THINK SOLUTION, NOT COMPLAINT
Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (1207-1273) holds a very high status among Muslims. His Masnavi (Mathnawi), consisting of nearly 26,000 verses, is highly esteemed among Muslims. This revered work has served as a guiding book for scholars for centuries.
In 1258, the Mongols destroyed Baghdad and ended the Abbasid Caliphate, establishing their oppressive rule over the Muslim world. At that time, Rumi was about fifty years old. Through his Masnavi, he shared spiritual and moral lessons with Muslims, aiming to uplift their spirits.
Along with this, he also guided Muslims on contemporary issues. In his Persian Masnavi, he used parables and allegories to instruct Muslims on what they should and should not do in such circumstances. One helpful tale is the story of the lion and the rabbit, which is detailed in the “First Book” of the Masnavi. The essence of this story is as follows:
In the forest, there was a lion who, every day, would attack animals to satisfy his hunger, capturing them to serve as his food. As a result, all the animals lived in constant terror and fear. Eventually, they came up with a solution. They talked with the lion and persuaded him not to attack them. Instead, they agreed to send one animal to him each day as a tribute.
The proposal was implemented. Each day, a lottery was held to decide which animal would be the lion’s meal. The animal whose name was drawn was sent to the lion. In this way, all the animals coexisted peacefully in the forest. Eventually, the lottery chose a rabbit’s name. This rabbit had already developed a plan: when its name was drawn, it would not allow itself to become the lion’s prey. Instead, it planned to use strategy to eliminate the lion.
According to his carefully planned schedule, the rabbit arrived at the lion’s den an hour late. The lion, very hungry, became angry over the delay. Seeing only a small rabbit further upset him.
The rabbit spoke softly and humbly: “Sir, the situation is that another lion has entered your territory. The animals had sent two rabbits as your meal today, but the other lion attacked us. He captured one of us, and I managed to escape and come to you.”
The lion’s anger shifted to the other lion. He roared, demanding to know who dared enter his forest. “Take me to him so I can deal with him myself.” The rabbit then set off with the lion. He led the lion around and finally brought him to the edge of a well, where he said, “Sir, the other lion is inside this well. You can see him for yourself.”
The lion looked into the well and saw his reflection in the water. Thinking the rabbit’s story was true and that another lion was really inside, he roared, and the “other lion” roared back. Unable to tolerate the idea of another lion in his territory, he jumped into the well, attacking his own reflection. He then died in the well, falling victim to his own mistaken anger.
Thus, a rabbit used clever strategy to defeat a foe as mighty as a lion. Rumi concludes by saying that the rabbit’s plan was like a trap for the lion. How remarkable was that rabbit who managed to outsmart the lion:
“The snare of deceit was a lion’s trap,
How remarkable was the rabbit who seized the lion!”
This parable provided guidance to the Muslims of Rumi’s era. Rumi did not encourage Muslims to take up arms. He did not suggest that all the forest’s inhabitants should unite and attack the lion, promising them the title of hero if they succeeded, or martyrdom if they failed. Instead, Rumi stressed that such actions were unnecessary. His message conveyed strategic wisdom rather than martial bravery.
In contrast, Rumi guided Muslims toward wise strategies. He promoted a path of life rather than one of death. In his proposed approach, a person might start by taking a humble stance, but eventually, they reach greatness and success. This advice of Rumi remains as relevant today as it was when he first expressed it.
