People, Names, Stories

"Attar roamed the seven cities of love -- We are still just in one alley."
-Rumi

Before continuing to the Valley of Love, it may be wise to dwell on a few stories, important figures and beliefs given throughout the Seven Valleys.

First and foremost: What is Sufism?

Sufism is a mystical branch of Islam whose adherents strive to achieve complete detachment from all else but God (very much what the Seven Valleys talks about). They arose out almost like rebellion against the Umayyad Dynasty; the Umayyad was a very materialistic society while the Sufis were a dervish-unmaterialistic-one. Much of its influence can be found from Yoga (the Hindu tradition of meditation applying both the physical and mental capacities of the performer) in terms of movement and concentration. The real idea however, is giving up one's own will and placing it with the will of God. It is in this way, one can perhaps become connected with God personally and attain Divine Knowledge. Islam in general follows this same belief, however, Sufis contend that this path begins in the physical life rather than after.
One cannot learn Sufism on his own. It requires years of discipline and training under a teacher. The students performs service for the teacher where one learns humility and detachment from all things.

Who are some important Sufis of note?

Shaykh Muhyi'd-Din: He is the Sufi who wrote to Bahá'u'lláh (circa 1860) about the journey to God which is a focus of Sufi tradition. He was of the Qádiríyyih branch of Sufism (they are not unique in their teachings or doctrines of Islam other than the mystic Sufi following), the oldest of the Sufi traditions leading back to 'Abd al-Qadir al-Djilani (the founder of this branch. In his eyes, charity was a crucial element of Islam. Many Sufi elements such as the chanting of praises of Muhammad and the body movements derive from him) and, even further back to Ali, son of the Prophet Muhammad. Shaykh Muhyi'd-Din left his post as a judge around the time he posed his question to Bahá'u'lláh and became a traveling dervish in the Kurdistan region of modern day Iraq.

Farídu'd-Dín Attár: Persian Sufi poet and theorist who lived from 1145-1221 AD. Not much is known about his life other than he traveled around India, Persia and Arabia before returning to his hometown as a Sufi. One of his most famous works is called Mantiq at-Tayr (the Conference of the Birds). In this allegory, he follows the journey of many birds in their servitude to their master, a hoopoe (compare this to the students of Sufism following their master). They are to be lead to the land of Simorgh, the greatest of the birds. They follow the hoopoe through seven valleys (not unlike the Seven Valleys of Bahá'u'lláh. Sufis use metaphors of valleys and cities as metaphors for one's own journey to enlightenment, hence Bahá'u'lláh's own use of the term) in which birds fall prey to their own wants and desires. It ends with only thirty birds who reach the land of Simorgh. Attár uses a play on words for this matter, for Simorgh in Persian translates directly to "thirty birds." Thus, these thirty birds did not find Simorgh, but themselves. The greater idea behind this story is the Sufi's own discovery of God within himself. He gave much influence to Rumi, perhaps the greatest of Sufi poets.

Jalálu'd-Dín Rúmí: Another Sufi poet, he lived from 1207-1273 AD. He and his father fled from Persia during the Mongol invasions. He met Attár who, feeling the spiritual capacity Rumi possessed, called Rumi an ocean walking behind a sea (Rumi's father). Afterward, Rumi came in contact with Sufis in Baghdad. He was trained in the tradition of Sufism by Siyyid Burhan ud-Din Muhaqqiq Termazi, and, after his master's death, Rumi himself became a Sufi Master and Scholar. His most influential work (a poem of over 50,000 lines and 424 stories) was the Masnavi-I Ma'navi meaning literally, "Rhyming Couplets of Profound Spiritual Meaning." Within this work and each of its stories, are analysis of Quranic ideas and verses which follow man's journey in his quest for God and the hardships he faces.

Khájih `Abdu'lláh: Another Sufi poet living from 1006-1088 AD. He followed many of the ideas of detachment throughout his life. Not only did he avoid the company of the rich and powerful, but he also gave what he had to the poor and needy. His influence was spread far and wide and many schools of thought were influenced and created by his philosophy.

