THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS

One day the birds gathered in the jungle to tell their fate and circumstances. They feel disappointed to see in the bird society, no leaders and advisors. Though there are not a people under the heaven who regularly society, if not have a king. Then talk the Hoopoe.

Hoopoe: “I am having an exchange of days and times, and I know human habits. I have tried my best to find the essence of truth. I once made friends with Prophet Sulayman. The low place I have descended, the high one I have climbed up, which I have almost come to, far away I have gone. In the journey that far, I have known that we are essentially seeking a king, but there is no effort to come alone before the king. If we cooperate with one another, we can reach the throne of the king. The name of our king is Simorgh. And where the king resides is behind a hill called Qaf. The place was close to him, but far from him. He is huddled in the fence of his great ban, unable to mouth explaining his nature and surrounding it is 1000 walls.”

Initially, the king of the Simorgh bird was a night fly in the pitch of the Chinese sea. And a fleece of his wings fell. When the feather fell to the earth, the joy of the contents of nature saw the beauty of the fur. Do not you hear a hadith, “Demands science, even though China?” If it does not transform that feather into this world, it is not all of us birds will be in this world.

Hearing the news that the Hoopoe explained, all the birds arose longing to come to the Great King Simorgh. Want it all to get the king. For the sake of having been discussed at length, that the journey to the king’s throne was very difficult and many obstacles, many of the birds who feel weak and unable to go.

Said the Canary: “I am Imamul Asikin, his priest is all the people who long for revenge. All heart wants to hear my singing. Then how will I be able to part with my blossoms?”

Said Parrot: “Take a lesson on my fate. All human beings are deceived by Simorgh’s feathers, and then they are my brackets. So my life filled with longing and prone to hurt. Though flying under Simorgh wing fan that I can not afford.”

Said Peacock: “Once upon a time I lived with Adam in heaven, but eventually I was also expelled from there, my wish was to go home to my silence place. Therefore I have no desire to wander looking for king Simorgh.”

Said Duck: “I have been used to living in holiness, and can swim in water. Others are not cursed anymore. I can not get out of the water, and I do not live in a dry place.”

Said Falcon: “I am used to living in the mountains, where I live. How am I supposed to leave my place?”

Said Wren: “I am just a small and weak bird. How would a bird as small as I wander so far?”

Said Eagle: “You know how I stand by the kings. Then I can not afford to leave that noble place.”

Hearing all the conversation was said to Hoopoe: “I will not neglect to convey my advice to all of you. I mean holy. Why is it that my brothers are all looking for excuses from living habits? And you abandon the sacred and pure ideals of being bound by pleasure? A strong intention and a steadfast and patient heart, will ease all difficulties and bring near all that far away.”

So ask one among the birds: “In what way and what way can we get to that distant and difficult place? With what tool will get there, facing the Great Mighty King?”

So ask one among the birds: “In what way and what way can we get to that distant and difficult place? By what tools will we get there, to meet the great king?”

So many questions.

Hoopoe: “What does this mean many questions? What does weakness of spirit mean? Why go back and forth to overcome difficulties? Prepare with the tools of provision, high spirit, an intention of a strong and steadfast heart. The connection between all birds with the Supreme King Simorgh is clear and clear as the sun behind the clouds has fallen into the earth thousands of light from the cloud’s gap. You are all, O my brothers of light from the Simorgh. You are all! For that longing if it really arises from a sincere heart, it will be easy for the fun through the way how difficult it is, all the fences will be jumped for wanting to meet his lover.”

Having brought up some comparison of reason and parables, so the longing of the birds came back to meet Simorgh. Then break up agree that they will all continue to wander the Simorgh. One group should be drawn up, and the head of the group should be chosen. Then the choice fell on the Hoopoe. Above his head is placed the crown of the address of greatness, and advance he comes. They fly to the destination.

Long time the birds have flown away. Not yet visible the intended domain. Then ask a bird: “Why is this journey so lonely and frightening, O our leader?”

The Hoopoe replied: “Many do not dare go this way out of fear. And there is beauty in a quiet night? And this is beautiful? Know all of you that the king did not give everyone permission to make this way. Greatness sometimes makes people who expect the gift to be far away “

The flight of birds continued as well. For the sake of appearing in the way, but the goal is invisible. Feel the pain of suffering, but the healer does not exist. At that time the wind blows “riches,” and humble the heavens into the earth. For the sake of the deserted land of the Sahara, the field is unable to accept the coming of “the red sky”, how to be able to receive birds from the earth?

Then said a bird: “Our leader Hoopoe! You have brought us high flying, and indeed you have used to fly away. But now many are worried in our hearts. Stop us for a moment and go to the pulpit. Give us a fatwa to dispel some of the doubts that have arisen in our hearts during this difficult journey.”

The request was granted by the Hoopoe, they stopped instantly. But before he gave his advice, Canary had earlier climbed to the podium, he promised that the melodious voice was gone all the tiredness and doubt. Whole birds singing also follow Canary. Because the trip was forwarded again.

On the way ask a bird: “Our Hoopoe our priest! I wonder why you are more important than us. Why are our dignity different?”

The Hoopoe replied: “My virtue is the gift of the king himself. This is the great power of his grace, which you give because of the sheer grace of his sight. This advantage is not attained because it is merely obedient. Lucifer was once a devout man. Yet the case is not that I see a matter of obedience a small matter. But do not also be important, and do not ask for wages. Do everything obediently, and do not expect anything. Hope for that is what drove the price of obedience. That’s why Sulayman dropped his eyes upon me.”

