M1:181 — وعده‌ها باشد حقیقی، دل‌پذیر / وعده‌ها باشد مجازی، تاسه‌گیر

Translation: Promises are real, delightful to the heart; Promises are illusory, seizing the breath (tāse-gīr), bringing distress.

Meaning: This couplet differentiates between genuine, comforting promises and false, distressing ones, illustrating how authentic pledges bring assurance and joy, while illusory ones cause anxiety and disquiet.

This couplet makes a stark distinction between two kinds of promises: the real (ḥaqīqī) and the illusory (majāzī). A real promise, as Mowlana says, is delightful to the heart (dil-pazīr), bringing security and peace, for it is rooted in sincerity, truth, and the capacity for fulfillment. The illusory promise, however, springs from deceit and falsehood, and Mowlana terms it tāse-gīr—meaning suffocating, breath-seizing, and distressing. Such promises ultimately lead to torment of the soul (ranj-i ravān), stripping one of peace and assurance.

Mowlana immediately clarifies this distinction with a subsequent verse: "The promises of the generous are like ready cash; the promises of the ignoble are torment to the soul." The promises of the karīm (generous) are immediate, tangible, and trustworthy, like hard currency that instills confidence. Conversely, the pledges of those lacking generosity only sow anxiety and heartache. These promises, though perhaps appealing on the surface, are devoid of truth at their core.

Within the very narrative of the King, the Maid, and the Goldsmith, we encounter both types of promises. It was the promises and favors of that wise physician (the divine hakim) that secured the ailing maid from fear. These were real, salvific promises, emanating from a generous and capable source. In contrast, the King's promises to the goldsmith, conveyed through gold and robes and deception (ghurūr dādan—to mislead, not to make proud), were distinctly illusory promises. The goldsmith, beguiled by these pledges, abandoned his city and family, setting off joyfully on the road to death, unaware that the King intended his demise. This phantom wealth and status, in reality, was his blood money (khūn-bahā), which he mistook for a gift (khilʿat). This perfectly illustrates the nature of illusory promises: outwardly captivating, but inwardly destructive.

Mowlana's insight here resonates deeply with his more profound distinction concerning love. He states, "Loves that were for a color (appearance) / were not love; in the end, they were disgrace." Loves built upon colors—that is, fleeting beauty, wealth, status, or anything perishable—are akin to illusory promises. These colors may initially seem delightful, but as they fade or disappear, they bring distress, shame, and scandal. Such loves carry the seed of illusion and untruth from their very inception, incapable of offering lasting assurance.

Ultimately, Mowlana concludes that "the love of the dead is not enduring" and "love for the living, in soul and sight, / is fresher with every moment than a rosebud." Real promises can only emanate from the Ever-Living and Abiding One—that is, from God. It is with Him that matters are not difficult for the generous, and His promises are always real and delightful, for He is eternally alive and present, never causing disappointment. This is the ultimate source of hope and assurance, free from the illusory and transient pledges of the worldly realm.

Key takeaways

• Real promises bring peace and delight to the heart; illusory promises are suffocating and distressing.
• Sincerity and the capacity for fulfillment are the foundation of a real promise; deceit and falsehood define an illusory one.
• The promises of the generous are like ready cash, immediate and reassuring; those of the ignoble only bring torment to the soul.
• Loves based on fleeting appearances (such as beauty or wealth) are like illusory promises, ultimately leading to shame and sorrow.
• Only love for the Living and Eternal God is a true and lasting promise, a source of everlasting assurance and hope.