Discourses of Rumi

FIHI MA FIHI V 141“When God’s help comes through victory,And you see peopleSubmitting to His Will in throngs,Then fill yourself with the presence of the Lord,And seek His forgiveness;For God turns to men and women again.”Now, commentators offer an outward interpretationto the above Sura, from the Koran, asfollows: Mohammed had the dream, “I will makeall the world Muslims and bring them to the pathof God.” When he saw his death approaching hecried, “Ah, didn’t I come into this life to call thepeople to God?” God answered, “Do not grieve.In that very hour when you pass away, provincesand cities which you would conquer by armiesand by the sword I will convert to obedience andto the faith, every one of them without armies.The sign of this will come at the end when you aredying, you will see people entering in throngs andbecoming Muslims. When this sign comes, knowthat the time for your departure has arrived. Thengive praise, and seek forgiveness.”However, there is an inward meaning to thisSura as well: People think they can drive awayevil by great effort and striving. After struggling