M6:2687 — از مروت باشد ار شادم کنی / وقت و بی‌وقت از کرم یادم کنی

Translation: It would be out of nobility if You make me joyful; Timelessly, by Your grace, You remember me. Meaning: The lover petitions the Beloved to grant joy and remembrance not only at specific times but continuously, out of divine generosity. It is an unconditional plea for constant attention and benevolence from the Real.

This couplet, beyond any doubt, speaks from the perspective of the 'absolute lover' and is deeply connected to 'divine love,' even though it appears within the narrative context of the Mouse and Frog story. Mawlana swiftly moves past the specific details of the tale to express his own spiritual state and that of all seekers. Preceding this verse, the lover has already confessed that everything, from the light of day and daily sustenance to the peace of night and sleep, depends entirely on the Beloved. This absolute yearning for remembrance and joy is a direct consequence of this complete reliance.

Here, Mawlana asks the Beloved to bestow joy out of muruwwat (chivalry, magnanimity, nobility). This is not a request based on the lover's merit or desert, but rather on the Beloved's grace and exalted attributes. The plea for remembrance "waqt o bī-waqt" (timelessly, without specific occasion) further emphasizes this point; the lover yearns for constant remembrance, not just at particular moments or based on any conditions the lover might have created. This boundless grace is precisely the 'universal grace' of God, which Mawlana further explores in subsequent verses, likening it to the sun shining upon all impurities.

This demand for immediate remembrance and joy resonates particularly with my lectures on Mawlana's urgency. Elsewhere, Mawlana says: "If you wish to kiss my dust, then kiss my face now, for I am still the same." This couplet evokes the same sense of immediacy: do not reserve your kindness and compassion for after death or when the lover is no longer conscious. This unconditional remembrance and joy must happen in the present state of life and awareness, so that the perceiving faculty can apprehend it directly and benefit from it, rather than it falling upon one's 'dust.' This is a lesson in valuing the opportunity for friendship and love in the present moment.

Key takeaways

• The verse expresses the absolute lover's plea for continuous joy and remembrance from the Divine Beloved.
• The request is based not on the lover's merit, but on the Beloved's boundless muruwwat (magnanimity) and grace.
• "Timelessly" (waqt o bī-waqt) emphasizes the yearning for the Beloved's constant and unconditional presence and favor.
• Mawlana transcends the narrative context, addressing the spiritual state of the seeker on the path of Truth.
• The emphasis on receiving this grace "now" serves as a reminder to seize the opportunity for experiencing love in the present.