Jean-Leon Gerome, “Call to Prayer” (1866)
Spiritual Sunday
Ramadan, which began this past Thursday, is the month-long celebration of Muhammad’s revelations, embodied in the Koran. Last week I posted a Ramadan poem by Rumi, the 13th century Sufi mystic, which talked about how the dawn-to-dusk fast opens up a door for spirit. Here’s another Rumi poem exploring similar themes. Among other things, it gives encouragement to those who are in the early stages of fasting, reminding them of the wisdom that rains from the “sweet cloud” of fortitude. Quickly clutch the rope out of this body’s well,” the poet says encouragingly:
The month of fasting has come,
The emperor’s banner has arrived,
Withhold your hand from food,
The spirit’s table has arrived.
The soul has escaped from separation and bound nature’s hands;
The heart of error is defeated.
Fasting is as our sacrifice,
It is the life out of soul; let us sacrifice all our body,
Since the soul has arrived as guest.
Fortitude is as a sweet cloud, wisdom rains from it,
Because it was in such a month of fortitude
That the Koran arrived.
When the carnal soul is in need,
The spirit goes into ascension;
When the gate of the prison is broken, the soul reaches the Beloved.
The heart has rent the curtain of darkness and winged up to the sky;
The heart, being of the angels, has again arrived.
The Cow was goodly,
Moses son of Imran appeared;
Through him the dead became living when it was sacrificed.
Quickly clutch the rope out of this body’s well;
At the top of the well of water cry, “Joseph of Canaan has arrived.”
When Jesus escaped from the donkey his prayers became accepted;
Wash your hands, for the Table has arrived from heaven.
Wash your hands and your mouth, neither eat nor speak;
Seek that speech and that morsel which has come to the silent ones.
Translated by A.J. Arberry