M1:309 — راهِ جان مر جسم را ویران کند / بعد از آن ویرانی آبادان کند

Translation: The path of the soul lays waste to the body; / After that devastation, it makes it prosperous. Meaning: For the soul to flourish and attain perfection, it first subjects the body to ascetic practices and curbs its desires. Yet, ultimately, this elevated soul itself becomes the cause of the body's ultimate well-being and prosperity.

This couplet is a continuation of Mowlana's discourse on the two types of senses: the 'worldly sense' (ḥiss-i dunyā)—our external senses, whose health stems from the 'prosperity of the body' (maʿmūrī-yi tan)—and the 'spiritual sense' (ḥiss-i dīnī), or spiritual taste, whose vitality and capability arise from the 'devastation of the body' (wīrānī-yi badan). I emphasize that this 'devastation' is not physical annihilation, but rather riyāẓat (ascetic discipline), a rigorous treatment of the self, and a refusal to indulge all bodily desires. It is the rejection of excessive comfort and luxury, of which Mowlana says:

One pampered by comfort finds no path to the Friend; Love is the way of the audacious, hardship-enduring ones.

Thus, this devastation is a precondition for the soul's prosperity. This path, however, is not unidirectional. Mowlana states that 'after that devastation, it makes it prosperous.' This means that once the soul, aided by these ascetic practices, becomes strong and vibrant, it takes control of the body's affairs and can even restore it to its former state of health and tranquility, but with a superior quality and from a more spiritual vantage point. This is precisely like someone who demolishes a house in hopes of finding a treasure, and upon finding it, rebuilds the very house grander and more splendid than before:

He destroyed the house for the treasure of gold; And with that very treasure, he made it more prosperous.

It is crucial not to confuse the mubtadiyān (initiates) on the path of spiritual journey with the muntahiyān (those who have reached the end). An initiate is someone at the beginning, who must subject the body to intense asceticism to discover the soul's treasure. A muntaḥī, however, has found the treasure and rebuilt their house anew. The famous story of Abu Sa'id Abu al-Khayr and his servant (narrated in Asrar al-Tawhid) perfectly illustrates this truth. Abu Sa'id's grandson recounts that a servant protested the Sheikh's comfort in old age, to which the Sheikh replied: 'Remember, at a certain point in this very desert, when I first began my asceticism, I used to hang myself upside down and recite the Quran until blood dripped from my eyes.' This means the Sheikh's current ease is the result of past severe austerities.

Mowlana offers other examples to elucidate this principle: like clearing a stream of mud and impurities so that pure water can flow; or cutting open the skin to extract an arrow, which ultimately leads to the growth of new, healthier skin; or destroying a castle held by infidels to reclaim it and then building a hundred stronger towers and ramparts. These destructions are all preludes to a greater, more profound, and lasting prosperity and rectification. It is important that these ascetic practices are 'measured and proportionate,' not excessive or immoderate. Mowlana considered himself a divine physician, and these instructions were, to him, prescriptions for the healing of souls.

Key takeaways

• The flourishing of the soul necessitates physical asceticism and restraint.
• The 'devastation' of the body implies renouncing excessive desires and immoderate comfort-seeking.
• This temporary devastation paves the way for a deeper prosperity and health of the soul, and ultimately the body.
• The mystic path encompasses two stages: the 'initiate' (struggle and austerity) and the 'accomplished' (ease and tranquility after union).
• Mowlana illustrates this principle of 'destruction for reconstruction' with various analogies, such as the house and treasure or the ruined castle.
• Ultimately, these austerities are not for the body's misery, but for its ultimate well-being and the strengthening of the 'spiritual sense'.