M6:2068 — نور مردان مشرق و مغرب گرفت / آسمان‌ها سجده کردند از شگفت

Translation: The light of the [true] Men took hold of East and West; The heavens prostrated in astonishment.

Meaning: This verse speaks to the profound and pervasive spiritual radiance of divinely-guided individuals, whose illuminating influence spans the entire world, compelling even the celestial realms to bow in awe and wonder.

This verse, articulated by the disciple of Abu al-Hasan Kharaqani, serves as a sharp retort to the Shaykh's wife, who was unjustly slandering her husband. Here, with unflinching conviction, the disciple boldly places the spiritual truth of the Shaykh's station against the wife's idle words.

I contend that these verses transcend a mere defense; Rumi articulates a fundamental mystical principle. The phrase "The light of the [true] Men took hold of East and West" signifies that the existential radiance and spiritual verity of the men of God – that very 'Light of Truth' (Nūr-i Ḥaqq) Rumi speaks of elsewhere – knows no bounds. This light envelops the East and West, not merely in a geographical sense, but as an emblem of boundless spiritual influence. Such penetration is so profound and encompassing that "The heavens prostrated in astonishment." The heavens' prostration is not a physical act, but a symbol of the entire cosmos's acknowledgment and deference to this supreme reality.

As the disciple continues: "The sun of Truth arose from Aries / The [physical] sun hid under a veil out of shame." This imagery underscores the superiority of divine light over material sunlight. The light of the divine sun, the manifestation of a perfected mystic, is so brilliant that it causes the physical sun to recede in embarrassment. In the presence of the luminous truth of God's men, worldly and superficial matters fade into insignificance. The idle words and obscurities scattered by Kharaqani's wife can never obstruct the 'sun of Truth'; these are mere 'empty talk' (tarahāt) and 'devilish' utterances that hold no sway against ultimate reality.

Crucially, Rumi teaches us that the value of things and people lies not in their outward form, but in the light of Truth that shines upon them. As the disciple asserts: "The calf, with that light, became a noble Qibla; / The Qibla, without that light, became disbelief and an idol." If God's light is breathed into even a calf (ʿijl), that calf transforms into an object worthy of reverence. Conversely, if even the Kaaba (the Muslim Qibla) lacks this divine attribution and light, it is but an inanimate stone, nothing more than an idol. This resonates with Shaykh Maḥmūd Shabestarī's insight in Gulshan-i Rāz: "If the Muslim knew what an idol truly is / He would know that faith is in idol-worship." That is, if an idolater discerned the truth, he would realize that a spark of God's truth resides in every manifestation. Therefore, one must not remain bound by forms; one must look to the light, not the outward appearance.

Key takeaways

• The existential truth of divine men (saints) transcends space and time, encompassing all of existence.
• The prostration of the heavens symbolizes the spontaneous acknowledgment and surrender of the cosmos to spiritual light and majesty.
• The Light of Truth surpasses material sunlight; spiritual realities invalidate worldly appearances.
• The true value of people and objects lies not in their outward form, but in the divine light reflected upon them.
• Superficial judgments and outward slanders can never diminish the spiritual grandeur and influence of the true friends of God.