M6:744 — جانش را این دم به بالا مسکنیست / گر بمیرد روح او را نقل نیست

Translation: His soul, at this very moment, dwells in the heights; / If he should die, his spirit has no need of transfer. Meaning: This verse describes a state where a human soul, while still in earthly life, is so fully connected and residing in the higher realm that physical death causes no change in its spiritual abode.

This verse speaks to one of the most astonishing states of mystics and friends of God, a condition that Rumi recounts from a Prophetic tradition. The Prophet, peace be upon him, reportedly said: “Should anyone desire to see a dead man walking among the living, let him look at Abu Bakr al-Siddiq.” This is not a mere literary metaphor but an existential reality. Rumi, through this statement, means to convey that the soul of such individuals, even as they tread the dust of the earth, is already dwelling in the heavens.

The interpretation of the verse is explicit: “His soul, at this very moment, dwells in the heights.” This means his spirit is, right now, in the higher realm, in the Malāʾ al-Aʿlā (the Highest Assembly), precisely where it is meant to be. This soul is “attached” to the celestial realm, just as Imam Ali, peace be upon him, states in Nahj al-Balagha: “Their souls are attached to the Highest Assembly.” This connection is so profound and established that there is no longer any need for transition or transfer.

“If he should die, his spirit has no need of transfer.” This sentence does not mean his spirit does not transition; rather, it implies that physical death presents no new transition for him, because he has already experienced this transition in his lifetime. He lives two parallel lives in this world: a physical and apparent life on earth, and a spiritual and internal life in the heavens. It is this dual existence that gives meaning to his life and keeps him joyous and content within; unlike those who live only one life and feel that with its demise, everything is lost.

This is, in essence, the realization of that existential congruity and affinity that Rumi speaks of elsewhere: “You must become entirely soul / To be worthy of the Beloved of souls.” That is, to enter the company of the Beloved, one must become of the very essence of soul. This is achieved not through conventional rites and customs, but through the existential quality and inner identity of the individual. This understanding is attained through “dying before death,” not merely through intellect and reasoning. Such a death is a transition that has occurred before the advent of actual death, liberating its possessor from the preoccupations of the earthly realm.

Key takeaways

• The mystic's soul finds its dwelling in the higher realm even before physical death.
• For such a person, death is not a new transfer, but a confirmation of a state already achieved.
• This state describes two simultaneous lives: one on earth, and one in the heavens.
• The soul's attachment to the Malāʾ al-Aʿlā is the source of inner meaning and joy.
• This understanding is attained not through intellect, but through 'dying before death,' leading to congruity with the Beloved.