The story of the king’s falling in love with a handmaiden and buying her.

حكايت عاشق شدن پادشاه بر كنيزك و بيمار شدن كنيزك و تدبير در صحت او

There was once a king who held both political and spiritual power. One day, he went hunting with his courtiers. On the way, he saw a handmaiden and fell in love with her. He paid money to buy her and was able to fulfill his desire. However, she became ill as a result of destiny. In order to save her, the king gathered doctors from everywhere and told them, “Our lives depend on you. My life doesn’t matter, but hers does. I am in pain and she is my cure. Whoever can heal her will receive my treasure and pearls, big and small.” The doctors all promised to use their intelligence and risk their lives to help. They believed that each of them was the savior of a world and had a medicine for every illness. However, they were arrogant and didn’t say “if God wills it.” As a result, God showed them their own weakness. Omitting the phrase “if God wills it” shows a lack of humility. Saying the phrase doesn’t guarantee humility. Many people don’t say the phrase but still have humility in their hearts. Despite their efforts, the more treatments they tried, the worse the illness became and they couldn’t fix it.

The sick girl became very thin, and the king’s eyes were full of tears like a river. Due to destiny, the medicine oxymel produced bile, and the oil of almonds increased dryness. Myrobalan caused constipation and relaxation stopped, and water fed the flames like naphtha. 

How it became manifest to the king that the physicians were unable to cure the handmaiden and how he turned his face towards God and dreamed of a holy man.

ظاهر شدن عجز حكيمان از معالجهى كنيزك و روى آوردن، پادشاه به درگاه خدا و در خواب ديدن او ولى را

Molana Rumi

When the king saw the doctors’ powerlessness, he ran barefoot to the mosque. He entered the mosque and went to the mihrab, and the prayer carpet was soaked with the king’s tears. As he came out of ecstasy, he praised God and said, “O God, You have the power to rule the world. You know all secrets, but You still ask us to reveal them. We have failed again, but You have told us to confess even if You already know. Please help us.” As he cried from the depths of his soul, the sea of bounty began to rise. He fell asleep while crying and dreamed of an old man who said, “Good news, O king! Your prayers have been answered. A stranger will come to you tomorrow from me. He is a skilled doctor and you can trust him. His remedy is absolute magic and he is a trustworthy person. When the time comes, trust him. 
When morning arrived and the sun burned the stars from the east, the king waited in the belvedere to see what was revealed to him in his dream. He saw an excellent and revered person, a sun in the shadow, coming from far away like the new moon. The person was not there, but in the form of imagination. In spirit, imagination is nothing, but it can create a whole world. Their peace and war, pride and shame are based on thoughts. The imaginations that trap the saints are reflections of the beautiful people in the garden of God. The invisible guest had the same image as the king’s dream. The king, instead of the chamberlains, went to meet his guest from the invisible. Both of them were experienced swimmers and their souls were connected. The king said, “You were my beloved, not her. But in this world, actions have consequences. I am Umar, you are Mustafa.I will tie my belt for your service.

The king met the divine physician that appeared in his dream.

مالقات پادشاه با آن ولى كه در خوابش نمودند

The king held out his hand and embraced the stranger, welcoming him into his heart and soul like he would a lover. He kissed the stranger’s hand and forehead, and asked about his home and journey. The king asked many questions and led the stranger to the throne. “Finally,” the king said, “I have found a treasure through patience.” He added, “Oh light of God and protection against trouble, the meaning of ‘patience is the key to joy.

The king greeted the stranger and said, “Your presence is the answer to every question and you can solve any problem without discussion. You understand everything in our hearts and help those who are in trouble. Welcome, O chosen one, O approved one! If you leave, we will be in trouble and the room will seem small. You are the protector of the people and anyone who doesn’t want you will be lost. You must stop him.”

How the king led the physician to the bedside of the sick girl, that he might see her condition.

بردن پادشاه آن طبيب را بر سر بيمار تا حال او را ببيند

The king brought the doctor to the sick person to see how she was doing

The doctor then examined the patient, checking their face, pulse, and urine, and listened to their symptoms and the causes of their illness. The king had taken the doctor to the harem and told him about the sick person and their illness, before sitting the doctor down beside the patient. The meeting and meal had already finished.

The doctor said, “None of the treatments they have tried have been helpful, they have actually caused harm. They don’t understand the person’s internal state. I ask for God’s protection from their misguided ideas.” He saw the pain and understood the cause, but he didn’t reveal it to the king. The sick person’s pain was not caused by excess bile. It was caused by a broken heart. The doctor could tell that the person was physically healthy but emotionally hurt because of love. There is no sickness like a broken heart. 

Love is different from all other ailments because it comes from a different place. It helps us understand the mysteries of God. Whether love comes from within or from outside, it takes us beyond ourselves in the end. When I try to explain love, I feel embarrassed because love is beyond explanation. Love is a mystery that cannot be fully explained with words. Even when we try to describe it, we may find that our words are insufficient. Silent love, or love that is not spoken about, may be clearer than words because it speaks for itself through actions. When the pen tries to write about love, it may struggle to find the right words and may even break under the pressure of expressing such a powerful emotion.

