M6:2615 — گفت سیروا می‌طلب اندر جهان / بخت و روزی را همی‌کن امتحان

Translation: He said, "Journey forth!" Seek in the world; Put your fortune and sustenance to the test. Meaning: God commanded, "Travel through the earth"; therefore, journey forth in the world and seek out perfect and righteous individuals, for finding them is a unique form of divine fortune and sustenance that must be actively pursued and ventured for.

This verse is an invitation, a call akin to the Quranic injunction "Journey through the earth" (sīrū fī l-arḍ), yet imbued with a profound mystical interpretation by Mawlana. In antiquity, before knowledge and experience were readily accessible through books and modern means, traversing the earth was not merely a way to understand the physical world and human conditions, but served a higher purpose: to find the ṣāliḥān (righteous ones), the buzurgān (great souls), and the insān-i kāmil (perfected human). These journeys, unlike the recreational tourism of today often pursued for diversion and escape from boredom, were undertaken with a pure intention, aiming to uncover the spiritual treasures of life.

I contend, as Mawlana suggests, that amidst the collective human intellect, it is always possible for a "lamp to fall among them, ignited by the light of heaven" (bū ke miṣbāḥī ftad andar miyān / mushtaʿil gashta ze nūr-i āsmān); meaning, a prophetic or heavenly intellect and insight might be present. Yet, discovering such individuals is not simple; it demands active seeking and earnest pursuit. In this world, a mixture of the earthly and the celestial, where all things appear intertwined, and bright and dark souls reside side-by-side, finding the pure essence is itself a test.

Mawlana declares: "Put your fortune and sustenance to the test." Finding such a treasure, like any endeavor in this world, is not guaranteed. It is akin to the merchant who, on perilous journeys, braved bandits and arduous paths for livelihood, with no assurance of profit. Fortune (bakht) and sustenance (rūzī) here are not merely material; rather, discovering an enlightened guide, a helping and leading human being, is the greatest capital for one's life. This itself is a part of divine sustenance which, as Mawlana notes, is not equally distributed in this world. These differences and inequalities do not arise from discrimination but are inherent and foundational to this cosmos; the world is a realm of distinctions, and one cannot wish for their complete eradication. Thus, in this world of differences, with risk and effort, one must seek spiritual sustenance and put one's fortune to the test in this path.

Key takeaways

• Mawlana views the primary purpose of travel as seeking perfected and righteous individuals, not merely entertainment.
• This verse alludes to the Quranic command "Journey through the earth," but interprets it through a mystical and spiritual lens.
• Encountering a "prophetic intellect" or heavenly insight among people is considered a unique spiritual endowment.
• Discovering spiritual guides is not a leisure pursuit, but a test of divine fortune and sustenance, for which risks must be taken.
• Mawlana sees disparities in endowments and blessings as an essential condition of existence, not discrimination or a flaw in justice.