M6:2376 — آن جهود و مؤمن و ترسا مگر / همرهی کردند با هم در سفر

Translation: That Jew, and believer, and Christian, perhaps / journeyed together in a single travel. Meaning: This verse initiates a story about three travelers of different faiths journeying together, symbolizing the temporary commingling of diverse individuals in this transient world.

This verse serves as a gateway to a profound narrative that Mevlana adopted from Shams-e Tabrizi, expanding it into a rich tapestry of existential and epistemological insights. The story brings together three travelers of differing faiths – a Jew, a believer (Muslim), and a Christian – on a shared journey, symbolizing the temporary commingling of diverse individuals in this transient world.

I have previously noted that the word Muslimān is, from an etymological standpoint, peculiar; even linguists do not agree on its root, yet it has become common in our language and others. Tarsā (Christian) derives from tarsidan (to fear) and rahbat (awe), referring to Christian monks and nuns who sought refuge from society in mountains and caves. The Quran, while acknowledging their innovation of monasticism, praises its intention to seek divine pleasure, provided its due is observed: “And monasticism, they invented it—We did not prescribe it for them—only seeking God’s pleasure; but they did not observe it with due observance.” For this reason, Mevlana never uses harsh terms for Christians, rather admiring their humility and good character, and considering Jesus, in a sense, the “father of Islamic Sufism.” However, he sometimes employs sharper language for Jews, though at the end of this very tale, he offers a brilliant counsel of tolerance and non-condemnation.

In this verse, three distinct faiths converge on the path of life. Mevlana, from a purely Sharia perspective, might consider the Muslim as ‘guided’ and the others as gumrāh (astray). Yet, from the perspective of haqiqat (truth) and tariqat (spiritual path), he believes that the differences among religions—such as those between Jews, Christians, and Muslims—stem from varying “perspectives” or “vantage points” that their respective prophets held towards the Transcendent. These three travelers symbolize this world as a caravanserai or a prison where the pure and the impure, people from East and West, and individuals with diverse thoughts and aspirations are temporarily brought together. This world is a “realm of mixtures,” where “Divine Providence has willed that this world be such.” People in the marketplace “walk identically,” yet “some are in joy, and some in pain”; the difference is not in appearance, but in inner reality and motivation.

Mevlana likens this world to a caravanserai where travelers remain due to fear of snow and blizzard (the hardships of the world), indicating that these associations are temporary and circumstantial. But when “the path opened and the bonds were released,” each will “go to their own place”; this is the final separation where humans are guided to their true destination based on their inner truth. This destination is shaped not by mere “thought” (fikr), but by “motive” and “aspiration” (andisheh). As Mevlana states: “O brother, you are entirely aspiration / The rest is but bone and sinew.” I have repeatedly emphasized that andisheh here means motive and will (irāda), not just rational thought. It is the murīd (disciple) who sets out on the path by irāda (will, as murīd derives from it), not merely the tālib-i ilm (seeker of knowledge) who comes only to amass information. A person will fly towards that which they yearn for.

One of the most significant ethical and theological points Mevlana raises later in this narrative is the pluralism of salvation. He says: “Do not despise any unbeliever / For there is hope that he might die a Muslim.” This statement does not merely imply a pluralism of truth, but rather a pluralism of salvation; meaning, it is possible for someone with pure intention and noble aspirations, even following a different spiritual tradition, to ultimately achieve salvation and deliverance. The intention and the seeking of spiritual transcendence are paramount, and this is the most crucial ethical message of this story.

In another part of this account, Mevlana describes the Jew's dream of Moses and the divine manifestation on Mount Sinai with such detail and grandeur that one feels he is speaking of his own mystical experiences. He describes the mountain splitting into three, the sweetening of bitter sea water, and the emergence of medicinal springs, which are undoubtedly reflections of his own profound mystical encounters, similar to the story of Daquqi in Book Three of the Masnavi. He even calls the manifestation of divine light “auspicious and blessed revelation” (wahy-i homāyun-i mostatāb), considering this revelation not merely as words, but as a “subtle sign” and “speech without words” that can even shatter a mountain, as stated in the Quran: “And when his Lord revealed Himself to the mountain, He made it crumble to dust, and Moses fell down unconscious.” In this dream, the unity of the prophets is also understood: “I understood the unity of the prophets.” The prophets are one, yet distinct, exemplifying the verse: “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.”

This narrative illustrates how Mevlana, starting from a simple tale, delves into the deepest ontological and epistemological layers, offering, in poetic language, universal lessons about the nature of the world, the essence of humanity, and the diverse yet converging paths of spirituality.

Key takeaways

• The world is a caravanserai where people of diverse faiths and motivations are temporarily brought together.
• Outward appearances and actions do not reveal inner truth or ultimate destiny; differences lie in andisheh (motive and aspiration).
• Religious differences stem from varying prophetic perspectives on a single truth, not from a fragmented truth itself.
• Hope for salvation and deliverance exists for all, regardless of outward affiliation; pure intention is paramount.
• Divine manifestation can communicate wordlessly, like revelation, offering a profound and transformative experience.
• The unity of prophets and their singular path toward the Divine is perceived in the hidden layers of reality.