Explaining love is difficult and confusing. It’s like the intellect being stuck in the mud. Love itself is the one that can truly explain what it means to be in love. The sun is proof of itself. If you need proof, don’t look away from it. The shadow gives an indication of the sun, but the sun gives spiritual light constantly. The shadow can make you sleepy, like a lullaby at night, but when the sun rises, the moon disappears. There is nothing in the world as strange as the sun. The spiritual sun is eternal and has no past. Even though the physical sun is one of a kind, it’s possible to imagine something similar to it. The spiritual sun, which is beyond the sky, has no equal in the mind or in reality.
The sun of the fourth heaven, whose name is Shamsu’ddin, is so powerful and unique that even the mention of his name causes the sun in the sky to hide itself. His bounty, or kindness and generosity, is so great that it is worth mentioning and talking about. The soul is urging me to talk about one of my past spiritual experiences, so that everyone can be happy and my understanding and spirit can be strengthened.

But I cannot do this because I am no longer aware of myself and cannot properly praise or describe these experiences. It is not appropriate for someone who is not fully conscious to try to talk about their experiences or boast about them. How can I, when none of my senses are working, describe that friend who has no equal? This refers to a separation and the pain and suffering that it causes. It suggests that it will be discussed in more detail at a later time.

The doctor said, “I am hungry, please feed me. Time is of the essence, so let’s hurry. As a Sufi, I am the son of the moment. It is not in the nature of a Sufi to procrastinate and say ‘tomorrow.’ Are you not a Sufi as well? When we delay things, they have a tendency to disappear.”

The king said to the divine physician: “It is better to keep the secret of the friend hidden. Listen to the story. It is better to share the secret of the lovers in the talk of others.”

The divine physician replied: “Tell the story openly and honestly, without hiding anything. Don’t try to avoid telling me. Reveal everything, because I am not ashamed to be open and honest about my relationship with the person I love.”

The king said: “If I were to reveal everything, it would be as if I were showing everything naked. Neither you nor your chest or waist would be able to handle it.”

The divine physician said to the king: “Tell me what you want, but be careful in your request. A small blade of straw cannot support a mountain. If the sun, which lights up the world, were to come a little closer, everything would burn. Don’t cause problems and chaos and violence. Don’t say anymore about the Sun of Tabriz!” The physician continued, “This has no end. Tell me the beginning of the story. Go on, tell me the end of the tale.”

The handmaiden asked for solitude from the king in order to obtain her suffering.

خلوت طلبيدن آن ولى از پادشاه جهت دريافتن رنج كنيزك

That saint asked the king to allow him to be alone with the handmaiden in order to figure out what was causing her illness.

The doctor said to the king, “Please clear the room, send away all the family and strangers. Let no one be in the entrance halls so I can ask this slave girl some questions.” The room was emptied and only the doctor and the sick slave girl remained.

The divine physician asked the handmaiden where she was from and who her family was. He gently placed his hand on her pulse and asked questions about the unfairness of life.

The doctor gently asked the maid, “Where are you from? Different towns require different treatments. Who are your family and loved ones in your town?” He checked her pulse and asked questions about the unfairness of fate. He explained, “When a thorn gets stuck in someone’s foot, they put their foot on their knee and try to find it with a needle. If they can’t find it, they wet it with their lips. A thorn in the foot is hard to find, imagine a thorn in the heart. If every common person could see the thorn in the heart, when would sorrow ever end? Sometimes someone sticks a thorn under a donkey’s tail, and the donkey doesn’t know how to get rid of it and starts jumping.”

The doctor listened to the maid’s story and watched her pulse as she spoke. Whenever the maid mentioned a certain person, the doctor noticed that her pulse would quicken. This indicated to the doctor that this person was important to the maid. The doctor asked the maid about her friends in her hometown, and then mentioned another town by name. He asked the maid, “When you left your hometown, where did you live most of the time?

She mentioned the name of another town, but there was no change in her pulse or facial expression. The maid told the doctor about her previous homes, towns, and relationships, but nothing affected her pulse or facial expression. However, when he mentioned the town of Samarqand, her pulse changed and her face turned red and pale. This was because she had been separated from a man from Samarqand, who was a goldsmith. When the doctor learned about this, he was able to understand the source of her illness and sorrow.

The doctor asked the maid, “In which part of town does he live? She replied Sar-i Pul, on Ghatafar Street. I will do for you what rain does for a meadow. Be happy and carefree, don’t be afraid. Keep this secret between us and no one else.

When you keep your secrets in your heart, you will achieve your desires faster.

