Rumi's Urs, 12/17/09

A Celebration of the Urs of Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi 7:30 pm Dec. 17, 2009 Zawiyya al Mu’min, 1000 Urlin Ave., Apt. 1507, 43212


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O my noble friends, slaughter this cow, if you wish to raise up the spirit of insight. I died to being mineral and growth began. I died to vegetable growth and attained to the state of animals. I died from animality and became Adam: why then should I fear? When have I become less by dying? Next I shall die to being a human being, so that I may soar and lift up my head among the angels. Yet I must escape even from that angelic state: everything is perishing except His Face.* Once again I shall be sacrificed, dying to the angelic; I shall become that which could never be imagined — I shall become nonexistent. Nonexistence sings its clear melody, Truly, unto Him shall we return!**
*al-Qasas, 88 **al-Baqarah, 156

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Yâ kirâmi idhbahu hâdhâ al-baqar in uridtum hashr arwâh al-nazar Az jamâdi mordam va nâmi shodam vaz namâ mordam be-hayavân bar-zadam Mordam az hayavâni va dam shodam pas cheh tarsam kay ze mordan kam shodam Hamleh-ye digar be-miram az bashar tâ bar dam az malâyek par o sar Vaz malak ham bâyadam jastan ze ju kullu shay'in hâlikun illâ Wajhuhu* Bâr-e digar az malak qorbân shodam ânche andar vahm na-âyad ân shavam Pas `adam gardam `adam chon orghanun guyadam keh innâ ilayhi râji`un**

-- Mathnawi III:3900-3906 Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight" Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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Rumi departed earthly life on 5 Jumadi II, 672 A.H (according to the Islamic lunar calendar), Dec 17, 1273 A.D. (according to the Christian calendar). His death is referred to by Persians as "vesal", meaning "union (with the Beloved)", while in the Mevlevi Sufi tradition,the expression "shab-i aroos" is used, a phrase meaning "the wedding night" -- the night of Rumi's marriage to the Beloved. (The Sufi tradition of referring to the death of a Sufi saint as "urs" -- a wedding -- predates Rumi, and is still used in Sufi circles.)

Please join the Columbus Sufi Circle on the 736th anniversary of the wedding night of this great teacher, who has inspired us all and many others from that time to this and into the future, inspired us to be seekers on the path that leads to God.

We will sing, dance, whirl, read poetry from our master, eat sweets, talk, drink coffee and tea and juice.

Please “ Come,come, whoever you are, even though you’ve broken your vows 10,000times, come and yet again come.”

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Contact Hilal with any questions at 614-446-3337 or e-mail hilal1001@sbcglobal.net