M6:579 — که بیا من باش یا هم‌خوی من / تا ببینی در تجلی روی من

Translation: Come, be me, or be of my disposition, So that you may see my face in manifestation. Meaning: This verse is an invitation from the Beloved (God) to humanity: by adopting divine attributes and drawing closer to Him, one can witness His beauty manifest in the world and within one's own being.

I interpret this verse as an unreserved invitation from the eternal Beloved, a call to unity or to partake in the divine disposition. When it says, "Come, be me, or be of my disposition," it is an invitation for humanity to attain spiritual annihilation (fanā) in the divine essence, or to acquire divine attributes (takhalluq bi-akhlāq Allāh). This is not merely a lover’s plea, but a command; a command from the "bloodthirsty lion" (shīr-i nar-i khūn-khwāra), a concept I have discussed earlier in the Masnavi. This imagery, borrowed by Rumi from the experiences of certain mystics, evokes the absolute divine power that, in Ash'arite thought, takes precedence over justice and grace. In the face of such a majestic and powerful Beloved, "what recourse is there but surrender and acceptance"? There is no choice but absolute submission, for whatever He does is "sweet" (shīrīn), and no one has the right to find fault with it.

What is particularly profound here is Rumi’s immediate addendum. It is as if he wants to say: do not imagine that seeing "my face" is reserved only for chosen saints or high-ranking mystics. No, all of you have already seen my face, even if unconsciously. "If you had not seen, how would you have become so ardent? You were dust, you became a seeker of life." What does this mean? It means that this quest for revitalization, this ardent longing for life and evolution, is itself the observation of divine manifestation. This intensifying existential journey (eshtedād-e wujūdī), of which Mulla Sadra later spoke, has its roots in Rumi's thought that God is not only the origin of all origins (mabdaʾ al-mabādī) but also the ultimate goal (ghāyat al-ghāyāt). All beings, from inanimate dust to humans, are unconsciously moving towards Him; an innate pull that is called love.

Just like a cat that frequents a hole because it found sustenance there, or prisoners who constantly look at the prison door because they found the way to freedom there, humanity too is unconsciously drawn towards the source of its sustenance and revitalization. This inclination towards God, this raising of hands to the heavens, these intimate whispers, are all signs that we "came from His presence," that "we were once together," and now, in the alienation of this world, we have not forgotten our true home. This call to "be me" or to "share my disposition" is not about acquiring something new, but about becoming conscious of an eternal bond rooted in the depths of our nature. This is that "sweet madness of love" (ʿishq-e khush-sawdā) that is weary of culture and wisdom, a sweet yearning that cures all our ailments.

Key takeaways

• Invitation to Divine Union: The verse is a call to annihilate one's self in the Divine essence or to embody divine attributes.
• God's Absolute Power: The Beloved here symbolizes God's boundless power, demanding absolute submission rather than just justice.
• Innate Observation of Manifestation: All humans unconsciously experience divine manifestation through their yearning for life and existential ardor.
• Teleological Pull to the Origin: All beings in the cosmos have an inherent, evolutionary pull towards God, who is both the origin and ultimate goal of existence.
• Innate God-Seeking: The inclination towards God and intimate prayer is a sign of an eternal bond rooted deep within human nature.