M6:3738 — صورت دیوار و سقف هر مکان / سایهٔ اندیشهٔ معمار دان

Translation: Consider the form of the wall and ceiling of any place / The shadow of the architect's thought. Meaning: The verse states that every physical form we perceive originates from a formless meaning or hidden thought, just as a building is the materialization of its architect's idea.

This verse presents a lucid image of one of Rumi’s most fundamental ideas: the relationship between sūrat (form) and bī-sūrat (the formless). I have always stressed that Rumi's universe is one where every external shape and physical form has its roots in an inner meaning and a formless reality. The architect's example is the best way to explain this point. When you look at a building, at its walls, ceiling, and all its components, what do you see? You see stone, wood, and brick. But from where does this perceptible form arise? Undeniably, before even a single brick was laid, the architect had a blueprint in mind, conceived an idea, and drew a design. At that stage, there was no stone, no wood, and no brick; there was only a formless thought. Thus, this building—these walls and ceilings—are nothing but the external embodiment and a shadow of that formless thought of the architect. In my interpretation, form is the servant of the formless. Forms both emerge from the formless and ultimately return to it. It is as if we are saying: "Form emerged from the formless / And returned, saying: ʾInnā lillāhi wa ʾinnā ʾilayhi rājiʿūn (To God we belong and to Him we shall return)." These forms are the creation of the formless and its servants, a prelude to reaching the formless. Now, Rumi extends this analogy to the entire cosmos. If we consider this universe a grand edifice, who is its architect? The absolute doer of this existence is undoubtedly "formless." And this entire world, with all the forms and shapes we perceive, is a shadow of the thought and an external manifestation of the Universal Intellect (ʿAql-i Kull). This world is "a thought from the Universal Intellect." These forms are tools in the hands of that formless agent, like "instruments" at His disposal. Rumi reminds us that occasionally, that formless one reveals itself from the curtain of non-existence, "out of grace." If this world of forms possesses perfection, beauty, or power, it all stems from the formless that has manifested itself in these molds. We are obligated to see the formless within forms; it is as if God has placed a mask upon His formless countenance, and we perceive Him through these forms. We lack the power, and indeed the right, to remove this mask. Our duty is to seek meanings within these forms. Just as we refer to words to comprehend meaning, we must also refer to these words and forms of the world to grasp the intent of the Giver of Being. This point serves as a warning to naturalists and materialists who only gaze upon the form and deny the formless reality behind it. They believe that everything is matter and governed by natural laws. However, this is merely one form among countless possibilities. Let us not forget that this world is only one of the shapes that existence can assume. Ultimately, we must not become intoxicated by these "cups of form" into which the formless has been poured, "lest you become an idol-carver and an idol-worshipper." That is, we should not worship a single form and consider it the only possible one, but rather, beyond the form, we should see and seek the formless.

Key takeaways

• All physical forms and shapes are but a shadow of a formless, inner thought.
• Matter and body are the external manifestation of a prior idea or meaning, just as a building arises from an architect's blueprint.
• This analogy applies at a cosmic level: all existence is a manifestation and shadow of God's formless thought.
• God is the absolute and formless doer of this world, and forms are merely tools in His hand.
• To see only the 'form' and deny the 'formless' is a type of idolatry that Rumi warns against.