In Book 3, Section 224 of the Masnavi, when Prophet Solomon summons the wind to answer the gnat's complaint, the gnat immediately flees. Rumi uses this flight to symbolize the spiritual concept of *fana* (annihilation of the ego): just as the weak gnat cannot coexist with the powerful wind, the finite human ego or individual selfhood is utterly dissolved and cannot persist when confronting the overwhelming manifestation of the Divine presence.

The Flight of the Gnat from the Wind as a Metaphor for Spiritual Annihilation

In Book 3, Section 223 of the Masnavi, Rumi establishes the gnat (mosquito) as the quintessential literary and theological symbol of physical and material helplessness ('پشه باشد در ضعیفی خود مثل'). By having the gnat appeal to Prophet Solomon—who holds supreme divine and temporal authority—Rumi illustrates the spiritual concept of the utterly weak, desperate soul ('zār') seeking refuge in absolute divine justice. This setting serves as the prerequisite allegorical foundation for the subsequent dissolution of the ego when confronting the divine wind.

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## Original content
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پشه آمد از حدیقه وز گیاه 
وز سلیمان گشت پشه دادخواه
کای سلیمان معدلت می‌گستری 
بر شیاطین و آدمی‌زاد و پری
مرغ و ماهی در پناه عدل تست 
کیست آن گم‌گشته کش فضلت نجست
داد ده ما را که بس زاریم ما 
بی‌نصیب از باغ و گلزاریم ما
مشکلات هر ضعیفی از تو حل 
پشه باشد در ضعیفی خود مثل
شهره ما در ضعف و اشکسته‌پری 
شهره تو در لطف و مسکین‌پروری
ای تو در اطباق قدرت منتهی 
منتهی ما در کمی و بی‌رهی
داد ده ما را ازین غم کن جدا 
دست گیر ای دست تو دست خدا
پس سلیمان گفت ای انصاف‌جو 
داد و انصاف از که میخواهی بگو
کیست آن کالم که از باد و بروت 
ظلم کردست و خراشیدست روت
ای عجب در عهد ما ظالم کجاست 
کو نه اندر حبس و در زنجیر ماست
چونک ما زادیم ظلم آن روز مرد 
پس بعهد ما کی ظلمی پیش برد
چون بر آمد نور ظلمت نیست شد 
ظلم را ظلمت بود اصل و عضد
نک شیاطین کسب و خدمت می‌کنند 
دیگران بسته باصفادند و بند
اصل ظلم ظالمان از دیو بود 
دیو در بندست استم چون نمود
ملک زان دادست ما را کن فکان 
تا ننالد خلق سوی آسمان
تا به بالا بر نیاید دودها 
تا نگردد مضطرب چرخ و سها
تا نلرزد عرش از ناله یتیم 
تا نگردد از ستم جانی سقیم
زان نهادیم از ممالک مذهبی 
تا نیاید بر فلکها یا ربی
منگر ای مظلوم سوی آسمان 
کاسمانی شاه داری در زمان
گفت پشه داد من از دست باد 
کو دو دست ظلم بر ما بر گشاد
ما ز ظلم او به تنگی اندریم 
با لب بسته ازو خون می‌خوریم

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## English translation
A mosquito came from the garden and from the herbs,
And from Solomon the mosquito became a seeker of justice.

"O Solomon, you spread justice
Over demons, the progeny of Adam, and the jinn.

Bird and fish are under the shelter of your justice—
Who is that lost one who has not sought your grace?

Give us justice, for we are utterly wretched,
Without portion from garden and rose-bower.

The difficulties of every weak one are resolved by you—
The mosquito is itself a proverb in weakness.

We are famed for weakness and broken-wingedness,
You are famed for kindness and nurturing of the destitute.

O you who are supreme in the layers of power,
We are supreme in littleness and waylessness.

Give us justice, separate us from this sorrow,
Take our hand—O one whose hand is the hand of God."

Then Solomon said: "O seeker of equity,
Tell me, justice and fairness—from whom do you seek them?

Who is that scoundrel who, with wind and bluster,
Has done you wrong and scratched your face?

How strange! In our reign, where is any oppressor
Who is not in our prison and in our chains?

When we were born, oppression died that very day—
So in our reign, how could any oppression advance?

When the light rose, darkness was no more—
Darkness was the root and support of oppression.

Behold, the demons are engaged in labor and service,
Others are bound in fetters and chains.

The root of oppressors' tyranny was from the demon—
The demon is in chains; how could cruelty appear?

