M6:1991 — گر برانی مرغ جانش از گزاف / هم به‌گرد بام تو آرد طواف

Translation: *If you drive away the bird of his soul without cause (az gazāf), It will still circle around your roof in devotion (ṭawāf).

Meaning: This verse conveys that the lover's soul, even if the Beloved unjustly repels or rejects it, cannot depart from its orbit and will persistently return to circumambulate the Beloved's presence.

This verse emerges from Rumi's fervent adoration for Hesamoddin, and by extension, for Shams. Here, Rumi portrays himself as a dove habituated to the Beloved's roof. Yet, neither Hesamoddin nor Shams are the ultimate Beloved; they serve as veils for the eternal object of love. Rumi speaks from his own spiritual state, but in so doing, he articulates the condition of every true lover caught in the snare of divine love. This 'bird of the soul' is Rumi himself, but more broadly, it represents any seeker whose soul has become accustomed to the court of Truth.

The crucial phrase here is 'az gazāf,' meaning 'without cause' or 'unjustly.' In ordinary human relationships, being driven away, especially without reason, leads to heartbreak and estrangement. However, in divine and mystical love, this rule is inverted. The lover's soul is so utterly captivated and enamored by the Beloved that even unwarranted rejection cannot sever the connection. The metaphor of 'sewn wings,' which Rumi introduces in a preceding verse, signifies that the bird's wings are so bound to this roof that flight elsewhere is impossible. This is not a flight compelled by coercion, but by ultimate desire and longing, for 'all his food and treats are on your roof.' This means all his spiritual sustenance, all his joy and strength, are found solely on the Beloved's roof. He perceives no other abode as his home.

This is a profound articulation of the soul's absolute dependence on the Beloved. The soul is predestined and conquered by love, leaving no escape. Even if the Beloved outwardly rejects it, this expulsion paradoxically deepens its steadfastness within love's orbit. Rumi captures this state with 'drunk with your snare,' portraying a 'snare' that is not a prison but a source of ecstatic intoxication. This exemplifies the pinnacle of humility and utter self-annihilation (fanāʾ) before the Beloved, demonstrating that love, transcending all earthly logic and conventions, holds the soul perpetually within its gravitational field. This is what Rumi elsewhere calls the 'policeman of love' (shahna-ye ʿishq); a vigilant force that prevents deviation from love's path, and should the soul momentarily contemplate straying, places a 'basin of fire' upon its chest to ensure its return to the moon-like radiance of the Beloved.

Key takeaways

• The lover's soul, even if unjustly expelled, never abandons the Beloved.
• Divine love transcends the ordinary rules of human relationships, exhibiting an unwavering persistence.
• The soul's absolute dependence on the Beloved; all spiritual sustenance and strength derive solely from His presence.
• Rejection, paradoxically, leads not to severance but to a more persistent circling around the Beloved's axis.
• The 'snare' of love is not captivity, but the very essence of intoxication and freedom.