M6:1924 — در بغل زد گفت خواجه خیر باد / این زمان وا می‌رسم ای اوستاد

Translation: He tucked it under his arm and said: "Farewell, sir! I shall return anon, O master." Meaning: This verse depicts the Sufi's urgent departure after finding the treasure map (the scroll of divine secrets). He quickly bids farewell to the shopkeeper, promising to return later, eager to retreat to a private place to read his newfound treasure.

In this succinct verse, Rumi masterfully captures the Sufi's profound state upon discovering the long-sought scroll of secrets. The Sufi, driven by an intense longing and after enduring much hardship, finally beholds the "swiftly found manuscript." He does not hesitate; he immediately tucks it under his arm — as if it were a precious treasure to be guarded secretly and swiftly. This haste and restlessness indicate that he can no longer bear to stay or tarry. The Sufi offers a quick, brief farewell to the shopkeeper, the khwāja and ustād: "Farewell, sir!" To alleviate any appearance of rudeness or disrespect, he adds: "I shall return anon, O master." He knows he must find a secluded place to read what he has found, in solitude and tranquility. However, this urgency is not merely about reading the treasure map; this restlessness signals a peculiar state that has overcome him upon finding this secret. As Rumi immediately states in the following verse: He went to a private corner and read it / And remained amazed and bewildered by the wonder. This state of wālih (bewildered) and ḥayrān (amazed) is itself a turning point in the story and in the epistemology of the Masnavi. Rumi leverages this moment to allude to a deep and pivotal point. From the root alah, meaning astonishment and bewilderment, the word Allāh (God) is also derived, signifying that the only Being worthy of human walīh and ḥayrān is God Himself. And here, I must emphasize, anyone who strives to make people infatuated, enamored, wālih, and ḥayrān with themselves has in fact extended the hand of greed into divinity, which is a form of idolatry. Artists, orators, and teachers must be extremely vigilant against this satanic temptation, for it is unequivocally demonic and idolatrous. This verse, though seemingly simple, serves as a bridge to one of Rumi's most subtle discussions on the respective stations of humanity and God.

Key takeaways

• The Sufi's eagerness and haste upon finding the 'treasure map' symbolize the seeker's restless pursuit of truth.
• The act of 'tucking it under his arm' and 'bidding farewell' signifies the urgency and priority of discovering secrets over formal courtesies.
• The Sufi's state of wālih and ḥayrān after reading the scroll represents the peak of bewilderment that follows the revelation of truth.
• Rumi uses the concept of wālih and ḥayrān to convey that only God is worthy of human astonishment.
• Seeking admiration and enthrallment from others is akin to 'extending the hand of greed into divinity,' a subtle form of idolatry.
• This verse serves as a bridge between the external discovery of a scroll and the internal discovery of a truth that leads to profound amazement.