Háfiz: Shamsu'd-Dín Muhammad: Persian lyric poet who lived from 1315-1390 AD. His work is most famous for containing many ideas within a single verse. Our life, in his eyes, is much like an illusion-thus the material is not to be a major focus. His work is probably the most famous in Iran today.

Who were Layla and Majnun?

This is probably the most famous love story in Arabic and Persian traditions. It follows Qays ibn al-Mulawwah ibn Muzahim, a poet, who is unable to marry his beloved Layla Al-Aamiriya due to Quranic traditions and the ill-will of her father. After some time, Layla's father married her to another man. Qays ibn al-Mulawwah, maddened by his grief, came to be known as Majnun, or madman. He left the village for the desert and would wander the land simply reciting poetry. Layla herself died over time. In his progress to madness, he wrote poetry about Layla and his love for her. He died over an unknown grave having written three final lines declaring his love for her.

Who were Joseph and Jacob?

This is a very interesting tale as the story of Jacob and his beloved Joseph has been told by two sources: The Bible and The Quran. Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, had many children of his own-the youngest one being Joseph. At a young age, Joseph had a dream in which the planets, the sun and the moon bowed down to him. Jacob saw this as a fulfillment of the prophesy of Abraham where God's light would be spread to all the people. He warned Joseph not to tell this dream to any of his brothers as they would become jealous and be rid of him. This however did not matter because his brothers were jealous of their father's favoring of Joseph over them.

One day, they took Joseph out to play and left him in a well to be picked up and sold as a slave. They then took his shirt, covered it in sheep blood as proof to their father that he had been eaten by wolves. Jacob, aware of their treachery, said he would wait in patience until Joseph returned to him. The Bible, differs in its telling, claiming that the brothers sold Joseph into slavery to some Egyptians.

In the Quranic tale it writes how as Joseph matured, the signs of God became latent in him as a prophet. Many times, the wife of Imra'at al-Aziz (assumed to be the Pharoah Potiphar) attempted to seduce him. He refused however, but she continues to seduce him until caught by her husband. In order to protect his wife's honor, he placed Joseph in prison. In prison, it is said God gave Joseph the ability to interpret dreams. The king, having heard of his ability came to Joseph asking him for advice on a dream he had. Joseph interpreted the dream to fortell the coming of a great famine which the King could save the people of Egypt from if he so desired. After Egypt avoided the famine, Joseph became a close adviser to the king.

Years later, he would come across his family. Jacob had become blind due to his tears of missing and desiring his son. He forgave his brothers, restored his father's vision and returned home with them.

The Bible gives a slightly different tale. Joseph was imprisoned in Egypt but freed after saving the people due to his interpretation of the King's dream. Jacob, suffering from famine, sent his remaining sons (except Benjamin-Joseph's only full brother) to retrieve grain from Egypt. Joseph, recognizing his brothers, imprisons Simeon claiming that they are all spies. He demanded Benjamin be brought to testify on their behalf. Jacob, hearing of this tragedy, refuses to send Benjamin. Judah, another of Jacob's sons, promises to Jacob not to allow Benjamin to come to any harm. When the brothers are sent once again to Joseph to retrieve more grain, Joseph demands Benjamin. However, Judah offers himself in Benjamin's place. Impressed, and perhaps proud that Judah did not betray Benjamin as he had betrayed him, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers and offered them and his father sanctuary in Egypt.





All these stories, people and ideas simply give various qualities and attributes latent within The Seven Valleys. Detachment, love, determination/motivation and many more are required for one to achieve the end, The Valley of Poverty and Absolute Nothingness.

To return back to the Valley of Search, it is this desire to succeed and to attain the end which drives us forward. If we drop like many of the birds attempting to reach Simorgh, we will never reach our goal. But finding out what we are searching for is only the beginning. We continue on the journey next time in the Valley of Love. Keep in mind, the stead of this Valley is pain. What does this mean in terms of our search?