Story of Moaning Pillar (Ustun-e-Hannana) and Prophet Muhammad SAW – Rumi’s Masnavi

 

 

The “Yearning Pillar” or “Moaning Pillar (ustun-e ḥannāna) was a wooden pillar in the time of the Prophet Muḥammad. Prophet used to lean against it while preaching. When Companions built a proper pillar, Prophet heard him lamenting. Prophet bless him to be the tree of eternal paradise. The story is beautifully rendered by Mevalna Rumi. 

 

The Yearning Pillar was complaining of its separation from the Prophet.

The Prophet said, “O pillar, what do you want?”

It said, “My soul has turned into blood because of being separated from you.

I was your support: now you have run away from me: you have made a place to lean against on the pulpit.”

 “Do you desire,” he said, “to be made a date palm, so that the people of the East and the West shall gather fruit from you?

 Or that God should make you a cypress in the other world, so that you will remain everlastingly fresh and flourishing?”

 It replied, “I desire that of which the life endures forever.”

Listen, o heedless one! Do not be less than a piece of wood!

So that you may know that everyone whom God has called to Himself remains detached from all the work of this world.

Whoever obtains his work and business from God, gains admission there and abandons worldly work

Worldly dominion is lawful only to those who indulge the body: we (lovers) are devoted to the everlasting kingdom of Love.

 He (the prince) is in Love’s employ: do not deprive him of his employment, do not let him be employed in anything but loving you.

The high position (business) that veils me from seeing your face is the very essence of being disgracefully dismissed, even though it is called ‘high position.