M6:2988 — جذب جنسیت کشیده تا زمین / اختران را پیش او کرده مبین

Translation: The attraction of homogeneity drew to the earth, Making the stars manifest before him.

Meaning: Mawlana here posits that the force of affinity (jinsiyyat) is so potent that it can draw even distant stars to earth, rendering them visible and present before a kindred spirit like the Prophet Idris.

This couplet delves into one of Mawlana's profound, perhaps even enigmatic, ontological insights: the power of jadhb-i jinsiyyat (the attraction of homogeneity or kindred spirit). While initially appearing to be cloaked in myth and legend, it undoubtedly carries a deeper meaning. We know Mawlana employs fables and narratives not for mere entertainment, but as vehicles for transmitting transcendent truths. Here, the story of the Prophet Idris and his connection to the stars serves as an allegory for a universal principle.

The force of jadhb-i jinsiyyat acts like a hidden magnet, drawing like kinds towards one another. This attraction is not confined to the human realm—where, as Mawlana notes, 'the reckless attracts the reckless' or one should 'avoid the ill-natured companion'—but extends into the cosmic sphere. Mawlana states that the Prophet Idris, by virtue of a particular 'homogeneity' or kinship with the stars, was able to draw them down from the heavens to Earth. What was this 'homogeneity'? Not a material resemblance, but a spiritual and essential affinity. The stars, as if in his presence, became mubīn (manifest and present), and their 'voice of astronomy' could be heard.

Mawlana elucidates this 'homogeneity' thus: 'What is jinsiyyat? A kind of gaze (nawʿ-i naẓar) / By which they find their way to each other.' This nawʿ-i naẓar is precisely what we refer to in philosophy as 'theoretical wisdom' (ḥikmat-i naẓarī); it is the eye of the intellect, the inner vision that apprehends truths. Thus, jinsiyyat here is not merely superficial similarity, but a deep form of perception and insight that renders the observer kindred with the observed. Idris, with his unique 'gaze,' possessed the ability to speak a common language with the stars and unveil their truths. This is what it means to be 'blessed with vision' (naẓar-kardeh), in the sense of possessing a special insight. This gaze is instilled by the Divine within the human being, rendering them kindred with that specific reality.

Therefore, this couplet, beyond being a mythological narrative, emphasizes that in Mawlana's universe, connections are forged not only through external senses but also through the 'inner eye' and spiritual 'attractions of homogeneity.' One who becomes kindred with something can draw it forth from behind veils, making it manifest and apparent. This signifies the seeing of hidden realities through empathy and essential kinship, a fundamental principle in mystical ontology.

Key takeaways

• The 'attraction of homogeneity' (jadhb-i jinsiyyat) is a fundamental cosmic force that draws like kinds together, transcending mere physical attractions.
• The story of Idris and the stars serves as an allegory for humanity's capacity to connect with universal phenomena through spiritual kinship.
• Here, jinsiyyat signifies a 'kind of gaze' (nawʿ-i naẓar) or an intellectual and inner insight that allows for the perception and revelation of hidden truths.
• This couplet illustrates how, through spiritual affinity, what is distant and concealed (the stars) can become near and 'manifest' (mubīn).