02/09/2025
One night, Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi invited his master, Hazrat Shamsuddin Tabrizi , to his home.
Shamsuddin arrived. All the dishes were prepared, and then Shamsuddin said to Rumi :
“Can you bring me some wine to drink?”
Rumi was surprised: “Does my master also drink wine?”
Shamsuddin replied: “Yes, indeed.”
Rumi said: “Forgive me, I did not know this.”
Shamsuddin said: “Now that you know, bring the wine.”
Rumi asked: “Where can I get it at this late hour?”
Shamsuddin said: “Send one of your servants.”
Rumi said: “My honor will be ruined in front of my servants.”
Shamsuddin replied: “Then go yourself.”
Rumi hesitated: “The whole city knows me. How can I go to buy wine?”
Shamsuddin said: "If you are truly my disciple, do as I say, otherwise, today I will neither eat, talk, nor sleep.”
Out of love and obedience for his master, Rumi covered himself with a cloak, hid the bottle, and went toward the Christian neighborhood.
On the way, nobody suspected him. But as soon as he entered the Christian area, people were astonished and started following him.
Everyone saw Rumi go to the wine shop and buy the bottle, hiding it under his cloak. When he returned, more people followed him to the mosque.
At the mosque door, someone shouted:
“O people! Your Imam, Sheikh Jalaluddin Rumi , is coming from the Christian neighborhood with wine!”
They removed Rumi’s cloak, revealing the bottle in front of everyone.
The crowd became angry, spat on him, beat him, and even knocked off his turban.
Rumi remained silent; he did not defend himself.
People were convinced they had been deceived and even thought of killing him.
At that moment, Shamsuddin Tabrizi appeared raising his voice: "O shameless people! You have accused a scholar and jurist of drinking wine. Know that this bottle contains vinegar, not wine!”
One person said: “I saw him bring it from the wine shop with my own eyes.”
Thereafter Shamsuddin opened the bottle and poured a few drops on people’s hands to smell. Everyone was astonished: it was indeed vinegar!
The truth was that Shamsuddin had already gone to the wine shop and instructed the shopkeeper to give vinegar instead of wine if Rumi came.
People began hitting their heads in regret, fell at Rumi’s feet, asked for forgiveness, kissed his hands, and gradually dispersed.
Rumi said to Shamsuddin: “Today you put me through such a great trial, where my honor and dignity were crushed before my disciples. What was the meaning of all this?”
Shamsuddin said: “So that you understand, the honor and reputation of people are mere illusions. Do you think their respect will always remain? You yourself saw, on mere suspicion of a bottle, they became your enemies, spat on you, beat you, and almost took your life.
This is the honor you were proud of, which vanished in a moment!
From today onwards, do not rely on people’s honor. True honor is only with Allah, which never changes or fades over time. He alone knows who is truly honorable and who seeks false honor. Therefore, keep your eyes only on Allah.”
