M1:4013 — صبر آرد آرزو را نه شتاب / صبر کن والله اعلم بالصواب

Translation: Patience brings about desires, not haste; / So be patient, and God knows best what is right. Meaning: This verse underscores that desires are fulfilled through patience, not through hurried action. Ultimately, true knowledge of what is correct and beneficial rests with God, demanding an attitude of trusting surrender.

This concluding verse of the First Book of the Masnavi reveals a profound and pivotal insight into the nature of Rumi's artistic creation and his relationship with divine inspiration. Rumi never considered himself a 'poet' in the conventional sense; he was, rather, like the ney (reed flute), a mere conduit for the divine breath. When this breath flowed, he spoke, and the Masnavi was composed; when it ceased, he, too, fell silent.

Indeed, there was a two-year hiatus between the First and Second Books of the Masnavi. During this period, Rumi's companions urged him to continue composing, but he refused. This very verse finds its meaning precisely in that context. He tells them, "Words come out turbid; the water has turned murky, so seal off the well." For Rumi, speech was like the water of a spring: if it was not clear and flowing, it had to be contained. The spring of divine effulgence had, for him, become turbid, and he was in no way willing to 'haste' the production of verses. In Rumi's thought, the creation of art, especially art of the Masnavi's calibre, which he himself called 'the Quran in Persian,' is not a purely volitional act or merely the product of personal effort; rather, it is a fruit borne of 'patience' awaiting divine grace.

He believed that "Until God makes it clear and pleasant again, He who made it turbid will also clear it." This implies that the same source that initiates the flow of grace, if it should halt or obscure it, will also restore its purity and clarity. Therefore, the duty of the seeker, and in this instance, Rumi as the seeker and medium of inspiration, is simply 'patience.' The phrase "God knows best what is right" here is not merely an acknowledgment of divine knowledge, but an unqualified acceptance of the divine rhythm and timing in the current of grace and inspiration. This is a profoundly intuitive view of creation, elevating it beyond a mere human construct and positioning it within the realm of reception and revelation.

Key takeaways

• Patience, not haste, is the true pathway to fulfilling desires and spiritual aspirations.
• Divine inspiration and effulgence operate according to their own rhythm, not merely human effort.
• Rumi viewed himself as a mere conduit for the divine flow, patiently awaiting the wellspring of inspiration to clear.
• Acknowledging God's ultimate knowledge and surrendering to divine timing is crucial during spiritual droughts.