M6:1993 — گر دمی منکر شود دزدانه روح / در ادای شکرت ای فتح و فتوح

Translation: If the soul for a moment stealthily denies its thanks to You, O Victory of all victories, Meaning: This verse suggests that even if the soul were to momentarily and secretly falter in its gratitude towards the Beloved, the compelling force of love would never permit such an escape, swiftly drawing it back to the object of its devotion.

In this verse, Rumi speaks of a hypothetical impossibility to reveal the intensity and decisiveness of love. He posits: what would happen if the soul, even for a single moment, stealthily and secretly, sought to step outside the circle of the Beloved's gratitude and defy its love? This is a poetic conjecture, not a possible reality in the realm of true love. The soul, within this intellectual framework, can neither truly deny the Beloved's thanks nor escape love's relentless grip, for love itself is the guardian of the soul's fidelity.

Rumi clarifies this concept in subsequent verses, introducing the 'gendarme of love'—a vengeful and strict constable who, should the soul entertain such a notion, 'places a basin of fire upon its chest.' This decisive image demonstrates that love is not a gentle, passive emotion, but an absolute, unsparing, and formidable power that exerts complete dominion over the soul. This gendarme of love permits no deviation or aberration, returning the soul to the straight path of fidelity and gratitude with its very fire.

For Rumi, the Beloved's will is so dominant that even if the lover (soul) were hypothetically to sulk or turn away, it is the Beloved who yearns for its return. An 'invisible caller' (hātif) or a hidden voice whispers in the soul's ear, swiftly summoning it back to the moon (the Beloved) and rescuing it from the dust of doubt and escape. This indicates that for Rumi, the Beloved is not merely an indifferent object of affection, but an active, watchful, and yearning entity that demands the return of the errant lover (even in thought) at all costs, never abandoning it. Thus, this verse reveals the profound depth of love's sovereignty and the impossibility of a true and ultimate separation of the soul from the Eternal Beloved.

Key takeaways

• Love acts as its own vigilant guardian of the soul's fidelity.
• The very thought of escaping the Beloved, even fleetingly, is rendered impossible.
• The 'fire of love' immediately corrects any spiritual deviation.
• Even in a hypothetical moment of turning away, the Beloved actively calls the lover back.
• This verse illustrates love's absolute and unquestionable dominion over the human spirit.