M1:416 — جان همه روز از لگدکوب خیال / وز زیان و سود وز خوفِ زوال

Translation: The soul, all day long, from the trampling of khiyāl (imagination/thoughts), And from (anxieties of) profit and loss, and from the fear of decay... Meaning: The human soul is ceaselessly beset by the relentless onslaught of worldly thoughts and imaginings, the anxieties of gain and loss, and the ever-present dread of perishing, thereby losing its inner tranquility and true path.

Mowlana, in these lines, identifies one of the most fundamental afflictions of the human soul, referring to it with the powerful metaphor of the 'trampling of khiyāl.' This khiyāl (imagination/thoughts) is not merely the faculty of fancy; rather, it signifies the ceaseless onslaught of thoughts, worries, endless desires and plans, and, most critically, the anxieties of worldly gains and losses, coupled with the profound 'fear of decay' (khawf-i zawāl). This dread of annihilation, of losing what one possesses, of ceasing to be, relentlessly crushes the soul, rendering it inert.

I call this a 'prison-like wakefulness.' One is awake, yes, but this wakefulness is not of the kind connected to the Divine; instead, it's a state of imprisonment within the labyrinth of one's own mind. This captive soul neither attains ṣafā (purity), nor retains its luṭf (grace) or farr (glory). But the true tragedy lies in how this trampling of khiyāl makes the soul forget its 'path of journey' (rāh-i safar) to the heavens. As we heard earlier in the first book of the Masnavi, Mowlana posits humanity as travelers severed from the 'reed-bed' (neyestān), whose sole preoccupation ought to be returning to their 'origin' (aṣl-i khwīsh). Yet, when the soul becomes entangled in these worldly concerns, the destination is utterly forgotten.

The soul becomes so preoccupied with these profits and losses, and this dread of perishing, that it no longer contemplates its primary journey. Khiyāl, in this sense, acts as a 'barrier' (ḥājib), a thick veil separating us from our celestial destination. Life, for this trapped soul, reduces to merely passing days and nights, embroiled in competition and envy. We forget that we are travelers, that we must lighten our load, and that every choice we make should either prepare us for this journey or not. It is here that the soul, in its peak sensory wakefulness, sinks into a profound slumber, remaining oblivious to true awakening in the Divine.

Key takeaways

• The human soul is constantly besieged by worldly concerns and the onslaught of khiyāl (thoughts/imagination).
• Anxiety over profit and loss, coupled with the fear of decay (khawf-i zawāl), strips the soul of its peace and purity.
• This mental imprisonment is the main obstacle to the spiritual journey and remembering one's celestial destination.
• Mowlana refers to this state as 'prison-like wakefulness,' a form of being awake that is itself a confinement.
• Forgetting one's status as a traveler and connection to the 'reed-bed' is a direct consequence of being caught in the 'trampling of khiyāl'.