17/08/2025
False Honor
Retold from the teachings of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (ra)
One evening, Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi invited his spiritual guide, Sheikh Shamsuddin Tabrizi, to his home.
During the meal, Sheikh Shamsuddin made an unusual request:
“Rumi, can you bring me a drink?”
Rumi was taken aback. “Teacher, do you drink alcohol?”
“Yes,” Shams replied calmly.
Though surprised, Rumi said, “I didn’t know this about you.”
“Now that you do, bring me what I’ve asked for,” Shams instructed.
“But where can I find wine at this hour?”
“Send one of your servants to get it.”
“My reputation will be ruined in front of them,” Rumi protested.
“Then go yourself.”
“The whole city knows me! How can I face the shame of buying alcohol?”
Sheikh Shamsuddin responded firmly, “If you claim to be my student, you must fulfill my request. Without it, I will neither eat nor sleep tonight.”
Out of deep love and respect for his teacher, Rumi reluctantly set out. Disguising a bottle under his cloak, he ventured into the Christian quarter to a tavern.
People who saw Rumi there began to follow him. By the time he left the tavern with the bottle, a crowd had gathered, whispering and murmuring.
When Rumi reached the mosque where he was the imam, someone shouted,
“Look! Jalaluddin Rumi, the man you trust as a pious leader, has bought alcohol!”
The accuser unveiled Rumi’s cloak, revealing the bottle. The crowd erupted. They spat at him, cursed him, and began to beat him, their faith in him shattered.
Rumi, silent and unwavering, endured the humiliation.
Suddenly, the voice of Shams Tabrizi cut through the chaos:
“You fools! Have you so easily condemned a scholar without knowing the truth? The bottle he carries does not contain wine but vinegar.”
One skeptic challenged him, “We saw him at the tavern. It must be wine.”
Shams calmly took the bottle, opened it, and poured a little on their hands. The scent of vinegar filled the air.
The crowd fell silent, ashamed of their judgment. One by one, they sought Rumi’s forgiveness, bowing at his feet and weeping in regret.
When the crowd dispersed, Rumi turned to Shams, his heart heavy.
“Teacher, you’ve brought me such disgrace tonight. Why did you subject me to this?”
Shams Tabrizi replied with profound wisdom:
“To teach you that the honor and reputation you hold so dearly are nothing but illusions.
Do you see how quickly their respect turned to scorn over mere suspicion? Their so-called loyalty vanished in an instant.
From today, stop seeking honor in the eyes of people, for it is fleeting and fragile. Instead, place your trust in Allah, the One whose judgment never wavers. He alone grants true honor to those who deserve it.”
Rumi bowed his head, forever changed by the lesson.
