religiosa”, ¿a qué está aludiendo? ¿Se trata de una filosofía que se ocupa de la religión, a la manera de la moderna disciplina “filosofía de la religión”? ¿Se trata, más bien, de una forma del pensar religioso a la que por su contenido se le da el nombre de “filosofía”? ¿O consiste en un pensar constituido por elementos de la tradición filosófica griega?

Lea el articulo completo:
Filosofía y mística. A propósito de Ŷalāl al-D īn Rūmī
|PDF|11 Paginas|Español|

I'm also This I'm also That, a Poem by Rumi

I'm also This I'm also That
By Rumi

This is one of my favorite poems of Rumi. Maulana is at his best in conveying his melancholic and distressed state of mind in this very personal and heartfelt poem. Rumi's is simply letting all his frustrations out, and just ignoring any and all regards for the often painstakingly managed poetic rhyming formulas and methods of classical Persian poetry. Reading in between the lines, one can clearly sense Rumi's profound sadness, frustrations, and the ever growing pain of longing. Rumi's unorthodox, even revolutionary, poetic style of repeating the same line "I'm also this I'm also that" at the end of his poem is simply ground breaking. One can hardly find a Persian poet who could match Rumi's bold and deliberate challenging of the established writing style of classical or modern Persian poetry.

The old is I

the young is I
the arrow is I
the bow is I
the eternal wealth is I
I'm neither me 
nor me is I.

In my lawn
the cypress is He
in my body
the soul is He
in my mouth
the speech is He
I'm neither me
nor me is I.

I'm stupefied by this incident:
I'm also conscious and unconscious
I'm also the silent speaker
and the hushed wailing
of the silent ones.

Compared to His color
I'm so colorless
to His lock of hair
I'm so clinging
To that bright candle
I'm the moth.
O LORD,
I'm so distressed.

I'm also the wine-server
and the drunkard
I'm also the bad luck
and the good luck
I'm also the pain
and the remedy
I'm also the blood
and the blood-sucking lion
I'm also the infant
and the elderly
I'm also the servant
and the master.

I'm also this
I'm also that

I'm also this
I'm also that

I'm also this
I'm also that.

O LORD,
I'm so distressed.





حضرت مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي


پير منم جوان منم
تير منم كمان منم
دولت جاودان منم
من نه منم نه من منم
سرو من اوست در چمن
روح من اوست در بدن
نطق من اوست در دهن
من نه منم نه من منم
زين واقعه مدهوشم
با هوشم و بي هوشم
هم ناطق خاموشم
هم نوح خموشانم
زان رنگ چه بي رنگم
زان طره چه آونگم
زان شمع چو پروانه
يارب چه پريشانم
هم ساقي و هم مستم
هم فرقم و هم بختم
هم محنت و هم بختم
هم دردم و دمانم
هم خونم و هم شيرم
هم طفلم و هم پيرم
هم چاكر و هم ميرم

هم اينم هم آنم
هم اينم هم آنم
هم اينم و هم آنم
يارب چه پريشانم

Rumi's "I Died as a Mineral" Poem and Arberry's Mistranslation

Rumi's "I Died as a Mineral" Poem and A. J. Arberry's Mistranslation 

While browsing the 'Net, I came across Rumi's famous "I Died as a Mineral" poem which is translated into English by the great 20th century British "Orientalist", Arthur John Arberry. Fluent in Arabic and Persian, Professor A.J. Arberry is considered as one of the most imminent scholars in the field of Islamic studies. His contributions to the field of Islamic studies are of enormous proportions, as he not only translated the Holy Quran, but also the major works of Rumi.

Yet despite his scholarly imminence and command of Persian/Farsi language, I humbly disagree with his English translation of Rumi's famous "I Died as a Mineral" poem. I'll begin my argument by presenting Rumi's original poem in Persian/Farsi and Professor Arberry's widely accepted and circulated English translation. I will then present my "Literal" translation of mentioned poem, followed by a brief explanation of Rumi's intended Aristotelian and Platonic argument which is deeply embedded in his "I Died as a Mineral" poem.

