M6:648 — اشتباهی هست لفظی در بیان / لیک خود کو آسمان تا ریسمان

Translation: There is a verbal resemblance in expression, But where is the sky compared to the rope? Meaning: This verse warns that superficial verbal similarities can be deeply misleading, as the fundamental difference between two concepts might be as vast as that between the sky and a rope.

This verse emerges from a discussion about different kinds of masti (intoxication) and sharāb (wine), acting as a pivotal warning. Mevlana distinguishes between an intoxication derived from the sharāb-e ḥaqq (wine of Truth), which draws one towards the muṭrib-e jān (minstrel of the soul) and the eternal Cup-bearer, and an intoxication originating from the sharāb-e tan (wine of the body), associated with worldly pleasures and physical minstrels. Both experiences bear the same name, masti, and it is here that Mevlana interjects: Ishtibāh-ī hast lafẓī dar bayān – a verbal resemblance exists in expression. This ishtibāh-ī does not signify a mistake or error in the ordinary sense, but rather a shabāhat (resemblance) that can lead to error. When something becomes mushtabih (confused/mistaken) for us, it is because two things share similarities, causing us to confuse one for the other – much like the English word 'mistake,' which implies taking one thing amiss.

Mevlana illustrates this concept vividly with the tale of two viziers, both named Hassan. One was generous and noble, the other miserly and ignoble. The poet who sought reward from the second viz, mistaking him for the first, fell prey to a verbal resemblance and met only disappointment. This is the essence of Shettān in Ḥassan tā ān Ḥassan – how vastly different one Hassan is from the other. The distinctions are so profound that they span āsmān tā rīsmān – the distance between the sky and a rope. This is the phenomenon of ishtirāk-e lafz (homonymy or verbal ambiguity), which Mevlana declares dā'im rahzan ast (is always a highwayman); a bandit that, due to the superficial similarity of words, obstructs our path to truth. Consider, for example, the term 'secular,' which holds diverse meanings in our contemporary discourse; many fruitless disputes arise from such misunderstandings and the failure to differentiate the various connotations hidden behind a single word.

Mevlana extends this teaching to the human body and soul. He states that jism-hā chūn kūzeh-hā-ye basteh-sar (bodies are like sealed jars); meaning, human forms and appearances may resemble each other, but tā ke dar har kūzeh cheh būd ān nagar (look at what is contained within each jar). One jar might be filled with āb-e ḥayāt (the water of life), while another contains zahr-e mamāt (the poison of death). If the dīdeh-ye tan (the eye of the body), our outward-gazing vision, only observes the jar and its appearance, we will be misled. However, the dīdeh-ye jān (the eye of the soul), which perceives the contents and essence, discovers the truth. Therefore, the task of the spiritual seeker is to transcend the appearances of words and bodies and arrive at their meanings and souls, because meaning within the soul is like the soul itself, and the word on the outside is like the body. This fundamental distinction prevents us from the error of ishtibāh-e lafzī in understanding the world and people, paving the way for the attainment of genuine truths.

Key takeaways

• Verbal resemblances can be profoundly misleading, obscuring essential differences.
• True understanding necessitates transcending appearances and distinguishing concepts, even when identical words are used.
• The term ishtibāh-ī here signifies 'resemblance' that leads to error, not merely a linguistic mistake.
• The 'eye of the body' perceives only outward form and is easily deceived, whereas the 'eye of the soul' focuses on the inner essence and content.
• Homonymy (ishtirāk-e lafz) is a constant 'highwayman' on the path of understanding and gnosis, to be vigilantly avoided.
• Spiritual insight grants the ability to discern the 'sky from the rope' behind superficial similarities.