Nasir Khusraw – The Splendour of Wisdom

(He who seeks- shall find)- Sufi Proverb

The area of Badakhshan (Eastern Afghanistan, Southern Tajikistan and Northern Pakistan) is blessed with the highest mountain peaks: Lenin Peak, Tirichmir Peak, Pamir Peaks and so on but there is no Mountain high enough to praise Nasir khusraw’s personality, even writers find themselves dumb whilst praising him. Ocean too before his great wisdom shrinks into a single drop; his words are lamp of enlightenment for the heart. It’s hardly possible in such a brief introduction to deal with the facts of Khusraw’s thoughts as he deserves to be discussed, to be loved and to be infused in today’s knowledge society. His poetry is full of wisdom, of reason, of the right meaning and the right faith.

Nasir Khusraw famously known as “The Ruby Of Badakhshan,”  and was born in Khurasan 1004 C.E. He ranked among the greatest mystic of Persia and was the early link in the chain of meta physical poetry, which was continued later by such figures as Rumi, Attar, Sa’di and Hafiz. Unlike others he was also a master of the science of the time and was a preacher of philosophical wisdom but unfortunately we have not given high accolade to this mystic poet in our school of thoughts.

A Sufi proverb: “One who seeks shall find”- Nasir Khusraw’s wandering ceased after his search for wisdom amongst all school of thoughts culminated in his meeting with the Imam of the time Mustansir Bil’lah (a.s) the 18th Imam of Shi’a Ismaili Muslims and 8th Fatimid Caliph who ruled from (1035-1094) in Cairo Egypt. The meeting was similar as Rumi’s to Shams. The era of Fatimid’s was the golden era of inventions, scholars, thinkers, philosophers and scientists.

In praise of Fatimid’s He says:

“The sun shines forth, like Fatimid’s as it ascends the slope from its winter exile, It’s rays as bright as Zulfiqar (Sword Of Ali) giving vigor to the rose as to the pearl-white steed of Ali “

He pours out his devotional songs to the Beloved of the time as Nightingale to the Rose. His poetry is based on intellect, which distinguishes human being from other animals. He enforces us to contemplate and to comprehend the manifestation of God through intellect and search.

 

“The world is a deep ocean, its water is time;
Your body is like a shell, your soul the pearl.
If you wish to have the value of a pearl,
Raise up the pearl of your soul by learning.”

And

“What did God give us alone of all the other creatures?
The intellect, by which we lord o’er all the beasts.
But note, that virtue and intellect which makes us lords of donkeys,
Are the very same trait which binds us as slaves of the Lord
With intellect, we can seek out all the hows and whys,
Without it, we are but trees without fruit.”

His teaching was not well received in his native land ‘Balkh’. His opponents incited a mob to sack his house and even attempted to assassinate him. Finding his native land uncomfortable he fled to remote valley of ‘Yamgan- now eastern part of Afganistan.

“The wise man wastes no words on a horde of idiots-

They call me ‘unorthodox’-bah!-

What do they know of Islam except the name? “

Divan-e Khusraw is full of wisdom, each time when I open the Divan, it blossoms. Perhaps it is my intense curiosity and restless wandering heart that have instilled love of Khusraw’s theology. During the study of his Divan I acquired an almost physical picture of him and if I’m questioned, how Khusraw influenced me? Almost every time when I hear his Qasidas( devotional songs) I can imagine him singing and dancing to praise and please the beloved in the valley of Yamgan.

Nasir says:

“O Beloved! When I proclaim your name

 Roses spring up from your blessings

When your servant speaks your name

 The vale of Yamgan feels with dancing stars”.

Fariduddin Attar wrote a six-line poem entitled, “The Tale of Nasir Khusraw and His Seclusion”

The cry of Nasir Khusraw when he dwelt in Yumgan,
Arched even past heaven’s nine-storied vault,
A little corner he took to hide himself away
Hearing the Prophet himself had named that very spot,
Not a man to enter into the fighting fields of dogs,
Like a Ruby in Badakhshan he hid himself away

Mid the hidden hearts of mountain he chose the corner of Yumgan,
So as not to have to look upon the horrid faces of his foes,
Now I, too, like that great Prince have found a little corner for myself,
Since in the search for deeper meaning
He provided the provisions.

Khusraw’s poetry reflects his rejection of orthodox hold of Mullahs over Islam. One consistent theme is his scorn for hypocritical religious leaders:

From pulpit-tops they preach to the common folk,
Dazzling them about paradise and the food to be had there.
They crow and cry in hope of food;
Asses always bray when you speak of barley.

 And

 By day you fast and moan and finger your rosary,

By night you’re enjoying music and wine.

You’ve memorized the Book of con quite smoothly,
So now you’re grand mufti of Balkh, Nishapur and Herat.

Your words are very heavy with fruits as a date palm

But when it comes to action your thorn appear.”

