M6:3113 — هر زمانی نور روح‌انگیز جان / از فراز عرش بر تبریزیان

Translation: At every moment, the soul-enlivening Light of the Spirit From the heights of the Throne, upon the people of Tabriz [shines].

Meaning: This verse states that at all times, the vibrant and life-giving divine light descends from the highest heavens upon receptive souls, particularly those connected to Shams of Tabriz and his spiritual path.

This verse, from the treasures of the Masnavi, addresses one of the deepest mystical truths: the perpetual and ceaseless manifestation of divine light. I assert with conviction that Mawlana here speaks of that soul-augmenting light which shines directly from the ‘Throne’ (عرش), meaning from the highest and most inaccessible divine realm, upon prepared souls.

The phrase ‘at every moment’ (هر زمانی) indicates the continuous and unending nature of this grace; this manifestation is not momentary but constant and eternal. This light is ‘soul-enlivening’ (روح‌انگیز), meaning it revives souls, frees them from lassitude and weakness, and imbues them with fresh passion and awareness. This is what I have referred to as Mawlana’s ‘light-souledness’ (سبک‌روحی) in my lectures; the Masnavi is a book of joy, not grief. This divine light makes the soul take flight and uplifts it from earthly sorrow.

But the crucial point here is ‘the people of Tabriz’ (تبریزیان). Undoubtedly, this refers to Shams of Tabriz and his intimate circle and followers. Shams, for Mawlana, was a perfect mirror for the manifestation of this light. Mystics believe that the world is a mirror of divine beauty, and among these, the Perfect Human (انسان کامل) is like a sun that directly reflects the light of Truth. As I have often emphasized, Shaykh Mahmud Shabestari, who himself hailed from Tabriz and brilliantly synthesized the thoughts of Mawlana and Ibn al-Arabi, expressed this concept of mirroring with particular elegance. He was himself one of the ‘people of Tabriz’ and a witness to this light. In essence, ‘the people of Tabriz’ here can symbolize all those whose hearts have been purified (تهذیب) to receive this light, reaching a state of clarity (صفا) and readiness.

I have previously noted that when someone strives and undertakes spiritual discipline, and their soul achieves purification, ‘the dwellers of the heights and the Throne (عرش‌نشینان) come for them, take their hand, and pull them up.’ This is precisely what is articulated here as ‘the soul-enlivening light of the Spirit from the heights of the Throne.’ This light is the ‘grace of the Holy Spirit’ (فیض روح‌القدس) that descends upon saints and gnostics, and as Hafez suggests, others can also perceive it. This is a divine tradition that has always been and continues to be. Just as Mawlana says in the story of Moses and the radiance of his face, the divine light is so penetrating and piercing that it requires a veil (پرده) of its own kind. The ‘people of Tabriz’ here are those whose very being has achieved congruence with this light, and who have acquired the capacity to receive it, as if they themselves are the ‘wick’ (سوخته) that draws the divine fire into their being and transmits it to others.

Key takeaways

• Divine grace and light, originating from the highest spiritual realm (the Throne), continuously and ceaselessly shine upon receptive souls.
• This divine light is 'soul-enlivening,' fostering spiritual vitality, inner flight, and joy; it underscores the light-heartedness and joy-bringing nature of the mystical path.
• 'The people of Tabriz' here refers to Shams of Tabriz and his spiritual circle—those who become perfect mirrors for the manifestation of divine light.
• The Perfect Human (like Shams) serves as a conduit and a complete mirror in transmitting this divine light to others.
• The purification and preparation of the self are essential conditions for receiving and reflecting this eternal light and grace.