M6:3772 — او توست اما نه این تو آن توست / که در آخر واقف بیرون‌شوست

Translation: That is you, yet not this 'you,' but that 'you' / Who in the end becomes aware, emerging [from unawareness]. Meaning: This verse posits a multi-layered human identity, suggesting that the 'true self' (that 'you') which ultimately gains awareness and emerges from ignorance, is distinct from the superficial 'you,' though both are facets of the same being.

Mowlana here delves into one of the most profound psychological and mystical insights: the multiplicity of the 'self.' We often mistakenly believe we possess a singular, unified 'you,' yet this is far from the truth. As Mowlana himself states elsewhere: "You are not one 'you,' my dear friend / Rather a cosmos and a deep ocean." This 'you' perceived at any given moment is merely one layer of our complex existence. Indeed, we harbor thousands of 'I's and 'we's within ourselves, and this nafs, like a chameleonic idol, constantly assumes new guises, even concealing its true nature from ourselves. Everyone presumes to know themselves, but this knowledge is superficial, with many facets of their personality remaining veiled.

To illustrate this multiplicity, Mowlana employs the realm of dreams. In a dream, one 'self' embarks on a journey to encounter another 'self,' yet this meeting often occurs in disguise. For instance, one might dream of a deceased father speaking, but in reality, it is one's own 'self' conversing with itself in the guise of the father. Or a predatory lion attacking in a dream is a symbol of our own 'self' assailing us in a savage form. These are all diverse manifestations of the 'one self' that are suppressed in wakefulness, finding no opportunity to emerge. However, in sleep, the nafs is freer from the constraints of waking consciousness and reveals its more authentic visage. The quality of this self-manifestation, of course, depends on the purification of the nafs; if it is pure, it appears in beautiful and subtle forms in dreams; if it is tainted with malice and envy, it produces disturbing nightmares.

From this perspective, the 'that you' in the verse refers to that aspect of the self which, at the end of the journey of spiritual striving and awareness, attains true gnosis and emerges from the veils of ignorance and heedlessness. This 'aware you' is the discerning and insightful true self that ultimately distinguishes which actions are 'obligatory' (wājib) and which are 'bad,' thereby recognizing the correct path. This 'ultimate you' sometimes approaches the 'initial you' to admonish and guide it, but often we remain oblivious to these warnings. This is why God sent the prophets, to freely reveal to us what our 'ultimate you' ought to have understood, illuminating the path.

Mowlana here uses the term khod-bini (self-seeing) not in the pejorative sense of egoism, but in the laudatory sense of 'introspection.' He invites humanity to excavate the well of their own existence to discover hidden gems and profound secrets within themselves. This self-knowledge, as attested by the prophetic saying, "Whoever knows their self has known their Lord," is the key not only to knowing oneself but also to knowing God. This is the highest form of knowledge and recognition, for one to understand what their ultimate destiny will be and what their 'ultimate you' – the one who becomes aware of the truth – truly is. This farsighted and consequence-aware perspective is the essence of the desirable khod-bini in Mowlana's mysticism.

Key takeaways

• Human identity is multi-layered and complex, lacking a singular, fixed 'self.'
• The 'true self' (that 'you') is a deeper aspect of our being that ultimately attains awareness and gnosis.
• The process of awakening and emerging from ignorance is the discovery of a more authentic, dormant layer of the self within us.
• Introspection, in its positive sense, serves as the pathway to this profound self-knowledge.
• Even in dreams, our 'self' converses with itself in various guises, revealing hidden dimensions of our personality.
• This profound self-knowledge, achieved by the 'ultimate you,' ultimately leads to the knowledge of God.