M2:2219 — او به هر شهری که رفتی از نخست / مر عزیزان را بکردی بازجست

This verse establishes the central theme of the story: the primacy of seeking the living saint over performing the physical ritual. Bayazid is on his way to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage, a journey to the physical heart of Islam. Rumi, however, immediately reframes the journey. Bayazid's true quest, his first action in any new place, is not geographical but spiritual: he searches for the ʿazīzān, the 'cherished ones' or Friends of God.

The following verses (M2:2220–26) expand on this principle, arguing that seeking a true 'Man of God' is the real treasure, while all other goals—like reaching Mecca, gaining profit, or even witnessing the heavens during the Prophet's ascension—are secondary consequences. The physical Kaaba is a destination, but the human heart that reflects God is the source. Bayazid's practice embodies this hierarchy of values, making the search for enlightened company the essential pilgrimage that precedes all others.