By The day was shaping up to be eventful, with the morning passing quicker than usual and the sky hanging low and gray. In the late afternoon, Shams of Tabriz noticed Rumi sitting by the window in a dimly lit room, and he sensed that Rumi was in complete chaos, restless and uneasy.
On this day, Shams came to understand the fragile side of Rumi, realizing that Rumi was deeply afraid of Shams’ departure. Tears welled up in Shams’ eyes as he realized that the loneliness Rumi felt in his absence would remain an unhealed wound.
“I am very thirsty,” Shams exclaimed, adding that nothing could quench his thirst except for the medicine of his thirst found in a tavern. He asked Rumi to fetch two bottles of wine—one for himself and one for Shams.
Begging Rumi not to leave the tavern once he got the wine, Shams implored him to engage in conversation with the drunken men there. Rumi’s irritated and perplexed expression was met by Shams’ realization that Rumi was concerned about how others perceived his reputation.
Relief washed over Shams when Rumi finally nodded in agreement. Although drinking wine went against Rumi’s faith, he set out for the tavern, trusting in the love and bond he shared with Shams.
As they entered the tavern:
Upon entering the tavern for the first time, Rumi found himself surrounded by drunken men lost in wild illusions, including one named Suleiman. The tavern was filled with stares, and an eerie silence hung in the air, broken only by the tavern owner, Hrisots.
As Rumi requested wine and took a seat next to Suleiman, the drunken man mustered the courage to ask Rumi why he had come to the tavern. Rumi responded, “It is a Sufi trial by Shams, meant to challenge my reputation. To find oneself, one must sever all attachments.”
In a hushed tone, Rumi inquired about the scar on Suleiman’s face, and Suleiman revealed it was a result of a scuffle with a security guard while he was intoxicated.
Rumi’s disbelief transformed into a friendly smile as he realized that even when intoxicated, people could change. Rumi and Suleiman engaged in discussions about faith and friendship as the evening sun set.
As the sun set and everyone prepared to bid farewell to Rumi, Suleiman dared to ask why wine was forbidden. He expressed that the drunken ones, like himself, didn’t harm anyone despite their reputation. Rumi responded with a poem:
“If the wine drinker
Has gentleness within,
It shows itself when drunk.
But hidden anger and arrogance
Surface, as they do in most.
Hence, wine is forbidden to all.”
Suleiman reassured Rumi that his reputation was safe, acknowledging Rumi’s courage in conversing without judgment with the drunken men.
With a friendly gaze, Rumi left the tavern, holding the bottles of wine in his hand.
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