Talking Through The Door

The words inspire, and as such, Rumi, gets the occasional mention here. This verse, I dedicate to someone who has taken the time to call me a friend. I am humbled, so may I be so honourable as to live up to that ideal. 

Talking Through The Door

You said, Who's at the door?
I said, Your slave.

You said, What do you want?
To see you and bow.

We talked through the door. I claimed
a great love and that I had given up
what the world gives to be in that love.

You said, Such claims require a witness.
I said, This longing, these tears.

You said, Discredited witnesses.
I said, Surely not.

You said, Who did you come with?
This majestic imagination you gave me,

Why did you come?
The musk of your wine was in the air.

What is your intention?
Friendship.

Talking Through the Door Part 1

Talking Through the Door Part 2

زہ څه یم؟

زہ څه یم؟ asks What am I? and to me it is faintly reminiscent of the question: Who am I? asked in Rumi's Only Breath.

Composed by Taj Rahim Dervaish who has given me permission to share it in this space*. Dera Manana, Dervaish Sahib!

زہ څہ یم؟
تاج رحيم درویش
* * *

دا وجود یم
زہ دا نہ یم کوم چې ښکارم
دا وجود زما دے
خو زہ دا وجود نہ یم
وجود خو پہ دنیا زما لباس دے
نن زما دے صبا بہ نہ وي
* * *
زہ خو د اوبه یوہ قطرہ یم سیند نہ یم
چې سیند لہ اورسم نو بہ سیند شم
وجود خو پنزہ اوښکو تہ غلام دے
زہ د اوښکو محتاج نہ یم
دَ مقام او د وخت پہ قابو نہ یم
د سترگے پہ یوئ رپ کے
پہ عرش یم او بیا تِہ راشم
* * *
زہ ھغہ نہ یم
زہ خو یو خیال یم
او خیال ھم د ھغہ یم
* * *

*Edited slightly, from the original draft with permission.

Only Breath - Rumi

Who am I?

 What is to be done, O Muslims?

For I do not recognize myself.

Only Breath

Not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu
Buddhist, sufi, or zen.
Not any religion or cultural system.
I am not from the East or the West,
Not out of the ocean or up from the ground,
Not natural or ethereal, not composed of elements at all.
I do not exist,
I am not an entity in this world or in the next,
Did not descend from Adam and Eve or any origin story.
My place is placeless, a trace of the traceless.
Neither body or soul.
I belong to the beloved,
Have seen the two worlds as one and that one call to and know,
First, last, outer, inner, only that breath breathing human being.

  
English Translation Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks

Attan 1 - National Dance

Warawaee Lasoona

Attan - the national dance of Afghanistan has been performed by the tribal Pashtoons for generations to celebrate weddings, births and other festive occasions. This was later modified into a ritual dance of soldiers to allow them to get "closer to Allah"* before they advanced on their missions and is now performed by men and women alike in a variety of forms from Khattak to Khost.

Tor_Khan تور خان

* a pre-cursor to the traditions of the Darvesh (درویش)