There are many questions that they bring. And all the questions answered by the Hoopoe carefully. This nineteenth question reads: “Is it a worthy gift we give to the king we are going to go to?”

Hoopoe replied: “Do not bring anything because there is nothing short of nothing. There is nothing more than two things, longing and obedience.”

“How far is this long journey? What will we meet on the road?”

Hoopoe replied: “In front of us stretches seven valleys, but the whole width is not known to us. Because no one has returned from there, who tells how big it is. The seven valleys are Desire Valley of the Quest, Valley of Love, Valley of Knowledge, Valley of Detachment, Valley of Unity, Valley of Wonderment, Valley of Poverty and Annihilation.”

Each valley is explained by Hoopoe of its nature with all its contents. Upon explaining the nature of the seventh valley he said: “All my brothers! This is a terrible valley, mute because it can not explain. Deaf ears and exhausted. Thousands of shadows are lost by the sun. When the waves of the ocean have been raging, how else will there be a line in the water’s skin? But whoever has lost himself in this valley, he comes into eternal tranquility.”

Then he also found a proverb:

“One night the butterflies gathered in the dark, and all wanted to get a candle light. Then chosen some so that flying to candle first, so see and know its nature. A butterfly flew into a candle holder. Once visible to him, he also preach to his friends. Then say an experienced butterfly: “Then you have not known the candle”, then he sent another. He left. He went over to the candle, and approached it again, until he felt the heat of fire. He went home to preach his vision and his feelings. The experienced butterfly said: “What you are telling is no more than what your friend told you”. Then fly another, fly dancing in joy and longing. He went to the candle, saw it and approached it, then threw it down to the candle and burned it all over. It was in that burning state that he went home to the friend who sent him. Then the old butterfly said: “You know what a candle is. Because it is not we will know something we love but by infusing ourselves to him.”

Hearing the story of the Hoopoe, all the birds were afraid. Everyone feels it will not go that far. Then it is the dead on the way, with a break. The living continues also the journey, and meet danger, and many are killed and dead. Dead thirst at the top of a hill, or die of not being able to withstand the scorching sun, and half of them die of too much trouble. The other half was astonished at the incongruity, then stopped and could not go on. After meeting what disturbs their hearts, then the laziness continues the path. Others are also replied by others.

The thousands of members of the departure, most of them have perished. Only thirty can go on, thirty in Persian is Simorgh. Finally out of thousands only 30 survived! After a variety of waves and difficulties, it almost perished because of the difficulty.

What did they find after arriving at the destination? They find things that can not be told by mouth, astonished and stunned to see them. Lightning up the glory, burning hundreds of nature in the blink of an eye. Thousands of sun and stars in a half-confused state: “What a difficult journey we have. Here we see hundreds of galaxies just like small sandy soil. What does it mean to us and what our body means.”

With a sense of awe, complain and weary they wait! Suddenly out of Hadjib, the great court guard then rebuked: “O birds in confusion! Where did you come from? What’s coming here? What is your name? What do you hear about this place, so you are interested in coming here? Who told you that fetch little hairs and bones of your being able to fly so far?”

The birds: “We came here to uphold Simorgh, our king. This is our journey. In the past, we were many thousands, but only 30 birds came here. We came from a very distant place, hoping to be given permission to see King Simorgh. We have come so that the king will be pleased with us and willing to look at us.”

Hadjib: “O birds! What is your situation? What does it mean to be your being and what does it mean to your body in the presence of an absolute and a godly king? Thousands of Nature do not balance a hair in front of this door. Go home, go back, you wretched ones!”

The birds: “The humiliation that we have gained before this door, is our glory. We will stay here forever until we are burned up like a butterfly in the fire. We will not despair of the king’s grace.”

Hearing quarrels among the birds with the Hadjib, Suddenly out of the Hadjibur Rahmat from within. They were told to stand up. Then the veil of the covering of the veil, one by one, was covered by hundreds. Then the light shines, and the glorious nature and the birds were seated near the glorious curtains.

Each bird is given a letter. There they read all the deeds they had done. Then faint everything because of shame, because the face is not contested. Then all that was written was forgotten. Then all that was written was forgotten. So the birds do not remember anything else. That’s mortal!

Then there was the sunlight of the appendix. Burned all life. For the sake of the Simorgh, they had longed for and came here.

Wonder and miraculous! Each of them saw the Simorgh, visible to them thirty birds, and when they saw thirty birds, Simorgh looked. And when they see themselves and see the Simorgh, it seems that both are one. They were astonished and astonished, then they asked if the secret was like this. Then came the reply: “The glorious is the mirror, whoever comes here, will not see but himself. Tuan comes thirty (Simorgh), surely what you see is Simorgh (thirty). Well, how can sight see us? How can a blind eye measure Venus? his case is not what you see and know. It is not what you say or hear. But you have come out from within yourself. Now you know that your real place is here.”

And they are gone. Disappears of light, back into the sun.

For after a hundred thousand years, the deserts that were not tied to the times and places, returned the birds to him. For after they return to themselves from besides themselves, they all return to eternity after mortality.

Inspired by Manthik uth-thair, Fariduddin al-‘Aththaar

References: The Development Of Sufism From The Ages; Hamka, the first print of 1952; publisher Pustaka Islam Jakarta.
Source : https://tengkuputeh.com/2017/04/25/speech-of-the-birds/