M6:1299 — معجزاتی و کراماتی خفی / بر زند بر دل ز پیران صفی

Translation: Hidden miracles and graces Strike the hearts from purified elders.

Meaning: Purified spiritual masters possess subtle, unproclaimed miracles and graces that profoundly impact the inner being of those who come into their presence, drawing them closer to the divine.

Mowlana, in his exposition of how we perceive the hidden Divine Essence through present signs, progressively moves from the overt miracles of prophets to the subtle graces of saints. I have always emphasized that understanding hidden truth requires a keen eye for present evidence. We discern the invisible wind from the movement of leaves, and the intoxication of the heart from the languor of the eyes. Similarly, being distant from God's essence, we apprehend His attributes through His messengers and their miracles.

However, the scope of this manifestation is not confined to prophets and their visible miracles. Mowlana immediately broadens the discussion, stating that the pīrān-e ṣafī (purified elders), those sincere travelers on the path absorbed in Divine love, also possess moʿjezāt va karāmāt-e khafī (hidden miracles and graces) that affect hearts. These are not miracles of a staff splitting the sea or the moon cleaving in two; rather, they are subtle graces, because these men of God are themselves like ardent, blazing furnaces. Whoever sits beside them feels the warmth of their presence, and their being benefits from this heat, which is the very heat of Divine love. This is the least effect imparted to the heart by companionship with these pure elders; an effect like an invigorating perfume that overflows from their being, scenting the nostrils of the soul.

The reason for this, as Mowlana explains in the next couplet, is that darūneshān sad qiyāmat naqd hast (within them are a hundred ready resurrections). In the souls of these saints, a hundred actual resurrections have taken place. They have repeatedly experienced death and new life, having stepped into another realm, even though their bodies remain in this world. It is this qiyāmatgāh-e ʿeshq (locus of love's resurrection) within them that causes anyone in their presence, even if temporarily, to experience intoxication and enchantment, and to have their heart captivated. I believe that religions begin not with argumentation, but with captivation. Prophets, through their existential charisma, establish 'resurrections' within their contemporaries, and this becomes the genesis of faith and emulation.

These hidden graces are, in essence, a manifestation of the direct presence of the Divine. Companionship with these blessed individuals is, in fact, companionship with God, for the heart of God's saints is God's abode. As Mowlana states, Har ke khāhad hamneshīnī bā Khudā / Tā neshenad dar hozūr-e awliyā (Whoever desires companionship with God / Let him sit in the presence of saints). It is true that all beings are, in a sense, filled with God, and existence itself is a manifestation of the Truth; but the saints of God possess an eshtedād-e vojūdī (intensification of existence); their share of divinity is more potent and pronounced. Thus, they are, in a way, manifestations of the Absolute Essence itself.

The effect of these miracles on the human soul is deeper than the effect of miracles on inanimate objects. Miracles like the parting of the Nile or the splitting of the moon were borrowed, temporary effects on inert matter. But if the same miracle affects your soul, it connects you to the 'hidden relationship' with the inner dimension of the cosmos and the truth of being. In this realm, the pīrān-e ṣafī can sometimes create nān bī hayūlā-ye khamīr (bread without the prime matter of dough); that is, without requiring any prior receptivity or preparation from the recipient, they bestow their grace and bounty, merely with a glance and attention. This giving is unconditional, without reward or precedent.

However, Mowlana adds another crucial point here: Moʿjeze bahr ast, nāqis morgh-e khāk / Morgh-e ābī dar vay āmen az halāk (The miracle is a sea; the deficient earth-bird / The water-bird is safe from perishing in it). This means that a miracle is like a sea which, for the 'deficient earth-bird,' leads to destruction, while the 'safe water-bird' remains secure within it. This is precisely like the Quran, which yuḍillu bihi kathīran wa yahdī bihi kathīran (misleads many and guides many). Truth, for those steeped in denial and prejudice, is not only unhelpful but leads to greater misguidance. Only a heart capable of reception benefits from these graces. Therefore, if one lacks the blessedness of perceiving inner truths, they must contemplate external manifestations and infer the hidden Cause from visible effects; for effects bear tidings of their Cause, just as we deduce the state of the heart from the pulse.

Key takeaways

• Perceiving the hidden Divine Truth is possible through observing present evidence, just as we understand wind from moving leaves.
• Divine saints and purified elders possess hidden miracles and graces that affect not objects, but hearts and souls.
• Sitting with pure saints is like being near a blazing furnace; the warmth of Divine love overflows from them, captivating and intoxicating others.
• Within saints, a hundred 'ready resurrections' are active; they have died to themselves and found new life, which instills 'captivation' in those around them.
• The presence of saints is the direct presence of Truth; their hearts are God's abode, and companionship with them is companionship with the Divine Essence.
• A miracle is like a sea; for a receptive heart, it brings salvation and power, but for a deficient and prejudiced heart, it leads to destruction and helplessness.