M6:3307 — جان نهان اندر خلا هم‌چون سجاف / تن تقلب می‌کند زیر لحاف

Translation: The soul lies hidden in the void (khalā), like a lining (sajāf), While the body tosses and turns (taqallub) beneath the quilt (liḥāf). Meaning: This verse articulates the soul's hidden, non-material presence in contrast to the body's visible, physical movements, especially during sleep.

This verse, following a discussion on the soul's precedence over the body, offers a brilliant image of the relationship between jān (soul) and tan (body). Rumi has previously stated that 'the body is the shadow of the shadow of the shadow of the heart,' and here he elaborates on this point. In our world, the soul is like a sun that shines in the heavens of existence even during sleep, while the body, like the garment the soul wears, lies inert in bed.

The jān, or soul, is 'hidden in the void (khalā)'; that is, it is present in an imperceptible and non-material space, not in a specific, tangible location. This term khalā should not be understood as 'nothingness' or 'absence,' but rather as signifying the soul's subtlety, timelessness, and placelessness. The soul is like a sajāf (lining); a lining is sewn into clothing, it is hidden from external view, yet it provides structure and integrity to the garment, making it internal and cohesive. Similarly, the soul within us is hidden from sight, but the foundation of our existence and our body rests upon it. This symbolizes the formlessness of the soul that precedes the giving of form to the body. It is a formless essence that nevertheless shapes and sustains the form.

In contrast to this hidden subtlety, 'the body tosses and turns (taqallub) beneath the quilt.' The word taqallub here does not carry the modern Persian meaning of 'deception,' but rather 'turning over' or 'tossing from side to side.' Rumi himself clarifies that the body taqallubs unconsciously under the quilt in sleep, meaning it rolls over and shifts position. In the Holy Quran, describing the Prophet, it is said: 'wa taqallubaka fi’s-sājidīn' (and your turning among those who prostrate themselves), meaning 'we see you turning this way and that among those who prostrate.' This bodily movement is material and superficial, devoid of conscious will. Here, the profound difference between the hidden, active, and alive soul and the seemingly moving but ultimately inert and material body becomes evident.

The soul, according to the Quran, is 'min amr-i rabbī' (from the command of my Lord); that is, it comes from the 'World of Command' (ʿālam-i amr). The World of Command is where beings are created instantly and without the passage of time, in contrast to the 'World of Creation' (ʿālam-i khalq), which is the realm of gradual, material existence. Our soul originates from that transcendent, supra-natural world, hence its hiddenness in the void points to this celestial origin. The soul has a non-material and non-spatial presence, yet it is at the core and foundation of our being, just as a lining lends identity to a garment. This verse provides a beautiful and philosophical image of the soul's dominion over matter, and the hiddenness of our true essence behind its apparent manifestations.

Key takeaways

• The soul is hidden and non-material, in contrast to the body's superficial, physical movements.
• The concept of khalā (void) signifies the soul's subtlety and placelessness, not absence or non-existence.
• The sajāf (lining) symbolizes the soul's hidden, foundational presence, providing structure to the body.
• The body's taqallub (tossing and turning) refers to its involuntary movements in sleep, not deception.
• The soul originates from the 'World of Command' (ʿālam-i amr), explaining its hidden, non-material nature.