Shams al-Tabrizi was a 13th-century Persian poet and mystic who is best known for his profound influence on Rumi, the celebrated poet and founder of the Mevlevi order of Sufism. Shams and Rumi met in Konya, Turkey, in 1244, and their encounter sparked a spiritual awakening and transformation in Rumi, who became a devoted disciple and friend of Shams. Their relationship was based on deep love and mutual respect, as well as a shared quest for the ultimate truth and reality of God.
Shams al-Tabrizi was not only a master of poetry but also a master of the inner journey. He taught Rumi and others how to overcome the obstacles of the self and the world and how to attain a state of union with the divine. He did not use conventional methods of teaching, such as lectures or books, but rather used direct and sometimes harsh words, stories, anecdotes, and paradoxes to challenge and inspire his listeners. He did not mince words or sugarcoat the truth but spoke with honesty and courage. He did not seek fame or popularity but rather preferred solitude and anonymity. He did not conform to the norms or expectations of society but rather followed his own inner voice and intuition.
Shams al-Tabrizi's words are not mere words but living expressions of his experience and insight. They are not meant to be taken literally or dogmatically, but rather to be contemplated and reflected upon. They are not meant to be memorized or repeated, but rather to be internalized and embodied. They are not meant to be a source of information or knowledge, but rather a source of inspiration and guidance.
One of the most famous and powerful sayings of Shams al-Tabrizi is the following:
"If you're still mad,
You're not done fighting with yourself.
If you're still hurt,
The bricks of the house of the heart have not been reinforced.
If you still condemn,
It means that your thoughts are not clear enough.
If you still do not give up saying "I", it means that your reins are still in the hands of your ego and you are submitting to this bondage.
And if you are still "complaining",
It means you cannot see the truth."
This saying summarizes the main obstacles that prevent us from reaching the state of peace, love, and harmony that is our true nature and destiny. These obstacles are the manifestations of our lower self, or nafs, which is the source of all evil and suffering in the world. The nafs is the aspect of our being that is attached to the material and temporal world, that is driven by desires and passions, that is ruled by pride and arrogance, that is blinded by ignorance and illusion, and that is resistant to change and growth. The nafs is the enemy within, the false self, the veil that covers the true self, the heart, or qalb, which is the seat of divine knowledge and love.
Shams al-Tabrizi does not tell us to suppress or deny our emotions, feelings, thoughts, or opinions, but rather to examine and purify them. He does not tell us to avoid or escape from the world, but rather to transform and transcend it. He does not tell us to renounce or reject our individuality but rather to realize and express our true identity. He does not tell us to stop or ignore our complaints but rather to listen and learn from them. He does not tell us what to do or how to do it, but rather to discover and follow our own path.
Shams al-Tabrizi shows us that the way to overcome the obstacles of the nafs is to engage in a constant and sincere struggle, or jihad, against it. This struggle is not a physical or external one, but a spiritual and internal one. It is not a violent or aggressive one, but a peaceful and compassionate one. It is not a passive or reactive one, but an active and proactive one. It is not a temporary or occasional one, but a permanent and continuous one. It is not a solitary or individual one, but a communal and collective one.
Shams al-Tabrizi teaches us that the tools and weapons for this struggle are the practices and disciplines of the Islamic tradition, such as prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, meditation, remembrance, service, and ethics. These practices and disciplines are not ends in themselves but means to an end. They are not rituals or formalities, but expressions and manifestations. They are not obligations or duties, but opportunities and privileges. They are not burdens or restrictions, but blessings and liberations.
Shams al-Tabrizi reveals to us that the goal and outcome of this struggle is the attainment of the state of fana, or annihilation, in which the nafs is completely dissolved and the heart is fully awakened. In this state, there is no more anger, pain, judgment, ego, or complaint, but only love, joy, gratitude, surrender, and praise. In this state, there is no more separation, duality, or multiplicity, but only unity, oneness, and singularity. In this state, there is no more illusion, ignorance, or falsehood, but only truth, knowledge, and reality. In this state, there is no more self, but only God.
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