M6:2841 — خاک بو کرد آن دگر از ربوه‌ای / گفت این هست از وثاق بیوه‌ای

Translation: The other smelled the soil from a mound / Said, 'This is from a widow's dwelling.' Meaning: This verse describes one of the thieves, possessing an extraordinary sense of smell, identifying the particular soil from a hillock as originating from the humble abode of a widow.

This verse emerges within the narrative of the thieves, each showcasing a unique skill to the King who is covertly among them. The thief in question, endowed with an extraordinary olfactory sense, sniffs the soil from a mound and, with astonishing precision, declares it to be from a widow's dwelling. This capability is neither simple sight nor hearing; it's a transcendent sense that allows him to infer the hidden social and economic conditions from a material trace.

I always interpret this anecdote through the lens of maʿrifat (gnosis) that Mowlana introduces concerning the Shah's presence, who symbolizes the ʿarif or Divine Truth. The thief's skill, though astonishing and unique in its sphere, is ultimately confined to the perception of worldly and material affairs. He can detect the poverty and vulnerability of a widow from the scent of her household's soil, which indeed points to an exceptional keenness of sense. However, in contrast, the Shah—a symbol of the perfected mystic—perceives not through limited senses, but with the 'eye of gnosis.' He encompasses all events, seeing the thieves' actions and hearing their whispers in the darkness of the night, as Mowlana alludes to the Quranic phrase, "And He is with you wherever you are." This means, 'This (true) King was with them, seeing our actions and hearing our secrets.'

Thus, this verse is not merely an account of a thievish skill; it is an example of how even extraordinary human senses, however precise within their domain, appear limited and imperfect when compared to the infinite expanse of divine knowledge and the all-encompassing presence of the Truth. This thief, through the 'scent' (bū) of the soil, arrives at the 'dwelling of a widow,' but the ʿarif, through the 'scent' of truth, arrives at the essence of existence. Mowlana intends to convey that behind every appearance lies a truth, the perception of which requires a specific faculty: for the thief, a sharp sense of smell; for the ʿarif, the eye of divine gnosis. This, in itself, reveals that the world is full of mysteries, from which each individual lifts the veil according to their aspiration and their means.

Key takeaways

• Every sense, even the outward ones, can be a gateway to perceiving hidden realities.
• Worldly and material skills, however astonishing, are limited compared to divine gnosis.
• The King's hidden presence, observing the thieves, symbolizes God's pervasive and unseen presence in all events.
• Mowlana distinguishes between material perception (the thief's sense of smell) and spiritual perception (the ʿarif's eye of gnosis).