The Miracles of Shaykh Abdullah Maghribi
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 4, section 23 of 137: The miraculous gifts and illumination of Shaykh ‘Abdullah Maghribí, may God sanctify his spirit (کرامات و نور شیخ عبدالله مغربی قدس الله سره). Below, each of its 32 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
The miraculous gifts and illumination of Shaykh ‘Abdullah Maghribí, may God sanctify his spirit. کرامات و نور شیخ عبدالله مغربی قدس الله سره
گفت عبدالله شیخ مغربی
شصت سال از شب ندیدم من شبی
Shaykh ‘Abdullah Maghribí said, “During sixty years I never perceived in night the quality of night.
من ندیدم ظلمتی در شصت سال
نه به روز و نه به شب نه ز اعتلال
During sixty years I never experienced any darkness, neither by day nor by night nor from infirmity.”
صوفیان گفتند صدق قال او
شب همی‌رفتیم در دنبال او
The Súfís declared his words to be true: “During the night we would follow him
در بیابانهای پر از خار و گو
او چو ماه بدر ما را پیش‌رو
Into deserts filled with thorns and ditches, he going in front of us like the full moon.
روی پس ناکرده می‌گفتی به شب
هین گو آمد میل کن در سوی چپ
Without looking behind him, he would say, (though it was) at night-time, ‘Hark! here is a ditch: turn to the left!’
باز گفتی بعد یک دم سوی راست
میل کن زیرا که خاری پیش پاست
Then, after a little while, he would say, ‘Turn to the right, because a thorn is before your feet.’
روز گشتی پاش را ما پای‌بوس
گشته و پایش چو پاهای عروس
Day would break: we would come to kiss his foot, and his foot would be like the feet of a bride,
نه ز خاک و نه ز گل بر وی اثر
نه از خراش خار و آسیب حجر
No trace of earth or mud on it, none of scratch from thorns or bruise from stones.”
مغربی را مشرقی کرده خدای
کرده مغرب را چو مشرق نورزای
God made the Maghribí a Mashriqí: He made the place of sunset (maghrib) light-producing like the place of sunrise (mashriq).
نور این شمس شموسی فارس است
روز خاص و عام را او حارس است
The light of this one who belongs to the Sun of suns is riding (in majesty): by day he is guarding high and low.
چون نباشد حارس آن نور مجید
که هزاران آفتاب آرد پدید
How should that glorious light, which brings thousands of suns into view, not be a guardian?
تو به نور او همی رو در امان
در میان اژدها و کزدمان
By his light do thou walk always in safety amidst dragons and scorpions.
پیش پیشت می‌رود آن نور پاک
می‌کند هر ره‌زنی را چاک‌چاک
That holy light is going in front of thee and tearing every highwayman to pieces.
یوم لا یخزی النبی راست دان
نور یسعی بین ایدیهم بخوان
Know aright (the meaning of the text) on the Day when He (God) will not put the Prophet to shame; read (their) light shall run before them.
گرچه گردد در قیامت آن فزون
از خدا اینجا بخواهید آزمون
Although that (light) will be increased at the Resurrection, (yet) beg of God (to grant thee) trial (of it) here;
کو ببخشد هم به میغ و هم به ماغ
نور جان والله اعلم بالبلاغ
For He bestows spiritual light both on cloud and mist, and God best knoweth how to impart (it).
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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