Rumi - On Dubious Moonsightings

An allegorical poem from the famed poet, Maulana Jalal al Din Rumi.

It's based on a incident from the time of Caliph Omar, when a man had claimed that he had seen the new crescent, when in fact he had seen a strand of his own hair draped across his eyes.
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IN THE TIME OF OMAR SOMEONE IMAGINED THAT HE HAD SEEN THE NEW MOON

The month of Ramadan, in Omar’s reign

People ran to a hill above the plain

To greet the new moon as a hopeful sign - 

One called, ‘Omar, come watch the new moon shine!’

But Omar saw no moon above, and said:

‘That moon’s an image dreamt up in your head!

If not, explain how, with my better sight,

I can’t see any moon tonight.

First rub your eyebrows with a wet hand, then

Attempt to look at the new moon again.’

The man did this, then couldn’t see it there;

He said, ‘It’s disappeared into thin air!’
Omar explained, ‘Your eyebrow was a bow

That shot false views at your just like a foe!’

A hair had veiled him – now he felt ashamed

That vision of the new moon he had claimed:

A single stray hair veiled the sky behind - 

When your whole frame is bent, you’re almost blind!

Seeker of straightness, don’t avert your gaze.

Good weighing-scaled correct the others, while

Unbalanced ones make others mean and vile;

Whoever balances with the perverse

Will lose his brain, bedazzled by their curse.

‘Be hard on infidels!’ the Prophet said:

Renounce all things but God, as though you’re dead.

Chop off the heads of others with your blade!

Be lion like – don’t flatter them, afraid!

Don’t disappoint God’s faithful friends. Each knows
That thorns are enemies of that fine rose.

Set fire to wolves like incense, don’t appease.

The wolves are Prophet Joseph’s enemies.

Beware when Satan calls you ‘darling child’ - 

He hopes that in this way you’ll be beguiled;

He offered Prophet Adam the same bait,

And thus that black rook trapped him in check-mate.

The rook moves fast – don’t get caught by surprise!

Don’t watch this game of chess with drowsy eyes.

He can entrap your queen with many tricks,

Just like the food which in your gullet sticks;

His morsel stays blocked there until you’re old - 

What is this morsel? Love of rank and gold

You fickle fool, wealth is what blocks throats up,

So you can’t down the Water of Life’s cup.

And if your wealth’s been stolen by a foe,

A thief has robbed a thief – you ought to know!

from The Masnavi Volume 2, translated by Jawed Ahmad Mujaddedi.
Oxford University Press.

17th C Indian Miniature; pointing at new crescent