M6:2304 — خلق چون یونس مسبح آمدند / کاندر آن ظلمات پر راحت شدند

Translation: The people became praisers, like Jonah, For in those darknesses they became full of comfort. Meaning: This verse asserts that just as Jonah praised God in the whale's belly, so too do humans, upon awakening from the night's darkness, offer praise, having found profound comfort and rest within those seemingly ominous hours.

I have often emphasized that Rumi does not perceive the world as flawed; he sees it as precisely architectured, divine, and perfect. If we discern any imperfection, the flaw lies in our own perception. In this vein, even darkness and hardship, in his view, are brimming with wisdom and mercy. This beyt (M6:2304) stands as one of the most brilliant examples of this perspective.

Rumi, earlier in the Masnavi, metaphorically describes the night as a "whale" that swallows our intellect and awareness, plunging us into unconsciousness and sleep – a temporary death of sorts. However, when morning arrives, this "whale of night" restores us, casting us back into the world of "scent and color," as if we are reborn. Here, he explicitly links this universal human experience to the story of Jonah.

Jonah, in the belly of the whale, amidst those three layers of darkness (the darkness of night, the sea, and the whale's belly), was not truly alone. In that very darkness, he was musabbih, a praiser and glorifier of God. Why? Because even within that profound obscurity, he experienced divine mercy and tranquility. This is a pervasive human experience; we, too, every night, sink into the darkness of sleep, the chain of causality in the world is severed for us, and our minds and senses are submerged in the depths of the night-whale. Yet, this very darkness is filled with rahat (comfort). This "comfort" is what rejuvenates us, relieves our fatigue, sharpens our eyes, freshens our ears, and lightens our bodies.

Therefore, when we awaken in the morning, we have, in effect, emerged from the "belly of the night-fish," just as Jonah was saved from the whale. And for the same reason that Jonah praised God in the heart of darkness, we too, unconsciously, are grateful for this hidden blessing within the darkness. This praise is not for escaping the darkness, but for the mercy and comfort that lay within the darkness itself.

This perspective of Rumi profoundly de-antagonizes the concept of "darkness." Darkness here is not a source of fear or loneliness, but a vessel for comfort and renewed life. It highlights the crucial distinction between jodayi (separation, where the Beloved's presence is still felt) and tanha'i (loneliness, an absolute solitude). In the darkness of night, even if we are separated from our waking selves, we are never truly alone, for divine grace encompasses us even in those moments of unconsciousness. One who grasps this truth no longer fears the darkness of life, knowing that within every hardship and every obscurity, there lies a "treasure of mercy" that God has prepared. This is the essence of reliance and assurance: that from the depths of darkness, comfort and light emerge.

Key takeaways

• The darkness of night and life's hardships are hidden treasures of divine mercy and comfort, not sources of fear.
• Human experience of sleep and waking mirrors the story of Jonah, who found mercy and comfort within darkness.
• Praising God, even in the heart of darkness and adversity, signifies an understanding of His hidden mercies.
• Rumi's perspective transforms 'darkness' from a threat into a gift, locating 'comfort' not after, but within, hardship.
• From a monotheistic view, no one is ever truly alone, even in the darkest moments; divine grace is perpetually present.