M1:124 — چون حدیث روی شمس‌الدّین رسید / شمسِ چارم‌ آسمان سَر در کشید

Translation: When the discourse turned to the face of Shams-e Din, / The sun of the fourth heaven withdrew its head (in reverence). Meaning: This verse illustrates the immense spiritual stature of Shams-e Tabrizi, so profound that even the celestial sun humbly acknowledges his transcendent presence.

This verse, unequivocally, stands as one of the most profound testimonies to the exalted station of Shams-e Tabrizi in Rumi's spiritual and intellectual life. I have always emphasized that to grasp Rumi's character, one must attend to such allusions to Shams. Prior to meeting Shams, Rumi was a 'dignified prayer-rug sitter' (سجاده‌نشین باوقار), a renowned jurist and lecturer. Yet, he himself admitted to an inner yearning, a certain weariness with 'knowledge' that is beautifully articulated in the tale of the sick concubine (knowledge) and the advent of the Divine Physician (Shams).

I interpret this verse as Rumi's declaration that, with Shams's advent, he beheld, in his own words, 'a sun amidst a shadow' (آفتابی در میان سایه‌ای)—a complete and abundant man whose very being cast a shade over all existence. The phrase 'the sun of the fourth heaven withdrew its head' (شمس چارم آسمان سَر در کشید) is not merely poetic imagery; it is a profound expression of an ontological and spiritual hierarchy. The 'sun of the fourth heaven' refers to the celestial sun which, in ancient cosmology, resided in the fourth sphere. However, when 'the discourse turned to the face of Shams-e Din,' that brilliant celestial sun withdraws its head, implying that in the face of Shams-e Tabrizi's spiritual light and warmth, the material sun feels diminished and acknowledges his supremacy. This is not just literary hyperbole but the manifestation of a spiritual reality where spiritual truth triumphs over material reality.

This moment of Rumi's encounter with Shams is the turning point that transforms the trajectory of Rumi's 'knowledge.' Just as in the tale of the sick concubine, the Divine Physician instructs that the concubine (knowledge) be given to the goldsmith (worldliness), and then the goldsmith is killed so that knowledge may return to its original source, Shams likewise redirects Rumi's knowledge from an outward and worldly orientation—which had brought him status, position, and respect—towards an inner path. Knowledge is no longer for worldly gain or even merely for the afterlife, but for 'self-perfection' and 'securing eternal felicity.' Before Shams, Rumi was a scholar of the external; after Shams, he became a 'scholar of the self.' This inner revolution begins with the advent of the 'sun of the heart,' before which the 'sun of the sky' withdraws its head.

The subsequent verse, 'It became incumbent, as I uttered his name / To narrate a symbol of his blessings' (واجب آمد چون که بردم نام او / شرح کردن رمزی از انعام او), further underscores that Rumi felt indebted and obliged to recount this spiritual 'blessing.' Shams's name for Rumi is not just a name; it symbolizes a foundational transformation that converted his being from a dignified prayer-rug sitter into an ecstatic, dancing lover. I have often said that Rumi is our most 'selfless' and 'restless' mystic, and this restlessness originates from the 'fire of love' ignited by Shams. This verse expresses the initial sparks of that fire, a fire whose intensity even the sun cannot bear, causing it to withdraw its head.

Key takeaways

• Shams-e Tabrizi was not merely a friend to Rumi, but a spiritual sun that illuminated and transformed his entire being.
• This verse illustrates that, in Rumi's view, Shams held a station superior even to grand natural phenomena like the celestial sun.
• Shams's presence shifted Rumi's 'knowledge' from an external pursuit (for status and position) to an internal insight (for self-perfection).
• It is a profound acknowledgment of the wondrous impact a spiritual guide can have on a seeker's life.
• Rumi felt obligated to speak of Shams's 'blessings,' marking the beginning of a new chapter in the Masnavi.