M6:3227 — چون به یک دکان عمر بودی برو / در همه کاشان ز نان محروم شو

Translation: Since you were 'Umar' by a single shop, go; Be deprived of bread throughout all Kāshān. Meaning: The verse describes how being known by a specific identity (like the name 'Umar' in Kāshān, a historically Shi'ite city) leads to universal rejection from all shops, symbolizing a deeper principle of recognition and unified perception.

Mowlana, in his characteristic manner of conveying profound mystical truths through simple parables, employs the analogy of a historically Shi'ite city like Kāshān and a man named 'Umar. As you know, in earlier times, Kāshān was one of the few predominantly Shi'ite cities in a largely Sunni Iran. This particular verse, the climax of the tale, tells us that if, due to a specific identity (here, the name 'Umar', generally disliked by Shi'ites), you are rejected by one shop, you are in effect rejected by all of Kāshān and will be deprived of bread. This is not merely a local anecdote; Mowlana uses this image to illustrate a deeper ontological and epistemological reality.

I understand this man named 'Umar' to be aḥwal (cross-eyed or having a distorted perception). He fails to grasp the fundamental unity underlying the multiplicity of shops. Though outwardly distinct, these shopkeepers, in their collective stance against the man named 'Umar', function as a single entity. It's as if there's only one vendor in the entire city, and that vendor is displeased with the name 'Umar'. Had this man not been aḥwal, and if the illumination (ishrāq) of non-aḥwalī had shone upon his heart, he might have changed his 'Umar' to 'Ali', or, as Nicholson suggests, he would have understood the non-difference between 'Umar' and 'Ali' in that spiritual station, achieving a deeper unity. Mowlana states elsewhere: "Then the living, abiding Imām is that Wali / Be he from the lineage of 'Umar or from 'Ali'"; this indicates his thought transcends mere nominal prejudices.

This aḥwalī, this perception of pure multiplicity, keeps a person perpetually wandering and shifting from one corner to another in this Kāshān-e khāk (this earthly realm). The aḥwal individual constantly asks, "Is the good (khayr) perhaps over there?" He moves from one shop to another, one therapist to another, one school of thought to another. He has lost his true home. He is continually referred from place to place, remaining disoriented in this Kāshān-e por-khawf-o-rajā (this world full of fear and hope).

However, one who possesses a truth-recognizing eye and becomes dost-par bīn (one who sees the Beloved everywhere) perceives both worlds as filled with the Divine. Such a person is freed from "constant referral" (ḥawāla-ye jābe-jā); they no longer seek 'bread' in every single shop, for they know that all shops share a single meaning and will treat them with a unified perspective. They achieve a unity that no longer drives them from street to street, and their life gains 'meaning'. This wandering, which we today call 'ennui' or 'listlessness', stems precisely from this failure to recognize unity. To escape this ennui, people distract themselves, sometimes even through Quranic recitation or other religious practices that merely serve as a veil for their ignorance of the singular truth. But Mowlana says: "When the river flows with swiftness / Grief does not linger in the hearts of gnostics." When the soul is filled with the pure, clear water of unity, there is no room left for the 'debris' of ennui and depression.

This analogy also connects to the discussion of bi-ṣūratī (formlessness) and the distinction between aks (image) and ḥaqīqat (reality). Mowlana stated earlier: "Through the very essence of these forms and images / Truth becomes reality and a fruit-seller for you." That is, what we perceive as mere 'image' or illusion is in fact reality itself. The aḥwal person, with their double-vision, is like Balqīs in Solomon's palace, who mistook the crystal floor for water and lifted her skirt. They are deceived by appearances, believing the water is merely a 'bubble'. But one with insightful vision knows that "This is truly a garden, not water." The crystal is a garden, and the 'image of an apple' in the water is the fruit itself, filling the basket. Hence, "I desire an eye that recognizes the King / To know the King in every attire." This means recognizing and seeing truth in all its manifestations and forms, rather than being deprived of it due to differences in 'attire' or 'name'. This monotheistic insight liberates a person from 'wandering', 'doubt', and 'aimless drifting', bestowing upon them inner peace and spiritual richness.

Key takeaways

• Unity in Multiplicity: The city of Kāshān, with its seemingly separate shops, acts as a single entity in its stance towards a particular identity (the name 'Umar').
• The Significance of Naming and Identity: A superficial identity (the name 'Umar') prevents access to fundamental needs (bread), symbolizing our own superficial perception.
• The Impact of Aḥwalī (Double-Vision): Failure to perceive the hidden unity and truth beyond appearances leads to perpetual wandering, ennui, and deprivation.
• Seeking Illumination (Ishraq): Through a shift in perspective and liberation from aḥwalī, one can be freed from aimless searching and recognize truth in every guise and manifestation.
• The World as Kāshān-e Khāk (Earthly Kāshān): For those with double-vision, this world becomes a place of wandering, constant referral, and futile search for the good.
• Liberation from Ennui: Achieving a monotheistic vision and filling the soul with truth ends 'constant referral' and empty distractions.