Me and Rumi: The Autobiography of Shams-I Tabrizi [Paperback]

"When a sincere man begins to dance,
the seven heavens, the earth, and all creatures begin to dance." - Shams

Little did we know about Shams Tabrizi, except that he was the enigmatic master of Maulana Jalalludin Rumi. Now we may get an inside picture through this wonderful autobiography, translated by a thorough scholar (William Chittick). Moreover, it may correct certain childish misconceptions we may have had about both Rumi and Shams.

This is an authentic biography, however rather atypical. From the translator's introduction: "The first thing we need to remember about the Discourses is that it was not written by Shams. Rather, one or more individuals in Rumi's intimate circle took notes while Shams was speaking, often, but not always, when Rumi was present. (...) What is certain is that he never saw a final version - or if he did, it has not survived." Consequently, this autobiography does not read as a continuous story, but consists of random notes in the original manuscript, organized however into chapters in this English translation.

Who was Shams Tabrizi? You must read the book in order to answer this question for yourself. Shams recounts: "What then do you know of me? I went into that thicket where lions wouldn't dare to go (...) and awesomeness settled into me." Indeed, what did anyone know of him?

What is clear from this book is that Shams's heart-secret (sirr-e asrar) was no match for contemporary mystics, although he did respect just one or two or perhaps a few.
With every encounter he would reveal the other's state (hal) and spiritual standing (maqam) through gnostic insight, and invariably he would manifest as idol-breaker. Then they would flee his presence, being incapable to tolerate his face.
He is very critical even of the great ones in Sufism, particularly Bayazid Bistami and Mansur Hallaj, whom he frequently mentions in comparisons, or even Junayd. He says: "The station of `He is the Real' is far above that of `I am the Real'. And explains: "The difference between me and the great ones is just that - what I have inwardly is exactly what's outward."

He appears to have been vastly different from other Sufi masters. Whereas others would train recipients with "preparedness" to become saints (wali) and masters in their own right, Shams was made for a different task. He says: "I haven't come to do with the common people in this world - I haven't come for them. I've put my finger on the pulse of those who guide the world to the Real."
He explains, "If everyone in the inhabited quarter was on one side and I was on the other, I would answer every one of their difficulties. I would never flee from speaking (...) The inhabited quarter is where the people reside. The other three quarters burn from the shining of the sun, so people don't live there."

All his life he served the Companion. "My goal in the idol-temple is the image and beauty of Your face. If I want the idol of words for the sake of those meanings, it will not happen without the Companion. The Companion must be there."
And elsewhere: "When someone finds the way to be my companion, his mark is that companionship with others becomes cold and bitter for him." And: "I have a pearl within me. Whenever I show its face to anyone, he becomes estranged from all his companions and friends."

He would accept no disciple, but all his life he was waiting for the one, to become his sole companion; who was to be Jalalludin Rumi. Shams: "From the day I saw your beauty, inclination and love for you sat in my heart."
And he explains: "There are many great ones whom I love inwardly. There's affection, but I don't make it manifest. Once or twice when I made it manifest, I did something while keeping company with them, and they didn't know and recognize their duty in companionship. I took it upon myself not to let the affection become cold. When I made it manifest with Mawlana, it increased and did not lessen."

If you read carefully, you may discover from the text the universal rule of companionship and its graceful severity: "What is before your heart? Say whatever there is! If there is an obstacle, tell me about it. If you tell me about the obstacle, I will teach you the Path. It will become easy, because I know the Path better than you."
And elsewhere: "Whatever the state that comes, you should quickly tell the companion about it and be done with it. Don't think, "How can I talk like this to the companion?" The companion will see it, even if you don't talk about it." And: "As long as pride and existence are within you, you must say `God is greater', and you must intend the sacrifice."

"Without doubt, whenever you sit with someone and are with him, you will take on his disposition. On whom have you been gazing that tightness should have come into you? If you look at green herbs and flowers, freshness will come. The sitting companion pulls you into his own world. That is why reciting the Koran purifies the heart, for you remember the prophets and their states. The form of the prophets comes together in your spirit and becomes its sitting companion."

