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Rumi On Fasting Month Of Ramadan


Wishing all Muslims a very happy and blessed Fasting Month of Ramadan 2017 ~May 26 - June 24~




"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you, as it was prescribed for those before you [for Jews and Christians] so that you may learn self-restraint."
~The Quran ~ Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow) ~2:183.

"Ramadan (Muslims' Lent Season) is a special month of the year for Muslims throughout the world. It is a time for fasting, inner reflection, devotion to God and self-control. The daily period of fasting starts at the breaking of dawn and ends at the setting of the sun. In between- that is, during the daylight hours- Muslims totally abstain from food, drink, smoking, and marital sex. The usual practice is to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor) before dawn and a post-fast meal (iftar) after sunset. The end of Ramadan is marked by a three-day celebration called Eid al-Fitr (Festival of Fast-Breaking)."


Ramadan Advice - Where is Your Heart?
by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf




Tie Up some Tight Knots in Your Tablecloths!
by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


O moon-faced lover,
the fasting month of Ramadan has come.
Tie up some tight knots in your tablecloths,
the upward path towards reaching God
has just become wide open.

It doesn't matter if you're a clueless wanderer, 
or a spiritually detached individual,
this is the perfect month for you to come back to God.

How long will you keep on searching for some halwa-sweets?
Dig deeper, search for the actual halwa-maker [God].

The parched lips of a fasting and thirsty lover
stay dry for the sake of a glimpse of Beloved's wet lips.

The empty stomach of a fasting lover
groans 
and moans like a crying reed-flute
for the sake of being heard by Beloved's attentive ears.

Go empty yourself like a reed-flute.
Go become completely empty.
Place the flute just below your lower lip and blow hard into it. 
Go fill up your empty soul.
Then ask for some sweet divine red wine to break your fast!

You haven't lost anything by giving up on some food.
Just don't ask: Where is my soul-nourishing Beloved?
Where is the abundant divine meal on my tablecloth?

It's through pain and endurance that we become purified.
It's through purity that we reach spiritual self-sufficiency.
And it's precisely through spiritual self-sufficiency
that a mortal bird becomes the immortal phoenix bird.

Though hardship of fasting turns our faces yellow,
from that sacrifice we reach the soft white Hand of God.

Throughout the rest of the year, we never really get
to clear all the mud and debris clogging our inner streams.
It's during the fasting month of Ramadan
when we finally flush the clogged up streams 
to irrigate our beautiful inner gardens.

Go ahead and throw all your food into the flowing stream,
so every single part of your body is brought back to life
by the rejuvenating divine waters of life.

The Prophetic saying "We've closed the Gates of Hell"
actually means: 
Go and close your gates of gluttony!

The Prophetic saying "We've opened the Gates of Paradise"
actually means: 
Polish and purify your own heart!

You have been working so hard
taking loads of hay and straw to Christ's donkey,
It's high time for you to also offer 
your good services to Jesus.

Follow the shining examples of Jesus, 
so you can get to see the abundant divine meal 
being laid out on your tablecloth.

Follow the shining examples of Jesus,
so you can get to finally see
The Soul of all souls and the Soul of both worlds.

O Jesus who are ascended 
into the heavenly spheres,
take a look down here 
and pull us high up there with you.

O my dearest fasting friends 
who're seeking the blessings of Soul of both worlds, 
go and do something good for your own soul
and for your world.

Sacrifice your soul for the sake of well beings of others.
Never embrace the soulless habits of jealousy and envy.

The more your burn yourself like a bright candle
for the good of the others, 
the more the shining divine rays 
will be bestowed upon you
from high above.

Go straight into the lion's den,
if you really want to hunt some wild deer.
Go straight into the King's reception hall,
if you really want to taste some genuine royal wine.


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You're a Guest of God during the Fasting Month of Ramadan

by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


O heart, you're a guest of God 
during this holy month of fasting.
You'll get to taste His divine heavenly meals
throughout this holy month of fasting.

In the fasting month of Ramadan,
the gates of hell are closed
and the gates of paradise 
are a thousand fold open.

O Lord,
teach me how to properly behave and act
as the head of my own household.

O Lord,
my soul is humbly begging for Your forgiveness.

O Lord forgive me, 
You are the One who forgives all sinful believers.

O Lord, 
accept my sincere confessions in this holy month of fasting. 

O Lord, 
You are the Only One who is Perfect and Sinless.


O Lord forgive me, 
Forgive me O my Lord, for I have sinned.

I fast and envision my Lord smiling upon me and saying:

"I AM reaching out and grabbing your hand
during this holy month, since you're fasting.
I Know how unsettled and confused
you often feel about yourself. I KNOW.

Remember: I AM THE LORD, YOUR GOD.

I AM The Physician who prescribed you 
full abstinence during this holy month,
because I know how much you're 
suffering and deeply afflicted 
by your own fears, uncertainty and doubts."

