M6:3313 — کو همان‌جا که صفات رحمتست / قدرتست و نزهتست و فطنتست

Translation: Where is that place where attributes of mercy, Power, purity, and sagacity reside? Meaning: In response to the restless query of "where?", Rumi directs the seeker to the ultimate source of all noble attributes – mercy, power, purity, and wisdom – in the divine realm. This "where" is not a question of physical location, but a quest for the origin and essence of all perfection.

This verse offers a profound, mystical response to the perennial human question of "where?" (کو), a query voiced by every seeker—and indeed, every human being—in moments of loss, bewilderment, or fervent yearning. Rumi, in a manner I find unparalleled, not only acknowledges this question but meticulously steers it towards its ultimate, divine origin. I maintain that Rumi, in these lines, provides a mystical interpretation of the dove's mournful "koo koo," and by extension, the "where, oh where" of every lost soul. This is neither a complaint nor a futile lament; rather, it alludes to a beloved one who was once present and is now sought after, prompting the cry of "koo." This dove seeks its "nest" (kāshāneh), and that nest is precisely what Rumi describes: "that place where attributes of mercy, power, purity, and sagacity reside." If, in existence, in people, in events, we perceive a glimmer of mercy, an echo of power, a sign of purity, or a spark of sagacity, its root and source are there. No perfection in this world is self-subsistent; all draws from that absolute spring of grace. This "koo" in Rumi's view, let me be clear, never signifies tanhāyī (loneliness), but rather judāyī (separation). The distinction between these two concepts, as I have emphasized repeatedly, is crucial to understanding the entire Mathnawi. Tanhāyī implies that no one was ever there from the beginning, no presence ever existed. Judāyī, however, means someone was present and is now absent, but their presence has not vanished; rather, we have fallen distant from them. "Where?" here means "Where is the Beloved?" not "Does a Beloved exist?" This is a complete and utter negation of existentialist thought, which perceives the world as meaningless and humanity as solitary. In Rumi's worldview, we are never alone; we have simply drifted away from our "origin" and seek "reunion." This separation, itself, is part of the journey, not a catastrophe to be bemoaned. This "that place" which Rumi refers to is not a geographical location. In the realm of divine formlessness (bī-ṣūratī), to speak of space and time is an error. As I have often stated, the transcendent realm is without quality or mode (bī-chūn u bī-chigūnagi). When we speak of the soul, we refer to a formless thought from which all forms have emerged. Thus, the attributes of mercy, power, purity, and sagacity also exist formlessly and spacelessly therein. This "koo" in reality points to the realm of absolute Being, which is ever-present, but from which we have grown heedless. The ultimate goal of this quest is self-knowledge: "He who knows himself has known his Lord" (Man ʿarafa nafsahu faqad ʿarafa rabbahu). When you delve deeply into your own inner self, you discover the place where these divine attributes reflect themselves. Ultimately, this verse is an invitation to transcend appearances and reach for truths. Every cry of "where?" (koo), if rightly interpreted, must lead to that "one place" which is the beginning and end of all goodness and perfection. This is not merely a question, but itself an affirmation of the unity of the source of all beauty and goodness in the universe.

Key takeaways

• The question "where?" (koo) stems from longing and loss, which Rumi redirects to the divine source.
• The "koo koo" cry of the dove signifies a search for the original "nest," which is the realm of divine formlessness.
• Attributes of perfection—mercy, power, purity, sagacity—all originate from a single, unified source.
• The quest of "where is it?" arises not from "loneliness" (tanhāyī) but from "separation" (judāyī), pointing to a Beloved who is present but unseen by us.
• "That place" (hamān-jā) is not a physical location, but the unqualified and unconditioned realm of Absolute Being.
• The ultimate aim of this inquiry is self-knowledge, as the knowledge of God begins with the knowledge of the self.