What they experienced in their mutual company transcended the secret-of-secrets of anyone but themselves. Rumi sung in verse: "The whole description of Godhead in Shams of Tabriz transcends any notions concerning free will and ordainment." While Shams: "This was a cask of Divine wine, its lid caked with grime. No one was aware of this. The cause of this cask being opened was Maulana. Whoever seeks to understand this must be aware that the cause has been Maulana."

We do not know what befell Shams when he finally disappeared. After Rumi's death, Fakhruddin `Eraqi (his contemporary poet-mystic) would often speak of Rumi; he would sigh and say, "No one ever understood him as he should have been understood. He came into the world a stranger, and left it a stranger."

When one reads a translation cum introduction by a scholar, one doesn't want to "read" the ego of the scholar between the lines. One doesn't want to be put on sidetracks by speculative claims that serve nobody but vain academia. Far from such limitations, I think Chittick has done a thorough scholarly job. This book is a must-own for anyone seriously interested in Islamic Sufism (or any tradition for that matter) in general, and (auto)biographies of mystics in particular, even though this autobiography forever remains: advanced reading.

"I'll not put you in the heart or you'll be wounded,
I'll not keep you in the eye or you'll be lowly.
I'll give you a place in the spirit, not the eyes or the heart,
so you'll be my companion at the least breath."

"Even if it be after a thousand years, these words will reach those for whom they're intended."

"They're all seeking the benefit of knowledge. You should seek for good deeds, so that you may obtain good from the Companion. This is the kernel, that is the husk."

Rumi was one of the greatest of the Sufi teachers. But until he met his teacher,Shamis-i-Tabrizi, he was only a Sufi scholar who was spiritually asleep. After teaching Rumi for three years Shamis left his student, and Rumi became one of the world's greatest poets whose spiritually inspired writings inspire millions of people from all the world. We know a good bit about Rumi's life, but very little about Shams, his teacher. Through the work of a diligent Iranian scholar who collected manuscripts which were accounts of Shams oral discourses both before and after he met Rumi we get to know Shams in ways not available to us before. Me & Rumi: The Authobiography of Shams-i Trabrizi is a translation of those manuscripts which allows to get to know Shams a little better. These short discourses are not easy reading, but by reading and reflecting on each passage, we can acquire seeds for our meditations. I don't recommend this book unless you are willing to work hard for the precious spiritual insights available through study and meditation. If you are mentally and spiritually lazy, don't waste your time or money. If you curious and want to broaden your spiritual perspectives, this book is well worth your money and study.

It's hard to overstate the importance of this beautiful book to anyone who has been touched by the Sufi path, and especially Rumi. Chittick has provided us with a portrait of Rumi's master, Shams of Tabriz--and he's not what one might expect.

Rumi has become famous in the contemporary West for his divine poetry--and rightly so: he is one of humanity's greatest lovers and poets, and this comes across in every line. But as others have asked: Do we honestly know what this "love" Rumi talks about really is?

Here we have Shams of Tabriz, master to Rumi, the man Rumi loved most in the world, in Rumi's eyes a spiritual being of the first order. And he can be cruel, insensitive, and harsh. Lots of people around him hate him. If I remember correctly, he even makes a fart joke at one point.

He's seen as almost an embarrassment in a company of dervishes and scholars. And yet one suspects that this has more than a little to do with his ruthless and relentless practice of exposing imposture and hypocrisy--reminiscent of the work of Jesus, with the same sad, predictable result.

The connection between Rumi's love and this wild man's character is the absolute, uncompromising love of God. For this, really, is the love of Rumi: it brooks no insincerity or reservation. It is the essence of Islam: utter submission to the divine. Shams reminds us, as he reminded those around him, that this has nothing at all to do with sweet words and noble sentiments, with putting on spiritual airs and gaining the admiration of the faithful.

This can be a painful reminder. It threatens what the ego craves. And the love of God threatens the self as well--as Rumi and Shams both show us, when we truly love God, there is only love and God: we disappear. Shams' job was to show Rumi what this really meant. Rumi's job was to show us--despite the fearful protestations of the ego--what it really is: beautiful and joyful.

God bless William Chittick for this wonderful gift.