The Man who saw Hazrat Azrael – Story from Rumi’s Masnavi

The story of The Man Who Saw Hazrat Azrael from Rumi’s Masnavi explores themes of fate, fear, and trust in divine will. Below is a retelling:

One day, a man rushed into the court of King Solomon, pale and trembling with fear. Solomon, known for his wisdom, asked the man what troubled him. The man explained that he had encountered Hazrat Azrael, the Angel of Death, who had looked at him with such intensity that he believed Azrael was coming to take his life. Terrified, the man begged Solomon to save him.

The man pleaded for Solomon to command the wind to carry him far away to India, believing he could escape his fate there. Solomon granted his request and ordered the wind to swiftly transport the man to India.
The next day, Solomon saw Azrael in his court and questioned him about his gaze toward the man. Solomon asked, “Why did you frighten my subject yesterday? What harm did he do?”

whirling sufi

Azrael replied with surprise: “I did not look at him with anger or hatred. I was astonished to see him here because I was commanded by God to take his life in India today. I wondered how he could possibly reach India so quickly.”

Moral of the Story:

This tale highlights the inevitability of fate and the futility of trying to escape it. The man’s fear led him directly to the place where his destiny awaited him. Rumi uses this narrative to emphasize trust in divine wisdom and the importance of surrendering to God’s will rather than relying on human efforts to avoid what is predestined.