Shams Tabrizi
Shams al-Din Mohammad bin Ali bin Malik-e Dad or Shams al-Din Tabrizi (meaning “the Sun of Faith from Tabriz”) was a Persian Sufi saint who is best known for his intense spiritual relationship with Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi. He is credited for wholly transforming Mawlana Rumi’s life and thought after arriving in Konya in 642/1244.
Hazrat Shams left a single work in prose known as Maqalat (Discourses) which reveal him to be highly proficient in philosophy, theology and spirituality. He was an engaging speaker whose words were both simple and profoundly moving.
Early Life & Family
Hazrat Shams was born at some point in the 1180s in Tabriz (present-day Iran). Tabriz was popular among Sufis and many great Sufi saints such as Hazrat Ahmad Ghazali, Hazrat Najmuddin Kubra and Abu Najib al-Suhrawardi had spent some time there. During his early years, it is said that a group of seventy saints were living in Tabriz.
From a young age, he was gifted with spiritual abilities which his parents could not comprehend.
His father was said to be a good man of generous nature, although he was not on the spiritual path and thus Hazrat Shams was unable to reveal his mystic visions to him. This resulted Hazrat Shams feeling estranged from his father and others because he could not explain his spiritual sensibilities to those around him. He says in his Maqalat:
When his father would tell him that he didn’t understand his ways, Hazrat Shams would answer by telling him that they were not “cut of the same cloth”.
For about thirty or forty days just before he reached adolescence, his progress on the spiritual path made him averse to food, and he would hide food in his sleeve whenever it was offered to him.
Education
Hazrat Shams was a Shafi’i and he studied fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) extensively. One of the five major Shafi’i legal texts he specifically mentions he studied was al-Tanbih fil fiqh al-Shafi’i, written by Hazrat Abu Ishaq al-Shirazi (d. 1083), one of the leading Shafi’i jurisprudents of the eleventh century and one of the first teachers of the famous Baghdad Nizamiya College.
He always supported the scholarly study of religion and he did not like the pretense of those who prided themselves solely on the spiritual path:
He was thus very educated, although he hid this fact from religious scholars to an extent that his peers were confused about whether he considered himself to be a faqih (scholar of the law) or a faqir (Sufi ascetic). He says:
Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi described Hazrat Shams as being unrivaled in his knowledge of alchemy, astronomy, astrology, logic, theology and philosophy, although he kept this fact hidden in the company of religious people. Hazrat Sultan Walad, Mawlana Jalauddin Rumi’s son, describes him as “a man of learning and wisdom and eloquence and composition”.
Spiritual Teacher & Order
During his childhood, Hazrat Shams had a passionate spiritual master, Hazrat Sheikh Abu Bakr Sallebaf (Sallebaf lterally means “Wicker-Worker”) of Tabriz also known as Pir-e Sallebaf, who would often twirl him around in meditative dance (sama). Hazrat Sheikh Sallebaf had his own Sufi lodge in the Charandab district of Tabriz, to the west of the shrine of Imam Hafade (d. 1175). Unlike the customs of most Sufi Tariqas, Hazrat Sallebaf did not bestow the honorary cloak (khirqa) on his disciples to symbolise initiation into a Sufi order.
Instead, Hazrat Shams was bestowed the cloak not through a teacher but by the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself:
He could therefore be described as an Uwaisi Sufi, named after the great saint Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni, who despite never meeting the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ physically was fully aware of his spiritual presence at all times during his life.
After training with Hazrat Sallebaf for some time, he quickly excelled and wanted to gain greater perfection and so went on a journey to seek out saints and holy men (abdal wa aqtab).
Journey
After leaving Tabriz, Hazrat Shams traveled through various places including Baghdad, Damascus, Aleppo, Kayseri, Aksaray, Sivas, Erzurum and Erzincan.
He travelled hidden from the people, constantly striving to guard his miracles and mysteries. Rather than boarding in Sufi lodges, which would provide free hospitality, Hazrat Shams acted and dressed like merchants and would thus stay in inns, which he would have to pay for. In every inn that he stayed, he would put a huge lock on his door, although within the room itself there was nothing but a straw mat.
Even though he ate very little and often went without food for several days, he still needed a source of income to cover his expenses during his travels. Therefore, he would teach children how to read the Quran and even developed a method for teaching the whole Quran in a mere three months.
