Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times

Jalal al-Din Rumi, the 13th-century Persian mystic and poet, now known as poet of love in USA, often employed rich metaphors to convey profound spiritual insights. One of his notable analogies compares the Quran to a “shy bride,” suggesting that its deepest meanings are not immediately accessible but require patience, reverence, and sincere devotion to unveil.

In this metaphor, Rumi emphasizes that merely approaching the Quran with a superficial or forceful intent will not lead to true understanding. He illustrates this by stating that if one attempts to pull away the veil of the Quran hastily, it may appear unappealing or obscure. However, by serving it from afar, striving to please it, and approaching it with humility and love, the Quran will reveal its profound beauty without the need for forceful efforts. plumepoetry.com

Rumi suggests that the Quran’s deeper meanings are accessible only to those who engage with it beyond its literal text, seeking its inner wisdom with a pure heart. He emphasizes that the Quran unveils its truths to those who approach it with reverence and genuine intent, rather than through forceful or superficial means. momentoftime.wordpress.com

This analogy underscores the importance of approaching the Quran with a purified heart and sincere intention. Rumi suggests that the Quran’s wisdom is like a bride who unveils herself only to those who approach with genuine love and respect. This perspective encourages readers to engage with the Quran beyond its literal text, seeking deeper, esoteric meanings through contemplation and spiritual practice.

Rumi’s metaphor also highlights the dynamic relationship between the seeker and the divine word. He implies that the Quran responds to the inner state of the reader; thus, one’s personal transformation and sincerity play crucial roles in accessing its deeper truths. This approach aligns with the Sufi tradition, which emphasizes inner purification and the cultivation of love and devotion as pathways to divine knowledge.

Rumi is the best selling poet in USA these days. He wrote 3,000 love songs to his mentor Shams of Tabriz, the prophet Muhammad, may peace be on him, and God. His monumental Mathnawi has been called the Quran in the Persian language.[1] According to William C. Chittick, Professor of Asian and Asian American Studies at Stony Brook University, as he highlights love in both the Mathnawi and the Quran, “This is not because it bears any outward resemblance to the Divine Word, but rather because Rumi was able to capture in a non-technical, everyday language, understandable to any Persian speaker, what he himself calls, ‘the roots of the roots of the roots of the religion’ – which is an apt description of the Quran itself, the foundation of everything Islamic.”[1] A beautiful one line summary by Rumi of the love in the Quran, an epitome of love, compassion and justice.

Toby Mayer in his article on Quran for the recent encyclopedic commentary, The Study Quran, titled: Traditions of Esoteric and Sapiential Quranic Commentary, writes describing Rumi’s metaphor:

Echoing Biblical traditions of Sophianism, the Quran was sometimes tellingly personified in Sufism as a feminine entity, to be wooed, indeed, to be engaged with on her terms or not at all. For example, in his famous collection of discourses, Fīhi mā fīhi (In It Is What Is in It), the great Sufi mystic and Persian poet Jalāl al-Dīn al-Rūmī (d. 672/1273) describes the scripture as follows:

“The Quran is as a bride (ʿarūs) who does not disclose her face to you, for all that you draw aside the veil. That you should examine it, and yet not attain happiness and unveiling (kashf) is due to the fact that the act of drawing aside the veil has itself repulsed and tricked you, so that the bride has shown herself to you as ugly, as if to say, ‘I am not that beauty.’ The Quran is able to show itself in whatever form it pleases. But if you do not draw aside the veil and seek only its good pleasure, watering its sown field and attending on it from afar, toiling upon that which pleases it best, it will show its face to you without your drawing aside the veil. The passage plays with the concept of kashf, a Persian/Arabic term that acquires the technical sense of mystical insight, but that literally means ‘unveiling,’ as when a Muslim woman uncovers her face and head. We have here a basic reflex of Sufi epistemology: the perception that insight is received spontaneously through catharsis and humility, not self-aggrandizement.”

This metaphor underscores the importance of approaching sacred texts with humility and devotion. Rumi implies that the Quran’s profound wisdom becomes apparent when one seeks to align with its essence, rather than attempting to dissect or analyze it solely through intellectual effort. By nurturing a sincere relationship with the text, akin to courting a shy bride, the seeker is gradually granted insight into its divine mysteries.

The Study Quran commentary is included as PDF file in the end of this article.

Rumi’s idea is not completely his personal insight, rather a subtle interpretation of Quran itself, when it says:

We have progressively revealed the Quran as healing and mercy to those who believe; as for those who disbelieve, it only increases their loss. (Al Quran 17:82)

A few verses later in the same Surah Bani Israel, Allah says:

Say, ‘Even if all mankind and jinn came together to produce something like this Quran, they could not produce anything like it, however much they helped each other.’ (Al Quran 17:88)

Despite the Quran being an unparalleled and an unmatched book, the response of the humanity to it is disappointing. The very next verse states:

“In this Quran, We have set out all kinds of examples for people, yet most of them persist in disbelieving.” (Al Quran 17:89)

This happens because a majority of the mankind does not approach the holy scripture like they should.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) was a German writer, poet, playwright, and philosopher, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Western literature. His works span poetry, drama, novels, and scientific writings. His most famous work, Faust, is a monumental play that explores themes of ambition, knowledge, and the human condition. Beyond literature, Goethe made significant contributions to philosophy, natural sciences, and aesthetics, leaving a lasting impact on European intellectual thought. He experienced both sides of the Quranic experience, both poles of response to the Quran. When he was a critic and later when he approached it lovingly like a “shy bride,” he came to admire it. He said:

As often as we approach the Quran, it always proves repulsive anew; gradually, however, it attracts, it astonishes, and, in the end forces admiration.[2]

In essence, Rumi’s depiction of the Quran as a “shy bride” serves as a reminder that the sacred text’s most profound insights are reserved for those who approach it with humility, patience, and a genuine desire for spiritual connection. It calls upon seekers to move beyond superficial readings and to engage in a heartfelt relationship with the divine message.

Rumi’s analogy serves as a timeless reminder of the need for sincerity, patience, and love in spiritual pursuits. It encourages individuals to move beyond superficial readings and to engage deeply with sacred teachings, allowing the profound beauty of the divine word to reveal itself in its own time.

References

1. The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary. Syed Hossein Nasr, Editor-in-Chief. HarperOne: An Inprint of Harper Collins Publishers. 2015. Page 1745.
2. RVC Bodley. The Messenger. Double Day and Company Inc, 1946. Page 237.