M6:1097 — ابشروا یا قوم اذ جاء الفرج / افرحوا یا قوم قد زال الحرج

Translation: Rejoice, O people, for deliverance has come! Be glad, O people, for the hardship has passed!

This verse, like an apparition, suddenly emerges within the Masnavi, seemingly disconnected from the surrounding narrative. This occurrence, in essence, signifies a state of rapturous spiritual 'حال' and the manifestation of a 'new fortune' (iqbāl-i jadīd) within Mowlana's soul. He, who was ever open to fresh inspirations and receptions from the higher realm, in a moment of mystical fervour and ecstasy, bows his head and delivers this good news—not to an external audience, but to 'his people,' to the lovers and seekers who share his innermost being.

I believe that in these moments, Mowlana was granted a fresh vision of existence. The world, which from the perspective of the non-mystic appears old, repetitive, and fraught with constriction and hardship, is for the mystic 'ever-renewing' (now-gar) and 'ever-making-new' (now-kon); it is in a continuous state of becoming and perpetual creation. This is a world where new springs of being gush forth every moment, and it is this 'flow of existence' that, from the mystic's view, not only lacks obsolescence but is itself the source of joy and deliverance. This Mowlana is a 'new-thinking mystic' (ʿārif-i now-andīsh), not in the modern sense of the word, but in the sense of one who constantly tastes the freshness and renewal of being.

The 'deliverance' (faraj) and 'removal of hardship' (zāl al-ḥaraj) that Mowlana proclaims is not an external opening nor the resolution of worldly problems, but rather a liberation from internal, spiritual constrictions and unpleasantnesses. It is an invitation to joy and lightness of spirit, arising from the certainty of the Beloved's constant presence and infinite graces. In this state, Mowlana, with his inherent light-heartedness and cheerfulness, distances us from any misunderstanding of mere complaint, teaching us that even the pain of separation is itself a gateway to union and relief. This is a divine tidings from the higher realm, heard only with the ear of the soul, calling the sorrowful to rise and attain liberation.

Key takeaways

• This verse captures a moment of Mowlana's rapturous state and sudden inspiration.
• From the mystic's perspective, the world is in constant renewal and creation, never growing old.
• 'Deliverance' (faraj) and 'removal of hardship' (zāl al-ḥaraj) signify an internal, spiritual liberation from constrictions.
• An invitation to joy and lightness of spirit, rooted in the certainty of the Beloved's eternal presence.
• This message is for the 'people' of lovers and seekers who are receptive to inspirations from the realm of meaning.