M6:2055 — اشکش از دیده بجست و گفت او / با همه آن شاه شیرین‌نام کو

Translation: Tears sprang from his eyes, and he said, / "Despite all this, where is that sweet-named king?"

Meaning: In this verse, the disciple, having endured countless insults and taunts from the Sheikh's wife, asks her with persistent devotion and tears in his eyes, "Where is that great-named master?" This scene vividly portrays the disciple's arduous trial on the spiritual path.

This verse emerges from one of the most profound chapters of the Masnavi, appearing in the story of 'The Disciple's Arrival at the Sheikh's Harem.' After a long journey to meet the Sheikh, the disciple encounters his wife. Instead of a warm reception, she is rude and vehemently disparages the Sheikh, calling him a deceiver (salūs) and a charlatan (zarraq), and severely belittling him. The crucial point, however, is the disciple's reaction. Despite facing such a barrage of insults and taunts, his devotion and eagerness remain undiminished. Tears well up in his eyes, and with an unwavering heart, he asks: 'Despite all these things you say about him, where is that sweet-named king, that great master?'

I firmly believe this story possesses deeper layers. Here, the wife symbolizes the nafs (the ego or carnal soul), and the Sheikh represents the ʿaql (intellect or true spiritual guide). The nafs perpetually strives to make anything that brings us closer to the source of intellect and spirituality appear base and contemptible in our eyes. She labels the Sheikh as a 'hollow deceiver and charlatan,' a 'trap for fools and a snare of misguidance,' and a 'boastful showman, a sycophant, a drum-beater.' These are precisely the qualities the nafs seeks to attribute to anyone who guides you towards truth. This is not merely a story, but a psychological and epistemic trial; a test for the disciple to see if his faith and devotion will waver or remain steadfast in the face of such unpleasant remarks. It is here, with his persistent question, that the disciple emerges triumphant from this trial.

From another perspective, Mowlana here is not only telling an allegorical tale but also utilizing this scene to critique the Sufis of his own era. While Mowlana, unlike Hafez, does not indiscriminately lambaste all masters, his criticisms of the prevailing Sufism of his time are undoubtedly more biting in certain instances. Right here, through the wife's words, we can hear Mowlana's allusions to 'boastful claimants,' 'sycophants,' and 'drum-beaters' — those who merely set up a show of mastership without any inner truth. This critique is sometimes sharper than Hafez's, as when Mowlana laments the corruption of 'sewing and sodomy' (khiyāṭah va luvāṭah) in khanaqahs or the 'gluttony' of some Sufis. Thus, this verse is a single arrow with two targets: it reveals the nature of the nafs that strives to cloud the truth, and it serves as a wake-up call to the false claimants of spiritual attainment.

Ultimately, this verse underscores the importance of distinguishing between appearance and inner reality. The disciple knows that no matter how much the Sheikh's wife, representing the nafs, tries to portray the Sheikh's outward form as ugly, his inner reality remains unchanged. 'Sweet-named king' is an attribute the disciple bestows upon the Sheikh, and this attribute within the disciple's heart triumphs over all insults. This is a fundamental lesson on the path of sulūk: what we hear or see from the outside should not shake our inner truth and faith.

Key takeaways

• This verse is a decisive test of the disciple's devotion and steadfastness in the face of the most severe humiliation and insults.
• The Sheikh's wife here symbolizes the nafs (ego) which attempts to debase the spiritual guide (or 'intellect') in the eyes of the seeker.
• Through this story, Mowlana launches a biting critique against the hypocritical Sufis and false claimants of Sufism in his era.
• The crucial lesson of this verse is the importance of distinguishing between deceptive or ugly appearances and pure, luminous inner reality.
• The disciple's tearful question signifies his profound longing and yearning for union, not a weakening of resolve.