Omar And The Harper

Anecdotes

oi-Staff

By Staff

Tuesday, May 25, 2010, 10:30

Poet and Sufi master Rumi captures the tale of the freedom of the harper's heart with the instructions of Omar in verses.

There was once a harper who was far-famed for his melodious voice and together with his harp, could produce mellifluous notes. The harper's music was a part of every feast that took place. As time passed with old age embracing him, the harper's voice took to trembling and could no more charm the crowd.

One day the old musician took his harp and retired that night to the burial ground of Yathrub, to make music for God. He looked forward for some recompense from the almighty in the graveyard. Having made melody, he fell asleep and dreamt that he was in heaven. That same night God instructed Omar, the caliph to relieve the old harper in the burial ground.

Omar on reaching the burial ground, found the harper and handed him some money and said that he could always look up to him if he needed more. The old harper put aside his harp saying that it had in fact kept him away from God. He started lamenting in contrition of his past sins. Omar then instructed the harper that he was about to complete the long arduous worldly journey of life. His contrition could do more harm than his very sins He awoke his awareness to the fact that he at one time adored the music of his harp and at other times embraced wailing and weeping. After having attained the ecstasy of union with God, he is not to yield to contrition, as past and the future are to be disregarded.

Omar's words made its mark and the heart of the harper saw emancipation to the fullest with an ecstasy whose essence escapes the mere frame of words. From then on the harper harped no more .