M6:2849 — دست‌بسته سوی دیوان آمدند / وز نهیب جان خود لرزان شدند

Translation: Hand-bound, they came toward the royal court, / And from the dread of their own lives, they trembled. Meaning: This verse vividly describes the captured thieves, brought hand-bound before the King's court, trembling intensely from fear for their lives and the inevitable consequences of their actions.

This verse marks the climax of the story of the thieves and the incognito King in the Masnavi; the moment when the veil of heedlessness is lifted, and a confrontation with reality takes place. Throughout the night, the thieves were engaged in their transgression, while the King (symbolizing God, the Ultimate Reality) was among them, present yet unrecognized and hidden. They pursued their deeds, oblivious that the King was witnessing their every action, moment by moment. As Mawlana quotes from the Quran: "He is with you wherever you are" (Hadid:4) and "There is no secret counsel of three but He is the fourth of them" (Mujadila:7); God is present within the fabric of all events, even in the most solitary and darkest moments of human actions.

Now, with the dawn, and the King seated on his throne, the thieves are brought to the court, bound and imprisoned. This verse describes their state: "And from the dread of their own lives, they trembled." This trembling is not merely from fear of physical torture or death; it is an existential tremor, a profound terror arising from encountering an absolute and boundless power that has witnessed their actions from beginning to end and is now seated in judgment. This fear is the direct consequence of their sin and their heedlessness of God's perpetual presence. In the night of unawareness, the thieves were oblivious to the "dread of their own lives"; now that truth is revealed, this dread emanates from deep within their souls, encompassing their entire being.

In this tale, Mawlana clearly illustrates the distinction between the 'arif (the gnostic) and the ghafil (the oblivious). The thief "whose eye guided him, recognized the King in the night" (a symbol of the 'arif); upon facing the King on his throne, he does not tremble. Instead, he recognizes Him, "loves with His moon-like face," and even intercedes for his companions. However, the other thieves, who did not recognize the King and were solely preoccupied with "tunneling" and "plundering," now possess nothing but trembling and the fear of death. This gnosis, this ma'rifat, is "the security of both worlds"; one who recognizes God and comprehends His presence is liberated from this existential dread, even if outwardly a sinner. But one who remains in the darkness of heedlessness will find their entire being shaking upon the manifestation of divine power.

From Mawlana's perspective, this story is an allegory of the human relationship with God. God is an "unaccountable" King, of whom "He is not questioned for what He does, but they will be questioned" (Anbiya:23). He is the doer of all, and no one has the right to object to Him. This absolute authority can sometimes present dark moral aspects, which Sufis sought to soften by emphasizing divine love and grace. The trembling of the thieves represents this sense of vulnerability before a power that can even sacrifice "justice and reason." Yet, the 'arif sees in this absolute power an aspect of beauty and grace that draws them to love, liberating them from anxiety.

Key takeaways

• Confronting the reality of God's absolute presence, after heedlessness, leads to existential dread.
• The thieves' trembling symbolizes the fear of the sinful human before God's judging power.
• Oblivion to the hidden divine presence transforms into terror and inner dread when God's power is revealed.
• The King in this story symbolizes God, who is both the witness of actions and the ultimate judge.
• Only the gnostic ('arif), who recognizes the King, finds love and intercession instead of fear in this confrontation.