 

In the poems, he asks, if those who pledged their allegiance to Muhammad are assured a place in heaven, what is the justice for those who live at a later time, to whom should they stretch out their hand?  He asks, have you not heard to whom Prophet entrusted his dominion of the sermon by the ditch? The one before whose courage the boldness of unbelievers faded like lantern held up to Sun?

 

In Praise of Ahle-Bait (Progeny of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) he says:

“I choose the friendship of Ali, whose swords brings dark nights to his foes bright day to his partisans. Light is far superior to a smoke, even if both come from fire. Black smoke may arise high as clouds but gives no rain. Not every child whose father called him Noah owns an ark to ride out the Flood- Only prophet family has the power to decipher.”

For more on Khusraw’s poetry:

http://nooru.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/i-choose-the-deen-of-muhammad-by-hakim-nasir-khisraw/

 (http://www.amaana.org/khusraw/khusrawali.htm)

 http://www.amaana.org/ISWEB/ismpoet2.htm

Today’s knowledge society needs someone like Khusraw to lit the fire of reason and to show the true spirit of Islam. We have to reclaim Khusraw and introduce the rich, plural heritage of Islam to the world.  This age is the time for exploration of truth and confusion. Pick up guns and spread the message of Islam was never a motive of Muslims, Islam spread by the message of love by deeds, by the weight  of the inks not the way Talibans enforce it or the ones who sees everything through blurred lens-practicing it.

 In service to the Real

Nooruddin Jalal

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I Choose The Deen Of Muhammad By Hakim Nasir Khusraw (ناصر خسرو)

I choose

the Quran

and the Faith of Muhammad

For those

were the choices

of Muhammad himself;

I know

if I practice the two

my Certainty

will become

as the Certitude

of The Prophet.

 

My key

to Paradise – my guide

to Felicity

the fortified Citadel:

what are they but

the Religion of Muhammad:

 

For us

he is the messenger

of God- such

was the carving

on the seal-ring

of the Prophet.

 

Rooted in my heart:

the Faith

and the Book

as firmly

as in the heart

of Muhammad.

By God’s Grace

my hope, my prayer

is to be

the least

of servants in the community

of Muhammad. 

 

 

My brother,

in sea-depths

of religion

the Quran

is the pearl beyond price

of the Prophet;

every king

owns a treasure

and a trophy;

the Quran

is the treasure

of Muhammad.

 

 Now look

to these riches,

this pearl:

who now

is the custodian

of Muhammad’s legacy?

 

 You yourself

would bequeath your wealth

to your children;

just so as his children

the guardians

the heirs of the prophet.

 

 Ponder well:

you Muslims

will not find

the jewels

but in keeping

of Muhammad’s progeny.

 

 Surely he handed

all down to him

who was

worthiest

of all Companions

of the Prophet.

 

 Who was he,

this Companion?

His wife

was the delight

of the eye

of Muhammad

and from this delight

and this companion

were born

Hasan

and Husayn, the darlings

of Muhammad.

   

 

I have seen

in both worlds

the reality

of Husayn

and Hasan: the rose

and the jasmine of the prophet;

where

in the heaven and earth

could such blossoms spring

but in the garden

from the soil

of Muhammad?

 

 

I dare not

I tremble

lest I prefer

any creature

above these beloved ones

of God’s prophet.

 

The Book

and the Sword

of the lion of God:

these are bulwarks

beneath the firm Faith

of Muhammad.

 

 Who stood

sword drawn

in every battle

who stood

at the right hand

of the Prophet?

The Sword of Ali

lent its aid

to the Quran

and Ali no doubt

was the Help

of Muhammad.

  

Ali:

in Islam

as Aaron to Moses:

partner

companion

of the Prophet;

on the Last Day

Aaron and Moses

shall kiss

the Mantle of Ali,

the sleeve

of Muhammad.

 

 ‘Seek knowledge’

he bid us

‘even in China’;

Ah! What praises are mine

in the China

of Muhammad.

 

 I heard

from their heir

of the Prophet

the honeysweet

words, the Sayings

of Muhammad;

my heart beheld

a mystery revealed

from the Origin

to Ali’s heart

through the prophecy

of Muhammad

and learned

from the babes of Fatimah

and her husband

the true

nature

of the Prophet.

  

Surely

I could have gained

no more than I gained

from  that

illustrious child

of the Rank of Muhammad

surely

I could have gained

no more

had I lived

myself in the time

of Muhammad.

  

The Creator

of the Universe Himself

praises me

for my love

of Ali, my blessings

on the prophet

and with the Blessing

of the Lord

of the worlds

I dwell

in the stronghold

of Muhammad.

 (Excerpt from the Divan of  Dai/Hakim/Sufi Nasir Khusraw. Translated by Peter Lamborn)

A statue of Nasir Khusraw with the Pamir Mountains rising behind him. Photo: Janet Southern

 

 

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