The Masnavi, Book One (Oxford World's Classics)

hadith is a report about what Prophet Moham-
mad said or did. For the full text of the 
hadiths that have been identi
fied
as the ones referred to here, see Nicholson, vii (Commentary), 
137.
2046 Heading Commentary on the verse of Hakim Sana
 i: the two couplets
cited here are taken from the 
Hadiqat al-haqiqat of Sana

i, concerning
whom see the Introduction.
2047 feel doubt as to a new creation: Koran 50: 15, where it is understood to
refer to bodily resurrection on Judgment Day (see note to v. 
1925). Rumi
uses it here as an example of the error of scepticism concerning what
one cannot perceive for oneself.
Notes to pages 
120–126
255

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2090 the Last Day’s trumpet blast: see note to v. 750.
2107 Job’s fount which cleanses and serves as a drink: allusion to Koran 38: 41–2,
which describes the spring provided by God to Job for both washing and
drinking.
2121 Am I not your Lord?: Koran 7: 172, God’s question in the tradition of the
establishment of the covenant between God and Mankind (see further
note to v. 
514).
2135 Be!: Koran 2: 117 etc.; see note to v. 1390.
2140 The Pole of each age: meaning the supreme Sufi saint of each age, who is
the spiritual axis of the universe.
2152 The miracles of Moses and Mohammad: referring to the miracle of
Moses’s rod turning into a snake (for which see note to v. 
279 above),
and the miracle of the moaning pillar described in the preceding
passage.
2153 They strike five times a day: rulers would have drums beaten at the palace
gates 
five times each day to proclaim their sovereignty.
2241 The Meccans who reviled the Prophet: at the start of his mission the
Prophet Mohammad was reviled by his fellow citizens, and eventually
migrated to Medina (see Glossary).
2245 ‘Show us the straight path!’: Koran 1: 6, part of the first sura, or chapter,
of the Koran, which is repeated during ritual prayer.
2255 Heading Hatem Ta
 i: the subject of a popular biographical tradition
which is thought to stem from a chivalrous pre-Islamic poet by this
name. He represents the epitome of generosity in the Arabo-Persian
literary tradition.
2262 Water of Life: see note to v. 578.
2269 Sameri: the ‘Samaritan’. He is identified in the Koran (20: 87–97) as the
man who led the Jews to worship the golden calf.
2286 Yazid: Yazid ebn Mo
awiya, the second Omayyad caliph, succeeding his
father, Mo

awiya, who had been a Companion of the Prophet from a
prominent Arab family. He is universally reviled for having ordered the
beheading of the Prophet’s grandson Hosayn and the massacre of his
followers in Kerbala.
2296 qebla: the direction, from any given location, towards the Kaaba in
Mecca (see Glossary), which Muslims face to pray.
2318 But you’ve reversed the way rope-makers plait: a reference to the way rope
is traditionally made, with one sequence of plaiting being followed by
another in the reverse direction. The bedouin in this way describes his
wife as having become worse over the years rather than improving.
2326 Heading ‘Why preach what you don’t practise’ . . . ‘more abhorred by
God’: both these citations are from the same passage in the Koran (
61:
2–3).
Notes to pages 
129–143
256

---

2353 Poverty’s pride: part of a well-known saying of the Prophet Mohammad,
in which he singles out poverty as a characteristic in which he takes
pride for having surpassed the level of all previous prophets.
2368 poverty’s my pride: see note to v. 2353.
2376 Hashemites: the Prophet Mohammad was born amongst the Banu
Hashem, or Hashemite, clan of Meccan Arabs.
2392 If strangers enter . . . all their hair: Muslim women traditionally cover
their hair in the presence of people who are not closely related.
2436 It’s beautified for men: Koran 3: 14, in reference to the attractive things
provided in this world, which are counted as inferior to nearness to
God.
2437 he’s consoled by her: Koran 7: 189, in reference to the creation of woman.
2439 ‘Please redhead, speak to me!’: representing the words of the Prophet to
his wife Aisha; see note to v. 
1983.
2464 But it’s for the eclipse men beat their bowls: a traditional way of reacting to
the eclipse of the moon, which was thought to have been caused by a
dragon that must be driven away.
2477 Be! And it was: Koran 2: 117 etc.; see note to v. 1390.
2485 donkey-sellers’ fights: fights staged by the owners in order to deceive
potential customers.
2493 Like changing footprints so you can’t be tracked: deliberately planting foot-
prints that face towards the opposite direction of one’s actual path, in
order to mislead trackers.
2494 Heading He has lost this world and the hereafter: Koran 22: 11, in refer-
ence to 
fickle people who follow God for rewards and turn away when
they experience adversity.
2508 O my servants!: Koran 39: 53, as part of an instruction to the Prophet
Mohammad to tell his people to repent and start to follow true
guidance.
2521 Heading He belittled you in their eyes so that God could bring to pass