Hey Crispers! I have planned in new year goals to read a book each month. For first I choose Rumi’s Daughter by Muriel Maufroy. I have finished reading the book day before. Yoo I m done before deadline 😉 So, I decided to share my views about it.
Story:
First of all I would like to narrate basic story so you get better understanding of it.
Kimya was a seven year old girl in small village. She is very different from other kids. Her mother Evdokia and father Farrukh were very worried about her as she lost somewhere from time to time. Religious scholar advised her parents to send Kimya to city Konya (centre of knowledge and trade that time).After much resistance, Farrukh agrees to leave Kimya for studying. He himself brings Kimya to main city Konya. Both father daughter were sitting at square market in front of main entrance to city when Jalal-ud-Din Rumi entered city. Kimya recognized him. She had seen him in her dreams. Jalal-ud-Din was surrounded by his students. He came to Farrukh (Kimya’s Father) request her father to let Kimya live with him as his daughter. His eyes were filled with tears and he was proud of her daughter’s destiny. Kimya started living with Rumi. And begin learning from him.
One day, a traveller came from Tabriz shared few words with Molana Rumi. He gets fainted. Then Rumi accompany him to one of his friend’s house. There they both solitude themselves in that room for two weeks or so. They came out and spend most of their time together. Molana stopped teaching. Whole village became angry, anxious and wanted “Shams”(the traveler) to leave after some really obnoxious acts. People considered him to be involved in blasphemy acts after having wine and arranging musical night by a prostitute. Suddenly one day Molana found out that Shams had left. He finds him everywhere and ask every traveler about Shams. He became weak and always missed Shams.
He sent his son to bring Shams. At last he came and somehow Kimya is married with Shams. After marriage nothing changed except Kimya’s morning routine when she gave lunch to her husband. Then he leaves the house and spends whole day in the study room with Molana Rumi. Kimya wanted and longed for attention of Shams. Villagers back bitted that he doesn’t allow Kimya to mingle with people. But that was not true.
Kimya was becoming weaker and weaker. She became pale. One day she fainted in kitchen and lost conscious for two weeks. Molana’s wife “Kerra” was there when Kimya opened her eyes. She told her that she remained fainted for two weeks. Kimya saw her husband standing behind Kerra. Kimya had some flashbacks. Kimya uttered her last words, “My heart is bursting open”.
Reviews:
Jalal-ud-din Rumi learned self discipline and new dimensions of love. He was the mystical poet got polished by company of Shams. He had extra spiritual friendship with Shams. On searching more about Shams, I found out that
Shams had travelled throughout the Middle East searching and praying for someone who could “endure his company”. A voice said to him,
“What will you give in return?”
Shams replied,
“My head!”
The voice then said,
“The one you seek is Jalal ud-Din of Konya.”
In days when Shams left and Rumi felt alone and sad he wrote in poem:
Why should I seek? I am the same as
He. His essence speaks through me.
I have been looking for myself!
From his most famous writing “Masnavi”
از جمادی مُردم و نامی شدم
وز نما مُردم به حیوان برزدم
مُردم از حیوانی و آدم شدم
پس چه ترسم کی ز مردن کم شدم؟
حملهٔ دیگر بمیرم از بشر
تا برآرم از ملائک بال و پر
وز ملک هم بایدم جستن ز جو
کل شیء هالک الا وجهه
بار دیگر از ملک پران شوم
آنچ اندر وهم ناید آن شوم
پس عدم گردم عدم چون ارغنون
گویدم که انا الیه راجعونI died to the mineral state and became a plant,
I died to the vegetal state and reached animality,
I died to the animal state and became a man,
Then what should I fear? I have never become less from dying.
At the next charge (forward) I will die to human nature,
So that I may lift up (my) head and wings (and soar) among the angels,
And I must (also) jump from the river of (the state of) the angel,
Everything perishes except His Face,
Once again I will become sacrificed from (the state of) the angel,
I will become that which cannot come into the imagination,
Then I will become non-existent; non-existence says to me (in tones) like an organ-From Internet
He had written perfect poems depicting love of God and about the world hereafter. But there were some questions that arose in my mind after reading and suspense that went along as pages were turned by me. I’ll list them down below:
- Shams was with Rumi for quite long. He obeyed whatever Shams says. One day he asked for wine. Villagers came to know and they were shocked too. Then Kimya saw Shams pouring wine in drain and kept few of it and drank. He also offered Rumi and he also drank it. Wine is strictly prohibited in religion Islam. How such pious men could even think of drinking or even tasting it? Their hearts were filled with love. Then?
- On Shams demand, Rumi also arranged a musical night where a prostitute was invited to sing who had repented a year ago. Then, on Kimya’s wedding music was there and special musicians were called. Music is said to be Haram. How those spiritual leaders took music?
- There was no description about who Shams actually was? What he wanted to teach Rumi in solitude?
- What was the purpose of Kimya’s life? All way she was treated so special like there’s much more light in her. Then in Konya she married to Shams. And their relation did not did that well nor Shams teached her much. Kimya loved Shams so much but was this the purpose of her life?
- Her parents never visited nor she ever tried to meet them. Her real family was not there at her marriage or any part of her life after she left her village. Is the love of blood so weak?
I wish you all good luck with your goals accomplishment. Work Hard.. Stick to your goals.Rock it hard. Have fun. Plus please share your thoughts in the comment box below.
If you have read the book too, tell me in comment section too.. x)
Sidraa Mushtaq 