M6:61 — این مخالف از چه‌ایم ای خواجه ما / واز چه زاید وحدت این اعداد را

Translation: O Master, from what are we in this opposition? / And from what arises the unity of these numbers? Meaning: This verse questions the origin of human conflicts and divisions, and simultaneously asks how unity can emerge from such multiplicity and opposition.

In my analysis of this verse, I arrive at Rumi's core teaching regarding the origin of many conflicts and separations in this world. Rumi, with a profound philosophical voice, first points out that "The other world is the origin of this sorrowful world." This implies that this world, teeming with grief and strife, has its roots in a sorrowless world. This resonates deeply with the concept of "formlessness" (bī-ṣūratī) which I have repeatedly emphasized in the Masnavi; that the world of forms and distinctions arises from a sea of formlessness. Sorrow is born from sorrowlessness, and form from formlessness.

The first hemistich of the second couplet poses Rumi's fundamental question: "O Master, from what are we in this opposition?" Why are we humans so engaged in conflict and opposition with one another? This inquiry leads to an existential dissection of man and the cosmos. Immediately, Rumi points towards the path out of this dilemma: "And from what arises the unity of these numbers?" From what source can we achieve unity amidst this multiplicity and these contradictions?

Rumi's answer lies in understanding that we, in our physical and material dimension, are derivatives (farʿ) of the "four opposites" (chār aḍdād). These opposites—the four elements or primary principles of the world of generation and corruption—are inherently in conflict with each other. Thus, we, being derivatives, inherit the nature of conflict and opposition from our origin. Our body, with all its exigencies, is influenced by these "opposites," leading to dispersion and strife.

Yet, this is not the whole story. Rumi immediately opens the way to liberation by stating: "But the essence of the soul, since it is beyond distinctions / Its nature is not this; its nature is of Divine Grandeur." The essence of the soul, unlike the body, transcends all forms of division and separation. The soul's nature is one of unity and integration, precisely that "Divine Grandeur" (khuy-i kibriyā) which reflects the divine attributes. This soul is a divine substance, inherently colorless and singular.

This is where we arrive at the profound discussion of "spiritualization and corporealization" (tarawḥun wa tajassudun). Some humans are so immersed in physicality that their soul is like a tiny, invisible almond kernel, while their body is fat and dominant. These are the ones who remain entangled in war, conflict, and division. However, those whose souls have become vast and whose bodies have become subtle—meaning those who have moved towards "becoming more soul" (jān-tar shudan)—approach unity and formlessness. In the realm of the soul, there is no conflict. Prophets, mystics, and ascetics are not in strife with one another, because "souls amicably meet each other." Paradise is the world of the soul, and for this reason, there is no conflict there, in contrast to Hell, where "the conflict of the people of the Fire" is its prominent feature. Therefore, the key to unity lies in this very "becoming more soul" and the soul's dominance over the body; this is the path that the Masnavi has opened for us.

Key takeaways

• Conflicts and divisions in the world of forms originate from the formless realm; sorrow emerges from sorrowlessness.
• In our physical dimension, we are derivatives of the "four opposites" and thus inherit a contentious nature.
• The essence of the soul transcends all division and strife; its nature is unity and integration, not multiplicity and conflict.
• True unity is achieved through "becoming more soul" and the spirit's dominance over the body, not through immersion in materialism.
• The realm of the soul and Paradise is a domain of unity and absence of conflict, in contrast to the realm of the body and Hell, which is a place of discord and division.