M6:2427 — گفت در ره موسی‌ام آمد به پیش / گربه بیند دنبه اندر خواب خویش

Translation: He said, 'Moses appeared to me on my path— A cat dreams of fat (donbe) in its own sleep.'

Meaning: A Jewish traveler recounts a dream of encountering Moses, but the narrator (Rumi/Soroush) immediately interjects with a proverb, suggesting that dreams often reflect one's deepest desires or inherent nature.

This couplet initiates the narrative of the Jewish traveler's dream, a narrative that Rumi recounts with such fervent detail and passion that, in my view, it echoes his own mystical experiences, much like the story of Daquqi in the third book of the Masnavi. Indeed, Rumi becomes so engrossed in detailing this profound dream that he seems to momentarily forget the story's original context, instead speaking through the Jew's voice about his own states and experiences, experiences shared by many great mystics.

The second hemistich, 'A cat dreams of fat (donbe) in its own sleep,' is an ancient proverb and an interjection. At first glance, this saying might reduce the dream to something mundane, implying that everyone dreams what their innermost desires dictate. Yet, Rumi, with his remarkable genius, employs this proverb not to dismiss, but rather to lay the groundwork for a genuine and vibrant spiritual experience. With this line, he admonishes the listener to be cautious in interpreting dreams, but immediately afterwards, he proceeds to describe the dream as a truly real and profound encounter. This is Rumi's artistry: to use a seemingly simple gesture to amplify the depth of his subject matter.

I have previously noted that in the realm of dreams, a Christian might see Christ, and a Jew, Moses. These are 'formed' (ṣūrat-dār) experiences, not 'formless' (bī-ṣūrat) ones. That is, truth manifests itself in a guise shaped by an individual's beliefs and mental predispositions. However, this 'formedness' does not necessarily negate their truth. What truly matters is the external and objective impact of such experiences. Recall the story of Sheikh Hasan Nokhodaki Isfahani and the Christian lady whose husband was healed by a dream of Christ; or the account of my friend's mother, who, through a dream of Imam Musa al-Kadhim, was cured of tuberculosis. These are dreams that, despite their specific 'form,' transcend the realm of mere imagination and illusion due to their objective and observable consequences, thereby instilling certainty (yaqīn). It is precisely here that Rumi, while on one hand alluding to 'cats and fat,' on the other hand narrates the Jew's dream with such grandeur and majesty that it leaves no room for doubt about its reality. He transforms this simple proverb into a bridge to enter the depths of being and spiritual intuition. Rumi's narrative attests that mystical experiences, even if they appear within the framework of our expectations and mental backgrounds, can be real and effective, bringing liberation and insight.

Key takeaways

• Dreams frequently mirror our deepest desires or ingrained nature.
• Rumi's initial proverb serves as a cautious warning, not a dismissal of the dream's reality.
• 'Formed' mystical experiences can still be valid and deeply impactful.
• Dreams manifesting objective, external effects bring certainty and reinforce faith.
• Rumi, with remarkable insight, uses a simple proverb as a gateway to profound spiritual visions.