I shall take a vow of silence now
and let Lord, my Beloved explains it all.
My All-Knowing Lord is the soul-stirring Soul of all souls.


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Ramadan Mubarak! - Happy Ramadan!
by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


Ramadan Mubarak! 
The month of fasting has come.
O you who're on the fasting path, 
blessed be all your fasting.

I climbed up on top of the roof to see the new moon.
I've been impatiently waiting heart and soul to start fasting.
I kept on looking for so long that my hat fell off my head!
Now my head feels all intoxicated by the arrival of Ramadan.

O Muslims,
I've been God-intoxicated ever since that moon sighting.
What a good fortune! 
What a good luck is this Holy month of fasting!

Beside this moon, there is a also another "Moon"
hiding like a glowing Turk inside the tent of fasting.
Anyone who wants to know more about that "Moon",
needs to come to the happy harvest month of fasting.

Anyone whose fasting face 
has turned yellow like a satin cloth,
is actually wearing the silk robes of honor
while fasting.

If you fast, all your prayers will be accepted 
during this fasting of month of Ramadan.
The skies will be torn apart 
by your sighs of impatience during fasting.

Just like Joseph who never gave up on Love
and ultimately became the Prince of Egypt,
you will also be rescued and elevated
if you patiently wait by the well of fasting.

Talk less and try remaining silent 
during the Suhur or Predawn-Meal in Ramadan,
so the ones who do fast can concentrate 
on starting another tough day of fasting.

Come, O Shamsuddin, 
O the Sun of Faith and the pride of Tabriz,
You're the commander-in-chief of
The devout army of fasting.


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Reap the Blessings of Fasting during Ramadan
by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


When you close your mouth to food while fasting,
your spiritual mouth opens to take generous bites 
of secret divine meals sent down from above.

Close your mouth to food and drink, 
rush towards the spread out divine meal 
being set up on the heavenly dining table.

Once you completely empty your inner warehouse 
from all the material things accumulated,
it will be filled up all the way to the top 
with the precious divine pearls and jewels.

Get your soul's baby off the breast milk of Satan,
and let it comfortably rest 
in the arms of its motherly Angel.

How long will you keep on gluttoning 
on all these fattening foods?

How long will you keep on staying captive
by your own spiritual sleepiness?

Test your fasting resolve for a few days
during this fasting month of Ramadan.

Awaken out of your spiritual sleepiness for just one night,
so you can reap the wealth and blessings of fasting.


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The Mother of Fasting Has Come
by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


Fasting has come like a kind mother
warmly embracing her children. 
Hey kiddos, don't act so weak,
hang on tight to your mothers' veil of fasting!


Gaze upon her beautiful fasting face,
suck her delicious breast milk, 
fast exactly as she fasts, 
and wait patiently by her door of fasting.

Look how fasting makes you
generously give a helping hand to a charity.


Look how fasting fully blossoms
like 
Lord's beautiful Spring season.

Look how the garden of your soul
gets filled up with the heavenly
narcissus flowers of fasting.

Come on now,
stop acting so fragile like a flower bud
while you are fasting!

So what if you happen to feel a bit weak while fasting? 
So what if you had to give up your daily routine for a while?

You are the fearless falcon of Spring season,
fly up high and join the circles of fasting.

You look like a blood dripping rose,
how come you are so happy and smiling?

Don't tell me you are Issac son of Abraham
happily smiling under the knife of fasting!

Why are you so in love with eating?
Why are you so addicted to food?
Look at this new world of fasting 
unfolding right in front of your eyes. 

Go collect some wheat grains
for your starving and fasting soul.
Hurry Up! 
Go down the wheat fields of your own soul,
and keep on searching for your soul's harvest
in the haystacks of fasting.


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Don't Let Satan Deceives You into Not Fasting!
by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


There is no worshiping practice in this world
that could brighten your dark heart 
or awaken your soulless being
like the illuminating practice of the fasting.

Fasting does indeed bring physical hardship
and makes a fasting believer feel really weak,
but the very inner essence of a fasting believer 
gets perfected through fasting.

Since in this material-obsessed world
our materialistic lives get constantly darkened 
by the thick black smoke coming out of 
our souls' worn-out kitchens,
a brand-new kitchen can be built through fasting!

Who else could be more dangerous  
than the blood-thirsty and heart and soul betraying Satan 
who is roaming around this material-worshiping world,
constantly deceiving you into not fasting?


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Fasting Turns Your Worthless Inner Stones into Precious Rubies

by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


Offering your sincere fasting services, 
quickly reaping the fasting rewards, 
and receiving the eternal divine blessings
are all possible by patiently waiting 
by the Gate of King of all fasting believers [God].

Even a poor fish in the water doesn't get refreshed ,
the way the heart and soul of a fasting believer
gets totally refreshed by the waters of the fasting!

None of us pays even the slightest attention 
to hundreds of regular stones laying around us.
The worthless stones of your inner mines 
will turn into the precious red rubies 
by the rays of sunlight brightly shining through fasting.


