M6:3233 — وا رهیدی از حوالهٔ جا به جا / اندرین کاشان پر خوف و رجا

Translation: You are freed from being referred from place to place, In this Kashan (world) full of fear and hope. Meaning: This verse speaks of humanity's liberation from aimless wandering and fruitless searching in the turbulent material world, provided one attains a unified vision.

This verse, to my mind, marks the culmination of a profoundly meaningful allegory by Rumi—an allegory that encapsulates the spiritual destiny of many human beings in this 'Kashan full of fear and hope,' which is to say, this natural world itself. Rumi recounts the story of a man named 'Omar' who, in the city of 'Kashan' (a place of unity and shared sentiment in those days, particularly in their rejection of the name 'Omar'), sought bread. This man was 'ahwal' (double-sighted), meaning his vision was distorted by multiplicity. Each time he approached a shop and uttered his name, he was directed to another, failing to grasp that all shopkeepers in that city were 'one' in their stance against his name. This 'referred from place to place' wandering, this endless redirection from one shop to the next without result, mirrors the plight of those who, in this material world, seek meaning and peace. They move from one school of thought to another, from one doctor to another, from one pill to another, and from one solution to the next. Such constant referral is not only unhelpful but signifies a profound loss of direction and purpose.

Here, Rumi subtly employs 'Kashan' as a metaphor for this 'world of nature,' which is replete with 'fear and hope' (خوف و رجا)—full of anxiety, remorse, and a mixture of joy and sorrow. This world, in essence, is full of referrals that pull you from one place to another, yet never lead you to a secure shore. When an individual is 'ahwal,' their eye perceives only multiplicity, failing to discern the underlying unity. In this Kashan of existence, they remain perpetually bewildered, seeing many shops and hoping that the next one might finally offer what they seek. However, Rumi suggests that if an 'illumination of non-double-sightedness' were to shine upon this person's heart—if they were freed from dual vision and gained an eye that perceives unity—then this 'Omar' would transform into 'Ali.' This could imply either changing one's name (accepting the unified position) or, at a deeper level, understanding that in the eyes of Truth, there is no fundamental difference between these names; all distinctions dissolve into His absolute unity.

Thus, 'You are freed from being referred from place to place' signifies liberation from this relentless wandering, this endless vacillation and doubt. This is the moment life gains meaning; when 'you know where you are, with whom you are, and whose guest you are in which guesthouse.' This liberation from confusion and from intellectual and practical turmoil is the peace that frees one from the need to distract oneself to escape melancholy. A life that, like a strong current in a full river, is brimming with meaning and purpose leaves no room for 'debris and refuse' (melancholy and sorrow). Instead of seeking temporary remedies and sedatives, one, with a 'unity-seeing eye' and a 'loving soul,' perceives the 'sea' in the 'sea' and the 'desert' in the 'desert.' One recognizes the Beloved in both realms and in every guise, like a King manifesting in various forms. It is at this point that the 'reflection' in the river of creation becomes the very 'fruit' and 'reality,' and one, as if washing one's eyes with water, finds their basket filled with apples—freed from double-sightedness, perceiving reality as it truly is.

Key takeaways

• The 'Kashan full of fear and hope' is a metaphor for the natural world and humanity's bewilderment within it.
• Being 'referred from place to place' symbolizes the endless, fruitless search within multiplicities, losing spiritual purpose.
• Liberation from this wandering hinges on acquiring a 'unity-seeing eye' and shedding 'ahwal' (double-sightedness).
• Attaining unified insight imbues life with meaning, freeing one from melancholy and the need for temporary distractions.
• Spiritual realities, even when appearing as illusions or reflections, are themselves the Truth and yield real fruit.