Hazrat Maulana Jalaal ud deen Ruumi

(Rahmatul Laahi ‘Alaieh)

states in his Masnavi, “Butter cannot be acquired without milk, as recognition of Allaah [Ta’aalaa] [Ilm-e-Baatin] cannot be obtained without a spiritual guide or Murshid.”

And he further states, “Whoever travels without a guide needs two hundred years for a two day journey.”

About him, there is a story regarding the importance of a Murshid.

Hazrat Maulana Ruumi [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh], who was not only a poet but also a great jurist, theologian and scholar of the highest accord. One day, as he taught his students in the open courtyard of the Masjid, a ordinary dressed dervish stood by and watched. He observed how the Maulana referred to many handwritten books and texts as he taught, so he inquired as to what they contained.

Hazrat Maulana Ruumi

(Rahmatul Laahi ‘Alaieh) replied, “O Soofie! This contains knowledge which is beyond your understanding, so you continue to read your tasbeeh (rosary).” The dervish was in fact the great Shams ud deen Tabraizi, [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] who would soon be his spiritual guide and teacher.

When  Maulana Ruumi

(Rahmatul Laahi ‘Alaieh) attention had gone back to teaching, Khawajaa Shams ud deen Tabraizi [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] threw all the Maulana’s books into the nearby pond.

The students who noticed this rushed to him and began to beat him. A distraught Maulana Ruumi complained of how his valuable knowledge had all been lost.

“Tell your pupils to leave me alone and I will give back your books,” replied  Hazrat Tabraizi ….. Maulana Ruumi, thinking that this would be impossible, asked his students to leave the dervish alone.

Then he watched in amazement as Hazrat Shams Tabraizi [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] recited ‘Bismil laah,’ retrieved the books out of the water and returned them to him intact.

He asked him as to how he had done this, to which the great dervesh  replied, “This knowledge is beyond your understanding so you continue to teach your pupils.”

The Maulana then realized his mistake, asked for forgiveness and submitted himself to the presence of this great Soofie dervish. Eventually, time spent at the feet of Hazrat Khwaaja Shams ud deen [Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] transformed him from a scholar of religious texts, into a truly devout lover of Allaah Kareem God.

In Maulana Ruumi’s own words:[translated]

Meaning: “Throw all your books into the fire,

And turn with heart & soul towards the pure-hearted [the Auliyaa Allaah].”