The Promise of Love

I wanted to share a very famous mystical poem (ghazal) by Imam Khomeini here. I do not find myself competent enough to comment on the deep meanings that are conveyed through subtle allegorical symbolism in this poem. But the radiance of this poem should be immediately felt by the discerning readers. I read this poem as the promise of ishq (love) to the wanderers. (Click on the below image to view in larger size.)


I have become imprisoned, O beloved, by the mole on your lip!

I saw your ailing eyes and became ill through love.

Delivered from self, I beat the drum of "I am the Real!"

Like Hallaj, I became a customer for the top of the gallows.

Heartache for the beloved has thrown so many sparks into my soul

That I have been driven to despair and become the talk of the bazaar!

Open the door of the tavern and let us go there day and night,

For I am sick and tired of the mosque and seminary.

I have torn off the garb of asceticism and hypocrisy,

Putting on the cloak of the tavern-haunting shaykh and becoming aware.

The city preacher has so tormented me with his advice

That I have sought aid from the breath of the wine-drenched profligate.

Leave me alone to remember the idol-temple,

I who have been awakened by the hand of the tavern's idol.

- Imam Khomeini

Translated by William Chittick. Similar to what we see in Urdu ghazals, it appears that the above ghazal does not have a title. Perhaps Farsi and Urdu both share this tradition/style in the ghazal genre.

I heard from a good source that Imam Khomeini wrote the above poem after the Revolution toward the end of his life. Those that consider the combination of gnostic and political a paradox should look into the lives of those that inspired him - the Prophets and the Imams and their nobles lives. As Quran describes their missions, to Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammad (peace be upon them all), political was never separated from the spiritual. In fact, it was their spirituality and compassion for their fellow human beings that defined the principles of their political struggles.

For further reading, I highly recommend reading Dr. Hamid Algar's excellent essay "The Fusion of the Gnostic and the Political in the Personality and Life of Imam Khomeini" (see here).

See here for a collection of other mystical poems by Imam Khomeini (the translations are not that great though). See an interpretation of the above poem at this link.

[Edit Oct 2009: Found an Urdu translation from the backcover of a friend's book. Apologies for the poor quality of this image, taken with my cell phone. Click on the image to view larger.]