Sadly, it's precisely Professor Arberry's following mistranslation of Rumi's poem that has served as the basis of meaningless attacks on Rumi, accusing him as a "Sufi Darwin" and "Believer of Theory of Evolution", by the Muslim fundamentalists. In my humble opinion, Rumi's entire philosophical argument in the following poem is based on Plato and Aristotle's "The Inanimate, the Animate, and the Supernatural” logic. It has nothing to do with the "Evolution Theory". But a Muslim fundamentalist writer, Aboo Idaarah shrewdly writes in http://forum.athaar.org: "Jalal-uddin al-Rumi (d. 1273), an infamous Sufi philosopher, in his book Masnawi, confirms his belief in the theory of evolution. The following lines are recognized as the central theme of Rumi's work: "I died as mineral and became a plant, I died as a plant and rose to an animal, I died as an animal and I was a man.."

Here is Rumi's origin poem in Persian:

از جمادی مُردم و نامی شدم
وز نما مُردم بحیوان سرزدم
مُردم از حیوانی و آدم شدم
پس چه ترسم کی ز مردم کم شدم
حملهء دیگر بمیرم از بشر
تا برآرم از ملایک بال و پر
وز ملک هم بایدم جستن ز جو
کل شییء هالک الاوجهه
بار دیگر از ملک پران شوم
آنچه اندر وهم ناید آن شوم
پس عدم گردم عدم چو ارغنون
گویدم کانا الیه راجعون

"I Died as a Mineral"
Translated by A.J. Arberry

I died as a mineral and became a plant,
I died as plant and rose to animal,
I died as animal and I was Man.
Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?
Yet once more I shall die as Man, to soar
With angels blest; but even from angelhood
I must pass on: all except God doth perish.
When I have sacrificed my angel-soul,
I shall become what no mind e'er conceived.
Oh, let me not exist! for Non-existence
Proclaims in organ tones, 'To Him we shall return.'

Here are my "Literal/Word by word" translation and verse by verse explanations:

از جمادی مُردم و نامی شدم
وز نما مُردم بحیوان سرزدم


My literal translation:
I died as an "Inanimate" and became "Animate"
I died as "Animate" and originated as animal.


Prof. A.J. Arberry's translation:
I died as a mineral and became a plant
I died as plant and rose to animal.

If you're a Persian speaker, note that in above verse, Rumi has used the Persian words jamaadi and naami.

جمادی jamaadi in English = Inanimate
نامی naami in English= Animate

How did Prof.Arberry come up with "Mineral" and "Plant", if Rumi was referring to Aristotelian logic of "Inanimate and Animate?

مُردم از حیوانی و آدم شدم
پس چه ترسم کی ز مردم کم شدم


My literal translation:
I died as an animal and became a human being.
So why should I fear?
When did I become less of a Mankind by dying?


Prof. A.J. Arberry's translation:
I died as animal and I was Man.
Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?

Why Prof.Arberry completely ignored Rumi's cleverly playing with the Persian words مُردم-Mordam[I died] and Mardoom-مردم [Mankind], as Mardoom[Mankind]- in second line- is entirely missing from Arberry's translation?

Mordam in Persian = I died.
Mardoom in Persian = people, man, Mankind, creature.

حملهء دیگر بمیرم از بشر
تا برآرم از ملایک بال و پر
وز ملک هم بایدم جستن ز جو
کل شییء هالک الاوجهه


My literal translation:
Another attack and I shall die as a human
And I shall draw feathers and wing like the Angels
But I must also give up seeking
This state of Angel-hood
As "All except God shall perish."


Prof. A.J. Arberry's translation:
Yet once more I shall die as Man, to soar
With angels blest; but even from angelhood
I must pass on: all except God doth perish.

