M6:4263 — نعره و فریاد زان درویش خاست / که مزن تا من بگویم حال راست

Translation: That darvish cried out and wailed: 'Do not strike, so that I may tell my true state.' Meaning: This verse describes a darvish who is being beaten and cries out, asking his assailant to stop and allow him to explain his true situation.

This verse, stemming from the story of the Baghdadi darvish who traveled in search of a treasure and was caught by the night watchman (ʿasās) in the dead of night, marks a pivotal moment in the narrative. The ʿasās, acting on the caliph's decree to apprehend anyone found on the streets at night without question, beats the darvish on suspicion of theft. The darvish's cry is not one of guilt, but a plea for an opportunity to declare his “true state” (ḥāl-e rāst).

I have consistently emphasized that in encountering phenomena, especially in the pursuit of truth, one must refrain from hasty and superficial judgments. The ʿasās, driven by anger (ṣafrā) over the prevalence of thieves and by a general governmental mandate (which prioritized the ‘common good’ or ‘public suffering’ (ranj-e ʿāmm) over individual suffering (ranj-e khāṣṣ), as Imam Ali advised Malik Ashtar), assaults the darvish. Yet, the darvish cries out, “Do not strike!”, precisely to gain a chance to express that “true state” which is deeper and more authentic than any outward appearance.

Mowlana beautifully illustrates the distinction between “appearance” and “essence,” and between “general law” and “individual truth” here. The ʿasās, in those “dreadful and inauspicious nights” when both “seasoned and raw thieves” abounded, represents the law that judges based on generalities. However, the darvish seeks to separate himself from this generality and explain his “self.” This echoes Mowlana’s words elsewhere: “Everyone became my friend based on their conjecture / And did not seek my secrets from within me.” The darvish asks the ʿasās to set aside his conjecture and allow him to reveal his secrets.

As tradition states: “Falsehood is doubt, and truth is reassurance” (Al-kidhbu rībatun wa al-ṣidqu ṭumʾanīnah). Lies breed suspicion and ill-will, but truth brings peace and reassurance. This principle is precisely at play here. After many oaths, the darvish recounts his story with sincerity, and Mowlana emphasizes that “the scent of truth came from his oath / his inner burning became evident, and his pureness.” This “scent of truth,” this “inner burning,” is so impactful that “the heart of that one [the ʿasās] opened” and found peace, even leading to “the ʿasās’s eyes becoming moist with tears.” The tears of the ʿasās signify openness and acceptance; his eyes are freed from “dry words” and dampened by the darvish’s “scent of the heart.”

This is a crucial point: sincere speech, arising from the depths of the soul, can soften hearts and moisten eyes. Mowlana here distinguishes between “speech from hell” and “speech from the city of the soul.” The darvish’s speech, without doubt, originates from the “city of the soul.” In this story, he acts like an experienced “merchant” in the “yapanlū” (marketplace) of the world, capable of presenting his “profitable and esteemed merchandise” (his true words) against the “defective counterfeit goods” (the accusation of theft), guiding the ʿasās from “blindness” (ʿamā) to a “house of profit” (dār al-rabāḥ, meaning insight). Ultimately, this verse is an invitation to transcend appearances and listen to the inner truth of individuals, especially those caught in the confines of external judgments.

Key takeaways

• The importance of listening to one's "true state" (ḥāl-e rāst) beyond appearances and hasty judgments.
• Sincerity and truthfulness in speech, even in the direst circumstances, possess the power to open hearts and alter perspectives.
• Words originating from the depth of the soul and pure intention (the "scent of truth") can soften the hardest hearts and bring tears to eyes.
• Mowlana teaches us to always distinguish between general rules and individual truth, avoiding blanket judgments.