When he did not stay very long in one place, he would earn money by weaving trouser ties. Whilst in Erzincan, he tried to construction work, like he had done in his youth, but due to his simple eating habits and perceived frailty, nobody would hire him. Hazrat Shams, like many Sufis, thus seemed very opposed to the practice of begging.
Hazrat Shams' Quest
Hazrat Shams spent much of his life traveling from place to place and listening to lectures of famous teachers, most of whom he found disappointing in one respect or another. Regarding the Sufis he had met during his journey, he says:
He longed to find that saintly and spiritual companion that he was looking for during his journey. He writes:
Elsewhere, he states:
Meeting with Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi
On November 29 1244, Hazrat Shams arrived in Konya. According to Mevlevi tradition, he was over sixty years old when he arrived in the town. Upon arriving, he stayed at an inn and it was outside the inn, at a little shop or pavilion, where he met Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi. This area was often a meeting point for the notables of the city at the time.
Accounts differ as to exactly what happened at this first meeting between the two, but it was a life-changing experience for Mawlana Rumi. The most frequently repeated account of what happened is related by Ahmed Aflaki in Manaqib al-‘Arifin:
An exchange ensued between the two men, with Mawlana Rumi finally saying that Hazrat Bayazid’s spiritual thirst was quenched after one drink, he spoke of being full and so he stopped seeking. However, the Prophet’s ﷺ thirst was never quenched and he went on seeking, aspiring to be drawn closer to the Divine. It was for this reason that he said, ‘We have not known Thee as Thou ought to be known.’ Hearing this, it was Hazrat Shams that fainted.
This account is supported by Hazrat Shams in his own writings who says:
This account is the most reliable of the meeting between the two although other perhaps less accurate accounts are given.
Hazrat Muhiyuddin Abdul Qadir Ibn Abi al-Wafa al-Qurayshi (d.1373) gives one account of the meeting:
Others such as the great Sufi Hazrat Abdur Rehman Jami tell a slightly different version of this encounter, where water is substituted for fire:
First Meeting
In his discourses, Hazrat Shams alludes to the fact that he had briefly encountered Mawlana Rumi 16 years prior to their meeting in Konya, perhaps during a lecture or debate:
He indicates that although he perceived a special quality in Mawlana Rumi at their first encounter, he felt he had not yet reached a level of spiritual maturity which would allow him to receive Hazrat Shams favourably. After waiting for 16 years, he felt it was his mission to release Mawlana Rumi in order to unlock his spiritual greatness. He tells Mawlana:
Ahmed Aflaki in Manaqib al-‘Arifin mentions that the brief encounter between the two took place in the square of Damascus, whilst Mawlana Rumi was a student there.
Relationship with Mawlana
Hazrat Shams’ relationship with Mawlana was unique in a sense it wasn’t the traditional master-disciple kind of relationship. Mawlana was already an accomplished scholar and teacher in his own right, with a following of his own. Hazrat Shams talks about his apparent unwillingness or dilemma to behave in the manner of a shaykh in his writings:
Despite his reluctance to act in the manner of shaykh, Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi reserved great respect for him, as a student would show a teacher:
At times Mawlana would read the works of others for guidance and inspiration. However, Hazrat Shams told Mawlana that tasawwuf (Sufism) must be practised rather than merely being studied – “You want to discover through learning; but it requires going and doing” (Maqalat 128).
Therefore, he saw extensive knowledge as perhaps an impediment on the spiritual path:
He thus initiated a spiritual transformation in Mawlana Rumi. He reports Mawlana as saying: “Since I have become acquainted with you these books have become lifeless in my eyes.” (Maqalat 186)
Hazrat Shams was himself overwhelmed in the presence of Mawlana:
Maulana Rumi is the envy of the saints and prophets, according to Hazrat Shams:
Influence on Mawlana
Hazrat Shams and Maulana Rumi were inseparable and it is said that the two spent days, even months, together in a state of mystical communion. One biographer describes Mawlana’s spiritual transformation at the hands of Hazrat Shams:
Sama
It was under the direction of Hazrat Shams that Mawlana Rumi participated in sama, the whirling meditation, for the first time. Hazrat Shams explains that for most people, according to Shariah, sama is forbidden as it serves to increase the passion and lust for those individuals. However, for those seeking Divine Love, it is permissible since it increases their focus on God.
