M6:3088 — کی گذارد گنج کین ویرانه‌ام / یاد آرد از رواق و خانه‌ام

Translation: When will the treasure of this ruin of mine (i.e., myself) permit That it may remember my arch and my home (its origin and source)? Meaning: This verse queries the moment when the hidden treasure within the human being will awaken to its true origin and primordial home, prompting a return to that spiritual source.

This profound verse by Mawlana considers the human body, despite its apparent ruin and transience, to be the dwelling place of a hidden treasure. Here, Mawlana speaks of a 'treasure' (ganj), which is undeniably the divine and spiritual essence entrusted to humanity. In this earthly realm, man, for Mawlana, is akin to a ruin that paradoxically holds the priceless jewel of unity within its core.

As I have frequently stated, the entire cosmos serves as a mirror reflecting Divine Beauty. Everything we perceive is His act and effect, yet at times, beyond mere reasoning, we directly behold the Face behind the mirror. Sa'di aptly notes: 'You are too grand to be displayed in a small mirror.' However, mystics, with Mawlana at their forefront, believe that the perfect human being can be a comprehensive mirror, reflecting God. This inner treasure of man, therefore, is but a part of that divine manifestation.

Muhyiddin Ibn al-Arabi, a contemporary of Mawlana, also extensively discussed the concept of mir'āt (mirror). Shaykh Mahmud Shabestari, a century later, masterfully synthesised this idea in his Gulshan-i Rāz, where he states:

Non-being is the absolute mirror of Being; From it is manifest the reflection of Truth's radiance.

And further:

Non-being is the mirror, the world is the reflection; And man is like the eye of the reflection, in it the Hidden Person.

This 'treasure' within us is precisely the 'hidden treasure' (ganj-i makhfi) referred to in the sacred tradition (Hadith Qudsi), where God declared His desire to be known, thus creating the universe. Hence, this 'ruin' of our existence is the locus of that 'reflection of Truth's radiance.' The 'arch and home' (rawāq-o khāna) unequivocally refer to our spiritual origin, the 'reed-bed' of the soul, and our existential source from which we have been cut off, yearning for return. This is the 'time of reunion' (waṣl-i khwīsh) of which Mawlana speaks elsewhere: 'Whoever remains far from their origin / Seeks again the time of reunion.'

The question 'When will it permit?' ('kī guzarad') indicates a deep longing and anticipation. This treasure, which fundamentally is the divine self within us, appears in a sense to be its own decision-maker. It is our destiny to be effaced in this inner treasure, allowing it to 'remember' its exalted station. This is not a deterministic action but rather the outcome of self-purification and refinement of the soul, which permits the 'treasure' to grasp its true identity and recall its 'home' and 'arch.' This remembrance is the discovery of the inner essence and the return to the origin, which is the ultimate goal of Mawlana's mysticism. Therefore, the verse is not a complaint, but rather a profound yearning for a mystical return: a return from multiplicity to unity, from form to formlessness, and from ruin to the eternal palace of meaning.

Key takeaways

• The essence of human existence (the ruin) contains a hidden, divine treasure (ganj).
• Both the world and man are mirrors reflecting Divine Beauty and Names.
• Mawlana, through this verse, inquires about the awakening of this inner treasure to return to its spiritual origin and home.
• Remembering 'my arch and my home' refers to the soul's primordial 'reed-bed' and original existential homeland.
• This verse expresses a deep mystical longing for a return to unity, rather than a complaint about the present state.
• The hidden treasure, in the journey of spiritual striving, must 'permit' man to achieve self-knowledge and recall his true origin.