M1:613 — لذّت انعامِ خود را وا مگیر / نُقل و باده و جامِ خود را وا مگیر

Translation: Do not withhold the joy of Your own bounty; / Do not take back Your sweets, Your wine, and Your cup. Meaning: This verse, stemming from the discussion of humanity's ontological non-being, is an earnest plea to the Absolute Being for the continuation of its grace and beneficence, as human existence is contingent and only through divine gifts does it realize its being and taste the joy of existence.

This verse resides at the heart of one of Mawlana's most profound discussions in the First Book: the concept of humanity's 'ontological non-being' and its relationship with the Absolute Being. Mawlana here likens humankind to a 'reed' (ney)—a hollow vessel that, by itself, possesses no sound, producing melody only when breathed into by the reed-player. He states explicitly in verses preceding this one:

We are like the reed, and the sound within us is from You; We are like the mountain, and the echo within us is from You.

We are non-beings, and You are manifestations of existence; You are the Absolute Being, our being is from You.

This signifies that, ontologically speaking, we humans are 'nothing' (nist), and our existence is merely a manifestation of the Absolute Being, God. This state of 'non-being' is not a mark of weakness or insignificance, but rather our fundamental existential truth. It is within this framework that Mawlana supplicates to the Divine: 'You showed the joy of existence to the non-being, You made the non-being a lover of Yourself.' He means that God Himself has made non-being into being, granted it the taste of existence, and showered it with infinite bounty. Now that this joy of existence has been imparted and these continuous gifts bestowed, the plea is not to withdraw them. The 'sweets, wine, and cup' here are sublime symbols of this 'joy of existence' and the uninterrupted divine beneficence. This request is not for mere material pleasures but for the continuity of existence itself and the ongoing flow of divine grace, from which all our life springs.

This is precisely what our mystics refer to as tawḥīd afʿālī (the unity of actions): the understanding that every action and movement originating from us, in truth, emanates from a higher source. Mawlana illustrates this with the metaphor of the 'lion on the banner': 'We are all lions, but lions on a banner; / Our attacks are from the wind, moment by moment.' Like a lion on a flag, we only stir when a wind—from the Absolute Being—blows through us. Therefore, our existence, movement, and joy are all 'from His giving,' and independent of Him, we possess nothing. This prayer is a deep acknowledgment of this existential dependence and a plea for the continuation of this vital relationship.

Key takeaways

• Human existence and sustenance are entirely dependent on continuous divine grace and bounty.
• The joy of being is not our inherent right, but a gift bestowed upon us by the Absolute Being.
• Humanity is like a hollow reed that only produces melody through divine breath; our sound and movement are from Him.
• The 'sweets, wine, and cup' symbolize the continuous manifestation of the joy of existence and infinite divine care.
• This verse encapsulates tawḥīd afʿālī, meaning all our actions and movements originate from the divine source.