The Sovereign of Kun-fa-yakun has given us dominion
So that the people do not cry out toward heaven,

So that smoke does not rise upward,
So that the celestial sphere and Suha do not become agitated.

So that the Throne does not tremble from the orphan's lament,
So that no soul becomes sick from oppression.

For this we have instituted just governance across the kingdoms,
So that no cry of 'O Lord!' rises to the heavens.

O oppressed one, look not toward heaven—
For you have a heavenly king on earth in this time."

The mosquito said: "My justice is against the wind,
Who has opened two hands of oppression upon us.

We are in straits from his oppression—
With sealed lips, we swallow blood from him."

دفتر سوم - بخش ۲۲۳ - داد خواستن پشه از باد به حضرت سلیمان علیه السلام / Book Three - Section 223 - The Mosquito Seeking Justice from the Wind Before His Holiness Solomon, Peace Be Upon Him

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Ganjoor

## Original content
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پس سلیمان گفت ای زیبادوی 
امر حق باید که از جان بشنوی
حق به من گفتست هان ای دادور 
مشنو از خصمی تو بی خصمی دگر
تانیاید هر دو خصم اندر حضور 
حق نیاید پیش حاکم در ظهور
خصم تنها گر بر آرد صد نفیر 
هان و هان بی خصم قول او مگیر
من نیارم رو ز فرمان تافتن 
خصم خود را رو بیاور سوی من
گفت قول تست برهان و درست 
خصم من بادست و او در حکم تست
بانگ زد آن شه که ای باد صبا 
پشه افغان کرد از ظلمت بیا
هین مقابل شو تو و خصم و بگو 
پاسخ خصم و بکن دفع عدو
باد چون بشنید آمد تیز تیز 
پشه بگرفت آن زمان راه گریز
پس سلیمان گفت ای پشه کجا 
باش تا بر هر دو رانم من قضا
گفت ای شه مرگ من از بود اوست 
خود سیاه این روز من از دود اوست
او چو آمد من کجا یابم قرار 
کو بر آرد از نهاد من دمار
همچنین جویای درگاه خدا 
چون خدا آمد شود جوینده لا
گرچه آن وصلت بقا اندر بقاست 
لیک ز اول آن بقا اندر فناست
سایه‌هایی که بود جویای نور 
نیست گردد چون کند نورش ظهور
عقل کی ماند چو باشد سرده او 
کل شیء هالک الا وجهه
هالک آید پیش وجهش هست و نیست 
هستی اندر نیستی خود طرفه‌ایست
اندرین محضر خردها شد ز دست 
چون قلم اینجا رسیده شد شکست

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## English translation
Then Solomon said: O seeker of beauty,
The command of the Truth must be heard with the soul.

The Truth has told me: Heed, O dispenser of justice,
Hear not from one party without another party.

Until both adversaries come into presence,
Truth cannot manifest before the judge.

If one adversary alone raises a hundred cries,
Heed, heed — without the adversary, accept not his word.

I cannot turn my face from the command;
Go, bring your adversary before me.

He said: Your word is proof and true;
My adversary is the wind, and he is under your authority.

The king called out: O morning wind (Ṣabā),
The gnat has cried out against your oppression — come!

Come, stand face to face with your adversary and speak;
Answer the adversary and repel the enemy.

When the wind heard, it came swiftly,
The gnat at that moment took the path of flight.

Then Solomon said: O gnat, where are you going?
Stay, that I may render judgment upon both.

He said: O king, my death is from his very existence;
Indeed, the darkness of my day is from his smoke.

When he comes, where can I find repose?
For he would bring utter ruin upon my very being.

So too the seeker of God's threshold:
When God comes, the seeker becomes naught (lā).

Though that union is subsistence within subsistence (baqā dar baqā),
Yet at first that subsistence is within annihilation (fanā).

Shadows that sought the light
Are annihilated when the light manifests.

How can the intellect remain when it is drunk?
"Everything perishes save His Face" (kullu shay'in hālikun illā wajhah).

Being and non-being both come to perish before His Face;
That being within non-being is itself a wonder.

In this presence, intellects lost themselves;
When the pen reached here, it broke.

دفتر سوم - بخش ۲۲۴ - امرکردن سلیمان علیه السلام پشهٔ متظلم را به احضار خصم به دیوان حکم / Book Three - Section 224 - Solomon, Peace Be Upon Him, Commanding the Complaining Gnat to Summon the Adversary to the Court of Judgment

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