M6:1932 — شد ز جیب آن کف موسی ضو فشان / کان فزون آمد ز ماه آسمان

Translation: The hand of Moses shone forth from his bosom, Its light surpassing the moon of the sky.

Meaning: This verse refers to the miraculous radiance of Moses' hand, which emanated not from an external source but from within his own being, emitting a light more brilliant than the celestial moon.

This verse from the Mathnawi is articulated in the context of Rumi's discourse on attaining 'rare sciences' (ʿilm-hā-ye nādire) and wisdom that does not originate from conventional schooling or book-learning, but rather springs forth from the 'pocket' (jayb) of one's own being. Rumi posits that even if one reads 'a hundred treatises' (sad ṣuḥuf) without sincerity (ikhlāṣ), no point will truly settle within; yet, if one engages in 'service' (khidmat) without reading 'a single book' (yak katīb), 'rare sciences' will be found from one's bosom. This 'jayb' is a metaphor for the polished, purified inner essence or soul of a human being. To elucidate this phenomenon, Rumi brings forth the miraculous story of Moses' radiant hand (Yad-e Bayḍā).

Moses' hand shone forth from his bosom; a light that borrowed nothing from the sun, moon, or stars, but rather emanated from the inner purity of a prophet. This light 'surpassed the moon of the sky' (fuzūn āmad ze māh-e āsmān), signifying its superiority and brilliance over all natural, material lights, precisely because its origin was divine and supernatural. This resonates directly with the well-known Prophetic tradition: "Man akhlaṣa li-Llāh arbaʿīn ṣabāḥan, jarat yanābīʿu al-ḥikmah min qalbihi ʿalā lisānih." (Whoever dedicates forty mornings to God in sincerity, springs of wisdom will flow from his heart onto his tongue).

Rumi himself is the prime example of this state. The wisdom contained within the Mathnawi, these surging seas of knowledge, is not merely the product of conventional education and schooling, despite Rumi's own formidable scholarship. Rather, these insights blossomed from the 'pocket' of his sincerity and his purified heart, particularly after his encounter with Shams and his subsequent mystical journey. The Mathnawi is a manifestation of these 'rare sciences' that originate from ikhlāṣ and are superior to all external forms of light. Rumi, in essence, teaches that the path to authentic, luminous truths is not through the mere accumulation of information, but through the purification of the self, sincerity, and the opening of the inner eye. Moses' hand, therefore, symbolizes the emergence of such wisdom from a pure inner realm.

Key takeaways

• True wisdom and knowledge (rare sciences) arise from inner sincerity and purification, not solely from external learning or reading.
• The miracle of Moses' radiant hand symbolizes light originating from a pure inner self, surpassing all material and celestial illuminations.
• The Mathnawi is a product of Rumi's inner effulgence and sincerity, transcending his acquired scholarly knowledge.
• Sincerity and service pave the way for springs of wisdom to flow from the heart to the tongue, as conveyed in the Prophetic tradition.
• This verse emphasizes the importance of internal spiritual discovery and drawing truths from within, rather than relying solely on external sources.