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DISCOURSES
RUMI
FIHI MA FIHI
BASED ON THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION BY
A. J. ARBERRY
OMPHALOSKEPSIS
Ames, Iowa
 
Preface
Omphaloskepsis acknowledges the kind permission granted by LittleKnown Publications (LKPublictn@aol.com) for use of their original ASCIItext for composition of this PDF version of Discourses of Rumi. This text isnot in the public domain. Please note: this PDF version is copyright © 2000Omphaloskepsis. Commercial reproduction or distribution of this file isstrictly prohibited. For additional information, please contact us atinfo@omphaloskepsis.bizland.com.Reprinted below is the documentation provided by Little KnownPublications for use of their original ASCII keystrokes:All of the writings on the web pages of Little Known Publications are freefor your perusal. There are no charges or fees of any kind. You are also freeto copy any of the writings for your own personal use, or for use in any waythat does not generate a profit. We only ask, when you wish to copy, post or retransmit any of these writings, that you recognize the copyrights for these publications belong to the author and that you include the statement:Reprinted with permission of the copyright holder.The poetry of Jalal al-Din Rumi has recently become popular and wellknown, thanks to new translations by Coleman Barks, Robert Bly andothers. Anyone who is looking to experience Rumi’s incandescent love needgo no further than his volumes of verse, but if you want to see the subtletiesof his wisdom and find insights into the real meaning of his poetry, thenRumi’s Discourses hold the key.Until this publication, as far as the publishers know, all previous translationsof Rumi’s Discourses into English have been made by scholars, writtenfrom the world of academia. While their books were published with care to preserve the accuracy of Rumi’s literary meaning, this publication availablehere strives to restore the subtle impacts of Rumi’s words that carry his realmessage.Rumi is not just telling stories that teach, or relating his philosophical andreligious understanding, as the previous translations have focused on, but hiswords have been crafted to transmit something of great substance. As theSufis have often said, this matter cannot be studied from the outside, it canonly be discovered from within. No doubt such statements will raisedisagreements, but we need only refer to Rumi’s own discourses to see hisown opinions on this very subject. Over and over Rumi criticizes those whostudy at length the outward sense of things, but miss the inner Truth.It is likely that the Discourses of Rumi will only appeal to those who arewilling to make some effort to study his words. But if the reader is willing toread carefully, he or she should be able to find a greater glimpse of Rumi’srelationship with life and his spiritually intoxicating intimacy with the Pathof Love.
 
Introduction
R ecognized as perhaps the greatest mystical poet of Islam, Jalal al-DinRumi (1207-1273) communicated something through his writing that hasattracted spiritual seekers from almost every religion in the world, for hundreds of years. Even in his day, Rumi was sought out by merchants andkings, devout worshippers and rebellious seekers, famous scholars andcommon peasants, men and women. At his funeral, Muslims, Christians,Jews, Arabs, Persians, Turks and Romans honored him. Listen to his call for seekers of truth:
Come, come, whoever you are.Wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving. It doesn’t matter.Ours is not a caravan of despair.Come, even if you have broken your vowa hundred times.Come, yet again, come, come.
Rumi’s love and honor for all religious traditions was not always popular inhis day, and often provoked criticism from the more dogmatic. A story istold that one such public challenge came from a Muslim dignitary, Qonavi,who confronted Rumi before an audience. “You claim to be at one with 72religious sects,” said Qonavi, “but the Jews cannot agree with the Christians,and the Christians cannot agree with Muslims. If they cannot agree witheach other, how could you agree with them all?” To this Rumi answered,“Yes, you are right, I agree with you too.”Although kings were his followers, Rumi’s critics could never understandwhy Rumi’s greatest love and dedication went to what they called, “thetailors, the cloth-sellers, and the petty shopkeepers - uncouth and unculturedruffians.” Yet even amongst these, his dearest companions, Rumi allowed novanity. The story is told that one day, while Rumi was in deepcontemplation, surrounded by his disciples, a drunkard walked in shoutingand stumbling. The man staggered toward Rumi, and then fell on him. ToRumi’s followers such a disgrace of their teacher was intolerable, and theyrose as one to rush the ignorant fool. Rumi stopped them with his raisedhand, saying, “I thought this intruder was the one who was intoxicated, butnow I see it is not he, but my own students who are drunk!”There are thousands who believe that Rumi’s presence (baraka) still existstoday, and still teaches. If this is true, it is certainly largely due to theremarkable vitality that can be found in his writings and poetry, and arelevancy they contain that reaches to our inner core. Rumi’s poetry hascaptured the hearts of spiritual seekers around the world because of its depthand beauty. His verses sketch out the whole panorama of life, from humansorrow and devotion, to the universal breadth of God’s hidden plan. His poetry seems fathomless and endless.Rumi has also left to us another manuscript that is not so well known - the
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