M6:1148 — علم او از جان او جوشد مدام / پیش او نه مستعار آمد نه وام

Translation: His knowledge ever wells up from his soul; / For him it is neither borrowed nor a loan. Meaning: This verse describes the intrinsic nature of the gnostic's knowledge, which originates from within their very being, not acquired externally or taken as a temporary loan.

I believe this verse is a gem in explaining the essence of true knowledge. Here, Mawlana speaks of the "bird with a hair in its beak," a symbol for the true saint (walī) or gnostic (ʿārif) who has reached the core of reality. This bird possesses a knowledge that is not transient; it is of the nature of "that light, that celestial spirit" which is attained within a person and "remains forever."

His knowledge continuously wells up from his soul, much like a spring that emerges from the depths of the earth. This knowledge is not mustaʿār (borrowed), meaning it is not taken as a trust to be returned one day. Nor is it a vām (loan), implying it's not a debt to be repaid. This knowledge is original, intrinsic, and stems from the very existential source of the gnostic.

This is where the fundamental difference between the knowledge of the people of the heart and merely acquired, academic knowledge becomes evident. External knowledge, however accumulated, is sometimes like copying from others' books; it is a temporary loan that vanishes if you put down your pen. But Mawlana's gnostic knowledge flows like blood in the veins, intertwined with the soul, emanating from within its possessor's very being at every moment.

This perspective connects to the Masnavi's emphasis on "self-knowledge," as it asserts: «Man ʿarafa nafsahu faqad ʿarafa rabbahu» (Whoever knows oneself, knows one's Lord). Truth resides within the human being itself, and there is no need to borrow or rent it from external sources. Wuṣūl (arrival) and yaqīn (certainty), those rare commodities that the Masnavi promises, well up from this very inner spring. The gnostic, instead of shooting arrows far into the distance, casts their gaze upon the "nearby prey," to that truth which is "closer to me than I am to myself." This knowledge is the very breath of Mawlana's reed-playing, who himself becomes the «Tongue of God» and recounts «Divine revelation» without having «loaned» or «borrowed» it.

Key takeaways

• True knowledge wells up from within the human soul and is intrinsic.
• The knowledge of the saint and gnostic is not perishable; it originates from their celestial spirit.
• This knowledge is neither borrowed from an external source nor a loan to be repaid.
• A fundamental distinction exists between intrinsic, original knowledge and merely acquired, external knowledge.