Dr. Dadkhoda Khodayar Assistant Professor of Islamic Philosophy and Wisdom, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran

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1 The Mystical Analysis of the Story Pir-e Changi from Rumi s Masnavi Manavi Dr. Dadkhoda Khodayar Assistant Professor of Islamic Philosophy and Wisdom, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran Abstract The story of Pir-e Changi is one of the Rumi s mystical stories in Msnavi Manavi that is full of mystery. The idea undergone the main subject of the story is that he wants to create a hope on human s hearts before God. Rumi aims to express this point that as well as performing canonical sects and religious orders, true intentions, a burning heart and clean intentions can be the means to reach God and being away from the way of God is the result of neglect of God and paying attention to things that do not belong to God. As many other narrations and stories in Masnavi, this one includes significant and valuable social, religious, philosophical and mystical points which is expressed as the peripheral message and theme alongside the main body of the story, including: the impact of pleasant sounds and melodies to human s soul and psyche, accepting the miseries and the poor s prayers from God, unfaithfulness and not validation of things other than God, the superiority of intuitive knowledge on attaining knowledge. Keywords- Rumi, Pir-e Changi; mystical analysis; conscience integrity I. INTRODUCTION The story of Pir-e Changi which seems as a simple and small story in its main source, it has been mentioned in Masnavi Manavi as a beautiful mystical story with numerous meanings and concepts. The source of this story is an anecdote mentioned in the book Asrar- Altohid written by Muhammad ibn Monavar explaining the well known mystic and narrator Sheikh Abousaid Abolkheir s biography and speech. Attar Neyshabouri also wrote this story in verse in the Masnavi of Mosibatnameh with some differences and probably Rumi paid attention to this anecdote in his story. Rumi considered various beneficial educational, ethical, religious and mystical by expressing and designing his stories. He mentioned his religious-mystical thoughts in the form of anecdotes as a compassionate teacher and hereby he wants to make clear the human life s dark ways with his speeches and direct them to good and happiness. It has been mentioned in the main reference of the anecdote that an old man in Neshabour gave 100 dinars to Abusaid Abolkheir to maintain it as the costs for the monastery. However, Sheikh told Hosn Moadab to go to the cemetery and an old man is there and give him the gold. The story is continued in Asrar-Altohid that Hosn Moadab went to Hireh cemetery (one o the well-known cemeteries in Neyshabour) as Sheikh told him, and he saw an old person sleeping there and put a tanbor beneath his head. Then he woke her up and gave her 100 dinars. The old man said that he played tambour in youth and many people requested me to play this, and my life was passed of what I earned money from this job until I grew old and there was no one to request me and I had no money and my wife and children withdrew me. I went to this cemetery and says God that I played tambour for people and I played it for you to make me bread. I played tambour from the beginning of night until dawn and I finally was tired and went to sleep, Hosn Moaddab took him to go to Abosaid Abolkheir and the old men repented by Abousaid. Forouzanfar maintained that the source of this story is an anecdote mentioned in Asrar Altohid (Foruzanfar, 1991, 20), and Rumi adopted it as the process and order of the anecdote indicates, but as is cleared, he made some interventions and increased his work s impact and attractiveness. This small story has been fully changed in the story of Jalal Aldin Almuhammad entitled the story of Pir-e Changi which he grabbed in a cemetery in the time of Omar in the way of God. And the differences are mentioned below in brief: Firstly, the place in which the event is occurred from the old town of Neyshabour to Yasreb (Medina). The place where The Prophet migrated and the source of Islamic conquests and the concourse of Ansars and emigrants. The time of this occurrence in Asrar- Altohid was in 5th century AH, which it has been transformed in 198