Why Prof.Arberry decided to use "Angels blest", if Rumi was hoping to draw "feathers and wing" like the Angels?


بال و پرملایک-in English = Angel wings and feather
Angels blest in Persian = ملایک

بار دیگر از ملک پران شوم
آنچه اندر وهم ناید آن شوم


My literal translation:
Once again, I shall fly away from the Angel-hood
And become what's out of the imagination.


Prof. A.J. Arberry's translation:
When I have sacrificed my angel-soul,
I shall become what no mind e'er conceived.

Where did Prof. Arberry see the word"Sacrifice" in Rumi's above Persian verse?

Sacrifice in Persian = قربانی- فداکاری کردن

پس عدم گردم عدم چو ارغنون
گویدم کانا الیه راجعون


My literal translation:
Then I shall become non-existent
A non-existence that's telling me
Like The Organon [Aristole's Organon]:
"To Him we shall return."


Prof. A.J. Arberry's translation:
Oh, let me not exist! for Non-existence
Proclaims in organ tones, 'To Him we shall return.'

Despite my profound respect and admiration for Prof. Arberry's vast scholarly knowledge and genius, I entirely disagree with his translation of this last verse. Where did the "Oh, let me not exist!" come form?

If you're a Persian speaker, note that Rumi is cleverly using the Persian word [پس so,then], as a concluding remark in the last verse, to sum up his animist argument. But, [پس so,then] is entirely missing form Arberry's translation.

Also, Rumi uses the Persian word - ارغنون Arghanun which has two meanings:
a- The Organ- a musical instrument.
b-The Organon- Aristotle's Logical Works.

If Rumi has based his entire above poem on Aristotle's Animism, isn't logical for him to end it with a reference to Aristotelian Organon?

And finally, what was the purpose of Professor Arberry's using a musical instrument, the Organ as opposed to Aristotles' The Organon?


For in-depth study of Animism and Aristotelian Ethics, please visit:
Aristotle's Logic

Animism

Plato's philosophical theories of soul

Hafiz Shirazi, el Mejor Representante de la Poesia Sufi

El gran poeta Persa y meastro Sufi, Hafiz Shirazi

HAFIZ, EL MEJOR REPRESENTANTE DE LA POESÍA SUFI
NASROLLAH S. FATEMI

Traducción del Ingles
MARIELA ALVAREZ Y GUILLERMO QUARTUCCI

LOS ELEMENTOS COMUNES AL JUDAÍSMO, budismo, cristianismo e Islam, pueden ser mejor apreciados en el sufismo, "testimonio de la experiencia en constante profundización del alma de los creyentes que se vuelcan sinceramente a Dios".El sufismo ha sido definido como "la aprehensión de las realidades divinas" y también como "un mensaje universal de amor, hermandad y unidad del hombre". No se trata de una religión, ni significa una nueva iglesia o secta, e intenta, en palabras de Rumi, "eliminar los conflictos, enemistades y luchas, para unificar a la gente en amor y armonía".

El sufismo es un idealismo panteísta que presenta dos aspectos: uno filosófico y otro místico. Los sufis tratan con Dios directamente. Él es la Verdad absoluta, el Bien absoluto y la Belleza absoluta. Su naturaleza divina puede ser descubierta a través de la meditación trascendental, la negación de sí mismo, el amor a la humanidad, la gnosis y el altruismo.E l objetivo de los sufis es introducir el espíritu ecuménico, así como espiritualizar y purificar el sistema islámico desde dentro, para otorgarle profundidad mística e infundir en todas las religiones el espíritu de amor y libertad. Estas ideas elevadas fueron diseminadas especialmente a través de la poesía persa y árabe. El sufismo produjo grandes nombres y famosos oradores-poetas en una vasta área del mundo, desde España a Indonesia. Nombres tales como Al-Ghazali, Rumi, Al Junayd, Ibni Arabi, Dhul N u n,Hafiz, Sadi, Mansur al Hallaj, Nizami, Omar Khayyam y Khalil Jaobran e Iqbal son conocidos más allá del mundo islámico.

