M6:3843 — زان عزب‌خانه نرفتند آن دو کس / هم بخفتند آن سو از بیم عسس

Translation: From that 'azab-khāne (bachelor's inn), those two did not depart; they slept there, too, for fear of the 'asas (night watchmen). Meaning: The verse describes two brothers who, out of fear of the night watchmen, chose to spend the night within a bachelor's inn, refraining from going out.

This verse, from the peculiar tale of 'The Beardless Youth and the Slightly-Bearded Man' in Book Six of the Masnavi, unveils a profound and often uncomfortable truth. Rumi introduces two brothers: one amrad (a beardless youth) and one kosa (with a few hairs on his chin). Out of fear of the ʿasas (the night watchmen or police), they dare not leave the ʿazab-khāne (bachelor's inn) and instead sleep within its confines. Here, the ʿasas symbolize external threats that drive a person away from the outside world and compel them to seek refuge indoors. But is this internal sanctuary truly safe?

As I have frequently pointed out, Rumi sometimes employs narratives that, at first glance, might seem strange or even vulgar to convey the deepest insights. This is one of Rumi's marvels: extracting great lessons from such unconventional stories. "Just observe what a narrative this great figure has brought forth to achieve what conclusion. It is truly astonishing." This ʿazab-khāne, ostensibly offering protection from the ʿasas, paradoxically opens a gateway to more insidious dangers. This paradox serves as a lesson in the architecture of existence, demonstrating that not only the outside, but also the inside, can prove insecure.

I have, on several occasions, highlighted Rumi's sharp critique of khanqah (Sufi lodge) life. Khanqahs, intended as sanctuaries for the pure and ascetic, sometimes transformed into ʿazab-khānes due to the misguided tradition of celibacy (contrary to the Prophet's practice), becoming centers of corruption and abuse against innocent youths. Through this story, Rumi reveals how an institution that claims sanctity can become hollowed out from within, turning into a source of insecurity. This verse, in essence, serves as an introduction to Rumi's structural and profound critique of hypocrisy and hidden vice cloaked in religious garb.

Therefore, the fear of the ʿasas is not merely the fear of the police; it is a metaphor for any external pressure that compels an individual to seek refuge in a sanctuary which, ironically, might prove more perilous than the outside world. This predicament places humanity in an existential bind where human-made solutions, like the bricks the amrad stacks around himself, appear futile and ineffective. It is only the hand of divine providence that can offer true protection and guardianship. Rumi does not aim to tell a merely immoral story; he intends to convey that a defenseless human, facing visible and hidden threats, requires a security that transcends human contrivances.

Key takeaways

• An ostensibly safe refuge (the ʿazab-khāne) can harbor deeper, hidden dangers.
• Fear of external forces (ʿasas) can drive individuals into more vulnerable internal situations.
• Rumi uses even 'unconventional' stories to deliver profound critiques of social and religious institutions.
• This verse sets the stage for Rumi's direct criticism of hidden corruption within khanqahs and outwardly sacred environments.
• Rumi concludes that human efforts for security are ultimately insufficient, pointing to the need for divine protection.