Muhyiddin ibn Alrabi (1165–1240)
My Heart Wears All Forms
My heart wears all forms:
For gazelles it is an open field,
for monks a cloister.
It is a temple for idols,
and for pilgrims the Ka'ba.
It is the Torah's tablets
and the pages of the Quran.
Love is the faith I follow.
Whichever path Love's caravan takes,
that is my road and my religion.
Translated from the Arabic by Ivan M. Granger
Muhyiddin ibn Alrabi (1165–1240) was a Sufi philosopher born in Spain, who influenced philosophical and mystical thought, not only in the Muslim world but also in Christian Europe.
Selected by Amy Frykholm: amy@journeywithjesus.net