Lea el texto complet:
Hafiz, El Mejor Representante De La Poesia Sufi
|PDF|Español|20 Paginas|

Happy Easter!

Wishing all the Christians a very blessed and joyous Easter 2010!

Now-Rooz/New Year Song by Afghan Artists

One of my favorite New Year/Now-Rooz songs by the hugely talented Afghan artists: Vaheed Qasemi & Hangama.

آهنگ قشنگ نوروزی از دو هنرمند پراستعداد افغانستان عزیزما: وحید قاسمی و هنگامه

Now-Rooz Song-هله نوروز آمد- 
Vaheed Qasemi & Hangama

New Year Invitation, a Poem by Rumi

New Year in Rumi's Poetry

Related Post:

Happy Nowrooz - Persian New Year 1392!

May you have the rowdiest new year's party,
and may all your problems get solved
during this upcoming new year.
May you have months filled with joy,
and a very happy new year.
And may this new year bring you
all the joy and happiness.
Rumi


ای قیل و ای قال تو خوش و ای جمله اشکال تو خوش
ماه تو خوش سال تو خوش ای سال و مه چاکر تو را
حضرت مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي

To reward our year-long drunkenness,
and to appreciate our youthfulness,
craziness and love-companionship,
the new year has sent us an invitation!

Who could possibly reward us with such a gift,
if not sent down by the God Almighty Himself?
May the protective shadow of God
never leave our side in this upcoming new year.
Rumi


مستی و عاشقی وجوانی و یار ما
نوروز و نوبهار و حمل می زند صلا
از کیست این عطا ز کی باشد جز از خدا
هرگز مباد سایه یزدان ز ما جدا
حضرت مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي

WHAT A NEW YEAR! 
AND WHAT A NEW YEAR'S DAY!
WHAT LEADERS AND WHAT POLITICIANS!
HOW SO DAMN LUCKY THEY ALWAYS ARE!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!


زهی سال و زهی روز مبارک
زهی خاقان زهی اقبال خندان
حضرت مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي

I saw the reflection of new year in your face,
a torrential downpour of tears hit me
I sat down and cried my heart out.
May the rainfall of my tears
bring new joys into your life
in this upcoming new year
and I tearfully wish you: A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Rumi


نوروز رخت دیدم خوش اشک بباریدم
نوروز و چنین باران باریده مبارك باد
حضرت مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي

The new year has come again
The new year has come again
My runaway lover has come again.

The new year celebrations are in abundance.
If there are abundant new year celebrations,
then let's all party in total abundance!

O musician who always play heart-warming melodies,
Why are you playing sad songs on New Year's Eve?

Even the Venus has already soared up high
to the seventh heaven.
If that's where the Venus wants to roam
on New Year's Eve,
then let's all roam free wherever we want tonight!

The new year's moon is shining bright,
the two worlds have become one giant flower garden,
and all bodies have become one single soul.
If we're all one supreme soul on New Year's Eve,
then let's all just become one
throughout this upcoming new year.

Shams al-Haq of Tabriz,
You're so present in my thoughts right now,
that Tabriz  looks like Khorasan tonight.
If that's how you like it to be,
then let's keep it  forever that way!

I've been drinking and celebrating the new year
all alone without you tonight.
If this party feels so cold and boring without you,
then let it stay forever frozen tonight.

