M1:3768 — از تو بر من تافت چون داری نهان / می‌فشانی نور چون مه بی زبان

Translation: From You, it shone upon me, why do You keep it hidden? You scatter light like the moon, without a tongue.

Meaning: Speaking through the words of the adversary in battle, Rumi testifies to the direct spiritual radiance and light he receives from Imam Ali, likening him to a speechless moon that sheds light simply by being.

This couplet, uttered by the defeated adversary addressing Imam Ali in the concluding tale of Masnavi’s first book, in my view, profoundly expresses Rumi’s own deep connection with the personality of Ali. Rumi sees himself here as a mirror reflecting Ali’s light—a light that Ali emits even in his silence and apparent hiddenness. This metaphor underscores Rumi’s utmost reverence and esteem for Ali, whom he calls “the pride of every prophet and every saint.”

Ali, in this imagery, is like the moon; the moon needs no speech to guide night travelers, for its light itself testifies to its presence and guidance. “You scatter light like the moon, without a tongue” captures precisely this meaning: Ali’s existential radiance and spiritual state, transcending words and discourse, leave a profound impact on receptive souls. If such a being, with all this unspoken brilliance, were to open his tongue to speak, then “it would become light within light” (ḍiyāʾ andar ḍiyāʾ), adding light upon light and illuminating the world.

The phrase “From You, it shone upon me” is of paramount importance. Rumi clearly indicates that he is the recipient and absorber of this light. The world of spirits and meanings, he suggests, is like mirrors arrayed before each other; one personality shines into another, absorbing these illuminations and then reflecting them onward. This couplet provides clear evidence of Rumi’s spiritual lineage and the spring from which his soul drank deeply. Observe that in this part of the Masnavi, Rumi refers to Ali as “entirely intellect and vision,” which indicates his unique perspective on Ali’s esoteric and gnostic dimensions.

Rumi goes even further, implying that while Ali’s light continuously shines, it is not evident to all. “Why do You keep it hidden?” does not signify deliberate concealment but rather alludes to varying perceptions among recipients. Some see the world as dark, some see one moon, and some see three moons in the same place; this difference in vision stems from the strength or weakness of the observer’s eye, not from the presence or absence of light. Rumi emphasizes that he himself, like the adversary in this story, possesses the necessary sight to perceive this brilliance, even if others do not. These expressions demonstrate how deeply Rumi drew from Nahj al-Balagha and the teachings of Ali, pouring them into the very fabric of his Masnavi.

Key takeaways

• Rumi speaks this verse, attributed to the adversary in battle, out of his own deep spiritual connection with Imam Ali.
• Imam Ali, in this vision, is like the moon: his very being radiates light without words, embodying a guiding presence.
• The phrase “From You, it shone upon me” signifies Rumi’s direct reception of spiritual light from Ali, seeing himself as a mirror reflecting this illumination.
• “Why do You keep it hidden?” suggests that this light, due to varying levels of perception, is not accessible to all, yet Rumi perceives it.
• These verses are among the clearest indications of the profound influence of Ali’s teachings and Nahj al-Balagha on Rumi’s soul and discourse.