M6:2295 — بر سر خرقه شدن بار دگر / در دعا کردن بدم هم بی‌هنر

Translation: Once more, I put aside the patched cloak (of the dervish) And in my praying, I was also artless. Meaning: This verse captures the dervish's profound confession of his ineptitude and haste in spiritual practice and supplication, admitting that even in his seeking, he acted neither sincerely nor competently.

Undoubtedly, this verse expresses the peak of a dervish's confession after confronting himself on the path of seeking, admitting his shortcomings and ineffectiveness. He has not only acted with haste and impatience in his practice, but even in the most crucial aspect of connecting with the Divine, namely prayer (du'ā), he has lacked the necessary 'art' or skill. This 'artlessness in prayer' does not mean he couldn't utter the words correctly. No! Prayers that arise from utter desperation (iḍṭirār) and with insistence (ilḥāḥ) are precisely the prayers to which God listens: “Is not He (better than all others) Who answers the distressed when he calls upon Him…?” (Q 27:62). When a person reaches the ultimate state of helplessness and urgency, only then is their cry heard. And persistence in prayer is a sign of the sincerity of one's plea. To ask for something once and then abandon it is not indicative of intense need. The Beloved Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "If you knock at a door / Eventually, a head will emerge from that door." It is this insistence and continuity that opens doors. The dervish understands that he has lacked these qualities and thus calls himself 'artless.' But the depth of the confession goes beyond this. "Returning to the patched cloak" (bar sar-i khirqa šodan) can mean reverting to one's inherent state of poverty and destitution, or perhaps burning the cloak and discarding the garment of outward piety and abstinence, which might have become an obstacle to discovering inner truth. Here, the dervish confesses an existential weakness; he asks: "Where is art? Where am I? Where is a steady heart?" This implies that there is no 'I' to possess or lack art, nor a stable and tranquil heart. This expression represents the pinnacle of impermanence and a reminder of one's absolute non-existence before the absolute Being of God. And it is here that he arrives at the truth of the Oneness of Acts (tawḥīd-i afʿālī): "All this is Your reflection, and You are Yourself." This listlessness, this weakness, this artlessness—all are but manifestations of Your power and wisdom, O Lord. This is not a complaint meant to shirk responsibility, but the ultimate expression of absolute dependence (iftiqār) on the Divine threshold. The dervish understands that even his incapacities serve his 'nurturing' (parvareš) and 'greater perfection' (kamāl). God, in response to such a frank admission of weakness, broken repentance, and helplessness, might elevate the servant to a higher station. This unreserved confession, this unveiling of one's weakness before the absolute Power, this presentation of oneself as naked, unarmed, and incapable, is itself a gateway to the opening of divine mercy. Here, the servant fully surrenders to divine wisdom, accepting that even his failures stem from God's sagacious will and design.

Key takeaways

• Confessing artlessness in prayer and haste in spiritual pursuit is a fundamental step in self-knowledge.
• The sincerity of prayer lies in desperation (iḍṭirār) and persistence (ilḥāḥ), not in rhetorical skill.
• True servitude entails admitting one's inherent weakness and nothingness before God's absolute power.
• The manifestation of the servant's weakness in the mirror of divine wisdom is for their nurturing and perfection, not for condemnation.
• 'All this is Your reflection, and You are Yourself': everything in existence, including our weaknesses and shortcomings, reflects His singular Being.
• Acknowledging helplessness and inadequacy on the spiritual path can open a gateway to divine mercy and wisdom.