By following his example, Mawlana thus made sama his own custom and practice. Hazrat Sultan Walad, Mawlana’s son, describes this in his writings (in his Intiha-Nama):
- Sama became his creed both true and straight
- from sama a hundred flowers filled his heart
Hazrat Sultan Walad looked back on his father’s transformation through this poem:
- Through love, a fatwa-writing Shaykh turned poet
- though ascetic, he grew intoxicate
- but not from a wine which is made of grapes –
- a spirit of light drinks only wine of light. (Ebteda-Nama 53)
Hazrat Shams therefore freed Mawlana from conforming to a traditional role as an Islamic scholar.
Hazrat Shams Leaves for Syria
The sudden and total disappearance of Mawlana aroused resentment among his disciples and students, some of them becoming highly critical of Hazrat Shams, even threatening him. They believed Hazrat Shams had ruined their spiritual circle and prevented them from listening to Mawlana’s sermons.
In March of 1246 he left Konya and went to Syria without warning. After he left, Mawlana was grief stricken, secluding himself even more rather than engaging with his disciples and students. He was without a doubt furious with them. Realising the error of their ways, they repeatedly repented before Mawlana.
Some months later, news arrived that Hazrat Shams had been seen in Damascus and a letter was sent to him with apologising for the behaviour of these disciples. Hazrat Sultan Walad and a search party were sent to Damascus to invite him back and in April 1247, he made his return. During the return journey, he invited Hazrat Sultan Walad to ride on horseback although he declined, choosing instead to walk alongside him, explaining that as a servant, he could not ride in the presence of such a king.
Hazrat Shams was received back with joyous celebration with sama ceremonies being held for several days, and all those that had shown him resentment tearfully asked for his forgiveness. He reserved special praise for Hazrat Sultan Walad for his selflessness, which greatly pleased Mawlana. As he originally had no intention to return to Konya, he most likely would not have returned if Hazrat Sultan Walad had not himself gone to Damascus in search of him. After his return, he and Mawlana Rumi returned to their intense discussions.
Referring to the disciples, Hazrat Shams narrates that their new found love for him was motivated only by desperation:
Referring to his absence, he explains that he left for the sake of Mawlana Rumi’s development:
After a while, by the end of 1247, he was married to Kimia, a young woman who’d grown up in Mawlana Rumi’s household. Sadly, Kimia did not live long after the marriage and passed away upon falling ill after a stroll in the garden.
Hazrat Shams Mysteriously Disappears
In late 1247 or early 1248, returning to their jealous ways, enmity from some disciples compelled him to depart again. In a conversation with Hazrat Sultan Walad, Hazrat Shams warned him that this time he would disappear into thin air:
- This time I’ll disappear in such a way
- that none will know to where I’ve gone or am
- all will fail in their efforts to find me
- never will they detect the slightest clue
- many years will pass, me vanished in thin air
- as I draw out the time, someone will claim
- “Surely he was slain at some foe’s hand.”
- This he repeated several times for emphasis (Ebteda-Nama 52)
Soon after, he disappeared permanently. Mawlana Rumi was for a period of time deeply saddened and he cut off his association with all those disciples that had showed hostility towards Hazrat Shams. Later, he took a group of his closest disciples to Damascus in search of Hazrat Shams but unsuccessful in their quest, they eventually returned. A few years later, he undertook a second journey which again proved unfruitful.
Although nobody knows for certain what came of Hazrat Shams, Ahmed Aflaki in Manaqib al-‘Arifin relates that he was murdered by disciples of Mawlana Rumi. However, even according to this account, there were no witnesses to his apparent death. Furthermore, neither his son Hazrat Sultan Walad, nor his disciple Hazrat Sepahsalar mentioned a murder in their works that are earlier than Aflaki’s work. In addition, Mawlana Rumi traveled to Syria twice to look for him, so he certainly could not have believed he was murdered.
Resting Place
Due to the fact he disappeared in mysterious circumstances, it is not known for certain where his resting place lies. According to Iranian scholar Mohammad-Ali Movahhed, he probably died in the city of Khoy (modern-day Iran) on his way to Tabriz shortly after leaving Konya. There is indeed a site in Khoy on the road from Konya to Tabriz, associated with the name of Shams-e Tabrizi that dates back to at least 1400
Quotes & Sayings
References
- Rumi: Past and Present, East and West: The Life, Teachings and Poetry of Jalal al-Din Rumi – Franklin D. Lewis