M6:1872 — در درون بیشه شیران منتظر / تا شود امر تعالوا منتشر

Translation: Within the thicket, lions are awaiting / Until the command "Come forth!" is broadcast. Meaning: This verse speaks of the patient anticipation of divine mystics and saints, who, hidden in their spiritual retreats, await God's command to manifest unity in a world overwhelmed by multiplicity and disorder.

This verse, without a doubt, presents a profound and rich image of the world's transformation from multiplicity to unity. Here, Rumi speaks of "lions," but not literal jungle predators. These lions are the "bearers of unity" (ḥāmilān-e waḥdat): divine mystics, saints of God, guardians of the divine command. In this world afflicted by multiplicity, they wait patiently, hidden behind veils, for a singular command. This command is "Come forth!" (taʿālaw), a divine call akin to the trumpet of resurrection, summoning the dead to life. It is, unequivocally, an "order to attack"; a spiritual offensive aimed at establishing unity.

Rumi describes this world as one of "a hundred colors and a hundred hearts" (sad rangī o sad dilī), a realm where the "linings" (baṭāna) are concealed and "garments" (jāmehā) are manifest; a world where "speech spins a hundred colors within nations/religions" (nuṭq andar milal sad rang rīs), creating countless faiths, doctrines, and philosophical schools. This is a "world of wolves" (jahān-e gorgān), a tumultuous and chaotic place where "each is left to fend for themselves, getting what they can to eat. This one tears that one, that one tears this one." Yet, within this very multiplicity and disorder, the lions of unity lie hidden.

When this "command to come forth" is broadcast, and the sun of divinity shines upon history and time, these lions will emerge from the "meadow" (marj, meaning thicket or pasture). At that time, "God will display His income and expenditure unveiled" (bī-ḥijābī ḥaq namāyad dakhl o kharj); no veil will remain between the Real and creation, and God will directly intervene in the affairs of the world. Multiplicities will vanish, and "singleness" (yak-rangī) will replace "multi-coloredness" (chand-rangī).

In this monumental transformation, Rumi introduces a novel and intriguing point: "The essence of humanity will encompass land and sea" (jawhar-e insān bigīrad barr o baḥr). Why the "essence of humanity"? The answer is clear. This humanity refers to the "Perfect Man" (insān-e kāmil), the comprehensive cosmos (kawn-e jāmiʿ) and the supreme creation of God, a being in whom all divine attributes are manifested. On that day, a singular humanity will govern the entire world, as if "the whole world becomes human," and even beyond that, "the whole world becomes divine." This is the manifestation of the absolute divine existence, revealed through the Perfect Man. Conversely, the "piebald cows" (pīs-gāvān)—that is, the bearers and purveyors of multiplicity—will be "slaughtered" (basmal). This will be their "day of slaughter" (rūz-e naḥr); a day when multiplicity is doomed to perish, and unity will prevail over the world. This is a spiritual resurrection, a feast for believers, and destruction for the cows of multiplicity.

Key takeaways

• The "lions" are a metaphor for divine saints and mystics who bear the message of unity.
• This verse depicts the contrast between a world of multiplicity and chaos (the "world of wolves" and "a hundred colors") and a world of unity and oneness.
• The command "Come forth!" (taʿālaw) signifies the divine will to end multiplicity and inaugurate the reign of unity.
• The "essence of humanity" refers to the Perfect Man, who, in the era of unity's manifestation, will dominate the world.
• The advent of this unity implies God's unveiled presence and direct manifestation in the cosmos.
• The end of multiplicity is a spiritual resurrection for believers and destruction for the bearers of discord.