M6:2383 — چون قفس را بشکند شاه خرد / جمع مرغان هر یکی سویی پرد

Translation: When the king-intellect shatters the cage, the flock of birds will each fly in a direction. Meaning: This verse suggests that upon liberation from the physical world and the body, each soul, driven by its intrinsic nature and longing, will soar towards its ultimate and destined abode.

This verse is one of those through which Mawlana distills his profound vision of existence and human destiny. In my view, Mawlana perceives the current state of this world as a "cage" and a "prison." We, these humans, these "birds," are temporarily confined within this worldly cage. This cage is a caravanserai that has forcibly and temporarily brought together people from "the East and the West and beyond," the "pious and the impious," the "crow and the owl and the hawk." It is as if divine decree has willed this world to be a realm of mixtures, a prison where everyone is present, "the pure and the impure, the harmful and the harmless."

However, this state is not eternal. A time will come when the "king-intellect" shatters this cage. The "king-intellect" here is a liberating force that removes these shackles from souls. This could be death, which separates the physical body from the spirit, or perhaps an awakening of gnosis that frees the individual from worldly attachments. What is crucial is that this liberating power stems from intellect (khirad)—an intellect that is the source of true awareness and understanding, pointing the way back to the origin.

After the cage is broken, "the flock of birds will each fly in a direction." This signifies the final and true differentiation of souls. Mawlana clarifies: "Later, when the cages are opened, each of the birds will fly towards the destination it yearns for." This flight is not random. The orientation of each soul is towards that which it has yearned for within itself, pondered, and for which it has shed tears and sighs. These tears and sighs are not of complaint but of yearning for reunion. "In short, it is us and our longing. What do we long for? That will determine our final path." This refers to the inner motivations that determine each person's ultimate course, and it is what Mawlana's disciples sought to strengthen in the khaneqahs, not merely the acquisition of knowledge.

This insight of Mawlana perfectly aligns with my perspective on the "pluralism of salvation." When Mawlana states, "Never disdain a non-believer / For hope remains that he may die a Muslim," he affirms this very outlook. It does not matter what apparent creed or religion we adhere to, whether we are Jew, Christian, or Muslim; what ultimately shapes our destiny is sincere intention, lofty ideals, and the soul's genuine longing for transcendence and liberation. Any soul that has cultivated this longing will attain salvation and its rightful destination. This world is merely a temporary abode where souls are distinguished from one another, so that in the moment of liberation, each may return to its true source and origin, just as elements, upon the body's decay, return to their fundamental matrix. It is this inner distinction and hidden longing that ultimately determines the path of flight for each "bird."

Key takeaways

• The world is a cage that temporarily gathers diverse souls together.
• The "king-intellect" is the liberating force that shatters this cage, whether through death or gnostic awakening.
• Upon liberation, each soul, guided by its inner longing and true intention, flies towards its destined abode.
• Internal yearning (shauq, tears, and sighs) determines the soul's ultimate path, not mere outward affiliations.
• Ultimate destiny and salvation are based on a pluralism of salvation; sincere intention, beyond outward religious forms, is the key to redemption.