M6:2634 — هر دو را دل از تلاقی متسع / هم‌دگر را قصه‌خوان و مستمع

Translation: Both their hearts expanded from the meeting / Each became the storyteller and listener for the other. Meaning: This verse speaks of the heart's expansion and solace found in intimate companionship and candid conversation between two friends, where they become each other's narrators and audience.

In this verse, Rumi touches upon a pivotal point regarding human and mystical relationships: the expansion and solace of the heart (انبساط خاطر) are the fruits of blessed encounters. I contrast these beneficial meetings with tedious companionships that, far from bringing relief, only cloud the soul. Rumi himself says, "The work of men is light and warmth; the work of the base is deceit and shamelessness," and these two companions in our tale are indeed among those who bring light.

However, the deeper insight lies in Rumi's emphasis on "storytelling with and without language" (رازگویی با زبان و بی‌زبان) which immediately follows this couplet. This expression is profoundly significant, demonstrating that communication and the transmission of meaning are not always reliant on words and grammatical rules. Rumi teaches us that a vast portion of understanding occurs through feeling, gaze, inner states, and, as it were, the "inflow of thoughts and memories"; hearts speak to one another without the mediation of language, revealing their secrets. I have likened this wordless communication to divine revelation, where God speaks to angels not in the human tongues we know. This "speaking" is a speaking without language, and for this very reason, revelation cannot be reduced to merely a "verbal discourse." Here, Rumi himself, as it were, opens a window to the divine mode of communication. This verse echoes Rumi's broader insight that "from one breast to another, by hidden ways, righteousness and resentments pass." Thus, this encounter is not merely a physical meeting, but a deep connection between souls, leading to expansion and the emptying of the heart from its anxieties and concerns, providing an opportunity for sincere inner catharsis.

Key takeaways

• The heart's expansion and solace are gifts of sincere companionship.
• Communication and understanding are not solely verbal; 'wordless storytelling' is a deeper path for sharing inner secrets.
• The mode of wordless communication between humans echoes the divine discourse with angels.
• True companions read and hear each other's heartfelt stories, even if not explicitly stated.
• Sincere discharge of anxieties and preoccupations through genuine companionship brings peace to the soul.