THE author of this well-known book is Farid-ud-din Attar. Attar, who died in the year 1221, was a perfume seller. There is a story that Attar was in his shop and in walked a beggar, a Sufi master in disguise. He asked for some help and apparently, Attar refused. The beggar said, “When are you going to let go your attachment to these worldly fragrances and die to all of this?” Attar replied, “My death will be like your death when you die.” Astonishingly, the beggar put a bowl on the ground, put his head on it, said ‘Allah’ and actually died. This awoke something in Attar and aroused in him a spiritual yearning. He travelled all over the Muslim world, came back and wrote 114 incredible books equivalent to 114 chapters of Quran. His most famous books are ‘Tazakariat-al-Auliya’ and ‘Conference of the Birds.’ Attar says, “We can get in touch with the spiritual yearning that is there in every single human being? “
Rumi when he was still a child met Attar with his father. As they left Attar saw Rumi following his father and said, “Praise be to my Lord, an ocean following a lake.” He was able to see the greatness of Rumi even as a child. Rumi had read all the books of Attar and was especially influenced by ‘Conference of the birds.’ Rumi says, “Attar has traversed the seven cities of love and here I am at the bend of one street alley.”
Birds are mentioned in Quran. Hoopo the bird is believed to having passed messages between King Solomon and Queen Sheba. Because of his proximity to King Solomon, he has knowledge of divine secrets. Hoppo bird is also a symbol for Prophet. A story says, Jesus comes across a lump of clay pours his breaths into it and Quran says magically the lump of clay becomes a bird, sprouts and flies away. This is a metaphor that if we praise God, we create feathers and wings for the spirit within us. In a Hadees the Prophet (PBUH) says, “Have you noticed when a bird sips water it tilts its head backwards towards heaven not only for the water to flow, but also to express gratitude to God.”
In the Sufi tradition, the birds were creatures without wings. One day, God came and sat next to the birds and said few words. The glow of the presence and the voice of God so entranced and mesmerized the birds that when God left, there was a yearning within the birds to connect one more time with God. They began to flutter with increased necessity and grew wings. Even today, you see swarms of birds moving this way and that way in the atmosphere searching for to connect one more time with God.
The story is that all the birds of the world gathered at one place. They said all our material needs have been satisfied, but how come that within us there is still some unease. Rabia a 9th century Mystic says, “There is a disease in my breast, no doctor can cure, only union with the friend can cure it.”
Quran says, “Before humanity descended on the planet earth, God collected everyone and said, “Am I not your Sustainer, am I not your Lord? Everyone said yes, we testify to it.” When we are sent down to earth, encoded within us is a yearning to know God our Sustainer. In a Hadees Qudsi attributed to Holy Prophet (PBUH) Allah says, “I was a secret treasure and I longed to be known, so I created the world visible and invisible.”
One keeps asking a question, where did I come from, where I am going, where is this God, Spirit, Divinity. Rumi says, “The Lover visible the beloved invisible, whose crazy idea was this.” Have you ever felt this spiritual yearning like Rumi, when he says “When I cannot sleep I make music at night,” or “The breeze at dawn has a message to tell you, do not go back to sleep.” There comes a time in our life as Rumi says, “I am sick and tired of the mortal Kings, I want to see your face, your light, the King of the world.”
Hoppo Bird steps forward. The Hoppo bird steps forward and says, “Because I have been confidant of King Solomon, I have knowledge of divine secrets, and I have seen the glow of Presence.” The birds get excited and say, “My goodness are you familiar with this, can you take us to Simourgh. Simourgh is a bird in Persian spiritual literature like Phoenix the mythological bird that symbolized royalty and became a symbol of divinity. The birds say we want to meet the Simourgh, our Creator, Allah and the Hoppo, says, “I can take you there, but I cannot do it alone we have to go in a group.” This journey of connecting with the divine much of that is an individual effort, but if we connect and go in a group, it becomes easier. There is a saying, ‘the wall standing alone is useless, add to it another wall it can support a roof.’ Rumi says only when ink joins with the pen then the blank paper can say something.
We need a community but a special community for this journey. Rumi calls it a circle of love that helps us do our spiritual practices. The Holy Prophet said, “Your spiritual practices are only as good as those of your friends, so choose your closet friends carefully….”cont Extracts of book ‘Islamic Spirituality and Mysticism (Sufism) -The Path and Destination.’
—The writer is author of various books based in Rawalpindi.
