M6:3226 — او همت زان سو حواله می‌کند / هین عمر آمد که تا بر نان زند

Translation: He (the shopkeeper) refers (you) to that other side; (with the message:) Lo, Omar has come to strike at bread. Meaning: This verse is part of the parable of a man named Omar in the Shi'ite city of Kashan. If a person, like the "Omar" in the story, fails to perceive underlying unity and insists on seeing multiplicity, they will be perpetually turned away in their quest for sustenance (both material bread and spiritual truth), for all doors (shops) are ultimately one, and Truth grants no nourishment to the one who sees only fragmentation.

This verse concludes a profound parable by Mowlana concerning the perception of unity versus multiplicity, narrated through the story of a man named "Omar" in the city of "Kashan." As is known, during Mowlana's time, Kashan was one of the few predominantly Shi'ite cities. Mowlana uses this city as a symbol of spiritual unity and coherence; a place where all shops are seemingly one, and all vendors share a single, unified spirit.

In this tale, a man named Omar (a derogatory name in the Shi'ite context of Kashan, symbolizing the 'Other' and discord) enters a shop to buy bread. The shopkeeper refuses to sell him bread and refers him to another shop, with the message, "This Omar has come for bread." In this verse, Mowlana states that the second shopkeeper does the same: "He (also) refers (you) to that other side"; meaning, he too directs you towards yet another shop. This forms a futile, endless loop because, as Mowlana clarifies, "Had he not been cross-eyed in his perception / He would have said there is no other shop." If this man were not "ahwal" (cross-eyed or distorted in vision), he would understand that all shops are one, and moving from one to another is pointless. Bread—whether material sustenance or spiritual truth—will not be granted to him.

This anecdote serves as a metaphor for the human condition of wandering in the world when one lacks a unifying vision. "Referring" (حواله کردن) here implies dismissal, rejection, and turning away. It means, "I cannot lead you to your goal; go elsewhere." This verse paints a picture of someone in pursuit of something, yet constantly driven away from truth due to their very mode of perception, remaining adrift. This "bread" can symbolize meaning, peace, truth, or any form of happiness that one seeks. If a person's heart is "Omar-named"—meaning, it is tainted by multiplicity and discord—then no shop in this world, all of which emanate from a singular Truth, will offer them "bread."

The path to liberation is to change this "name"; not the outward name, but the existential name. As Mowlana states: "But if in one shop you uttered 'Ali,' you would receive / Bread from here without referral or sorrow." This signifies a transformation of perspective from pluralism to monism, from being "Omar-named" to "Ali-named" (Ali, meaning elevated, symbolizing unity in mysticism). This internal shift liberates a person from being "referred from place to place" and allows them to escape "oscillation" and "aimless wandering" within "this Kashan full of fear and hope" (i.e., this world of anxieties and aspirations). Their life will then gain "meaning." In such a state, there is no longer a need to go from one "shop" to another, from one "doctor" to another, or from one "distraction" to another to fill existential voids.

Mowlana further elaborates that once such a vision is attained, mere images transform into reality: "Wash your eyes with this water, you will be freed from illusion / You will see images, and your basket will be filled." What was previously perceived as merely an image or an illusion now becomes a tangible reality and a fruit. Water is no longer just water; it is a garden that bears fruit. This alludes to the story of Queen Bilqis in the presence of Solomon (Quran, Surah An-Naml:44), where she mistook the transparent glass floor of Solomon's palace for water and lifted her skirt to step through it. Solomon, however, told her: "It is a lofty palace paved with glass." By observing this and acknowledging her error, Bilqis embraced the truth of divine unity. Mowlana advises: "So do not be exposed (like Bilqis) by the bubble" – you should no longer be deceived by appearances or mistake illusion for reality. Instead, you must transcend the surface of the bubble and reach the depth of the water to see the garden and pluck its fruit. This insight is the unifying vision that rescues humanity from wandering and reveals the true meaning in all manifestations of the world.

Key takeaways

• Human wandering in the world stems from the lack of a unifying vision.
• For Mowlana, the world is fundamentally one; perceiving multiplicity is a "cross-eyed" (distorted) vision.
• "Bread" symbolizes sustenance, truth, meaning, and all that humanity seeks.
• "Being referred" is a metaphor for being rejected and failing to reach one's goal in the pursuit of truth.
• Liberation from wandering lies in changing one's "name" (i.e., transforming one's inner nature and perspective) from multiplicity to unity.
• A monistic vision transforms illusion into reality, akin to the story of Bilqis and Solomon's glass floor.