M6:2424 — فوق آمد جان پر انوار او / باقیان را بس بود تیمار او

Translation: His soul, full of lights, came from above; For the rest, his care sufficed. Meaning: This verse suggests that the profound spiritual experiences of an enlightened seeker, whose soul is imbued with divine light, inherently offer enough guidance and awakening for others.

This verse, following Rumi's stirring narrative of the Jewish traveler's profound dream in the story of the three wayfarers, speaks to the completeness and comprehensiveness of souls filled with divine light. I am certain that in this verse, Rumi paints a picture of his own state, and that of saints and mystics like himself, whose souls have been nourished by divine lights and have arrived from the high horizons of true knowledge. This 'coming from above' (فوق آمد) is an allusion to spiritual ascension (miʿrāj) and the attainment of truths that are not of this earthly realm – truths that manifest, in sleep or wakefulness, as luminous epiphanies or hidden inspirations. Just as in the dream of that pious Jew, Mount Sinai, Moses, and the angels were dissolved and resurrected by the light of Truth, so too was his soul filled by this 'blowing of light' (نفاخ نور).

'His soul, full of lights' (جان پر انوار او) refers to a soul that has shed its dark veils and has been illuminated by the light of divine knowledge. This is the light that Moses (PBUH) sought on Mount Sinai, before which the mountain was 'crushed' (مندک) and Moses himself fell 'unconscious' (صَعقا). Rumi suggests that such manifestations are not exclusive to prophets, but mystics also partake in them, even if he terms it 'revelation of the heart' (waḥy-i dil). What is crucial in this verse is that such a soul requires no external validation; its presence and state are self-evident, having 'come' from above and not been 'made' in the lower world.

As for 'For the rest, his care sufficed' (باقیان را بس بود تیمار او): this is a profoundly rich expression. 'Tīmār' (تیمار) here can mean concern, solicitude, or even pain and longing. Rumi's intention is that for those who have not yet reached such stations, the mere existence of such illuminated souls, the narration of their states and experiences (like the story of the Jew's dream that Rumi recounts), or even the fact that these awakened souls are concerned for others and bear the 'grief' (gham) of separation from Truth – this itself is sufficient and enough. This is the hidden treasure that slakes the thirst of a desert full of yearning souls. Consider Rumi's own words: 'We are like a reed, and the melody within us is from You / We are like a mountain, and the echo within us is from You.' The Masnavi itself is the 'tīmār' of Rumi's soul, which is 'narrated' (ḥikāyat), not 'complained' (shikāyat), for the sake of those who remain.

This interpretation aligns with Rumi's pluralism of salvation. Rumi says elsewhere in this context: 'Do not regard any unbeliever with contempt / For there is hope that he may die a Muslim.' This means that even a Jew or a Christian, if they attain such spiritual stations and their souls are filled with divine lights, automatically become a source of inspiration and guidance for others. The 'tīmār' of such a soul, be it its spiritual state, its words, or even its silence, is enough for others. This stems from the belief that human souls, despite apparent differences in religious law, all drink 'from the same water' and journey 'to the same source.' The difference is that the illuminated soul has seen the path and brought the lights with it, and others, even if they have not seen those lights themselves, benefit from its 'tīmār' and state; like shepherds who have not seen the wolf themselves, but trust the howl of the sheepdog.

Key takeaways

• Profound spiritual experience fills the soul with divine lights, coming from above, not being made in the earthly realm.
• A soul illuminated by divine light needs no external validation; its very presence and state are its own proof.
• For those who haven't reached high spiritual stations, the spiritual concern (tīmār) and states of enlightened seekers are sufficient.
• Here, 'tīmār' signifies the narration of longing and inspiration, rather than mere complaint.
• Rumi, in this context, emphasizes the pluralism of salvation: the ultimate value of a human soul lies in its transcendence and purity, not necessarily in outward affiliations.