M6:1293 — که ز نبض آگه شوی بر حال دل / که رگ دستست با دل متصل

Translation: That from the pulse you may become aware of the heart's (soul's) state, For the hand's vein is connected to the heart (soul).

Meaning: Mowlana observes that the pulse reveals the state of the inner being, using this physical connection as a metaphor for the broader principle of discerning hidden realities through their manifest signs.

Mowlana introduces this verse within the narrative of an ailing person, from whom the physician has lost all hope. Ostensibly, it speaks of ancient medical practice: how doctors would take a patient's pulse to ascertain the state of their 'heart' (del). However, 'del' here does not refer to the physical organ as we understand it today, but rather to the 'soul' (jān) or the 'entire organism.' Galenic physiology, at the time, lacked an understanding of blood circulation and the heart's precise function, yet physicians could still deduce a patient's physical condition from pulse variations.

Yet, Mowlana, the master of traversing from the apparent to the hidden, immediately elevates this medical observation into a profound existential and epistemological principle. He states, "Since the heart is hidden, if you seek an example of it, seek it from that which is connected to the heart" (M6:1295). This means that if the hidden truth (be it the heart of the cosmos or the human soul) is unseen and intangible, one must seek signs and manifestations that are connected to that concealed reality. This is the path to knowing the unseen through the seen.

Mowlana provides illustrations: you cannot see the wind itself, but the movement of tree leaves (M6:1296-1297) informs you of its presence and direction. Or, you do not directly perceive intoxication in a person, but you infer this hidden state from their "narcissus-like eyes" (M6:1298) and their languid gaze. This is the method of apprehending the invisible from the visible.

This same principle applies to knowing the essence of God. We are "remote" from God's essence and cannot perceive Him with our eyes, but it is through His "messengers and miracles" that we recognize His attributes (M6:1299). This rule extends even to the divine saints (awliyā). These "pure elders" (pīrān-i ṣafī), whose hearts have been purified by divine love, possess "hidden miracles and wonders" (M6:1300). Why hidden? Not by deliberate concealment or display, but because within them, "a hundred resurrections are manifest" (M6:1301). They have personally experienced a spiritual death and rebirth, refined and resurrected.

The effect of this inner resurrection? "The least of it is that a neighbor becomes intoxicated" (M6:1301). That is, companionship with these men of God imparts a sense of peace, warmth, and spiritual intoxication to others; much like a hot furnace radiates heat to whatever is near it. This is why Mowlana states, "Whoever wishes to be God's companion, let him sit in the presence of the saints" (M3:828). They are "God's companions" (jalīs-Allāh), not metaphorically but truly, for they are filled with God. Their very being has become a channel and manifestation of the Divine Truth.

The effect of miracles is similarly nuanced. The miracles of the prophets, performed on inanimate objects (like Moses' staff or the splitting of the moon by the Prophet), were "borrowed" (ʿāriyah) and not permanent (M6:1304). But if a miracle touches your soul (M6:1303), it will "connect you to the hidden relationship"; that is, it will link you to your hidden existential bond with the inner reality of existence. Here, Mowlana employs the phrase, "How wonderful, bread without the 'hylē' of dough" (M6:1306). 'Hylē,' a Greek term, in Aristotelian philosophy, refers to 'matter,' 'potency,' or 'potentiality.' Dough is the hylē of bread; it has the potential to become bread. But the saints sometimes provide bread without this 'hylē,' meaning without prior matter or potential. This alludes to God's direct and unearned bounty; a giving that is not contingent upon pre-existing human merit or potential.

Nevertheless, Mowlana emphasizes a crucial point: miracles and revelations, like the Quran, do not affect everyone uniformly. The Quran "leads many astray and guides many" (Quran 2:26). A miracle "incapacitates" (ʿajz-bakhsh) the unworthy and renders them helpless, but it "empowers" (qudrat-bakhsh) the souls of companions and kindred spirits (M6:1308). Therefore, if one cannot find "this felicity" within their inner being, they have no choice but to "constantly infer from the manifest" (M6:1309). That is, by carefully observing outward effects, one can find a path to the hidden cause, for "the effects are visible to the senses; these effects inform about the cause" (M6:1310).

Key takeaways

• The manifest serves as a guide to the hidden: tangible signs can lead to the apprehension of concealed truths.
• Mowlana uses the observation of the pulse as a symbol for understanding the 'soul' (the entire organism), not merely the physical heart.
• Divine saints (awliyā) are themselves embodiments of spiritual resurrection and warmth; companionship with them draws one closer to God.
• Miracles and revelations possess a dual nature: they can both guide and mislead, depending on the recipient's inner disposition.
• Divine generosity is sometimes 'without hylē' (potential); meaning it is given freely, without requiring prior human merit or preparedness.