M6:1361 — این ببین باری که هر کش عقل هست / روز و شب در جست و جوی نیستست

Translation: Behold this, that whoever possesses intellect, Day and night is in search of that which is not (nīst). Meaning: This verse highlights the paradoxical nature of human intellect: it relentlessly seeks out that which is not yet present, rather than resting content with what already exists.

Rumi, in this verse, articulates a profoundly deep observation that appears simple on the surface but is, in essence, a key to understanding the philosophy of being and non-being, as well as the mystical path. He states: "Behold this, that whoever possesses intellect, day and night is in search of that which is not (nīst)." This is an absolutely true statement; human intellect, this divine gift, is perpetually drawn to matters that do not yet exist in the materialized world. Humanity is never content with what is, and spends its life pursuing what is not.

I see Rumi illustrating this claim with tangible, clear examples. He posits that in beggary, we seek generosity that is not yet given; in shops, we pursue profit not yet earned; in fields, we yearn for a yield that has not yet sprouted; in orchards, we long for a palm tree not yet planted. Even in schools, we search for knowledge we do not possess, and in hermitages, we seek a peace and forbearance that is not yet within our hearts. These are all instances of 'non-beings' that occupy our intellect and soul.

The crucial point Rumi extracts from this deep observation is its connection to Sufi poverty (faqr) and non-being (adam). He wishes to build a bridge from this mundane pursuit of 'what is not' to 'non-being' in its mystical sense. If we are after unearned profit, unacquired knowledge, and unplanted trees, why would we turn away from seeking our own non-being, from the annihilation of the self (fanā)? He suggests that this human inclination towards 'non-beings' is itself a divine wisdom; it is as if existence itself draws us towards that which is not yet, and which must be brought into being by us. This is where Rumi says: "They have cast aside what is, and are slaves and seekers of what is not." Here, there is a superficial admonition, but its essence is the affirmation of a divine destiny.

To put it differently, the realm of non-being, in Rumi's view, is not an empty void, but rather the "mine and treasury of God's creation" (kan va makhzan-i sun'i Khudā). All beings that have not yet stepped into the arena of existence reside in this boundless treasury of non-being. Through our efforts to 'bring non-beings into being,' we are, in effect, reaching into this treasury and drawing them out from the hidden chamber of non-being. This perspective understands 'non-being' as potentiality, as being in anticipation of manifestation, not merely as an absence. Until what exists today passes away, tomorrow will not arrive. The treasury of divine creation is never depleted, and what we have attained today does not represent the entirety of reality. We, with the means we have acquired today, rush towards the future, indeed towards 'non-beings,' to bring them into being, whether those non-beings are knowledge, wealth, offspring, or, above all, the annihilation of the self and our own non-existence before the absolute Being of God.

Key takeaways

• Humanity's inherent inclination, even with intellect, is to seek what 'is not' (future possibilities).
• For Rumi, 'non-being' (nīst) signifies not mere absence, but potential and the divine treasury of creation.
• The worldly pursuit of 'non-beings' (like unearned profit or unacquired knowledge) is an allegory for the mystical journey and the quest for Sufi 'non-being' (adam).
• Self-annihilation (fanā) and the non-existence of the self represent the pinnacle of desired 'non-being' in mysticism, leading to union with the Absolute Being of God.
• Rumi views this human draw towards 'non-beings' as a divine wisdom, intended for their manifestation into existence.