M6:2659 — صرصری بر عاد قتالی شده / مر سلیمان را چو حمالی شده

Translation: The fierce wind that became murderous for ʿĀd, For Solomon, it became like a carrier. Meaning: This verse highlights the paradoxical nature of natural forces, illustrating how the very wind (ṣarṣar) that brought destruction upon the tribe of ʿĀd, transformed into an obedient servant and carrier under the command of Prophet Solomon.

Here, Rumi touches upon a profound point concerning the forces of nature and their relationship with chosen individuals and prophets—a point also clearly illuminated in the Holy Qur'an. I wish to pause and elaborate on this for you.

On one hand, we encounter the ṣarṣar, the fierce, cold wind, which, as the Qur'an states, God unleashed upon the tribe of ʿĀd for seven nights and eight consecutive days: “He subjected it to them for seven nights and eight days, successively; so you would see the people therein fallen, as if they were hollowed-out palm-trunks” (Al-Haqqa, 7). This destructive storm, as a punishment for ʿĀd's disobedience to Prophet Salih and their killing of his she-camel, utterly devastated their lives, scattering their bodies upon the earth like withered palm-trunks. This is an image of nature's annihilating power, when, by divine command, it assumes a deadly, destructive role.

Yet, this very same wind, with all its might and grandeur, plays an entirely different role for Prophet Solomon: “For Solomon, it became like a carrier.” Solomon, by God’s command, had dominion over the wind and pressed it into his service. Here, Rumi alludes to an interpretive legend not explicitly found in the Qur'an, but prevalent in many tafsirs and mystical traditions—the famous “Carpet of Solomon.” In popular imagination, this was a vast throne, floating upon the wind. While the Qur'an simply states that the wind was subservient to Solomon, the elaborate details of the carpet—with thousands of golden chairs for dignitaries, jinn, and even animals—are more akin to later narratives found in commentaries and popular tales, speaking of a moving city carried by the wind. Rumi beautifully depicts this natural force not merely as a 'carrier' (ḥammāl) but also as Solomon’s 'spy' (jāsūs), secretly overhearing conversations and reporting them to him.

This is a deeply profound insight: a singular force, in two distinct contexts, manifests two opposing functions. This underscores the absolute power of God, who can make a natural phenomenon an instrument of both wrath and destruction, and of grace and service. The wind itself possesses no will of its own; it is a mirror reflecting the divine command. Wherever God's will is set, the wind blows in that direction. And, of course, this will can be wielded, by divine permission, by perfect human beings and prophets.

Through this analogy, Rumi not only refers to Qur'anic stories but also arrives at a more general principle: the entire cosmos, with all its elements, possesses a hidden language that is understood by the saints and prophets. As I have said before, communication is not solely through spoken words; when you press an elevator button or dig the soil, you are, in effect, speaking to nature. Prophets possess the ultimate understanding of this language, observing how the wind carries both the message of divine wrath for ʿĀd and the message of wisdom and sovereignty for Solomon.

Key takeaways

• Nature's power is dual: it can be destructive (like the storm for ʿĀd) or subservient and helpful (like the wind for Solomon).
• The prophets' dominion over nature is a manifestation of absolute divine will and power, channeled through perfected human beings.
• Rumi in the Masnavi draws upon both explicit Qur'anic narratives and popular interpretive legends, distinguishing between them.
• The elements of existence possess their own 'language,' which God's chosen ones are capable of understanding and interacting with.