M6:520 — هر یکی دیوار اگر باشد جدا / سقف چون باشد معلق در هوا

Translation: If each wall stands separate and alone, How can a ceiling hang suspended in the air? Meaning: This verse underscores the fundamental principle that no stable structure can exist or endure without the cooperation and interconnection of its constituent parts.

Here, Rumi, through a seemingly simple and tangible example, points to one of the deepest principles of existence and creation: the principle of 'cooperation' and 'interdependence.' I contend that this verse, far beyond a mere architectural lesson, addresses the very essence of being. If walls stand disjoined, a ceiling cannot remain stable. This is not merely a physical reality; it is a cosmic law.

I insist that this is the same principle manifest in the very creation of the Masnavi itself. The Masnavi, this boundless sea of spiritual knowledge, was the fruit of an unparalleled collaboration: between Rumi, from whose soul inspiration gushed forth, and Husam al-Din Chalabi, who diligently recorded and brought order to this outpouring. Undeniably, the Masnavi would not have come into being without this 'yāri' (aid/cooperation) and 'jamʿiyyat' (collective effort). As Rumi says elsewhere, 'This word is milk in the breast of the soul / But without a suckler, how can milk flow?'

Rumi then extends this principle, moving to other examples: the cooperation of 'hibr' (ink) and 'qalam' (pen) to write on paper; or the weaving together of the threads of a 'hasir' (mat) so that the wind does not scatter it. All these bear witness that in this world, no lasting work, no great achievement, comes to fruition without connection and cohesion. The notion that one can be a 'separate wall' and believe that the 'ceiling of one's existence' will remain stable is a false one.

He then elevates this principle to the theological realm, stating: 'God, from every kind, created pairs / And thus results emerged from collective affairs.' This means that in the very act of creation, God fashioned pairs, so that from this 'jamʿiyyat' and interconnection, outcomes and fruits might emerge. This is an active monotheism where multiplicity serves unity, and connection serves fertility. Thus, wherever we observe a result in the world, wherever a fruit appears, behind it lies 'jamʿiyyat,' 'cooperation,' and 'zaujjiyyat' (pairing). This is a foundational principle in Rumi's ontology, linking stability and creation to interdependence.

Key takeaways

• No lasting structure or achievement is possible without the cooperation and interconnection of its parts.
• Rumi sees the principle of 'cooperation' and 'collective effort' as universal, extending beyond the material world to spiritual creations.
• The Masnavi itself is a testament to the unique collaboration between Rumi and Husam al-Din, embodying this very principle.
• The divine principle of 'pairing' in creation underscores the fundamental necessity of cooperation for 'results' to emerge.