Mathnawi Rumi (Volume I, Volume I)

Maulana Rum's great classic Masnawi Ma'nawi, in six volumes, is one of the four outstanding classics emanating from the same region (modern Iran) and which continue to exercise overwhelming influence on world mysticism - the other three being Diwan-i-Hafiz, Firdausi's Shah Nama, and Gulistan-i-Sadi. But from the gnostic point of view the Masnawi excels these works. Like the Panchtantra, the Indian classic of 200 B.C., the Masnawi abounds in fables and parables through which Rumi deals with the abstruse aspects of religion, philosophy, and mystic experience, the nature of the Lord (verse 4291), the issue of freewill (ikhtiyar) versus necessitarianism (jabr), the capital importance of ibn-ul-waqt (the living master) for gnostic progress, the hallmark of charlatans, the need for discarding meaningless rituals and ceremonies which in verses 4543-4560 Rumi compares with stale bread only retaining its form and grossness, and dry and gross thistles which would scratch the eater's palate and lips. And he gives a clarion call, 'Whatever has become mixed with dust and turned dry and has become a thorn in your flesh, abstain from that herbage, O camel!' Rumi stresses that every epoch in human history produces its own challenges which cannot be met by resorting to old values and methods but which can be tackled only with the aid of murshid-al-waqt (master of the age). One who lives a hesternal life is banished from the Divine court for as the Prophet (Mohammed) said, 'One who's any two days are wholly alike, he is always at a loss - a prisoner of doubt and suspense' (verses 5341-47, Volume VI). There is a detailed list of contents in the beginning giving the titles of the 194 sections into which volume one is divided, and an index at the end.