M6:1310 — چون نیابی این سعادت در ضمیر / پس ز ظاهر هر دم استدلال گیر

Translation: Since you find not this felicity within your inner being, Then continually seek proof from the outward realm. Meaning: If your inner self lacks the felicity to grasp truth directly, then constantly derive arguments and evidence from the external world to find your way to that truth.

This verse offers fundamental guidance for seekers on the path of truth, especially for those whose inner being (ضمیر) has not yet attained the felicity of direct perception of reality. Mawlana emphatically states: if this inner intuition and unmediated insight are not yet possible for you, do not despair. There is another way: "Then continually seek proof from the outward realm."

This is a profound epistemological principle that Mawlana emphasizes throughout the Mathnawi: that one can infer unseen, imperceptible truths from perceptible, outward phenomena. It is akin to how we do not see the wind itself, yet we understand that wind is blowing from the movement of leaves, and can even discern its direction. Or, we cannot directly observe someone's intoxication, but we infer it from their languid eyes (نرگس مخمور). This "inference from the outward to the inward" is a path open to all.

Mawlana first applies this rule to the knowledge of God's essence, stating: "Since you are distant from the Essence of God, you come to know His attributes from the Prophet and his miracles." We are far from the signless Essence of God, yet through the prophets and their miracles, we can discern His attributes. He then extends this principle to the divine saints (awliya). He says that even if you did not live in the time of the prophets, even now there are pure elders (پیران صفی) within whose hearts "a hundred ready Doomsdays exist." This means they are so filled with the Divine Presence that anyone who sits near them becomes intoxicated by the warmth of their being, and their charm draws people onto the path of truth. The presence of these awliya is a hidden miracle, like a hot furnace that warms every neighbor and captivates hearts.

Mawlana's statement here implies that God is neither hidden nor absent in this world; rather, as the Quran states, "Every day He is engaged in some affair" (كل يوم هو في شأن). God is always present, but we are often heedless of Him. The awliya are living, outward manifestations of that hidden truth. Mawlana emphasizes: "Whoever desires companionship with God, let him sit in the presence of the awliya." Companionship with a saint is companionship with God, for their hearts are God's dwelling, filled with His Presence. These are the "outward realms" (ظواهر) from which one can be led to "felicity within the inner being" (سعادت در ضمیر).

So, if you do not find the felicity of direct perception within yourself, utilize these outward phenomena, which are signs and traces of the truth. "For effects are apparent to the senses; these effects inform of the cause." The effects of any phenomenon are clear to our senses, and these very effects tell us about the hidden and invisible cause behind them. Just like a sleeping pill, which appears outwardly inert, but its effect (sleep) testifies to the presence of a hidden substance (a somniferous agent) within it. Therefore, although the true meaning of everything is hidden, its footprints and effects in the outward world are pathways to discovering that inner meaning. This verse is an invitation to a deep and inferential contemplation of the world; a contemplation that sees every phenomenon and every existence as a window to unseen spiritual reality.

Key takeaways

• If direct inner intuition is not available, one can reach unseen truths through outward phenomena and sensory experience.
• Divine saints (awliya) are living manifestations of God in this world, their presence a hidden miracle.
• Companionship with awliya is a path to companionship with God, for their hearts are God's dwelling.
• The world and its phenomena are all effects of a hidden cause; one can infer the cause from these effects.
• Mawlana emphasizes human heedlessness of God's constant presence, rather than God's absence.
• This verse is an invitation to deep, inferential contemplation of everything manifest in the world.