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Fasting is Perfect Strainer for Your Corroded Soul

by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


Fasting puts your soul in a strainer,
rinsing it hard to get rid of all your 
accumulated rusty and corroded impurities.

This thick veil which has darkened 
the shining moon of your soul,
gets shredded to pieces through your fasting.
Fasting even illuminates the Saturn high up in the Sky.


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Stop Talking about Water Jugs or Pot and Pans during Ramadan!

by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


Hurry up, get yourself ready, 
The time for patience has come!
The fasting month of Ramadan has come.

For a day or two, stop talking about
Water Jugs or 
pot and pans!

Go rise up high into the Sky,
Go roam around His heavenly dinner-table!
Go and humbly beg Him
For some Iftar-meal high up in the Sky,
So the cotton of your soul can be 
Finally released from its cotton boll.


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The Holy Month of Fasting Has Come
by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


The holy month of fasting has come.
The inner-struggle signal from our King has come.
Refrain from eating, the spiritual nourishment
source of your soul has just come.

During the fasting month of Ramadan,
my soul rescues itself from my mundane life
by twisting the hand of my otherwise abstract lifestyle.

My heart shatters its darkness to pieces
now that the backup forces of my faith has come.

Fasting is our sacrifice and the new life to our soul.
We shall sacrifice our body now that our guest has come.

Patience is a thick cloud pouring down rain of mercy
upon the fasting ones.

This is the holy month of fasting and patience
when the holy Quran was sent down.

This is the month when our ego gets crushed 
and our soul ascends high up into the heavens.

This is the month when we break
the gates of our inner prisons
and our soul finally joins the Soul of all souls.
This is the month when we shred
to pieces the veils of darkness
and our purified heart flies high into the sky.

My heart belongs to the pure Angels high up there,
so it's basically joining its own kind!

Pull yourself up from the dark well of your own being.
Stand on top of the water well and shout out loud:
Joseph of Canaan has come.

Jesus let go of his donkey and his prayers were accepted.
Go wash your hands clean, the divine dining-table 
has just been sent down from the heavens.
Just wash your hands and rinse your mouth,
but neither eat yet nor say a word!

Seek the divine blessings first,
now go ahead and break your fast.

Take generous bites of heavenly meals
which have been sent down 
to the silently fasting ones from above.


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Be Patient While Fasting &Stand Steadfast in Your Faith

by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


Be patient while fasting and stand steadfast in your faith.
Breath by breath, patiently wait to be empowered by God.

Remember that the Forbearing and Righteous God
always bestows generous gifts upon His patient believers.

Any fasting believer who's spiritually fed, needs no food.
To the spiritually full and proudly fasting believer,
it doesn't matter if days are dragging on too long 
or the daily tasks seeming so daunting.

O fasting man of the house, man up and wait up!
Patiently wait for the heavenly dinning-table
to be sent down from the heavens above.

Any fasting believer who's exhausted and hungry, 
shall receive the divine strengths from high above
to make it until the end of the fasting day.

The shining bright lights of divine sun
shall illuminate the starving ones 
who are patiently fasting.

Any fasting and starving believer who breaks the fast
by eating just a few spoons of soup out of moderation,
shall get to taste the most delicious divine soup
especially made by the Soup-Maker Himself (God).


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Finding Salvation in Fasting is Deep Within You
by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


The fasting month of Ramadan has come
but the Eid Festival is also with us.
The fasting lock has come
but the salvation key is also with us.

By fasting, our mouths get closed 
and our inner spiritual eyes widely opened.
The shining Light of God
that our eyes are seeking is also with us.

The Fasting month of Ramadan has come 
for the purposes of purification of our heart,
but the Righteous Owner of our heart is also with us.

Even if we face challenging difficulties during our fasting,
the treasure of our solid perseverance is also with us.
No matter how impure and sin-filled our body might be,
fasting will help us deeply purifying our heart and soul.

Fasting silently teaches us these lessons:
Go become nothing! 
Go crush your own ego!
Go become disciple of a fasting Sufi master!

Since my Sufi master, Salahuddin Zarkub
is present in our Iftaar-gathering tonight,
I feel that Mansoor Hallaj and 
Bayazid of Bestam are also with us!


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Drink some "Wine of Meaning" on Your Empty Stomach!

by Rumi ~ My Translation ~


The Month of Ramadan has come.
The closing of mouth has come.
The mouth has been shut 
so it could only taste the pleasure of its dry lips.

The fasting-jar came and broke all other wine jars,
so those who still deny the spiritual pleasures of fasting
can watch for themselves how joyous our Iftar-gathering is 
even without a single drop of earthly wine around!

During the fasting month of Ramadan,
drink a full jar of that special "Wine of Meaning"
on your empty stomach!

Only an intoxicated and fasting lover
can get 
a private rendezvous
with the ever secluded Beloved (God)!


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