Be silent, I'm completely drunk right now.
Shams has tied up the hands of my reason
I'm just wandering around thinking about him.
If that's how my thoughts want to behave
on New Year's Eve,
then let it act totally crazy tonight!
Rumi


عید آمد و عید آمد یاری که رمید آمد
عیدانه فراوان شد تا باد چنین بادا
آن ماه چو تابان شد کونین گلستان شد
اشخاص همه جان شد تا باد چنین بادا
هم باده جدا خوردی هم عیش جدا کردی
نک سرده مهمان شد تا باد چنین بادا
شمس الحق تبریزی از بس که درآمیزی
تبریز خراسان شد تا باد چنین بادا
ای مطرب صاحب دل در زیر مکن منزل
کان زهره به میزان شد تا باد چنین بادا
خاموش که سرمستم بربست کسی دستم
اندیشه پریشان شد تا باد چنین بادا
حضرت مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي



For me and any part lover like me
the new year is our luckiest time.
Because new year's day is a day
for partying and celebrations.
Because this upcoming new year
shall be a year filled with joy and happiness.
Rumi


چو سال سال نشاطست و روز روز طرب
خنک مرا و کسی را که عیش خو دار
حضرت مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي



Today is a day of happiness,
and this new year shall be a year filled with flowers.
We're all so lucky to make it another year,
may the flowers be also as lucky as we are.
Rumi


امروز روز شادی و امسال سال گل
نیکوست حال ما که نکو باد حال گل
حضرت مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي



This new year will be our year.
This year our luck will soar sky-high
like the lucky Moon and Venus.
Stay quite o my beating heart,
I know there is no limit
to new year's joy and happiness!
Rumi

سال سال ماست و طالع طالع زهره‌ست و ماه
ای دل این عیش و طرب حدی ندارد تن بزن
حضرت مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي



The new year has come again,
and everyone wants to look their best
for the new year reunion with their lover.

You' are my new year,
alleviate my year-long sufferings.
You are the silk robe for every flower,
cover my sharp and ugly thorns.
Rumi


عید آمد و هرکس قدری مقداری
آراسته خود را ز پی دیداری     
ما را چو توئی عید بکن تیماری
ای خلعت گل فکنده بر هر خاری
حضرت مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي 



A Sufi mystic and a lover
never wait for the new year's arrival.
For them,
every instant is a new year!
Rumi

چو عارف را و عاشق را به هر ساعت بود عیدی
نباشد منتظر سالی که تا ایام عید آید
حضرت مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي

Claude Chalhoub: Virtuoso Lebanese Violinist

Claude Chalhoub's MySpace Page

"Claude Chalhoub was born in Beirut and is successful both as a classical violin player as well as with his blend of Arabian and Western music.The beauty of Claude Chalhoub’s music is that it doesn’t sound "new“ at all. It sounds familiar, even if you have never listened to Arab music (or classical music) at all. As if it had always been there. It’s as natural as breathing. And that’s what great art is all about – making the difficult seem easy.." For complete biography of Claude Chalhoub, please visit his Facebook Page

Claude Chalhoub-Live performance

Claude Chalhoub-Baddour Claude Chalhoub-Live performance

Roots Reggae Arabic: Momo Cat

Momo Cat's MySpace Page

"In reggae circles a genuine multiculturalism seems to be a matter of course in a manner which most rock and pop bands can only dream of, but even so, Momo Cat is a man of the world like very few others. Born in Morocco as Quiat Mohammed, he moved first to France and then, in 1990, to Finland. It did not take him long to find a bunch of soul-mates even in this land of sleet and snow: first he had a band called Saganor, with which he supported such reggae legends as The Wailers and Black Uhuru on their visits to Finland. Then, after a short period as a solo artist, he joined the country's arguably most important rhythm combo Soul Captain Band. He has also collaborated with artists like Mariska, performed in Morocco, Lithuania, Turkey and France, and even taken part in the Finnish semifinals of the Eurovision Song Contest. On his brand new album Rocky Road he speaks his mind about the system in English, French and Arabic, but his roots reggae never loses the playful attitude and the groove that will, without a doubt, set even the pebbles on the Rento Stage beach dancing.."

Roots Reggae Arabic-Momo Cat

39oul nass-Momo Cat

Play on-Momo Cat