M6:3434 — چون ملایک او به اقلیم الست / هر دمی می‌شد به شرب تازه مست

Translation: Like angels, he resided in the realm of Alast, Each moment becoming intoxicated with a fresh draught. Meaning: Rumi here describes the inner state of saints and prophets: despite their presence in the material world, they are perpetually immersed in the pre-eternal realm of "Alast," experiencing continuous spiritual ecstasy and union with the Divine.

This verse offers a brilliant and profound depiction of the inner reality of saints and prophets—those who, despite their presence in this earthly realm, lead lives transcending the limits of time and space. Rumi employs the analogy of Emad-ol-Molk to caution us against being deceived by the outwardly serene and mundane appearance of such great souls. He may stand before the king outwardly, but in truth, his "soul is a bird in the gardens of the unseen" (dar reyāḍ-e ghayb jān ṭāyerash), soaring through the hidden realms of meaning. It is here that Rumi states:

Like angels, he was in the realm of Alast, Every moment becoming intoxicated with a fresh draught.

The "realm of Alast" (Iqlīm-e Alast) is a direct reference to the pre-eternal covenant in the Holy Quran, where God asked the spirits, "Am I not your Lord?" (Alastu bi-rabbikum?), and they responded, "Yes!" (Qālū balā, Surah Al-A'raf 7:172). This realm is prior to time and space, a domain of pure abstraction and direct connection with the Origin of existence. Rumi states that saints and prophets are perpetually present in this eternal realm. They did not merely say "yes" once in eternity and then forget; rather, in the present moment, they are continually renewing that primordial covenant and state. This is the continuous intoxication from a "fresh drink" (sharb-e tāze); an intoxication that never wanes, for it is refreshed every moment from an ever-new source. This is not the intoxication of material wine, but of the wine of gnosis and divine presence, which is eternal and undiminishing.

The simile "like angels" (chūn malā'ik) is also key. Angels are luminous beings, disengaged from the shackles of matter and time, and are perpetually engaged in praise and worship. Saints and prophets, despite possessing earthly bodies, spiritually approach this angelic station; they are not prisoners in the cage of nature. Instead, like the moon traversing all constellations in a single night, they can soar through the heavens of thought and truth. It is for this reason that Rumi, in one of his ghazals, also declared:

I was a bird of the supernal realm, You saw how I became human. I did not see its snare; suddenly I became entrapped within it. Look not at us with the eye of the head; Come there, see us there, For here I came light-burdened.

This itself points to the truth that their true realm of sovereignty lies elsewhere, and their presence in the world of humanity is merely an outward manifestation suited to the comprehension of ordinary people. These exalted beings, while "sitting here," journey through "infinite space." This duality of their outer and inner states is further emphasized in the subsequent verses: "Inside joy, outside full of sorrow / In a body like a grave, a delightful world." While outwardly they may be engaged in worldly sorrows and responsibilities, inwardly, their realm is one of perpetual feast, celebration, and joy. This does not imply deceit, but rather presence in a station beyond dichotomies; where the opposition between presence and absence, between sorrow and joy, resolves into a transcendent unity. These great souls, by divine command, "speak to people according to their intellects" (an nokallem an-nās 'alā qadar 'uqūlehim) and live among them, but the truth of their being must be sought in their supernal flights.

Key takeaways

• Saints and prophets, despite their physical presence, are continuously immersed in the pre-eternal realm of "Alast" and in divine union.
• They are perpetually intoxicated by the "fresh drink" of gnosis and divine presence, an ecstasy that never dulls.
• The comparison to "angels" signifies their inner transcendence and timeless spiritual state.
• Their inner life extends beyond the confines of time and space, transcending worldly appearances.
• Their interior is full of joy and celebration, even if their exterior seems sorrowful; this duality culminates in a transcendent unity.