2 1st century AH. Another thing is that the only one who doorway except from You are depraved (Makarem helps the old man is the Second Caliph. Shirazi, 2008: 625). Having been surrendered to the old man in Asrar- Altohid, the story came to an end, but the pleasant and beautiful mystical story is expressed in Masnavi, in which the old man shamed by God s mercy and beneficence and he was suddenly become aware and his position was superior than that of others. The other difference of the main source of the story written in Asrar Altohid with the one mentioned as Pir-e Changi in Masnavi is that it has not been mentioned in Asrar-Altohid and Mosibat Nameh that how Abu Said Abolkheir come to know the old man s feelings and it is possible that another man gave him the news or inside knowledge. But, as mentioned in Masnavi, Omar went to sleep and he became aware of the old man. Sleeping is one of the ways for discovery and intuition which was emphasized by Sufis and solved their problems and those of their followers through sleep (Gouharin, 2004, Vol. 9: 53). This issue should also be taken into account that by the changes Rumi made in his stories, he follows up two main objectives, which one of them is to make the story ready to express mystical contents. The other aim is to mention the philosophical and mystical concepts in accordance with the standards and fictions of fiction and to give them more excitement and momentum with his own method. Subtle points and useful results are also involved in this anecdote according to his methods. According to Rumi, after Omar is went to sleep and a divine calling told him to freed his bond servant from what he needs, take 700 dinars from exchequer and then give him and told him to take this money due to the music you played for me and expend it. when the money is expended come to us and play the music and take your wage. Omar was awakened by his sleep s awe and went to cemetery and after he searched, he found none except the old man and was admonished from this event and then did sit down there. Omar sneezed and the old man was awaked after. He scared of seen Omar with an awesome face over him. Omar told him not to be scared of and I bring you the message and annunciation of God. Take this gold for the music you played for God and expend it and come to take another one in the future. According to Rumi, based on what is mentioned in this story, the condition to reach God is to disconnect from the humans and paying attention to Him along with inside piety. This kind of meaning has been mentioned in narrative and benedictory texts: those who seek help other than God made hopeless and the one who are oriented other than You are forfeited and those who go II. ANALYZING THE STORY There was a harper man in Media in the time of Omar who sung magnificently as Seraph resurrected the dead. His harp made a great change as that of Seraph: This harper was so proud of himself when he was noticed by people and did not consider God in his life. When he was deprived of his music and the power of his art, there was none around him and was reluctantly deposited his egoism and this was the appropriated time to be accepted by God (Zarinkoub, 2003: 168). Rumi made use of allegory here and maintained that divine songs are the same as musical ones and indicated that there was an enthusiasm inside prophets, that is divine grace, that they was able to guide and direct people in a true way and in fact made them happy and to resurrect the dead bodies (contents from Sura Anfal, 24). The note worth paying attention to is that the divine songs should be heard within ourselves, for the physical ear is not capable to hear it. Therefore prophets give people new life by divine songs and creating enthusiasm within them. Rumi indicated in an another place that as the dead are made alive from the earthly tomb in the dooms day, the spirits will also be resurrected from tombs, because the sacrifice spirit is enslaved in the physical body and when it is uninhibited that it will be freed from the carnality and body restrictions and also physical belongings in reality and are reached to God. In continuity, Rumi mentioned the impact of divinely breath in human s spirit of the true followers and to show this impact to the reader much more better, he likened it to a penitential tree which his branch is extended at the home of all pious people and what the tree gave them what they want, and concluded that the divine breath is performed as the means for reaching to perfection (Zamani, Vol. 1: 522). In the time when Rumi are explaining this anecdote, a worldly memories disturb Hesamadin Chalbi s thoughts and decreases his enthusiasm. Another issue is considered here and Rumi likened the carnality to thorn and spirit to Loghman. In continuity, he once again likened the spirit to a pure horseback, because he wants to take along his way, but a camel stops its way wherever he saw a thorn and cannot take along its way. Rumi continually says that the physical body are mostly concerned with lusts and abject desires. But 199

