M6:108 — هفت چرخ ازرقی در رق اوست / پیک ماه اندر تب و در دق اوست

Translation: The seven blue heavens are in thrall to that star; / The moon's messenger is in its fever and consumption. Meaning: This verse conveys the immense power of a divine star, asserting that the seven heavens and even the moon are subservient and, as if from its awe-inspiring presence, rendered sick and diminished.

Here, Rumi elaborates on the majesty and pervasive influence of the 'star without direction'—that boundless divine truth and speech I have expounded upon in previous sessions—which transcends all form and dimension. He states that the seven blue heavens, symbols of grandeur and loftiness to ancient peoples, are entirely in 'raq,' in servitude, to this divine star. 'Raq' denotes slavery or captivity, meaning these vast celestial bodies have no choice but to surrender to this divine light; their free will is, as it were, abrogated in its presence.

Similarly, 'the moon's messenger,' an emblem of nocturnal illumination and guidance, held in high esteem in our literature, is depicted as so humbled and diminished before this primordial and eternal star that it seems to suffer from 'fever and daqq.' 'Daqq' refers to tuberculosis, a wasting disease. The moon, which appears to us waxing and waning, is here a metaphor for a state of weakness, impotence, and impermanence in the face of that eternal truth's perfection. This illness and frailty are not literal but signify the qualitative and existential impact of that truth upon all creation.

This verse serves as a prelude to Rumi's more profound point regarding existence and epistemology. He aims to convey that this divine star is so luminous and boundless that it not only affects the seven heavens and the moon but also transcends all thought and intellection. Immediately following this verse and similar descriptions, he asks, 'Where is thought? There, all is pure light.' This implies that in the higher realm he speaks of, there is fundamentally no place for 'thought' in its conventional sense. Thought exists to resolve unknowns and to move from the known to the unknown; yet, in the presence of absolute divine truth, everything is 'pure light,' and there is no darkness or unknown requiring thought. God is 'All-Knowing,' but not a 'Thinker,' because no unknown exists for Him.

Therefore, Rumi's poetic and imaginative descriptions and allegories are not meant to precisely represent that formless and directionless truth, but rather to 'melt' 'frozen' intellects and prepare the 'weak but ardent lover' to grasp a fragment of that boundless light. These examples and images are not 'mithl' (identical to) that truth, but rather 'mathāl' (illustrations) that compel the intellect to move and dissolve, gradually readying itself to perceive that higher stratum of existence. Here, Rumi prioritizes the path of love and intuition over that of pure intellection and argumentation, for infinite truth cannot be confined within the limitations of thought, except through the language of allegory and the magnetic pull of love.

Key takeaways

• The grandeur of Divine Truth is such that all celestial bodies are in its servitude and humility.
• The moon and stars, despite their brilliance and influence, appear ailing and powerless before the eternal Divine Light.
• In the realm of Absolute Truth, there is no place for 'thought' or intellection in its conventional sense, as everything is 'pure light' and no unknowns exist.
• Rumi employs poetic allegories and imagery to convey transcendent truths to 'frozen' intellects and 'ardent' hearts.
• This verse signifies a hierarchy of existence where every being, in its own station, is influenced by the Absolute Divine Truth.