M6:1995 — که بیا سوی مه و بگذر ز گرد / شاه عشقت خواند زوتر باز گرد

Translation: Come towards the moon and pass beyond the dust; The King of your Love calls you, return sooner!

Meaning: This couplet conveys a fervent call from Love itself to the soul, urging it to forsake earthly distractions and turn back towards the luminous Beloved, who eagerly awaits its swift return.

This couplet emerges from a passionately fervent ghazal in which Mawlana likens the enamored soul to a dove, intimately familiar with the Beloved's roost. Even if the Beloved were to drive it away, this dove would inevitably circle back to that very roof. Within this exalted context of love, Mawlana introduces the concept of the “Shahna-ye Eshgh” (the Constable of Love)—a stern and jealous guardian. Should the loving soul, even for a fleeting moment, furtively deny its gratitude to the Beloved or entertain thoughts of another, this Constable of Love places a basin of fire upon its chest, not as punishment, but to guide it back to its true path. This fire is not born of wrath or vengeance, but from the fierce jealousy and intense longing of Love itself, which cannot endure separation.

It is within this framework that our couplet delivers the message from this very “Shahna-ye Eshgh” to the soul: “Come towards the moon and pass beyond the dust; the King of your Love calls you, return sooner!” Here, the “moon” (mah) symbolizes the Eternal Beloved, light, and truth, while “dust” (gard) represents the worldly distractions and attachments that distance the soul from its origin. This ardent call addresses a soul that might have, through ignorance or error, turned away from the Beloved, allowing dust to settle upon its heart. Yet, the astonishing point is that this call to return does not stem from the Beloved's anger or rebuke, but from an overwhelming grace and yearning.

Here, Mawlana, with his characteristic profundity, states: “Even if you were angry, it is not that He was angry.” This means that even if the loving soul, due to some mistake or misunderstanding, has turned away and become “angry” or estranged from the Beloved, the Beloved has never reciprocated this anger and continuously desires its return. It is the Beloved who “sends messengers, caresses, and longs for its return.” This portrayal radically departs from any notion of an angry or distant God. This Love is perpetually active, always seeking to reclaim those who have strayed, and never despairs.

This urgent summons to “return sooner” emphasizes the immediacy of this homecoming; every moment of distance, it implies, exacts a heavy toll on the soul. This is precisely the approach that distinguishes the Masnavi from literature of “loneliness” (tanhāyī). In existentialist thought, humanity is cast adrift in the world, alone, without anyone calling or awaiting its return. However, in Mawlana's mysticism, separation (judāyī) exists, but loneliness does not. The call of the Eternal Beloved constantly echoes in the depths of the soul, and the King of Love perpetually desires reunion. In Mawlana's view, this world is a temporary abode, and no matter how far the traveler strays, their ultimate destination is a return to their origin, a return that is always welcomed by the Beloved.

Key takeaways

• The 'King of Love' perpetually calls the soul, even if the soul has turned away.
• Distance from the Beloved never implies the Beloved's anger or despair of return.
• The 'moon' (mah) symbolizes the Eternal Beloved, light, and truth, to which the soul must return.
• The 'dust' (gard) symbolizes worldly attachments and veils that distance the soul from truth.
• The call to return emphasizes the urgency and importance of shedding worldly ties.