M6:1163 — گفتش از بهر عتاب آن محترم / من برای دیدن تو نامدم

Translation: The honorable one told him in rebuke: "I did not come to see you." Meaning: When a dignitary mistakenly believed the Prophet had come specifically to visit him, the Prophet directly stated that his visit was not for that purpose, thereby teaching a lesson in humility.

This verse is one of those evocative and sagacious stories in the Mathnawi where Rumi, with consummate artistry, unveils the complexities of the self and the truth of the spiritual journey. Here, a city dignitary, upon hearing the joyful news of the Prophet's arrival, is so overcome with self-importance that he presumes these blessed footsteps are meant for his own visitation. He displays all the signs of delight and exuberance, rushing down from his high chamber, his face flushed with joy, and with words of welcome, invites the Prophet to his abode.

But the Prophet, who is a physician of souls and aware of inner maladies, immediately opens the door to rebuke. This rebuke is not out of anger or wrath, but out of wisdom and spiritual discipline. I assert, without any doubt, that the Prophet here not only "struck him in the mouth" (as Rumi himself puts it) but uprooted the very tumor of arrogance and self-admiration. He declared: "I did not come to see you." This sentence is cold water poured on the fire of pride that burned in the dignitary's heart. The true destination is always beyond superficial perceptions and vain assumptions.

The dignitary, awakened from his slumber of heedlessness, immediately comes to his senses and turns to humility. He asks: "Then this undertaking, this trouble of coming, is for whom?" And he adds that he is willing to sacrifice his soul for the dust of the feet of that lost one who holds a place in the Prophet's garden of grace. This change of state is precisely what the Prophet intended; a transition from self-centeredness to servitude and finding oneself in the shadow of another. It is here that the rebuke transforms into grace, and the veil is lifted from the face of the true destination.

Rumi continues that the Prophet is seeking one who is "the moon of the throne? Where is his humility, like moonlight spread as a carpet?" Meaning, one who, despite a lofty station, sees himself as dust out of extreme humility. He is "a king hidden in servitude" who "has come into the world as a spy." This term "spy" for the Friends of God is profoundly meaningful. Not in the sense of spying for God – for He is the All-Knower of the Unseen – but in the sense of being a "spy of hearts" (jāsūs al-qulūb); that is, one who is adept at scrutinizing inner states and is aware of the secrets of hearts. These are "special servants of the All-Knowing of the Unseen" who are "spies of hearts" in the world of the soul. The Prophet is seeking someone who is inward-seeing and privy to consciences, who has lost himself in the hiddenness of servitude, not one who sees his outer self reflected in the mirror of greatness.

Key takeaways

• The true destination of the journey towards God is never aimed at an individual or outward status, but at inner essence and humility.
• The rebuke of saints and prophets is not out of anger, but is physician-like and based on wisdom, aiming to uproot pride.
• Arrogance and self-admiration cast a veil between humanity and the intended truth, which must be removed through discipline and correction.
• The ultimate goal of prophets is to seek out and elevate 'kings hidden in servitude,' who are inward-seeing and 'spies of hearts.'
• A shift from false presumption to sincere humility is the key to unlocking divine secrets and grace.