"When Rumi was five years old, he saw angels and would occasionally jump up and grow agitated at these visions. A few of the students gathered around his father, Baha Valad, then held the boy to their chests to try to calm him. These are angels from the unseen world, his father reassured him. They are showing themselves to you to offer you their favours and they have brought visible and invisible gifts for you. He emphasised that these unsettling episodes were nothing to fear but a sign of being blessed.
Baha Valad also recalled neighbourhood children once visiting his son, when he was about five or six years old, on their rooftop on a Friday morning. Let’s jump from this roof to the other roof! a friend shouted. They made a wager on the daring feat, just as his son, scoffing at their game, somehow vanished, causing a clamor. When he reappeared, a few minutes later, he announced, While I was talking to you, I saw some people in green robes. They took me away and helped me to fly and showed me the sky and the planets. When I heard your shouts and screams, they brought me back. This report of a mystical adventure cinched his status among his amazed group of playmates.
- Rumi’s Secret: The Life of the Sufi Poet of Love —
Rumi has always been a great source of inspiration to me, his writing has helped generations of people re- think the way they see the world, God, death and love. Malak, ملك, is the Arabic word for angel, I pictured the angels Rumi saw as a child, his inspiration, a dreamy, invisible creature living amongst us. I smile wondering what the angels may think of us humans on our daily commutes. Perhaps she'd even study humans, our religions and the way we've written about angels, or maybe the way we've depicted them in art form! I hope you enjoy this artistic depiction of my Malak.
Played by the beautiful Arselajda Baraku, makeup by Stephanie Perez, hair by John Ruidant, lensed by Kimberley Gordon.