3 because the spirit is from the unseen world are oriented towards divine wisdom and knowledge. Not only does Rumi mention the meaning about the spirit. His fellow men s thoughts are concerned with physical issues and he says that my fellow men s loneliness made my silent. But his fellow men request him to express the world s secrecies and want him not to blame their loneliness. Indicating the term of loneliness reminds Rumi to the issue of bad thing s interference in divine hap, an issue that was much discussed by Islamic scholars and it is fully explained in verbal references (Sadi Mehr, 2009, Vol. 1: 307). According to Rumi, what are obtained to us are all good things and bad ones are relative, that is to say the divine decree is absolute goodness based on the world s system, however, it may be considered as badness by human kinds. In an another place, Rumi likened the divine grace and raising of prophets as divine rain and says that this rain makes hearts renewed and gives it novelty and vibrancy. But the rain must be tangible, so who is it possible to see the intangible rain? This is the question and belief of those who just see the appearance. Rumi responded to these people that this tangible world the shadow of the divine world and what is in this world as part, its general and perpetual form is in the divine world. Then he mentioned the story of Ayesheh to the apparent people be satisfied and says that The Prophet went to a cemetery for one of his fellow men s funeral and buried him. When he returned Ayesheh told him that the day was raining but His clothes was dry (Zamani, 1993, Vol. 1: 539). Indicating the grain made Rumi reminds to another discussion namely resurrection day and when the dead are being alive. He once again resorted to allegory and explained this issue in this way and emphasize that the plants and trees are left without leaves and they give leaves and fruits again in spring. According the Sufis, what is in the physical world is the shadow of the unseen world and what is over has a hidden form ( the source of this theory dates back to Plato s perfect world) (Sajadi, 1984, Vol. 4: 123). Sanaie also indicated in this regard in his book Hadighe. Rumi adopted this content and says that there is another form of raining, sky, cloud and sum in the unseen world which the pious people are able to see and others are deprived from seeing it. Raining made tree s leaves to be fallen and the trees are one again made green in the spring and then he concluded that raining, wind and tress in the unseen world are like this (Foruzanfar, 1984: 828). By mentioning cloud and hidden raining, Rumi means that the true men s breath. Their breath and spirit has much effect provided that they have the capacity to be accepted. The companion and sympathy of true men makes their follower s hears pleasure and renewed and this is the impact of divine grace which is created in true men s hearts. However, the provision to be provided with the divine grace is aptitude and request (Yasrebi, 2010, 102). Afterwards Rumi took an opportunity and criticizes those who deny the miracle, because speaking stone and crying wood into deniers is not but an imagination. For this reason, Rumi defends himself and describes the calling of God in another position and indicates that the origin of each calling and singing is from God which is heard. Because everything in this world is a position of existing of God and this divine calling can be heard by various people and it is not limited to a specific human gender. This is the general calling and can even be heard by stone, wood and many other materials. They will listen to the call of God and makes them know His divine essence and they confess into God. Rumi resorts to a narration that all Muslims have consensus about. In order to the reader s mind makes near to the content, he expressed a hadith when in 8th century AH The Prophet leaned to a wooden pillar while speaking and when the pulpit was built up, that pillar cried hard. The Prophet fondle him and made him tranquil and then gave him the authority that if he wanted to be changed as a new tree and be fruitful and entered paradise, he should select that wooden pulpit. At the end of this subject, Rumi warn his readers to be more than that wood in belief and practice and want them to choose the eternal way: In an another position, he likened those who seek reasoning as blind people who are walking by the help of cane. Because of the fact that they do not want to see the reality and by relying the reasons they fortified, they want to know the truth. In this similitude, the superiority of intuitive knowledge on attainment knowledge has been considered (Amininejad, 2008, 48). After expressing some useful mystical, ethical, social and philosophical points, he follows up the story of Pir-e Changi. This man made repented of what he had done before. A question raised here and that if the harp singing is a means to attract God s grace, so why Pir-e Changi repented from his past and lamented of what his life passed by. This question can be answered in this way that as mentioned from the beginning, the main source of this story is the tales of Asrar Altohid, and Rumi did not remove Pir-e Changi s repentance due to observing the trust. Another reason can also be given and that the old man in art applied music for wealthy and complacent people and the art was de-honored for this reason. That s 200

