Ramadan Came to the Heart’s Temple

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

Spiritual Sunday – Ramadan

Just as I have been posting a Mary Oliver poem each Easter, I have been posting a Rumi poem to commemorate Ramadan, which commenced this past week. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sundown for a month to commemorate God revealing the first verses of the Koran to Mohammed.

In the following poem, Rumi makes a distinction between the external and the internal, between the external injunction to abstain from food and drink and “the invisible treasure of the heart.” The poem simply but powerfully captures how the stress that “comes from fasting” cleanses the spirit and reveals the brilliance within. “Bairam” is the feast that concludes Ramadan while Salahuddin is one of Rumi’s spiritual companions, who keeps alive the spirit of ancient Sufi mystics Mansur and Beyazid.

Ramadan came, but Bairam is with us.
The lock came, but the key is with us.

Mouth is closed. Eyes are opened.
That brilliance that the eyes see is with us.

We have cleaned soul and heart with fasting.
The dirt which has been with us is cleansed now.

Some stress comes from fasting,
But the invisible treasure of heart is with us.

Ramadan came to the heart’s temple;
The one who created heart is with us.

Since Salahuddin is among this crowd,
Mansur and Beyazid are with us.

 

Previously posted Ramadan poems by Rumi

Celebrate! The Month of Fasting Has Come

No Room in This House for Two I’s

Break Your Fast with Joy

A New Song Comes Out of the Fire

Overrichness Is a Subtle Disease

The Spirit’s Table Has Arrived

Like a Reed, Open Yourself to God’s Breath

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.