M6:3664 — ذکر استثنا و حزم ملتوی / گفته شد در ابتدای مثنوی

Translation: The mention of exception and layered foresight / Was said in the Masnavi's beginning. Meaning: This verse reminds the reader that the crucial concepts of 'making exception' (saying inshallah) and 'multilayered caution' were discussed earlier, at the very beginning of the Masnavi.

This particular verse, for me, carries manifold significance and testifies to profound insights. Firstly, and quite unusually for him, Mowlana here makes an explicit reference to his prior discourse, stating, “The mention of exception and layered foresight / Was said in the Masnavi’s beginning.” Such a retrospective glance is exceedingly rare in Mowlana’s style. I have consistently emphasized that the Masnavi is like a roaring flood, perpetually moving forward without halt or return. Mowlana, in the fluid current of his poetic genius, is always “selling new wares,” refusing to revise or correct what he has uttered. This, in itself, is an indication of the improvisational and spontaneous nature of this monumental work which, unlike the Holy Quran that frequently refers to its preceding verses, avoids repetition and review. This very verse is evidence that Mowlana genuinely considered the Masnavi his own book, not merely a 'Hussami-nameh,' and consistently referred to it as the 'Masnavi.'

Regarding the content of this 'mention of exception and layered foresight' to which Mowlana refers: 'Istisna' (making an exception), is not merely about adding 'inshallah' to one’s speech; it denotes an inner state, a worldview of surrender to divine will. As Mowlana states elsewhere: “My intent in abandoning exception is hardness of heart / Not merely the utterance, which is an accidental state.” That is, to forsake 'istisna' means to fall into hardness of heart and heedlessness of divine orchestration. Just as Imam Ali (as) in his letter to Othman ibn Hunaif, when swearing to undertake spiritual discipline, declared: “I swear an oath, in which I make exception by the will of God, that I will surely discipline my soul.” This exemplifies a deep awareness of the limitations of human will and an acceptance of the active role of a hidden Overseer in all affairs. This utterance of 'inshallah' stems from humility and an admission of human ignorance and incapacity to encompass all causes and effects in the world.

'Hazm-e Maltavi' (layered foresight), moreover, refers to 'caution and prudence, layer upon layer'; that is, a deliberation born of deep contemplation and insight, not superficiality, but with attention to complexities and hidden factors. This caution arises not from fear, but from vigilance and awareness of a superior will. These are subtle and precise points that must be heeded at the outset of the Masnavi’s path. For these considerations, though they might appear in the 'shop of unity' of the Masnavi like an 'iron rod in a silk merchant’s shop'—not themselves the product—are nonetheless essential for measuring and understanding the 'main product,' which is unity and love. I believe Mowlana has but one message throughout the entire Masnavi: “Our Masnavi is the shop of Unity / Whatever you see other than Unity, that is an idol.” Everything he says about 'istisna,' 'hazm,' and other concepts, all serve this single purpose; for love, indeed, “gave unity to a hundred thousand particles,” and is the great unifier.

Key takeaways

• Mowlana's rare self-reference underscores the improvisational, flood-like nature of the Masnavi, which perpetually moves forward.
• Beyond a mere word, 'istisna' (making exception) represents a worldview of surrender and acknowledgment of human will's limits before divine providence.
• 'Hazm-e Maltavi' (layered foresight) signifies profound, multilayered caution that considers the hidden complexities of existence.
• These concepts, like measuring tools, are essential for comprehending the Masnavi's 'main product': Unity and Love.
• Through this verse, Mowlana affirms the title 'Masnavi' for his work and declares it a 'shop of Unity.'