M6:1922 — جانب دکان وراق آمد او / دست می‌برد او به مشقش سو به سو

Translation: He came towards the stationer's shop; / His hand reached for his practice sheets, hither and thither. Meaning: This verse describes the Sufi, having just experienced a profound divine communication, arriving at a stationer's shop, searching amongst papers for a specific written sign or a treasure map.

This verse describes the Sufi, whose sense of hearing has penetrated beyond the world's veils, receiving the Beloved's answer—an event that fills him with immense 'faraḥ,' or joy. As Mawlana himself says elsewhere, once one sense's bond is loosened, the others follow suit, and thus the hope of esoteric sight is awakened in the Sufi. This overwhelmed Sufi now seeks a 'maktūb' (letter or written document) that the Hātef (invisible voice) had promised him.

I interpret this as the Sufi, having received inspiration and hidden revelation, now needing to find its embodiment in the world of forms. He comes to the stationer's shop, a place where words and meanings are inscribed on paper, and amidst the 'mashq'—which can refer both to practice sheets and to written copies or manuscripts—he searches for a specific 'maktūb' containing the promised signs and symbols. This is no ordinary search; his hand reaches 'hither and thither,' as if seeking a treasure map that will illuminate his path to the ultimate destination.

This seemingly simple verse, in fact, guides us to one of the fundamental insights of Mawlana's mysticism, and indeed of all intuitive knowledge: the state of being 'vāleh' (overwhelmed) and 'ḥayrān' (astonished) by truth. The Sufi here becomes 'vāleh and ḥayrān.' But Mawlana then introduces a subtle yet crucial point that I must address here. He warns against humans coveting divinity by seeking to be the object of 'ḥeyrānī-ye khalqān'—the astonishment of others. This is a satanic and idolatrous temptation, for to overwhelm and astonish people is God's prerogative, not that of a creature. Artists, orators, and anyone who deals with people must be extremely vigilant against this temptation. The Sufi here is overwhelmed and astonished by Truth itself, not seeking to astonish others. This is the essential difference between true rapture and its pretense, between seeking union and seeking popularity. This 'faraḥ' that propels the Sufi to action stems from a direct connection with the Divine Presence, not from charming people.

The object of the Sufi's search is akin to Mawlana's concept of 'wahy-e del' (revelation of the heart). It is a message from God that manifests itself to him in a particular form and vessel (here, a 'maktūb' or 'mashq'). This is neither astrology, geomancy, nor dreams, but rather divine revelation, perceived through an esoteric sense, and now the Sufi seeks its written form to benefit from its overwhelming wonder and find his path within it.

Key takeaways

• The Sufi's esoteric hearing brings him profound joy and awakens his other senses.
• Following a divine response, the Sufi seeks the tangible embodiment or inscription of that message.
• Terms like 'mashq' and 'maktūb' here signify the guiding signs and symbols for the seeker.
• The state of being overwhelmed and astonished by Truth is a divine prerogative, not something to be sought from people.
• The Sufi's search for the written message is a direct pursuit of inner revelation and divine inspirations.