The Prophet s.a.w.w said that, those who hide their thoughts will soon get what they want. When seeds are hidden in the earth, they become plants. If gold and silver weren’t hidden, they wouldn’t grow in the mine. The doctor’s promises and comforting words made the maid feel safe and not afraid.

True promises bring joy and comfort to the heart, while false promises bring worry and stress. Promises made by trustworthy people are reliable and can be relied upon. However, promises made by untrustworthy people are not to be trusted and can cause emotional distress.

The saint, having discovered the maid’s illness, presented it to the king.

دريافتن آن ولى رنج را و عرض كردن رنج او را پيش پادشاه

The doctor went to see the king and told him about the illness. He said, “We need to bring the man here to help with the illness. We should invite the goldsmith from that faraway country and tempt him with gold and rewards.”

The doctor suggested to the king that they send a messenger to Samarqand to bring the goldsmith.

فرستادن پادشاه رسوالن به سمرقند به آوردن زرگر

The king sent some messengers to Samarqand to bring back the goldsmith. The messengers went to Samarqand and told the goldsmith that a certain king had chosen him to be the goldsmith because he was very skilled. They offered him a robe of honor, gold, and silver and promised that he would be a favored and valued companion if he came.

The goldsmith was tempted by the wealth and robes offered to him and left his home and children. He didn’t know that the king had a plan to harm him. He happily set off on a horse, thinking that the robe of honor was worth it. He was foolish to agree to the journey, thinking he would gain riches, power, and respect. But as `Azazil said, “Go. Yes, you will get!” he will ultimately pay a price for his actions.

When the stranger arrived from the road, the physician brought him into the presence of the king. The king brought the stranger to his palace and showed him great respect. He even gave him access to his treasure. The doctor then told the king to give the maid to the stranger, so that she could be happy with him and her illness could be cured.

The king gave the handmaiden to the goldsmith and they married each other. They were together for six months and during this time, the maid was fully healed. The doctor then gave the goldsmith a potion to drink, which made him become sickly and unattractive.

As the goldsmith’s looks faded, the maid’s love for him also faded. Eventually, he became ugly and unattractive, causing the maid to lose interest in him. The doctor then gave the stranger a potion which made him sick and unattractive. The maid no longer loved him because of his appearance. This shows that love based on physical appearance is not real love and can lead to heartbreak. The stranger was heartbroken and compared himself to a musk deer whose gland was hunted for, leading to its death.

The man who had fallen in love with the handmaiden became sick and died. The handmaiden was freed from her pain and love for him because love for the dead does not last. Love for the living is always new, like a fresh bud. Instead, it is better to love the Living One who is eternal and gives us life.

This is a message encouraging people to choose love for a higher being, rather than love for someone who is temporary and mortal. It advises not to let a lack of access to this higher being discourage them, as having a relationship with the generous is not difficult. The prophets, who are examples of righteousness, gained power and glory through their love for this higher being. This love is described as being fresher and more enduring than love for a mortal, and as having the ability to increase life.

The killing and poisoning of the goldsmith was not due to sensual desire or wicked thoughts, but rather it was due to divine suggestion.

بيان آن كه كشتن و زهر دادن مرد زرگر به اشارت الهى بود نه به هواى نفس و تامل فاسد

The physician who killed the goldsmith did not do it for personal gain or to please the king. It was only when he received a divine command and inspiration that he carried out the act. The reason for the death of the boy killed by Hazrat Khizar a.s is not understood by common people. However, if someone who has the power to give life also has the power to take it, it is acceptable because they are acting as God’s representative on earth. Just as Isma’il a.s willingly offered his life, we should also be willing to give up our lives when commanded by God.

Lovers of Allah swt experience joy when they are killed by the hand of their beloved ones. This way, their soul remains laughing for eternity, just like the pure soul of Ahmad (s.a.w.w) with God. The king did not kill that man out of desire or greed. Do not doubt his intentions or think that he used poison. In fact, poison can be turned into a healing agent when it is used for holy purposes. This is why it is important to practice asceticism and renunciation so that the soul can become pure through separation from the physical world. It is also important to experience both good and evil, so that we can awaken from the ignorance that keeps us asleep. Without the guidance of God, even a king would be no better than a dog.

The king did not act out of greed or selfish desire, he did it for good. Even if Khidr a.s destroys a boat, there can be good reasons for it. Moses, despite his wisdom and understanding, did not understand this. The red rose appears to be drunk on its own blood, but it is actually intoxicated by Reason. If the king had wanted to harm a Muslim, I would not have even mentioned his name, as I would not want to be seen as an infidel.

The king acted for the greater good, not out of greed or desire. Though it may seem like he is causing harm, he has a higher purpose in mind. Those who are killed by a king like this are led to a better life and destiny. The barber’s scalpel may seem scary to the child, but the mother knows that it is for the child’s benefit. The king takes away half a life, but gives back much more in return. You may not understand his actions, but he has a greater understanding and purpose. It is important to consider this carefully.

Translate by alidanwer from Molana Rumi’s Masnavi