M1:131 — من چه گویم یک رگم هشیار نیست / شرح آن یاری که او را یار نیست

Translation: What can I say, when not a single vein of mine is conscious? How can I describe that Beloved who has no peer? Meaning: Mowlana expresses his inability to describe the incomparable Beloved, explaining that in his state of self-annihilation and unconsciousness, he lacks the lucidity to articulate such a profound reality.

In this verse, Mowlana speaks from the station of fanā (annihilation), a state where the seeker's being is effaced in the Beloved, and personal consciousness has departed. Prior to this verse, in a dialogue between Mowlana's 'Soul' (or intellect) and himself, the Soul urges Mowlana to fulfill the ancient 'right of companionship' and speak of the 'joyful states.' However, Mowlana responds in Arabic: "Lā tukallifnī fa'innī fī al-fanā / Kallat afhāmī falā uḥṣī thanā" (Do not burden me, for I am in annihilation; my understanding is blunted, so I cannot praise adequately). This is an adaptation of the Prophet's prayer: "Glory be to You, I cannot enumerate Your praises as You deserve." He then explains that whatever is uttered by the ghayr al-mufīq (the unconscious, the un-awake) is lā yalīq (unbefitting). In this context, the present verse arises: "Man che gūyam yak ragam hūshyār nīst" (What can I say, when not a single vein of mine is conscious?). Here, Mowlana explicitly states his state of self-unconsciousness and fanā. He is no longer the 'awake' and ordinary mufīq who can utter measured and fitting words. The second part of the verse describes the Beloved: "Sharḥ-i ān yārī ke ū-rā yār nīst" (The description of that Beloved who has no peer). This 'Beloved' (yār) can refer both to Shams and to God. The phrase "ū-rā yār nīst" here means 'matchless' and 'incomparable.' That is to say, the Beloved is so singular and unique that no one has the power to describe Him. Thus, on the one hand, I am in a state of annihilation and unconsciousness, and on the other, the Beloved possesses such singularity and majesty that He cannot be described by ordinary language. This verse shows us the seeker's pinnacle in the station of fanā and the lover's ardent yet helpless devotion before the Beloved. Mowlana here expresses, amidst his inability, the ultimate grandeur of the Beloved and the utter helplessness of the lover. This very inability to describe becomes a description in itself. For this reason, Mowlana adds in the next verse: "Sharḥ-i īn hijrān-o īn khūn-i jigar / īn zamān bigzār tā vaqt-i digar" (Leave the description of this separation and this bleeding heart for another time). He postpones the full account of separation and the pain of longing until another time. This delay in speaking carries its own significance. Here, we encounter the Sufi teaching of being an 'Ibn al-Waqt' (son of the moment), which the Soul reminds Mowlana: "Ṣūfī Ibn al-Waqt bāshad ey rafīq / Nīst fardā guftan az sharṭ-i ṭarīq" (O friend, a Sufi is a son of the moment; to say 'tomorrow' is not a condition of the path). However, Mowlana (in this verse) contravenes this rule by delaying his speech. Why? Because in the state of fanā, the rules of ordinary time and space collapse, rendering 'being a son of the moment' inapplicable. He is immersed in the ocean of self-unconsciousness, and only in such a state is silence and the postponement of explanation the essence of truth and the height of reverence.

Key takeaways

• The verse illustrates the state of fanā (annihilation in the Beloved) and the lover's inability to describe the Beloved.
• In fanā, ordinary consciousness departs, rendering words inadequate for expression.
• The Beloved (whether Shams or God) is so incomparable that language cannot capture His essence.
• Mowlana's reference to the Prophet's prayer and the term ghayr al-mufīq underscore the profound depth of his statement.
• In this state, silence and the deferral of explanation represent the zenith of truth-telling and loving reverence, differing from conventional Sufi principles like being an 'Ibn al-Waqt' (son of the moment).