One morning, a frightened nobleman rushed into the court of Prophet Solomon, his face pale and his body trembling. He begged Solomon to save him, explaining that he had just encountered Azrael, the Angel of Death, who had given him a look of intense anger and menace. 'Please,' the man pleaded, 'command the wind to carry me to the farthest reaches of India so I may escape his reach.' Solomon, out of compassion, ordered the wind to whisk the man away to the distant land. Later that day, Solomon met the Angel of Death and asked, 'Why did you cast such a frightening look upon that poor man this morning?' Azrael replied with surprise, 'It was not a look of anger, but one of wonder. God had commanded me to take his soul in India this very evening, yet when I saw him here in your court in Israel, I wondered how he could possibly make the journey in such a short time.'
One cannot escape destiny; the very actions we take to avoid our fate are often the means by which it is fulfilled.
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Questions about this story
What is the moral of The Man Who Fled from Death?
The moral is that fate is inescapable and divine decree is absolute. It teaches that the measures we take to avoid our destiny are frequently the very steps that lead us directly toward it.
Who is the author of this parable?
This story is a famous parable written by Jalaluddin Rumi, the 13th-century Persian poet and Sufi mystic. It is found in his magnum opus, the Masnavi.
Why did Solomon help the man flee to India?
Solomon helped the man out of compassion and because he possessed the miraculous power to command the winds. He did not realize at the time that he was helping the man meet his predestined end.
What does India represent in this Sufi story?
India represents a far-off, distant land that the man believed was beyond the reach of his current situation. In Sufi symbolism, it often serves as a metaphor for the farthest reaches of the material world.
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