M6:1908 — هاتفی گفتش کای دیده تعب / رقعه‌ای در مشق وراقان طلب

Translation: A heavenly voice (Hātef) told him, "O you who have seen suffering, Seek a note (ruqʿa) among the scribes' (warrāqān) practice sheets." Meaning: This verse describes a Sufi who, after enduring much hardship, receives a spiritual directive in a mystical vision to find a hidden, personal message amidst ordinary writings.

Undoubtedly, in these verses of the Masnavi, Rumi speaks of the significance of a 'vāqeʿa' (spiritual vision or revelation) in the mystical path. A vāqeʿa is a state beyond a truthful dream, a form of inspiration that mystics trusted implicitly and considered free from error. Indeed, many critical decisions in Sufi hospices, particularly regarding the selection of a shaykh, were based on such spiritual insights. This mirrors the process of electing a Pope in the Catholic Church, where cardinals await the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to identify the worthy individual. The 'Hātef' (heavenly voice) that appears in this verse is the manifestation of such a sleepless vāqeʿa and a true unveiling; the message it delivers springs from a pure source untouched by craving or desire.

The Hātef addresses the Sufi as one who has "seen suffering" (dīde taʿab), implying one who has endured much hardship and tribulation. This immediately indicates that such inspirations are reserved for those who have traversed the path of spiritual discipline with earnest struggle. The command then follows: "Seek a note (ruqʿa) among the scribes' (warrāqān) practice sheets." "Warrāqān" refers to papermakers, scribes, or booksellers, and a "ruqʿa" is a scrap of paper or a patch of cloth. We find a similar usage in Hafez's poetry, where he says: "Hide the goblet in the sleeve of the patched cloak (murqaʿ)." This ruqʿa is not a formal scroll but a trivial piece from among the scattered, ordinary writings of the warrāqān, which underscores the hidden and particular nature of the message.

The Hātef's message continues with astonishing detail, revealing the personal and incommunicable essence of this divine revelation. The Sufi is instructed to secretly snatch this ruqʿa, identified by specific characteristics (a particular shape and color), and read it in complete solitude. "Seek no partnership in reading it"; no one else should partake in this reading, for it is his personal sustenance and portion. Rumi explicitly states that on every morsel, everyone's provision is secretly inscribed: "On every morsel, it is secretly written / That this was the provision of so-and-so, son of so-and-so." Even if this secret is revealed, others will not benefit from it, and if its outcome is delayed, the Quranic invocation "Lā taqnaṭū" (Do not despair) is the remedy. This emphasis on the individual and non-transferable aspect of mystical discovery and illumination is the backbone of this tale and a pivotal lesson for every seeker.

Key takeaways

• Divine inspirations (vāqeʿa) are, for Rumi, truthful and reliable spiritual experiences.
• Such inner guidance often comes to those who have endured suffering and ascetic discipline on the mystical path.
• Spiritual messages, like a 'note among the scribes' practice sheets,' are often hidden amidst ordinary and seemingly insignificant things.
• The nature of these discoveries is intensely personal and not to be shared; 'seek no partnership in reading it'.
• Every spiritual sustenance and portion is destined and predetermined for each individual.
• In facing delays in attaining spiritual results, despair is unwarranted; patience and the invocation 'Lā taqnaṭū' are recommended.