M6:1146 — مرد اوسط مرغ‌بین است او و بس / غیر مرغی می‌نبیند پیش و پس

Translation: The middle man is a bird-seer, and that's all; He sees naught but the bird, before and behind him. Meaning: This verse asserts that individuals with average perception are limited to seeing only the outward forms and superficial aspects of things, symbolized by the 'bird,' remaining oblivious to their deeper, hidden truths.

This verse is one of Rumi's vibrant parables, used to illuminate the varying degrees of human perception and insight. I contend that Rumi here speaks of a spectrum of understanding: from the one who sees only the body, to the one who perceives the soul behind the physical veil. The mard-e awsaṭ, as his name implies, stands midway on this spectrum. He has, on one hand, transcended the purely materialistic viewpoint of those who see only a 'clay figure' – a mere physical shell. Yet, he has not reached the station of the gnostics who discern the 'fine hair' in the bird's beak, symbolizing the light of insight and the celestial spirit.

In this parable, the 'bird' (murgh) is an allegory for knowledge ('ilm) and devotion (ṭāʿat) – the outward aspects of spiritual discipline and learning. While these are certainly venerable, they do not constitute the inner truth of being. The mard-e awsaṭ perceives the entire world through the lens of this knowledge and devotion; he sees the action, but not the pure intention behind it. He sees the erudition, but not the light of insight. In a sense, his view of existence is superficial; all around him, 'before and behind,' he sees only this 'bird,' which symbolizes outward appearance and the observable dimensions of everything, remaining ignorant of its true, enduring source.

However, Rumi states that 'that hair is a hidden light in that bird / by which the bird's soul endures.' This 'fine hair' (muy) is the very truth by which the bird's soul (or knowledge and devotion) remains eternal. Without this light of insight and this celestial spirit, knowledge and action become mere 'borrowings' ('āriyyat) – transient and perishable. This is the pivotal point that distinguishes superficial knowledge from profound inner wisdom. True knowledge, as Rumi suggests, is that which 'gushes forth perpetually from one's soul,' ensuring that 'his work is never borrowed.' Such a friend of God, a true gnostic, has moved beyond mere bird-seeing, grasping that hidden light. The mard-e awsaṭ, however, remains veiled by the 'bird,' oblivious to the 'hair'; he does not transcend appearances and fails to access the depth of existence.

Key takeaways

• The 'middle man' symbolizes superficial perception, limited to outward forms.
• The 'bird' in this context is a metaphor for knowledge, devotion, and external manifestations.
• True understanding requires perceiving the 'fine hair,' representing the light of insight and celestial spirit.
• The gnostic's work springs from their very soul, unlike the transient, borrowed perspective of the average person.
• Rumi's Masnavi invites the reader to transcend appearances and grasp hidden realities.