M6:1075 — گفت ای صدیق آخر گفتمت / که مرا انباز کن در مکرمت

Translation: He said, 'O Ṣiddīq, I had indeed told you before / To make me a partner in this noble deed.' Meaning: The Prophet Muhammad addresses Abu Bakr, reminding him of his request to be made a partner in the virtuous act of freeing Bilal.

This verse, I must say, unveils a distinct approach in Mevlana's engagement with history and religious figures. Here, Mevlana is not merely a historian, but a passionate poet who employs the voices of others as a vehicle for his own inner states. Through the words of Abu Bakr, Bilal, or Hilal—wherever opportunity arises—he lets us perceive the fragrance of his own love for the noble Prophet Muhammad. This is a point he explicitly states himself: 'Better it is that the secrets of others / Be spoken in the tales of others,' and 'Listen, O friends, to this story / For it is truly the report of our present state.' This means the tales and dialogues within the Masnavi are, in essence, an expression of Mevlana's own spiritual 'present condition.'

In this verse, the Prophet asks Abu Bakr to make him a partner in the 'makramat,' the noble deed of freeing Bilal. However, Abu Bakr's response, revealed in subsequent verses, showcases the pinnacle of this profound love. Abu Bakr declares: 'I freed him for your sake,' and 'Keep me as your servant and companion in the cave / I desire no freedom whatsoever.' It is here that Mevlana, with his whole being, inverts the very concept of true freedom. Freedom, for him, is not liberation from all bonds, but rather servitude to the one who enables one to become 'more oneself.'

I have previously noted that Hafez echoes a similar sentiment: 'May Hafez never be free from those twisting locks / For those bound by your snare are the truly liberated.' This servitude is not captivity; it is the zenith of liberation. To be a servant to one who fosters your growth, nurtures your being, and draws you closer to your essential self, is the highest possible state. This 'bondage,' in Mevlana's view, is not hardship or injustice, but freedom itself. 'For in my servitude to you lies my freedom / Without you, sorrow and injustice befall me.' This servitude, in Mevlana's eyes, is the loftiest station, for the Beloved perfects the lover, transforming them into their 'higher self.' This, indeed, is the entirety of Mevlana's message in these stories: not merely the recounting of a historical event, but the elucidation of an existential and passionate truth.

Key takeaways

• Mevlana utilizes historical narratives in the Masnavi not for reporting, but as a vehicle for expressing his own profound love and inner states.
• The concept of freedom is inverted in the Masnavi; loving servitude is the peak of salvation and attaining one's 'higher self.'
• The Prophet's request to 'be made a partner in the noble deed' serves as an occasion for Abu Bakr to express his utmost devotion and self-sacrifice.
• Mevlana explicitly states that his stories are the 'report of his own present state,' not mere recounts of historical events.