# How Mawlānā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Jāmī Passed Away October 03, 2023 **How Mawlānā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Jāmī Passed Away: An Eyewitness Account by Amīr ʿAlīshīr Navāʾī in His Khamsat al-Mutaḥayyirīn** Mawlānā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Jāmī (d. 898/1492) and Amīr ʿAlīshīr Navāʾī (d. 906/1501) played significant roles in the intellectual and cultural history of the Timurid city of Herat during the last quarter of the ninth/fifteenth century. Upon Jāmī's death, Navāʾī wrote [Khamsat al-mutaḥayyirīn ](/event/bilingual-text-timurid-herat-manuscript-study-am%C4%ABr-%CA%BFal%C4%ABsh%C4%ABr-nav%C4%81%CA%BE%C4%AB%E2%80%99s-khamsat)in his honor. Here, I have provided a translation of Navāʾī's vivid account of Jāmī on his deathbed, originally composed in Chaghatay Turkish (see attached). ![Jami and Nava'i](/sites/g/files/omnuum4786/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/shahradshahvand/files/jami_and_navai.jpg?itok=2KaKVXvW) **\*\*\*** "Mawlānā Jāmī’s date of birth has been previously mentioned. As for his departure from this transient world to the rose garden of eternity, it took place on the day of Friday, the seventeenth of Muharram in the year 898 \[8 November 1492\]. Following is a description of his passing. Due to the influence of the air, his noble body had grown frail. One day, he found himself unable to rise from his bed. This humble individual (i.e., Navāʾī) was steadily informed of his health’s condition. On Thursday, throughout the day, my mind was extremely troubled by his deteriorating health. This distress kept me awake throughout Thursday night. Due to my anxiety, in the middle of the night, I mounted a horse, setting out to visit and serve him. \[Upon arriving there, I witnessed that\] some of his companions and associates had indeed gathered around him. He was unconscious for a while and then would regain consciousness at other times. To reassure myself, I gathered the courage to inquire about his health. He kindly paid heed to my inquiry. The Pole of Wayfarers, Khwājah ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Jāmī \[Jāmī's brother\], was also present there. Until the \[Friday\] morning, he (Jāmī) remained in the same state. After the morning prayer concluded, his condition underwent a significant change. Observing the transformation, Khwājah ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz helped to reposition his (i.e., Jāmī’s) head from the east to the north and turned his face toward the qibla. Mawlānā Ḍiyāʾ al-Dīn Yūsuf, his esteemed son, was seated at Mawlānā Jāmī's feet, right before his eyes, eagerly waiting for the moment when he would open them. I boldly implored him to rise from his position. He then engaged in silent remembrance, following the manner of the Naqshbandi Sufis until the time of Friday prayer. ![A Portrait of Jami](/sites/g/files/omnuum4786/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/shahradshahvand/files/a_portraint_of_jami.jpg?itok=cYafGe5H) As previously mentioned, Khwājah Ghiyāth al-Dīn Dihdār, a Quran memorizer, arrived and began reciting above Mawlānā Jāmī's head. The congregation had not yet completed their prayers when Mawlānā Jāmī closed his eyes to the world of multiplicity and withdrew to the quiet chamber of unity. As his pure spirit embarked on its journey to the sublime realm, the souls of his companions, like a flock, followed that sacred bird, and doomsday descended upon that exalted realm. When that untainted lover (Jāmī) was reunited with his pure beloved (God), the universe was left void of its soul, as if it had transformed into a lifeless corpse." --- Attachments- [ picture\_as\_pdf Nava'i\_Khamsat al-mutahayyirin\_MS EH 1502\_ff. 69b-71a ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4786/files/shahradshahvand/files/navai_khamsat_al-mutahayyirin_ms_eh_1502_ff._69b-71a.pdf) --- Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)