COMMENTS

It should be noted that the additional words and phrases added by the composer, `Itrî, do not share the meter and rhyme of the six verses of the ghazal poem. Instead, they are devotional interjections. There are two interpretations of whom is addressed by these added words:

1) According to to the first interpretation, all the words in `Itrî's Na`t are in praise of the Prophet Muhammad. This view has the of advantage of simplicity and consistency. However, it requires "Yaa Hazrat-i Mawlaanaa" to be addressed to the Prophet, not to Jalâluddîn Rûmî--contrary to Mevlevi tradition. Addressing the Prophet as "Mawlaanaa" is not normative, compared to "Sayyidnaa" (which has a similar Arabic meaning of "our Lord," "our Chief"). And this view also requires "Yaa waliyyu 'llaah" to have a different Arabic meaning, "O Governor/Guardian (of humanity appointed) by God," instead of the usual meaning: "O saint, holy man, favorite friend of God." Again, it is not normative, as the Prophet would usually be addressed, "yaa nabî" (O Prophet), not "yaa walî". It can also be questioned, if these added interjections are addressed to the Prophet, why are they needed? Since the ghazal of six verses is a sufficiently beautiful expression of praise of the Prophet, written in the same style as Mawlana Rumi's authentic ghazals (that is, with the mention of Shams-i Tabrîzî in the final verse).

2) The other interpretation is that the added words address Jalâluddîn Rûmî, in such a way that praise of the Prophet and founder of Islam is intermixed with praise of the Saint and founder [Pîr] of the Mawlawî tradition. This view has the advantage of interpreting "yaa Hazrat-i Mawlaanaa" as referring to Mawlana Rumi--as it has for centuries in Mawlawi history, such as in books and calligraphy. As Aflâkî (died 1360 CE) quoted someone as saying: "In the whole world there were three general things which, once they were associated with Mowlânâ, became particular, and the elite among the people approved. . . . Secondly, all religious scholars are addressed as mowlânâ. At present, when the name mowlânâ is employed, it is Mowlânâ who is meant." (translated by John O'Kane, "The Feats of the Knowers of God (Manâqeb al-'arefîn)," p. 409) The second interpretation views the words "Haqq-Doost" as meaning, "O (saintly) Friend of God"; and it views the words, "Yaa waliyyu 'llaah" as meaning, "O saint of God." In other words, this dual praise maintains the traditional distinction between the Prophets [anbiyâ] and the saints [awliyâ, the plural of waliy]. And finally, it can be speculated that `Itrî may have added these words from a feeling of ceremonial or liturgical need to include praises of Mawlana Rumi at the beginning of the Sema ritual.