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

something that needed to be done: Koran 
8: 44, where it refers to the
rejection of Prophet Mohammad by his own tribesmen in Mecca (see
Glossary).
2525 God’s she-camel, her share: Koran 91: 13, in a passage about the mission
of Saleh to the Thamud (for both, see Glossary).
2551 jathemin: Koran 7: 78, an Arabic term meaning ‘falling prostrate’ which
is used in a passage describing the Thamud (see Glossary) after they are
destroyed by an earthquake for rejecting the Prophet Saleh.
2570 Why should I feel bad for the wicked’s sake: Koran 7: 93, where it repre-
sents the thoughts of the Prophet Shoaib after the people who rejected
him are destroyed.
Notes to pages 
145–158
257

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2582 Heading He let the seas meet each other with a gap which they don’t
encroach upon: Koran 
55: 19–20. See note to v. 298.
2607–8 Water of Life/Draught of Life: see note to v. 578.
2615 Heading That God may forgive you your past and future sins: Koran
48: 2, as part of a speech addressing the Prophet Mohammad and
recounting the favours he has received from God.
2616–18 Lord grant me . . . It is not suitable . . . After me: Koran 38: 35, as part
of Solomon’s appeal to God to grant him a unique form of sovereignty
that no one after him would be blessed with.
2646 see by the light of God: part of a saying of the Prophet Mohammad
about the miraculous insight of the true believer, who sees by the light of
God.
2657 Love makes men turn deaf and blind: a saying of the Prophet Mohammad.
2660 The Tablet’s contents: this refers to the Preserved Tablet, for which see
the note to v. 
1072.
2661 He taught the names: Koran 2: 31. See note to v. 1243.
2668 Come here . . . a paradise of images of me: Koran 39: 29–30, where God
addresses the perfect souls, described as being at peace.
2684 Much more than wrathful I’m compassionate: an allusion to a Sacred
Tradition (see note to v. 
1948), in which God states that His mercy
precedes His wrath.
2700 veracious: the epithet commonly used to refer to Abu Bakr (see note to
p. 
4, line 2, and Glossary).
2706 Say, come!: Koran 3: 61 and 6: 151, meaning ‘Come and worship God!’
2715 Heading Commander of the Faithful: see note to v. 1399.
2721 the Lord has bought!: Koran 9: 111, where it is used to mean ‘bought’ in
the sense that the faithful serve God and He rewards them with
paradise.
2726 Lower your lustful gaze!: Koran 24: 30, in a passage instructing modesty
in dress and conduct. Rumi cites it here to convey the importance of
renouncing sensual pleasure.
2730 beneath them rivers flow: Koran 2: 25, among many occurrences, where it
describes the gardens of paradise.
2753 the final blast: see note to v. 750.
2759 By the morning: Koran 93: 1, the start of a sura, or chapter, of the Koran,
the tenth verse of which instructs Prophet Mohammad not to drive
beggars away.
2770 He was not begotten: Koran 112: 3, in a passage usually interpreted as a
succinct de
finition of monotheism aimed polemically at Christians.
2790 Ja
 far’s gold: it is unclear whether this refers to the coinage of
an Abbasid vizier called Ja

far, or to Ja
far al-Sadeq, the sixth Shi
ite
Notes to pages 
158–171
258

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Imam and important Su
fi authority, to whom are attributed works on
alchemy.
2792 see by God’s light: see note to v. 2646.
2799 One drew the Draught of Life from Joseph’s face: this alludes to Koran 12:
19, which describes how Joseph was discovered in a well after being
trapped there by his jealous brothers. For Draught of Life, see note to
v. 
578.
2800 To watch a fire . . . escape from hell this way: this alludes to Koran 28:
29–30, which describes how a fire stole Moses’s attention and led him to
witness God.
2801 Jesus jumped . . . took him to heaven instantly!: this alludes to Koran 4:
157, which presents the Muslim belief that Jesus was not crucified but
rather rescued by God and taken directly to heaven.
2806–7 A war of vengeance . . . all the same: this refers to the Prophet
Mohammad’s uncle Abbas, who at 
first fought against him, but later
became a follower. The much celebrated Abbasid caliphate was named
after him, as they looked back to him as their ancestor.
2813 Heading A gulf is fixed between them and what they desire: Koran 34: 54,
where it refers to a punishment dealt out to those who deny God and the
unseen realm.
2817 Heading ‘If you fornicate, do it with a free woman; if you steal, steal a