M6:2277 — چشم‌بند ختم چون دانسته‌ای / هیچ دانی از چه دیده بسته‌ای

Translation: Since you've understood the veil of sealing (chashm-band-e khatm), Have you ever known what you've closed your eyes to? Meaning: Once you grasp the Quranic concept of God's sealing of hearts, have you ever paused to consider what truths you yourself have consciously or unconsciously chosen to ignore or be blind to? It is a potent call to self-reflection and introspection regarding one's own spiritual blind spots.

This profound and stirring verse is, without a doubt, one of Rumi's invitations to self-knowledge. He compels us to an introspection that hurls us from the superficiality of outward religion into the depths of our own being. Rumi, with keen insight, begins by referencing the Quranic concept of "ختم الله علی قلوبهم و علی ابصارهم غشاوه" (God has sealed their hearts and put a veil over their eyes). This concept speaks of those whose conscience has died, who willfully refuse to see or hear the truth—a "chashm-band" (eye-veil) that they themselves have drawn over their eyes, or which, according to the Quran, God has placed there as a consequence of their deeds and intentions.

Immediately after recalling this Quranic truth, Rumi turns the pointing finger back to us, asking: "Since you've understood the veil of sealing, have you ever known what you've closed your eyes to?" That is: now that you've read this in the Quran and understood that such a group exists, have you ever paused for a moment and looked within yourself to comprehend what your eyes have remained closed to? What truths have you turned away from? Why is this internal exploration, this curiosity into your own depths, insignificant to you?

This inquiry is not limited to merely asking about closed eyes. With the very next verse, which complements this meaning, Rumi adds further depth to this self-scrutiny: "What have you opened these eyes to instead? Know that each of them is the worst substitute (be's al-badal)." This implies: instead of opening your eyes to truths, what worthless things have you opened them to? What have you made a "substitute" for seeing what you ought to have seen? It is as if you have sold the jewels of your inner vision for a "loaf of bread," much like a child ignorant of a jewel's true worth. This "be's al-badal," or "worst substitute," refers to all the worthless attachments, delusions, and mirage-like preoccupations that prevent our eyes from perceiving the essence of being and the truth of our own existence. Rumi here summons us to a serious re-evaluation of our visual choices—choices that determine what we see and what we do not, what we value and what we abandon as worthless. This depth of self-knowledge is the most fundamental principle of religion (usūl al-usūl al-dīn) from Rumi's perspective; that a human being must first know themselves, ask who they are and what they have chosen to be blind to, in order to reach the ultimate destination of the soul's journey.

Key takeaways

• The Quranic concept of "sealing" (khatm) represents a voluntary spiritual blindness, stemming from a dead conscience.
• Understanding the sealing of hearts in the Quran should lead to self-knowledge and introspection into one's own blind spots.
• Rumi challenges us to ask: What truths have we closed our eyes to, and why?
• This verse serves as a warning against the peril of substituting valuable truths with worthless illusions (be's al-badal).
• Recognizing one's own spiritual blindness is a fundamental stage in the soul's journey towards reunion.