M6:1583 — ذوق خنده دیده‌ای ای خیره‌خند / ذوق گریه بین که هست آن کان قند

Translation: You, who stare blindly at laughter, have tasted its delight; Now taste the delight of weeping, for that is a sugar mine. Meaning: This verse invites the reader to discover a deeper, sweeter joy within sincere tears, arguing that the true delight of crying is as profound and precious as a mine of sugar, a contrast to superficial laughter.

This verse from Mowlana invites us to a peculiar discovery: the sweetness hidden within weeping. Most of us are well-acquainted with the delight of laughter—often an oblivious laughter, at which we gaze blankly, or in which we become absorbed, like the khīra-khand (the one who stares blindly at laughter). But Mowlana calls us to taste the "delight of weeping" (dhawq-i girya), for he believes that tears, especially those arising from love and gnosis, are a kān-i qand (a mine of sugar)—a source of profound sweetness and pleasure.

Mowlana himself exemplified this truth. In public, he was a joyful and exuberant man, but in his private moments, he wept profusely. These nightly tears cleansed his soul, washing away the rust of sorrows, allowing him to face the day's hardships with equanimity and a cheerful demeanor. This is the secret to the mystics' enduring joy and lack of depression; they do not dispel their sorrows with artificial laughter, but rather by washing them away with tears.

In our modern era, unfortunately, people cry less. Weeping in public is considered shameful and a sign of weakness. Instead, we resort to comedies, jokes, and humor to alleviate boredom. While I do not deny laughter's effect in dispelling melancholy, we must not overlook a crucial point that psychologists rarely address: sincere weeping that springs from the depths of the soul, particularly in intimate communion with the Divine, bestows an unparalleled joy and expansiveness upon the spirit, cleansing the mind and conscience of depression in a way nothing else can. This is the crying of riqqat-i qalb (tenderness of heart), not artificial tears, which brings a feeling of lightness and purity, preparing one to endure the day's difficulties. Perhaps one day psychoanalysts will speak of "cry-therapy," just as they have now discovered "love-therapy." This type of weeping differs fundamentally from exaggerated eulogies (rawḍa-khwānī) intended to artificially provoke emotions and elicit tears; it is a moderate and natural form of crying, a psychological necessity that should be valued.

Mowlana even goes further, stating provocatively: "Chūn jahannam girya ārad yād-i ān / Pas jahannam khushtar āyad az janān." (If the memory of Hell brings tears, then Hell is sometimes more pleasant than Heaven). This implies that if the recollection of Hell leads to weeping and supplication, it can be preferable to a Heaven that induces heedlessness and places an artificial smile on our lips. For him, the fear of divine wrath and the tears it brings are often more befitting of one's spiritual state. This illustrates that, for Mowlana, weeping can even serve as a tool for maintaining awareness and proximity to the Truth.

Ultimately, Mowlana unveils this hidden relationship between sorrow and joy: "Khandehā dar giryehā āmad katīm / Ganj dar vīrānehā jō ay salīm." (Much laughter is hidden in tears; seek treasure in ruins, O sound one). Many true joys are concealed within tears, and the soul laughs through weeping. The true taste and savor of life lie hidden in sorrows, but people have "lost the trail" (pay gum karde'and), fleeing from grief, and thus depriving themselves of those deep, authentic joys. Just as the Water of Life is hidden in darkness, true joys are often found within the obscurity of sorrows, and tears born of love and affection play a profoundly purifying role.

Key takeaways

• True and profound joy is often discovered within sorrows and through sincere tears, rather than by escaping them.
• Heartfelt weeping, especially in communion with the Divine, is not merely a reliever of grief and depression but a unique source of spiritual delight and inner expansiveness.
• Mowlana himself exemplified this truth: joyful and exuberant in public, yet in private, immersed in purifying tears.
• Tears of love and tenderness of heart play a fundamental role in the purification of the soul and the removal of spiritual tarnish.
• Sometimes, even the fearful reminder of Hell, which prompts supplication and tears, holds greater spiritual value than a Heaven that leads to heedlessness.