4 why he recognized his mistake and contrived. Mystically brought up and the perfect old man is as a sweat sea. This speaking, this can be answered in this way that man changes the salty water into a sweat thing through considering other than God is also a kind of sin for upbringing. mankind, and it is the cause of human s negligence According to his specific method and the conclusion he towards God and in fact negligence is made to a reality. reached, Rumi makes ready the reader s mind to the next Then the old man began crying for repentance and Omar anecdote namely the story of the Arabs and the caliph. told him that crying is not considered as the stages of perfection and this action is occurred when a benefit is taken away. On the other hand, crying are the indications III. CONCLUSION of being aware of considering people and that of oneself. Although repentance is an acceptable action and are the stages of conduct, there are much stages for the peripatetic to take which he should pass them to achieve the final position. Rumi, like Bayazid Bastami and their followers, prefers rapture to consciousness and that s why he believes that crying which is the results of consciousness is inappropriate. By ephemeral in the second copula, it means physical ephemeral and the one who knows that all actions are from God and do not consider as his belongings, those who are in rapture are not deliberately affected to it, but whatever one does is by the order of drunk (Foruzanfar, 1998: 892). At the end of the story of Pir-e Changi, Rumi mentioned that that man s feelings are changed and died of this and then achieved an eternal life. An wonder prevails on him and are linked to perish and submergence and are mortal in the way of God. Rumi interpreted this state as sacrifice. Then he says that perish is the introduction of perpetuity. Rumi expressed this issue with recourse to an allegory and likened it as life s perpetuity and life s enduring is as water in raceway which likes as a new thing and seems to be stable. In the end, he mentioned a hadith from The Prophet for more emphasis are appealed to that hadith. It is concerned with two angels are praying constantly. One of them requests God to give the same things to the donors and the other wants ruining the property for curmudgeon and parsimonies. Then h says that abstinence should be according to God s teachings and commands. Every abstinence does not cause ascension and passing the perfection and Rumi likened it as a wheat farmed carefully in a suitable land. Each seed is increased to many ones, but inappropriate austerity is as a wheat in a warehouse and the mice eat them. Rumi finally concluded from this discussion and story that and non-refined spirit is not reached to perfection and it should give to the perfect and refined old man to be It is worth considering the point in the method of Rumi in storytelling. Although there are many experts and professors made their speech in this regard, expressing a few pints come to our minds is worthwhile here. In order to the theme of the story be penetrated in the minds of the readers and the purposes are expressed in the best way, the poets and writer, especially those who have written in the realm of mysticism, combined the legal and educational poems with that of stories and anecdotes. Another issue is that they made use of allegory, for expressing stories and anecdotes through allegory is both more pleasurable for readers and a good effects will be created on the readers and also made the meanings and thoughts more understandable for the reader s mind. Sanaie in Hadighe and Attar in his Masnavies made use of this method and this method is come to its peak by Rumi. Allusion and reference to verses and religious traditions is added to its sanctity and credibility. By a cursory look to the comparison of mutual anecdotes of Snaie in Hadighe and Attar in his Masnavi with Rumi in Masnavi, it is found out that Rumi makes more attractive his stories with the interferences specific to him including adding up dialogue and changing, transferring, increasing and reducing his anecdote structure and comes to a conclusion at the end of the anecdote. He guides and leads the enthusiasts with advice and preaching which is one of the most effective educational methods. REFERENCES [1] Amini Nejad (2008), familiarity with Islamic mysticism, Qom, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Center. [2] Foruzanfar, Badi-Alzaman ( 1998 ), Explaining Masnavi, Tehran, Zawar Publications. [3] -(1991), the source of the stories and allegories of Masnavi, Tehran, Amir Kabir Publications. [4] Makarem Shirazi, Naser, modern Mafatih, (2008), Qom, Ali Ibn Abitaleb Publications. [5] Muhammad Ibn Monavar Ibn Abisaied Bin Abitaher Bin Abisaied Mihani(2005), Asrar Altohid Fi Maghamat Alsheikh Abou Saied, attempted by Dr. Zabihollah Safa, Tehran, Ferdows Publications. [6] Rumi, Jalal Aldin Muhammad (2000), Masnavi, introduction, editions, adding up, explanations and table of contents by Dr. Muhammad Estelami, Tehran, Sokhan Publications. 201

5 [7] Saidi Mehr, Muhammad Teaching Islamic Theology, (2009), [11] Zamani, Karim, A Comprehensive Description of Masnavi, Qom, Taha Publications. 1993, Tehran, Etelaat Publications. [8] Sajjadi, Sayed Jafar, Islamic Education Culture, (1984), Tehran, Iran Authors and Translators Institute. [9] Yasrebi, Sayed Yahya, practical mysticism, (2009), Qom, Islamic Advertising Center Publications. [10] Zarinkoub, Abdolhussein, (2003), the broken ladder, Tehran, Sokhan Publications. 202

International Academic Institute for Science and Technology. Vol. 3, No. 10, 2016, pp ISSN

International Academic Institute for Science and Technology International Academic Journal of Humanities Vol. 3, No. 10, 2016, pp. 39-43. ISSN 2454-2245 International Academic Journal of Humanities www.iaiest.com