A word must now be said about Shamsi Tabrīz, an intimate friend of
Jalál. We have sufficient evidence to prove that Shamsi Tabrīz,
Jalál's _nom de guerre_, was an actual person, and not a mythical
creation on the part of the poet. This mysterious being, who flitted
across Jalál's life so tragically, seems to have had great personal
influence over the poet, who went with him into solitary places and
there discussed profound mysteries. The scholars of Jalál looked upon
the whole affair as an unworthy infatuation on the part of their
Master, and on the part of Shams a shameful seduction. Their protests
brought about the flight of Shams, who fled to Tabrīz. But it was only
a momentary separation. Jalál followed this strange figure and brought
him back again. Most of his lighter poetry was composed during this
separation. Another disturbance, however, caused the departure of Shams
to Damascus. We then have no clear record of him. Various legends exist
in regard to the death of this mysterious person. It may be safely
stated, however, that Shams met with a violent death, the exact nature
of which it is impossible to say definitely.
This strange union is by no means unique in the history of the
world's literature. The union, however, in this particular case, is
extremely difficult to rightly fathom. We may reasonably infer that
Jalál's intense poetic temperament became fascinated by the dogmatic
and powerful Shams. The very treatment of this friendship, both in
the Lyrical Poems, and in the _Masnavi_, is Súfí The two following
quotations, from many that might be cited, will prove sufficient to
illustrate this point:
The face of Shamsi Dín, Tabrīz's glory, is the sun
In whose track the cloud-like hearts are moving.
O Shamsi Tabrīz, beauty and glory of the horizons,
What king but is a beggar of thee with heart and soul?